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Cleveland, Ohio (April 2007) – It’s certainly not your mother’s Mother’s Day anymore. Just ask American Greetings Mother's Day Program Manager Heather Bentley, who oversees the planning and production that goes into creating the cards that celebrate all that moms do. Bentley works with the company's creative team to incorporate in-depth research about how people celebrate and connect at Mother’s Day into the designs and messages they create to ensure that American Greetings cards are conversational in tone and reflective of today's lifestyles.
“The growing social and economic influence of women is redefining the family and workplace, and it’s also creating the need for more realistic messages on Mother’s Day cards,” Bentley said. “Many of the cards in this year’s line express admiration for everything mothers do in all aspects of their lives, while also celebrating the many different relationships we have with our moms.”
Bentley said cards remain the top gift item for Mother’s Day because they help families put into words feelings that often go unexpressed during the course of the year. “Cards offer a very tangible and lasting way to express love and gratitude,” said Bentley. “That’s why so many mothers proudly display them in their office or on the refrigerator door, and then tuck them away in dresser drawer or scrapbooks to look back on in the future.”
Cards with keepsake touches, like elegant paper stocks, fabric, ribbon and intricate laser-cut designs, are especially popular this Mother’s Day, Bentley noted, as they help convey how special Mom is to her family. The 2007 Mother’s Day line even includes cards that allow kids to add their own artwork or note for Mom.
“Nothing is as special to a mom as something that is made by her child,” Bentley said. “This year we have several options that allow children to put the finishing touches on the card. One fun example has a chalkboard attachment on the front and comes with its own piece of chalk, so kids can write their own special message.”
Woman-to-woman friendship cards are also becoming more popular for Mother’s Day as young moms seek advice and guidance from fellow mothers in chat rooms, blogs, parenting sites, play groups and PTA. “Moms learn from each other and enjoy celebrating with one another,” Bentley said. “‘The cards for moms to give to each another communicate the shared understanding and appreciation that only a mom can have.”
With more than 3,000 cards for Mother’s Day this year, American Greetings has a card for every kind of relationship, including those that are not always perfect. “We’ve conducted in-depth consumer research, and talked to thousands of moms from all walks of life to ensure our cards are authentic and reflective of a diverse range of family relationships,” Bentley said. “Cards play an important role for everyone on Mother’s Day, so it’s critical to offer choices that are real and meaningful for a wide range of situations.”
