Articles: bookmarks

A bookmark has an unusual advantage over other small printed items: nobody throws it away, because it is always needed for something. It ends up in the book someone is reading and resurfaces every time that book is opened.

A narrow strip is a different job from a business card

The format forces a single idea. A bookmark will not hold an offer, but it will hold a name, one sentence and a way to get in touch. The reverse is often more valuable than the front, if you can put something useful there: a ruler, a small calendar, a checklist or space for a note.

Recycled paper

A bookmark is a small print, so a recycled-paper version does not add cost the way it would across a large poster run, and it noticeably changes how the piece feels in the hand. A good choice for brands that already talk about the environment, as long as it is not the only green element in their whole communication.

• Bookshop and publisher - the natural home, and also the most obvious one.
• Library and school - a bookmark doubles as a note about opening hours and rules.
• Cafe and any place with waiting - a small thing the guest takes away.
• An event - a keepsake from an author meeting or a workshop, cheaper than a gadget.