CLEVELAND, July 22 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- It might come as somewhat of a surprise, but during the summer months the movie theater and greeting card aisle actually have a lot in common. Just as film lovers flock to the cinema to enjoy the newest movies, those looking to delight friends or family with the latest greetings make their way to the nearest card department. Doing its part to keep consumers entertained as they peruse the newest cards, American Greetings Corp (NYSE: AM) has enhanced its selection with great new lines and fun formats.
With more options in the card aisle, consumers will not only find new ways to celebrate the important people and occasions in their lives, they will also enjoy the process even more.
"To our consumers, card sending is all about the emotional connection and the experience," said Carol Miller, executive director of new product concepts at American Greetings. "People really do love to uncover new ideas in the card aisle, and then share them with family and friends. We recognize the joy that shoppers take in this, it's why we work so hard to create fun ways to connect, and it's why we are so excited about our lines this summer."
One of the new offerings sure to excite consumers is a special line of "pop-up" cards that feature high-quality audio, synchronized lights, motion, vibration, and other effects. Shoppers can enjoy illustrated scenes that come to life and beautiful arrangements of lights and sound harmoniously synced together.
Another fun introduction translates the classic comedy formula of set-up and punch line into a new humorous experience. These cards are highlighted by two complementary sounds that combine to enhance the joke. When the recipient opens their greeting the first, "set-up," sound can be heard, and when they open the inside panel another sound plays accenting the effect of the punch line. One example reads, "a little birdie told me it's your birthday." The first inside panel plays the sound of a bird chirping happily and reads, "he also told me your age!" The final panel opens to the sound of a cartoonish shotgun blast, and reads, "clearly he knew too much."
No summer would be complete without something fun for kids, and American Greetings has just the right product. The company recently introduced special music and sound envelopes complete with an accompanying card, just for kids. As the child opens the envelope they are surprised and delighted by a song or sound bite that sets the environment for the accompanying greeting card. Featuring the popular birthday themes of princesses, pirates, animals and more, the envelopes and cards are not only convenient, but also a lot of fun.
Consumers can find these exciting new products at leading specialty, mass, grocery and drug store channels nationwide. Visit www.corporate.americangreetings.com for more information and store locations. You can also follow us on Twitter at, www.twitter.com/amgreetings.
About American Greetings Corporation
For more than 100 years, American Greetings Corporation (NYSE: AM) has been a manufacturer and retailer of innovative social expression products that assist consumers in enhancing their relationships. The Company's major greeting card brands are American Greetings, Carlton Cards, Gibson, Recycled Paper Greetings and Papyrus, and other paper product offerings include DesignWare party goods, American Greetings and Plus Mark gift-wrap and boxed cards. American Greetings also has the largest collection of electronic greetings on the Web, including cards available at AmericanGreetings.com through AG Interactive, Inc. (the Company's online division). AG Interactive also offers digital photo sharing and personal publishing at PhotoWorks.com and Webshots.com and a one-stop source for online graphics and animations at Kiwee.com. In addition to its product lines, American Greetings also creates and licenses popular character brands through the American Greetings Properties group. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, American Greetings generates annual revenue of approximately $1.7 billion, and its products can be found in retail outlets domestically and worldwide. For more information on the Company, visit http://corporate.americangreetings.com.
SOURCE American Greetings Corporation
