Cardinal Color Group

09/02/2026

Even experienced creators can lose real time getting an AI image right. Far more time than it would take to find one on a stock site.

Adjust the prompt. Regenerate. Adjust again. Regenerate again. An hour later, ask yourself: did you actually save anything? Something to think about.

08/28/2026

Before a recipient reads your headline or engages with your offer, they hold your piece in their hands. That physical moment forms an immediate perception of your brand.

A substantial, well-chosen stock signals investment and credibility. It tells the recipient that what they are holding is worth their attention.

That subconscious cue influences how the rest of the piece is received, including the copy, the offer, and the call to action.

08/26/2026

Your brand is really what your customers think it is.

If you're not shaping that perception, someone else is. Silence gets filled with assumptions, and competitors are happy to fill it for you.

Controlling the narrative isn't optional. It's the job. Print gets the job done!

08/21/2026

Print marketing is green marketing. U.S. forests are a renewable natural resource and are not shrinking. Net forest area in the United States increased by approximately 10 million acres between 2000 and 2025. – Global Forest Resources Assessment / Two Sides NA

08/14/2026

Recycled paper isn't one thing. It can come from post-consumer waste, such as used mail and packaging, or from pre-consumer waste generated during production. Our latest post explains why neither type is categorically better and why limiting your spec to post-consumer content alone narrows your options without a real environmental payoff. A mix of both gives you more flexibility!

Pre-Consumer vs. Post-Consumer Waste: Which Is Better? - Insights from Cardinal Color Group on direct mail, print marketing, and creative campaigns that connect and engage.

08/12/2026

Greenwashing happens when a company creates a misleading or false impression about how environmentally friendly its practices actually are.

It's more common than many realize: 68% of executives admit their own companies have engaged in it. Paperless billing is just one example.

08/07/2026

More isn't always better on a printed page. Sometimes the most persuasive thing you can do is leave room around your message.

Open space slows people down enough to actually look. A packed layout does the opposite. It gives the eye nowhere to land, so nothing stands out.

Give your message space, and it works harder for you.

08/05/2026

People-first marketing works not when businesses choose one channel over another, but when they combine them in ways that are most useful to the recipient. Print builds trust and drives attention. Digital extends reach and makes response easy.

07/29/2026

When businesses slow down their marketing efforts during summer, they create a void that can be filled by competitors. With reduced competition, it’s easier to stand out in a less crowded marketplace.

07/23/2026

What does your marketing and your junk drawer have in common?

You know how it goes with a junk drawer. Things pile up. Half of it you forgot you even had, and some of it serves no purpose anymore. Your marketing library ages the same way. Brochures start to feel a little dated. The photos in your last direct mail piece don't quite match your current look. The copy still reads fine, but it's not saying what your business says about itself today.

Summer is a great time to go through it all. Keep what still works. Toss what doesn't. Give the rest a facelift.

If you want a hand sorting through it, our team is happy to sit down with you and help update your materials so they actually reflect where your business is right now.