7 Things You Must Consider Before Designing A Medal

Creating a new medal can feel a lot like staring at a blank canvas: exciting but also a bit daunting. 

It's normal to feel that way! But don't let that stop you. 

Here at Badges And Medals, we've helped thousands of people design custom medals from scratch.

We know that by asking yourself some key questions early on, you can speed up the design process and bring your vision to life more effectively. 

In this post, we'll walk you through the seven important questions you should answer before designing your next medal.

Questions To Answer Before Designing A Medal

1. What is the purpose of the medal?

Before you start designing a custom medal, you need to know its purpose. 

Is it to recognise someone’s hard work, promote your event, or encourage participation?

Knowing why you’re making the medal helps guide all your design choices.

For instance, a medal recognising someone's achievements should have more personal design features than a medal promoting an event. 

For example, you might include the recipient's name or finish time. 

This makes the medal feel more special to them.

2. Who is the medal for?

Next, think about who will receive the medal. 

Knowing your audience helps you create a design that means something special to them. 

Consider their age, interests and cultural background. 

For example, if the medals are for kids, consider using a bright base colour, glitter, or raised textures. 

This will make the medals far more exciting for them.

3. What size should the medal be?

Most medals are 50mm or 70mm wide, however, they can be between 40mm and 100mm wide. 

The perfect size for you depends on its purpose and who will receive it.

Bigger medals show more detail and make a stronger impression than normal-sized medals. 

(That's why the Olympic medals are always between 85mm and 95mm wide!)

Smaller medals, on the other hand, are easier to carry around - perfect for children!

4. What colours, text or symbols are important to you?

When designing a medal, it’s important to think about the colours, text, and symbols that represent your event, and how they can be added to your medal. 

Doing so creates a medal that is not only nice to look at but rich in meaning and significance.

For example, if you're designing a medal for a swimming competition, you might use colours that remind people of water, like different shades of blue and white. 

You might also centre your design around a wave or swimmer to capture the spirit of the sport.

If you're unsure what elements to include, turn to your brand style guideline. 

This is a document used by most organisations to help guide their branding. 

It covers everything from logos and colour palettes to fonts and images. 

Each guideline is unique to your organisation, making it a great source of inspiration for your medal's design.

5. How will the medal be presented?

Many people put a lot of thought into designing their medals but forget how they will be presented. 

Most medals are handed over as they are, which can make the presentation feel a bit lacklustre. 

Take the time now to consider if you'd like something a bit different.

The most popular alternative is custom boxes.

Custom boxes usually come in velvet, cardboard or vegan leather. 

Velvet and vegan leather boxes are the more well-liked of the three, because they have a satin-lined lid and a velvet base, making your medals look fancier. 

Some suppliers, like us at Badges And Medals, will let you customise your box for free to better complement your medals.

6. How can you make your medal stand out from the crowd?

Everyone wants their medal to leave a lasting impression.

So, before you place your order, think about what design features you can use to make your medal more memorable. 

From custom shapes to striking base colours, there are plenty of ways to add that 'wow' factor, each with its pros and cons. 

For a detailed list of ideas, read our blog post, 'Best Custom Medal Design Ideas [With Examples]'. 

7. What can you afford?

Finally, consider your budget. 

It’s tempting to include a bunch of fancy design elements on your medal, but you need to balance your ideas with what your event can afford.

First, decide how much you or your organisation is willing to spend on each medal, considering both the quantity you need and the quality you want. 

Once you know your budget, the next step is to look at what different design features will cost. 

Each feature, from the medal's size and shape to its materials and finishes, can affect your final bill.

Researching these costs allows you to make an informed decision about what to include and what to cut. 

For a detailed look at costs, read, 'What Do Custom Medals Cost?'

You can also tell your supplier your price range from the start. 

This way, they can create a medal that fits your budget, so you don’t get something too expensive.

Get your design in motion:

It's normal to feel overwhelmed when starting your custom medal design journey. 

With so many details and options, it's easy to feel lost about where to begin.

That's why we at Badges And Medals created this guide: to give you the right questions to ask yourself before starting your design. 

By thinking about your purpose, audience, design elements, and budget, we've helped turn your confusion into a clear plan.

Now that you have a clear idea of what you want your design to look like, it’s time to bring it to life. 

Fill out this short form today for a free, personalised custom medal design.