First Impressions - or - The Martial Art of the Business Card

Mary Harron's film adaptation of Brett Easton Ellis’s cult novel, ‘American Psycho’, features a scene that is a master class in business card one-upmanship. Patrick Bateman, is an investment banker who thinks the pinnacle of Business Card design is a watermark. Bateman is obsessed by symbols of status and his insecurities nail him when his colleagues present their business cards - each more perfect than the last - in an urbane game of top trumps.  From the fictitious fonts of Silian Rail and Romalian Type, to the off white finish of Eggshell and Nimbus, a trip to the high street printers will never be the same again.

In Japan the practice of exchanging Business Cards or ‘Meishi’ carries great social importance with emphasis on the physical interaction. The card is regarded as a tangible symbol of the person presenting it and a casually flicked card will cause great offence. Meishi are kept pristine in a dedicated leather case and presented with both hands pinching each top corner to the recipient at chest level. Received cards may be arranged on the meeting table in hierarchy according to seniority or carefully placed at the back of the recipient’s meishi case. It is a sign of respect to take care of your received cards.

The use of Business Cards originated with the exchange of Visiting Cards, which first
appeared in Europe in the 17^th Century.  Footmen used the cards to introduce royalty and aristocracy and the practice was mainly the preserve of the servant employing classes.  

If an organisation values its brand it will provide a template for its business cards - ensuring continuity for each employee. For the entrepreneur or start-up business there are many considerations to take:

• Choose a rigid weight of at least 350gsm.
• Do not crowd your card with too much information; it’s not a leaflet.
• Give emphasis to your name, title and company name.
• Is the design and use of type consistent with your existing brand communication.
• A succinct strap line can encapsulate your brand promise
• Include telephone numbers, email address and website.
• Use colour for emphasis but not gratuitously.
• Irregular formats and unusual sizes may seem distinctive at first but they may not fit into a wallet or cardholder.

There is an infinite number of choices a designer can make in the design of a business card. For the more adventurous client the number of applications is limitless from plastic to metal. Why not choose a medium that relates to your business, but remember quirky ideas can date or be construed as tacky.

The paperless office may not yet have arrived but there is however still a huge demand for printed business cards. The ritual of exchanging cards on first meetings and the boom in networking events assures this stationery item will be with us for sometime yet. Value your cards and consider carefully who you hand them to. They will only work for you if you give them to the right person.