About those Hallmark Cards layoffs…
Unlike former Star publisher Mark Zieman who preferred to blame the newspaper’s massive layoffs on the economy, Hallmark head David Hall correctly blamed the card company’s flagging fortunes on “changes in consumer” spending.
That’s calling a spade a spade.
Because people weren’t running around broke, unable to afford newspapers, they simply no longer wanted or needed them and moved on. On to the internet mostly, where a wealth of news and information is mostly free of charge at the tap of a keyboard.
Unfortunately for Hallmark there are factors beyond the internet.
Once upon a time – not that many years back – Hallmark and fellow 800 pound gorilla American Greetings ruled the greeting card roost.
Today however far smaller card companies like MikWright – who specialize in “outlandish, provocative humor” – are thriving while Hallmark continues to struggle, shuttering operations and laying off staff.
Which is kind of ironic, given Hallmark’s long history of being accused of poaching ideas from the smaller, hipper card companies. Continue reading
