Here at Brio we absolutely love Christmas!! We’re still big kids at heart and every year it wouldn’t be Christmas without the annual Brio Christmas Card. We didn’t realise when we created the first card at the end of 2014 what a tradition it would become and now every year we challenge ourselves to design and create a better card than the year previous. Here’s a look back at our first 5 Christmas cards.
2014
Our first ever card, we have to say, was quite basic! We actually designed the whole thing in an hour because it was kind of an afterthought and we needed a card to give to clients that had already given us a card. But nevertheless, this very card kick started the annual tradition and from here on out the cards start to become more complex with different print finishes and card stocks.
Card Specification
- ProDesign Laser 200gsm Card
- Digital print
- 20 cards produced
2015
Our second Christmas card was the first to feature our business mascot ‘Brio Bot’. We actually produced 2 versions of this card, one where Brio Bot appeared as a nutcracker and the other where he was Santa. Similar to the year previous, the card was printed in house.
Card Specification
- ProDesign Laser 200gsm Card
- Digital Print
- 60 cards produced
2016
This year we tried something different. We wanted to experiment with new print finishes and to make the card a little more luxury, something our clients would really appreciate! So after some initial experimentation with a process called ‘Digital Foiling’ which involves printing laser toner on to card, then using sheets of hot foil to cover the toner and finally its passes through a laminator. We also decided that we’d keep the front of the card nice and simplistic with just Brio Bot in red foil. On the inside we had a red card stock insert which finished the card nicely.
Card Specification
- ProDesign Laser 200gsm Card
- Digital Print
- Red Foiling detail
- 60 cards produced
2017
Now this is where the cards get crazier! We wanted something totally different to anything we’ve produced before. We changed the card size, outsourced the print for the first time and to top it off added a Brio Bot pin badge punched through the front as a little gift. This time we started ideas for the card in August 2017. We knew we wanted to utilise our robot pin badges in someway with the design of the card so after consideration we thought a snow globe was perfect to help frame Brio Bot on front of the card.
Card Specification
- Uncoated 300gsm Pure White Card stock
- HP Indigo Digital Print
- 100 cards produced
2018
After last years completely different approach we came into 2018 panicking about how we’d top the Brio Bot Pin Badge! By this point, we’re starting to discuss the Christmas card in January!!! (yep, crazy we know). We made it our mission to spend the year thinking up the most creative Christmas card we could possibility produce. So as the months went by we discussed everything from, glass baubles to edible Brio Bot cookies! But an idea came into our heads one day after glancing at a large scale mirrored laser cut Brio Bot acrylic sign we have on our studio wall. We thought ‘That’s it’, we’ll produce mini versions of him, add some festive string and you’ve got yourself a Brio Bot Tree Decoration! So last year in November we approached our old college to see if they could help us on our mission to produce 100 small robot tree decorations, they said yes and the 2018 Brio Christmas Card came to life! The rest of the card design was kept simple, with a wreath design in which the tree decoration would hang from. (Genius right? 😉)
Card Specification
- 300gsm Duo-Coat
- HP Indigo Digital Print
- Brio Bot Decoration and Wax stamp to seal
2019
And that leads us onto this years card! Well, you’ll have to wait a little a longer yet to find out what we’ve come up with this year… All we can say is it’s a very special one to celebrate our 5 years in business!
