B2B New Year’s Card

Bringing a little joy to professional contacts. Some companies and freelancers have made it a tradition to send a personal New Year’s greeting to their customers and contacts. This attention strengthens the relationships – it is also part of the brand strategy. The message can round off the professional web presence if published on social media at the right time.

Step 1 – The Intention. The neurosurgeon Marc Lévêque dedicates his work to liberation from chronic pain. What scene could visualise this?

Step 2 – The Idea. Sharing a happy vision with the patients, hospital staff, and colleagues: A life without pain is possible. What symbol could convey this message?

Step 3 – The Character. A woman, as women are most affected by chronic pain.

Step 4 – The Stage Setting. Our main character is welcomed in a friendly, life-serving environment. For her, there is nothing to do – she is resting from everyday life and chronic pain.

Step 5 – The Draft. Pencil on paper. Developping the environment and character that serve our intention.

Step 6 – The Text. Marc decides on a very concise message, right to the point: “Living without pain” (“Vivre sans douleur”).

Step 7 – Placing the Text in the Layout. In this case, I revert to the classic layout of my New Year’s cards for Marc Lévêque: the text is placed at the bottom, so that the image has plenty of space to unfold freely. Before the words are read, the drawing can already convey a subtle atmosphere. Contemplatively, the viewer can let the mood of the picture affect her. The words should round off the overall picture and refine the message in the desired direction.

Step 8 – Searching for the Right Colours. Which colours soothe the soul? Everything is possible, but after several attempts, I stick with “green for the trees” and “blue for the water”. I wished I had found something more original, but precisely this faithful adherence to natural colours soothes our eye – and that fits our intention well. To create a cheerful contrast, I look for complementary colours to blue and green for the meadow. The flowers bring lightness, playfulness, and sensuality; the viewer can almost smell the scent. The dark pink and cassia-coloured clothing of the figure should integrate her with the flowers and set her apart from the light meadow. The hair of the figure is darker than the tree trunks, so that the eye falls on her first.

Step 9 – Writing the Text with a Pen. It takes several attempts until all the letters look flowing and regular.

Step 10 – Drawing with Watercolours. Soft, simple colour palette: green, brown, blue. A few colourful flowers, not shrill. The dark lilac area of the trousers draws the eye; the horizontal stripes loosen up the character and contrast with the many vertical lines of the vegetation.

Step 11 – Approval. The last version pleases Marc and me – we are finished!

Step 12 – Print Approval. Parallel to the drawing process, I consulted with the printer about paper. We decided on 400 g/m² paper, uncoated and in a slightly warmer white. I send the file to print.

Step 13 – Web File. Marc receives a lightweight JPEG version from me, which he can then publish on his LinkedIn profile on January 1st.

Step 14 – Sending New Year’s Cards. The print result pleases me, everything went smoothly. I pack the cards securely and ship them to Marc in France. Then he can already write his greetings on his cards over the Christmas holidays and send them to his contacts.