Custom Made Trading Cards

The History of Business Cards

Every business person has a business card.  Well, any business person that has any hope of succeeding has a business card, at least.  Business cards are a very valuable piece of a business’s marketing strategy.  They are small, convenient, inexpensive, and powerful.

But as you design your next business card printing project, have you ever thought about the history of those powerful little cards?  Believe it or not, they have been around for a long, long time.  They are basically a mix between old fashioned trade cards and visiting cards.

Visiting cards (or calling cards) were first seen in the 1400’s in China.  They were common in Europe after the Middle Ages.  There, they were used to introduce visitors to their hosts.  They became such an entrenched part of the European culture that there were many rules and traditions surrounding them.  Improperly using a visiting card was cause for ridicule and even punishment.

Most wealthy Europeans would adorn their visiting cards with their family coat of arms and other decorations.  They were, in effect, the first advertisements, though they were used as a personal badge rather than a corporate tool.  These visiting cards were truly essential parts of any leading man or woman’s life.

Trade cards were first used in the 1600’s in England.  These were truly early forms of ads, as they were used to direct customers to stores.  This was literal, though, because England did not have a system for numbering addresses at the time.  Trade cards were used to tell people how to get to a particular place.

As trade cards became more popular, businesses began to add different design features to them.  They began to look more and more like modern advertisements, with many aspects that would distinguish the company from its competitors.  These cards even began taking on the looks of pieces of art, with color and other artistic elements.

In time, people began to combine elements of visiting cards and trade cards into what we now know as business cards.  For a long time in America, business cards were very bland and professional looking, which made them appear much like traditional visiting cards.  Now, however, business cards are becoming more and more artistic, with more advertising formulas tied into their design.

In today’s world, business cards are both informational pieces for business people, and advertising tools for companies.  They are used both to give contact information to customers and associates, and to entice customers to visit a particular store.  In many ways, they continue to serve the same roles that they have played for centuries, while adding some modern touches.  I don’t think we will begin calling the visiting cards anytime soon, though.

For comments and inquiries about the article visit: Business Card Printing

About the Author

Karen Grahams has keen interest in Internet Marketing, which began roughly four years ago. Writing has always been her passion. She is continually striving to enhance her interest by developing internet strategies.

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