"Seasons Greetings"; A Historical Overview of the Christmas Card

As the Holidays quickly approach, you may be sending or receiving those holiday greetings. But how did this tradition begin and what has made it the popular symbol it is today?

The first commercially mass produced Christmas card was illustrated by John Calcott Horsley in 1843. Horsley was a painter of the time known for his subject matter that romanticized scenes of everyday life in the English countryside where he resided. Sir Henry Cole commissioned Horsley when he found himself to be too busy to hand write the traditional holiday greetings that year. While reception of this card was not taken lightly (it depicted children enjoying wine with their family) the idea of the illustrated card became a huge success and other commercial printers soon followed suit.

With the introduction of cheaper printing methods, 20 years later the Christmas card could be bought and sent by the general public – an act previously limited to the wealthy.

In the beginning, Christmas card graphics were not like the ones we see today. Instead of seasonal or religious depictions, images were meant to remind people that spring was approaching (an idea we, personally, tend to love!). Children and animals were the most popular themes.

During the world wars, access to German printers was cut off and companies like Hallmark and American Greetings saw a boom in sales when they encouraged Americans to send cards to soldiers in support. In the 1950s, subject matter of a more risque nature could also be found like the ones pictured below. These cards were produced in response to a times when Americans began to question tradition.

More recently people have resorted to making their own Christmas cards. Today's ease of photography production and at-home printing capabilities give individuals access that wasn't available 20 years ago. A popular choice is the family photograph with a seasonal design and message. The photo can be taken digitally and easily placed into templates at local vendors. With email and cellular communications being standard, some people choose to send out e-cards. However, the Christmas card still accounts for over half of all sales in the greeting card industry and is still widely and warmly received. So, did you send out cards this year?

My Business Card is Nearsighted

Recently Kim mentioned to me a new technology creeping its way into the business card market. Known as NFC or Near-Field Communication, this new technology allows you to program a certain amount of digital information onto a tiny microchip embedded within your business card. When someone touches the smart card to their smartphone (sorry, no i phones), it is told what to do. This usually means pulling information from the web, such as contact info, video, or even downloading an app. Card owners can re-write the info over and over.  Even if you have given the card away you still have access to re-write the data.

This all sounds pretty amazing. But is it really necessary to "bump" my phone into your business card to get your information? And at what cost? MOO.com currently has the market cornered on the business card aspect of this hot new trend, and their product will not available to the masses until 2013.

But what you may not know is that people have been creating their own NFC cards without the help of MOO since the technology has arisen. Tagstand is an online vendor that provides NFC tags and applications. For only a $1.00 you can purchase your own sticker the diameter of a quarter and as thin as a sheet of paper. Now you don't have to be held back by the pre-fab dimensions and design limitations of MOO.

This new NFC technology seems like it has endless applications and possibilities. It may be the next hottest thing since the QR code. But right now users seem to be happy to ride this one out. Could this just be another "myspace"?

A Taste of Americana: Hatch Show Print!

Recently, I was fortunate to visit Nashville, TN for a business conference. (More info on the conference to come...my mind is STILL spinning with all the great info I sucked up there!). But, luckily while in The Music City, I got to visit the iconic and historic Hatch Show Print, one of the oldest working letterpress print shops in America!

As you walk into Hatch Show Print's storefront on Nashville's Broadway Street (though be forewarned, they will be moving locations very soon!), it's like you can hear angels singing! OK, I'm being over dramatic, but seriously, you are greeted with walls lined with old letterpress forms, and walls completely covered in colorful posters, for as far as the eye can see! It was a designer's happy place!

Opening in 1879 (yes, that old!) by the Hatch family, the print shop flourished during the days when show business was get-up-and-go business. Whether circus, minstrel show, vaudeville act, or carnival, show posters created the excitement that sold the show, covering the sides of buildings and barns in cities and towns throughout the country. Later on Hatch became well known for their music posters, featuring not only famous country artists, from Hank Williams to Johnny Cash to Garth Brooks, but also musicians of all genres.  

Hatch Show Print has captured American history, southern culture, and entertainment without losing that irresistible appeal of turn-of-the-century design aesthetics. For all you music lovers, Americana buffs, graphic arts collectors, graphic designers, and commercial advertisers of all persuasions out there, if you ever find yourself in the Nashville area, be sure to stop by Hatch Show Print, you won't regret it!

Now, I'll just need to figure out where to hang my two new Hatch Prints!

Special thanks to Jonathan Boehman of Immersion Active for introducing a few of his fellow designers to Hatch Show Print!

Print Isn't Dead! (Annual Print Design Survey)

For the past 49 years, Graphic Design USA magazine publishes a print design survey that takes a pulse on the print industry. Over the years, their findings proved that yes, digital marketing is on the rise (and will continue to be an important part of marketing campaigns), but print will never die!

Some of their data shows print provides a high ROI, print drives online traffic, print periodical readership is actually growing, print readers spend more time per advertisement or per page, print reaches demographics not on the grid, not to mention print can be sustainable and tree-friendly. But, in addition, print also offers a much more tangible, permanent, physical, and ultimately more personal experience.

As predominately print designers, we couldn't agree more with GD USA's findings. All in all, We don't think the print industry will be disappearing anytime soon, but it's had to shift focus a little bit and integrate better with digital marketing! "Print is Getting Smarter!"

Download GD: USA's full print design survey here and let us know what YOU think!

Sign, Sign, Everywhere A Sign…

"…Blockin' out the scenery, breakin' my mind!"  OK, so we don't condone blocking the scenery, but we do support using signage or large format printing to help convey your marketing message!

This summer Kalico worked on a variety of large scale signage for our clients, including trade show booth graphics, bus signage, sidewalk signs, and even a mobile kitchen truck wrap—so much fun! But, designing for larger scale materials involves a few different design approaches. Here are some things to consider when planning for your next billboard campaign, booth graphics, or outdoor signage:

1. Is Your Signage Impactful? Use simple, clean text in a very readable typeface. Prioritize your information and keywords effectively. Be clear, concise, and direct with copy and content. Does it grab the viewers attention, either with a headline or image?

2. Is Your Message Clear? Your message and/or product should register quickly. You'll only have a few seconds to grab the viewers attention, whether they are walking or driving by, so you want to be sure they can get all the needed information very quickly. Don’t force your viewers to search for the message. They won’t bother.

3. Is It Worth Remembering? Imagery is often more important than words. The use of a hard-hitting visual element can generate more memorability for the viewer. Use bold, rich colors so your signage stands out from it's surroundings. All elements of the design, including imagery, copy, background, etc, should come together as a single cohesive unit.

Above (and below) are some of the recent sign & booth designs we've created here at Kalico Design.

 In addition, in my research for sign and billboard designs for this article, I came across some other wicked awesome designs and concepts. I just had to share—check these out:

11 Creative Outdoor Advertisement Designs
Best Cool, Clever & Unique Billboards and Outdoor Advertising
50 Creative and Clever Examples of Outdoor Advertising

 

What's Your Issuu?

So what is issuu? This amazing online resource offers individuals a library of over a million free publications, as well as serves as a free publishing platform . While magazines are the most eye catching to me, Issuu has no limits to the types of documents it contains. While surfing the site I noticed maps, annual reports, brochures, flyers, and even the IKEA catalogue (ok, so I got a little distracted looking through the catalog, I'm not gonna lie). Honestly, I truly think I could spend all day on this website.

Kalico uses issuu to upload several of our client's publications. Both Find it Frederick and Frederick County Guide are uploaded to the site and available for viewing upon release date. Our favorite part about issuu? Its amazingly simple to use! You can either set up a free account (warning: free accounts will show advertising) or use their affordable Issuu Pro plan (details here) with benefits such as unlimited publications, unlimited storage & backup and detailed reader statistics. Once your account is set up, all you need is to upload a pdf of your publication and voilà, instant online magazine (or brochure, or map, or annual report…you get the idea!)

Plus, you can get coding from issuu to put your publication directly on your website, blog or facebook fan page. Um, let me demonstrate…

Open publication - Free publishing - More arts

Coo, huh? Interested in working with Kalico Design on your next publication AND getting it online? Give us a shout (or email, we like emails too).

Online Printers: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

A few weeks ago, I teamed up with Tobin Lehman from Tobin Lehman Design + Interactive to compare notes on some of our favorite (and not so favorite) online printers. With so many options out there, sometimes it's hard to find a printer that offers decent quality, affordable pricing, good customer service and user-friendly navigation for basic projects such as business cards, postcards or tri-fold brochures. This article gives you some first-hand feedback for your next small printing project. 

Greener Printer 
Kim: Greener Printer is one of my favorite online printers because not only are they a certified green printer (using only recycled papers with soy inks and following sustainable business practices), but they also offer high-quality, affordable printing. It’s the best of both worlds! Greener Printer offers a wide range of templated products such as business cards, brochures, and even catalogs. In addition, they can do custom sizes and quotes as well. Their website is easy to use, allowing you to quickly calculate printing prices, with simple upload options. My only negative for this printer is that their turn-around time is not as fast as some of those “other” online printers.
http://www.greenerprinter.com 

Moo
Kim: So, I’ll admit it, I’ve only recently come across Moo, but so far I love them! Their website not only offers great pricing on products such as business cards, mini cards, postcards, and more; but they also offer some great resources for design inspiration and printing tips. One especially cool feature on moo is their unique Printfinity technology, which allows you to print a different design on every single card in the pack! Um, did someone say, AWESOME! (oh, wait, that was me). My only negative for this printer is that while they continue to add more, their current product options are a tad limited.
http://us.moo.com/

SmartPress
Tobin: I just recently used this printer for an online job and I was very impressed by the quality of the user experience, paper choices, and pricing. They really seem like they have a good process and system in place to make your account accessible as well. I like being able to see all my jobs in one place, and that is a nice feature. The proofing process was really easy and approvals seemed to be well controlled. I plan on using this printer for a few more projects to see how the other product offerings turn out.
http://www.smartpress.com

VistaPrint
Kim: Good, old VistaPrint. The positives for VistaPrint are their 1) speed and 2) amount of product options. The negatives for VistaPrint are their 1) speed and 2) amount of product options. VistaPrint is a great go-to, online printer when you need something fast and cheap. While their quality is not bad, it’s not super impressive either. As a general rule, I only use them for postcards and 4-color digital business cards…materials that don’t need exact color matching, and things that I need in a hurry. I find that lately they almost have too many product offerings, which can make it a little confusing when trying to place an order. While they don’t offer live chat or email customer service, their customer service via phone has always been extremely helpful.

Tobin: I’ve only used Vistaprint on one occasion for some folders a few years back. The quality was well done, but price was not the cheapest, which was something to be considered for my client. Everything was done on time, and I have no complaints about the service. I get TONs of emails from them now, which is good and bad.
http://www.vistaprint.com

Got Print
Tobin: Quality and price are both above average among providers although shipping price is a bit high from some others I have used. I’ve never had to send any work back, but I’ve not been blown away by good quality either. The biggest problem I find is the turn-around time. I’ve sent jobs and not heard from them for a week. If you’re trying to meet a tight deadline stay away from this printer.
http://www.gotprint.com/

Overnight Prints
Kim: I do not recommend using OvernightPrints, and will never use them again. A few years ago, I was happy to send small, quick-turn-around runs for business cards or postcards to OvernightPrints. Unfortunately the last 3 orders I sent to them all returned with errors including trim mistakes and inconsistencies on business cards, major color errors, and in one case, a client’s entire logo did not even print on his card (even though the files were set up correctly). While they offer extremely low pricing, I’d much prefer to spend a little more to alleviate the poor quality and errors this company has recently been producing.

Tobin: While product is speedily delivered, quality is sacrificed. Approximately half of the business card related print jobs I’ve requested were received with errors and I’ve had to send the work back and have it reprinted. The quality of brochures and envelopes, in my experience, has been fine.
http://www.overnightprints.com/

Hope this helps you with your next online printing decisions. Keep in mind, I only recommend using online printers for smaller print runs and only for certain projects such as business cards, postcards, rack cards, trifolds, etc. Should you have a more custom project and/or need a very large quantity, be sure to go with a more local printer!  Have another printer you'd recommend, please leave a comment below!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
About Tobin Lehman
Tobin Lehman is an advertiser and educator who lives in Frederick, Maryland. His professional portfolio can be found at www.tobinlehman.com , and you can contact him at contact@tobinlehman.com.