More Hallmark Moments
Hallmark Cards has set a new marketing team as part of its plan to triple sales to $12 billion by 2010. The greeting card giant will expand into five new businesses: caring gift solutions, memories, life celebrations, personal development, and family entertainment. Hallmark hopes to reach new consumer groups – and gain incremental sales – by branching out.
To consolidate marketing responsibility and foster cooperation among the new businesses, Hallmark created the job of group vp-marketing and hired Jan Murley to fill it. Murley had been vp-general manager of Procter & Gamble Worldwide, overseeing marketing for P&G’s global $3 billion-plus beauty care, skin care, personal cleansing, and deodorant products business. Murley joined Hallmark Sept. 1, reporting to president of Hallmark North America Don Fletcher. She’s responsible for all North America marketing including brand strategy, advertising and promotion, merchandising, licensing, and consumer research.
At the same time, vp-strategy and development Donald Hall, Jr., is charged with coordinating marketing between the new ventures. (His name is no coincidence: Hall is a grandson of Hallmark founder Joyce Hall and the son of chairman Donald Hall.)
The new management team also includes Steve Paoletti, senior vp-sales; John Sullivan, senior vp-Internet commerce; Paul Barker, senior vp-creative, who is supervising the consolidation of Hallmark’s artists, writers, designers, and editors in a single division; and Doranne Hudson, senior vp-acquisitions and diversified businesses, who is overseeing North American acquisitions and cooperation between Hallmark subsidiaries including Binney & Smith (Crayola crayons) and Hallmark Entertainment (Hallmark Hall of Fame movies).
Hallmark’s ’98 sales of $3.9 billion were up 5.4 percent from ’97. It holds 41 percent of the $9.5 billion greeting card industry, but faces stiff competition from American Greetings, which has expanded into toys and accessories in recent years. Hallmark is hard-pressed to squeeze growth from existing users or by expanding distribution beyond its already strong network. The company has a reputation for playing hardball with grocers and mass merchandisers for exclusive display space.
The Kansas City, MO, company will face a different breed of competition in its new categories. But consumers consider the brand to stand for more than greeting cards. “Consumers tell us Hallmark…gives them ways to share with others,” said president Irvine Hockaday, Jr. in a statement. “Our opportunities expand with this broad consumer permission.”
The new ventures kick off Jan. 1, when Hallmark’s fiscal year begins.
