“Thank you for calling. Please listen to our new menu options, so we can route your call to the appropriate department. We have received your inquiry. A representative will respond within 48 hours.” Nowadays, responses like these are commonplace. As a multitude of companies automate their services to drive down their costs as much as possible. Speaking to a live person may take ages by the time you’ve pressed every number on the key pad on your phone. A simple question regarding the in-stock date of a product may take two days to receive an electronic reply. Welcome to the reality of, a day in the life of a consumer. ..

The first time the image met with my eyes, it was beyond elegance. I just stared in a moment of ‘awe,’ because it was so incredibly stunning. The image wasn’t an iconic painting or award winning photographic piece. It was the first time I saw edge gilding on business cards. My initial reaction encompassed that ‘wow’ factor and an internal thought of, “Here I go again, champagne taste and a beer pocket.” However, to my amazement, I discovered it can be an affordable option, if indeed, I wanted it on my business cards. ..

Many times I encounter a client who gets dismayed with embossing versus debossing. I have to admit that when I first started learning about this trade that I also needed to be educated on the difference. The differences between the two is actually very simple, and they can be gorgeous embellishments to your print project. Let’s begin with embossing: This process entails taking a die and pushing on the back of the card stock. The result is a raised image on the front of your card stock. The image below demonstrates embossing. The front of the card has an embossed pattern with a foil blocked logo in the center. The pattern is intricate but extremely classy, highlighting the logo in silver metallic foil makes it the focal point of the card. ..

A little glisten, luster or shine catches the corner of your eye. Nine times out of ten, you’ll turn around to see exactly the source of the shine is. Marketing research has shown that; printed media with foil stamping captures and holds a consumer’s attention more rapidly and longer versus standard printed materials. Maybe your marketing materials need that extra zest to create more mass appeal to your target audience? Here are the five reasons you should consider metallic foil accentuation in your printed media: ..

Cotton card stock is ideal for letterpress business cards due to both it soft texture and thickness. Ink and foil can be gently embedded into the card stock creating the debossed printing effect which is unique to letterpress printing. ..