Hallmark Announces Strategic Alliance with Shutterfly

Companies partner to launch a range of co-branded products online & offline

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Jun 20, 2012, 05:00 ET

KANSAS CITY, Mo., June 20, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Hallmark, the world's leading greeting card brand, announces a strategic alliance with Shutterfly Inc., a leading Internet-based social expression and personal publishing service that makes it easy and fun for consumers to be more creative with their digital photos. The alliance, which will roll out in phases, includes co-branded online and retail-based product offerings.

Initially, the agreement calls for more than 1,000 exclusive Hallmark-designed customizable cards to be featured on Shutterfly's new personalized greeting card site, Treat.com. The new site, which officially launched in April, is a destination dedicated to easily personalizing and sending the perfect greeting card for every occasion. The Treat site also offers an integrated scheduling and reminder service that connects directly with Facebook. This fall, a collection of Hallmark holiday designs also will be available on Shutterfly.com and tinyprints.com.

"Hallmark's goal is to make a genuine difference in every life, every day, and the more ways people can access what we offer, the better we can serve their needs," said Rob Bensman, Hallmark vice president of strategic alliances. "The alliance with Shutterfly elevates Hallmark's brand presence in the growing personalized greetings category and augments our distribution through Hallmark.com and other online photo service sites. The millions of consumers who already store photos on Shutterfly will now have easy access to Hallmark's creative and editorial expertise as they create their own individualized cards through a quality experience on Shutterfly."

"By combining Hallmark's heritage of helping consumers say what's on their mind with Shutterfly's track record of delivering innovative, high quality products and services, both companies will help consumers create beautiful products that are uniquely theirs," said Jeff Housenbold, president and CEO of Shutterfly. "Through this partnership, Hallmark and Shutterfly will show consumers how easy it is to create personalized greetings to share with family and friends."

Hallmark will continue to offer a full suite of customizable products on its own Hallmark.com site, including personalized greeting cards, invitations, announcements and paper partyware.

Future plans call for developing an assortment of photo-based gift items available next spring exclusively in Hallmark Gold Crown® stores. After purchasing the products at a Hallmark Gold Crown store, consumers can go to Shutterfly.com and choose which photos they want to use to customize the item. At no additional cost, Shutterfly will print and mail the photos to fit perfectly and easily into each unique gift item.

About Hallmark Cards, Inc.

Hallmark makes the world a more caring place by helping people express what's in their hearts and spend time together – a privilege few other companies in the world enjoy. Hallmark greeting cards and other products are found in more than 38,000 retail outlets in the United States, including the network of flagship Hallmark Gold Crown® stores. The brand also reaches people online at Hallmark.com and on television through Hallmark Hall of Fame original movies and cable's top-rated Hallmark Channel. Worldwide, Hallmark offers products in more than 30 languages available in 100 countries. This privately held company is based in Kansas City, Mo., and is led by the third generation of the founding Hall family. Visit http://corporate.hallmark.com for more details.

SOURCE Hallmark