According to the American Greeting Card Association (an Association of greeting card publishers formed in 1941), at the start of the year 1900, American manufacturers of greeting cards saw a slump in the industry. Cheaper, foreign made cards overtook the sale of domestic greeting cards. Only ten years later, Joyce Clyde Hall, a teenager from Nebraska, came by train to Kansas City from Omaha. His sole possessions were two boxes of postcards and savings including enough for a room at the YMCA.
Hallmark Celebrates 100 Years – An American Centennial Corporation
Hallmark Cards, Inc.’s headquarters are located in Kansas City, Missouri. The company is proudly celebrating its 100th Anniversary in the year 2010. Hallmark Information’s Website article, “100 Years of Hallmark History,” relates the story of how the company began with two boxes of postcards, and now sells greeting cards in 30 languages in 100 countries. Hallmark has over 41,500 retail stores and sells its products on-line.
Joyce Clyde Hall – An All American Entrepreneur
The Kansas City Public Library conducted a survey to identify the most influential businessmen in Kansas City. Named the “Staircase of Entrepreneurs,” Joyce C. Hall’s story is an important part of the Kansas City “Staircase.” According to the Library, Joyce Clyde Hall was born in 1891 and spent part of his childhood in poverty.
In spite of whatever obstacles he may have encountered, Joyce Hall was both energetic and enterprising, and quickly became popular for the postcards he sold. Joined by this brother, Rollie Hall, the Hall Brothers Company was founded in 1910. After a fire destroyed their office and entire inventory in 1915, the brothers obtained a loan to purchase a printing press and began to produce their own cards.
New Trends and New Products
With a keen sense of business, Joyce Hall made a permanent decision to focus on the quality of Hall Brothers Company greeting cards. He also sensed a growing desire for privacy among society and discontinued printing post cards. He and his brother manufactured greeting cards in envelopes and began to sell gift-wrap as well.
One day, Hall Brothers ran out of wrapping paper and used a fine decorative envelope lining to sell as gift-wrap. The artistically designed gift wrap was so popular that a new industry was born – “decorative gift wrap” as we know it today. In 1932, Mr. Hall began the practice of displaying greeting cards, (which had been sold from drawers) in multi-tiered display racks so that customers could see all of the cards for sale.
Commitment to Quality – a Strategy for Corporate America
Hallmark Information’s article, “Founder Joyce C. Hall,” found on the Hallmark Website, states in regard to Joyce Hall’s success that “Maybe it was intuition. Maybe it was timing. But whatever it was, it worked.”
However, it seems that Joyce Hall’s natural sense of what people wanted and his continuing devotion to quality ensured his success. Hall Brothers had no reason to fear that, as in 1900, cheaper foreign cards would be preferred. In 1928, Joyce Hall deliberately chose the symbol of quality used by goldsmiths for his logo, “Hallmark.”
Producing the Very Best – A Challenge for Corporate America
In spite of huge growth, Hall Brothers never lost sight of their most important business decision – to focus on quality. In 1944, the words “quality” “ best” and “caring” inspired adoption of the slogan, “When you care enough to send the very best.” In 1951, Hall Brothers Company sponsored an opera on TV. There was such a positive response from television viewers that Hall Brothers continued to sponsor TV specials, eventually leading to the “Hallmark Hall of Fame” classic movies.
Hallmark Cards, Inc. – An Example for Corporate America
The Hall Brothers Company changed its name to Hallmark Cards in 1951. Since then, Hallmark International was formed to sell products in the global market. Hallmark Keepsake Ornaments were developed and Hallmark Gold Crown® Stores came into being.
Hallmark also developed "Shoebox Greetings," a line of cards that was characterized by such simple, frank and succinct humor that the messages appealed to all generations. Shoebox Greetings can only be described by reading a card (the literary equivalent of “You had to be there”). Ethnic and religious product lines also began to appear on the shelves of Hallmark stores. The “Hallmark Hall of Fame” evolved into the Hallmark Channel.
Hallmark Evolves but the Crown of Quality Rules
Hallmark is now the largest greeting card company in the world, producing some 19,000 new products per year. Hallmark continues to evolve with people. The Company now produces e-cards, provides a website, and offers cards with sound, music and motion.
But Hallmark has never changed its commitment to quality, caring and producing the very best product on the market. It is an example for American manufacturers to pursue quality at any price. Hallmark’s graphic logo, the “Crown,” is well deserved.
Reference:
“100 Years of Hallmark History,” Hallmark Website, © 2007 - 2010 Hallmark
