What Are Pole Banners?
Pole banners are vertical advertising displays that attach to light poles, utility poles, or specially designed banner poles along streets and walkways. You've definitely seen them before: those colorful banners lining downtown streets during festivals, welcoming messages on college campuses, or seasonal decorations in shopping districts.
What makes pole banners so effective? For starters, they're hard to miss. Mounted at eye level or above, they capture attention from both pedestrians and drivers. Unlike billboards that require dedicated space and massive budgets, pole banners work with existing infrastructure, making them a cost-effective way to transform entire streetscapes.
These banners serve multiple purposes beyond pure advertising. They create cohesive branding for districts and neighborhoods, help with wayfinding on large campuses, announce upcoming events, celebrate seasons and holidays, and build community identity. The beauty of pole banners is their flexibility. You can change them seasonally, rotate different messages, or keep consistent branding year-round. Cities often use them to create distinct identities for different neighborhoods, while universities rely on them to reinforce school spirit and guide visitors around campus.
Types of Pole Banners
1. Single-Sided vs. Double-Sided Banners
| Feature | Single-Sided | Double-Sided |
|---|---|---|
| Visibility | One direction only | Both directions |
| Reverse Side | Mirror image bleed-through | Correct reading from both sides |
| Weight | Lighter | Heavier |
| Cost | More affordable | Higher cost |
| Best For | One-way streets, single viewing direction | Two-way streets, high pedestrian traffic |
| Installation | Easier due to lighter weight | Requires stronger hardware |
2. Vinyl vs. Fabric Pole Banners
| Feature | Vinyl Banners | Fabric Banners |
|---|---|---|
| Material | PVC (polyvinyl chloride) | Polyester mesh or knitted polyester |
| Outdoor Lifespan | 2-3 years | 3-5 years |
| Wind Resistance | Moderate (solid surface) | Excellent (wind passes through) |
| Weight | Heavier | Lighter |
| Moisture Resistance | Excellent | Good |
| Durability | Won't crack easily in extreme cold | Won't tear as easily |
| Installation Ease | Moderate | Easier due to lighter weight |
| Best For | Long-term installations, moderate climates | indy locations, harsh weather areas |
3. Boulevard Banners vs. Avenue Banners
| Banner Type | Best For | Durability | Wind Resistance | Typical Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single-sided vinyl | Budget projects, one-way streets | High | Moderate | $ |
| Double-sided vinyl | Two-way streets, high traffic | High | Moderate | $$ |
| Single-sided fabric | Windy areas, temporary events | Good | Excellent | $ |
| Double-sided fabric | Windy areas needing two-way visibility | Good | Excellent | $$$ |
Pole Banner Hardware & Mounting Systems
Pole Banner Size Guide
Standard Size Options
Viewing Distance Matters
Proportion and Pole Coverage
| Banner Size | Ideal Viewing Distance | Typical Application | Recommended Pole Diameter |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18" x 36" | 15-30 feet | Pedestrian areas, small streets | 3 -4 inches |
| 24" x 48" | 30-50 feet | Main streets, campus pathways | 4-5 inches |
| 30" x 60" | 50-75 feet | Major thoroughfares | 5-6 inches |
| 36" x 72" | 75-100+ feet | Highway approaches, extra tall poles | 6+ inches |
Let customers speak for us
We ordered windscreens to help advertise our new residential development, and they turned out great. Todd Simms was extremely helpful every step of the way—whether it was design, shipping, or answering any questions we had. Overall, excellent customer service and a great product.
Corey I want to thank you for your patience throughout this entire process. You have been fantastic and I am extremely excited to see how these look. Thank you so much.
I chose BigSigns.com because I was impressed that they have worked with major colleges all over the U.S., and their prices were very reasonable. I absolutely loved working with Mario in sales. I'll admit, I probably wasn't the easiest customer due to my indecisiveness, but he was incredibly patient and helped make the process smooth from start to finish. The team completely nailed our project, and I already recommended them to others. The final result over-exceeded my expectations. This was a big-time project for a smaller school, and my goal was to have people see it and be wowed. Mission accomplished!
Mario, we used the banner as a backdrop for a trade show last weekend. It was a huge success!
We received our step and repeat a couple of days ago and it turned out great!!!! Thank you for your patience working with me until I made a decision on a design. We actually took it to a job fair yesterday and had people comment on it. In fact, I just sent your contact information to a gentleman from Amherst ISD. His name is Jose Gonzales. I hope he contacts you because he seemed very interested. I will definitely refer others to you in the future as well. Once again, thank you for all you did for us. I know we will get many uses out of it.Thanks- Jarod
Let me start off by saying the signage is even more impressive in person than in your brochures or mock ups, which is hard to do. I love most everything about it. Also appreciate you guys busting your ass to get it done for our regionals tomorrow. You should feel free to use me as a reference if desired. The back of the scoreboard was done as well and looked fantastic. The back of the dugout was also done and looked great. Pretty impressive really. Thanks
Over 400,000 runners will cross a Rock n Roll Marathon or 1/2 Marathon finish line, all of them crossing a BigSigns GatorAd finish line, specially formulated as non-slip safe no matter the weather! Thank you, BigSigns!
BigSigns.com's ModStar gave us the ease of use, customization, and portability we needed. Modstar displayed sponsors for all seventeen nation-wide Game Breakers events; we are now repurposing the existing frames with new branding for our Copa-de-Calle events.
Just wanted to let you know HOW FANTASTIC the banner is. We have had so many compliments on this banner. Thank you!!!
This is Stevie Medina with the Raton Tiger booster club over in Raton. I just wanted to say thank you for those on deck circles. They're amazing. We gave them out to the softball team and the baseball team. And they were super stoked to get them. They loved them. A lot of the kids like, what are those? Those are so cool. Those are so neat. So they really got a kick out of them. Appreciate you. How quickly you guys turn those around. Boy, we had them super fast. I just wanted to say thank you. Thank you much. And no need to return my phone call. I just wanted to let you know that we're enjoying them. And we appreciate all your help on it.
Ordered a door skin for our volleyball program. Customer service department was great ensuring the order was completed correctly in the end. Design team was accommodating with changes & requests to create a great final product!
We have done business with you in the past and have been pleased with your work. I will stop by your booth if I have an opportunity.
