February 27, 2024 (Denver, CO) – The Greeting Card Association (GCA) has announced finalists from the industry’s prestigious 35th Annual Louie Awards competition. This year’s contest saw 1,229 greeting cards entered from 228 companies in 57 categories – overall entries were up 21% over 2023 with a 40% increase in the number of entering companies. The cards were judged by a panel of 78 card publishers, retailers, sales representatives, and stationery industry leaders at seven regional hubs across the country.
This year, the Louie Awards Committee unveiled seven new categories, including several new Diversity Categories, to highlight the unique voices and artists that make up the greeting card industry as a whole.
- Celebrating LGBTQIA+
- Celebrating Latinx Culture
- Celebrating Black Culture
- Celebrating AAPI Culture
- Celebrating Indigenous Culture
- Celebrating Women
- Global Greetings
“The surge in entries for this year’s Louie Awards speaks volumes about the vibrancy of the industry,” says GCA Executive Director, Nora Weiser. “It is exciting to witness the caliber of cards, inventiveness of makers, and emergence of new companies being recognized—including those being honored in our seven new categories.”
Launched in 1988, the “Louies” honor Louis Prang, the German-born Boston lithographer and publisher known as the “Father of the American Christmas Card.” Eighty-seven companies had at least one card design selected by the industry judging panel as a finalist. The Louie Awards are open to all publishers in the U.S. and throughout the world.
Three finalists were selected in each category, with the winners to be announced at the Louie Awards Celebration on April 16, 2024, on the Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture campus in San Francisco, CA. Tickets for the evening event can be purchased through the GCA website. The celebration precedes the two-day *Noted: The Greeting Card Expo + Gifted: The Creative Gift and Home Expo to be held April 17 & 18 at Fort Mason Center for Art & Culture – the largest showcase of greeting card exhibitors in North America. *Noted is the largest showcase of greeting card exhibitors in North America, and it is joined by the elevated gift brands of Gifted. Registration for the show is free for qualified retail buyers.
All of the greeting cards selected as finalists can be viewed in the online Louie Awards Finalist Gallery. The 87 companies represented among the finalists are:
- 2021 Co.
- Adoptionly Yours
- Amicreative
- Ampersand M Studio
- Amy Zhang
- Annabel Reese
- Artists To Watch/Fun Folks
- Bella Figura
- Biely & Shoaf Collection
- Botanica Paper Co
- Bromstad Printing Co.
- Brown Brownie
- Calypso Cards
- Cardideology
- CheerNotes
- Color Box Design & Letterpress
- Crystal Worl
- Darling Lemon
- DaySpring
- Dear Beni
- E. Frances Paper
- Eight21 Studios
- Fine Moments
- Friendly Fire Paper
- Fugu Fugu Press
- funday goods (meant to be sent / lake + loft)
- GINGER P. DESIGNS
- Good Juju Ink
- Happy Little Paper Co
- Hey Hunn
- Holalola Travel Gifts
- Homework Letterpress Studio
- Honeyberry Studios
- Inklings Paperie
- Isabella MG
- Ivory Tower Studios
- Jessica Frasz Studio
- Joylark Studio
- Kat French Design
- Kwohtations
- Liyana Studio
- Lizzy&Grace
- LolliPost
- Louise Mulgrew
- Love Haze Paper
- Lucy Loves Paper
- Lynn-oleum
- Magic Paper Labs
- Maginating
- Maylay Co.
- Minted
- Mitzi Bitsy Spider
- Naomi Paper Co.
- Niquea.D
- Ohh Deer
- Paper D’Art distributed by Notes & Queries, Inc.
- Paper Farm Press
- Paper Love
- Paper Salad distributed by Notes & Queries, Inc.
- Party Sally
- Paul Stone
- Pedaller Designs
- Pier Six Press
- Pigeon Loft Limited
- Pineapple Sundays
- Quick Brown Fox Letterpress
- Quilling Card
- Redback Cards
- Roger la Borde
- Rust Belt Love Paperie
- Second Story Cards
- Seedlings
- Seeds of Grace
- She Said It
- Shorthand Press
- Skribbles
- Spacepig Press
- That Queer Card Co
- The Art File
- The Chatty Press
- The Noble Paperie
- Two Pooch Paperie
- Up With Paper
- UWP Luxe
- Wild Child Brand
- Wolf and Wren Press
- YellowBrick Graphics
For more information on the Louie Awards, visit https://www.greetingcard.org/louie-awards/
————————————————————–
About the Greeting Card Association
Founded in 1941, The Greeting Card Association (GCA) is a 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.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Endsley Eggert
Marketing Manager
eeggert@greetingcard.org