tcbc: takin' care of business creatively

By Kaie Wellman, Jan 23, 2012, View comments

Since my return home four days ago from rathering around Singapore and Hong Kong with Bernie and Sydney with Annie Mehra (rather Sydney editor) and Bruce Josem (rather Melbourne editor), I've been caught in a semi-narcoleptic state (this is no simple jet lag, it's the urge to sleep for 20 hours a day) and my deeply felt need for January organization. So during my few conscious hours, I've been rummaging through piles of 2011 stuff in my home and studio. One of the biggest piles I've tackled is the business card one. Seems as though I'm a bit of a biz card hoarder, which I think rates only a 2 or 3 on the hoarding scale of things.

 

What strikes me most about this box full of cards is that they are… how do I say this nicely?  Okay, I won't mince my words — they are boring. The majority are printed on coated white stock and use a variation of black, navy blue and if someone's feeling crazy, red ink. Every once in while there will be one that really stands out because it's printed on gloriousy lush, thick, cottony stock or is letterpressed, which gives a fair amount of tactile and textural pleasure to the receiver.

 

 

I find that an unusual business card can really help one remember a great store or a talented artisan. For example, there are the creative ladies at The Yard here in Portland. Their groovy little trailer beckoned to me during the Portland Bazaar in December. Not only was the presentation of their retail story extremely well done, they made sure I, and everybody else who visited, remember them by making business cards out of slices of wood. Not only did I snatch up the card, but I also snagged a couple of other goodies. I'm eagerly looking forward to the day that The Yard has a brick and mortar storefront.

 

 

At the same event, I was drawn to a beautiful bike with leather covered drop bars. Not only did I totally covet these covers, I was soon coveting all of the leather bike accessories at the Walnut Studio booth. A leather 6 pack holder for the bike or a leather can gage? Everything was so Butch Cassidy on a bike. And when I asked the owner for a card she handed me a walnut with a swath of yellow note pad paper taped around it. Okay, this wasn't their usual card (they were so popular at the event they ran out of cards), but for a little quick thinking branding, it was a pretty great use of a walnut.