MOO

Happy Holidays from MOO!

Thu, 24 Dec 2009 11:49:05 GMT

Well, it's Christmas at last, and from the sound of you all on Twitter your cards are sent, and your presents wrapped. It's been great hearing all your cries of delight recently, as your poor postmen and women have struggled with packages through the snowy weather!

Hope those of you who have time off over the festive season get everything you wish for, and those who are working have more fun than you might be expecting. We've published the dates we're working over the holidays, so if you find yourself in the office, you might well have company here in the UK, or over with the MOO Crew in the US.

We've had a great few weeks spotting unique gifts and ideas created with MOO, here's a few of our favourites:

A tetrabox advent calendar, by Bcome

Also by Bcome, this lovely looking memory game, complete with a great pattern on the back:

This super-cute Mosaic Frame, created by thisiswoly. Filled with 20 Minicards, it features the beautiful baby Sarah.

These wonderful looking alphabet game cards, by taraghb, which look like they were as fun to make as they will be to use!

And last but not least, look at this! another entry into our MiniCard Gift Box competition! Created by emusing-emma, it's really bought an extra flutter of Christmas cheer into MOO Towers. We love his little sledge!

Fancy joining in the fun? Closing date for entries to our competition is midnight PST 28th December 2009. Why not grab some festive paper, and see what you can do! More competition details can be found right here.

And now all that remains for me to say is a Very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from everyone at MOO!

Holiday Shipping and Printing Dates

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 16:12:49 GMT

Well, the last order dates for the holidays have passed, and Santa's final sacks of festive MOOs are filling up fast. We're still taking new orders though, and we'll be shipping them out as fast as we can - so don't hesitate to order thank you cards for all your lovely pressies!

Just so you know, here's our warehouse and customer service closure dates over the holiday season.

Thursday 24th December

Friday 25th December

Monday 28th December

Tuesday 29th December

Wednesday 30th Decembe

Thursday 31st December

Friday 1st January

It's also important to note that our StickerBook turnaround in the UK is severely delayed over the holidays. Any orders placed after the 20th December will not be dispatched until the week of the 4th January.

That's all for now - Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from the MOO Warehouse Crew!

Please note: US office closed for Thanksgiving!

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 10:33:17 GMT

If you are planning to place an order on the US site this week, please be aware that our Rhode Island office is closed for Thanksgiving and Black Friday (26th November and 27th November).

You'll still be able to place orders online of course, but there will be a little delay in shipping. Our US CS team will also be taking a four day weekend, so if you contact customer service please be extra patient - we'll get back to you as soon as possible. (In fact, our UK CS reps will be helping out while the US takes a break.)

Orders placed on the UK site, for Europe and the rest of the world will be unaffected.

Mini boxes, maximum creativity

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:55:13 GMT

We're a little worried by our latest MiniCard box-decorating competition. It seems to've captured the attention of the MOO Crew just a bit too much. The UK team spent a happy lunch hour crafting their boxes - see Simon and China, below:

And not to be outdone, I arrived this morning to an entry from Dave, one of our US MOO Crew!

Don't worry, we might have a little prize for best box made by one of the MOO team, but the real prizes will still go to someone from our broader community.

It's great to see everyone taking a break from their computers for a while though, and giving their heads a chance to think in a different way. Perhaps we should start a MOO craft hour at lunchtimes (to go with the poker lessons held by the ever patient - but suspiciously good - Gordon)?

Our first entry from the community can also be seen over on Flickr. A rather elegant creation by Bcome, this MiniCard box is decorated with a traditionally styled Japanese knot.

Bcome is an architect and designer, describing herself as 'A German designer gone Japan':

It's a great first entry (we've already mentally deconstructed it - and are wondering if we could re-construct it ourselves) - and we're looking forward to seeing what else you come up with. So give yourself a break, grab yourself a spare five minutes, and think in a different way for a while.

How's your elf?

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 13:37:01 GMT

Well, the weather outside is frightful and the MOO warehouse staff are getting ready for the Holiday rush. Our trusty elves are enjoying their last silent night before a few weeks of rigorous stocking stuffing. Soon your MOO orders will be walking in the air and climbing down your chimney.

You'll need to make sure you get your orders placed before our cut off dates, as we would not want you to have a blue Christmas. We thought you may want to see some of our packers at work in the MOO grotto, so here are some festive snap shots from our Rhode Island office...

If you're worried about your cards getting stolen by frosty the snowman, then we are offering a London, UK collection special. If you want to collect your order, simply send us your order number via the contact form, quoting your order number and "COLLECTION" in the subject line. We'll then flag your order for collection and give you instructions on how/where to collect your order. This is for a limited time only (until the 16th December), so be sure to get your order in ASAP.

Illustration that packs a punch in the post

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:25:40 GMT

Freelance life can be tough. Long gaps between commissions. Accounts departments who just can't seem to find your invoice. Not to mention the ever-present need to get your work seen by the people who count.

Jonny Wan, a freelance illustrator from Sheffield, knows all about that. A graduate of the Manchester School of Art, he's constantly striving to ensure his unique illustrative style (think abstracted facial expressions, patterns, symmetry and hand-drawn lettering) snags the attention of creative directors everywhere – and he does so via Business Cards and Postcards from MOO.

MOO first caught his eye at his university degree show, where he noticed that all the students' cutest promo materials were produced by the same company – MOO! Then we tempted him with a free Business Card sample, giving him a chance to try our ordering software ("simple, logical and gives the user complete control") and evaluate our print quality and finishing ("very pleasing"). Duly hooked, Jonny ordered a set of Postcards and some Business Cards featuring a range of his work, and is preparing to send them off to art directors as we speak.

As an illustrator, working in a visual medium, presentation is very important to Jonny. "I like to make little promotional packs of my postcards and business cards", he says. "I send them out packaged in self-seal clear bags. It's good to put real thought into how the art director receives your promo materials – it's boring to just whack some cards in an envelope."

Like many creative types, Jonny's happiest when he's working, even between commissions. An example of this is his self-initiated "Can't Afford It" project. Whenever he wants an item of clothing he can't afford, he draws it instead! Eventually to be self-published as a book, working like this helps him improve his work rate, hone his Photoshop and Illustrator skills, and keep his unique style fresh and ever-evolving.

No matter how his style develops, MOO's short print runs means that his promotional materials are always in step with his latest work. "As an illustrator, your style is always changing and improving. The last thing you want is to end up with a thousand cards of the same design. You need to keep existing and future clients up to date with your freshest, latest work, because essentially they will hire you based on what they see on your promo material. It's no good for an art director to commission you only to find that your illustrative style has changed or moved on." He laughs. "After all, you wouldn't be happy buying a Jay-Z CD to find a Metallica disc inside, right?"

When designing his cards, Jonny also took advantage of a new feature that allows users to upload images for both the front and the back of the Business Cards. "Anything that gives you more options allows room for creative control – and it's that kind of flexibility that keeps me coming back to MOO. The ability to upload images for both sides of the Business Cards enables you to make the cards completely unique."

"A business card is usually the first point of contact between a new client and an illustrator, so it's important your card jumps out at people while being straight and upfront with your contact details. The fact that the cards can be individual rather than generic also gives a sense of professionalism – people can be impressed that you've put the effort into designing your own cards. A little effort can go a long way."

Jonny's constantly thinking of new ways to promote his work using MOO products. "I love the Stickers – I can see them being a very unique selling point. They're a little different and unexpected, which is beneficial in an industry where everyone strives to promote themselves in a unique way."

MiniCards appeal to him for the same reason. "MiniCards are great because they get straight to the point and don't take up a lot of space. Art directors get bombarded with samples every morning. They open their mail and have to make snap decisions about what to keep and what to chuck."

"They're more likely to pin a MiniCard onto their noticeboard than, say, a leaflet, because they know it won't take up a lot of space. And if your work's on their noticeboard, they're more likely to bear you in mind when it comes to commissioning. And that's what it's all about!"

Thanks for talking to us Jonny! We look forward to seeing more of your work soon.

Like Jonny's work? He's available for commissions so get in touch, and say hello from us too.

'My mini-mini portfolio'

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 10:53:04 GMT

After giving you the story behind Perch's MiniCards, we thought we should catch up with photographer, Simon Warren. Also featured on our MiniCards page, he's been taking advantage of the latest features and comparing them with the larger Business Cards he's been using (and loving) for a while. Here's what he had to say:

Simon Warren is one of the UK's top location photographers. He's been using MOO's Business Cards to showcase his outstanding graphic images: bold exteriors, sleek interiors, arresting construction shots and more.

Though happy with the size and scope of the Business Cards, he's recently been experimenting with MiniCards, with positive results.  

A hardcore Business Card fan, Simon was initially worried by the slimmed-down dimensions of the MiniCards (about half the size of a full-size business card.)

"At first, I was concerned that the cards would be simply too small to showcase my photos effectively", he explains. "But actually, this can work very well. The cards show snippets of images – almost abstract – giving a hint of information, but (quite literally) not the full picture."

Rather than being a hindrance, this fits well with other design aspects of his brand. "My website works in exactly the same way – visitors are shown an interesting or intriguing section of an image, which they click to see in full. It’s a simple but effective way to get people involved and interacting with my work."   

He also likes the impact the MiniCards can have when shown together. "Once you have a whole bunch of cards spread out on the table, the viewer is able to get a better impression of your work than a single image can provide, so that's how I like to show them. Then I let the viewer choose whichever one they want. The fact that they've been involved in the choice often helps them remember your work better than if you simply thrust a card into their hand.

"I often refer to my MOO Business Cards as my ‘mini-portfolio’. My MiniCards are now my mini-mini portfolio!" he laughs. "Sometimes when you're carrying a full set of business cards around in a holder, it can be a little clunky. At a very basic level, they're physically easier to carry around with you. As a photographer, you carry so much equipment with you - that's a big plus."  

Simon's also pleased with his MiniCard holder. "It swings open sideways and then you push the cards out with your thumb. It's unusual and I think people like that.

"At networking events so many people are handing out conventional business cards in conventional holders. Sometimes that's what you want, but other times it's good to stand out a little. MiniCards can help you do just that."

Thanks for chatting with us Simon!
Find out more about Simon's work, or check out his portfolio.

Beat the UK Postal Strikes

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 15:29:24 GMT

As you are probably aware, Royal Mail have scheduled further strikes this week. Please note this only affects "Standard" delivery to UK addresses, not Express.

Local delivery services and the sorting office at Royal Mail HQ will be closed this Thursday, Friday and Saturday. We want to make sure that your order doesn't get caught in the backlog and we have some alternatives for you to think about when placing your order.

Express

At checkout, you can choose our Express service. This is a guaranteed, signed for service, which is totally unaffected by the strikes. UK Express starts at £10 and is definitely value for money. You will be able to track the delivery online and the service is 1-3 days guaranteed (once shipped).

Collection

During the strike action, we are offering a special collection service. If you are based locally to our Clerkenwell warehouse in London, please send us your order number via the contact form, quoting COLLECTION in the subject line. We'll then flag your order for collection and give you instructions on how/where to collect your order. This is for a limited time only, so be sure to get your order in ASAP!

In the meantime, fingers crossed for a speedy resolution to these disputes.

The story behind the Perch MiniCards

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 07:05:10 GMT

As you know, we've updated the features on MiniCards. You can upload an image for the front and the back - and there are some other neat features too. On the MiniCards page, you'll find some images of real cards. Ones our customers have made - like these, from Perch:

We contacted Perch after seeing their cards at dConstruct, a conference in Brighton. We liked them so much, we wondered what they'd do with the new features we had planned for MiniCards. The cards above are the ones they made, and this is the story behind them.

Perch is a "really little" content management system. (Their words, not ours!) It's designed to be simple, straightforward, and easy to get running, so that even internet novices can edit content on a small website with no muss and no fuss. The really little CMS also has a really neat little price and, confesses Drew McLellan, Director and Senior Developer at edgeofmyseat, the company behind Perch, a slimmed-down marketing budget to match.

Despite this, Perch have been using their MiniCards to do mighty things. Things that might have carried a hefty price tag with another printer. Prior to launch, Perch produced a batch of MOO MiniCards with a special 20% discount code on the back – a time-tested, traditional way to promote a product, which gave people a reason to hold onto the card until the company went live.

After launch, they began to look at new ways to market themselves, by sponsoring conferences, and speaking about Perch at events. In order to test the effectiveness of such activities, they needed a way to track where their site visitors had heard about the product - and this is where the mighty MiniCard things started happening.

Rather than the general discount card they'd used previously, Perch ordered some new MiniCards, with unique discount codes on the front where the photo normally goes. They wrote some software to generate the codes, and output an XML file that they then "mail merged" into their images using the Data-Driven Graphics tool in Adobe Fireworks. This created 100 unique images for each batch of MiniCards, which they then uploaded as part of each order.

"The ability to have 100 unique cards in a run of 100 has been fantastic for us", says Drew. "Doing it any other way would have been a nightmare. Firstly it would have been difficult just to find someone able to do it, and you can bet it would have been expensive - probably too expensive to be worth doing! Now when someone uses a discount code, we can tell which event they picked up the card at by tracking the code back through our systems."

Perch also find MOO's short print runs to be very handy, because each batch they order is a small commitment both financially, and in terms of strategy. Fresh illustration work, a small tweak to the logo – all can be incorporated into the MiniCards next time a batch is produced. "The fact that we order 100 cards at a time means it's no hassle to make that sort of change", says Drew, "and it's great to order up some new cards knowing that the wastage from the old cards is really minimal. We've probably got about £5-worth of unused old design cards sitting around, which is nothing. If we were printing traditionally at volume then you're tied in and can't stay nimble."

"MOO's generally our first port of call when we need something printed", says Drew. "We've been really pleased with the quality and the ability to click a few things on a web page and have something physical that you've created turn up at your door is awesome."

Thanks to Drew for taking the time to talk to us - and thanks to Anne-Marie for writing this up. Find out more about Perch and what it can do for you, or make some MiniCards of your own.

MiniCards just got some HUGE updates! (Don’t worry, the cards are still Mini)

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 15:42:31 GMT

You've been asking for improvements on our first ever product and we’re excited to say they're finally here. MOO MiniCards now offer even more creative possibilities - and some of your most requested features.

There’s now the option to choose from a bigger range of fonts, colours and templates to personalise the ‘details side’ of your cards. We’ve also added the option to upload your own logo, or choose an icon from our brand new selection.

Want to upload an entire image for the details side of the card? No problem. Just like our larger Business Cards, you can now upload a full JPEG or PDF.

At the end of the process check your cards (text and images) on a brand new preview page – another chance to check your ~~spellink~~ spelling, and make sure you’re happy with your images.

And, last, but not least, all that goodness is packed into a very smart new MiniCard presentation case! Designed in-house by Paul, our product designer, it’s sturdy but recyclable card.

Enough already? Go take a look at the New and improved MiniCards for yourselves!

There's magic in sharing Mathematics

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 15:39:58 GMT

Some subjects lend themselves naturally to MiniCards and Business Cards – what could be more tempting than a picture of, say, a tin of sweeties, or a delicate filigree necklace? And other subjects are little more challenging. Like, for example, mathematics. How do you promote yourself when you're a Cambridge-educated maths genius with a clutch of degrees and a bundle of prizes to your name? How to stop people going "Ew, maths – boring!" and trying to run away when you start talking about what you do?

Matthew Handy knows how. He's a private maths teacher, providing tuition to individuals and small groups to help them pass their Maths and Further Maths A-levels. He helps with undergraduate courses with mathematical content, and advises pupils on UCAS, including Oxbridge. He also designs some rather nifty business cards – take a look at these Bauhaus-inspired beauties...

His cards feature mathematical theorems and diagrams in classic red, black and white colours, turning what might have been a potentially dry and challenging business card into a beautiful visual object that can also, of course, double up as a study aid. We got in touch with Matthew to tell him how much we liked his cards, and to find out how a maths guru like him developed such a knack for canny self-marketing.

We love the design of your cards – very creative and graphic. How have the cards been received? Do they seem to stick in people's minds?

The first print run (of 200) ran out within a week! Students love them because they cover the topics that they have the most difficulty remembering. Although mathematics is about understanding, it is much easier if you've learnt the building blocks. For younger students it's the times tables. At A-level, it's the material that I've put on my cards. I got so frustrated at writing out those formulas over and over again and this seemed the perfect way of promoting my services and demonstrating how useful they could be.

If you don't mind us saying, graphic design and self-marketing is not normally a skill you associate with maths tutors, yet you seem to have quite a flair for it. How do you come up with your marketing concepts?

I've always been fascinated by page design. As a young kid I used to collect headed notepaper. I would write to big companies, just so they'd write back and I could add to my collection. I first discovered the Apple Mac at university - it blew me away - and since then I've worked on a number of design projects: from books and newspapers, to corporate image work for schools, a restaurant and a record company.

You founded Ivory Tower magazine at Cambridge, and launched MXpress, a newspaper for young people, after you graduated. Is the creative and practical side of magazine publishing something that appeals to you?

I love the whole process of producing something printed. Watching the first copies of MXpress coming off the presses was incredible: this huge room-sized machine, manned by half a dozen people, churning out tens of thousands of copies of something I'd created. It was like watching the birth of my first child. I love print.

Speaking of print - paper finish: Green or Classic for your Business Cards?

I've so far always opted for the Classic. It's beautiful. That's part of the pleasure I get from print: the physical feel of the material. I really should try the Green, though.

Did you find MOO's creation and ordering process easy to use?

I'm a control freak, so I love the process. I can change things as often as I want without annoying anyone!

Any plans to use MOO cards in other ways in the future? For example, have you thought of doing a set of 50 and giving / selling them as a complete set of study tips?

That's certainly on the cards (excuse the pun!). I've also thought about using the MiniCards as key-ring crib sheets.

Are MOO's short print runs useful to you?

I'm a huge fan of MOO. Everything is so stylish, and it's all done with a real sense of fun. The small print runs allow experimentation and flexibility, which is terrific for a small business like mine.

Thanks to Matthew Handy for chatting with us - for more information about his tuition or to book yourself a lesson, visit his site.

And for those who are confused by the 's' on the end of the word 'math' - that's just the way we say it in the UK ;-)

UK Postal strike update

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 10:57:52 GMT

As some of you may already know, there has been extensive industrial action by Royal Mail workers in the UK over the past few weeks.

This is only affecting our UK based customers, not everyone purchasing from the UK store.

Customers have been experiencing small delays and we encourage anyone based in the UK to allow a little extra time for delivery.

If you want to avoid the strikes altogether, please use our Express service, which is fully trackable and usually delivered the day after the items are dispatched.

Intermittent local and regional strikes by both collection and sorting services, plus your personal mailmen, are ongoing and at this point no resolution has been reached. At a recent Royal Mail member's meeting 76% of postal workers voted for a national strike, which at this point has not been finalized or scheduled. We will be doing our best to keep UK customers in the loop.

For daily updates on the UK Royal Mail strikes, and how they might be affecting you, keep an eye on the Royal Mail site.

Making the most of your illustrations - an interview

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 16:16:39 GMT

What do you get if you cross MiniCards with magnets? Moognets! We’re seeing more and more moognets out there, and one of our favourite moognet-makers is illustrator Luisa Vidal, aka Etsy seller Fashion Fuchsia.

Luisa sells her moognets as beautifully packaged themed sets. Bright yellow suns shine next to redheads in sunglasses. Blue boys and purple girls reach for each other’s hands from their respective MiniCards. Or the customer can go random and choose their own – fancy clashing a pink alien robot with a cat-boy in a brown dog costume?

As well as magnets, Luisa makes MiniCard bookmarks and uses Postcards to showcase her illustrations. We caught up with her to talk illustration, Etsy, moognets and more.

Hi Luisa! We love your work. Where do you get your inspiration?

I’ve always loved drawing – one of my earliest memories is of my Dad teaching me how to draw a cup of tea! And the inspiration for my subject matter comes from my two main hobbies: cinema and fashion. I love film: animation, sci-fi, fantasy, action – everything! I enjoy creating characters that are the protagonists of my own little movie-stories in my head. I like to imagine what life would be like for them: what they’d wear and who they’d be friends with. Then I put that into my drawings.

Do you produce your work by hand, on computer, or a combination of both?

It’s a combination. I draw my ideas on paper and then use the computer to finish or colour it. The initial freehand drawing on paper is very important to me – I appreciate it a lot in my creative process.

How long have you been selling on Etsy? Is it a good place for an illustrator to promote herself?

I’ve been selling on Etsy since March 2009. It’s easy to use and you can communicate with many people around the world. There’s a good community of illustrators on there. Managing an Etsy store does require time and patience, but it’s a lot of fun.

What made you decide to use MOO in your work?

I decided to create my own products because I often go to stores and can’t find what I’m after – little gifts with a special touch. I’ve always enjoyed using magnets to stick photographs, drawings, and notes to the fridge or filing cabinet or whatever. It’s such a sweet, personal thing to do. And I was looking at my MiniCards and realised that their measurements and finish make them perfect for making magnets from. I thought they’d make my designs look fun and colourful in people’s bedrooms, offices or kitchens.

How about the bookmarks?

Yes, I also make bookmarks with MiniCards. I like to think of my designs accompanying people as they go about their day-to-day lives. Reading a book is like starting a long journey with someone – the book becomes an inseparable companion. By day, by night, on the bus, the book’s there. I thought it would be fantastic for someone to have one of my bookmarks on the journey with them.

Is paper quality and print finish important to you?

Oh yes…. I admit I’m a bit of a perfectionist! I love good, thick paper and the finish on MOO products. I make all my things with great care, and I like to collaborate with people who take a similar pride in the things they produce. I’ve found a great place to print my designs in MOO.

Thanks for the interview Luisa!
Find out more about Luisa at www.fashionfucsia.blogspot.com or check out her work in her Etsy store

Starting a conversation, with Ruder Finn

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 16:13:43 GMT

Business Cards can be a great way to show off your company’s products. But what if the product you’re selling is a little more… esoteric than that? What if you’re selling knowledge, expertise, experience? What if you’re selling a bit of shazam and a lot of pizzazz?

Well, you could go generic – stock photos of grey-suited businessmen striding purposefully towards a breakfast meeting, maybe, or an abstract blue shape with your company name in the bottom right corner. Or, you could get interesting. You could get creative. Like PR company Ruder Finn.

The pictures on the back of the Corporate and Technology team’s business cards are random in a good way. If a member of the Corp / Tech team gives you a business card then you might end up with a picture of a ginger orang-utan, or a Thai fertility shrine, or a cute kid in a 70s jumper, or a kitten. Forget bland stock images – these are business cards with a twist.

“Why didn’t we use generic, corporate images on our business cards?” laughs Becky MacMichael, head of the Corp / Tech team. “We’re not a generic, corporate bunch! Clients buy our experience, our energy, and our personalities, so we thought, why not extend this across our business cards too?”

“When the time came to renew our cards, we knew we wanted MOO cards but decided rather than have a standard picture on the back, we’d come up with a set of categories that gave us free rein as to the images we used.”

Those categories were a favourite place, a pet, a childhood photo, and a funny image, and results include a picture of a mini Stonehenge on a beach, the aforementioned fertility shrine (full of phalluses), and a Test match cricket ticket.

“When it comes to spare time”, Becky says, “Ged loves all things Asian and design-related, Paul is mad about cricket and Mat manages a band. Despite being very different, we have a really strong united team. We wanted the cards to reflect this.”

As well as the ability to create unusual Business Cards, Ruder Finn appreciate the short runs, paper quality and print finish MOO offer.

“We usually go for the ‘green’ cards. They’re less glossy than the others, but it’s good to have the option to be eco-friendly. And MOO’s short runs are really handy if we want some cards designed for a specific event or a particular project.”

At the moment it’s only Ruder Finn’s Corporate and Technology team who are using this style of card, but they’ve been such a hit with colleagues and clients that there are now plans to introduce the cards to other teams within the company. After all, the aim of good PR is to get people talking about a product, so why not start people talking the second you hand over your business card?

“Do our clients like the cards? Definitely!”, says Becky. “At meetings I tend to pull out whichever ones I remembered to stuff in my wallet that morning, and let the client choose which card to take. They’re a good talking point – the client usually asks why the cards are all different, or what the image represents. And they’re a great ice-breaker at networking events. Especially the fertility shrine!”

Read more about the stories behind Ruder Finn’s MOO cards on their blog.

charity: water Greeting Cards - a $22 per pack donation

Thu, 03 Sep 2009 14:49:28 GMT

As you know, September is our birthday month, and we're celebrating with a month of different discounts. There are different discounts featured on different days - and not always on MOO products. Today (Thursday Sept 3rd), for example, we're sharing an exclusive 10% discount with our friends at Firebox. Tomorrow, well, that's a secret, but it's a MOO discount!

Which is all very nice (we hope). But when we heard about charity: water we thought it was such a good cause, we'd go an extra mile to help out.

charity: water is dedicated to bringing clean, safe drinking water to developing countries. In their own words:

"One billion people on the planet don't have access to clean drinking water. That's one in six of us. charity: water is a non-profit organization bringing clean and safe drinking water to people in developing nations. 100% of public donations directly fund water projects."

This month, they're asking people with birthdays in September to give up their birthday gifts and instead, ask that the cost of the gifts is donated to charity: water. It's our birthday month - and we're not asking you for gifts, just asking that you buy yourself one.

This pack of Greeting Cards features beautiful shots of charity: water projects. Inspiring photos, wonderfully photographed.
For every pack sold, we will donate $22 (approximately £14/€15) to charity: water

Use them as birthday cards, thank you notes, to catch up with old friends or to decorate your room. Use them to help spread the word. (Or stock up early on your Christmas Cards). Whatever you use them for, you'll've helped bring clean, safe water to someone in need.

You're more of a Postcard person? That's fine - we'll be donating $11 (approximately £7 /€8) for every pack of charity: water Postcards too. What are you waiting for?

Question one in our cryptic birthday quiz...

Tue, 01 Sep 2009 14:06:55 GMT

...is online! We're keeping them all on the other blog for now, so
head over there and get your thinking caps on!

We've very excited about this - there'll be three questions every working day, and three prizes too. Also check out the homepage for news of our latest discounts!

A date for your diary

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 11:26:55 GMT

We're almost three! Three is a very exciting number, much better than two. It's a magic number, a lucky number and just about the right number of biscuits to go with a good cup of tea.

Much has happened in the last three years - we've added new products, moved offices, got new members of the team and seen our creative customers make everything from jewellery to marketing materials with the things they've printed.

But enough about the past for now, lets talk about the future!

We're having a party and we'd love you to come.

If you're based in London, please keep Tuesday September 22 free. There'll be cake, DJ's, free drinks and food (while stocks last), and the usual MOO fun and freebies, and it's all happening at The Queen of Hoxton from 7pm. All we ask is that you bring a business card (or MiniCard!) with you to hand over at the door. Entry will be on a first come/first served basis, so do make sure you come early.

For those unable to hot-foot it across the globe to join us - worry not. We're planning a month of fun and games (and discounts) online. Corvus, who wrote the fantastic clues for the Egg Hunt last year is hard at work planning something extra special (no egg puns this time please), and we think you're going to love it.

MOOvie Mania Competition Winners!

Mon, 24 Aug 2009 12:26:14 GMT

Thanks again to everyone who took part in our MOOvie Competition! We had a lot of fun watching your films - and it sounds like you had a lot of fun making them. From camera operators, to directors, to the movie stars themselves, the standard was high - and the judging was tricky.

Thanks then also goes to our esteemed, independent judging panel;
Heather Champ, www.Flickr.com
Joel Veitch, www.Rathergood.com
Jim Goertz, www.iStockphoto.com
Christian Robinson, www.firebox.co.uk
James Phillips, Corel

Now, without further ado, the winners!

Category, Storytime:

1st Prize: MOOvie Mania: Mooseum Mayhem, by The McIntyres
A wonderful stop-frame animation, with dramatic music to match the very dramatic story-line! This video took us back to our childhoods, reminding us of lazy summer afternoons, playing in the sunshine.

2nd Prize: MOOcards NY underground, by Mo Riza
A great little film, shot on the New York city subway. MiniCards were taken back to visit the origin of the photographs printed upon them.

3rd Prize : Life as a graphic Designer, by Marina
With two fine actors in starring roles, this film rang true with many. (Meanwhile, the non-designers coo-ed over the stars themselves!)

Category, Tutorial:

1st: PW98: Decorating a Netbook, by John Arnold
An absorbing tutorial, easy to watch, and resulting in a rather spectacular creation! We'd like to try this ourselves, but think we might cheat by numbering our stickers first...

2nd: One Million MOO's, by Geoff
A fantastic parody of our own MiniCard holder ad, this made everyone in MOO Towers laugh. (We too tried to come up with a catchy equivalent to 'Hold, Slide, Push' - but never quite got there).

3rd: Making a Mosaic Frame, Andy Piper
Andy kicked this competition off with his MiniCard Frame tutorial. Simple and effective, we loved the pacing, and the fact it's subtitled, for those sneaking a look in the office.

And now, the prizes!

The grand prize winners have been awarded a prize pack worth over £700 or approximately $1200:

• 1 Flip Mino HD (donated by Firebox)
• 1 Corel Video Studio X2 Ultimate (donated by Corel)
• £450 (GBP - or the equivalent in $USD i.e. $700)
• MOO Prize pack: 200 Business Cards, 1 Business Card Holder in leather, 1 pack of MiniCards, 1 Cobu MiniCard holder, 1 pack of 20 Postcards, ($157.95)
•1 Flickr Pro

2nd prize winners will be receiving:
• 1 Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo X2 Ultimate (donated by Corel)
• 200 Business Cards
• 1 Flickr Pro

3rd prize winners will be receiving:
• 200 Business Cards
• 1 Flickr Pro
• 50 iStockphoto Credits

If you've been inspired to make your own video since the close of the competition, do let us know, we love featuring your work when we can.

A quick roundup of nifty marketing ideas

Tue, 18 Aug 2009 15:09:44 GMT

If there's one thing we like at MOO it's good ideas. And it's been a little while since our last post sharing ideas from our creative community - so we thought now would be a good time for a catchup. So, sit back and take in some of the cool ideas we've spotted recently.

Peta Love is an author, and founder of Biliopet, an indie publisher of gift books for pets. Her most recent tome, Beef Casserole for the Dog's Soul is 'a treasury of stories that your dog will love'.

Sadly, as most of you know, it's the owners - not the dogs - with all the money, so Peta has created these fantastic MiniCard tags as a promotional tool to catch the owner's eye.

Using the simple Text-o-matic tool for the front of the cards, each card has an area to fill in with doggy details on the back, and a little ring to attach the card to a dog's collar. Just like Jack Hooker's Business Cards, Peta rounded the MiniCard corners with a corner cutter.

We love the idea of creating multiple cards for people to personalise - it's a great value-for-money marketing tool, as you can get so many cards from one pack. We mentioned these last Christmas, but the idea still makes us smile:

These are personalised playdate cards, created by photographer Robyn Pollman. Originally designed as a Christmas gift, they work as both a client 'thank you' and a referral card. (And if you're looking for more inspiration for referral cards, we covered some cool ideas here.)

Readers of the MOOsletter might've spotted these super-cute magnets already. (If you'd like to sign up to the our MOO newsletter, there's a sign up box on the homepage!). Made with magnetic tape and MiniCards these feature fashion fucsia's own illustrations, and are for sale on Etsy:

What better way to promote your artwork and get your work into potential clients hands, than creating beautiful (saleable!) products?

These stylish MOO Postcards are also for sale on Etsy, created by artist and designer, Dee Adams.

And this display was created to accompany an exhibition of work by Natasha Newton. Also a MOO Designer, Natasha tells us not only did her exhibition go well, but her postcards 'sold like hotcakes!'.

Are your MOO Cards more than just Business Cards? Let us know what you're up to - we love to hear about innovative uses of our products, and featuring the brains behind them.

What did I hear about a secret weekend sale at MOO?

Sat, 08 Aug 2009 12:24:56 GMT

Yes, you are right. We're having a sale on all our products this weekend. It's a bit of a secret sale as you only see the savings when you hit the discount section of the shopping cart basket. Don't worry the sale is happening on both our US and UK site and across all products. No exceptions. That means anything you put in to the cart will be discounted by 20% when you hit our checkout page. Be sure to look for the discount amount in step 4. It'll be there.

Just in case you don't have a calculator to figure out what 20% means in advance, here's the savings:

MiniCards are regularly $19.99 and this weekend you will pay only $15.99. Or if you're buying in GBP that's originally £11.99 down to £9.59.

Business Cards are regularly $21.99 are this weekend they're only $17.59 Or if you're paying in GBP that's originally £12.99 down to £10.39

As always, good things must come to an end. The MOO Secret Summer Sale expires at midnight on Sunday August 9th (PST). So, if you hurry you can head out in to this glorious summer sun (it's sunny here in London) with your camera, take some classic summer shots, then make them in to MOO postcards and send to your Mum. That's my plan. The summer sun is calling me. Have a lovely weekend!

PS Remember, the sale's a secret.

The MOOvie competition comes to a close

Mon, 03 Aug 2009 13:42:06 GMT

So, our MOOvie competition has come to a close and the judging begins! We've had some great entries, from stop-frame to live action, informative to fun. Many thanks to everyone who entered - either by making a MOOvie, or starring in one!

These are the entries we've received:

Andy Piper kicked things off with his Making a Mosaic Frame tutorial. (For those who don't know, we're making some exciting changes to the frame, which should be in final production in a few months time!) Andy then went on to produce two more MOOvies, MiniCards in Stop Motion and a super speedy look at Ordering MOO Cards in Three Minutes!

Marina created a film about, Life as a Graphic Designer, with help from friends large and small. This resonated well with our own graphics team - although of course, we've never experienced those frustrations here ;o)

Shahab Zargari hunted high and low for a MOO Sticker with a little help from her high pitched (cute!) friend, Mahtab Zargari, while James Alliban wowed everyone with this Augmented Reality Business Card.

John Arnold impressed us all with his neat idea for Decorating a netbook with your own photograph using MOO stickers - we've rarely come across a more patient man!

The three , different songs by Mark Bethune took us a little by surprise, but we danced our way back down to earth with Vincent Lee's catchy little video,MOOving Around The World.

Mo Riza entered twice, once with this great MOO Cards in NYC underground clip, taking photographic MiniCards back to their original location, and once with a very relaxing MiniCards on the beach video.

Nine year old Anna Dale made this wonderful Moo Shoo stop frame animation featuring some rather cute typography, while The McIntyre's also went for stop frame animation of epic proportions! (We loved the music on this one too).

Alchemation Studios produced the only computer animated entry, while Marty Dunlop managed to convince his very understanding friends to star in his film First Impressions.

Last but not least, Geoff made us all smile with his film One Million Moo's, based around the many uses for a MiniCard holder! (We loved the icecream substitution for the wine in MOO's own MiniCard holder video!)

All together, much fun has been had by all - now we just need to find a winner. It's over to our judges for now, but stay tuned, and we'll let you know asap.

Thanks again to all who entered - we hope you had a s much fun making, as we've had watching.

Top Tips: creating referral cards for loyal customers

Tue, 28 Jul 2009 09:30:52 GMT

As any freelancer or small business person knows, the best kind of advertising is often word of mouth. There's nothing better than a satisfied client - excited about the completion of a job well done - sharing your contact details with a friend or colleague.

We've all done it - asked friends on and off line; 'Does anyone know any good photographers?' or 'Can anyone recommend a web designer? I need new website and not sure who I can trust'.

As a business person, a personal endorsement means you can hit the ground running. There's no need to do the hard sell (which is never much fun for either party) - you can talk through your best projects or portfolio, knowing the groundwork has already been laid.

But just because personal recommendations take place between people you've never met, doesn't mean there's nothing you can do to help the conversation along. In this current climate there's no point leaving things to chance, especially when it's so easy to get the conversation started.

These cute little packages were made by Cardiff based photographer Sarah Thomas. By dividing a pack of MiniCards into groups of ten, she was able to create ten unique 'recommend a friend' sets with photographs personal to each client. Adding simple, but (cost) effective packaging creates something really special - and worth talking about. It would be a hard heart that receives these cards and doesn't rush to share them with friends.

Sarah used a template for her cards, originally designed by children's photographer, Dawn M. Available for free, the template works with Photoshop, and can be downloaded here. There are several different variations, and it can easily be customised with your own colours and text.

In a very different style,Rayna, an Oregon based photographer, created these smart referral cards. Taking full advantage of the variable Postcard options, she created two cards per client, with a traditional postcard layout on the reverse. Recipients can post these to friends, and each card entitles the bearer to a free print, following a session with Sapphire Rain Photography. Super-smart, again you know these will be talked about and shared among friends.

On a completely different tack, we love the idea of this, from Brighton based web & social media agency, Nixon McInnes. At the end of each project, they send each client a pack of MiniCards featuring images of their newly launched site. On the reverse are the site's details, so they have not only a little gift, but an instant way to promote their new venture. Again, another way to get clients talking - and what better way to promote yourselves, create good feeling AND promote your work at the same time.

And what about you? Are you using referral cards? We'd love to see them and hear your stories.

MOO gets agile...

Tue, 21 Jul 2009 16:42:03 GMT

Well, I suppose it makes us more agile - in that we move from our desks to the meeting rooms more often...

The dev team here at MOO started using the Agile Scrum methodology for managing our software development projects at the beginning of the year, and it's been a very enjoyable experience so far. Imagine my glee when I found out we weren't the only ones making Planning Poker cards from MOO Business Cards :-) And they're not the only ones either, our friends at Made By Many said of their cards:

"We used MOO to make up printed agile estimation cards because we were fed up with scraps of badly-drawn paper. Each estimator has their own individual colour, and selects a card with his/her personal estimate. It makes the process feel much more professional! "

Planning Poker is a different way of estimating projects. In my previous lives, I've used hours, days, weeks, sometimes months, and the ever popular "pull a figure out of the air and double/triple/quadruple it, depending on how hard you think your project manager's going to work you" approach. Scrum uses a funny unit called a 'story point', where a story is a piece of work and the number of points the story is worth is how much effort the piece of work will take the team to produce.

It's called planning *poker* because after talking about what's involved in the tasks, each of us gets a set of numbered cards, decides secretly how many points we think the task is worth, and puts a card down, face down. The ideal aim of the game is for all of us to know each other and our codebase so well that we all agree first time around when we turn over the cards. Since ideals are very hard to achieve, we more likely end up arguing the case to the rest of the team.. Shouting can sometimes be heard. Biscuits are eaten in anger and frustration, and sometimes, happily :-)

We caught the design team on a good day and plied them with biscuits too, and they made us these. Not just in pink either...

So if you've had similar fun with your planning poker cards, send them over to the Flickr pool or let us know, I'd love to see them!

Colalife: MOO friends in high places

Fri, 17 Jul 2009 10:21:27 GMT

If you happen to be in London this afternoon (Friday!), why not join some of the MOO crew down at Trafalgar Square? Not only will it be an opportunity to hang out with Nelson on his column, cool down with the pigeons in the fountain and perhaps have a wander around the National Gallery - but you'll also be able to cheer on MOO customer and friend Simon Berry, of ingenious charity Colalife. For one hour he'll have pride of place on the famously unadorned 4th plinth - as part of Anthony Gormley's latest project, 'One and Other'.

Colalife is a campaign to encourage Coca-Cola to share it's distribution network in developing countries. With the purpose of getting much needed medicines and other 'social products' such as condoms, rehydration salts and vitamin A tablets to the people that really need them.

A recent post on the Colalife blog sums it up nicely:
"You can buy a Coca-Cola virtually anywhere in developing countries and yet 1 in 5 children die before the age of 5 from largely preventable causes like dehydration from diarrhoea."

Determined to do something about this, Simon has invented the 'aidpod'. A simple yet innovative, wedge-shaped pod that fits in the unused space between the necks of the bottles in a Coca-Cola crate. The aidpod will be filled with whatever is urgently required locally. Since he first came up with the idea nearly 20 years ago, it's only recently that the campaign has taken off in a big way - largely due to the internet.

After blogging about it back in May 2008, a huge community has developed around the idea. Simon's Facebook group and appearances on Radio 4’s iPM programme have created real interest. Bob Geldof has wished them good luck and on Tuesday this week Sarah Brown (wife of the Prime Minister, for anyone who knows another Sarah Brown!) tweeted about them.

All of this has resulted in the opening of the first discussions with Coca-Cola - which is fantastic news!

But let's get back to this Friday. If you're thinking, 'this is a bit strange, what's a charity doing standing about in Trafalgar Square where a statue should be?' Well, allow me to elaborate...

The 4th plinth, empty since 1841, is now used as a stage for contemporary artworks, commissioned especially from leading artists. You'll probably remember one fo the first commissions - Marc Quinn's sculpture, Alison Lapper Pregnant, (shown below, in a shot by Loz Flowers) which was on the plinth from 2005-2007.

Alison, an artist herself, was born with no arms and legs. She was also 7 months pregnant at the time she sat for the sculpture. Quinn wanted to make a sculpture of someone born with no limbs, to see if it’s beauty would receive the same unconditional acceptance as that of ancient sculptures where the limbs had fallen off through the wear and tear of time. The sculpture was globally recognized and also drew great attention to the plinth itself.

Currently on show is project 'One and Other' by British sculptor Anthony Gormley. For 100 days, a different person, 24 hours a day, will be given free reign to entertain, inform or just sit and contemplate their navel in front of the people of London. (We feel sorry for the girl who happened to be up there during the almighty storm last week, and we're crossing our fingers for dry weather this afternoon...) Gormley's aim is to elevate every day life to a position normally occupied by monumental art.

One UK exhibitionist and general good egg, Russell Tanner happened to be picked at random from the thousands of applicants. Continuing the theme of collaboration and the internet providing, it was via Twitter that Simon and Russell made contact. Simon had for a long time, been eager to get a giant aidpod onto the 4th plinth and Russell was in possession of an hour on the plinth with no firm ideas on how to use it. The rest as they say, is Twitter history!

So, how did we find out about all of this? Well, Simon uses MOO Business Cards as promotional material to spread the word about Colalife. You can read his blog post about them here.

The story behind the pictures on the cards is another example of the collaborative nature of Colalife. While Simon was running the Facebook group, someone else (Kate Andrews) set up a ColaLife Flickr Group. The photos on the cards come from various people but the large majority come from Tielman Nieuwoudta, a logistics consultant in Vietnam. He and Simon have never met, but have since become friends via conversations on Skype. His partner, a public health expert, has also assisted with the ColaLife Business Plan.

Simon, his friends and collaborators, will be handing out their Colalife Business Cards and answering questions, at Trafalgar Square, this Friday 3-4pm. So if you're free, please do come along and show your support. (Be there or be uncharitably square :)

Lights, webcams, action!

Mon, 13 Jul 2009 13:36:54 GMT

For anyone wanting to enter our MOOvie competition and bag themselves a bunch of prizes (including a nice Flip Mino HD, from Firebox), now's the time to get out of that director's chair and start shouting 'ACTION!'

The competition is running until the end of the month (July 31) and we've already had some great entries. We know there are lots of you out there who've made MOO MOOvies before - feel free to enter them - old or new, we'd love to see what you've been making.

The rules are pretty easy to follow - make a little video that features MOO. There's just two categories:

Story Time:
Any MOOvie that amuses, entertains, delights or even scares. The only rule is that there must be one reference to MOO (e.g. an exchange of a card, a sticker on a laptop, a starring role, anything as long as MOO has at least a cameo)

Helping Others: Tutorials & How Tos.
These MOOvies should help others to use MOO.COM or make something with our products. It could even explain how to create something with our api.

These are a couple of MOOvies we've spotted recently:

This augmented reality card, by James Alliban blew our minds a bit:

And we couldn't quite work out if this epic tune (one of three!) from mbethune made us want to run and hide, or burst into tears...

Luckily the cheery music in this little MOOvie by Vincent Lee cheered us up, with a trip round the world in MiniCard size photos!

So c'mon - time is running out - what are *you* going to make?