I knew a chap that had a similar hardware business card (I don't remember exactly what it did, but it wasn't as cool as this one).
I remember that his card was pretty scuffed up, and he insisted I give it back, after he handed it to me. Bit weird.
I’d probably even keep it in my desk to play with. After a few weeks I’d accidentally have this guy’s email/linkedin memorized for eternity
I remember a story linked from here, recently, where a designer submitted a CV that was a custom-made widget of some kind.
He got the job.
Another trick was adding a "Valid until <YEAR> in the cover". It seems counterintuitive that a CV expires, but it made a few companies approach me for an updated CV.
What an absolute baller this guy is.
And you know what? About 8 months later my windshield got sprayed by gravel. That guy got the business (he’s a friend of a friend after all, and I had his number in my wallet).
I’d say the issue isn’t that cards are outdated. It’s that people aren’t using them correctly.
If I consider changing jobs, or if I need those very particular services he's getting a call :-).
But, I don’t think he’d be handing out $20 BOM cards that freely. I was more validating that there is still probably a market of people where $20 cards might make sense. As in the example I posed, a business card isn’t providing any additional information. By the time I meet these people in my office, we’ve already exchanged emails and had some conversations on the phone and are acquainted. That’s what led to the in-person meeting. I know their names and have them in my contacts.
But, just as it felt like a social faux pas to receive a business card at a housewarming party, I think it also feels like a faux pas to meet someone in a business environment (where you are the selling party) and not give out a card during the initial first handshake interaction. This is a pretty low volume and high value moment for that person so a $20 card is no big deal and could easily make sense.
They are fairly fancy moo.com cards, with my name, email, and cellphone. Nothing else.
On the back, is a fancy “dragon head” logo (the one you see, if you look at most of my social media accounts). It’s actually my old artist signature. It’s over a burnt umber gradient.
People like them, and use them.
These are generally done as portfolio projects. It’s driving a lot of traffic to the website.
Producing a small number to hand out to potential freelance clients or job prospects is also common.
https://github.com/Nicholas-L-Johnson/flip-card/blob/main/me...
Now whether you get it populated or not..
https://github.com/Nicholas-L-Johnson/flip-card/blob/main/ki...
That is based on the price for low quantity (1-500 pieces) though; if you were to build more than one board you would buy more LEDs, pushing the per-LED price (way) down. You can get 4,000 LEDs for $30.'
Edit: here is the LED in question, from the BOM [1].
Are there services that you can send the BOM and board files too, and not only do you get the PC board back, but it's populated? Will they do that for a onesy-twosy thing like this?
Then all you have to do is supply the battery and download the firmware (however that is done).
There's definitely an entire business available for expensive trade show merchandise, including electronic business cards. People routinely give away shirts and other merchandise that cost far more than $10..
snicker