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Have you ever met someone and wish you’d known more about them?

Maybe it was a freelance photographer that you could work with on your next project or maybe even a potential business partner for the startup you’ve been meaning to work on. Business cards help lessen address this problem. Besides keeping and forging connections, these marketing assets also make you a credible brand.

But there’s one way for you to really amp up a calling card and make it memorable. You can start pulling unique and even bizarre gimmicks to keep your card from joining the 9 billion business cards that get binned annually.

Scroll to see how brands have transformed business card templates to make them even more creative. Get ready to see unique calling card designs that completely change the norm.

The best business card designs right now

If you’ve never seen business cards that can be eaten or maybe even used to measure a tire, today is your lucky day. This list contains marketing collaterals that are far from commonplace.

Take a look at this roundup of business card ideas and inspiration before you start designing one for yourself.

Pause Home Entertainment’s iPhone speaker card.

Kol Kid Crayon Business Cards you can draw with.

Tattoo Business Card.

Adrian Tan, Lighting Designer’s Light Card.

Tennis Academy’s business card.

FedEx card that looks like an envelope. What’s great about this logo is how fast you can spot the brand logo. It does not get lost amid cluttered graphic elements. Where you place your brand mark is vital when designing a business card. Of course, you should also start by having eye-catching emblem for your company.

Don’t have one yet? Start making your own logo here.

STRIK Creative Concept Control agency’s business cards.

Make Vancouver’s miniature scribble slate.

Six Taste’s edible business cards

Brothers Landscaping’s turf business cards.

Kyalin’s before and after business card demonstrates the slimming capabilities of the brand.

Framing service business card.

This is the Littlest Ad Agency’s handmade business card.

Land of Ross’ sunglasses business card.

A special business card that doubles as a cheese grater.

Steve Li Acupuncture’s business cards are laser perforated recycled old cards.

View this Pure Canadian Gaming Company’s business card.

Rethink Canada designed this Mr. Lube gift and business card that demonstrates what the service is all about. The brand got rid of that “change oil” sign.

The dual-purpose functional design mimics that of a tire gauge and allows customers to check their tire tread before they call in for a service. You get a card and a measuring instrument at the same time.

A business specializing in storage and organizing solutions has a business card that holds other business cards.

Dog tag, bottle opener, and business card all in one.

Check out this business card for a roofing company.

Private Detective’s business card requires a fingerprint kit to read the details.

OurFashionBlog’s business card looks like a clothing tag.

Schwimmer Pool Service’s pH business card helps you measure water quality and thus determine if it’s time to call for maintenance.

The Duke of York visited the ad agency, Mother. The Queen was set to visit – no doubt the agency would have been renamed Queen Mother for the day – but sadly had to pull out to recover from her recent illness. All Mother employees have business cards with have a picture of their mothers on the reverse. As a gift to the Prince, Mother presented him with his very own agency card.

Baywood Clinic Laser Tattoo Removal service business card

Card for Bentply, a central London shop specializing in vintage, modernist furniture.

Schoolarship is an organization that provides education grants to students in need. We created a business card that visually demonstrates what Schoolarship grants can help post-secondary students achieve – a diploma/degree.

NFC enabled business card.

Business Card Design for Web Developer.

Agency Bos from Toronto created a business card for Head2Head that served a dual purpose. Not only does it provide a functional benefit (given that each card contained five perforated filters), but it also adds a stickiness factor because the card would be something you’d hold onto and refer to, as frequently as you smoked.

People who wear glasses find it annoying when they break or lose a pair. To make them feel better, we designed business cards using the simple pinhole mechanism. By looking through a tiny pinhole or the card, they were able to read without wearing glasses. We gave the card to those who came to get their glasses fixed, so they could read magazines while waiting using this innovative card.

The Paint & Cia’s Paint Card reads: “We bring back your car’s original paint job.”

Ebolaindustries is the digital nickname of Enfants Terribles. Ebolaindustries was the first viral Italian agency. Since its inception in 2006, Ebolaindustries’ professionals introduced themselves with a pseudonym: Mr. white, Mr. blue, Mr. orange, Mrs. green, Mrs. silver.

The new Ebolaindustries’ business cards emulate the lab slides. In addition to the pseudonym, and the image of the Ebola virus in the reference color, there are also the names of the real professionals, but these are visible only under a microscope.

Clark&Kent is “the smallest ad agency in the world” with headquarters in a phone booth in New York. Here is the C&K business card. And of course, …it’s a phone booth!

Choko la’s candy wrapper business card.

A business card that is, indeed, a tiny envelope. With this was tied the message: NO DELIVERY TOO SMALL.

Renato França Personal Trainer’s Define your weight business card.

Logchies Junior Window Cleaners Envelopes.

iMac business card.

OCB rolling paper business cards demonstrate the product.

Mais Pilates Studio’s “wake up your body” business card.

Paddison Prestige Roofing’s business card can serve as a roof for a ladybug trying to avoid the rain.

Hip Baby has a baby proof business card. The edges are bump-proof.

The Credit Counselling Society is a registered non-profit service based in Vancouver, and their card looks like a credit card cut in half.

Dilly Dally is a toy store built on ‘inspiring play’ and igniting the imagination of children. Each component of their brand identity incorporated a sense of play, interaction, and endless exploration.

Going to a store and taking a business card is customary. Now, what you can do with it is what varies. Tok&Stok turned their business card in an entertainment. The design alludes to the brand’s easy to assemble furniture. The brand launched an unprecedented action that converts the business card in a little chair. To do so is very simple: just detach the parts marked and put them together. The back of the card has the logo, while the seat takes the essential information such as address and phone number.

Bang Your Own Drum business card is a small drum, and the drum sticks are pencils given as gifts.

Let them find you easier. Make a mini-map.

Decorate your card with a bit of fluff. This card gives your recipient a sample of your products at the same time.

Cute fold out. This card brings back old childhood memories.

Make it look like the product you’re selling.

Ooops. It’s an impression of someone’s notes. Just kidding, it’s a quirky business card that looks one of a kind.

Add a bit of class and expense. Have gilded edges.

Looks like someone mistook this card for an edible one? Nope. The brand gave its card a unique look with this impression. You can add teeth impressions if you’re a dentist like this one or thumbprints if you are a detective. You catch the drift.

Spoof a famous logo.

Use a shiny metal surface.

Write bold copy.

Use metallic ink and a metallic hole.

Teeth floss? Cool.

Combine different papers.

Stay minimal and positive.

Use a thread.

Make a 3D plastic card.

Come up with a fun die-cut.

Dog tag theme.

Cattail theme.

Use office scrap.

Use fun typography.

Simply square with no ink.

Funky shape.

Interchangeable insert in a generic cover.

Get a free one-way ticket to the moon!

Demonstrate your skill.

Forensic evidence?

Metal card. Doubles as a cake cutter.

Is this scratch and sniff or just generous use of white space? Who knows? One thing is for sure, the person behind this card is clever.

Try the retro look.

Elegantly long and thin.

Transparent thin.

Transparent thick.

Camera obscura. In case the Nikon breaks, it comes handy to get the job done.

Folded and playful.

Expandable rubber to test your strength. One more time. And, one more. One last time. Good job. Now, what was the number again?

Reuse old cards for a second-hand shop.

Get rid of the evidence you ever met the headhunter.

This is one way to send a clear message from a debt recovery agent. If you don’t pay, I’ll break your bones. Here’s the x-ray of my last client’s broken finger as proof.

Take a look at this business card for an acupuncturist. It’s designed with small holes to demonstrate what will happen to your skin.

Perforated cards demonstrate what separation lawyers do.

If you don’t want to separate, you can consider marriage counseling with scotch tape.

There is nothing better than a little freebie. In this case, a few seeds demonstrating how lush can make your place greener.

This is a balloon visiting card for a chest physician. It is only legible when inflated. It demonstrates how important it is to have healthy lungs.

Opa! Pieces of broken pottery are used to hold the name and phone number for a greek restaurant.

A set of semi-transparent layers allows you to mix and match clothes on the illustrated girl.

Finally, allow me not to explain the meaning of this card for the Toronto hemp company. The target audience will know exactly what it means.

Let’s start with a cutting edge design. Literally.

And if you managed to cut too deep, use this rubber band to stop arterial bleeding.

Which brings us to this bloody cool design. You can play with this forever.

When you’re done playing, look at this concept where the card is in a small plastic bag to protect it from getting wet. Naturally, this is done for a swimming instructor. You don’t need a big budget to create a memorable design.

You can use other inexpensive household objects to grab the attention and make sure you won’t fit into the standard business cardholder. Like this clothespin “card.”

Or this hair grip holder for a hair and makeup artist.

And if you really want to be remembered, give a whoopee cushion. It’s certainly great fun on the one hand, or I should rather say one cheek. At the end of the day, you call the shots. Would your brand benefit from being associated with loud farts?

How about these silly glasses? This is great for trying to stay awake in the office.

You can stop cracking jokes and still remain playful by designing a card that germinates and demonstrates your abilities to create a great park in no time, as it is done for this landscaper architect.

Another card that demonstrates a profession is the card of Kevin Mitnick, the famous hacker, which is essentially a lock picking toolset. He always said that the easiest way to get hold of a password is to ask the blond secretary for it in an authoritative tone, so I have no idea why he needs to break in anywhere.

Another metallic card. This one is in the shape of a mini designer working hard at his desk.

It’s a mini person at your service any time you wish to pull him out of your pocket.

Let’s look at more cards that refer to professions. Here is a card that resembles a Larry King microphone for a DJ.

Another done for an architect that features a ruler. Don’t expect a Hundertwasser style building from this guy!

This card demonstrates what the National Encyclopedia does. Explains what things are.

This card is an extraordinary idea for a simple product. Demonstrate what hinges do directly with your card.

It’s tough to swallow, but this silly design still works and never gets old. A card for a restaurant with a bite. Should you put ketchup or mustard before eating it?

A card for a gift shop with a ribbon and a bow, of course. How sweet!

This sandpaper based card is made for a finishing school in India. It’s very on the nose to say the least.

Talking about special paper, here is a card made of really shiny paper. Nothing modest about this one. Miss Hilton would love it.

More folding shiny goodness for a puppeteer.

If you can’t think of an idea, you can still use a special material for your card, and it will still make you stand out from the crowd. Just like this one made of fine corrugated cardboard.

This card also uses special material, but in this case, it’s totally relevant. It’s printed on a rough burlap textile.

Traditionally cards are designed by graphic designers, or art directors and copywriters are not part of the process. But you really should involve your writer next time. Check out this funny set of visiting cards.

This simple copy based business card reminds anyone of their dad, who always said it pays to be honest. So, if you can’t afford a talented copywriter, just be yourself and be brutally honest.

Talk about being broke. Don’t print a card at all, just buy a pack of playing cards and write your contact info on it. You can also recycle train or parking tickets. Giving away ATM slips or used sanitary products are not recommended.

If you like the idea of tickets and have the budget to get it printed, you can simply copy the design.

If you feel royal, try handing out cards that look like letters stamped with wax. It looks quite fancy.

While you’re at it, why don’t you introduce the whole company at once? Give your client a whole portfolio of cards.

This card reveals the cardholder’s face reproduced with an inkjet printer sporting a stunning 1 dpi resolution. Inventive, right?

A card says a lot about its owner. This clever folding matryoshka doll card suggests depth in your brand’s personality.

To cure these conditions, how about offering a pack of pills?

Going back to fun foldings, here is a card that can be turned into a sundial. It’s been created for an antique watch collector.

Another interesting folding will be liked by modelers. Fold a toy car and keep it on your desk.

This one is stripy.

A bit more creativity and a little less die-cut can also demonstrate well what your client does. In this case, the dentist removing cavities.

The message is very important if you’re going to bear the extra cost of laser cutting or die-cutting.

You can make the holes big enough so you can put your fingers through to complete the picture, like on this card for Yoga classes.

This card for a manicurist is a little oversized, but it may even prove to be useful.

The thing with die-cuts is they show on the other side of the card, which is usually an annoyance, but if you’re smart, you can make good use of it, like on this card made for a company Lion in Oil. This card reads both ways.

You really need some solid stock to make this card usable. There are more holes than paper on this one. The idea is great, though. It’s for an ornithologist (bird watcher), and the punch-out is in the shape of a binocular view.

You can use other, more expensive materials if the paper doesn’t hold well enough. This one, for example, is made up of thin wood boards.

And if the wood isn’t enough for even more detail, go for thin metal sheets.

If you’re still hungry after eating soup with that spoon, you can eat this beef jerky card. Perfect if you don’t want people calling you after that all-important meeting.

Nowadays, you can print any object with inkjet printers that shoot the ink drops through a distance of up to 10cm. Not just peanuts like on this example. You can even print the surface of the water in a glass, which is, of course, not very portable, but still, the possibilities are endless.

For dessert, you can meet the guy with the fortune cookie business card. Have a bunch of people with such a visiting card at your meeting, and you can save on all the snacks. Just serve them water to wash all the cards down.

Don’t let your dog stay hungry, either. The owner of this business card is a dog trainer, who printed his info on tasty dog treats. You might not love this card, but your furry friends definitely will.

So what else can we use as unusual business cards? Anything really. These are printed tennis balls.

Drumsticks that double up as pencils made for a drumming teacher.

Pieces of electrical cords for a person working for the Department of Energy. “Here is my business cord, sir! — No, there is nothing in my mouth.”

If teamwork is your selling point, use a set of cards for different team members that together make up one image.

Sometimes including a little game is what you need to make your card memorable.

A card that grows little plants when placed into the water made for a gardener.

Other times refined designs with art paper, embossing, UV varnish, or unusual typography are what’s required for a good effect.

This concept card includes a ring with a proximity sensor and allows the exchange of data when you shake hands with your new contact. This would give a whole new meaning to the handshake that now becomes obsolete among teens.

Look at this card that includes a magnetic strip. It simply plugs into a USB adapter, which in turn syncs the new data with your Address book. This is great for brands with techie audiences.

A cheaper solution is to include a mobile phone readable 2D barcode on your card that allows people to scan in your data quickly and precisely.

Finally, a reprogrammable, highly expensive card that is great if your target is old people with poor eyesight. It lets people read the data in huge letters upon pressing the four buttons.

A cheaper and more expensive solution for Broke Bike bicycle service from Rethink Canada. One is made of a flat tire patch. The other one is a tool that fits in your wallet and lets you adjust your bolts and spokes. It opens your beer too.

Another card from Rethink for a financial consultant. One side says sell, the other buy.

Business card for Norburn Model Aircraft Supply.

These business cards were created for a jazz vocalist from Valencia (Spain): Sandra Boïls.

Rather than a conventional business card to offer the makeup services to the customer, it was created a special stamp that simulates a lipstick mark. The stamp may be applied to any material, such as napkins, paper sheets, tissues, etc.

Sweet Thrills is a candy store. Kenneth Montague is a dentist. MacLaren Canada thought it would be awesome if they shared a business card.

Transforming the traditional Business Card in the funny and unusual object, a little box of transporting cargo air. Designed by Y&R Brazil.

Gitam BBDO created these cards that are literally and figuratively spicy.

Jung von Matt Germany created scary stationery for 13th street.

Musical comb business card from Italy.

This card from India for a 24h power solutions company glows in the dark.

These are the business cards of integrated marketing agency Base One.

Card for a builder with a simple but relevant idea.

Baltic Coaching Centre’s DIY business cards.

Jobless copywriter’s card.

Card stamped with lemon juice that needs to be grilled to be read.

A special card for a Karate Club in Indonesia.

The Barber shop’s card is a mini mirror.

Here’s a stationery package that was recently designed for a sandwich shop. The cards look as if they were sliced salami.

Card and holder for Mixtape Generation in the shape of the classic cassette tape.

Edible beef jerky cards for BC Adventure Survival Training. Yup, you read that right.

Extreme Group from Toronto designed this card for Agrie Paint Services. You have to tear it up to read it.

Oversized business cards were delivered to ad agencies and design companies to promote PacBlue Printing’s high-quality large format printing capabilities.

This card from Brazil can be folded to stand.

This card for a furniture shop can be folded to sit.

These business cards were typeset on cloth and tied in a knot. Clients would loosen the knot to reveal the name and information of the massage therapist. Designed by Leo Burnett Canada.

These cards are folded into ninja stars for a Lithuanian agency called Ninja BTL.

Loctite Super Attak super glue’s corporate cards come in pieces.

Ogilvy Dubai’s recession business cards.

Ecological business cards are rubber-stamped on scrap leftover paper.

Nice design and execution using UV lacquer for an interactive designer David Trujillo.

Brigada Creativa decided to play with their logo to create a nice and original card.

Die-cut card for photographer looks like a camera.

The card looks like a tomb or a ghost.

Laser-cut or laser engraved stainless steel card has three functional breakaway wrenches for Rob Wolkers product developer. Talk about being handy.

Finally, the creative folding for a New Zealand midwife’s nappy business card by designer Andrew Charles.

Conclusion

Business cards are not as outdated as some people make them out to be. When nearly everything and everyone has shifted to digital, it’s useful to exist in other channels as well. Forbes Agency Council Member Aidan Cole explained the value of cards, “A business card is a physical reminder of who you are. It can also spark a memory of the time and place you met, separating you from others.”

Try BrandCrowd’s business card maker to create a card with keeping. You’ll find a library full of design templates that are created for different niches.

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