Banner and Signage Hub poster guidelines

Banner and Signage Hub poster guidelines

Contents

Introduction

The City of Melbourne has established these guidelines for the design and production of banners and signage hub posters to ensure successful designs and high quality production.

These guidelines encourage designs that enhance the city’s appeal and communicate information about events and activities in the municipality, including arts, cultural and sporting events, as well as major festivals.

The City of Melbourne Banner Program offers the following mediums:

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  City Standard Banners
  
• 
  City Super Banners
  
• 
  City Signage Hub Posters
  
• 
  Docklands Banners version one
  
• 
  Docklands Banners version two
  
• 
  Docklands Super Banners
  

• 
  Add vitality to the cityscape and
  
• 
  Promote events and activities that the public can attend that are being held within the city including Docklands.
  

• 
  Advertising commercial sponsors
  
• 
  Flying national flags or cause-related flags
  
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  Promoting events, industry days and trade shows that the general public cannot attend
  
• 
  Promoting private functions or events that the general public cannot attend
  
• 
  Marketing activities such as product launches, venue openings or media announcements.
  

The application process

Banner allocations are not finalised on a first come first served basis, so whilst it is highly recommended to submit your application early, doing so will not guarantee the banner sites requested. Banner sites are allocated based on a predefined City of Melbourne priority system.

In order of priority, bookings will be taken for:

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  City of Melbourne owned events
  
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  City of Melbourne sponsored and partnered events
  
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  Major Hallmark events
  
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  Events or conferences that are held within the City of Melbourne boundaries that the general public can attend
  
• 
  A specific event that promotes a fundraising activity.
  

Online maps

City Super²

These maps should be used as a guide only. Some locations may no longer be in commission and or new sites may not be present. Refer to the application form for a current list of available sites.

Application Form

Please submit completed application forms by email to banners@melbourne.vic.gov.au

Banner sites must be applied for as a whole; sites are not available to split between customers.

Design guidelines

Banners are considered to be a decorative medium and are not intended to be used as advertising for products, services or individuals. As banners are often an addition to other marketing material, the artwork may need to be altered to suit the banner medium.

Each banner can have a maximum of 10 per cent of the total banner allocated for direct sponsorship recognition, such as a company’s logo or naming rights. Logos must be placed at the bottom of the banner. Image dimensions are scaled from standard banner specifications. The 10 per cent restriction applies to all styles of banners, included signage hub posters.

To help make the design more effective, it is essential that:

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  One bold striking image or graphic design is used and overall graphics are kept simple
  
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  Font size should be large enough to ensure readability against a bright sky and legibility from a distance
  
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  Colour selection is important to guarantee visibility against both the sky and city landscape. White, yellow and other pale colours are not recommended as they soil very easily (if this occurs, all costs associated with cleaning and repair work will be charged to the client). Black grey and other extremely dark backgrounds blend into the general cityscape and will be approved at the City of Melbourne’s discretion
  
• 
  The title of the event should be included and appear at the top of the artwork. To enable these to be re-used at a later date, it is recommended that the venue name and other event and venue information such as dates, be omitted
  
• 
  Extended text should only be used where it forms part of the established image of the event and logo
  
• 
  Montages and slogans should be avoided as the design will be hard to see from afar
  
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  Telephone numbers, references to social media and other similar information will not be allowed
  
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  Websites used as a ‘call to action’ are allowed
  
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  All costs relating to the design and production of banners are to be met by the hirer.
  

Design approval process

Designs must be submitted for approval a minimum of six weeks prior to the proposed installation date. Artwork can be submitted as a low-resolution PDF or jpeg file via email to banners@melbourne.vic.gov.au

Banners and posters used in previous years must be clean and free of fading, rips or tears if intended to be used again. Banners and posters more than three years old cannot be used without prior inspection by the City of Melbourne’s installation contractor to ascertain their condition. Please contact Business and Tourism Melbourne on +613 9658 8355 for further details.

Approval is required for all designs, even if banners and posters have been used previously. Feedback on designs will be provided by the City of Melbourne within five working days after receipt of submitted designs. Final approval must be granted by City of Melbourne before production can commence.

The City of Melbourne reserves the right to reject any design that does not comply with the design guidelines or if the physical condition does not meet City of Melbourne’s quality standards.

Should banners and posters be produced without the approval of City of Melbourne, the hirer will be responsible for all costs associated with re-designing and reproducing these to meet City of Melbourne’s approval. Should banners or posters be installed with unapproved designs, these will be immediately removed at the cost of the hirer.

Production guidelines

City Standard Banners

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  Standard Banner dimensions are 1600 millimetres high by 750 millimetres wide
  
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  Standard banners are suitable for attaching to a selection of poles
  
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  Banners are printed double sided on block out vinyl
  
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  Standard banners are fixed along the top and bottom and therefore require an open sleeve at either end.
  

City Super Banners

The diagrams below show a more detailed close up of the City Super Banners. There is a 150 millimetre male or female Velcro fold-over pocket cover that enables the batten to be removed from the banner. The batten pocket is constructed from Dacron which is 100 millimetres wide by 2630 millimetres long and folded in half to form a 50 millimetre sleeve which is double stitched on both sides. The Batten (Waverider 2 made by Permex) is made from long flexible fibreglass and measures 20 millimetres by 4 millimetres and is 2570 millimetres long. The batten is supplied and fitted by the City of Melbourne.

At the base of the supporting strut, the technical specifications state: Oval pocket end Number 87 by Pacific nylon/ronstan to both sides of banner.

There are also two sister clips made of stainless steel at either end of the banner along the side that attach to the pole.

• 
  Super banner dimensions are 4200 millimetres high by 1800 millimetres wide
  
• 
  Super banners are designed for installation on City of Melbourne, including Docklands super banner poles. They are manufactured from a trilobal and textured polyester, preferably with a gloss finish and must be hemmed on all edges
  
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  These banners are tied to poles using a stainless steel sister clip at the top and bottom of the banner
  
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  To further strengthen the banner a sail tape pocket to suit a fibreglass rod needs to be included diagonally across the banner from the half-way point. Polyester spine tape has to be put down the length attached to the pole.
  

Signage Hub posters

• 
  The Signage Hub poster dimensions are 775 millimetres wide by 2050 millimetres high
  
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  Visible area is 680 millimetres wide by 2020 millimetres high
  
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  Posters must be printed onto a Duratan back lit film or industry equivalent
  
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  Laminated in Santex to improve rigidity
  
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  Posters printed on paper will not be accepted or installed.
  

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  A detailed map of the city centre, provided by City of Melbourne
  
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  A 3D map of the city, provided by City of Melbourne
  
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  Banner program poster.
  

Docklands Banners version one

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  Docklands banner version one dimensions are 2500 millimetres high by 800 millimetres wide
  
• 
  Docklands banners version one are constructed to ensure suitability for attaching to a selection of poles. They are manufactured from a trilobal and textured polyester, preferably with a gloss finish and must be hemmed on all edges. Docklands banners version one differ in that they are attached directly to the banner pole, instead of to a halyard like super banners.
  

Docklands Banners version two

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  Docklands banner version two dimensions are 2500 millimetres high by 800 millimetres wide
  
• 
  Docklands banners version two is constructed to ensure suitability for attaching to a selection of poles. They are manufactured from a trilobal and textured polyester, preferably with a gloss finish and must be hemmed on all edges.
  

Docklands Super Banners

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  Docklands Super banner dimensions are 4200 millimetres high by 1800 millimetres wide
  
• 
  Docklands Super banners are designed for installation on city and Melbourne Docklands banner poles. They are manufactured from a trilobal and textured polyester, preferably with a gloss finish and must be hemmed on all edges.
  
• 
  These banners are tied to poles using a stainless steel sister clip at the top and bottom of the banner
  
• 
  To further strengthen the banner a sail tape pocket to suit a fibreglass rod needs to be included diagonally across the banner from the half-way point. Polyester spine tape has to be put down the length attached to the pole.
  

Docklands Banner locations and banner quantities at each location:

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  New Quay Promenade, 43 banners
  
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  Central Pier outside Shed 14, 15 banners
  
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  Central Pier outside Shed nine, 14 banners
  

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  Corner of Footscray Road and Docklands Drive, five banners
  

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  Victoria Harbour promenade East, opposite Captain’s Walk, seven banners
  
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  Corner of Bourke and Harbour Esplanade, opposite National Australia Bank, six banners
  
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  Waterfront Way, near Costco, five banners
  

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  Harbour Esplanade outside Shed 14, seven banners
  

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  Harbour Esplanade outside Shed seven, seven banners
  

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  Please be aware that your selected supplier will take approximately three weeks to produce all types of banners and posters from receipt to finished artwork. The banners will then need to be forwarded to the installation contractor a minimum of five working days prior to the first installation date.
  
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  With regards to all designs, it is recommended that artwork be supplied to Business and Tourism Melbourne via e-mail as a PDF or low-resolution jpeg file. The supplier used for the banner printing will require artwork in a different format. Please check with your supplier for their specifications.
  
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  The production cost of banners may vary and the City of Melbourne encourages hirers to contact a range of manufacturers to obtain information and quotes to best suit their particular needs.
  
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  All costs relating to the production of banners and posters are to be met by the hirer.
  

Installation and removal

City of Melbourne Banner and Signage Hub Program costs

These costs include GST and are priced per one banner pole or signage hub per single installation and removal.

Due to the exposed nature of banners within the Docklands environment, experience shows that banners may need replacing every two to three weeks. If this is the case, all costs are to be covered by the hirer.

City Super, Docklands Super and Docklands version two banners

• 
  $65.15 including GST per banner pole
  

• 
  $4.90 including GST per banner pole per day
  
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  The first seven days of hire are included in the installation and removal fee.
  

City Standard and Docklands version one banners

• 
  $91.50 including GST per banner pole
  

• 
  $3 including GST per banner pole per day
  
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  The first seven days of hire are included in the installation and removal fee.
  

Signage Hubs

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  $267 including GST per signage hub
  
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  This includes installation, removal and cleaning per poster per signage hub.
  

• 
  There is no daily fee for signage hubs, only an install and removal fee as listed above.
  

Signage Hub locations

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  Exhibition and Bourke streets
  
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  Exhibition and Collins streets
  
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  Flinders Lane and Russell Street
  
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  Flinders Street and Spring Street
  
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  Flinders and Russell streets
  
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  Flinders and Swanston streets, outside Saint Paul’s Cathedral
  
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  Flinders Street near Queen Street
  
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  King and La Trobe streets
  
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  La Trobe and Spencer streets
  
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  Little Bourke Street, opposite Hardware Lane
  
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  Little Collins and William streets
  
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  Little Lonsdale and Queen streets
  
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  Lonsdale and Queen streets
  
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  Lonsdale Street, outside QV, corner of Lonsdale Swanston streets
  
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  Rathdowne Street, near Carlton Gardens
  
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  Spencer and Lonsdale streets
  
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  Spencer and Bourke streets, south
  
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  Spring and Bourke streets
  
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  Spring and Collins streets
  
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  Spring and Lonsdale streets, opposite north
  
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  Spring Street near Gordon Reserve
  
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  Swanston and Bourke streets
  
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  William and Lonsdale streets, east
  
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  William Street and Flinders Lane
  
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  William and Lonsdale streets west
  

Standard Banner, Super Banner and Signage Hub installation

Installation, dismantling and cleaning, (signage hubs only), costs are included in the installation and dismantling fees.

Hirers are required to send their banners and posters to the contractor no less than five working days prior to the first approved installation date.

At the end of the booking period banners or posters will be returned to the place of manufacture if known or held by the approved contractor for one week until collection is arranged. Hirers are responsible for collecting their banners from the contractor or manufacture once they have been removed. City of Melbourne will not be held responsible if your banners are disposed of by the contractor or manufacturer.

City of Melbourne will make every endeavour to install banners on the date confirmed to the hirer; however, installation can also be dependent on traffic, weather conditions, the number of sites to be installed and other external factors. Hirers should allow up to two days variance on the installation date.

Should construction or maintenance work be undertaken to the banner poles or signage hubs and render them unavailable, City of Melbourne will contact the hirer to agree on alternate sites if available or shortened length of duration if possible. City of Melbourne will not refund costs should sites be rendered unavailable after installation.

City of Melbourne does not take responsibility for lost, stolen or damaged banners.

Please note banner or poster installation will not commence until artwork has been approved and payment made to City of Melbourne.

Banner sites will not be split between hirers.

Administration and invoicing process

Clients will be required to complete, sign and return a Letter of Agreement. The Letter of Agreement is issued once the client has accepted the allocation offered. Bookings will not be considered as confirmed until the signed Letter of Agreement is returned.

Cancellations

Other promotional opportunities and banner locations

Other City of Melbourne promotional opportunities

• 
  Melbourne Town Hall Portico Banners, Jean-Francois Piery, International and Civic Services, Contact: +613 9658 9108
  
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  Promotional and display opportunities, Hedley Imbert, Business and Tourism Melbourne, Contact: +613 9658 9521
  

Privately Managed

• 
  Federation Square
  Eight super banner poles
  Only available to hirers and presenters
  Contact: +613 9639 2800
  
• 
  Department of Premier and Cabinet
  Four super banner poles available at Treasury Place
  Contact: +613 9651 1155
  
• 
  Arts Centre Melbourne
  10 super banner poles
  Only available for hirers and presenters
  Contact: +613 9281 8000
  
• 
  CityLink Transurban
  12 super banner poles, six poles on either side of the Brunswick Road exit on the CityLink Western Link
  Contact: +613 8656 8655
  
• 
  Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre
  Super banner poles available and quantity is unknown
  Contact by email marketing@mcec.com.au
  
• 
  Queen Victoria Market
  Nine super banner poles
  Contact: +613 9320 5829
  
• 
  Melbourne and Olympic Parks
  Only available for hirers and presenters
  Contact: + 613 9286 1600
  
• 
  Melbourne Tullamarine Airport
  Eight super banner poles
  Contact: +613 9297 1611
  
• 
  Crown Casino
  Super banner poles available and quantity is unknown
  Contact: +613 9292 8888