I think there has been a stranglehold on creativity. Up until recently, it was difficult for a fledgling business, freelancer, or hobbyist to access services and products that had the same flash and professional appearance that the big boys could achieve. While the corporate giants wring their great big hands, a bunch of enterprising and brilliant programmers have emerged on the scene to offer the business world's Davids business applications and services that are quite simply, brilliant. This is the first in a series of posts about truly innovative (as opposed to the tired PR use of the word) and affordable services available to the average Jo(e).

Meet Moo.com. A little upstart company based in London (England, where the queen and Jamie Oliver live), these guys do it all to perfection from beginning to end. Need business cards? How about postcards, notecards, or even retail hang tags for your latest craft fair creation? Now your first inclination might be to mosey on over to your (un)friendly local big box office supply store. You could do that, but you will end up with a product that is as apathetic as the person who sold it to you.

Knowing that every piece of collateral that has your name on it represents you, are you ok with what an anemic, white, flaccid business card says about you? I thought not.

This is where Moo comes in to save the day. Go to the site, figure out what product(s) you need, and start designing. Hold up! I know that you started to hyperventilate when I said the "d" word (that would be "design"), but no need to freak fellow artphobes. Moo has a plethora of artist created graphics to choose from as well as endless combinations of colours, fonts, and formats. Happen to be of the artistic persuasion yourself? Upload your own images, graphics, or logos and use those to create your cards. The card stock itself makes these cards stand out from the aforementioned floppy variety and if you combine that with the glossy finish, I guarantee that your card will turn heads.

Moo's newsletter and blog is full of original and fresh ways to use their products. One idea that I thought had particular merit was pairing the Moo card design with IBM's Wordle application. What a fun way to get your word out. The marketing possibilities are endless. Unlike standard stationary orders, you can order every single card in a different design. Really! If you were a photographer, artist, or web developer, you could put one item from your portfolio on each card. If you were, oh, I don't know, a PR professional, you could make several "Top Tips" lists and print them on the cards. In this way you would create business cards that are a collectible set, all the while giving a snapshot of your style and expertise.

The process of creating and ordering the cards couldn't be easier. While the price is a little more than what you would pay at the big box stores, the quality and service far exceeds anything I have experienced at said stores. This company's commitment to excellence and consistency is stunning. A huge thumbs up to their marketing department for making sure that the user's experience is positive and reassuring throughout their transaction. The Moo group used their creativity to offer up a fantastic way for you to showcase your creativity. In a sea of boring vanilla, dare to stand out with your own unique flavour.


AC