UK Greetings

The Brief

Imagine nipping out to the high-street, or a cool little local shop, or even the place you buy your food, and seeing your designs on display.

UK Greetings is the UK’s leading direct-to-retailer publisher, making innovative, beautiful, cutting edge and classic greeting cards and gift dressings.

We want you to develop your own collection of greeting cards and gift dressings.

Background

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.

Creative Challenge

Create a collection of greeting cards, notecards, notepads, gift bags and wrapping paper.

We are open to any graphic or illustrative style — geometric patterns, painterly illustrations, designs that feature characters or that use humour in a playful way.

You should come up with a name for your collection too.
Remember to have variety within the range, but make sure your designs comfortably sit together to create a cohesive collection.

We’d also like you to demonstrate how your ideas work as a collection, so one of your design sheets should show your work displayed together.

Target Audience

When developing the collection, it’s worth considering the age range and gender of your target audience, thinking about the occasion or sending situation (birthday, Valentine’s Day, congratulations, everyday etc.) and choosing a flexible but cohesive colour palette.

Mandatories

• 4 x Single greeting cards: size 105 x 159mm, 121 x 184mm or 140 x 140mm — consider the designs of the envelope and the inside of the card too
• 1x Boxed notecard set: size 110 x 132mm
• 1x Gift bag: size 267x330mm
• 1x Repeating pattern for wrapping paper: show one or two swatch samples
• 1x Notepad Cover: A5 or A4
• Design sheet demonstrating how your ideas work as a collection.

Deliverables and Additional Information

For guidance on how to submit your work, please adhere to the main Deliverables information which can be found at the YCN website.

Any additional information referenced in the brief can be found in the supporting Project Pack at the YCN website.