Curious about…The Business Card.
Getting ready this weekend for an extended time I’m about to spend in Asia, I’ve had to get multiple business cards printed in multiple languages. I hate business cards to be completely frank: yet another thing to clutter up my wallet, most of them end up getting accidentally washed in my pants when I forget to empty the pockets. It seems in an age when we are so searchable, findable, Linked-In, Tweetable and Facebookable that a piece of fancy paper with a phone number that I never answer and an email address seems sort of well, anachronistic. I decided to look more deep at the origins, etiquette and eccentric margins of this business tool.
Wikipedia describes them thus: ”Business cards are cards bearing business information about a company or individual. They are shared during formal introductions as a convenience and a memory aid. A business card typically includes the giver’s name, company affiliation (usually with a logo) and contact information such as street addresses, telephone number(s), fax number and e-mail addresses website. It can also include telex, bank account and tax code. Traditionally many cards were simple black text on white stock; today a professional business card will sometimes include one or more aspects of striking visual design.”
Hold on…Telex?
In Japan, the etiquette of a handing and transferring a business card, known as a meishi (名刺) is very formal and ritualistic. A person is expected to present their meishi upon meeting a new business acquaintance. Meishi should be kept in a smart leather case where they will not become warm or worn, both of which are considered a sign of disrespect or thoughtlessness. The presenter extends the meishi, holding it with both hands, and introduces themselves by affiliation, position, and name. The card should be held at the bottom two corners, face up and turned so that it can be read by the person receiving the meishi.
When receiving a meishi, one should hold it at the top two corners using both hands. Placing one’s fingers over the name or other information is considered rude. Upon receiving the meishi, one is expected to read the card over, noting the person’s name and rank. One should then thank the other person, saying “choudai itashimasu” or “choudai shimasu”, and then bow. A received meishi should not be written on or placed in a pocket; it is considered proper to file the meishi at the rear of the leather case. When meishi are being exchanged between parties with different status, such as between the president of a company and someone in middle management, it is proper that the person of lower status extend his or her business card in such a way that it is underneath or below the meishi being extended by the person in a higher position. If the meishi is being presented at a table, the meishi you received is kept on top of your leather case until you leave the table. If several people are involved in the meeting and you have several meishi, the one with the highest rank is kept on the leather case, and the others beside it, on the table.
The manner in which the recipient treats the presenter’s meishi is indicative of how the recipient will treat the presenter. Actions such as folding the business card in half, or placing the presenter’s meishi in one’s back pocket, are regarded as insults.
The IBCC - The International Business Card Collectors - are an online club dedicated to collecting rare, thematic and celebrity business cards. In their “General Trading Tips” section, they state: ”Modern cards are easy to find. Wherever you see them displayed, take a couple (one to keep and one to trade). The best source is people — your friends, relatives, and co-workers. Remember to give your card out wherever you go — the special card that says you are a business card collector. Swap cards, and when you have someone’s interest ask him to pick up cards for you. If a friend or relative mentions a planned vacation or special trip, ask for some cards as your souvenir.
Some companies go out of business or change their names, creating an opportunity for us to get a large number of cards. Talk to the owners of these companies and ask for their leftover cards.”
What Of It? Identity and an individual’s creation and presentation of it is a complex issue, one that we come across a lot in our work at IDEO. While I personally don’t feel the need to give someone a piece of card stock with my name and phone number on it, I certainly recognise the desire of others to do so. It’s interesting however, that in today’s massively technological times we hang on so resolutely to an analog medium: I wonder if we are reduced to holding bits of paper in our wallets as a way to subliminally say to each other that we are all still three-dimensional, not completely virtual.
I Am Curious about analog media in a digital world, about culture, etiquette and identity, about ways in which we present ourselves to the world and how that world sees us.
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