Mar 12, 2011
23rd Annual LOUIE Awards Finalists Announced

New York, NY – The Greeting Card Association (GCA) has announced the finalists for the 23rd Annual LOUIE Awards. Of the thousands of cards and invitations published each year, 159 cards reached the final round of the 2010 Awards. The competition drew approximately 950 entries from 160 companies worldwide, including entrants from Canada, Israel, India and England. All entries were marketed and sold in the United States during the 2010 calendar year.

Many of the companies were first-time LOUIE entrants, with almost 30% becoming finalists. Responding to a Call for Entries sent out in late November, competitors entered their most dazzling creative work in a total of 53 categories, 25 of which were divided by price. Superbly Stated was the only category without the requisite price break, and this year’s Awards marked the addition of new and exciting categories such as “Production Innovations” and a variety of invitation-specific divisions.

“The significant number of first time entrants who have become nominees/finalists demonstrates the exciting creativity and innovation that continues to make greeting cards relevant and fun even in today’s electronic world. We can’t wait to see the winners in every category receive their awards on May 16th,” said Andy Meehan of Development Solutions Global, the 23rd Annual LOUIE Awards Strategic Chair. In addition to chairing this year’s Awards, Andy has committed to undertaking an expansive revamping of the Awards, making them more modern, meaningful, and valuable for entrants and for the Greeting Card Association as a whole.

LOUIE judging took place February 2 – 3, 2011 in New York City, in conjunction with the New York International Gift Fair. The 22 judges included prominent retailer buyers such as Kate’s Paperie and Barnes and Noble, industry suppliers, independent sales representatives and first-time blogger judges. Each entry was reviewed based on reworked criteria which included Originality, Impact, Design Excellence, Sendability and Value.

Winners in every category, as well as the “Cards of the Year” will be announced during this year’s LOUIE celebration on Monday, May 16th, 2011 at ESpace in New York City. The event will take place from 6:30 to 10:30 pm. To purchase tickets, please visit www.greetingcard.org. The nominees will be showcased in a special LOUIE Awards display designed by the winner of a first-time competition between leading fixturing companies at the Jacob K. Javits Center during the National Stationery Show®, May 15 – 18, 2011 in New York City. The winner of the LOUIE Awards display competition will create a one-of-a-kind “card store” for the nominees, and will have the opportunity for their design to be used to display nominees for the upcoming Awards in 2012 as well.

“The LOUIE display is a must-see on the National Stationery Show exhibit floor. Involving a major fixturing supplier to create and manufacture the display is an incredible vehicle for that supplier’s visibility, while providing an exciting new feature to the NSS that I’m confident will be very well received,” said Patti Stracher, Show Manager for the National Stationery Show®.

In addition to a variety of industry suppliers who aid in the production of the LOUIE printed materials and the program book, sponsors of this year’s LOUIEs include The United States Postal Service, JAST Company Limited, American Greetings Corporation, Bobst Group North America, FREEMAN, GLM and the National Stationery Show®, GREETINGS, etc., Hallmark Cards, Inc., Infinity Foils, Inc., and Stationery Trends. Through their financial support, these companies, along with many others, ensure the success of the LOUIEs.

To learn more about the LOUIE Awards and to purchase tickets to the event, please visit www.greetingcard.org and click the “Connection: It’s in the Cards” logo, or visit the LOUIE Awards Facebook page for up-to-the-minute news and updates regarding this years’ revamped LOUIE Awards.

Media Contact:

Rachel Lexier, BDE Rachel@BDEONLINE.biz 212.353.1383

Rachel Lexier

BDE

665 Broadway, Suite 704

New York, NY 10012

P: 212.353.1383

F: 212.353.2005

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