Branded postcards instead of photo strips: a custom setup for Longchamp in Vienna

In short: For Longchamp at the boutique on Graben 14 in Vienna, guests were not meant to leave with photo strips but with a real, branded postcard. We combined our Photo Booth Classic with a custom setup: pre-printed postcards on heavy card stock, an inkjet printer instead of the usual thermal printer, and a dedicated landscape layout. Here is how it works and what matters along the way.

The brief: a keepsake that stays

On 27 November 2025 we were at the Longchamp store on Graben 14, in the middle of Vienna's city centre. The client's wish was clearly stated: every guest should take home something that doesn't look like an event souvenir but like the brand. A postcard in the corporate design, with the guest's own photo on it, sturdy enough to stand up and real enough to be posted.

That sounds like a small thing, but technically it is exactly the point where a standard photo booth reaches its limit.

Why the usual photo printer isn't enough here

Photo booths normally rely on a dye-sublimation printer. It is fast, smudge-proof and delivers the classic photo strip or 4x6 print in seconds. What it cannot do is handle arbitrary material. It prints on the paper that matches its cassette, edge to edge. Heavy postcard stock, a pre-printed reverse side or an address field are out of reach.

That is exactly why we rebuilt the setup for this job.

The custom setup: Photo Booth Classic plus inkjet printer

Next to the photo station, an inkjet printer stood on its own stand. It takes the thicker card a postcard needs and prints precisely into the area left blank on the pre-printed cards. For guests, the process stayed as simple as ever: step up, trigger the shot, wait a moment, take the card.

• Pre-printed cards: the postcards arrived fully designed from the print shop, including the reverse side with address field and brand elements.
• Inkjet instead of thermal: the only way to feed and print heavy card stock cleanly.
• Dedicated layout: the guest photo sits in landscape format inside a frame in the client's design, with the brand wordmark below.
• A real postcard: anyone who wanted to could put a stamp on it and send it.

What decides whether it works in practice

A setup like this lives on the details. Three of them matter most, in our experience:

Registration has to be right. When the photo lands inside the pre-printed frame to the millimetre, the card looks like a single piece. That is why we test layout and card stock together beforehand with real material, not on screen.

Drying time belongs in the plan. Inkjet output is not instantly smudge-proof the way a thermal print is. In practice that means a short resting surface and guests who don't press their thumb on the fresh side.

The pace is different. A thermal printer delivers in around ten seconds; an inkjet needs longer for a high-quality card. With constant demand you either add a second station or design the flow so the wait fits the shopping experience — which works well in a store, because guests keep browsing anyway.

Why a postcard beats a photo strip in retail

In bricks-and-mortar retail it is rarely about the maximum number of pictures. It is about someone still holding something after the visit that recalls the brand. A postcard ends up on the fridge, the desk or a shelf — and it carries the brand's design further instead of hiding it in a standard frame. Sent by post, the brand even reaches a second person.

For the store it also means the station gives customers a reason to stay longer and start a conversation. Exactly what a shop has over an online store.

What you can take from this for your own activation

The principle is not limited to postcards. As soon as the keepsake needs a particular format, material or pre-printed reverse side, it pays to look at the printer before choosing the device. Standing cards, tags, voucher cards or invitations all work the same way.

Planning an in-store activation, a customer evening or a promotion, with a clear idea of what guests should take home? Tell us what the result should look like and we will find the right combination of photo booth and print technology. More ideas for corporate clients are on our corporate events page, and all our proven devices are in the Classic Line.

FAQ: branded postcards from a photo booth

Can every photo booth print postcards?

No. The usual dye-sublimation printer is tied to its paper format. Card stock, pre-printed cards or special formats need an inkjet printer in a custom setup.

How long does one card take?

Longer than a classic photo strip. We factor the print time into the flow beforehand and match the number of stations to it.

Who designs the cards?

The reverse side and the frame come from the client's design; we build the layout for the photo area. Plan roughly a week of lead time so a real test print is possible.

Does it work in a small space?

Yes. On Graben, the station and printer fitted into a few square metres between the sales areas. All it needs is a power socket and enough room for guests to stand comfortably in front of it.