Call for Entries Information

Welcome to the Annual Louie Awards! Read below for the instructions on how to complete an online submission.

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Process for Submitting a Card:

1. Determine Eligibility (scroll down to view)
2. Choose your category (view the full category list here)
3. Create an account on our award platform, Award Force 
   1. Need help? Watch this video!
4. Log in and go to My Entries
5. Start a New Entry
6. Click Add to Cart
7. If you want to submit multiple entries, you can either duplicate a previous one or start a new entry.
8. Check out and pay for your entries
   • The deadline to enter is Friday, January 6, 2023
9. Mail in your physical samples for judging (view the guidelines here)
   • The deadline for cards to arrive at the GCA office is Friday, January 13, 2023

Eligibility/Entry Requirements:

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS:

• The card must have been marketed or sold in the U.S. between January 1, 2022, and December 31, 2022.
• The card must come from a run of 200 or more. For Invitations & Announcements, it must come from a run of 50 or more.
• No samples or prototypes may be submitted for judging.
• No cards that have been entered in previous years may be re-entered, except for cards submitted for Rising Star, Writer of the Year and Artist of the Year.
• A card can only be entered into ONE category.
• If you are submitting for a category that is $5.50 and Below, the card must retail for a cost at or below $5.50
• You may enter as many cards as you’d like into a single category.
• You may NOT enter the same card in multiple categories. The exceptions to this rule are Rising Star, Writer of the Year, Artist of the Year, and Letterpress categories because these recognize companies instead of a single card.

CATEGORY REQUIREMENTS:

• For a category to be judged, there must be a minimum of seven total entries from at least four different companies. If the minimum is not met, entries will be combined with alternate price point of same category where possible*. At the discretion of the committee and based on the number of cards in a category, your card may be moved or combined with another category. If this occurs, you will be notified.
• If the above criteria are not met, applicants may move their card(s) to a different category if applicable or will be refunded entry fees.

RISING STAR REQUIREMENTS:

• The company must be in business for three years or less.
• The company must have sold their first official card on or after January 1, 2020, to be eligible.
• Entrants must submit five cards so that judges can evaluate the collection as a whole.

BIRTHDAY – SMALL COMPANY CATEGORY REQUIREMENTS:

• The company must have five or fewer full-time employees.
• Must be a birthday card.

FAQs:

What is the cost to enter?

How many samples should I send?

There are a few very strict rules to follow when sending in your samples. View the guidelines here

How many cards am I allowed to enter?

• You may enter as many cards as you’d like in as many categories as you wish.
• You can enter as many cards as you’d like into a category.
• You may NOT enter the same card in multiple categories. The exceptions to this rule are Rising Star, Writer of the Year, Artist of the Year, and Letterpress categories. Because these 4 categories recognize a company vs. a single card, you can enter those cards into another category as well.

Where should I send my entry samples?

Entries should be sent to:
Greeting Card Association
Attn: Louie Awards
2851 S. Parker Rd., Suite 1210
Aurora, CO 80014

Once I send in my entries, what happens?

GCA staff will code and catalog your entries to get them ready for judging. You will receive an email confirming that we received your samples. You do not need to follow up–if there is a discrepancy or question, we will contact you.

When will I found out if my card won?

Finalist announcements will be made mid-February 2023. More information will be sent to the full GCA database as we have it. Make sure you’re on our mailing list by filling out the form on the bottom of this webpage.

Winners will be announced on Wednesday, April 26, 2023 at a live award celebration in San Francisco. Mark your calendars! More information coming soon.

Who should I contact with questions?

If you have a question, please contact us at 202.216.9627 or gca@greetingcard.org.