Who’s the customer?

The rules for a decent conference badge are simple:

1. Two-sided.
2. Attendee name in large bold lettering.
3. Company name in large bold lettering.

This is obvious to any conference attendee. So why do most badges fall short of this – crammed with logos, small text, and other irritations?

The answer is simple. Attendees are not the primary customers of this product. Our opinions don’t drive revenue. Instead, it is the sponsors and the conference itself who are being served.

Logos placement is purchased. Large QR codes enable scanning tools, which sponsors rent. One-sided printing saves a few pennies.

In short – if you find a consistently irritating product in the market, perhaps you are not the customer.