Gaining a concept

Although styles have been extensively researched, I am a contextual designer and thus I wish for my designs to be highly informed, in order to do this research will be undergone in which focuses upon the company itself, its heritage, and the persona in which it wishes to express.

Company:

provided by brief:

Back in 1906, young entrepreneur Jacob Sapirstein had only $50 in his pocket, but a wealth of ambition. He took to the streets of Cleveland, Ohio, selling penny postcards from a handcart.

These postcards made a pretty penny, and Jacob’s business became the world’s largest direct to retail greeting card and gift company! In the 1990s UK companies continued hopping aboard, resulting in the creation of UK Greetings, the UK’s leading direct to retailer publisher and manufacturer of greeting cards and gift dressing.
Together UK Greetings and American Greetings have one of the largest and most talented creative teams in the industry all around the world, publishing cards in more than 20 languages, in more than 70 countries.

Conclusion

When referring back to $50 it is evident that the language within this text expresses this as a small amount although the actual worth at the time would be far greater, with a price similar to a couple thousand within today's money. It is evident that the company is thus attempting to express the company as a small, hand crafted company, in which isn't established on money or profit. 

Being the largest retail greetings and gift company globally it is essential that the company keeps up with current trends, and world diversities. 

The company broadened to a UK branch in the 90's, this could be an emphasis of design. 

Further research into the company

American Greetings Corporation, LLC is the world’s largest greeting card company. Based in Westlake, Ohio, a suburb of Cleveland, the company sells paper greeting cards, electronic greeting cards, party products (such as wrapping papers and decorations), and electronic expressive content (e.g., ringtones and images for cell phones). In addition, the company owns the Carlton Cards, Tender Thoughts, Just For You, and Gibson brands.

American Greetings' toy design and licensing division, Those Characters From Cleveland (now American Greetings Properties), includes copyrighted properties such as Care Bears, Topsy and Tim, The Get Along Gang, Popples and Holly Hobbie. American Greetings also holds an exclusive license for Nickelodeon characters.




Founded in 1906 by Polish immigrant Jacob Sapirstein (1885–1987), who sold cards from a horse-drawn cart, American Greetings has been run by members of the family since its inception. Irving I. Stone (Sapirstein's oldest son, who changed his surname to Stone) was stuffing envelopes at age five, handling the business during his father's illness when he was nine, and worked for the company full-time upon leaving high school. He was succeeded as CEO by his son-in-law Morry Weiss in 1987, and Stone took the title "Founder-Chairman" previously held by his father, when Weiss became chairman in 1992, before dying in 2000. In 1993, American Greetings began sponsoring the Entertainment Tonight Birthdays, also in that same year, the company also introduced its new corporate mascot, the Birthday Bear, AG remained sponsor until 2000, when competitor Hallmark Cards assumed sponsorship.

In 1999, the company bought rival Gibson Greetings and united the second and third largest U.S. greeting card makers.

In 2003, Morry Weiss's sons Zev and Jeffrey became CEO and President respectively; Morry Weiss remains Chairman. In early 2007, American Greetings replaced Kellogg's as the sponsor for Dragon Tales. American Greetings has also branched out onto the Internet, and owns a network of websites. October 25, 2007, it announced the purchase of Webshots from CNET for $45 million in cash.

In October 2005, American Greetings recalled its Sesame Street toy sunglasses sold from December 2003 through August 2005, because the lenses can separate from the frames, posing a choking hazard to young children.

In 2010, American Greetings announced plans to move its headquarters from Brooklyn, Ohio to a new facility at Crocker Park within the nearby city of Westlake. However, in 2013, the company announced it would delay moving its operations to Westlake. Construction had been scheduled to start in early 2013, and American Greetings said it was only delaying the $150 to $200 million project.

In June 2012, American Greetings acquired assets from Clinton Cards PLC together with some of its subsidiaries.

key notes 

• The company owns multiple characters such as care bears etc, and thus these may be expressed within card designs for their companies. 
• Very conscious about the consumers, and care about them greatly.
•  American greetings owns clinton cards, one of the rivals to that of uk greetings. But rather so another aspect of their assets. 
• Being American the company is globally known. 
• Maybe some form of diversity should be expressed.