enriching lives

enriching lives
a pa s s i o n t o c r e at e . a m i s s i o n t o e n r i c h l i v e s .
f or nearly 100 years,
hallmark has believed
in the very best of human
nature, the desire each
of us has to live a life that
intertwines in meaningful
ways with others.
That belief stirs our passion – a passion that has built legends,
pioneered an industry and enriched countless lives. A passion that you
see and feel in everything that bears the Hallmark name – in a store,
in your mailbox, on the Internet, on your television.
That belief drives our mission to enrich people’s lives. All that we do
is ignited by our respect for and deep understanding of people. It is
fanned by creativity and crafted into products and services that serve
three essential human needs: to express ourselves as individuals…to
embrace our relationships with others… and to make our lives rich
with celebration.
t o c o m m u n i c at e .
t o c o n n e c t.
t o c e l e b r at e .
NEW IMAGE PENDING
communicating ...
Of all the creatures on earth, only humans tell stories.
It is our nature to express ourselves.
And there are as many unique, personal and varied ways to do that as there are
people. That’s why Hallmark and its family of companies create so many
different products and services, ranging from greeting cards and gifts to crayons
and magazines. It’s why the goal of each one is literally to capture your imagination, give voice to your thoughts and feelings. And why
each is incomplete until you breathe your life into it and share it
with a friend, a loved one, a family member.
... sharing the story of our lives.
Communication force.
tomorrow’s solutions.
Family entertainment.
Even before we have the words,
we have the urge to communicate.
The creative impulses of young
storytellers are the bits of magic
stored in Crayola brand crayons,
markers and paints, or unleashed
in the potential of Silly Putty,
Model Magic or Color Wonder
Sprayer. No one knows this
better than the creative masters
at Hallmark subsidiary Crayola,
who more than a century ago
turned a simple stick of colored
wax into one of America’s most
beloved brands, and today are
inventing the next generation of
creative activities.
To understand the power of
a card, just think of the day’s
mail and how you feel when
you discover an envelope with
a familiar name on the return
address and the Hallmark logo
embossed on the flap. Or think
of the excitement you feel when
you’re shopping the card display
and find one that’s so perfect,
you can barely wait to send it.
When you have something to say,
there’s nothing like a greeting
card to provide the words, the
images – sometimes the sounds,
too! – and the emotional context.
At the intersection of the human
impulse to communicate and
Hallmark’s timeless creativity
lies a world where technology
expands our storytelling
options daily. And at every
turn, Hallmark is there to help.
The company that defined the
20th-century greeting card is
now redefining it, adding sound
and light to traditional cards
as well as choices like e-cards
and greeting card software, and
exploring the possibilities for
other means yet to come.
How do we learn to tell our
stories? Ancient peoples preserved
cultures through complex oral
traditions. Today, technology and
airwaves replace campfires and
elders’ voices. As we share our
stories, Hallmark is part of that
transformation. The Hallmark
Hall of Fame is television’s most
honored and enduring dramatic
series. And the Hallmark Channel
delivers programming suitable for
family storytelling to millions of
households across the nation.
COM MU N ICAT E
CREATIVE POTENTIAL.
connecting with others ...
How can we explain what brings us together?
Whether forged from family bonds, the necessity of circumstance
or a spark of chemistry, connections – and the desire to make them – are
as irresistible as gravity. There is satisfaction in knowing someone
“feels just the way I do,” and the icons of our connections carry both
power and comfort. Perfect gifts, perfect words, perfect gestures
comprise the personal language of those who connect.
It’s a language Hallmark knows well.
... living richer, fuller lives.
Just the right one.
Connections captured.
A thought that counts.
There’s something immensely
satisfying about the tangible
feel of paper, especially when it
carries a message of connection
or comfort. Career gurus tout
the power of a thank-you note;
a letter from a loved one is a
keepsake to cherish. And there’s
something about curling up
with a good magazine that is
far more satisfying than staring
at a computer screen. Hallmark,
William Arthur and other
subsidiaries make stationery
special with innovative new
products for handwriting,
home printing and gift-giving.
Hallmark Magazine celebrates
your life with ideas to nest,
nourish, renew and inspire.
What are gifts but confirmation
of our connections? Gifts from
Hallmark are tokens of caring
that convey value beyond
their physical form. They
commemorate life’s moments
big and small – a wedding,
a new baby, a birthday, an
enduring friendship. Creative
excellence and emotional content
distinguish Hallmark gifts, and
acknowledge the connections
between those who exchange
them.
CO NN E CT
Do you approach e-mail, voice
People have long used physical
mail or faxes with the desire to
objects to display their
find the perfect one to express
connections to others, and
your connection? Cards are
it’s a need Hallmark helps to
fundamentally different. By
meet. Consider picture frames
selecting and inscribing just the
and albums and the cherished
right one, you acknowledge and
moments in time they hold. Or
reinforce the connections you
“instant scrapbooks” that help us
share. Recipients respond in kind, retell stories of family vacations,
keeping your card in a memory
retirement celebrations or first
book or displaying your message
days of school. Or consider a
on a mantel, shelf or bulletin
Hallmark Keepsake Ornament,
board as evidence of your bond.
which is more than a decoration
Some 6 billion cards connect
to hang on a tree. It’s a memory
us each year in the U.S. alone;
of the first Christmas together or
more than half of them are just
evidence of a shared passion for
the right ones from Hallmark
anything from angels to rocking
and subsidiaries like Sunrise
horses to pop-culture icons.
Greetings and DaySpring.
Ink on paper.
celebrating ...
Rituals of celebration remind
us of our fundamental values.
Despite vast differences among cultures spanning the globe,
rituals of celebration can be found in all. Celebrations gather us close
to the most important people in our lives. They are marked with special
food or gifts, prayer or music, or all of that and more. They set aside time
for sharing thoughts and feelings that might feel out of place in
other settings. Developing products that inspire celebrations
is some of the most rewarding work we do.
... embracing shared traditions.
PARTY PLANNING.
Great expectations.
Celebrating memories.
What cards whisper between
two people, flowers shout to all.
Flowers mark milestones, grace
homes and offices, and honor
athletes and talent show proteges.
They bring color to any corner at
any moment and are among the
happiest gifts possible. Hallmark
Flowers bouquets give beautiful
new meaning to the notion of
sending the very best and are
among the range of gift options
available from Hallmark Flowers
& Gifts through Hallmark.com.
A moment in time is captured.
Then another, and another.
Maybe with a photograph.
Maybe with a ticket stub or a
fragment of confetti or napkin
turned souvenir. You arrange
them and inscribe some thoughts
or narrative along the way. And
soon, the artifacts of those
moments become enduring
celebrations of lives intertwined.
Hallmark provides the tools. You,
and those whose traditions you
celebrate, provide the memories.
CE L E BR AT E
Paper plates, napkins and
Ask any child wide-eyed with
cups… invitations, party favors
anticipation before a pile of
and decorations… they are the
gaily wrapped packages. First
infrastructure of celebration.
impressions count in gift giving.
Without them, food has nowhere
The wrap, gift bags, ribbons
to go and themes go unnoticed.
and bows that package up
Party Express from Hallmark
presents set the right tone for
puts food in its place, decorates
whatever awaits within. Hallmark
rooms, and with popular licensed “invented” gift wrap just before
properties, invites favorite
Christmas in 1917, when supplies
characters to the party. Mix-andof colored tissue traditionally
match patterns, themed designs
used for holiday packages ran
and simple solids make it easy to
out and decorated envelope
celebrate weddings, baby showers, linings offered bright substitutes.
birthday parties, New Year’s Eve
Gift wrap was born, becoming
toasts, Super Bowl Sundays and
Hallmark’s first product line
Halloween haunts.
beyond greeting cards. Today it is
an essential – and exciting – first
step in the gift giving experience.
messengers of cheer.
Each year Hallmark and its subsidiaries produce more than 40,000
products in more than 30 languages distributed in 100 countries.
Crayola products are packaged and sold in more than
80 countries and 12 different languages.
The Hallmark Channel reaches millions of
cable television subscribers in the U.S.
E-cards from Hallmark.com are
sent all over the world.
whenever, however, wherever people
communicate, connect and celebrate,
Hallmark is there.
ARABIC
CATALAN
CHINESE
CROATIAN
CZECH
JAPANESE
DANISH
KOREAN
DUTCH
LATVIAN
ENGLISH
LITHUANIAN
ESTONIAN
MALAY
FILIPINO
MARATHI
(AKA TAGALOG)
NORWEGIAN
FINNISH
POLISH
FLEMISH
PORTUGUESE
FRENCH
ROMANIAN
When your mission is to enrich people’s
lives, you must go where their lives are.
And today, our lives travel wider, move faster and keep
longer hours than ever before. That’s why you find
Hallmark not only in your own neighborhood but in 100
countries in North America, Latin America, the United Kingdom, continental Europe and
Asia Pacific. Not only in specialty shops and 3,700 Hallmark Gold Crown® stores that are
the “flagships” of the greatest selection of the Hallmark brand in the U.S. but also in more
than 30,000 drug, discount and general merchandise stores, college bookstores and military
exchanges. Not only in your mailbox but also on your television through the Hallmark
Channel, and 24 hours a day, seven days a week on the web at Hallmark.com.
Just as important as being where you are is having what you need.
That’s why we listen to you, seek to anticipate your needs and translate what we learn into
40,000 different products in more than 30 different languages, available at any given time.
GERMAN
RUSSIAN
GREEK
SLOVAK
HEBREW
SLOVENE
That’s also why each day, some 16,000 full-time employees of Hallmark and its subsidiaries
around the globe are inventing, creating, consulting, writing, designing, illustrating, editing,
photographing, testing, revising, producing, casting, printing, shipping and selling. Because
they know that no matter what the hour, place or reason, people need to communicate,
connect and celebrate – and they are counting on Hallmark to be right there with them.
HINDI
SPANISH
HUNGARIAN
SWEDISH
INDONESIAN
THAI
ITALIAN
TURKISH
UKRAINIAN
If a man goes into business
with only the idea of making
a lot of money, chances are he
won’t. But if he puts service
and quality first, the money
will take care of itself.
Producing a first-class product
that fills a real need is a much
stronger motivation for success
than getting rich.
j.c. hall
hallmark founder
transforming values into action,
1910
J.C. Hall arrives in
Kansas City and
wholesales postcards
1915
Greeting card
production begins
1923
Company incorporates
as Hall Brothers
1928
“Hallmark” name
appears on all cards
1944
“When You Care Enough
to Send the Very Best”
slogan developed
legacy into destiny.
At age 18, Nebraska native Joyce
Clyde Hall arrived in Kansas City,
Missouri, with two shoeboxes full
of postcards under his arm and
the American Dream in his heart.
1949
Hallmark crown and
script logo created
1951
First Hallmark Hall of
Fame production
1954
Company name
officially becomes
Hallmark Cards, Inc.
The postcards sold and the dream came true. Both successes were born of values “Mr. J.C.”
1960
Partyware introduced
that have lived on in the leadership of his son, Donald J. Hall, and now current president
1966
Donald J. Hall becomes
president and chief
executive officer
1973
embraced when in 1910 he founded the company that would become Hallmark—values
and chief executive officer Donald J. Hall, Jr.
Hallmark Keepsake
Ornaments introduced
1984
Crayola becomes part
of Hallmark
1985
Irvine O. Hockaday, Jr.
becomes president and
chief executive officer
1986
Select shops designated
Hallmark Gold Crown®
stores
1996
Hallmark.com launched
2001
Hallmark Channel debuts
2002
Donald J. Hall, Jr.,
becomes president and
chief executive officer
2006
Hallmark Magazine
launched
ARCHITECT OF AN INDUSTRY.
J.C. Hall’s entrepreneurial spirit led him from postcards to greeting cards…spurred
the invention of modern gift wrap…changed the way greeting cards were displayed in
stores…created the renowned Hallmark Hall of Fame…and made his company’s name
synonymous with quality and caring. It spawned friendships with the likes of Winston
Churchill, Walt Disney, Norman Rockwell and Dwight D. Eisenhower, which in turn led to
such artistic collaborations and innovations as the first Presidential Christmas cards.
Today’s Hallmark remains privately owned and guided by values of quality and innovation.
Its remarkable history is chronicled in the Hallmark Visitors Center adjoining the
company’s world headquarters in Kansas City, Missouri.
caring enough
to be the very best.
The unmistakable five-point crown ... The oft-quoted slogan ...
The reference to anything that brings people together as a
“Hallmark moment.”
Such are the benefits of a brand so trusted by American consumers that everything from
The world headquarters of
Hallmark Cards, Inc., is on
the southern edge of downtown Kansas City, Missouri.
partyware to television programming gains stature under its name.
ENRICHING LIVES BEGINS AT HOME.
With strong benefits, family-friendly work policies and unparalleled creative resources,
Hallmark’s work environment is the envy of much of corporate America. Employees own
a part of the privately held company and share in its success through profit sharing.
WHERE WE LIVE AND WORK.
Hallmark’s world headquarters is in Kansas City, Missouri. But Hallmark has many
A wealth of creative
resources—from digital
archives to an art materials
center—helps employees
explore creative innovations.
“hometowns.” With distribution centers and production plants in Missouri, Kansas,
Connecticut, Illinois, Texas, Mississippi and Georgia and with subsidiaries headquartered
in many other states, the headquarters of Hallmark International in England and offices
in places as far-flung as Japan and Australia, Hallmark is truly at home in many corners
of the globe.
COMMITMENT TO COMMUNITY.
Hallmark owes much of its success to the communities in which it operates, and it gratefully
returns the favor with philanthropic support of children’s health and education initiatives,
Crown Center transformed
years of decay in Hallmark’s
hometown with vibrant hotel,
office, retail and residential
facilities.
citizen service, the arts, and urban communities. One example is Kaleidoscope, a creative art
experience where children discover the excitement of creative self-expression. Another
is Crown Center, a real estate development that rejuvenated the urban neighborhood around
Hallmark’s headquarters. Programs as focused as providing state governors with cards to
remind new parents of the importance of immunization … as widespread as support of
United Way campaigns…and as fundamental as employee volunteerism are a few of the ways
Hallmark enriches lives in the communities where it has facilities.
It is an awesome responsibility, and an incredible privilege,
to lead a company dedicated to enriching lives. At Hallmark,
we are invited to give voice to people’s feelings – of joy and grief,
of compassion and healing.
We provide ways for people to express themselves and are there when
they celebrate life’s seasons. We help them reach out with words of
hope and encouragement every day. These are enduring human needs,
which is why I have such confidence in the future of our company.
donald j. hall, jr.
president and chief executive officer
hallmark cards, inc.
Inspired by you to create
our very best … every day.
We live in a world of unprecedented opportunity, at a time of
unrelenting change. Today, Hallmark is more inspired than ever to
help people communicate more meaningfully, connect more deeply,
and celebrate more joyously. Turning that inspiration into products and
services that bring people together is part of a never-ending cycle that
begins and ends with real life.
As the cycle changes, so do the things we create. But the needs we
fulfill do not. Like our founder stepping off the train in Kansas City
nearly a century ago, our eyes look straight ahead and see many more
dreams to share and lives to enrich.
hallmark cards, inc.
2501 mcgee trafficway
kansas city, missouri 64108
800.425.5627
www.hallmark.com
http://pressroom.hallmark.com
© 2007 hallmark cards, inc.