Too Too Much

     We often design oversized postcards for clients. They stand out; they provide enough real estate for branding, copy and offers. Bigger can be better, but this oversized (8.5 x 11") postcard showed up today, and it is just too much!

     Help! Where do you look first? On the so-called "art side" of this postcard, we have an image and a headline and a subhead and some copy and a subhead and a bulleted list and a subhead and some copy and a screen grab and a URL. Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!
     The image of the mother and baby is compelling. But, the recipient doesn't get a moment to look at it with all the other material crying for attention.
     The back or address side of the postcard is also overcrowded:

     The coupons are a good idea, but they would be more convenient (easier to tear off) if they ran along the bottom or a side edge. The bulleted copy is the same as the bulleted copy on the front of the card.
     Clearly, the creative team, the client or both come from the school of "We're paying for the paper anyway, why waste it on white space?" Here's a few reasons: it's easier on the eye, it makes your content stand out; it helps ensure the space that isn't white gets read.
     The b's at B Direct give this big fat card a bit fat thumbs-down. Sorry. There's just too much there there.