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

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (March 3, 2008) — Today Hallmark announced 67 finalists in the company’s latest greeting card competition. “YourPets,” a nationwide search for America’s funniest pet card concepts, provides those finalists with 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 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 …

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 over 3,500 participating Hallmark Gold Crown® 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® 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.