Cards Against Humanity Has Been a Huge Win for a Small Printing Company

Tabletop card and board games are one of the most popular funding categories on Kickstarter. They’re also among the most creative and ambitious projects in terms of packaging and promotion. Designers have come up with a box that meows and popsicles that contain playing cards. Many have relied on the same source to handle the manufacture of these unlikely objects: Ad Magic, a Netcong, N.J.-based printer.

Over the past five years, the company has overseen the production of games such as Cards Against Humanity, Exploding Kittens, and Poop: The Game. Manufacturing to outlandish specifications can be a challenge, but Ad Magic Chief Executive Officer Shari Spiro doesn’t mind—as long as the game maker is ready to plan ahead. Her company helps crowdfunding clients prepare “down to the penny,” she says. “If they just pull some magic $25 sell price out of the air, it may not be enough. Some Kickstarters lose money—and we are talking about making money here.”