Joan Orth

Art director for Cards With Sound

Developing new ways to share the spirit of giving

Hallmark art director Joan Orth loves finding innovative ways to help others express their feelings through cards. From Thanksgiving to Halloween and everything in between, she has lent her creative expertise to the development of product lines that touch all of the major holidays.

But Joan is most excited about this Christmas, because she was part of a team that created a new holiday greeting card “experience” shoppers can share with friends and family. It’s called Say It With Music, and it’s Hallmark’s first-ever line of Cards with Sound, which combine originally-recorded Christmas music with images and words.

"We've created a whole new way to connect with the people you care about, through music – the universal language. But the message and design are what make the songs work,” Joan says. “This is the most unique product I have ever worked on.”

Joan says exchanging a holiday card is about recognizing people that contribute to others’ lives in the spirit of giving. She understands that as people’s lives evolve, so does the way they communicate. So to develop her designs, Joan keeps an eye on current trends.

"I read and watch everything I can to stay on top of what's hot, not only at the holidays, but year-round: American Idol, Lost, CNN, and the Style channel,” she adds. "They're touchstones for people's hopes and fears, as well as cultural trends.” Joan also relies on her family to keep her current. “I have teenage kids who live and breathe movies, music, fashion, and the Internet – they're so much fun!” Joan says.

As a kid herself, Joan remembers visiting her grandma’s house during the holidays, where her dad would pretend to see Santa in the sky, sparking a magical feeling in Joan and her five siblings. “Every family has memories like these,” Joan says. “My job is to help people remember and embrace that feeling through our cards.”