Christine Scott
The hottest material in specialty design right now is…. metal. You’re probably wondering why or thinking there’s not much you can design with metal in terms of marketing collateral, but there is. Thanks to modern technology, there’s what seems like limitless design options when working with metal. For instance, now there is such thing as variation is color; you’re no longer limited to the metal color wheel of silver, bronze, and copper, nor are you limited to the style of typography applied to it. This untraditional material now has the ability to completely reshape your brand’s marketing collateral, taking it from ordinary to extraordinary. Here are a few ways to make the most out of using metal:
Metal Business Cards
In the New York cult classic American Psycho, there is a scene in a conference room where businessmen are discussing the design of their business card. Each of them take a turn to boast about the width, depth, color, and font used on their card as they mentally scrutinize every detail of their counter parts card, until the perfect one was pulled out. They all sit quietly admiring the piece in all its glory, driving the main character, Patrick Bateman, crazy from envy. This is the exact reaction you’re going to get with a sleek metal business card. Hands down, you’ll become the most memorable candidate in the room. Much like a paper business card, you can choose the size, depth, and color that you’d like it to be. You have the option to leave your card with a classic stainless steel color or choose another color of your liking. Once this is decided, your information is then etched into the metal slab with your choice of font. Although metal business cards are much more costly than traditional paper cards, its ability to leave in incredible lasting impression on potentially clients or business partners makes it well worth it.
Metal Company Signage
Metal signage isn’t a new concept, but design options have changed drastically in recent years. It’s easy to reflect the tone and feel of your brand through this material depending on the type of metal you choose, as well as the finish or texture that is applied. For instance, a polished finish gives of a sleek, savvy, and modern feel, whereas a rugged finish convey’s more of a vintage, old school vibe. This material allows you to engrave information onto a slate of metal in your brand’s font by using a cut metal letter installation, or a fabricated letter installation which allows you to place LED lights in the back.
Metal Loyalty Cards
There are many benefits to having a loyalty program. Not only does it help track market research, it also boosts reputation by enticing new customers and ensuring return customers. This marketing tool should have a prominent look and feel to its physical form, and stand as a symbol of status. With that said, using metal to design a loyalty card will do just. You can customize the design of your card much like a paper or plastic loyalty card. Dyes can be infused into the metal to display your logo, or your logo can be etched directly into the card. The card can also include a magnetic strip, barcode, QR code, or even a smart chip. Other details that can be applied are individual membership numbers etched into the cards of VIP holders.