Sponsors make events possible. A clean sponsor slideshow is one of the easiest ways to thank them, keep logos readable, and avoid the last-minute scramble on show day. This guide walks through sizes, timing, tier rules, file formats, playback, and a simple checklist you can use for ballrooms, museums, and arenas.
What a sponsor slideshow is
A sponsor slideshow is a rotating sequence of logo slides that runs on your main screens before the show, during walk-in, and between segments. It can also live on foyer monitors, registration desks, and digital signage. The goal is simple. Show every sponsor clearly and fairly, match your event brand, and keep motion gentle so the room feels calm. Gratitude is appreciated by all, and everyone enjoys being recognized.
Pixel sizes that keep logos crisp
Plan to build one master version per screen type. Your content should match the native resolution of the display. These are some common screen resolutions:
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LED wall at 1920×1080 or 3840×2160
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Projector at 1920×1080
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Lobby monitor at 1080×1920 for portrait totems
Keep a title-safe area of at least 10 percent on all sides. That buffer protects logos from cropping and keeps lower thirds or timers from covering the edges. If you are not sure what your venue runs, ask for the screen list and native resolutions during pre-production.
Readability rules that always work
Sponsors judge visibility by how easy it is to read at a distance. Use these simple guardrails.
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Minimum logo height on a 1080 canvas: 140 to 200 pixels for single-logo slides
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Minimum line height for taglines: 36 to 48 pixels
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Contrast first: light logos on dark backgrounds or dark on light
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Avoid thin white text on bright photos
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Keep backgrounds static or very soft gradients
If a logo is only a few letters wide, give it more side room. If a logo is very horizontal, scale until the height reads well.
File formats and color
Ask for vector files when you can. PDF, EPS, or SVG scale cleanly. If you receive PNGs or JPGs, request at least 2000 pixels on the long edge. Do not stretch low-res art. Keep brand colors accurate by working in sRGB and viewing on a calibrated display. Avoid heavy color filters that shift brand hues.
How to treat sponsor tiers
Tiering stops complaints. It also shortens the loop so people see more logos per minute.
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Title sponsor: one full screen on its own. It should appear twice per loop.
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Gold: single-logo slides, one appearance per loop
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Silver: two logos per slide, one appearance per loop
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Bronze and community: three logos per slide, one appearance per loop
If you have many Bronze sponsors, sort alphabetically. Do not shrink logos below your minimum height just to fit more per slide. Add another slide instead.
Timing that feels fair
Shorter is better. A sponsor loop should run two to four minutes. That keeps attention and fits between stage moments.
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Single-logo slides: 4 to 5 seconds
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Two logos: 6 seconds
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Three logos: 7 to 8 seconds
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Title sponsor bump: 6 to 8 seconds
Fade in and fade out at 6 to 8 frames. Avoid flashy wipes. Keep it simple. The audience should not feel motion.
Layouts you can reuse
Build three master slide types and reuse them across events.
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Single logo
Centered logo, generous margins, thin event lockup at the bottom. -
Two up
Two equal columns. Logos centered in each column. A fine divider line can help balance the space. -
Three up
Three equal boxes with even padding. Make the center box a few pixels wider if one logo is extra horizontal.
Keep your event palette and typography consistent. If you use a brand font, pre-convert type to shapes for playback apps that might not have your font installed.
Motion and audio
Sponsors want visibility, not a music video. Keep motion minimal.
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Crossfades only
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No parallax pans or spinning logos
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No additional audio hooked to the loop
If you run house music, keep it low enough that lobby conversations feel comfortable. In the main room, background music can sit at a level where you can hear people at the same table.
Playback that will not stutter
You have many options. Pick the one your crew can operate smoothly.
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Disguise for arena-scale shows and LED playback with cues
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ProPresenter for fast show control and quick edits onsite
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PowerPoint or Keynote for simple rooms, exported to a video file
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BrightSign or media player for lobbies and totems that loop all day
Export to a single video file when you can. Use H.264 or ProRes at the target resolution and 30 fps unless the room is locked to 59.94. Keep the file on primary and backup machines. Add a static sponsor bumper slide to your show deck for quick holds when the caller needs to pause the loop.
Redundancy and handoff
Things change on site. You need a plan that keeps the loop current without risk.
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Hold a “sponsor art freeze” two business days before show
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Track late logos in a shared folder with a clear “final” subfolder
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Bring a working project and a flattened video export
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Keep the previous version nearby in case a late logo fails QC
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Label files by date and version so the tech table can confirm they have the latest
On the day, have the producer sign off on a five minute screen check. Confirm that every sponsor appears, and the title sponsor appears twice.
Foyer screens and social extensions
Run the same slideshow at registration and in the foyer. For portrait totems, place the logo stack in the upper two thirds with a footer that invites guests to tag your event handle. If you have a social wall, place sponsor slides in the rotation at a predictable cadence, such as every fifth post. Consistency is more valuable than flashy effects.
A simple checklist you can copy
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Collect vector logos and brand guidelines
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Confirm screen list and native resolutions
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Choose tiering and timing rules
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Build single, two-up, and three-up masters
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Apply safe margins and contrast checks
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Export a flattened video and a backup
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Load to primary and backup playback
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Run a signed screen check before doors
Need help building yours?
If you are planning a gala or fundraiser in Portland or Seattle, MeyerPro can format sponsor art, set timing, and run playback with redundancy. Send the sponsor list, your brand guide, and your screen specs. We will return a clean sponsor slideshow that looks great on your ballroom screens and lobby displays, and we will keep it updated when last-minute logos arrive. We look forward to hearing from you!