Just weeks after announcing it was shutting down after 25 years, Australia’s first free postcard advertising company, Avant Card, has been bought by arts and entertainment distribution company, Mr Moto.
Avant Card, which has displays in cafes, hotels, cinemas, high schools and universities across Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, will be rebranded Drawcard and joins Mr Moto’s range of promotional platforms, which includes street and café posters, digital screens and a national distribution network.
“The purchase of the Avant Card displays just made perfect sense,” says Sam Dell’Aglio, director of Mr Moto. “The Avant Card brand is something I have admired for many years and I’m excited about the new opportunities.”
Drawcard will offer clients a stronger distribution network that is unrivalled by any other media operator across the country, says Dell’Aglio. It includes cafes, bars and cultural institutions, including some of Australia’s major performing arts organisations.
Avant Card founder and MD Pat Mackle says she approached Dell’Aglio to see if he was interested in the business and is delighted they were able to make a deal.
“There was such an outpouring of support from clients and the public to keep the free postcard concept alive,” she says. “Being the number one player in the café scene and with the obvious client similarity, I approached Sam at Mr Moto to ascertain his interest in a buy-out of displays.
"Sam and the team at Mr Moto have a wealth of knowledge and media offerings. They immediately agreed it was a great opportunity, and combined with all the benefits Avant Card can offer, it’s going to be a great future for the new brand, Drawcard. With more benefits and delivering even greater results for clients, I am offering my full support in the handover and transition phase, it’s a very exciting outcome for Avant Card, and one that I am wholeheartedly behind.’
The first clients to utilise the Drawcard network will be: Arts Fair Australia; the NGV and IMAX.
Since being established in 1992, Avant Card produced more than 20,000 campaigns, and distributed more than 300 million postcards. The very last card issued under the Avant Card brand was number 20850, titled “Elvis has left the building.”
Mr Moto also offers printing services in a range of formats, including posters, flyers and brochures.