10 colours to include in your 2011 marketing and loyalty campaigns for added benefit

What is going to get the attention of your clients this year?

Pantone predictions
Colour authority Pantone released their predictions in late December and as we noticed late last year– exotic, vibrant colours are on the up and up.

The colour of 2011 is Honeysuckle – a fresh, cheerful and versatile shade of pink. You can expect this colour to feature across the industries in new marketing campaigns, clothing designs and even home industry trends.

Pantone also gave Russet, Regatta, Coral Rose, Peapod, Blue Curacao, Beeswax, Lavender, Silver Peony and Silver Cloud the thumbs up for 2011.

This palette is strong, intriguing and healthy with a particular nod to saturated African and Indian inspirations.

How it will help you

Forecasting
Armed with this knowledge, you have the edge in trend appeal. You can choose to embrace the power of popularity– much like the turquoise of yore, these colours have mass staying-power and will still look hip and fresh for the next few years according to trend analysis.

African Influence
Local is Lekker and with the unique African influence these colours are primed and ready to pounce on your target audience.

Colour Association
Harnessing the power of colour provides subconscious messages to your audience.
These colours are energetic and vibrant. Using these colours for a marketing or loyalty campaign associates your campaign is associated to youthful vibrancy and positivity.

Putting it on plastic
We love this new palette of dramatic , rich shades– even more so because they look so good on plastic. Pair Coral Rose with Regatta and Honeysuckle for high energy impact – or Peapod and Blue Curacao with a touch of Silver Peony for a subtle chic result.

Give it the 2011 twist with increased interest in striking colour combinations. You can’t go wrong in this palette– so go big and reap the benefits of trend appeal.

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5 Industry Secrets to a Fantastic Card Design

Want to take your client’s breath away when they get their first look at your new card? Try these secrets we have learned on your next design.

1. Put a face on it! Consumers like the cards with gorgeous models. Not only do their faces print wonderfully, but your clients get the human connection that is so vital in advertising and marketing.

2. Choose fonts carefully. Some fonts are clearer to read than others when printed on a small space. There is a lot of information to place on a card and fonts that are consistent in shape print the clearest. Stay away from fonts that have thick and thin lines as they tend to be too difficult to read at a small point size.

3. Go Bold! In colour that is! Cards that take our breath away are full of electrifying, vibrant, bold colours. Keep it young, modern and fresh by pairing a bold colour with crisp white or rich black backgrounds to make the design star of the show!

4. Design in CYMK. There is a big difference between images designed for a webpage (in RGB) and images designed in CYMK for print. Make sure your design programme is set to the correct setting to ensure that the colours are truly as you wish for them to be.

5. Form follows Function. Think of a card as a ‘mini-billboard’ propagating your message. Design accordingly. Make your message the most important message in that 54X86mm space.

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Markex Here We Come!

CardsPlus is pleased to announce that we will be exhibiting at Markex, the premier marketing, promotions, and special events exhibition in South Africa. Markex will be held at the Sandton Convention Centre during 9-11 June 2009.

We are showcasing our variety of Card Printing Solutions and innovative ways to integrate the use of printed plastic cards into marketing and special events. CardsPlus will also launch our new loyalty software and showcase our line of EDIsecure brand Plastic Card Printers. Demonstrations as well as free product giveaways will be on hand. Come meet our friendly staff, see the latest technology in Card Printing, and sign up for one of our free giveaways!

Contact us on 011 894 3914 if you are interested in attending and we will assist you in obtaining passes to the show.

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