Promotional playing cards are not only very cheap and very effective for advertising and promotion, but also have a very long shelf life. And yes, compared to traditional advertising, they are also very unique. If you dare to be a little different from the mainstream, the next time you’re looking for a personalized item to promote your business or cause, take a step outside the typical box and consider using promotional playing cards.

It should be remembered that promotional playing cards are not exactly a new idea, as Coca Cola put their logo and name on decks of playing cards as far back as the 1940’s, but today’s improved printing technology has brought them back in popularity. Today’s digital printing methods have improved quality, lowered costs, and added all sorts of new options to get your message across on a printed deck of playing cards.

One of the most interesting news in the area of ​​promotional cards advertising is shared. Playing card manufacturers have made custom playing card decks for a long time, but have always been limited to just one advertiser per deck. That made the cost of printing custom playing card decks prohibitive for most advertisers. A business bias recognized an opportunity in a typical deck of playing cards that launched more advertising real estate than just about any other item you can imagine. After all, each deck has 52 cards plus 2 jokers, and each card has 2 faces: the back and the front. In addition to the cards themselves, the box offers even more advertising space. When the cost of printing a deck of custom promotional playing cards is split between 52 different advertisers, decks of cards become much more affordable for smaller businesses.

The added benefit of advertising on a deck of Super HOT Saver Cards is that you belong to a valuable promotional tool for your customer and therefore minimize the harsh reality that most advertising ends up in the bin. .

If you’re still having trouble envisioning how you could use one deck of playing cards to promote multiple businesses, consider these promotional ideas that have been implemented by various playing card manufacturers.

the city deck

A small town Chamber of Commerce was looking for a unique way to promote local businesses. They considered and rejected traditional ideas like coupon books and direct mail coupon flyers. Instead, they created the City Deck, a custom deck of playing cards featuring local merchants and businesses. The Chamber sold advertising space on the front of each card to local bookstores, clothing stores, restaurants and cafes, and other local businesses, then packaged the cards in a box with the city name and a welcome message from the city manager. . The cards offered 2-for-1 restaurant specials, store discounts, and other special offers from various businesses around the city. The promotional cards were so successful that the Chamber of Commerce has already started planning its next deck and is considering making the City Deck an annual collector’s item with local artwork on the case.

catalog cover

Do you have a new line of merchandise for your business? A smart way to show off your new products to your customers is with a deck of custom promotional cards printed with images of your new items on the front and your company logo and contact information on the back. The printable space on the face of a card is easily large enough to allow for an image and brief description without impeding the playability of the deck. Send a deck to customers along with their current orders, or give them to your salespeople to leave as a business card with prospects. Businesses will remember your name because of the unique message medium. Admittedly, this option of creating a dedicated enterprise platform may only be open to big budgets, but it proves proportionally effective for those employing this format.

Tourism Promotion

Is your city a tourist attraction? Why not spread the love with a custom deck of promotional playing cards featuring local businesses that cater to tourists? That was the idea behind a deck of cards created by the owner of a bed and breakfast in a small seaside town. He contacted businesses in the area and proposed that they all split the cost of creating a deck of cards with the city’s tourist attractions and businesses, and put a deck of cards in each room for their customers. It was a unique and eye-catching way to provide a valuable service to visitors, and the value was further amplified when local shops and restaurants also came together to keep covers available for diners and customers.

college cards

Any college student manager can tell you that the most used item they hand out to new students is a list of area businesses that serve the needs of first-time college students away from home. A smart student council decided to capitalize on their spending power to raise money from local businesses and benefit businesses at the same time. They worked with a playing card manufacturer to design a deck of Student Union playing cards with the university’s logo on the back of the deck and local business promotions on the front. To their surprise, advertisers included not only the usual pizza and sandwich shops, but also nearby laundromats, bookstores and grocery stores who were thrilled to have a unique way to advertise their services to one of the city’s largest populations.

There are many ways to harness the power of custom promotional playing cards for business promotion purposes. Whether you’re a business looking to advertise and promote your products or services, or an organization looking for a smart way to raise money through advertising, take a serious look at the possibilities offered by personalized promotional letters.