History of Business Cards
Dating back to 15th century China, business cards evolved from traditional trade cards and visiting cards as a form of advertising and exchange of contact information between businessmen. Visiting cards, also known as calling cards, later appeared in Europe as a way to introduce the arrival of aristocrats and royalty to their prospective hosts in the 17th century.
Around the same time, the card moved from its social beginnings to more of a business purpose with the use of the trade cards in London. Besides being the main source for advertising, the trade card was to direct the public to a merchant?s location with the use of maps and directions because no formal street address system existed at the time.
These early trade cards were printed by woodcut or letterpress and were usually monotones or contained a small amount of tint. Businesses used their cards as marks of distinction and began the first modifications of their design or logo. Later, as the growing demand for the cards boosted the development of color printing, more elaborate card designs appeared, making the cards works of art.
Today, business cards are evolving to a more sophisticated type of communication. There are various types of printing methods used, including spot and four color inks, traditional letterpress, and thermography. Traditional cards are still printed on paper, yet other materials such as plastic and metal are becoming increasingly popular.
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