![\"vir002_09_holiday_eFlyer_F.qxd:Layout](\"http:\/\/brandtwist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/12\/vir_holiday.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nWe included a bit of a cheeky message on the front of the card (again on brand) but overall we felt the best way to celebrate the real spirit of the holidays during what was a particularly difficult year for many, was to help others.<\/p>\n
I am not saying this is the right solution for everyone. \u00a0I\u2019m just illustrating that we spent some time thinking about our messaging and treated the card as a piece of branded communication – which ultimately it is.<\/p>\n
Here are two other\u00a0examples of cards that made a brand impression:<\/p>\n
The first was from a friend of mine who runs a PR and Communications company called Fraiche<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n Her brand is all about fresh ideas and approaches. Her primary color on her website and marketing materials is a bright and vibrant green – a color which supports her can-do personality and that of her company.<\/p>\n Her holiday card really supported her brand point of view. I thought this was very novel. I liked the way the card was actually doing double duty as a gift, and of course the flowers \/growth supported her brand promise of sprouting new ideas.<\/p>\n Well done.<\/p>\n A less impressive example is a card I received from an architecture firm. The card was a generic holiday image (wreath, or holly or something like that) and on the inside it was printed with a generic message and an electronic signature.<\/p>\n This actually left a negative impression on me.<\/p>\n Really. Why bother?<\/p>\n It concerned me that a firm supposedly centered on creative, aesthetic design had so little regard for the design of this card – which was presumably going out to hundreds of clients.<\/p>\n And the generic greeting made things worse.<\/p>\n I wished they had spared the card and saved the tree.<\/p>\n If you are going to send a branded holiday card, it\u2019s worth seizing this opportunity to send not just a season\u2019s greeting\u2026 but also a well-thought message about your brand.<\/p>\n What good and bad examples of corporate cards have you seen? What\u2019s your twist?<\/p>\n Brand School<\/a><\/strong>, our highly effective, premier branding program,\u00a0will give you the insight and tools you need to innovate your brand and grow your business. Receive\u00a0more information about Brand School’s next session and get\u00a0free tools and tips<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>when you<\/span>\u00a0join our mailing list<\/strong><\/a>.<\/strong><\/i><\/p>\n
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\nIt was a printed card, made on recycled paper. What was unique about it is that it was actually impregnated with flower seeds.\u00a0 Like this one<\/a><\/strong>. The card was printed with a brief holiday message as well as instructions to plant the whole card in a flower box and water it and eventually spring flowers would arrive.<\/p>\n