Many businesses still (rightfully) rely on printed materials to connect with new colleagues or sales prospects. You’ve probably seen enough brochures, catalogs and other brand collateral in your day to know that many of them look completely identical. However, the same boring templates aren’t the only option for your brand.
Today, there are endless creative options available to take your branded print materials up a notch. Keep scrolling to check out some of our favorite unique features for brand collateral.
Present in Different Shapes
Just because the majority of printed materials are presented on rectangular paper doesn’t mean yours have to be. Switching up the overall shape of your prints can add personality, capture attention and let you express your brand in a more creative way. You could simply round off the edges of a traditional rectangular booklet to create a softer effect, or you could get really unique with a completely different shape, such as a circle or square. Just keep in mind that your contacts will likely place your piece into their bag or folder, so choose a shape that won’t get torn or battered with moderate use.
Experiment with Photographs
Although the primary purpose of your marketing and sales materials may be to distribute information, there can be more effective ways to deliver your message than plain text printed on a solid color background. To grab and direct your readers’ attention, try utilizing larger visual elements on your pages. One simple yet compelling way to do that is through high-quality photography. You can use your own shots or find some great industry-related photos from a stock service and blow them up to a full page for a dramatic effect. You can still deliver a written message on these pages by using contrasting font colors or shadow effects. It’s still crucial for all messages to be easy to read against any background, or your audience may completely miss it.
Utilize Pop-Outs
Printed pop-outs can add an unexpected (but welcome) surprise to your traditional print marketing piece. Three-dimensional pop-outs deliver such a big statement, they nearly guarantee that your message will be received. Pop-out elements can be as simple or complex as you want them to be, whether it’s a small shape with highlighted text or an entire scene that’s relevant to your business. These detailed features are not always as durable as a typical print piece, so it may be best to save these for materials that will be distributed in person rather than through the mail.
Create Interest with Textured Elements
Adding texture to your brand collateral can add a sense of luxury and character to your pieces. There are several potential textured options that may make sense for your brand, such as coarse and bold textures or something more delicate and softer. Choosing a signature texture to accompany your materials can add consistency and also help establish your brand identity. Keeping a consistent texture among materials can also help establish a consistent brand identity. When deciding exactly where to add texture, plan to choose just a few areas to emphasize key points – texturizing too much of your piece can feel like overkill.
Add Emphasis Through Die-Cut Windows
Die-cut windows, otherwise known as cut-out spaces in a page, make the argument that less is more. Die-cuts can be purely decorative, giving readers a sneak peak of the content to come, or you can use these windows cleverly to feature the most important information. For example, if you highlight a strong statistic or customer quote in big text, you can create a die-cut in the page before to give an added emphasis. These elements aren’t meant to be a gimmick, but rather to support core messages of your piece and help your audience remember them.