Business cards design and print

Scope

During our long and productive relationship with Montezone, they asked us to design and print their business cards. It was a natural progression in our partnership with Montezone as we had previously worked on their logo, web site, printed stationery, and newsletters.

We created the first design in 2011 then modified it slightly in 2015 when some of the details on the business cards needed updating.

The client wanted business cards that were both easy to read and had an impact. He asked us to produce business cards aligned with Montezone’s branding.

The scope of the project included: 

• layout and design; and,  
• printing and delivery.

Our solution

We decided that the solution should include a high–quality image on the reverse side of the card. The photograph would create an impact and help to align the business card with other branded materials. To assist in the picture’s contribution to the branding and uniqueness, we agreed with the client to use a monochrome photograph of a Lancia Montecarlo, reminiscent of the original press stills for the car produced by Lancia.

On the front of the card, we decided to use a considerable amount of negative space and offset typography to emphasise the relevant information. The “negative space”, or white space, around text, allowed the reader’s eyes to find and focus on the necessary information quickly.

Successes

The completed business card design provided clarity and interest.

The monochrome photograph was bold and distinctive, creating an artistic and graphic element. The image worked well to tie the card with the original Lancia press images while keeping a unique and contemporary feel.

The card front provided the required information clearly and concisely. We chose a typeface that was both bold and easy to read.

Challenges

The primary challenge with a business card is ordering the information and pairing it down so that you are not trying to fit too much into a small space. In this instance, we solved this by limiting ourselves to the essential elements only: the person’s name, business address, email address, telephone number, web site address, and logo. This limitation provided sufficient balance for the card to work well.

Impacts of the project

The business cards were distinctive, well presented, and visually expressive. They fitted well with the other elements of Montezone’s brand identity we had already designed, including the web site, stationery and newsletters.

The client was pleased with the design and with the finished, printed cards when they arrived from the printers.

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