July 8, 2021 (Denver, CO) – The Greeting Card Association (GCA) celebrated excellence in greeting cards this evening at its 32nd Annual Louie Awards ceremony where winners of the prestigious awards were announced. 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,” says GCA executive director, Nora Weiser, “as the cards are judge anonymously in five distinct areas: originality, impact, design excellence, sendability, and value.” 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.
Two cards received highest honors as Cards of the Year: Inklings Paperie as Card of the Year over $5 for their submission in the Celebrating Diversity & Inclusion category, and The Noble Paperie’s Card of the Year under $5 entered in the Sympathy category. In addition to individual cards recognized for excellence, several prestigious cardmakers were honored in categories that recognize a body of work rather than an individual card. 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 honors went to Leigh Standley of Curly Girl Design for Calypso Cards, and the coveted Illustrator of the Year honors went to Ali Flippin of E. Frances Paper.
The full list of 2021 Louie Award winning cards can be found on the GCA website at https://www.greetingcard.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/2021-GCA-Louie-Winners.pdf
“I am so proud of our industry over the last 18 months, for its creativity, its tenacity, and its impact,” says GCA president, George White of Up With Paper. “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.
—————————————————————————————–
About the Greeting Card Association:
Founded in 1941, The Greeting Card Association (GCA) is the non-profit U.S. trade association serving the greeting card and social expressions industry. GCA represents nearly 200 American and international publishers and industry partners by promoting the tradition of sending greeting cards, helping members grow their businesses, recognizing creativity, and serving the industry and citizen mailer as a voice for media, leadership, and advocacy on industry issues. www.greetingcard.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Nora Weiser
Executive Director
nweiser@greetingcard.org
202.216.9627