In advertising, there are several different strategies to make promotional materials reach different kinds of consumers. Along with traditional media like television and radio, one of the major ones is print media.

Print media can range from newspapers, magazines, billboards, posters, to brochures and flyers. 

But in this article, we’ll focus on the key differences between brochure design vs flyer design, so you know which one will work to suit your specific needs.

Many people confuse brochures and flyers because of their similarities. 

Brochures and flyers are popular marketing tools for businesses because they are both relatively smaller than other printed materials, making them easier, faster, and cheaper to make and reproduce in large quantities.

This makes the two printed mediums efficient as promotional materials especially when your business is just starting out and you don’t have that much of a budget.

And unless they’re sent through the mail, brochures and flyers are ideal for promoting businesses, events, and others in local areas—probably near your newly popped up restaurant, near your office building, near a public event, and so on.

But with these similarities, what some people don’t know is that brochure design and flyer design each have their own characteristics that make them effective for different situations.

Brochure design

To put it simply, a brochure (similar to a booklet or a pamphlet) is a single piece of paper that’s been folded. But unlike booklets, the “pages” of brochures are not bound or glued together but, are used with creativity by incorporating different folding techniques.

Here are some of the ways brochure designs can be folded:

1. Bi-fold
2. Tri-fold
3. Z-fold
4. Half then half fold
5. Accordion fold
6. Roll fold
7. Gatefold
8. Double parallel fold
9. Double gatefold
10. French fold

Depending on paper size and type of fold, brochures can be divided into different pages, panels, or sections that can be used to layout different types of information.

The main purpose of brochure design is to inform people and for them to take a closer look at what the brochure is trying to promote. They are usually more formal than flyers and used to create more interest.

Aside from promotional purposes, brochures can also be used for educational and informational purposes, such as event guides with maps, venues, schedules, activities, guests and performers, rules, etc. 

 

Flyer design

Unlike a brochure, a flyer, also known as a handbill, leaflet, insert, or circular is a single piece of unfolded paper. Flyers come in many different (small) sizes, but the most regular ones are 8.5″x 11″ or A4 in size.

For a more comprehensive guide on a hose to create promotional flyer designs, check out this related article: 9 Amazing Tips for Creating Promotional Flyer Designs

Like brochure designs, flyer designs can also be printed back to back for handouts. On the other hand, flyers can also be printed on just one side when it’s intended to be posted or stuck on walls or bulletin boards.

The main purpose of flyer designs is to also inform people, but with an instantaneous look to capture their attention. They are usually more casual than brochures and used to quickly convey short and simple messages.

They are also most especially used for promotional purposes such as events, services, product offerings, sales, or even informational stuff like ideas and concepts.

Flyers are called that way because they are basically sheets of paper that fly out in the streets. They’re handed out in streets, events, or even inside establishments to help new customers know a little more about a certain business.

They are easy to distribute and small enough to keep in people’s pockets and bags for later reference or use. They can also be inserted in various places like magazines, newspapers, and others.

 

Those are some basics about brochure and flyer designs. Still undecided on which one to choose? Then check out this list so you can compare brochure design vs flyer design;

 

Which one to pick?

Brochure designs and flyer designs are important marketing tools that have been around for a really long time because of their effectiveness. Each of them has its own uses that can be utilized for different purposes that you can maximize and take advantage of to benefit your business in the long run.

Any type of business can take advantage of well designed printed materials such as brochure designs and flyer designs. They can intrigue your consumers, catch their attention, and inform them about important details about your business, such as new product offerings, new services, sales or discount offers, promotional events, and so much more.

Graphics Zoo’s multi-talented graphic designers know printed media by heart and can help your business produce well-designed brochures and flyers in an instant. Send us an email at support@graphicszoo.com.