Hot Off The Press: The lessons of print marketing

March 23, 2018

Whether you’re a business or a nonprofit, if you want to school the competition you need colorful, perfectly designed print marketing.

InkëDesign, a boutique design firm in San Francisco that has been printing with PsPrint for more than 10 years, understands the power of print.

Founded by Inke A. Noël, InkëDesign has worked on several big projects, including the rebranding of the San Francisco Parks & Recreation Department, a new logo and new bus design for the Napa Valley Transportation Authority, and a complete redesign of the entire 15,000-page San Francisco Municipal Transaction Authority website.

So when the after-school program at her daughter’s elementary school need some business cards, it was a no-brainer who they were going to ask for design help.

Children’s After School Arts (CASA) is a nonprofit creative arts after-school program at Rooftop School in San Francisco. Noël said that CASA is a program for everyone — no matter what gender, ethnicity, race or socio-economic standing you might have.

“It's a project-based program where a particular theme for the year is picked and woven through all of the learning throughout the year,” she told us. “The themes always have a social justice heart to it, and this year it's ‘Build bridges not walls.’”

The theme is reflected in the card’s rainbow design and raised, clenched fist.

“It was so much fun to make, and it was easy to pull out the essence and represent the best of CASA in colors, and building off their strong logo features,” Noël said.

 

Ultra business card for Children’s After School Arts designed by Inke A. Noël from InkëDesign

Another school program learning the value of printing is Stepping Out, Stepping In, a naturalist program based in Middle Harbor Shoreline Park in the Port of Oakland.

Education and nonprofit programs don’t have big budgets for marketing. Organizations located in the San Francisco Bay Area, Chicagoland and Tri-State area love to print with PsPrint and save on shipping by picking up their orders at one of our three Customer Care Centers.

“I am a proud business owner and resident of West Oakland and live within walking distance to PsPrint,” said Tara Reinertson from Stepping Out, Stepping In. “I am happy to support another local business.” 

Brochure for Stepping Out, Stepping In designed by Tara Reinertson

 If the idea of print marketing has got you singing the blues, find some inspiration in this poster for Durango Blues Train, a can’t-miss event in Colorado for music lovers and train aficionados on June 1-2 and August 17-18.

“Passengers step aboard the historic, coal-fired, steam-powered train for a moving musical journey through the beautiful Animas Valley and up into the tight canyons and massive cliffs of the San Juan National Forest,” said Jacob Bomersback from SBG Productions, the festival’s production company.Aboard the nine-car train are six blues artists, including two full bands in open-air gondola cars, with standing dance floors and four solo-duo artists in seated, enclosed coaches.”

Such a unique event deserves a unique poster! The poster for Durango Blues Train is eye-catching and frame-worthy.

 

Poster for Durango Blues Train

A consignment shop in northeast Pennsylvania that sells high-end used fashion, Changes Luxury Consignment plans to use their bright pink-colored stickers on all of their shopping bags and adding them to their goodie bags for additional promotion of their brick-and-mortar and online shop.

 

Sticker for Changes Luxury Consignment designed by Samantha Nardelli from Shanty Town Design.

PsPrint customers are a talented bunch. Check out this collection of awesome printed pieces for a little design inspiration.

Sticker for The Excellent Cup, designed by James Bellanca from iMagn Media

 

Sticker for Humboldt Bay Coffee Company designed by Sonny Wong 

 

Bumper sticker for My Music Folders 

 

Postcard for Christopherson Properties in Santa Rosa, CA 

 

Poster for Noise Pop Music & Arts Festival, designed by Chi Chi Land 

 

 

Greeting card for Independence Title in Austin, Texas, designed by graphic supervisor Todd Sellars

 

 

Booklet for Noobie Box designed by Ceai de Tei

 

 

 

Greeting card for Atelier Emmanuel in San Francisco

 

 

Sticker for Fleeting Memories Mediadesigned by Cumulus Collective

 

 

Sticker for The Changemaker Project

 

Brochure for The Pizza Block in North Riverdale, NY

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About Sonia Mansfield

Sonia Mansfield works as the Website Content and Social Media Marketing Manager for PsPrint Blog and PsPrint.com, and manages the company's social media networks, including Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google Plus and Pinterest. Her earlier gigs included slaving as a low-paid reporter for a daily newspaper and TV critic for various entertainment blogs. When she’s not working, she’s usually making nerdy “Star Wars” references, talking about TV or watching baseball games. You can email her at sonia@psprint.com.

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What is the PsPrint Blog??

The PsPrint Blog is a resource for graphic designers, freelancers, small business owners and fans of print marketing. You'll find helpful techniques on printing everything there is to print, including business cards, postcards, brochures, stickers, invitations, greeting cards, door hangers, magnets and more. The PsPrint Blog shares creative ways to improve your design and layout skills, and useful tips for marketing your business in any medium. We also like to have a little fun, sharing design inspiration and spotlighting some our favorite customers' printed pieces in our "Hot Off the Press" series.