Flyers as Art

As a smaller digital print centre, we get a lot of the quirky work for smaller and more dynamic businesses. One trend I’ve been noticing of late is the concept of Flyers As Art. The concept of your marketing material being art is nothing new; art has been used for advertising for as long as there has been the concept of advertising. Many artists spent time in the advertising industry, and there have been many pieces of commercial art that have become celebrated works in their own right. So why use ‘art flyers’? Simple: because it puts your brand in the customer’s mind when they need a business like you.

Right now there’s a whole specialised area of marketing called ‘Rack Cards’. Racks of visually interesting flyers are displayed to provide colour in an independent business, like a cafe’s and hotels. These cards attractive front grab people’s eyes and to get it in to their hands, where the back makes the sales pitch.

The two businesses that came to mind as I’m writing this article are a tattooist and a painter. The tattooist is the one that prompted this article as I was discussing with him the latest batch of appointment cards he had printed which had a brand new design on them. He explained to me that since the art on the card represents his artistic skill, people collected the cards as art. It turns out that the people who collect the cards are also interested in tattooing and so will get work done by the people whose art they like the most. The painter specialised in pet portraits so their business card is an example of their work. Placed in pet stores and vets, the appeal of a hand-sized piece of art gets their prospect to pick it up and read the details on the back. Pet owners have a deep emotional connection to their pets, and when the pet has past on they find a painting of their loved one in their prime a desirable object.

What if you are not in the artistic industry, why make art flyers? Simply, to get your brand in their mind. That’s the point of all marketing, to make your name associated with a service or product. That means when they need that product or service, they will think of you first.

How to do it? Pick a subject with a great visual appeal that has a connection to your industry.  A panel beater could have images of the collectible car they have worked on, landscapers a photo of a perfect garden, hairdressers displaying a complex creation, the list goes on. If you are unsure, why not talk to other people and find out what first comes to mind when they think about your business.

Where to put them? I’ve already listed a few examples of where they are used. A good rule of thumb is to put them where there a cross-association. A landscape gardener could have their cards at a garden centre that they buy their supplies from. The hairdresser should have cards at a beauty salon or wedding related business. It’s just a case of thinking of related products or businesses.

What about the cost? The cost of upgrading from a single-sided colour paper flyer, to a double-sided card is low. Talk to us at Copy Express and we can work with you to find the best value for your investment. We also carry stands and racks for you to put the cards in show you how you can make sure that your card is the one that people will go for.

Remember Flyers As Art isn’t about direct sales, it’s about building your brand recognition, so when people do need a business like yours, it’s yours they think of.