One of the most popular traditionally-printed items is the business card. As a staple of wallets, desks and meetings, it’s the one way you can guarantee that you reach out to people who are interested in what you can offer. Nonetheless, you still have to stand out; there’s no point in producing something simple if you want to separate yourself from the crowd.

This was proved in a recent piece for AGBeat, which discussed the more impressive ways that people are getting their point – and creativity – across through the medium of business cards. The first is perhaps the most impressive: animated scissors adopting a zoetrope-style mechanism advertising a salon.

For a literal personal touch is Bureau Rabensteiner’s heat-sensitive offering which, when touched, reacts to heat to make an imprint. Meanwhile, Preuss Und Preuss has offered up something a little more detailed: a tiny book, created to spread the word about a bargain book shop in the area.

Finally, there’s something for all car lovers – and undoubtedly a great idea for those working in the motoring industry. Designer Matt Bogust, who hails from New Zealand, has created a pop-out design which takes the simple construction of cubes, and mimics the “fuzzy dice” that stereotypically adorn the rear-view mirror of a vehicle.

So, if you’re thinking of printing your business cards soon, think a little further; all it needs is a little intelligent design.