News

Do you have an idea for a greeting card campaign? Let the Greeting Card Association (GCA) help make it a reality! GCA is seeking for a disruptive and engaging campaign that reminds consumers, in an ongoing way, about the power of sending and receiving greeting cards.This initiative will complement both the 18 Million Thanks and Thinking of You Week programs already in place, which encourage individuals to write to one another.

The “winning idea” will be chosen by fellow publishers and consumers in a publicly available survey. Ideas must be submitted by June 26, 2020. GCA will work with the winner to transform the idea into a broad consumer-facing campaign that has industry-wide support to launch in August of 2020.

The situation

The COVID-19 pandemic created a situation where many people are more physically and emotionally isolated than ever before, and conversations and protest around equality and justice have everyone questioning their thoughts and communications. Consumers are actively looking for solutions to solve their need for connection.

The opportunity 

There are over 200 million adult card buyers in the U.S. GCA knows that consumers want to buy more cards and do buy more cards when they are reminded to. In fact, the majority of consumers say that there was at least one instance in the last year where they wanted to buy a card for someone but didn’t.

This year, more than ever before, there is an opportunity to help consumers stay connected to the ones they love, and even express support and voice opinions beyond their immediate circle.

The approach

GCA wants to develop a PR campaign for the greeting card category that it supports, in whatever ways we can. “Our collective voice as an industry will be stronger than any one company,” noted GCA. “By uniting under one message promoting the sending of greeting cards, we can leverage the creative talents, social media channels and PR contacts of all companies, while reminding consumers of the unique power of a card. This also gives us the ability to partner with the US Postal Service, which garnered over 80,000 Twitter followers with their USPS Help campaign.”

This campaign will not replace any PR work being done by individual companies; this is a case where more is MORE.

The Process 

As an industry association, GCA is uniquely positioned to do this – and quickly – based on the creative talents of its members. GCA will leverage those creative strengths to develop a powerful, motivating central idea & message behind the campaign. 

Step 1

For all those that are interested in participating, GCA wants to hear your ideas for the campaign. Consider these questions as thought-starters:

• Why are greeting cards a better way to connect?
• What role can greeting cards play in consumers’ emotional health and wellness with everything going on?
• Why and how are greeting cards still the most powerful way to tell moms and dads and loved ones just how much they mean to us?  
• Describe your idea in a brief paragraph accompanied by a headline/tagline that is social media-worthy. 

Step 2

Idea submissions will be evaluated by volunteer GCA publishers and the top five ideas will be broadcast via public survey. The winning idea needs to be fresh and disruptive in order to garner media attention. “Don’t be afraid to submit something that’s a little out there,” noted Dave Phipps, Avanti Press and GCA PR committee chair.

Step 3

The GCA PR committee develops the media plan for the campaign and partners with the winner to develop a simple style guide behind it, which is then shared with the broader GCA community. The winner is not responsible for the development of visual assets or collateral unless they choose to participate in that way. The winner will retain credit for the idea and be promoted in media opportunities. The winner may also be made a spokesperson for media inquiries if desired.

Step 4

GCA member companies help develop individual creative assets that support the campaign and pivot as needed based on media response.

Step 5

GCA member companies help develop individual creative assets that support the campaign and pivot as needed based on media response.

Next Steps

• Submit ideas to the GCA PR committee by Friday, June 26.

For more information, contact Dave Phipps, Avanti Press, Inc., GCA PR committee chair at 800-228-2684, ext. 8644, or via email [email protected].