News
March 8, 2016
Greeting Card Association names LOUIE Award finalists
The Greeting Card Association (GCA) announced finalists for its LOUIE Awards, the definitive industry award recognizing outstanding art, editorial and design of greeting cards and invitations.
“The LOUIEs showcase the creativity, innovation and variety of greeting cards,” said Robin Eppard, LOUIE Awards chair and creative director, product development and merchandising, the Occasions Group.
Winners will be announced at the LOUIE Awards Gala on Sunday, May 15 at the Edison Ballroom in New York City; finalists will be on display at the GCA Pavilion at the National Stationery Show (May 15 – 18) at the Javits Center.
Winning a LOUIE award can be a significant benefit to a greeting card publisher. After winning a LOUIE award last year, Lawrence Yeh, president of New York-based Paper Pop Cards said, “These awards and being one of the sponsors of the National Stationery Show has translated into sales for us and we received orders just for being a LOUIE finalist. In addition to increasing sales, this recognition motivates our designers to create new and innovative designs.”
The GCA launched the International Greeting Card Awards – known as the “LOUIEs” in honor of Louis Prang, the “Father of the American Christmas Card,” in 1988. The LOUIE Awards celebrate the art, editorial and design of greeting cards, invitations and announcements and reinforce the relevance of sending and receiving them.
All LOUIE Award entries were marketed and sold in the U.S. in 2015. Any identifying information about the submitting company was withdrawn from each entry. A panel of 20 judges, comprised of executives and experts from throughout the industry, reviewed 921 entries submitted by more than 240 companies in nearly 60 categories. And a Blue Ribbon Panel of six judges selected two “Cards of the Year” from among all categories.
In their evaluation of all entries, judges used five criteria:
- Originality: Does the card take a unique approach to design, concept or execution?
- Impact: Does the card have emotional impact?
- Design Excellence: Is the overall look of this card visually appealing? Did the designer make good choices in typography and artwork arrangement?
- Sendability: Is the card likely to be bought and sent for the occasion or purpose specified by the category? Is its format and design functional?
- Value: Is this card priced appropriately based on the overall quality of the product?
