Hallmark Unveils Tuneful Cards

Joan Orth, an art director at Hallmark, shows their line of song cards in Kansas City, Mo., Wednesday, Sept 27, 2006. Unveiled with a trial run of two dozen a year ago, the Song Cards line has expanded to more than 220. (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner) (Orlin Wagner - AP)

"We know card-sending has been, we say stable, you say flat," Parkes said. "We also knew as a company it was important to look forward. This is something we invested heavily in."

The 6-inch square Sound Cards appear fairly standard at first. But inside is a small computer chip powered by a three-volt lithium-ion battery _ the kind used to back up computer motherboards and hand-held devices _ a quick signal the recipient is getting more than just folded cardstock.

The chip, similar to those used in children's toys, is connected by two small wires to a silver-dollar sized speaker. The entire unit is capable of playing clips up to 45 seconds long at least 200 times. Their shelf life? A minimum of two years.

The concept began about 18 months ago, when Hallmark pitched the idea to two record labels and were given licenses for songs, innovation director Tom Esselman said. As other labels learned about the cards' sound quality, they became more interested.

Hallmark has licensing agreements with several record companies and publishing houses, though cards still need each artist to approve. In the case of an upcoming Charlie Chaplin card, the company needed a dozen Chaplin heirs to agree to it.

"You have Louis Armstrong to Smashmouth, 'Napoleon Dynamite' to 'I Love Lucy.' You're connecting with so many different people," Bodendistel said. "People build on them because it's more like a gift."

Artists chosen for cards aren't always from yesteryear _ although Parkes said Mike Love of the Beach Boys recently appeared on "Good Morning America," gleefully toting a card that plays "Kokomo."

In August, the creative team set up a giveaway booth at the trendy MTV Video Music Awards in New York, where art director Joan Orth said the cards aced their first real test.

"A creative crowd is always going to be a tough crowd," she said. "But I asked the (rock band) All American Rejects, 'You guys _ would you guys be interested in being on the cards?' Because they loved them. And they said, 'Aw, yeah, that would be so cool!'"

Hulk Hogan and his wife picked out a Sound Card from the upcoming Christmas line to send during the holidays, Orth said. The members of Panic! At the Disco, who won an MTV award for "Video of the Year," loved the line. So did Fallout Boy, whose members wanted to send them to their family.

"I expected some people to be too cool for greeting cards," Bodendistel said. "Even Snoop Dogg, we handed him some cards and he goes, 'I love Hallmark cards,' you know? Which was really funny to hear from Snoop Dogg."

A "Napoleon Dynamite" card was so popular it sold out, was reprinted, then sold out again.

"The cool thing about it is there's mounds and mounds and mounds of material," Orth said. "We haven't even scratched the surface."

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On the Net:

Hallmark Cards Inc.: http://www.hallmark.com