Jul 9, 2021

The Greeting Card Association names 2021 Louie Award winners

The Greeting Card Association (GCA) celebrated excellence in greeting cards at its 32nd Annual Louie Awards ceremony, where winners of the prestigious awards were announced. A total of 544 cards in 36 categories were whittled down to 111 finalists by a panel of 27 judges – with just 36 receiving a coveted Louie Award.

“The Louies are truly unique within the industry, as the cards are judge anonymously in five distinct areas: originality, impact, design excellence, sendability, and value” said Nora Weiser, executive director for GCA.

This year’s Louie judging happened in a hybrid fashion that included in-person judging at five regional hubs and a final Blue Ribbon Panel judging with a virtual group discussion and review. This process ensured the integrity of the competition, with all cards physically handled by judges for evaluation.

Cards of the Year

Two cards received highest honors as Cards of the Year:

Card of the Year over $5

Inklings Paperie was selected for the Card of the Year over $5 for their submission in the Celebrating Diversity & Inclusion category.

Card of the Year under $5

The Noble Paperie’s was selected for the Card of the Year under $5 entered in the Sympathy category.

Other Honors

In addition to individual cards recognized for excellence, several prestigious card makers were honored in categories that recognize a body of work rather than an individual card.

Rising Star

Maylay Co. was awarded the Rising Star honor reserved for publishers who have been selling at retail for three years or less.

Writer of the Year

Writer of the Year honors went to Leigh Standley of Curly Girl Design for Calypso Cards.

Illustrator of the Year

The coveted Illustrator of the Year honors went to Ali Flippin of E. Frances Paper.

Full List of 2021 Louie Award Winners

The full list of 2021 Louie Award winning cards can be found on the GCA website.

“I am so proud of our industry over the last 18 months, for its creativity, its tenacity, and its impact,” said George White of Up With Paper and president of GCA. “Greeting cards have never been more valued as a way to further what has been so missing: human relationships. The Louie’s recognize that value, as well as the incredible talent and people who make it happen.”

For the second consecutive year, Atlanta Market is a sponsor of the Louie Awards, and will be showcasing this year’s winners and finalists in a special Louie Awards Display at AmericasMart during the Summer Atlanta Market, July 13-19, 2021. The onsite exhibit will be located at Building 2, Floor 2 – Williams Street.