Business Card

I think we’ve all come to realise that paper is not dead, digital is not the answer to everything and humans will always be…well, humans!

We like to feel things. And while I have no doubt we will ‘evolve’ over time, having a tactile component to our lives will be significantly important to the way we live and the way we consume content.

What I find most exciting about physical marketing material these days is that it’s a space that isn’t as flooded any more. As such, you can actually create great amounts of impact if you’re prepared to ‘go the distance’ and be adventurous.

Business Cards are one such example that I personally love. Many see these as quick, disposable and somewhat unnecessary items in the modern vCard world where we all carry our contacts around in our phones and cloud based CRM’s. Yet there is an undeniable experience that takes place when you hand your card to someone. It’s a transaction. A gift. A moment. Making that experience memorable is valuable and ‘should’ positively impact upon your brand.

As I am sure I could hear Don Draper in the Mad Men days saying “You can tell a lot about a man from the suit he wears”, I feel that this is true of a Business Card today. You can tell a lot about a company and the way it does business by that little tiny piece of paper.

Is it glossy, thin and cheap looking?

Is it thick, tactile and embellished?

Does it have a value? Do people feel guilty throwing it away? Do others around you say “Oh…can I have one of those too?” If not…then perhaps you’ve missed an opportunity.

Business Cards are certainly not the only place you can have an impact through a tactile product. In fact, every printed piece of marketing can have the same effect. Choosing the right paper weight, stock type, print technique and finishing is critical to how, in combination with the design and communication, you translate your message to the consumer.

You should never underestimate the power of perception.

I’ll never forget trying to convince someone that the paper we had used on the project was 100% recycled. But because it didn’t have those dirty little specs that we associated with from the 80’s, the wouldn’t believe me!

Paper isn’t going anywhere fast and it’s hard to see it ever fully disappearing despite our technological advances. More rare? Indeed. Extinct? I don’t think so. There will always be ‘some’ need…take a look at what I mean!