Graphic Design Trends for 2025 

Thought leaders in the graphic design industry have forecasted upcoming digital and print design trends for the next year and beyond. These trend forecasts show a shift away from monochromatic and minimalist designs with an emphasis on designers utilizing AI to produce intriguing color stories, graphics, and emotional connection to art in advertising. Following are some graphic design trends to expect in 2025.  

Striking Graphic Design Trends for The Next Year 

The Dark-to-Light Aesthetic 

While moody elements like deep, jewel-toned hues were popular in recent years, the dark-to-light aesthetic is a bit different. Utilizing a spectrum of black, gray, and white colors in fonts, graphics, and photographs produces an impactful contrast that evokes feelings of resilience and triumph among consumers. The dark-to-light aesthetic evokes gothic and grunge elements to convey powerful brand messaging.  

Aerial and Elevated Perspectives 

Graphic design thought leaders forecast that both AI-generated artwork and photography will emphasize elevated perspectives in digital and print brand messaging. This could involve showcasing art and photographs from heightened perspectives like mountain tops or space. Drone photography will likely be heavily used to provide this heightened perspective, too. Focusing on elevated perspectives in photography and art conveys a dedication to transparency and forward-thinking while producing imagery that attracts attention. 

AI-Generated Art 

Artificial intelligence (AI) is all the rage. With a massive uptick in AI use, marketing professionals should expect to see a lot more AI-generated content in both digital and print. AI-based artwork can create futuristic and dreamy scenery that would be useful for brands in the tech space. This form of art can also produce surrealist imagery that will likely grace album covers, book jackets, and much more. AI also offers promise for cost-effective artwork that can be produced quickly with minimal labor.  

Japanese-Inspired Coziness  

In recent years, Scandinavian minimalism was all the rage. This year’s minimalist inspiration comes from Wabi-Sabi, a Japanese philosophy and aesthetic that celebrates natural tones and elements, impermanence, thoughtful minimalism, and contentment. Wabi-Sabi aesthetics involve hues and colors such as soft and light earth tones, wood, and muted greenery. This form of thoughtful minimalism produces harmonious images and evokes Zen-like emotions, which is ideal for brands offering consumer goods like home decor and clothing as well as service-based businesses like spas and salons.  

These trend forecasts offer something for every brand. From the striking juxtaposition of black and white aesthetics to the cozy harmony of Wabi-Sabi, it appears that brands have plenty of inspiration to pool from when developing this year’s print and digital marketing content. The various trends offer unique aesthetics that can help produce content that resonates with consumers and offers a competitive edge to brands.  

Pel Hughes is a full-service printing company that serves businesses, non-profit organizations, and educational institutions throughout the United States. We offer direct mail, campaign automation, database services, graphic design, and cross media marketing. Click here to request a quote or call (504) 486-8646 to speak with a member of our team.  

Data Driven Direct Mail 

It seems every industry is leveraging data these days and print advertising is no different. Data has the power to invigorate commerce, broaden reach to customers, and forge a consistent brand message across various channels. Data driven direct mail helps make your print and digital marketing campaigns more cohesive while ensuring that thoughtful messaging reaches your consumer base.  

Is direct mail relevant in 2025? 

With the rise of digital marketing and advertising, direct mail took a backseat. In the last few years, though, direct mail is seeing quite a resurgence. Direct mail campaigns offer unique advantages where digital messaging falls short. Following are some key takeaways from a well-researched direct mail marketing report: 

  • Direct mail conversion and response rates are stellar at 84% and 85% respectively. 
  • Over 80% of brands across all industries are beefing up investments in direct mail. 
  • An overwhelming majority of marketers believe that direct mail offers the highest ROI over any other type of messaging. 

Retargeting with Data Driven Direct Mail 

Direct mail retargeting is a great use for data that makes your messaging more relevant to existing customers. Retargeting software sends targeted direct mail after a user interacts with your website. For instance, a customer can place an item in their digital shopping cart but stop short of actually purchasing. Retargeting software can then trigger a direct mail piece that offers a small discount for the very item of interest to close the sale. Direct mail retargeting is a powerful tool that makes digital interactions with your brand more compelling to consumers.  

Using Data to Find New Customers  

Leveraging data can involve so much more than direct mail retargeting. Data can be used in a variety of ways to enhance the response and conversion rates of direct mail. One powerful application of data is for finding new customers that can enjoy the services or goods your business has to offer. Powerful algorithms can sort through consumer databases and cross reference data points from your website and social media channels to efficiently curate an excellent mailing list for your business. Mailing lists can be further curated to segment your audience so that your brand messaging is highly attuned to their unique needs and purchasing habits.  

Pel Hughes offers direct mail, cross media marketing, campaign automation, and database services to businesses, organizations, and educational institutions throughout the United States. To learn more about how data-driven direct mail can help you achieve your business goals, give our team a call at (504) 486-8646.  

The Powerful Effects of Direct Mail on Consumers 

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Did you know that direct mail has physiological, mental, and emotional effects on its recipients? It’s true. The powerful effects of direct mail have been well documented by researchers. While digital marketing has dominated the conversation in recent years, it’s wise to not overlook the positive effects of direct mail on consumers.  

The Neurological Effects of Direct Mail 

The Centre for Experimental Consumer Psychology conducted research on the effects of direct mail for the United Kingdom’s Royal Mail service. This study involved taking MRI images of consumers reactions to printed advertising and comparing them with MRI images of viewing that same ad on a computer monitor. The result was clear: printed mailers produced significantly more brain activity and emotional response than the digital versions of the same ad.  

Researchers attribute increased brain activity and emotional connection with direct mail to the tactile (haptic) stimulation print materials provide. When interacting with tactile items, the right retrosplenial cortex of the brain is involved, which is the source of memory storage and retrieval. This part of the brain is also the area responsible for emotional processing. Essentially, the haptic nature of direct mail makes stronger impressions on consumers and specifically boosts brand recognition while also generating positive emotional connections with organizations and brands. 

Positive Emotional and Mental Responses to Direct Mail  

When it comes to consumer trust, the only thing more powerful than direct mail is the recommendations of close friends and family. Direct mail’s stimulation of the emotional processing centers in the brain as well as its tactile nature tends to invoke trust among consumers. According to a 2009 study, about 82% of consumers in the United States trust direct mail more than any other form of advertising. Compare this figure to the fact that only 16% of consumers trust digital advertising and you have a pretty compelling case to incorporate direct mail into your marketing strategy.  

One element to the feelings of trust associated with direct mail is the nostalgia factor. Print materials connect people to their lives before digital media existed. Digital fatigue among consumers is a real phenomenon that causes concerning challenges for marketers. Consumers are inundated with so much messaging on a daily basis that they feel overwhelmed. As a response to this, human brains have developed methods for ignoring digital messaging. Moreover, digital communication can be blocked by various applications like pop-up blockers and spam filters.  

How to Leverage Direct Mail for Optimal Results  

When used in a robust cross media marketing strategy, direct mail can help reach consumers without fatiguing them or annoying them. Modern technology like direct mail retargeting, variable data printing (customization), campaign automation, QR codes, and PURLs (personalized URLs) can be used to increase consumer engagement and provide reliable metrics for assessing the effectiveness of direct mail campaigns.  

Pel Hughes serves organizations, educational institutions, and businesses of all sizes. Give us a call at (504) 486-8646 to develop your next direct mail campaign.  

Holiday Marketing Tips from Pel Hughes 

The Holiday Season is an important time for marketers. Just retail sales alone account for nearly $960 billion each year. Companies of all sizes spend about $67 billion on digital and print ads during this time, too. Holiday marketing is important for both B2B- and retail-oriented enterprises. Our team at Pel Hughes encourages clients to deploy cross media marketing campaigns during the Holidays to ensure meaningful connections with clients and customers

To help demonstrate the power of holiday marketing, we will discuss Pel Hughes’ holiday campaigns from 2023 along with metrics on our results below.  

The 2023 Pel Hughes Holiday Marketing Campaign 

Last year, we deployed a print holiday marketing campaign along with e-mail versions to our clients. To show our appreciation for their patronage, we gifted a cookbook comprised of unique recipes from our team. We provided print and digital copies of the Pel Hughes cookbook that were redeemed via QR codes.  

Pel Hughes Holiday Campaign 2023

This is the opened double-gate fold mailer.

The closed, back side of our campaign listing our services.

The digital version of our Holiday campaign.

The direct mail campaign was a double-gate fold card that contained a personalized URL (PURL) and a QR code to redeem the complimentary cookbook. Our campaign was New Orleans-themed to showcase our pride for our city’s rich culture, history, architecture, and unique cuisine.

Our New Orleans-inspired cookbook.

Our cookbooks were customized with variable data printing.

Our team contributed New Orleans-themed recipes including appetizers.

 

In addition to images of iconic buildings in New Orleans, our graphics included maps of the city with our office location highlighted. The backside of the campaign listed our services such as direct mail, promotional products/apparel, cross media marketing, and more. This section of our mailer contained a separate QR code for recipients to scan to learn more about our services and technology.  

The campaign’s envelope was holiday-themed and featured copy stating that the contents of this campaign included a complimentary gift from Pel Hughes.

The customizable envelope for our Holiday campaign.

The customizable envelope for our campaign.

Results of Our Cross Media Holiday Campaign 

Our team was pleased with the results of our cross media holiday marketing campaign. We were able to review metrics from the digital campaign, e-mails, and even our direct mail pieces. By embedding QR codes for the gift redemption and PURLs along with QR codes that provided more information about our services, we were able to analyze reliable information on response rates to our mailers.  

Below are some screenshots of the results from our holiday marketing campaign. Some highlights include: 

  • Over 300 unique visits to web pages, more than 250 interactions, and 319 clicks on those pages from PURLs and QR codes. 
  •  A 54% open rate on the first e-mail campaign and a 68% open rate on the second.  
  • E-mail campaigns generated a 34% increase in website traffic and almost 74% in website conversions. 

Engagement results from our campaign.

More results from our Holiday campaign.

Taking a cross media approach to our holiday marketing generated great results while also utilizing gifts to convey our deep appreciation for our clients. We serve businesses, non-profits, and educational institutions throughout the United States. In addition to direct mail and cross media marketing, we offer graphic design, campaign automation, database services, lab logistics, and promotional apparel/products. Call us today at (504) 486-8646 to get started on your next campaign.  

Following Up On Leads: The Science Behind B2B Communication 

The old adage of “striking while the iron is hot” absolutely rings true when it comes to B2B sales. Following up on leads is a crucial component of increasing sales and revenue but it’s important to understand that following up isn’t enough. When you follow up matters most. Fortunately, the hows and whens to respond to leads were demystified by research the Harvard Business Review (HBR), which we will highlight below.  

HBR Research Highlights the Failures in Following Up on Leads 

After an audit on lead generation and follow ups with over 2,000 corporations, researchers at the Harvard Business Review found that companies took too long to respond to web-generated leads. Unfortunately, companies have spent billions on web leads. In fact, lead purchases rose over $10 billion within a four-year period. While companies see value in spending considerable funds on generating leads, HBR researchers found that not responding to leads quickly enough led to lost sales.  

Of all the companies audited for follow ups, HBR reported the following figures: 

  • Nearly 40% responded to leads within an hour 
  • About 16% responded within a day 
  • Another 24% responded after 24-hours had lapses 
  • Over 20% never responded to leads at all 

When to Respond to B2B Sales Leads 

As a rule of thumb, B2B sales leads should be nurtured within 24-hours. According to the HBR, online leads have a short life cycle so it’s important to act quickly (within normal business hours, of course). If an assigned salesperson is unavailable, implementing systems to assign available salespersons to incoming communication is vital to ensuring that leads do not go unattended. Administrative personnel can also field requests from potential customers and set appointments for Zoom meetings or conference calls.  

Other options to nurture leads can include setting up automated responses via e-mail and to schedule follow-up calls or e-mails for unavoidable delays.  

Timely follow-ups produce results. HBR researchers found that when follow ups occur within an hour, salespeople were seven times more likely to qualify their leads. The odds of qualifying leads after 24 hours are dismal: salespeople are 60 times less likely to engage with decision makers when a full business day has lapsed.  

All in all, reacting quickly to signs of interest can make a big difference in revenue and the customer experience.  

Pel Hughes is a full-service printing company that serves businesses throughout the United States. We offer direct mail, campaign automation, database services, cross media marketing, and more to help our clients thrive in B2B sales. Give us a call at (504) 486-8646 to learn more.  

4 Benefits of Business Cards 

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Business cards are timeless marketing, branding, and networking tools—even in the Digital Age. If you’re wondering whether there are benefits of business cards or whether it’s worth your time to have them printed, read on to learn more about their advantages.  

Four Great Benefits of Business Cards 

#1 Business Cards Help Build Your Brand Image 

Business cards make for a great introduction to your brand when you first interact with a potential customer or meet people at conventions or trade shows. While business cards are a vital tool for branding, not all cards are created equal. It is important to work with a professional graphic designer and printer to develop a business card that stands out and represents your brand’s image without sacrificing professionalism.  

#2 A Business Card Lends Legitimacy to Your Business and Professionalism 

Some people may feel like their business or line of work doesn’t warrant the need for a business card. Unfortunately, this mindset could do damage to your potential sales and networking opportunities. Whether you’re a freelance copyeditor, a professional housecleaner, or manage a large brick-and-mortar store, a business card is a worthwhile investment in yourself and your enterprise. Business cards convey seriousness, professionalism, and a genuine desire to connect with others.  

#3 Relationship Building is Easier with Business Cards 

One of the best benefits of business cards is the psychological signal they send to their recipients. Handing a person your business card sends a strong message; you are intentionally expressing your desire to reconnect in the future. Furthermore, since your contact information is laid out, it makes reconnecting at a later date easier.  

#4 Business Cards Can Connect Your Online Presence with Your Physical One 

Today’s technology makes it easy to modernize a business card to make connecting digitally a seamless process. Not only can your e-mail address and a URL be printed on a business card, you can also add a QR code. A QR code can send recipients to your LinkedIn profile, a digital portfolio, or an introductory video.  

Reap the Benefits of Business Cards by Working with a Professional Printer 

Although a business card seems like a simple and straightforward piece of print, a DIY approach can be treacherous. It’s important to work with professional graphic designers and printers to ensure that your business card gives a positive first impression. Professional input will help you select the best stock, graphics, color schemes, and fonts that accurately represent your brand identity. There are also a number of striking embellishments such as raised varnish and spot UV that can help make your card stand out from the crowd.  

Pel Hughes is a woman-owned enterprise serving businesses, educational institutions, and non-profits throughout the United States. In addition to business cards, we provide direct mail, database services, graphic design, signage, and promotional apparel. Call us today at (504) 486-8646 or request a quote online.  

Boost HVAC Sales with Direct Mail and Personalized Marketing 

Although it’s booming, the HVAC industry is competitive. Fortunately, modern marketing solutions can help you boost HVAC sales easier than you might think. Our team at Pel Hughes recommends a blended approach through cross media marketing with an emphasis on personalization. Below is helpful information for using direct mail, personalization, and cross media marketing to boost HVAC sales.  

The HVAC Industry at a Glance 

About 110 million households in the United States have an HVAC system. As temperatures rise, more people require HVAC systems to keep their homes comfortable. Estimates indicate that only 14 million homes do not have HVAC systems. While there is room in the industry to market to those without HVAC, there is also room to boost HVAC sales by replacing old systems, upgrading them, or performing standard repairs and maintenance.  

Each year, people in the United States spend about $10 billion on HVAC maintenance/repair. Between two to three million HVAC units are replaced each year as well. Commercial businesses make up a hefty chunk of the HVAC industry’s market share including retailers, grocery stores, hospitals, office buildings, and more.  

When it comes to developing a marketing strategy to boost HVAC sales, it’s important to segment a business’ audience as the HVAC needs of residential buildings and commercial ones differ substantially.  

Personalization, Cross Media Marketing, and Direct Mail Help Boost HVAC Sales 

Personalization is one of the best ways to maintain a competitive advantage in today’s business climate. Personalized marketing is a customer-forward approach that individualizes brand interaction with a consumer. Examples of personalized marketing can include utilizing variable data printing (VDP) for direct mail, which addresses campaigns to a recipient’s legal name or sending helpful e-mail reminders addressed to individuals to change air filters or schedule service requests before summer approaches. 

Data-driven cross media marketing can do wonders to boost HVAC sales, too. Utilizing database services helps brands engage in predictive marketing based on consumer patterns. This allows businesses to send personalized messages in the timeliest manner possible, which will help increase sales conversions. Data-driven marketing works best when both digital and in-person outreach (cross media marketing) are used.  

Direct mail is a great avenue for making meaningful connections with consumers. Campaign automation and direct mail retargeting are great tools for making direct mail more compelling and effective. Automated campaigns help save money and time for businesses while keeping campaigns arriving to consumers at the right time. 

 Direct mail retargeting bridges online interactions with your brand with physical mail. For example, direct mail retargeting involves sending mail campaigns after a consumer makes contact with your brand online by signing up for an e-mail subscription, viewing products on an online catalog, or requests more information.  

Pel Hughes serves businesses and organizations in an array of industries including HVAC. From direct mail to cross media marketing, campaign automation, and database services, we offer a suite of services to help you market to consumers effectively. Visit our website or call (504) 486-8646 to request a quote.  

Preparing for Print: Save Money & Time 

Saving money and time is the ultimate goal of any business. When it comes time to send your files off to your professional printing company, preparation is essential. By preparing for print, you can save time and money on your advertising campaigns and marketing materials. Pel Hughes has compiled a few tips to make this process easier for the businesses, non-profit organizations, and higher education institutions we serve.  

Tips for Preparing for Print 

The world of print and its professional lexicon may seem mystical to people in other industries. Understanding the basics, learning common terminology, and preparing your files for print can make the process much easier (and less time consuming).  

Here are four tips to help make your print projects a little less frustrating.  

#1 Understand What Your Printer Needs to Get the Job Done 

Before campaigns are developed, it’s important to reach out to your printer via e-mail or a phone call. Understanding what your printer needs from your business or organization to produce the final product can make a world of difference. Oftentimes, reputable printers will offer checklists to their clients upon request.  

We recommend having one person from your organization handle communication with your printer. This can eliminate unnecessary e-mails and calls while also reducing the risks of confusion.  

#2 Select Color Palettes Compatible with Print 

Digital versions of your print projects operate with a different color palette than printers. Most digital color utilizes the RGB palette while printers rely on CMYK color palettes. This can lead to your digital images looking different from the final printed versions. When designing digital files, we recommend using Pantone colors as they are compatible with the color palettes used by printers. This ensures that the digital version matches the printed one.  

#3 Know When to Use Vector or Raster Images 

Most of the time, vector images are preferred for projects like direct mail campaigns, business cards, and signage. Vectors are easily scalable because these images rely on formulas rather than pixels. This means that a vector can be sized from direct mail to a billboard without affecting the integrity of the image. Vector files are small, too, which makes them easy to send.  

In some cases, raster images are preferred. These images are pixelated, which can be difficult to size. Raster images are sometimes used when real photographs are printed.  

We encourage discussing whether vectors or rasters are preferred for your specific project(s) with your printer early in the process. 

#4 Be Sure to Indicate Bleed 

“Bleed” is a term that refers the artwork extending beyond the edge of the print project. Indicating the bleed on your project ensures that graphics and selected colors extend to the edge. Without indicating bleed, you could have an unsightly border around your business card, direct mail piece, or signage.  

To help make the pre-press process easier for our clients, we provide a preparing for print checklist, which you can download by clicking here.  

Pel Hughes utilizes the latest printing technology and client-forward service to deliver stunning print campaigns for businesses, organizations, and educational institutions throughout the United States. Call us at (504) 486-8646 for questions or request a quote with our convenient online form.  

Interactive Direct Mail Ideas to Try in 2024 

Do you want to take your direct mail to the next level? Make your mailers more compelling with interactive direct mail. Adding interactive elements to your campaigns will help increase engagement rates and set your brand apart from your competition. Read on to explore unique interactive direct mail ideas that may help make your campaigns more memorable for your customers.  

Four Interactive Direct Mail Tips 

A Ring Sizer 

From high-end jewelers to retailers catering to people on tighter budgets, adding a ring sizer to your mailers can help increase customer engagement. Ring sizers can easily be printed on card stock.  

This is also helpful for businesses catering to educational institutions and organizations that offer commemorative and members-only rings. A complimentary ring sizer is a must for catalog-based and online orders.  

Quizzes 

Today’s consumer appreciates businesses that make an effort to understand their needs. Offering a short quiz in your mailers not only encourages a customer to interact with your brand, but it also helps them feel like they are making informed decisions. A simple “is x product right for you?” style quiz is typically received as honest and helpful by potential customers. 

Scratch-Offs 

Almost everyone finds a scratch-off irresistible. This type of interactive direct mail is a wonderful option for local cafes and restaurants, service-based businesses, boutiques, and auto dealerships. Scratch-offs are easy to print and complimentary gifts or discounts provided by scratch-offs improve sales conversion rates.  

Product Samples 

Small samples can easily be included in your interactive direct mail. Whether it’s a packet containing a sample for a skincare product (think: lotion, sunscreen, aftershave, or perfume) or a small swatch of a specific fabric or color for blankets, bedding, or wall paper, providing a complimentary sample conveys that your brand stands behind its product(s), shows dedication to providing a great customer experience, and helps unburden overwhelmed consumers.  

Did you know that sending interactive direct mail could get you a 5% discount with the USPS? It’s true; the USPS provides yearly promotions to businesses who add sensory, tactile, and interactive elements to their direct mail. You can learn more about these promotions, their stipulations, and deadlines by clicking here.  

Pel Hughes is your one-stop-shop for all things direct mail. We offer an array of services to help you develop compelling campaigns that resonate with consumers. In addition to providing state-of-the-art printing and fulfillment, we provide campaign automation, graphic design, database services, and so much more. Pel Hughes serves businesses, non-profit organizations, and higher education institutions throughout the United States. Give our team a call at (504) 486-8646 to request a quote.

Graphic Design: Color and Font Trends for 2024 

This year, expect color and font trends in graphic design to command a wow factor. When it comes to print, embracing design trends can make your mailers and their accompanying digital pieces more effective and enticing to the consumer. For 2024, much is uncertain in the geopolitical and economic sense so expect to see art and design evoking feelings of nostalgia and hope. If anything, graphic design will shine in 2024 as it can help brands, businesses, and organizations with consumers in a soothing and humanistic way.

According to top creatives in the design world, graphics, fonts, and color schemes may take contrasting angles in their messaging. For example, some brands may choose to use freehand design over AI-generated images while other brands may focus on botanical aesthetics to offer a soothing escape from harsh realities permeating the collective consciousness. One thing that may not be much of a surprise is a continued reliance on nostalgia in brand messaging. While 2022 and 2023 focused on clean minimalism with nostalgic elements from the 1980s and 1990s, today’s nostalgic design will likely feature homages to the 1970s and early 2000s.

Following are color and font trends for 2024 that may help spark creativity for your next direct mail or digital campaign.

Color and Font Trends to Consider This Year

Sans Fonts Strike Back 

The Sans font family is making a comeback this year. Although Sans fell out of favor for several years, there is a revival in Sans-Serif fonts available to designers to keep things modern and quirky for brands. Sans fonts translate well to digital mediums but when newer Sans family fonts are selected, they look great on print, too. Working with Sans can be tricky, however, and it’s not the best choice for every brand or organization so it’s wise to collaborate with an experienced graphic designer.

Sidenote: if Sans is not your jam, Semi-Serif fonts are a great option for design because they contain traditional typeface elements with the jovial, modern appearance of Sans family fonts.

Bring on the Funky and Chunky Text

Evoking imagery from the 1970s Funk movement is a 2024 trend emphasizing rounded type. While this isn’t ideal for more serious products like home insurance or banking services, rounded, chunky type can be very appealing with consumer goods from beauty-, fashion-, home decor-based businesses.

Maximalism and Bold Colors 

Scandinavian-style minimalism is still working its way through many digital and print ads but maximalism—specifically with bolder colors (even neon)—is making a splash among top creatives in the Western Hemisphere. One newer specific trend has been dubbed “Cluttercore” and while it borrows heavily from Maximalism, it has a unique messy appearance with overlapping textures and images. When used correctly, “Cluttercore” design can be striking, impactful, and resonate with consumers—particularly younger people.

Botanical Hues  

Deep greens will likely be a popular color trend throughout 2024—specifically green hues one might see in jungle and forest settings. These colors have been popping up within a specific design trend called “Garden Cutouts”, which feature green shapes like leaves and flowers against bold backgrounds of yellow, orange, or pink.

The experts at Pel Hughes offer graphic design services in addition to direct mail, large print projects, binding and printing for books, and cross media marketing. Our team works to stay abreast of color and font trends to help your messaging embrace the latest aesthetics for optimal effectiveness. Give us a call at (504) 486-8646 to request a quote.