2014 LOUIE Awards – Eye Candy

The theme permeated the entire LOUIEs Gala event, as well as the year-long program itself.

The Greeting Card Association (GCA) announced the winners of its 26th Annual International Greeting Card Awards Competition, better known as the “LOUIE Awards.” Winners in each of the 29 categories in this year’s competition, as well as the “Cards of the Year” in each of the two price divisions, were revealed at the LOUIE Awards gala held on Sunday evening, May 18, at Espace in New York City, during the signature mix™ marketplace tradeshow. This highly anticipated industry event drew nearly 300 guests, including finalist companies, industry retailers, manufacturers’ representatives and suppliers, as well as members of the media.

Congratulations go to the 26th Annual LOUIE “Card of the Year” winners: Sunrise, which took top honors in the $3.50 and Below category; and Hello!Lucky, which won in the Above $3.50 division. The complete list of winners is as follows:

Announcements & Photo Cards – $3.50 & Below
Minted

Announcements & Photo Cards – Above $3.50
Ladyfingers Letterpress

Birthday (General) – $3.50 & Below
Paper Magic Group

Birthday (General) – Above $3.50
Rifle Paper Co.

Birthday (Humorous) – $3.50 & Below
Madison Park Greetings

Birthday (Humorous) – Above $3.50
Emily McDowell

Blank Card – $3.50 & Below
Sunrise

Blank Card – Above $3.50
Papel Couture

Children’s Card – $3.50 & Below
Calypso Cards

Children’s Card – Above $3.50
Design Design, Inc.

Christmas/Seasonal (Boxed Notes) – $2.00 & Below
Design Design, Inc.

Christmas/Seasonal (Boxed Notes) – Above $2.00
Karen Adams Designs

Christmas/Seasonal (General) – $3.50 & Below
Madison Park Greetings

Christmas/Seasonal (General) – Above $3.50
Sugarcube Press

Christmas/Seasonal (Humorous) – $3.50 & Below
Calypso Cards

Christmas/Seasonal (Humorous) – Above $3.50
Smock

Congratulations/Special Occasion – $3.50 & Below
Madison Park Greetings

Congratulations/Special Occasion – Above $3.50
Hello!Lucky

Deluxe Wedding Invitation Suite (Classic Printed)
Ladyfingers Letterpress

Deluxe Wedding Invitation Suite (Modern Printed)
Wedding Paper Divas

Everyday Boxed Notes – $2.50 & Below
1canoe2

Everyday Boxed Notes – Above $2.50
Elum

Family Celebrations – $3.50 & Below
Madison Park Greetings

Family Celebrations – Above $3.50
Wild Ink Press

Friendship/Encouragement (General) – $3.50 & Below
Sunrise

Friendship/Encouragement (General) – Above $3.50
Rifle Paper Co.

Friendship/Encouragement (Humorous) – $3.50 & Below
Calypso Cards

Friendship/Encouragement (Humorous) – Above $3.50
Sugarcube Press

General Invitations – $3.50 & Below
Minted

General Invitations – Above $3.50
Ladyfingers Letterpress

Get Well/Feel Better – $3.50 & Below
Compendium

Get Well/Feel Better – Above $3.50
Avanti Press, Inc.

LetterPress
Blackbird Letterpress

Mother’s Day – $3.50 & Below
Compendium

Mother’s Day – Above $3.50
Elum

Most Humorous
Emily McDowell

Non-Religious Celebrations – $3.50 & Below
Sunrise

Non-Religious Celebrations – Above $3.50
Rifle Paper Co.

Print & Production Excellence
Ladyfingers Letterpress

Religious Celebrations – $3.50 & Below
Sunrise

Religious Celebrations – Above $3.50
Ladyfingers Letterpress

Rising Star – $4.00 & Below
Ornament Letterpress

Rising Star – Above $4.00
Emily McDowell

Romantic Occasions – $3.50 & Below
Marian Heath Greeting Cards

Romantic Occasions – Above $3.50
Farewell Paperie

Standard Wedding Invitation Suite (Classic Printed)
Ruff House Art

Standard Wedding Invitation Suite (Modern Printed)
Allie Munroe

Superbly Stated
Sugarcube Press

Sympathy – $3.50 & Below
Compendium

Sympathy – Above $3.50
Emily McDowell

Thank You – $3.50 & Below
Designer Greetings, Inc.

Thank You – Above $3.50
Hello!Lucky

Valentine’s Day – $3.50 & Below
Madison Park Greetings

Valentine’s Day – Above $3.50
Emily McDowell

“The LOUIE Awards celebrate the amazing talent that continues to bring excitement and innovation to the greeting card and stationery industry,” says 26th Annual LOUIE Awards Chair Cambria Evans, creative director/founder of J.Bartyn Design. “Each of the incredibly creative LOUIE winners and finalists prove there’s just no substitute for a ‘real’ card.”

The year’s LOUIE theme, “Eye Candy: The Best Cards of the Year,” was designed by Evans and overseen by LOUIE Strategic Chair Katy Greenspan, director of the artist community at Minted. The competition drew more than 900 entries from 220 companies worldwide, including the U.S., Canada, Israel, and the U.K. All entries were marketed and sold in the U.S. during the 2013 calendar year, and each of these outstanding winners represents the best of the thousands of cards and invitations published each year.

And, for the third consecutive year, the Greeting Card Association is invited consumers to choose their favorite card from among all the category winners announced at the gala, by logging on to the LOUIE Awards Facebook page, and “Liking” the card they thought was the best. Last year’s Consumer’s Choice LOUIE Award winner, Madison Park Greetings, received its award during last night’s ceremony.

Special thanks go to the 26th Annual LOUIE Awards sponsors: Platinum Sponsors – American Greetings; Hallmark. Gold Sponsors – Designer Greetings, Inc.; Infinity Foils, Inc.; Jast Company; National Stationery Show®/Emerald Expositions; Universal Engraving, Inc. Silver Sponsors – Avanti Press, Inc.; Neenah Paper. Category Champion – Bobst North America, Inc.; The Madison Park Group. The GCA also extends its gratitude to Universal Presentation Concepts for the generous contribution of the outstanding LOUIE Awards Exhibit and GCA Lounge at the signature mix™ marketplace – which includes the National Stationery Show® tradeshow.

Want to see more? Click here for the latest information on the LOUIE Awards and important deadlines.