Japan vs OVOU: Who does business cards better?

Japan is well known for its business card culture, but could the emergence of OVOU’s ‘smart business card’ put traditional print in jeopardy?

Japanese business cards, also known as Meishi, are treated with respect and care in a ritualistic exchange. It’s an opportunity to make a positive first impression, both through the quality of your card and your ability to exchange them correctly. Furthermore, it’s a chance to understand and acknowledge who you’re meeting with.

OVOU is the opposite. The company allows you to purchase a durable plastic card with a QR code for others to scan. This code leads people to your digital profile, featuring all the information they would otherwise find on your business card, plus space to ‘tell your story’ should you wish.

It’s a swift exchange compared to Japan’s approach, but at what cost?

Although an OVOU card will set you back $80, it’s a one-time purchase that offers unlimited usage. As traditional business cards are physically exchanged, you will need to order more every time you run out. In Japan, it’s customary to exchange cards with everyone in a meeting, so running out of cards is to be expected.

The ability to present more information on your OVOU profile than you could on a traditional business card is another advantage of going digital, however the existence of platforms like LinkedIn make this benefit seem redundant.?

Looks matter

OVOU seems like a cost-efficient, environmentally friendly option at a glance, but it has one major flaw: all cards look identical. The company provides simple black cards with silver foiling. Your name, title, and company logo on the front, the QR code and OVOU logo on the back. For a first impression, it doesn’t exactly showcase your unique brand.

Japan’s Meishi often follow a standard layout, but at least an effort is made to choose quality paper, an elegant font, and keep the cards in pristine condition. Out of respect, Japanese people will always examine each card they receive and carefully store them in a card holder - never shove them in their pocket or bag.

It’s much like the infamous business card scene in American Psycho - sans the obsessiveness and one-upmanship. Patrick Bateman slides his card across the table, "That's bone. And the lettering is something called Silian Grail.”, he says smugly, only to be outdone by his colleagues. Although the Japanese would never have such a hostile exchange, they certainly pay attention to detail when it comes to printed collateral.

Who does it best?

Whilst both approaches have their merits, it’s unlikely that ‘smart business cards’ would take over Japan due to the country's?deeply embedded business etiquette, but brands like OVOU could prove popular elsewhere.

OVOU’s digital approach risks encouraging a ‘scan now, look later’ attitude, potentially sacrificing authentic conversation between new connections. It also means people must use phones to exchange information, which would be considered rude in a Japanese meeting. These convenient, cookie-cutter cards can’t help but feel transactional compared to the warmth of a verbal introduction.

Although Japan’s Meishi exchange may seem elaborate, it?offers a more reciprocal and meaningful experience that outshines OVOU on multiple fronts. The future may be digital, but print is certainly not dead.

What do you think? Share your thoughts in the comments.