Tulips: Grow Your Biz with Unique Brochures & Folded Invitations

Part of our exclusive Designer Folds collection, Tulips add serious artistry to your advertisements. With diagonal folds that collapse inward, this specialty format opens to resemble a tulip – hence the name – and elevates your content with surprising personality.

Particularly ideal for folded invitations, Tulips also work wonders as marketing collateral, branded brochures, greeting cards, even custom menus. Plus, its unique tulip fold turns it into a convenient carrier for insert cards like business cards, loyalty cards, drink tickets and coupons (we recommend a 5-7/8″W x 5-7/8″H card).

For PATHOS Senior Graphic Designer Jason White, the shape of the Tulip’s unique brochure folds sealed the deal.

“It was chosen because of the unusual triangular spaces created by the folds,” said White. “We wanted a piece that would not only stand out, but also tie in with our brand and logo, which contains a triangle. The tulip format checked all the boxes we were looking for when creating a uniquely-designed handout.”

As folded invitations and brochure mailers, Tulips earn the spotlight all on their own. But when you customize and personalize yours with our online printing services, that’s when they truly bloom – and perform the way your metrics need them to.

With our custom printing prowess, you can design and print Tulips however you like. With variable data printing, personalize Tulips for specific customers. Or try our Versions feature, which lets you print multiple Tulips with different content (but the same stock and finish) at the same time. Not to mention coated and uncoated paper stocks, plus protective and professional UV coatings in ultra gloss and flat matte.

Acuity Brandworks Creative Director Jon Collins opted for a coated matte stock and 100# text for the right look and feel.

“People are used to receiving the same flat postcard or tri-fold brochure, so the Tulip sends a clear signal that this is something out of the ordinary and intriguing,” Collins said. “These truly stand out.”

And as for mailing, we offer complete fulfillment services, like list acquisition and list processing to addressing, and of course, mailing. We recommend a 6-1/2″ x 6-1/2″ envelope, which you can order via Custom Quote (and heads-up: square mailings require extra postage for hand-sorting).

What makes the Tulip so impactful?
“The Tulip is a favorite of mine because it’s a pretty exotic format, and most people haven’t seen one before, so it can stand out as something special. Most folded formats don’t use diagonal folds, and for the Tulip, that’s where the magic is. The diagonal folds allow the panels to collapse flat so that it opens in a flower-like fashion, which is unexpected and exciting.”

What are some ideas for how to use it? What content works most effectively?
“Tulips are outstanding for event invitations and promotional purposes like product launches, save-the-dates and announcements – they’re fun for higher education, too. They’re good for text-light applications, due to the split cover and angled panels. However, the Tulip is a natural carrier format, and you can choose to put some extra content on an insert, which is a nice option.

“This fold opens in one sweeping movement, so you have two views to focus on: the split cover and the rectangular interior spread. The remaining panels on the back of the piece are primarily decorative. This design works well with a teaser on the cover and a large typographical design on the expanse of the interior spread. It also looks great when the triangular interior panels are blocked with color or images that frame the large square center panel or inserts.”

What tips do you have for designing and online printing tulips?
“Whenever you’re using an unconventional format, I always suggest printing out the layout guide template and making a mockup, even if it’s at a reduced scale. It’s much easier to visualize what you’re designing, and you can sketch on the panels and get a feel for how your layout will look. It’s super important!

“For example, on the Tulip template, when you’re looking at it flat, the panels on the cover are the opposite of what they are when folded, so the right side of the cover is on the left side of the template, and the left side is on the right when laid out flat.”

What types of insert cards do you recommend including?
“I recommend using any type of insert card that improves the communication or the effectiveness of the piece. A classic square is always nice, but I love shaped inserts that work with a theme. A little four-pager or tri-fold insert is cool if you have some extra content to place. Inserts can also be tickets, passes, coupons, stickers or business cards.”

Tulips are mailers that need envelopes. What are some best practices for mailing them?
“You’ll need a square envelope, which requires extra postage, so be sure to build that into your budget. It can be worth the spend for the impact it makes in the mailbox. Consider using color on the envelope, messaging, shimmery paper or special print effects.

“Also, be sure to plan for the envelope at the beginning of the design process. Envelope production, printing and ordering is a very real part of the job workflow, so unless you want a white woven standard envelope for your special project, be sure to plan ahead to avoid delays and drama when the deadlines come due.”

We’re also able to print variable data on Tulips. What are some of your favorite content ideas for variable data printing?
“If you’re considering the Tulip for invitations or higher education, everyone loves to see their name on the piece, as part of a sentence, question or callout. That’s an easy one. Next-level variable would be a personalized map from your address to the location of the school or event.

“If you’re using it for promotion, a product launch or announcement, it’s awesome to provide a personalized URL or QR code to get people to the online information or demo faster. Other nice options for personalization include variable imagery so the target audience can better relate to the information – gender, age and life stage can be really powerful and persuasive visuals (and being off-target on those images can make or break the connection with the recipient).”