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Business Card History
Everybody likes a bit of interesting history. Ever wondered how the business card came to prominence in today’s business society. Then read on.
It is thought that the modern business card evolved from the synthesis of two former applications of card giving activities:
1) 16th/17th Century Bearer Cards / Visiting Cards
The Bearer Card made its first appearance sometime in the late 16th century in France. Its main purpose was to provide a formal means of communicating obligation or intent. These early cards were often simple playing cards, upon which a gentleman would write his signature. They quickly gained favour and became an obligatory part of proper visiting etiquette.
Distributing one's card ("bilete") at introductions became a fashionable trend in 17th Century France. This was epitomised by Louis XIV, the King of France, who began accepting such cards from foreign visitors and dignitaries. Presenting one's "Visite Bilete" soon became a polite and respectful means of requesting an audience. The more elegant and eye-catching a card, the better it was received. This fashion soon evolved into formal French court etiquette. Thus the calling card became a part of society and a whole new industry was born.
2) 17th Century Trade Cards
At around the same time, the card moved from its social beginnings to a business purpose with the introduction of the trade card in London. It was a period where newspapers were an undeveloped resource, and the media that is the centre of today’s advertising did not exist.
These cards filled a vital role to customers, because at that time there was no formal street numbering system in use. The cards were used as maps, directing the public to a merchant's store as well as providing another advertising medium. In some practices, your card was a means to extend and accept credit from other merchants. As the practice became more and more common, merchants sought ways to make their cards stand out and produced more lavishly adorned cards.
In around 1830 lithography became the printing medium of choice and colours became more important. In the United States, the visiting card tradition caught on and became very popular. For a short period there was notmuch distinction between the business card and the visiting card. Gradually, the two types of cards began to separate. The rules of etiquette that came into being during this period began to make the idea of a card that stressed a business function unacceptable as a calling card. In fact, when a person left a business related card during a social visit to a home, it was seen as an attempt to collect a bill or debt.
As time has passed, it is the visiting card that has gradually vanished from the scene while the business card has gone on to become a business mainstay. With the introduction of new materials for the cards such as plastic and magnetic backed cards, and the wide spread use of colour business cards, the business card industry has moved into the modern era in an exciting way.
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