For over a decade at All In One Merchandise, we have provided companies of various sizes with custom-made bar mats. As one of the most experienced suppliers, delivering across the globe with factories in the USA, UK, European Union, and the Far East, we can safely say that we have our finger on the pulse of the developments in this impactful advertising medium worldwide.
In this article, I will share my observations and advice on what can make your bar mat an attention-grabber in 2025. I won’t pepper this article with too many visuals, as the designs we create for our clients are confidential, but I will share strategic and tactical knowledge that should add significant value to those in the bar mat game.
A quick look back at 2024
In 2024, we worked on a vast number of custom bar mat projects, as in previous years. Before writing this article, I reviewed many of those projects with the team and analyzed what has changed compared to our records from previous years. Not much has changed. Companies that don’t opt for our advice (which is completely free of charge) are still using the same strategies and designs that their competitors have used for years. This results in bar mats being nearly identical to the competition’s mats sitting on either side of the bar.
Of course, you might say, “Our logo is the most prominent and diverse object on the mat, and that’s our goal.” But there’s so much more untapped potential, which we will discuss further in this article. And yes, before you ask, PVC (Polyvinyl) bar mats were still leading the category in 2024. Thanks to their durability and ease of recycling, we expect these types of bar mats to lead in 2025 too.
Current trends
As mentioned, the majority of bar mat designs remain conservative, mainly featuring black backgrounds with logos and a few bright call-to-action elements. A small percentage of projects incorporated imagery of products, but not enough to shift the general statistics.
It’s important to note that more companies, marketers, and designers are becoming bolder with bright designs when creating custom mats. I believe this trend will continue into 2025, with hopefully more innovation in designs—some of which I will suggest below.
Advice for 2025
If you’ve made it this far, congrats! You must care about the impact of your next bar mat design and its performance once it’s placed on the bar. Now, let me ask you one of the most important questions: What is the purpose of everything we do in marketing? To increase revenue and brand equity? There could be exceptions, but in general, that’s the goal.
If you think your case is an exception, where you don’t need to increase sales, revenue, or engagement, feel free to stop reading here. But if you’re looking to boost numbers, let’s tackle the next question: What attracts attention? The answer is objects that stand out and contrast with the background and environment. Contrast is one of the most powerful principles in visual perception because the human brain is wired to detect differences and changes in the environment.
We’ll explore ways to use contrast to surprise, attract attention, and increase engagement with your existing and potential customers. Below are ideas and tactics that will help you create a winning bar mat for 2025 and beyond.
Use unique shapes
Let’s start with the first and easiest tactic: shape. For some reason, many companies still choose the standard rectangular shape for bar mats. Whether they assume this shape is easier for bartenders to place drinks on, or it’s simply due to tradition, I couldn’t stress louder: ditch this perception! This design choice limits your chance to stand out from the background.
Of course, a bar mat shaped like an earthworm would be impractical for placing drinks, but anything within reason should be considered! We’ve spent many hours observing drinks served on bar mats, and every time, the bartender places drinks in the vertical center of the mat. They’re not the ones enjoying the drinks, but you are the one who needs to grab the attention of the person at the bar.
The beauty of PVC bar mats is that each design gets its own mold for production, so it can be anything! Consider the shape of your beverage bottle, a wave, or even a bottle cap (more applicable to counter mats). Anything from your brand’s design should be on the table. This is one of the easiest ways to stand out, yet it’s underutilized by miles.
Embrace bright contrasting colors
Next up: color. You have a full palette to choose from when planning a bar mat that will stand out. Using bright colors is completely fine. Even if your branding is muted (as is often the case with beverage companies), you can find a complementary bright color. Since 99% of bar surfaces are dark, we need something bright to make your bar mat pop. If you’re unsure, use a color wheel tool to generate a palette that works. We use Adobe Color Wheel, but there are plenty of options—just search for “color wheel.”
Contrasting with the background color is arguably even more important than shape (though preferably both are used) when designing a high-performing bar mat.
Add people & faces
Few people know that adding printed objects to a PVC bar mat is almost as easy as on standard printed mats. Not all factories have the technology, but with us, it’s no problem at all.
The human face is one of the key triggers for creating an engaging marketing medium. We are hardwired to recognize and focus on faces, especially those showing strong emotions like anger, happiness, or surprise. Dedicating space for human faces on your bar mat should be seriously considered.
Add call-to-action
Not including a call-to-action on bar mats is another common mistake. In fact, if you search “bar mat” on a search engine and check the images, you’ll struggle to find any bar mats with a call-to-action. It’s hard to explain why marketing professionals, who use calls-to-action in every other medium, would ignore this important element right at the point of purchase!
Adding call-to-action phrases like “Try it here,” “Order at this bar,” or “Follow us,” in my opinion, is a must if you want your bar mat to generate additional revenue and engagement in 2025!
Make use of technologies available
Alright, so we’ve grabbed the attention of the person at the bar. We’ve used unique shapes and bright colors, maybe even an image of a human—victory! They’re going to order the beverage we’re advertising on our bar mat because we were smart and added a call-to-action. But is that it?
I would say no—we can achieve much more! We can encourage the person, while waiting for their drink, to engage with our brand quickly and with almost no effort.
Illumination
Light is one of the best visual triggers, especially in darker bars. LED bar mats can greatly increase the effectiveness of your marketing message. You can have your logo, call-to-action (or both) illuminated and highly visible.
Due to the added complexity (recharging and switching on) and eco considerations (especially batteries), we usually recommend this feature for brand activations, where bar staff are onboard and will remember to turn the illumination on.
QR technology
An easy-to-design and implement technology for engagement is QR codes: a barcode that people can scan with their smartphones to be taken to any page your campaign desires. It could be as simple as “Follow us on Instagram” or something more immediately profitable like “Enjoyed [your brand name]? Get more delivered to your home.”
Creating QR codes that take the person to the web address you want is easy, free, and quick.
NFC technology
NFC technology in your bar mat is a little more complicated but not too difficult to implement. This feature uses the same technology as contactless payment—when a person taps their phone, the action can take them to Instagram (or any other virtual location you desire). A small chip is added inside the bar mat, and for trendy, modern brands, this technology could drive a lot of engagement and should be considered.
For example, engaging activities like “Spin the wheel to win a t-shirt” could create buzz around your brand during the night. You get exposure and contact details from potential customers.
Mix and match techniques and materials
Add bottle caps, stickers, metal elements, etc. Incorporating branded bottle caps in a fun way can make your bar mat stand out from the crowd. Or, design the bottom of the bar mat in a way where PVC key tags slide in like a puzzle. Customers waiting at the bar can take key tags with them to remember the night (and your brand). Make it easy for staff to replace key tags, and you’ll have a high-performing marketing tool!
You might say key tags are gimmicky, but think about it from this angle: you’re putting them in the hands of your target audience at the time of purchase. If, for example, you add a QR code and the message “Get home delivery with a 10% discount,” people will scan it and have your product delivered long after they’ve left the bar.
Final word
As you can see, there’s much more that can be done with this promotional product—from being braver with colors, and adding call-to-action words, to incorporating technology that extends your reach to the target audience. I strongly advise everyone to review their bar mat strategy for 2025 to make this potentially impactful advertising space drive more sales!
You can see our selection of bar mats in the USA here. As always, I suggest speaking with our team to see what can make you stand out before placing your order. You can contact us here.
Good luck!
