As we wrap up the final days of Christmas in July, I’d like to invite you to consider the potential of your holiday greeting card. I believe this little piece of communication tradition is highly underrated as a “real” marketing tool and often overlooked as an opportunity to reinforce messages that are core to your company brand. Could it be the message and design just deserve a little extra thought? Perhaps, that’s as good a reason as any to be thinking about Christmas when it’s 120 degrees outside.

Corporate Christmas cards are notoriously bad.
Truth is, the standard isn’t hard to blow out of the water. Somewhere along the way, it became pretty commonplace to order cards from a catalog or pick from a collection of templates with pre-made sentiments and your logo printed in “a choice of three standard colors.”

If your company’s holiday greeting is a cookie cutter kind of “Merry Christmas and Happy New Year” you are missing the boat! Everyone’s emotions are primed at the holidays, so a barrier is already removed. People are expecting to connect with your company on a different level. Warm and fuzzy is where it’s at. Heartstrings. Favorite things. Gratitude. New Beginnings. Success stories. Memories. Traditions. These are the ingredients of yuletide greetings.

Make Merry Messages with Meaning. 
Take a look at your company values. Where do they intersect with the festive feelings of the holidays? Make sure the sentiment you send says something special that aligns with your brand. At the risk of preaching to the choir (fa la la la la) might I just remind you that the most effective messages are memorable because they strike an emotional chord? And if you’re tentative to “go there” at other times throughout the year with your corporate brand, you just might consider the holidays open season. Go ahead. Add just a dash of sugar and spice. Everything is nice, it’s the holidays!

Design Something to Make their Eyes Twinkle. 
Is your greeting digital? Printed? Animated? Is it a pop-up card? A video? A singing telegram? Whatever it is, if you’re brand identity isn’t at the center of the visual, I’m putting you on the naughty list. I’m talking about more than sticking your logo on an ornament. I am talking about a relevant integration that aligns with the message you just so artfully crafted.

Get Busy Little Elf!
Like we’ve said before, no one likes a half-ass jingler. That greeting card assignment has potential! It’s up to you to make something of it. Need some ideas? Want help executing the idea you’ve got? Want it animated? Embossed? Letter pressed or foil stamped… Want sound effects, a bow on top, a glowing red nose? We’ll sure see what we can do. Our workshop is up and running. Give us a call! We’ll help you fulfill your greeting’s full potential!