printed promotional mugs for trade shows
Preparing for a trade show or exhibition? Custom printed promotional mugs are a practical way to get your business noticed and give visitors something useful to take away. Add your company logo, branding or promotional design to create mugs that represent your business long after the event has finished.
At Cheap Mugs, we print personalised promotional mugs in the UK for businesses of all sizes. Whether you already have a complete design or simply want your company logo printed on both sides of a mug, our online personalisation tool makes it straightforward to prepare your order.
Choose a mug template, upload your artwork, check the preview and add your personalised mugs to your basket. In this guide, we'll look at choosing the right design, preparing your logo and making the most of branded mugs at your next exhibition.
Different businesses have different artwork requirements. Some have a finished design ready to print, while others prefer a simple mug displaying their company logo. Our upload templates provide options for both approaches.
Promotional Mug with Panoramic Artwork
Already have a complete promotional design? Upload your finished artwork using our panoramic image mug template. Ideal for branding that combines a logo, company colours and additional graphics in one design.
Personalise This Mug
Promotional Mug with 2 Logo Positions
Want your company logo to appear in two positions on the mug? Our two-image template lets you upload artwork for each position, making it a straightforward choice for simple business branding.
Personalise This Mug
If your design also needs a short message, company name or slogan, you may prefer our two-image mug with personalised text.
Trade shows bring together visitors who are actively looking for new products, suppliers and business contacts. A useful promotional item can help people remember a company after they've left its stand.
Printed mugs offer something different from smaller giveaways such as pens or leaflets. They can be used in homes, offices and workplace kitchens, giving your branding the opportunity to be seen repeatedly rather than only during the exhibition itself.
Practical Promotional Merchandise
A ceramic mug has an everyday purpose. Visitors who take one home or back to their workplace have a useful item displaying your business name or logo.
Brand Visibility After the Event
Unlike an exhibition leaflet that may be read once, a mug can remain in regular use. Clear, recognisable branding gives people another opportunity to remember your company.
Suitable for Different Businesses
From local trades and independent companies to professional services and larger organisations, promotional mugs can be adapted to suit a wide range of business identities.
Useful Beyond Exhibitions
Branded mugs can also be used for customer gifts, staff welcome packs, office kitchens, product launches and other business promotions throughout the year.
Of course, not every exhibition visitor will want to carry a mug around all day. They're often most effective when given to interested customers, promising contacts or visitors who've taken the time to speak with your team.
The best promotional mug designs are often the simplest. People should be able to recognise your company name or logo without having to study a complicated arrangement of text and graphics.
Before preparing your artwork, think about how the finished mug will be viewed. A mug has a curved surface, so the design may be seen from different angles when it's sitting on a desk or being held.
Tips for an Effective Mug Design
- Make your company logo the main focus of the design.
- Choose colours that are clearly visible against the white mug.
- Avoid very small lettering and fine details where possible.
- Keep company names, websites and slogans easy to read.
- Check how your design looks when wrapped around the mug.
- Leave enough space around important artwork elements.
Should You Print Your Logo on Both Sides?
For simple business branding, having your company logo appear on both sides can be a useful option. It gives your branding more opportunity to be visible when somebody holds the mug or places it on a desk.
Our two-image upload mug is suitable for this approach. You can upload your logo for each image position rather than preparing a complete panoramic design.
When Is a Panoramic Design Better?
If your business already has finished mug artwork incorporating several elements, a panoramic layout may be more appropriate. For example, you might have a promotional design featuring your logo, brand colours, a product image and a short message arranged across the printable area.
Our panoramic image mug lets you upload that complete artwork as a single design.
A clear, good-quality logo helps your printed promotional mugs look professional. If you have several versions of your business logo, choose the highest-quality original available rather than a small image copied from your website or social media page.
Before Uploading Your Logo
- Use a high-resolution version of your company logo.
- Avoid enlarging a tiny or blurry image.
- Check that small text is readable.
- Make sure your design has good contrast.
- Use the correct version of your business name and branding.
- Inspect the online preview carefully before ordering.
If your logo was professionally designed, you may already have a high-quality master file. Exporting a suitable image from that original is generally preferable to downloading the logo from your website, where it may have been reduced or compressed.
If your artwork includes a web address, telephone number or promotional message, check every character carefully. Small spelling errors can be easy to miss on screen but will still appear on the finished mugs.
Keep Important Details Away from the Edges
Artwork that looks good on a flat computer screen can appear different when displayed around a curved mug. Make sure important logos, text and contact details are clearly visible in the personalised preview and aren't positioned too close to the edge of the available design area.
Creating your branded mugs is straightforward, whether you're uploading complete promotional artwork or just your company logo. You can select a suitable template and prepare your design using our online personalisation tool.
1. Choose Your Mug Template
Select the panoramic image mug if you have a complete design, or choose one of our other image upload templates if you're working with individual logos or graphics.
2. Upload Your Logo or Artwork
Click the Personalise button on the product page to open the editor. Upload your company logo, complete promotional design or other suitable artwork into the available image positions.
3. Check Your Mug Preview
Review how your artwork appears on the mug. Check the placement, visibility and spelling of any wording before continuing. Make any necessary adjustments in the editor.
4. Add to Basket and Order
Once you're happy with the design, add the personalised mug to your basket and complete the checkout process. Check the available delivery options and estimated dates against your exhibition plans.
Ideas for Using Promotional Mugs at Exhibitions
Branded mugs can serve several purposes at an exhibition. Rather than handing one to every person walking past your stand, consider how they could support conversations, product demonstrations and follow-up contact with potential customers.
Giveaways for Interested Visitors
Offer a branded mug to visitors who have shown genuine interest in your products or services. It provides a useful reminder of the conversation once they've returned to their workplace.
Gifts for Existing Customers
If you're meeting established customers at an exhibition, a personalised company mug can be a thoughtful thank-you and an opportunity to reinforce your business relationship.
Exhibition Stand Displays
Place a few printed mugs on your stand as part of your display. They can help demonstrate your branding and make the stand feel more welcoming without needing to distribute every mug immediately.
Welcome Packs and Event Gifts
Branded mugs can be included in welcome packs for invited guests, speakers, business partners or staff attending a conference or corporate event.
Promotional mugs can be used as exhibition giveaways, customer gifts or part of a branded trade show display.
Think About How Visitors Will Carry Them
Unlike a pen or leaflet, a ceramic mug takes up more space and needs to be carried carefully. This is worth considering if you're planning a large giveaway. You may prefer to reserve mugs for particularly interested visitors or provide suitable protective packaging where required.
Planning Your Promotional Mug Order
When preparing for an exhibition, the number of mugs you need will depend on the size of the event, the expected visitor numbers and how you intend to distribute them.
If you're using mugs as a general giveaway, you'll probably want more than if you're reserving them for existing clients, invited guests or qualified business enquiries.
Consider Your Exhibition Audience
Think about how many meaningful conversations you expect to have rather than relying solely on the organiser's total visitor estimate. A smaller quantity of well-targeted giveaways may be more useful than distributing mugs indiscriminately.
Allow Time for Delivery
Don't leave your promotional merchandise until the final stages of exhibition preparation. Check the estimated delivery dates shown when ordering and allow additional time for artwork checks, unpacking and transporting the mugs to the venue.
Where Should Your Mugs Be Delivered?
Consider whether it's easier to receive your mugs at your business premises before the event or arrange delivery to another suitable address. If you're planning delivery to an exhibition venue, check its receiving arrangements and access restrictions in advance.
Branded Mugs Printed in the UK
Our standard Durham-style ceramic mugs have an 11oz (325ml) capacity and are printed in the UK. We offer budget-friendly pricing, fast dispatch and tracked delivery options, with estimated delivery information available during the ordering process.
For time-sensitive exhibitions, make sure the delivery option you select allows sufficient time before your event. Ordering early gives you more flexibility should your plans change.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Choose a suitable mug template, click Personalise and upload your company logo using our online editor. You can check how the branding looks on the mug before adding it to your basket.
Yes. Our two-image mug template allows you to upload artwork for two image positions. You can use your company logo in both positions to create a branded mug with the logo visible from different sides.
Yes. If you already have finished artwork containing your company logo and other design elements, our panoramic image mug is a suitable option. Upload the design and check its positioning in the online preview.
Use a clear, high-quality version of your logo in a file format accepted by the personalisation editor. Avoid small, blurry images and check that any lettering remains readable when displayed on the mug.
Yes. Our online personalisation tool provides a preview of your uploaded artwork. Check the appearance and position of your company logo or design before adding the mug to your basket.
We offer fast dispatch and a choice of tracked delivery services. Available delivery options and estimated dates are displayed during ordering. We recommend placing your order well ahead of your exhibition to allow sufficient time for delivery and preparation.
Get your business ready for its next trade show or exhibition with custom printed promotional mugs. Upload your company logo or complete artwork, preview your design and order online with printing in the UK.
Looking for another layout? View our personalised mug range.
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