Sep 26, 2012

Louie Awards Celebrate Silver Anniversary

The LOUIE Awards are turning 25! This year’s theme – “The Artist & The Card” – will spotlight the artists behind the cards, the tradition of sending greetings and invitations, and the simple yet broad medium of paper. This theme will be emphasized with special events and activities during the National Stationery Show in May, as well as with consumers via Facebook and other social media.

The theme was designed by 25th Anniversary LOUIE Awards Chair Monika Brandrup-Thomas, v.p. and creative director at Up With Paper. “This milestone anniversary calls for a unique celebration that recognizes the tradition and excellence in design within the greeting card industry,” says Brandrup-Thomas. “‘The Artist & The Card’ inspires and encapsulates the meaning of what the LOUIEs is all about through three sub-themes: it recognizes the artists behind the cards, it focuses on the tradition of sending greetings, and it celebrates the simple yet broad medium of paper.”

The 25th Anniversary LOUIE Awards will feature a total of 28 categories – among them several new categories such as “Letterpress.” Most categories will be divided into two price breaks: Above $3.50, and $3.50 or Less. A pdf of LOUIE “Official Competition Categories,” including refined descriptions to facilitate the best placement for submissions, can be downloaded at www.greetingcard.org or by clicking here.

The LOUIE Call for Entries will open on October 8; and the deadline for all LOUIE submissions is November 15. Submissions will be judged on originality, impact, design excellence, sendability and value. For complete details and a list of FAQ, visit www.greetingcard.org or click here.

Judging for the LOUIEs will take place in late January in conjunction with the New York International Gift Fair. LOUIE finalists will be announced in March 2013. Awards will be presented at the 25th Annual LOUIE Awards celebration on Sunday, May 19, 2013, during the National Stationery Show in New York City.

“The LOUIE Awards are a wonderful opportunity to highlight the very best creative talent that the greeting card and social stationery industries have to offer,” states GCA President Susan January, v.p. at Leanin’ Tree. “In addition to the thrill of seeing the finalists and winners in each category, the LOUIEs are a celebratory evening in which to express your admiration and appreciation for your industry peers – all of whom are working hard to preserve and promote the tradition of buying and sending greeting cards as a means of establishing lasting personal relationships.”

About the LOUIE Awards
The International Greeting Card Awards – known as the “LOUIEs” and named for Louis Prang, the “Father of the American Christmas Card” – was launched in 1988 by the Greeting Card Association to recognize creative excellence in the greeting card and social stationery industries. The LOUIEs celebrate the art, editorial and design of greeting cards, invitations and announcements and reinforce the relevance of sending and receiving them.

About the Greeting Card Association
The Greeting Card Association, headquartered in White Plains, NY, is the U.S. trade association of the greeting card industry. Established in 1941, the GCA represents greeting card and stationery publishers, as well as suppliers to the industry. The GCA is managed by George Little Management, LLC, owner and manager of the annual National Stationery Show. For more information, visit www.greetingcard.org.