Split the Stitches to Open Baseball-Themed Mailer: Fold of the Week
I’ve got a bold and exciting idea for you this week, and I want you to compare it to the format from the previous episode. The concept is completely different—and this is a self-mailer versus a stitched booklet—but it’s a fabulous iteration of a sealed cover idea.
Bold stitches on a larger-than-life baseball tear at the seams to open on a curve and reveal a unique folded format and a personalized, commemorative ticket for season ticket holders.
- There's something really satisfying about opening this piece—the embossed stitches make the tearing of the seam exciting and highly sensory.
- Bold color and a clever modified cross configuration leads to a ticket on the center panel, which makes the payoff really worthwhile.
- Smart use of personalization, hybrid digital + offset production, embossing, and special print effects make this unique targeted self-mailer pop.
Brilliant work from Texas Rangers Baseball Club and Slate Group. I can’t wait for you to see this week’s episode.
How was the Split the Stitches To Open Baseball-Themed Mailer produced?
Folding Style: Custom Cross Fold
Design: Crystal Lin, Texas Rangers
Print Production: Slate Group
Client: Texas Rangers Baseball Club
Paper: Carrier - Flo 100 lb Gloss cover; Ticket - 18 pt C2S
Print: Carrier - Printed 4/4 offset on a Komori G540; Ticket - Printed Digitally with personalization on an HP Indigo 7600. 4,800 qty.
Finishing: Carrier - Emboss, Diecut, Hand Fold, Tape. Ticket - Flood Matte UV, Spot Gloss UV, Glue Dot into Carrier.
Budget Rating: Moderate
Trish Witkowski is Chief Folding Fanatic at the online community foldfactory.com. She holds a bachelor of fine arts degree in graphic design and a master of science degree in Graphic Arts Publishing from Rochester Institute of Technology's School of Printing Management and Sciences (now the School of Print Media).
An award-winning designer, Trish held the position of creative director for a Baltimore-based agency for six years, and has taught design and desktop publishing at the college level. She has a specialized expertise in the area of folding and is the creator of the FOLDRite™ system, a 2004 GATF InterTech™ Technology Award winner.
Trish frequently publishes articles for graphic arts industry publications, and has written three books on the topic of folding: A Field Guide to Folding, Folding for the Graphic Arts: A Teacher's Handbook, and FOLD: The Professional's Guide to Folding.
