Question

I have my own design department, what specifications should they work to?

Answer

Much depends on the design; however there are a few golden rules and these are listed in our artists link. However, if you require something unique or specific, such as an alternative shape, please contact us by email and we will call you or your designer direct.

Question

I do not have a designer can you offer these services, if so, what will it cost?

Answer

We have our own in house artists who are fully conversant with the intricacies of coaster design and know how best to get the maximum visual impact. The costs will vary depending on the design you choose, because we can offer full process printing, designs can have real impact, but these designs often require unique designs. On the other hand, we also have a limited design selection, which will help to keep the cost down. With Thirsty’s the choice is always yours!

Question

Do you have any objections if I ask my advertising agency to deal direct with you?

Answer

We are happy to deal direct with your advertising agency or your marketing department.

Question

Do you charge per colour used?

Answer

No, our prices always include full colour processing, so no embarrassing extras!

Question

Do you print on one or both sides?

Answer

We offer a transparent pricing policy, so our prices always include printing on both sides, so once again, no nasty add-ons or extra costs to worry about.

Question

What will it cost me?

Answer

Pricing is always dependent on volume, however, to cater for smaller requirements, we offer Group Buy Runs, this allows us to pool requests for smaller quantities and print them at one time. This permits you to benefit from lower pricing, but can lead to a small delay.

Question

What are your minimum volumes?

Answer

On pulp board coasters (beermats), the minimum quantity for our Group Buy Runs is 10,000, but this is rarely enough, so most people opt for around 25,000 for the smaller business. In addition, because the pulp board coasters are so inexpensive, smaller quantities can result in the design costs being disproportionate to the total cost of the job. SuperCoaster’s normally come in minimum quantities of 2,500, but once again, our Group Buys Runs would allow you to place orders for quantities as low as 500, without significant financial penalty.

Question

Surely you just want to maximise your volumes

Answer

Yes and no. Our is a business and we are not embarrassed to admit that we want to make a profit. However, we are all passionate about the virtues of the humble coaster as a low cost advertising medium. Moreover, we want you to be happy, if we don’t think this type of advertising is right for you or the quantities appropriate, we will tell you!

Question

What are your lead times?

Answer

Again this depends on you. From receipt of artwork, the average job would be completed within around 6 weeks, however, we can substantially reduce this lead-time, but this would be at additional cost, which would be advised to you at the time of your enquiry.

Question

How would you suggest we go about planning?

Answer

Well the secret of reducing your investment in this medium is careful planning. If you are planning your campaigns two or three months in advance, then you can take advantage of the better prices and there is ample time to vary artwork and designs. However, if you campaign is far more urgent, then you have to be prepared to compromise on design and be willing to pay a premium.

Question

What type of coaster should we opt for, SuperCoaster or Beermat?

Answer

This very much depends on your application and budget. More information on the virtues of our SuperCoaster and Pulp board coasters is available by clicking on the links.

Question

What types of marketing campaigns are coasters best utilised for?

Answer

We have a whole section devoted to Coaster Ideas, so please feel free to view these suggestions. In addition, we would add, that pulp board coasters are an excellent campaign element. For example we have had mobile phone service providers using these coasters as a bill stuffer over a 12 month period to sell value added services. These campaigns really work!

Question

I have more questions that are not answered here…

Answer

Please feel free to call or email us and we will be delighted to advise you further.