By Megan Anthony, ACE-M, ACE-P, President, Board of Directors 

Our members and industry experts play an essential role in shaping card design across payment, access, identification, gift and novelty applications. Innovation in materials, treatments and manufacturing craftsmanship brings each design to life through visual appeal, tactile experience and functionality. When combined with technology, these elements create a complete brand experience in a compact product used by billions of people around the world. 

From the initial concept, a physical product takes shape and creates an experience between the brand and cardholder. Five key design principles continue to influence these products, connected through CMF, or Color, Material and Finish. CMF brings color, materials, textures and finishes together to shape how a product looks, feels and connects with the user. 

The first principle explores how sensory design engages emotional connections to the brand. The contrast between high-gloss and matte finishes invites cardholders to engage with the card. Tactile finishes and treatments, soft touch coatings and scented treatments create individual memories. The feel of wood versus cool, smooth metal creates a distinct sensory experience. Sound is another powerful design element that is often overlooked. It only takes one drop of a ceramic card to grab attention of the room. Engaging the senses creates a multidimensional card experience. 

The next principle, which is often overlooked, builds dimension through minimalism and negative space. A larger logo does not guarantee impact. Thoughtful negative space can make a brand stand out more effectively. Good design guides the eye naturally to key focal points in the intended order. Without negative space, this proves to be impossible. Negative space provides a rest for the eye. Without it, the eye bounces around the canvas rapidly like a ping-pong ball. Visual hierarchy and dimensional treatments such as foils, debossing and silkscreen effects draw attention to the brand while creating a premium look. By eliminating unnecessary elements, the design becomes more distinctive and effective. 

The third principle tells a story through the card’s materials. This may include wood from sustainably managed forests, reclaimed metal or recovered plastic repurposed into a card. Each material tells a story, reinforces the brand and gives the card a personality that resonates with cardholders. Showcasing materials in their natural state allows visible fibers and imperfections to give each card its own character. In a mass-produced world, using authentic materials in unexpected ways creates distinction, while combining contrasting materials can elevate the card’s appearance and tactile experience. 

The fourth principle uses movement to enhance light, texture and color. Each card combines carefully selected materials with silkscreen effects that guide the eye and create visual interest. Iridescent inks and tiny metallic particles interact differently with light as the card moves, creating an effect that changes with every split second of time. Layered inks and dimensional foils allow treatments and materials to interact, adding depth and visual interest. Precise registration between silkscreen and lithographic passes highlights the craftsmanship of manufacturing, bringing technical execution together with the card’s design and brand aesthetic. 

The final principle explores how technology enhances the cardholder experience. Each card is manufactured to deliver a function in our world. Whether providing hotel access, enabling payments, serving as a collectible or confirming identity, the cards we are creating become gateways to broader cardholder experiences. NFC technology extends the physical card into a seamless digital journey, enabling authentication, security, personalization and augmented reality experiences. Creating and delivering a card requires industry-wide collaboration across design, manufacturing, materials, technology and personalization. 

It has been several months since we gathered in Orlando for the ICMA EXPO, a unique opportunity for the industry to connect on a neutral platform and work together to move the card industry forward. I look forward to discovering what the ICMA community has been developing when we meet again at CardTREX, taking place 27–28 October at Lohmann’s TEC Center in Neuwied, Germany. 

Sources of Inspiration 

World Bank – Global Findex Database (global financial inclusion and payment adoption) 

The Dieline – Packaging design trends and innovation 

Pentawards – Award-winning global packaging design 

Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) – Sustainable Forest Certification 

NFC Forum – NFC technology standards and applications 

EMVCo – Payment technology standards 

Stephen Gould – Packaging Innovation and Design Trend Reports