A White Paper Published by Ripon PrintersBased on a Graphic Arts Connection Webinar by Julia Moran Martz

Postcards with an Edge: Using Design to Cut Through Mailroom Clutter

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From the experience of most creatives, postcards are definitely one of the most

challenging pieces to design. They can work

really well, reflecting your brand positively

while generating a response. Or, they can be

bad. And when they go south, postcards can

be not just a waste of valuable marketing

dollars, but also negatively impact your brand.

When designing postcards or any direct mail

piece, remember that you have just seconds

to make a positive impact on the recipient.

Most consumers sort their mail while

standing in the entryway of their home or

office cubicle, quickly sorting and

dumping. They keep mail with some element

of importance like bills or correspondence

from people they know, and sometimes

there’s something new that catches their eye.

This white paper focuses on becoming that

“something new” by being different, standing

out and using various postcard formats,

typography, color, images, personalization and

even paper stock to do it.

Basic Postcard Anatomy

Although you want to take the form to the

highest level possible, there are four postcard

basics to get right no matter what creative

techniques or technology you integrate into a

postcard.

1. Attention-demanding Headline. Headlines should stand out and be

benefit-oriented, taking full advantage of

the few seconds of attention recipients

are willing to give. This is especially true

when your card is sales oriented.

2. Involving Visual. Draw in the recipient

by making the visual and headline work as

a team. Visuals should be as large and

involving as possible. Conversely, the right

headline and styling can also work alone

as the main visual.

3. Persuasive Copy. Maintain interest with

strong, feature- and benefit-oriented copy.

Since the postcard is likely the first in a

multi-step approach, copy should entice

and qualify.

4. Call to Action. Be sure to tell recipients

exactly what action to take and assume

nothing. Direct the person to “Call toll

free today for a free sample and

information kit,” or whatever is

appropriate. Multiple, user-friendly options

can help improve response.

Those are the textbook basics. But one of the

problems is that too often marketers don’t

handle the basics well. Most designers are

asked to fit too much information on

postcards. As a public service announcement

on behalf of designers everywhere: less is

more, especially on a postcard. Humans are

increasingly in a hurry and you have almost

no time to make them stop, look and

become interested in your message.

Postcards with an Edge: Using Design to Cut Through Mailroom ClutterPostcards are more popular than ever, though many writers and designers run for cover when they hear the word. Some don’t like condensing the message into such a small space. Others dismiss them as low-end, low-value promotions for companies that can’t afford anything else.

Campaigns by Lisa Thomas Creative ServicesCampaign by MondoVox® Creative Group

Postcards with an Edge | White Paper

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Size isn’t as important as an on-target message and design solution.

Campaigns by Lisa Thomas Creative Services

There is actually an order to how people

filter their mail, which relates to postcard

design. They are visually attracted to a

postcard first. They read the main headline,

look at the bigger images, if any, and then

maybe read the short bits. If the postcard

manages to sustain interest, they might spend

additional time reading the details.

Notice the order. You can’t change human

nature, but you can work with it. From a

creative standpoint, this means:

1. Make your headline and image work

hardest.

2. Make any callouts or offers succinct.

3. Make the details concise and include a call

to action that’s appropriate for your goals

and audience.

Make everything work hard for its space.

And please remember, a postcard is not a

brochure. Don’t expect to close a sale with it,

but you can generate interest, drive traffic to

a store, a website or landing page, or even

warm someone up for a cold call.

The Size Issue

To create really effective postcards, you need

to broaden your thinking. Few companies use

the standard postcard size anymore. Most

prefer the impact of an oversized card, which

often makes sense. But both can work well

depending on how you handle the design and

content.

For example, a temp agency created a series

of postcards featuring cartoon-like illustrations

of problem temps, such as “Miss Snowflake,”

that other agencies sometimes send. Even

though the cards were standard size, they got

so much attention that recipients were

posting them in their cubicles instead of

throwing them away. The execution of the

campaign was an awesome example of how

to increase business and keep your brand

visible daily – all with a simple postcard.

Even if you decide to use a larger size, don’t

feel compelled to cram in more details. For

example, a stewardship message from a New

York Greek Orthodox Church chose an

oversized card, but also elected not to fill the

space with details. Rather, they used the

additional space to create impact and a quick

read. Remember, a larger size doesn’t

necessarily mean use more content.

Postcards with an Edge | White Paper

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The (Almost) Forgotten Double Card

A postcard format that many marketers and

designers forget about is the double card.

Technically a mini-brochure, double cards

allow you to create a multi-point message in a

postcard format. They’re great for more

complex messaging, or you can use the

second panel as a return card for convenience

and to encourage immediate action.

The return card option doesn’t get used as

often today because of a heightened

emphasis on telephone and various electronic

response options. But it can still be effective

with certain audiences. Regardless, double

cards provide flexibility that a two-sided card

can’t. Just remember, postcard rates may not

apply if the second panel is not used as a

return card.

Understanding the Value of Repetition

A “one-and-done” approach doesn’t work

that well with postcards. So don’t hesitate to

create a series of cards or even repeat the

same card as a campaign. There are many

ways to structure your multi-postcard

campaign. Be certain to take both internal and

external factors into consideration.

For instance, the series of cards shown here

were sent based on the sales department’s

manpower and ability to follow up the mailing.

Targeted toward C-level management

regarding new regulatory complexities for

employee retirement plans, the follow up

required the sponsoring firm’s limited number

of principals to make the calls.

Thus the cards were staggered to deliver 100

at a time, allowing the principals to follow up

in a timely manner before sending the next

round. Then the process was repeated with

another segment of the list.

Consider using a series of cards timed to your sales cycle.

Campaign by MondoVox® Creative Group

Postcards with an Edge | White Paper

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You can also use a series of cards to tell a story, in this case, it’s the story of a major ingredient company going through a name change. The cards tease, explain, and then communicate the new name and corporate red.

Campaign by MondoVox® Creative Group

A series of postcards can also be used in

conjunction with other media and for

purposes you would not normally expect.

When Chicago-based Premium Ingredients

expanded globally, executive management

perceived a need to choose a non-generic

name more suitable for global business.

The company – now Prinova – chose to

integrate postcards into a broader campaign

that included print and banner ads, e-blasts

and even the “hold” messages on the phone

system. The campaign was also timed around

key trade shows and the legal name-change

process. But the postcards, which

incorporated a fortune cookie theme,

enabled several direct touches with the added

assurance that postal mail guarantees to reach

your intended targets.

Postcards with an Edge | White Paper

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Postcards don’t have to be complicated to grab attention. In fact, simple is usually better.

Remember, well-written and typeset headlines can work as well as a main image.

Typographic Challenges

Typography has a tough job on a postcard –

stopping the reader, gaining interest and

causing action all while supporting your brand,

in a good way. The freelance writing agency

postcard shown here does a great job of

executing a simple concept perfectly. Of

course, they start by accomplishing the critical

task of hitting their audience’s pain point on

the front and compelling the recipient to flip

the card and learn more about specific

project capabilities.

They accomplish this with a Venn diagram of

all things. It’s brilliant. And it’s simple. The

typography appears to be handwritten and

looks different from the other writer

postcards we’ve received at my agency. And

the flavor of the copywriting on the back

follows through with the attitude of the

front side.

The second illustration is another example of

a handwritten appearance, but this one uses a

typeface. Not all typefaces intended to mimic

handwriting do a good job, so be selective.

This one’s better than many, and the card is a

good example of relying solely on a headline

for the main visual.

Above all, keep in mind that one of the

objectives of good typography is to make

reading easy and improve comprehension.

Here are a few common postcard typography

errors that can subtly cause readers to tune

out:

• Extremely bold, condensed fonts.

• Letter spacing that is too close.

• Tiny counters (little holes in closed letters

like d, a, o or p in letters).

Shoot the Bullets

Sometimes bullets become a crutch when

dealing with lots of content. Too often they

become visual clutter. But there are other

creative ways to include lists. For instance,

consider using bold text instead of a bullet to

While sometimes overused, special type treatments within copy blocks can still enhance key points.

Postcards with an Edge | White Paper

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Contact Ripon before beginning your design to better understand how to create these eye-catching name options.

start each line in a list while also allowing

plenty of space between lines. Remember

that postcard design is as much about

reduction as it is about addressing major

points.

You can also consider using colorful graphics

instead of a bullet. Placing them horizontally

instead of vertically can save space as well

while still making the point clear, especially

with a short caption underneath. This can

work very effectively for supporting

information where copy might not be

read anyway.

Personalizing Postcards

Personalization is another way to snag

attention, and not enough postcards take

advantage of today’s personalization options.

One of the reasons is that too many

companies still lack consolidated, actionable

databases, and designers want to enhance

personalization beyond simple name inclusion.

Yet, if you’re limited to basic list data like

names, there are still some very cool

techniques that you and your printer can use

to pull off some high-impact basic

personalization. In the example shown,

recipient names are mixed in with the snow

and follow the curve of the model’s cupped

hands. This is a way to push past a simple

name imprint on a white background, which

everyone has seen countless times.

In this example, Ripon Printers used XMPie®

uImage® technology to create the unique

form of name manipulation. It requires an

Adobe® Photoshop® or Illustrator® file and

applies the dynamic text from your data list

to effects that can be created in these files.

Of course, if you have deeper data, you can

go well beyond names. Consider things like

offers based on purchase history or custom

prompts for inactive customers. These can be

incorporated when designing for variable data

printing. Just remember to work closely with

your printer during the design phase of your

campaign so the data can be applied.

Other ways to personalize content include

integrating current marketing technologies

such as QR codes, social media links and

personalized landing pages, also known as

pURLs.

Speaking of QR codes, marketers too often

think of using them for rather mundane

purposes like website URLs or contact info.

But really, QR codes are only limited by your

imagination. Consider using them for video

demos, additional product info, contest entries

or links to join your Facebook page where

users can get tips on using your product.

Postcards with an Edge | White Paper

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Shown left to right, top to bottom: ColorLogic, HoloBright, waterproof paper, printable magnets.

Campaign by MondoVox® Creative Group

New Print and Paper Options

You don’t have to limit your brand to

standard paper or regular printing. There are

some revolutionary technologies available to

us now.

In the case of Ripon Printers, the medium is

often their message. You’ll find their postcard

campaigns printed on various substrates they

can provide to their customers like waterpoof

papers, magnetic stock that can be printed on

both sides, as well as the inclusion of

involvement devices like sticky notes.

They also use postcards to demonstrate their

wide variety of printing capabilities. Although

the digital reproductions shown in this white

paper won’t do them justice, the holographic

coatings and Color-Logic printing techniques

are ultra-cool and attract attention. Color-

Logic’s Process Metallic Color SystemTM is a

way of adding a metallic plate with a variety

of measured ink densities for various special

effects. Done well with the right image

selection, it can really add depth to your

photography.

So if you’re tired of the same old postcards,

you might find out what’s new from your

printer. The best thing about many of these

options is that they aren’t too expensive and

will likely pay big dividends in results.

Postal service thickness requirements are minimums, not necessarily what’s ideal for your brand. You wouldn’t give someone a limp handshake, so don’t give ‘em a limp card.

Postcards with an Edge | White Paper

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The Case for Illustration

Simply put, illustration can cut through clutter

and differentiate your brand. Many designers

tend to rely on photography, and most often

stock photography. But an illustration can

often get you noticed more than a

neighboring card with the same overused

stock photo that many have already seen.

Whether custom or stock, illustration can

bring a fresh and unique look to the design of

the content. Sometimes illustration is the best

way to manipulate emotion and set a mood

for a product or service.

And it has flexibility that photography doesn’t.

It can be used to express intangible ideas

where photography is impractical. Consider

using it to communicate products that are in

the works, create feelings of nostalgia or even

emphasize details that can’t be easily

photographed.

For Ripon’s communication revolution

campaign, illustration was chosen over

photography because photography of

revolutionary fists might have been a bit scary

rather than fun. Using illustration keeps the

message artful and focused on the marketing

and creative teams that use a variety of media

in their campaigns.

To keep costs down, stock illustration was

used but manipulated by editing, adding

custom elements and incorporating Ripon’s

corporate colors to promote a broader view

of marketing integration.

In truth, both stock and custom photographs

can also work. The trick is to keep a few

things in mind:

• Image overuse: If using stock, pay

attention to how many times the image

you want has been downloaded. Try for

images that are less used or new and

you’re less likely to cross-pollinate with a

competitor.

• Customized stock images: Also

consider customizing a stock image like

this Ripon postcard shown. You can

combine photos with typography,

illustration or other photos. Try

manipulating their color or converting

them to halftones or duotones.

• Custom images: If you need to show

actual products, custom photography is

still your best option.While not done very

often, you can also use custom images to

demonstrate stories or concepts like the

Prinova campaign.

Whether you’re working with illustration or

photography or both, make sure you maintain

some level of brand consistency.

Unconventional Postcard Applications

We tend to get caught up in today’s sell, sell,

sell mentality, and sometimes to our long-

term detriment. So I encourage you to think

of postcards outside their traditional box.

Here is a good example of using a postcard

series for important relationship building.

The campaign shown was for Fosdick

Furniture, a high-end company located in a

small southern Indiana town with only one

traffic light at the time. None of their target

market was local, but the company was not

far from major pockets of wealth. Direct mail

was chosen to target homes with household

incomes over $100,000 located within a 50-

mile radius of the furniture company.

This is precisely the kind of campaign that is

hard to measure. The very mindset they

wanted to create runs counter to traditional

response mechanisms (the prospect in this

case doesn’t want to be “sold”). The very

nature of the high-end buyer experience —

consultative, emotional — doesn’t lend itself

to quick conversion.

So the design was laid out in a “double-card”

format. The tone of the headline, dramatic

product lighting and metallic duotones

created a feeling of exclusivity. In the end,

even though it wasn’t easily measurable, the

client made contact with qualified leads they

didn’t previously have. The campaign put them

on the map, from the middle of nowhere.

Awareness campaigns can also work well in a postcard format if the message and design are on target.

Campaign by Lisa Thomas Creative Services

Using the right illustration can also alter the mood of a concept in a way photography can’t.

Campaign by MondoVox® Creative Group

Postcards with an Edge | White Paper

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Getting Back to the Measurement Thing

Although there are many other reasons to

use postcards, the fact remains that most are

response-driven. So try to include some sort

of tracking mechanism. For white paper offers,

track visits to the landing page versus actual

downloads. If there’s a significant drop off,

you’ll know something about your messaging

didn’t make it from postcard to the landing

page, or perhaps there’s an issue with the

landing page – content doesn’t tie in well,

overly long or complicated request form, etc.

It’s unfortunate that most companies don’t

track postcards. Banner ads are easy, but

postcards always seem to fall through the

cracks. And I understand it can be very

frustrating to not know what works, and as a

result, have assumptions made about your

design solutions.

If you’re in a situation like that, there are a few

things you can try:

• pURLs can determine who exactly is

responding to a postcard. Personalized

URLs include the recipient’s name in the

link so the landing page is tracked back to

them. All recipients landing pages can be

the same (or customized) but they are still

trackable individually.

• Landing pages segmented by markets

allow you to craft details based on market

specifics. Of course, you must create

postcards matched to the markets as well,

which is a good idea regardless. Tracking

activity on the landing pages can then help

you test and refine your methods for

future campaigns.

• Coupon coding and bar coding are

also great tools for tracking. Check with

your printer on assigning coupon codes to

each recipient if you have a deal for them

in your store or online catalog.

• Market surveys can be used for brand

awareness campaigns to establish a

baseline before the postcard campaign

runs. Then you can measure again

afterward to determine success.

• A/B split tests are a little more work,

but they provide great opportunities to

test different design solutions. Try two

different design approaches for the same

offer, but remember that all variables but

one must remain the same.

Also, involve your printer in the planning

stages of your campaign. They’ll help you

incorporate tracking options into the design

sooner rather than as an afterthought, and

many now feature multichannel campaign

management tools to help in the process.

And above all, please remember: design isn’t

just about typography, color, and images. To be

most effective, all aspects of the business need

to adhere to the brand image and tone.

Consider everything from advertising and

direct mail to store signage, TV/radio, and any

online presence.

And think about building links between your

postcards and other customer touch points

like websites and your brand’s social media

presence.

Stretch beyond simple consistency. Think

surprise. Do something slightly shocking

without requiring the paddles.

Push your designs to the edge — but don’t

cut yourself.

pURLs allow you to track each individual specifically rather than general landing pages that don’t capture user data.

Campaign by MondoVox® Creative Group

Postcards with an Edge | White Paper

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About Julia Moran Martz and MondoVox

Julia Moran Martz is co-creative director at award-winning

Mondovox® Creative Group, a Chicagoland branding and design firm.

She has 29 years of experience providing design solutions in many

industries including professional services, food products, life sciences,

and nutraceuticals.

Julia and her team have been working with Ripon Printers since

2004 and are responsible for many of their marketing materials

including brochures, ad campaigns, direct mail and the multiple

award-winning box set of Tips Booklets. You can reach her at

julia@mondovox.com.

Postcard samples also provided by Lisa Thomas

Lisa Thomas is a writer, art director and owner of Lisa Thomas

Creative Services. In her 30-plus years she has worked for clients such

as: LifeServ, Chicago, IL; BioSupplyNet, Plainview, NY; The Children’s

Museum, Indianapolis, IN; CDDB, Berkeley, CA; Ratio Architects,

Indianapolis, IN; IVDS, Scottsdale, AZ; and the Archdiocesan Cathedral

of the Holy Trinity, New York, NY.

Lisa has won awards from the American Advertising Federation, the

Art Directors Club, and the Public Relations Society of America. She

has been published in Print Regional and the New York Art Directors

Annual. You can reach her at info@lisaads.com.

XMPie® uImage®. Create attention-demanding communications that build readership and response by embedding text within images and images within images. Instead of using a static image of a boat in a postcard from a boat dealer, include a variable, personalized

image where the model changes based on a recipient’s preference and the recipient’s name is engraved on the boat’s side. The process is as simple as creating a template within Adobe® Photoshop® or Illustrator®, and then using the system’s uDirect® or PersonalEffect® tools to generate and place a set of individualized images directly into the print stream.

Two-sided Printable Magnets. Promotional magnetic items are a proven, low-cost way to buy long lasting “real estate” through applications such as direct mail, business cards, calendars, sports schedules, coupons, menus, magazine inserts and more. Ripon Printers provides

magnet printing services in-house on both digital and offset equipment. You can print your magnetized promotions, along with any ancillary materials, at a single source. And we can handle your program’s distribution and fulfillment requirements as well.

Color Logic. By using 4-color process plus a silver metallic base, a single print run can consistently and predictably produce as many as 250 different metallic colors at an incredibly affordable cost. Using the Process Metallic Color SystemTM by Color-Logic enables you to create a single metallic design that can produce dramatic effects on a wide range of materials including publication covers, collateral literature, packaging and labels, banners and direct mail. Ripon Printers is a certified Color-Logic printer.

HoloBright. This amazing technology creates a holographic pattern over inks or white space to highlight spot areas. Or flood coat for an even more dramatic impact. You can design your graphics in imaginative ways while the holographic coating brings the graphics to a whole new and exciting level. Multiple light reflective patterns are available to create the ultimate visual impact. It’s more cost-effective than lamination, overprinting foil or printing on foilboard. HoloBright is fully recyclable.

Waterproof Paper. More cost-effective and easier to produce than laminating, Ripon Printers features REVLARTM Waterproof Paper. It’s versatile enough for any application, and used in combination with our color digital printing presses, Revlar is great for applications such as catalog covers, educational and healthcare materials. The paper is waterproof, durable and tear resistant; able to withstand temperature variations; impervious to grease, solvent and chemicals; available in various weights, sizes and colors; and can be folded, punched or die cut.

NewsNotes (repositionable sticky notes). Create powerful, must-read messages that are repositionable for an extended life. They’re great for a wide range of marketing uses from traffic builders to redeemable offers and event promotions. Select from a broad range of product types, choose gloss white or yellow stock and specify any PMS color. You’ll also benefit from our round-cornered labels vs. square notes, while avoiding dog ears and bent corners with dual adhesive strips.

Creative Print Technologies Available at Ripon Printers

Ripon Printers

656 S. Douglas St.

P.O. Box 6

Ripon, WI 54971-0006

toll free 800-321-3136

phone 920-748-3136

fax 920-748-3741

www.riponprinters.com

About Ripon Printers

Ripon Printers serves small to mid-size direct marketers and publishers, producing catalogs, publications and a wide range of direct mail products. Linking our capabilities together is an obsessive devotion to customer service that places your satisfaction above any other business goals.

We offer a complete range of print solutions that includes coldset and heatset web printing as well as sheetfed and digital printing. Whatever your needs, Ripon Printers has the right fit. A variety of integrated multichannel capabilities, from digital editions and email marketing to personalized URLS, mobile barcodes and digital storefronts complement our print production, fulfillment and distribution services.

Extending your multichannel presence with Ripon Printers is easy and hassle-free. To learn more about our broad range of services, please contact your representative or send an email request to sales@riponprinters.com. You can also view a short video highlighting our capabilities at our homepage, www.riponprinters.com.

Ripon’s Integrated Direct Marketing Services• Mail List Processing & Hygiene

• Offset Printing

• Variable Data Digital Printing

• Mobile Barcodes

• Personalized URLs (pURLs)

• Email Blasts

• Digital Editions

• Fulfillment & Distribution

• Integrated Campaign Management & Reporting

Scan the QR Code with your smartphone to view “Ripon: The Video.”