Hallmark's Greeting Card History

In 1910 18-year-old Joyce Clyde Hall stepped off a train in Kansas City, MO. with nothing but two shoe boxes of postcards under his arm. He had little money, but had the entrepreneurial spirit and the determination of a pioneer. Hall quickly made a name for himself with the picture postcards he sold. His brother, Rollie Hall, joined him in business and the company was named Hall Brothers.

On January 11, 1915, a fire destroyed their office and inventory. They took the only salvageable item, their safe, and set up shop again. With $17,000 in debit, they decided to press on. As postcard sales declined, they recognized the public's desire for more privacy in their communication, so they started offering high quality Valentine's and Christmas cards. The fatal fire resulted in the decision to buy printing presses and begin producing their own greeting cards.

Hall Brother's first venture into other product lines came in 1917 when they "invented" modern gift wrap. During the peak Christmas season, they ran out of of solid-colored gift dressing and improvised by selling fancy decorated French envelop linings. Those sold out so quickly that the brother decided to begin printing their own gift wrap.

J.C. Hall also was an innovator in marketing his cards. He was intrigued by the word "hallmark" used by goldsmiths as a mark of quality. He liked that it not only said quality, but also included his family name. So in 1928, the company began marketing its brand by using the Hallmark name on the back of every card. That same year, Hallmark was the first in the greeting card industry to advertise nationally.

Early on, J.C. Hall recognized the power of licensing. He 1932 signed an agreement with Disney and the relationship continues today. But the innovation didn't stop there. In 1932, Hallmark signed its first licensing agreement with one of the 20th century's most recognizable names - Walt Disney.

By the time the company name was officially changed in 1954 from Hall Brother to Hallmark Cards, Inc., the tradition of entrepreneurship and innovation started by J.C. Hall was deeply ingrained.

During the 19070s, Hallmark Keepsake Ornaments were introduced, revolutionizing Christmas decorating and sparking the phenomenon of ornament collecting.

In 1986, the Hallmark Gold Crown store program was formalized, bringing together a network of independently owned and operated retailers to build on the strength of the Hallmark brand and products.

In its second century, the Hallmark brand continues to evolve. Quality family entertainment started with the Hallmark Hall of Fame and lives on with the Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries cable TV networks that reach millions of households.

Today, Hallmark products can also be found at tens of thousands of retail outlets domestically and online at Hallmark.com. The company publishes in 30 languages, and its products are available in more than 100 countries around the world.