A flyer (or flier) is a form of
paper
Paper is a thin sheet material produced by mechanically or chemically processing cellulose fibres derived from wood, rags, grasses or other vegetable sources in water, draining the water through fine mesh leaving the fibre evenly distributed ...
advertisement
Advertising is the practice and techniques employed to bring attention to a product or service. Advertising aims to put a product or service in the spotlight in hopes of drawing it attention from consumers. It is typically used to promote a ...
intended for wide distribution and typically posted or distributed in a public place, handed out to individuals or sent through the mail. In the 2010s, flyers range from inexpensively
photocopied leaflets to expensive, glossy, full-color circulars. There are also digital flyers, similar to the printed ones, but can be shared on the internet.
Terminology
A flyer is also called a "circular", "handbill", "
pamphlet
A pamphlet is an unbound book (that is, without a hard cover or binding). Pamphlets may consist of a single sheet of paper that is printed on both sides and folded in half, in thirds, or in fourths, called a ''leaflet'' or it may consist of a ...
", "
poster
A poster is a large sheet that is placed either on a public space to promote something or on a wall as decoration. Typically, posters include both typography, textual and graphic elements, although a poster may be either wholly graphical or w ...
", "lit'" (literature), "weekly ad", "catalogue" or "leaflet".
Usage
![Flyers sobe 2](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/36/Flyers_sobe_2.jpg)
Flyers may be used by individuals,
business
Business is the practice of making one's living or making money by producing or Trade, buying and selling Product (business), products (such as goods and Service (economics), services). It is also "any activity or enterprise entered into for pr ...
es, not-for-profit organizations or governments to:
* Advertise an event such as a music
concert
A concert is a live music performance in front of an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, choir, or band. Concerts are held in a wide variety a ...
,
nightclub
A nightclub (music club, discothèque, disco club, or simply club) is an entertainment venue during nighttime comprising a dance floor, lightshow, and a stage for live music or a disc jockey (DJ) who plays recorded music.
Nightclubs gener ...
appearance,
festival
A festival is an event ordinarily celebrated by a community and centering on some characteristic aspect or aspects of that community and its religion or cultures. It is often marked as a local or national holiday, mela, or eid. A festival c ...
, or political
rally
Rally or rallye may refer to:
Gatherings
* Demonstration (political), a political rally, a political demonstration of support or protest, march, or parade
* Pep rally, an event held at a United States school or college sporting event
Sports ...
* Promote a
good
In most contexts, the concept of good denotes the conduct that should be preferred when posed with a choice between possible actions. Good is generally considered to be the opposite of evil and is of interest in the study of ethics, morality, ph ...
s-selling businesses such as a
used car
A used car, a pre-owned vehicle, or a secondhand car, is a vehicle that has previously had one or more retail owners. Used cars are sold through a variety of outlets, including franchise and independent car dealers, rental car companies, buy ...
lot
discount store
A discount store or discounter offers a retail format in which products are sold at prices that are in principle lower than an actual or supposed "full retail price". Discounters rely on bulk purchasing and efficient distribution to keep down cost ...
or a
service business such as a
restaurant
A restaurant is a business that prepares and serves food and drinks to customers. Meals are generally served and eaten on the premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services. Restaurants vary greatly in appearan ...
or
massage parlour
A massage parlor (American English) or massage parlour (Canadian/British English) is a place where massage services are provided for a fee. In the 19th century, the term began to be used in English as a euphemism for a brothel.
Context
In 189 ...
.
* Persuade people about a social, religious, or political message, as in
evangelism
In Christianity, evangelism (or witnessing) is the act of preaching the gospel with the intention of sharing the message and teachings of Jesus Christ.
Christians who specialize in evangelism are often known as evangelists, whether they are i ...
or
political campaign
A political campaign is an organized effort which seeks to influence the decision making progress within a specific group. In democracies, political campaigns often refer to electoral campaigns, by which representatives are chosen or referend ...
activities on behalf of a
political party
A political party is an organization that coordinates candidates to compete in a particular country's elections. It is common for the members of a party to hold similar ideas about politics, and parties may promote specific political ideology ...
or candidate during an election. Flyers have been used in armed conflict: for example,
airborne leaflet propaganda
Airborne leaflet propaganda is a form of psychological warfare in which leaflets ( flyers) are scattered in the air.
Military forces have used aircraft to drop leaflets to attempt to alter the behavior of combatants and non-combatants in enemy- ...
has been a tactic of
psychological warfare
Psychological warfare (PSYWAR), or the basic aspects of modern psychological operations (PsyOp), have been known by many other names or terms, including Military Information Support Operations (MISO), Psy Ops, political warfare, "Hearts and Mi ...
.
* Recruit members for organizations or companies.
Like
postcard
A postcard or post card is a piece of thick paper or thin cardboard, typically rectangular, intended for writing and mailing without an envelope. Non-rectangular shapes may also be used but are rare. There are novelty exceptions, such as wood ...
s,
pamphlet
A pamphlet is an unbound book (that is, without a hard cover or binding). Pamphlets may consist of a single sheet of paper that is printed on both sides and folded in half, in thirds, or in fourths, called a ''leaflet'' or it may consist of a ...
s and small
poster
A poster is a large sheet that is placed either on a public space to promote something or on a wall as decoration. Typically, posters include both typography, textual and graphic elements, although a poster may be either wholly graphical or w ...
s, flyers are a low-cost form of
mass marketing
Mass marketing is a marketing strategy in which a firm decides to ignore market segment differences and appeal the whole market with one offer or one strategy, which supports the idea of broadcasting a message that will reach the largest number o ...
or
communication
Communication (from la, communicare, meaning "to share" or "to be in relation with") is usually defined as the transmission of information. The term may also refer to the message communicated through such transmissions or the field of inquir ...
. There are many different flyer formats. Some examples include:
*
A4 (roughly
letterhead
A letterhead is the heading at the top of a sheet of letter paper (stationery). It consists of a name, address, logo or trademark, and sometimes a background pattern.
Overview
Many companies and individuals prefer to create a letterhead template ...
size)
* A5 (roughly half letterhead size)
* DL (
compliments slip A compliments slip (or with compliments slip) is a slip of paper that contains the same name and address information that would be on a letterhead of formal letter stationery, the pre-printed salutation "with compliments" or "with our/my compliment ...
size)
* A6 (
postcard
A postcard or post card is a piece of thick paper or thin cardboard, typically rectangular, intended for writing and mailing without an envelope. Non-rectangular shapes may also be used but are rare. There are novelty exceptions, such as wood ...
size)
Flyers are inexpensive to produce and they required only a basic
printing press
A printing press is a mechanical device for applying pressure to an inked surface resting upon a printing, print medium (such as paper or cloth), thereby transferring the ink. It marked a dramatic improvement on earlier printing methods in wh ...
from the 18th century to the 20th century. Their widespread use intensified in the 1990s with the spread of less expensive
desktop publishing
Desktop publishing (DTP) is the creation of documents using page layout software on a personal ("desktop") computer. It was first used almost exclusively for print publications, but now it also assists in the creation of various forms of online c ...
systems. In the 2010s, inexpensive black and white flyers can be produced with just a
personal computer
A personal computer (PC) is a multi-purpose microcomputer whose size, capabilities, and price make it feasible for individual use. Personal computers are intended to be operated directly by an end user, rather than by a computer expert or tec ...
and a
computer printer
In computing, a printer is a peripheral machine which makes a persistent representation of graphics or text, usually on paper. While most output is human-readable, bar code printers are an example of an expanded use for printers. Differ ...
. In the 2010s, the ordering of flyers through traditional printing services has been supplanted by
Internet
The Internet (or internet) is the global system of interconnected computer networks that uses the Internet protocol suite (TCP/IP) to communicate between networks and devices. It is a '' network of networks'' that consists of private, pub ...
services. Customers send designs, review proofs online or via e-mail and receive the final products by mail.
Flyers are not a new medium: prior to the
War of American Independence
The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...
some colonists were outraged with the
Stamp Act (1765)
The Stamp Act 1765, also known as the Duties in American Colonies Act 1765 (5 Geo. III c. 12), was an Act of the Parliament of Great Britain which imposed a direct tax on the British colonies in America and required that many printed materials i ...
and gathered together in anti-stamp act congresses and meetings. In these congresses they had to win support, and issued handbills and leaflets, pamphlets, along with other written paraphernalia, to do so.
In the 2000s, some jurisdictions have laws or
ordinances banning or restricting leafleting or flyering in certain locations. Owners of private property may put up signs saying "
Post No Bills"; this occurs particularly on wooden fences surrounding building sites or vacant lots.
Distribution and use
Flyers are handed out on the
street
A street is a public thoroughfare in a built environment. It is a public parcel of land adjoining buildings in an urban context, on which people may freely assemble, interact, and move about. A street can be as simple as a level patch of dirt, ...
(a practice known as "flyering" or "leafleting"), distributed door-to-door through the mail, posted on
bulletin board
A bulletin board (pinboard, pin board, noticeboard, or notice board in British English) is a surface intended for the posting of public messages, for example, to advertise items wanted or for sale, announce events, or provide information. B ...
s, put under windshield wipers of cars, given away at events or on the street, or affixed to telephone poles, walls, or other surfaces. Bulletin boards are found on
college campuses, in
café
A coffeehouse, coffee shop, or café is an establishment that primarily serves coffee of various types, notably espresso, latte, and cappuccino. Some coffeehouses may serve cold drinks, such as iced coffee and iced tea, as well as other non-ca ...
s, community meeting houses,
laundromat
A self-service laundry, coin laundry, laundromat, or coin wash is a facility where clothes are washed and dried without much personalized professional help. They are known in the United Kingdom as launderettes or laundrettes, and in the Unit ...
s and small markets. Cheap to produce, contemporary flyers are frequently produced in 300
g/m2 glossy card, whereas a leaflet might be produced on a 130 g/m
2–170 g/m
2 weight paper and can be a very effective form of
direct marketing
Direct marketing is a form of communicating an offer, where organizations communicate directly to a pre-selected customer and supply a method for a direct response. Among practitioners, it is also known as ''direct response marketing''. B ...
.
In the 2010s, some individuals and organizations send flyers through
e-mail
Electronic mail (email or e-mail) is a method of exchanging messages ("mail") between people using electronic devices. Email was thus conceived as the electronic ( digital) version of, or counterpart to, mail, at a time when "mail" meant ...
, a tactic that avoids spending money on paper, printing and mailing or hiring people to post the flyers on telephone poles or hand them out. The digital flyer may be embedded into the body of the e-mail or added as an attachment to be opened.
Helmand leaflets350.jpg, Distribution of leaflets over Afghanistan
Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...
by the U.S. military in 2010
Flyers in China 02.jpg, Flyers pasted to a wall in Haikou
Haikou (; ), also spelled as Hoikow is the capital and most populous city of the Chinese province of Hainan. Haikou city is situated on the northern coast of Hainan, by the mouth of the Nandu River. The northern part of the city is on the Ha ...
, Hainan
Hainan (, ; ) is the smallest and southernmost province of the People's Republic of China (PRC), consisting of various islands in the South China Sea. , the largest and most populous island in China,The island of Taiwan, which is slightly l ...
Province, China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
Löpsedel.jpg, Newspaper
A newspaper is a periodical publication containing written information about current events and is often typed in black ink with a white or gray background.
Newspapers can cover a wide variety of fields such as politics, business, sports a ...
leaflets in Sweden
Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...
, 31 July 2007. The middle one reads "Ingmar Bergman
Ernst Ingmar Bergman (14 July 1918 – 30 July 2007) was a Swedish film director, screenwriter, Film producer, producer and playwright. Widely considered one of the greatest and most influential filmmakers of all time, his films are known ...
is dead".
Commonsense.jpg, ''Common Sense
''Common Sense'' is a 47-page pamphlet written by Thomas Paine in 1775–1776 advocating independence from Great Britain to people in the Thirteen Colonies. Writing in clear and persuasive prose, Paine collected various moral and political argu ...
'' was a pamphlet that was distributed preceding the American Revolution
See also
*
Canvassing
Canvassing is the systematic initiation of direct contact with individuals, commonly used during political campaigns. Canvassing can be done for many reasons: political campaigning, grassroots fundraising, community awareness, membership driv ...
*
Folded leaflet
Leaflets that are folded are usually used for advertising or marketing purposes, or for information supplementary to labels. There are many types of folds; only the most popular types are listed here. Although it is difficult to put a date on when ...
*
Street marketing Street marketing is a form of guerrilla marketing that uses nontraditional or unconventional methods to promote a product or service.Saucet, Marcel; Cova, Bernard (2015). "The secret lives of unconventional campaigns: Street marketing on the fringe" ...
References
* Ackland-Snow, Nicola & Brett, Nathan & Williams, Steven. ''Fly: The Art of the Club Flyer.'' Watson-Guptill Publications, 1997.
* ''Searching for the Perfect Beat: Flyer Designs of the American Rave Scene.'' Watson-Guptill, 2000. by The Earth Program (Author), Neil Strauss (Introduction).
* Barcelona Club Flyers (Actar Publishing, 1999), by Tite Barbuzza (Contributor), Joan Manel Jubany (Contributor), Albert Masferrer (Contributor), Yolanda Muelas (Contributor),
* Büru Destruct (Consortium Book Sales & Dist, 1999), By Büru Destruct,
* Clubspotting (Happy Books, 2000), by Paolo Davoli & Gabriele Fantuzzi,
* Design After Dark: The Story of Dancefloor Style (Thames and Hudson, London, 1991), by Cynthia Rose,
* ''Design Agent 007: License to Design DGV.'' Die gestaften Verlag, Berlin 2002.
* ''Event Flyer Graphics.'' Nippan/Biblios, 2001.
* ''Flyer Soziotope: Topography of a Media Phenomenon.'' (Archiv der Jugendkulturen (G)/Actar (ES), 2005), German-English and English-German. ,
* Klanten, Robert & Peyerl, Andreas & Hollmann-Loges, Markus: ''Flyermania: European Flyers.'' Art Books Intl Ltd, 1998.
* ''Highflyers: Clubravepartyart.'' By 3 Beat Music. Booth Clibborn Editions, London, UK, 1995.
* Beddard, Phil: ''Nocturnal: Global Highflyers.'' Booth-Clibborn, 2000.
* Jordan, Joel T. et alii: ''Searching for the Perfect Beat: Flyer Designs of the American Rave Scene.'' Watson-Guptill Pubns, US, 2000.
External links
*
{{Authority control
Advertising publications by format
Direct marketing
Political communication
Propaganda
Pamphlets