GO-CARD

GO-CARD is a Danish advertising and art postcard medium, described as the world's oldest dedicated postcard medium. The company was founded in 1990 by Anders Elberling in a basement room on Østerbro in Copenhagen, after he observed that Parisian cafés were being used as distribution hubs for flyers and postcards. He developed the basic concept of GO-CARD upon returning from his study trip, and the format has since become a familiar fixture in Danish urban life. GO-CARD places free-to-take postcards in racks (stativer) in cafés, cinemas, restaurants and take-away outlets across Denmark. The cards serve a dual purpose: they carry advertising campaigns for brands and events, and they also function as art postcards. According to the Danish Wikipedia entry, GO-CARD distributes more than 30 million postcards per year in Denmark. The company's own website emphasizes that GO-CARDs are among the most popular media among consumers, citing Kantar Gallup research on Danish attitudes toward advertising in different media, and highlights seasonal campaigns such as Christmas and Easter as especially effective. The business model is campaign-based: advertisers book placements and supply materials by specified deadlines, and GO-CARD handles production and distribution through its rack network. The website notes that special productions can often be arranged at short notice. GO-CARD also offers topboards and café distribution as part of its offering. The company is based in Denmark and operates primarily in the Danish market, with contact details including a Danish phone number and email address on its homepage. As a niche out-of-home advertising medium, GO-CARD occupies a distinctive position between traditional print advertising and ambient media. Its long history, high consumer acceptance and broad physical footprint in everyday Danish locations give it a recognizable brand presence in Danish cities.

GO-CARD was founded in 1990 by Anders Elberling. The idea originated during a study trip abroad, when Elberling noticed that cafés in Paris were being used as distribution centres for flyers, postcards and similar printed matter. Upon returning home, he developed the basic concept for what became GO-CARD, setting up the business in a basement room on Østerbro in Copenhagen. The Danish Wikipedia entry describes the resulting format as the world's oldest dedicated postcard medium. From its Copenhagen origins, GO-CARD grew into a nationwide network of postcard racks placed in cafés, cinemas, restaurants and take-away outlets. The racks are free for consumers to browse and take cards from, making the medium an accessible, ambient form of advertising and a channel for art postcards. Over time the company expanded its distribution volume to more than 30 million postcards per year in Denmark, according to the Danish Wikipedia entry. The company's own website presents GO-CARD as a campaign-based advertising medium with recurring booking and material deadlines, and notes that special productions can often be arranged at short notice. It also highlights seasonal opportunities such as Christmas and Easter, when consumer interest in themed cards is especially high, and cites Kantar Gallup research indicating that GO-CARD ranks at the top among Danish consumers' attitudes toward advertising in different media. The site also mentions topboards and café distribution as part of the offering. GO-CARD has maintained a continuous presence in the Danish market since 1990 and remains active, with its homepage serving as the primary commercial channel for booking campaigns and contacting the company.

• 1990

  GO-CARD founded by Anders Elberling in a basement room on Østerbro, Copenhagen.

• GO-CARD grows into a nationwide network of postcard racks in cafés, cinemas, restaurants and take-aways.

• Distribution volume reaches more than 30 million postcards per year in Denmark.

Free-to-take postcard advertising medium distributed in cafés, cinemas, restaurants and take-aways; positioned as one of Denmark's most popular advertising media among consumers.

• Advertising postcards

• Art postcards

• Postcard racks (stativer)

• Topboards

• Café distribution

1. 1GO-CARD | Go-cardgo-card.dk
2. 2Go-Cardwikidata.org
3. 3GO-CARD postkortda.wikipedia.org