Printed Business Cards

Many companies and towns have centennial and bicentennial celebrations when vendors, store owners and citizens get together to step back in time and learn a little history. This is a great opportunity to invest in a few vintage business cards or trade cards to help bring a little authenticity to the occasion. Vintage design business cards are also a great addition to cultural tourism tradeshows, seasonal affairs and nostalgia events.

Trading cards developed during the 17th century in England when merchants and store keepers used small cards to advertise their businesses. A few years later during the industrialization of Britain and the onset of the Victorian Era, advertising trade cards became a collectible item and a chance to offer services in an artistic manner.

The modern replica of a vintage trade card may not include the oil painted women and children of past soap advertising but they can give the air of vintage charm. Choosing an ivory or sepia cream background coupled with brown ink or black ink sets the tone. If the business is established, utilizing original logos or lettering is a must.

If the cards are for a special occasion, consider two sided cards with company information on the front and a coupon or few sentences on the history of the business on the back. The cards could include the date and name of the festival or celebration that are intended for or simply provide an idea of how the business card of a particular company could have look a century ago.

Fonts that would suit an old fashioned design business card include Palatino linotype, Bookman, Cambria, Copperplate and Goudy Old Style. Simple contact information with a focus on physical address rather than cellular phones or e-mail addresses is preferred. Eliminating overtly modern information will add to the authenticity. Just be sure to give someway of finding and contacting the business.

Vintage design business cards are a novelty offering the business a chance to maximize on an historic occasion or event. They can accompany nostalgic holiday greeting cards, offer one time only discounts or simply show community spirit. Vintage looking business cards gives customers a sense of history and established business practices which, in an era of uncertainty and economic change may mean the difference between shopping at one store rather than another.

Filed under: Business Card Help on September 30th, 2009