Blog - Name Tag Wizard Blog

February 20, 2019June 18, 2020

What’s in a Name? Turn Your Name Tags Into Conversation Starters

Thoughtful name tags provide a variety of benefits. As representatives of your company, employees are ambassadors for your business. Well-designed name tags will help personnel make a professional first impression, and they can inspire meaningful conversation between guests and staff. Name tags also are terrific options for special events such as conferences, family or class reunions, travel groups, or neighborhood block parties. Name tags are ideal for just about any group gathering, creativity is key!

No matter the reason name tags are worn, they offer many benefits and can be wonderful ways to get the conversations started. Wearing name tags can form a sense of community, create connections and interactive experiences, highlight employee accomplishments, display individuality, and create emotional connections. Name tags are often how you’ll be remembered by others.

Name Tags Aren’t Just for Names Anymore!

Starting the conversation is easy with a creatively designed name tag; curiosity will get that dialogue flowing! We’ve gathered some of our favorite name tag ideas to offer you a bit of communication inspiration.

Hometown

Most famously recognized from Walt Disney World and Disneyland cast member name tags, adding a person’s hometown beneath his or her name(Disney name tags include first names only because Walt Disney himself felt that referring to people by their first names helped to create a family friendly atmosphere) is meant to start a conversation about shared experiences or curiosity about an unknown place.

adisneycepadventure.com

Favorite City

Elaborating on the hometown theme, including a city or country that holds significance for the name tag bearer, is an imaginative adaptation. Perhaps it’s the location of a once-in-a-lifetime trip, the city where you ran your first marathon, or the first overseas country you visited. Sharing a memory inspires conversation!

County of Origin

No matter where in the world you live, you will always be connected to the place where you were born. Especially if you’re working in a different country, sharing this information can be a terrific conversation starter.

Nickname

Every name has a story! Nicknames often come by way of an amusing memory that would make an entertaining story for sharing with others.

Position

Add a bit of creativity when including job positions on name tags. Rather than Human Resources Manager, how about Chief People Officer? If barista is a bit too boring, try barista extraordinaire. Instead of the standard Communications Manager, try Ambassador of Communications. You also can set the tone throughout your company by taking a nod from The Walt Disney Company, where staff are known as cast members rather than employees.

Numbers

Add a bit of number fun to name tags by including the date of that special milestone or memory. Perhaps it’s the day of your first skydiving adventure or the day you first saw snow. Or simply add a single number that represents how many miles you’ve logged as a runner or how many pizza slices you conquered in that pie eating contest. No matter the number, curiosity is sure to start a conversation.

Activities

Share a favorite hobby or activity on your name tag. Whether you’re a movie buff, a travel enthusiast, or a resident bookworm, you’re sure to inspire a conversation with someone new. You may even discover a fellow moviegoer or the newest member of your book club!

In addition to interesting text, consider the name badges themselves. Imaginatively designing the outline of your name tags will add visual appeal while making your brand memorable. Specially shaped name tags can range from sea life and zoo animals to cupcakes or leaves, let your imagination be your guide!

September 10, 2018October 8, 2020

10 Halloween Costume Ideas Under $15

Not a fan of spending a lot on a costume you will only wear once? Holidays can get expensive fast. So, how you do you prepare for all the spooky festivities without getting a whole new outfit? You make one!

For some people it’s easy to scare up some creative ideas and make a DIY Halloween costume. For others, coming up with an original or interesting costume seems impossible. For either party, the goal is to avoid the embarrassing moment when someone asks, “SO, WHO ARE YOU?”

NameTagWizard.com has the solution: Add a themed name tag and custom face mask to your costume so there is no question about who you are dressed up as. This keeps your costume on brand and up to date with safety measures at your office.

Designing a name tag for a character you have already picked out is simple. You can pick out background color, font, size and text. Order a custom name tag as the finishing touch to your homemade costume. One you complete your home-made look with a custom name tag, you will eliminate any costume confusion.

If you have not settled on an unforgettable and affordable costume for Halloween 2018 yet, explore these fun and easy, just-add-a-name-tag ideas:

1. Jake From State Farm

Get a costume that is the perfect blend of laziness and humor with a Jake from State Farm name tag and outfit. Your part in putting together the costume is simple. All you have to supply as far as clothing is a red shirt (preferably a polo, though you can use a button down if necessary) and khakis. The name tag (or a Hello My Name Is Sticker) will clue people in on the joke.

Optional Props:

Headset
Landline phone

2. Dustin Henderson

Calling all Netflix fans! It’s time to dress up as Dustin Henderson from Stranger Things. Do you have a trucker hat, curly hair and a spare backpack? That’s really all you need once you have the Hawkins Middle School ID.

Throw on any vintage looking tee (solid, brightly colored shirts in green, yellow or red work well). Maybe add a thrift store jacket (a windbreaker, jean jacket or hoodie), and you will be set. Want to get really into character? Get a fake lizard from a toy store and let the tail hang out of the backpack zipper.

3. Joyce Byers

Are you a Winona Ryder fan and lover of the 80s? Keep up the Stranger Things trend with a Joyce Byers look. If you have bangs and mid-length brown hair, you are already on your way to being the full-fledged alphabet crazed, beloved basket case mom from the show. You don’t need all of these items to be convincing (especially if you have the Joyce name tag), but if you really want to get into character, go for it. Dig through your closet to find as many of these items as you can.

Here is your Joyce Byers check list:

Green cargo jacket
Striped shirt (a maroon and white shirt will really set the scene but any striped shirt can give that 80s vibe)
A dark blue work vest or button down shirt can be worn for her work look
Dark jeans (roll up the ends to give a more dated look)
Converse

Optional Props:

Rotary phone
Plastic axe
Christmas lights

The Christmas lights are a critical part of this look. Make it look like the lights got haphazardly twisted around you. The more chaotic the look, the better. Finalize your look by making sure your hair is good and messy.

4. Dr. Acula

If you are a fan of the single article of clothing and simple name tag strategy, then the Dr. Acula look might be perfect for you. All it takes is a lab coat and commitment to the character. If you don’t have a lab coat, you can also wear a pair of super comfy scrubs. This costume is perfect for adding a little bit of dramatic flair and trying a Transylvanian accent.

Optional Props:

Vampire Face Mask
Stethoscope
Red paint

5. Shaun of the Dead

Do you have a business dress code at work? If so, this costume should work well for you. It’s in the same vein of the undead. Zombie fans everywhere get excited about the cult classic Shaun of the Dead.

For your easy to create costume, all you need is a white button down shirt, red tie and Foree Electric Shaun name tag. Depending on what point in the movie you want to represent (and your level of attachment to your white shirt) you can add ketchup or red paint to your outfit.

Optional props:

Wooden cricket paddle
Zombies

6. Real Housewives of YOUR CITY

Are you a reality TV addict and fan of all that is glamourous? Do you love big hair, floor length gowns and all that drama? This outfit is for a confident woman. It’s time to raise awareness for The Real Housewives of your city. Grab your friends and customize Real Housewives name tags that show pride for the city you live in. One you have the name tag, all you need is to put on your trendiest outfit, full makeup and enough attitude to shake up a dinner party.

*Works best as a costume group!

7. FLO

While dressing as a Real Housewife of New York means looking like someone everyone loves to hate, there are other costumes that are much friendlier. There’s no party hit quite like an overly cheerful FLO, everyone’s favorite Progressive Salesman. You bring your own zest to the personality and then wear all white, an apron and this FLO name tag. Getting the hair down will also help sell this character. A thick, navy headband and dark lipstick will go a long way. All you’ll have to do is show up and put on that big smile. Do you love insurance?

Optional props:

Megaphone
Passion for Insurance

8. Superhero Alias

Do you own a suit, have a passion for comic books and feel like dressing like an orphan with superpowers? Whether you’re on the DC or Marvel side of the universe (or both – it is possible), you have alter ego superhero name tag options. Without getting into full gear – wearing a complete body suit, cape and mask is quite a commitment – you can still give a nod to the crime fighters and heroes that inspired you throughout childhood and into adulthood.

Peter Parker – This one really only demands glasses and a camera. Rather than going full suit and tie, a hoodie and button down is enough to represent the New York City reject orphan and photographer.

Bruce Wayne – Bring that billionaire swagger to the table. Channel your status as the owner of Wayne Enterprises and keep a butler nearby. Adding a batman shirt underneath your suit can help sell the look.

Tony Stark – Playing Stark also gives you a chance to play a wealthy businessman. Only this time, you’re heading up Stark Industries with a passion for all things tech.

Optional Props:

Web shooters for scaling buildings and defying gravity
Batmobile
Iron Man Suit

9. Supermom

You may not need a bodysuit but it certainly takes super powers to handle the everyday. Build your own superhero costume or wear your everyday clothes and add a badge that says it all: You are Supermom.

Optional Props:

Superchildren

10. The Name Tag Says It All

Here’s one last costume for that one person that really doesn’t want to dress up, but still has a party to attend. Stop people from asking if your forgot your costume by wearing this name tag. It provides a simple explanation for showing up in a basic shirt and jeans. All you need to know is:

Looking for more Halloween costume inspiration? Check out our list of costume friendly face masks for 2020!

August 28, 2018June 25, 2020

Protecting Students’ Right to Privacy

As schools are implementing new policies using student photo IDs and digital IDs, there is rising concern that students, parents, and school administrators may not be aware of how these new IDs could make private information accessible to others. The changes in ID use and advances in technology may significantly infringe on students’ privacy rights.

Many schools, from kindergartens to colleges, require that students and personnel wear some form of ID at all times. There are various types of IDs available, including photo IDs on lanyards or clips, cards with radio frequency identification chips (RFIDs), and wearable devices that replace physical badges.

It may seem like schools are simply updating their ID policies and security systems. Using photo IDs provides another layer of protection to help prevent strangers from intruding on school campuses. Digital IDs track who is in attendance and allow students to make various purchases, such as lunches or school supplies. But although new IDs offer convenience, students, parents, and teachers may feel less secure knowing the increase in potential risks.

When a chip is a necessity to students – allowing students to enter dorms or buy food in the cafeteria – some might consider privacy to be jeopardized.

Setting Limits

Schools now are able to gather extensive data about attendees. With new IDs, institutions have access to more student information, such as photo databases, attendance records, and students’ physical locations. But how much information should schools be allowed to collect about students? Are enough safeguards in place to prevent schools from sharing this information with outside parties?

Some limitations for using new technology are already in place due to Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) laws. FERPA laws are designed to keep student information, such as educational records and other student information, private. These laws prohibit third parties from accessing student information.

However, educational institutions are still able disclose certain student information. Schools can disclose information that it deems “not harmful or an invasion of privacy if disclosed,” according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers.

Photo IDs

Student photos can be considered directory information, according to FERPA Guidance from the US Department of Education. A significant concern among parents is that directory information can be released to outside organizations without parental consent. Sharing this personal information is not considered an invasion of privacy.

Parents and students can choose to notify schools in writing that they wish to opt out of directory information disclosures. The question then becomes whether or not parents and students are aware that personal information may be shared. Are they aware that they have the right to opt out?

Online photo directories can pose problems as well. When student photos are used for IDs, images may be stored in an online directory. While school websites post policies regarding student photo ID usage, there is no guarantee that the policies will be upheld.

Additionally, even though there may be ways to further restrict privacy settings for these photos, students may overlook or not even realize that photos are part of an accessible directory.

Digital IDs

Apple recently developed student IDs that are part of wearable technology. These digital ID chips are stored in i Phones and Apple Watches. According to Edsurge.com, digital IDs will be used this fall at Duke University, the University of Oklahoma, and the University of Alabama.

With new ID technology, more information sharing is possible. The tracking used in RFID devices and wearable technology reveals specific student locations. Certain types of chips even have the capacity to gather information during times when students are not in class or even on campus.

The technological capabilities of digital IDs have even more potential for invasion of privacy. This type of data collection could be used to evaluate and predict student patterns and behaviors. Some feel this closer look into students’ private lives is invasive, unwarranted, and even illegal.

Should every on-campus activity and location pattern be accessible to student institutions or technology companies developing these IDs? Or anyone else? Is an institution-imposed location or monitoring time limit enough to prevent schools – or third party technology developers – from accessing personal information regarding the physical location of each student?

Administrators, parents, and students may be unaware of how personal information could potentially be obtained when implementing new ID policies and procedures. While student safety may be the overarching goal for new photo policies and IDs with digital tracking, students’ rights to privacy and safety could be significantly threatened. Without the proper safeguards in place, photo database use and chip technology can be hazards to protecting student privacy and safety.

Resources:

https://www.edsurge.com/news/2018-06-06-apple-s-new-digital-student-ids-raise-questions-about-security
http://www.naceweb.org/public-policy-and-legal/legal-issues/ferpa-primer-the-basics-and-beyond/
https://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/ferpa/mndirectoryinfo.html