Hallmark Announces Your Funniest Pet Photo Finalists ... and New Challenge to Create Funniest Greeting Card

KANSAS CITY, Mo., March 3 /PRNewswire/ -- Today Hallmark announced 67 finalists in the company's latest greeting card competition. "YourPets," a nationwide search for America's funniest pet card concepts, awards those finalists the chance to see their pets front and center on a Hallmark card to be sold online and in more than 13,000 retail outlets beginning June 16. Today also marks the day Hallmark extends the challenge to America to bring on the funny with the launch of the next competition in the series: "YourFunny*ness," which hopes to find the funniest card creator in the country.

"YourPets" was the second contest in the new, ongoing card competition Hallmark launched last fall. Pet owners were encouraged to submit their funniest, most endearing, cutest, silliest, or most creative pet photos, along with a corresponding "birthday" sentiment for a chance to win.

"For years, Hallmark consumers have approached us with incredible ideas for greeting cards," said Ingerlene Embry, editorial director at Hallmark. "We want to encourage that passion. People love to create and get great joy out of doing so. As a company built on creativity, communicating, and connecting, we understand that. So with these competitions -- 'YourPets' and now 'YourFunny*ness' -- our goal is to provide our fans with that opportunity and the chance to have fun at the same time."

Of the more than 7,000 entries submitted in "YourPets," the overwhelming majority were pictures of -- no surprise -- our loving and faithful companions: dogs and cats. Other animals entered included bunnies, turtles, horses, pigs, hamsters, guinea pigs, birds, and yes, even chinchillas. And the pet owners were just as diverse as the animals, ranging in age from 15 to 93 and hailing from all 50 states as well as Washington, D.C.

The entries were judged by both Hallmark creative staff and experts within the pet community. Outside pet expert judges included Dr. Wayne Hunthausen, a veterinarian and pet behavior specialist, and Brian Bengelsdorf, the Art Director of Dog Fancy magazine. The finalists were selected based on:

    --  Sendability (how easily the card can be sent to multiple people)
    --  Theme (how well it fits the funny pet birthday photo theme)
    --  Humor/cohesiveness of caption (how well the photo and writing go
        together)

Meet the finalists and vote for the best pet card!

The 67 finalists will receive $250. In addition, each of the finalist card designs will be produced by Hallmark and sold online (Hallmark.com/you) and in more than 13,000 participating retail outlets beginning June 16, 2008.

Through an open online voting process, America will choose the winning design. One Grand Prize winner will be selected whose card will be available for sale at Hallmark.com/you for at least a year and may become part of another card collection. The Grand Prize also includes a $1,000 cash prize and trip to Hallmark (with the award-winning pet!) for a professional photo shoot and workshop with Hallmark's creative team.

    Meet the winners, who hailed from 30 states  ...

    ALASKA
    Angie Orr            Rogers              AK
    ALABAMA
    Joy Daly             Florence            AL
    ARKANSAS
    Cara Mohundro        Greenwood           AR
    CALIFORNIA
    Chris Davidson       Carlsbad            CA
    Kathy Schuerman      Long Beach          CA
    Victoria Bollinger   Carmichael          CA
    COLORADO
    Katy Kobs            Arvada              CO
    Meghan Bardwell      Thornton            CO
    CONNECTICUT
    Sandra Boucher       Moosup              CT
    DELAWARE
    Gary Pinder          Wilmington          DE
    Tori Carter          New Castle          DE
    FLORIDA
    Pati Twardosky       Brooksville         FL
    Nichole Kelly        Leesburg            FL
    Susana Rodriguez     Miami               FL
    Susan Rodnite        Tampa               FL
    Aj Stratemeyer       Clearwater          FL
    Barbara McCormick    Trinity             FL
    Elizabeth Shedlock   Clearwater          FL
    GEORGIA
    Linda Clement        Morganton           GA
    Christine Stranz     Morrow              GA
    ILLINOIS
    Ross Bunton          Bonnie              IL
    INDIANA
    Ashley Howe          Lawrenceburg        IN
    KANSAS
    Dustin Weant         Overland Park       KS
    Kristen Ball         Mission             KS
    LOUISIANA
    Susan McCoy          Barksdale AFB       LA
    MARYLAND
    Christie Rackley     Perry Hall          MD
    MICHIGAN
    Joan Held            Grand Haven         MI
    Andrea Boverhof      Grand Rapids        MI
    MINNESOTA
    Christina Cotter     New Brighton        MN
    MISSOURI
    Becky Anders         Springfield         MO
    Lisa Kennedy         Columbia            MO
    NORTH CAROLINA
    Beth Knight          Huntersville        NC
    NEW JERSEY
    Melissa Wolff        Medford             NJ
    Judith Hasson        Egg Harbor Twnsp    NJ
    Janice Berryman      Bloomingdale        NJ
    NEW YORK
    Christopher Fatchett Astoria             NY
    Amanda Dunbar        New York            NY
    Cindy Tangorra       New Rochelle        NY
    OHIO
    Amy  Parrish         Westerville         OH
    Lori Groger          Perrysburg          OH
    Alison Baker         Columbus            OH
    OKLAHOMA
    Marcie Price         Chickasha           OK
    Bonnie Marr          Edmond              OK
    Julie Beierschmitt   Enid                OK
    OREGON
    Dawn Beaudreau       Beaverton           OR
    PENNSYLVANIA
    Nancy Maggitti       Wayne               PA
    Brandy Benitt        Aliquippa           PA
    Stephanie Campana    Butler              PA
    Ginny Carter         Pittsburgh          PA
    Michelle Trout       Greensburg          PA
    SOUTH CAROLINA
    Tracy  Outlaw        Pendleton           SC
    TENNESSEE
    Jeanne Sharp         Knoxville           TN
    Deana Tackett        Nashville           TN
    TEXAS
    Elizabeth Siegert    Flower Mound        TX
    Jai Leigh Addison    Austin              TX
    Meredith Budwin      Austin              TX
    Todd Hubbard         Pearland            TX
    Debbie Calianno      Allen               TX
    Dustin Miller        Dallas              TX
    Georgianna Harrison  Greenville          TX
    Carol Pohlman        Plano               TX
    VIRGINA
    Jill Williams        Lynchburg           VA
    Shari Bolouri        Great Falls         VA
    WASHINGTON
    Chrissy Wilson       Bellevue            WA
    WISCONSIN
    Melissa Diedrich     Appleton            WI
    Emily Anderson       Neenah              WI
    Kelly Lang           Jackson             WI

What's next? Keep the Funny coming!

While these finalists' cards are hilarious, the funny doesn't end there. Starting today, artists, writers, and humorists alike are encouraged to submit their funniest greeting card concepts in the "YourFunny*ness" competition. Contest entries can be submitted March 3 - 23, 2008, on Hallmark.com/you, and finalists will be selected and announced on April 14, 2008. The Grand Prize winner will get $1,000 cash and a trip to Chicago to spend a weekend with Second City! Free tickets, a walking tour, a private workshop ... and of course your concept on a Hallmark card sold in more than 3,500 participating Hallmark Gold Crown(R) Stores. Anyone interested in learning more before entering can visit Hallmark.com/you.

About Hallmark Cards, Inc.

Kansas City-based Hallmark is known throughout the world for its greeting cards, related personal expression products, and television's most honored and enduring dramatic series, the Hallmark Hall of Fame. The company's Crayola(R) subsidiary provides fun and imaginative ways for children to colorfully express themselves. The company publishes products in more than 30 languages and distributes them in more than 100 countries. In 2006, Hallmark reported consolidated net revenues of $4.1 billion.