The New Normal: Hallmark Helps Navigate the Journeys of Life

KANSAS CITY, Mo., Feb. 19 /PRNewswire/ -- We've all been there. A loved one is diagnosed with cancer ... a family member is considering adoption after years of infertility ... a friend just met her weight loss goal ... a colleague is providing ongoing care for an aging parent ... and we're just not sure what to say -- so we often say nothing at all. Ninety percent of consumers polled by Hallmark said they wanted more choices in encouragement cards that would allow them to share support in unique ways for real life situations.

In response, Hallmark is introducing "Journeys," a collection of 176 greeting cards, that help people through a difficult time, empathize with them, celebrate a success, or simply brighten their day with a smile.

"We saw a huge need for cards covering a large emotional range, from sharing grief to celebrating the joy of recovery," says Cynthia Musick, editorial director for Journeys. "When we started talking to people, they told us they needed cards for events that really do happen in life. This is the 'new normal' in which we live. Basically, they gave us permission to talk about these specific, sometimes scary life moments."

The messages in the Journeys cards range from serious to light-hearted and religious to secular. All are written with a warm, authentic, casual, and sometimes humorous feel. Some cover specific events, such as cancer treatment, rehab, divorce, job loss, diet support, and adoption, while others are appropriate for more general situations, like celebrating a personal victory or simply saying thanks. The expert writers behind the development of Journeys considered four main themes when developing the line: coping, hoping, healing, and joy.

"Although the writing was prompted by specific topics, the cards don't always mention them. The creative team felt if we captured the essence or the emotion of a situation, there could be multiple uses for one card," says Musick. "The sender is seeing the card through the lens of his or her needs, so the cards fit for a variety of sending situations."

To make sure the sentiment of each card was true to life, the Journeys writers conducted research, attended focus groups, talked with people who had experienced certain situations and, in some instances, were even able to draw upon their own personal experiences.

"When my father was diagnosed with cancer, my family tried hard not to let it change how we dealt with him," explained Hallmark Journeys writer Linda Morris. "Cancer doesn't change who people are. They're still the same people we love, laugh with, even get mad at. That never changes, and I wanted to convey that in some of the Journeys cards."

In addition to finding just the right words, the creative team was also very particular in designing the right look of the cards as well. For example, Hallmark researched the psychology of color and selected colors that evoke emotions like optimism (yellow), hope (green), endurance (orange), nurturing (pink), and faith (blue). The result is a bright, uplifting color palette, not typical with traditional encouragement card lines.

"I've had so many people say to me, 'I can't wait until these cards come out!'" said Musick. "We know Journeys is something that is really going to help people, and that's not just exciting -- that's unbelievably rewarding."

Journeys cards are now available at Hallmark Gold Crown Stores nationwide. For more about Journeys, log on to http://hallmark.com/Journeys .

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 subsidiary is the leading producer of art materials for children and students. Through licensing leadership and joint ventures, Hallmark continues to expand its product formats and distribution avenues. The company publishes products in more than 30 languages and distributes them in more than 100 countries through a multi-national strategy. In 2005, Hallmark reported consolidated net revenues of $4.2 billion.