NEWS RELEASE

Consumers Connect More Efficiently and Meaningfully Thanks to Today’s Technology
American Greetings Monitors New Trends In How We Communicate

Cleveland, Ohio (September 17, 2008) – Ongoing innovations and updates to “tech” products have not only increased the efficiency with which people connect, they also have increased the amount of meaningful connections they are making. Thanks to advancements in new technologies and enhancements to traditional methods, today’s consumers are actually reaching out more often. According to a new survey commissioned by American Greetings Corp (NYSE: AM), 84 percent of consumers said they communicate with closest friends at least once a week, with 27 percent saying they reach out to closest friends daily.

The survey, conducted by Synovate, the market research arm of Aegis Group plc, examined communication trends and relationships, and is one example of the work that the greeting card company does to better understand the changing habits and needs of consumers. The social expressions leader says that people today embrace all forms of communication to ensure they are able to reach out to friends and family as often as they would like. In fact, 88 percent of survey respondents said that communicating with those closest to them was either extremely important or very important.

“We know consumers want to keep in touch with those closest to them, and they will use many different tools to do so more regularly,” said MJ Smith, director of consumer relevancy at American Greetings. “People just want to connect often and in their own way, and today we are using all available innovations do just that.”

No Generational Divide in Connecting

Long stereotyped as being set apart from traditional values, the members of Generation’s X and Y are actually spearheading a renewed interest in communicating. Yes, they do utilize all of the new mediums at their disposal such as text messaging and blogging, but they are also surprisingly among the heaviest shoppers in the greeting card aisle.

“A majority of those in Generation’s X and Y were raised by Baby Boomers who were taught to send cards for birthdays and to be sure to get that thank you card in the mail right after they opened a present, so it makes sense that this generation would become heavy communicators,” said Smith. “They have definitely added their own style and personality to how they communicate, however, and we can see that in how they utilize resources like MySpace and Facebook, trade digital photography and select cards that are more conversational.”

On the other end of the spectrum, Baby boomers have passed on their love of staying in touch, but they also are picking up new habits as well. Today, Baby Boomers are becoming more comfortable with quick-paced communications and, like their children, are learning to use many different tools to fit their connecting needs.

New Innovations Mean More Opportunities

Surprisingly, respondents said they are actually not using email and text messaging in place of other forms of communication, rather they are using many innovations to meet their overall needs. While email (62 percent) and text/instant messaging (32 percent) are popular methods of communicating, those surveyed said that they utilize phone calls (86 percent) and in-person visits (74 percent) even more.

This approach is indicative of a nation of people who are constantly moving, but always recognizing the need to keep in contact with those closest to them.

“You may only be able to send a quick text message or share a link to a collection of digital images from a recent vacation, but you are reaching out,” said Smith. “Whether they are sending a card, an email or a LinkedIn request, more people today are making a conscious effort to connect on a regular basis.”

How has all of this Changed the Connections Industry?
Smith notes that American Greetings carefully reviews this information and utilizes it to keep its product lines fresh and on trend. This results in a comprehensive family of products as the company not only offers traditional paper greeting cards, but also e-cards at their family of Web sites, photo-sharing services with their PhotoWorks and Webshots groups, and even emoticons, wallpapers and winks for social online sites at Kiwee.com.

“Consumers want options to express themselves while reaching out to friends and family,” said Smith. “From our greeting cards to our online innovations, we are constantly working to offer fresh, thoughtful concepts to help our consumers to connect in a way that is authentic to who they are, and the relationships they want to celebrate.”

About American Greetings Corporation

For more than 100 years American Greetings Corporation (NYSE: AM) has been a manufacturer and retailer of innovative social expressions products that assist consumers in enhancing their relationships. The Company’s major greeting card brands are American Greetings, Carlton Cards and Gibson, and other paper product offerings include, DesignWare party goods, American Greetings and Plus Mark gift-wrap and boxed cards and Date Works calendars. American Greetings also has the largest collection of electronic greetings on the Web, including cards available at AmericanGreetings.com, through AG Interactive, Inc., the company’s online division. AG Interactive also offers digital photo sharing and personal publishing at PhotoWorks.com and Webshots.com, and a one-stop source for online graphics, animations, emoticons, text generators, and more at Kiwee.com. In addition to its product lines, American Greetings also creates and licenses popular character brands through the American Greetings Properties group. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, American Greetings generates annual revenue of approximately $1.8 billion, and its products can be found in retail outlets domestically and worldwide, including company owned American Greetings and Carlton Cards stores. For more information on the company, visit http://www.corporate.americangreetings.com.

Refresh Yourself this Fall!

The fall is sandwiched between two of the busier times of year for all of us. Back-to-school season is in full gear and the holidays are around the corner, making the autumn months a nice time to relax. It is also a great time of year to refresh yourself, and prepare for busy holiday planning ahead.

So how do you use this downtime to really unwind? The trend experts at American Greetings have offered the following simple tips for truly enjoying yourself.

Take a day off, we mean really off: We’re not talking aboutjust taking a Friday vacation day to give you a long weekend. No, we want you to take a real day off and enjoy time with family and friends, or just lounge around all day. Just say no to work email, your Black Berry and even household chores. The downtime will put your body and mind in a wonderfully relaxed state, ready to tackle whatever comes next.

Speaking of tackling: The fall is synonymous with football, and that includes much more than just the professional ranks. In fact, it can often be more fun to take part in the simplest examples of the popular fall sport by taking in a college or high school game. You can even make a short trip out of it and take the whole family back to your alma mater to take in a game.

Find something to take your mind off of things: Since you have a little more downtime, why not use it to try something new, or partake in an activity you typically have to put off? Whether it’s diving into a book, starting a new crafting project or even finding time to watch your favorite show or catch up on movies you might have missed, take some time to entertain yourself.

Don’t look ahead…yet: It is certainly easy to begin to peek ahead to the busy holiday planning on the horizon, but don’t do that quite yet. While it won’t help to put it off forever, you have a few months to relish in the beautiful season, be sure to take advantage of it. So relax and put some thought into those gifts, rather than mapping out your route quite yet.

Take a cue from the environment: One of the best things about the fall for most of the country is the serenity and beauty that can be found all around. Take some time to step outside and take in all that the environment has to offer your senses. If there aren’t any good spots nearby, take a short trip to an area with particularly beautiful foliage, or even a state park. Realizing there is a lot to enjoy in this world will help to put any issues in perspective.

Enjoy the seasonal fun: We don’t typically equate the early autumn months with a big occasion, but there is certainly a lot of fun to be had without the stress of the busier times of year. Whether its visiting an orchard, taking a hayride, or watching your kids playing in the leaves, embrace the simple joy that the time of year offers to remind yourself of what is really most important.

The autumn is a great time of year, and not just because the kids are tucked safely behind a desk and holiday shopping is still far enough away. It’s a wonderful time to unwind and remind ourselves of the fact that it’s the simple things in life that truly make us happiest.

A lot of families are scaling back on the money that they’re going to spend during the holidays this year. But it is still the season for spreading good tidings of joy, so The Balancing Act found some thoughtful, affordable and delicious solutions.

Viewers of this episode of The Balancing Act get some great holiday gift-giving advice from Rochelle Lulow of American Greetings Corporation and Ally Sinclair of NYDC Chocolate LLC.

To start, it isn’t typically possible to visit with all of our friends and family during the holidays, but we can take stay in touch and express our love with a thoughtful card. Whatever your personal style, American Greetings offers cards that express the joy of the holidays and the perfect message for a special friend or relative. From humorous to religious, modern to classic, there’s a card that’s right for everyone.

In addition to greeting cards being a great way to maintain relationships and honor special occasions, they are convenient and affordable! Lulow shares her advice on tackling the holiday cards by making a list, starting early and filling them out a few at a time such as after the dinner dishes are washed or when waiting in the doctor’s office. She also gives great advice on party themes, decorations and creating memories with meaningful music, photos and more.

Another great and affordable way to recognize loved ones during the holidays is to give them a special box of chocolates. The Balancing Act team loves chocolate and has found a delectable line of all natural, handmade dark chocolate fudge truffles that have earned top-billing on our collective gift list.

Thanks to Cocopotamus, from NYDC Chocolate, everything from the best hostess gift to the gourmet stocking-stuffer has been solved. The Cocopotamus truffles are creamy, delicious treats that come in 18 varieties.


A combination of nostalgia and modern flavors, these fudge truffles are the perfect gift because they have an amazing taste but have no preservatives, wheat or gluten. Furthermore, they can be shipped anywhere across the U.S. For more information, visit www.cocopotamus.com.