Rochelle Lulow
Senior Program Director, Humorous Cards
Contact: Megan Ferington or Frank Cirillo, 216.252.4938
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Cleveland, Ohio (June 2007) – Rochelle Lulow knowingly admits that few things are more difficult than writing a truly funny greeting card . The veteran writer and editor is currently Senior Program Director of Humorous Cards at American Greetings, where she has been crafting greeting card messages and concepts for 24 years. When leading the editorial staff, Lulow advises the team to consider many factors when creating the copy for a greeting card, especially when it comes to writing a funny card.
“The editorial process for funny cards is uniquely challenging and requires very specialized skills,” Lulow said. “When it comes to humor, freshness is critical to consumers, so during the course of the year, we are constantly introducing new lines and card designs, which means the Editorial team really has to keep on top of current social trends to be able to come up with new ideas.”
In addition to offering consistently topical humor, Lulow also noted that the writers also have to be aware of the different personalities and tastes of consumers. New in-depth consumer research conducted by American Greetings proves Lulow’s point, revealing some significant differences in humor preferences between men and women.
“ Our recent research revealed that most women prefer humor that is based on everyday, real life situations, especially when it focuses on the things that everyone can relate to, such as balancing work, family and friends,” said Lulow. By comparison, men tend to be more competitive with their humor. “Just as they play to win when it comes to sports, men also tend to want to be funnier than the next guy,” Lulow said. ”Another key difference is that women tend to be very cautious not to offend with their choice of humor, while men tend to be a little edgier, and don’t mind poking fun at someone or being the victim of a joke if it leads to a laugh.”
Lulow noted that these characteristics are reflected in the types of entertainment men and women find funny. “Because of their typical sense of humor, many men prefer more overt slapstick or physical comedy like The Three Stooges, while most women are more interested in comedy that focuses on character and relationships.”
Balancing the very diverse needs of the card buyer certainly sounds difficult, but Lulow is the first to admit how fun her job is. “The challenge of coming up with cards that run the spectrum of tastes and personalities really is fun,” she said. “We are dedicated to creating the perfect card for every consumer, and that’s the goal that keeps us going every day.”