Rackcards and Freecards: The AvantCard Craze

Rackcards or freecards. You either love 'em or hate 'em. I have a foot in both camps. But stuff like this is hard not to like. From www.avantcard.com.au (retrieved from web.archive.org)

Avantcard FreeCards were a popular part of Australian marketing history. Launched in 1992, Avantcard was Australia's first free postcard advertising company, distributing over 300 million postcards across the country. They had offices in Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane, and produced more than 20,000 campaigns.

The company's innovative approach to out-of-home advertising made it a hit with people of all ages. However, with the rise of digital advertising, funding cuts to the arts, and reduced marketing budgets, Avantcard ceased operations in July 2017, after 25 years in business. The business and rights were bought by businessman Sam Dell'Aglio and rebranded to Drawcard but I'm not sure how successful this was.

I used to collect these cards wherever and whenever I could, and they represent a fascinating historical record. I hope the National Library has a collection. Here is a tiny snapshot with some of my favourites. Click thru on any card to go to the full album.