I am expecting my new business cards to arrive by the end of this week. I have a new title at work, and since I never got around to updating them with my last title change, I figure now is as good a time as any. So my new title is there, along with my work phone, cell phone, email address, and company contact information, all plastered into the standard company business card template.
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Here is a link to another really cool business card gallery: http://www.reencoded.com/2008/05/20/42-awesome-business-card-designs-wit...
I absolutely love the creativity in both galleries (and there are plenty more out there), but agree with your point about odd shaped cards getting easily lost and not serving their practical purpose.
Most of the business cards I design are rectangles, but I love using double-sided cards, rounded corners, bright colors, spot varnishes and "green" printing methods (recycled papers, eco-friendly inks) to help my clients stand out from the crowd. Great logo designs are helpful too.
I'm a little torn on this one. We got really different, and kind of flashy Brazen Careerist business cards. On the one hand they are pretty cool - they are vertical and have our headshots on the back, but they are also a little over the top. I usually make some kind of comment about them when I hand them out so I can gauge people's reactions.
I guess in the long run, it really doesn't matter, and having a card that stands out may make you memorable.
I just recently had my freelance writing cards designed and printed because I was sick of giving people cards with no relevance to what we were discussing.
I used a relatively new freelance graphic designer, www.swaaaan.com, and she was amazing. The end result is better than I ever could have imagined- classic but deliciously "me"!
For my most recent personal business cards, I used http://www.moo.com/, which provides affordable cards on recycled stock--which is probably more than outweighed by the fact that they had to be shipped from the UK. However, they do allow for a lot--and I mean a LOT--of customization.
Get Moo cards, for sure. Being able to put your Flickr photos on the back really helps you brand them.
I came across a site the other day, interesting piece on the history of calling cards, and how they're coming back.
Address is [a href=http://artofmanliness.com/2008/09/07/the-gentlemans-guide-to-the-calling-card/] http://artofmanliness.com/2008/09/07/the-gentlemans-guide-to-the-calling-card/[/a].
It actually made me think of putting in an order for something similar. Basic, simple but elegant, and giving me lots of room to write additional information to be customized to the recipient.
The thing about business cards is that they are like, well, they are like all about you, but I mean, really, who asked? It's like when you take three of your friends--or just pick anyone, any three people--and ask them if they like business cards. And they'll say, or when, like ok assume this: hypothetically there is a card that is supposed to be all about you. But it's not. I mean, like my grandfather told me, he used to say: ok--take me as an example, or use Jimmy Carter.
Informative post. Definitely enjoyed reading it. Thanks.
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