AMERICAN GREETINGS UNVEILS NEW DIGITAL HOLIDAY CARD COLLECTION STARRING LEGENDARY PERFORMER BING CROSBY

CLEVELAND, Dec. 3, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- American Greetings is bringing the magic of Christmas to life for a whole new generation with a new SmashUp™ video ecard and digital greeting card collection featuring legendary performer Bing Crosby. Known for his distinctive crooning style, the singer, actor, television producer and media personality has been a quintessential holiday figure since he first recorded his timeless classic, "White Christmas," more than 80 years ago. Available through the American Greetings and Blue Mountain websites, as well as the corresponding ecard apps for iPhone and Android, the customizable cards bring nostalgic holiday cheer to the most wonderful time of the year.

The SmashUp™ video ecard is set in an old-fashioned living room decorated for the holidays and begins by transporting viewers into the 1977 world of "Bing Crosby's Merrie Olde Christmas" televised holiday special. Using archival footage as well as Artificial intelligence, the king of Christmas appears on the television wishing viewers a heartwarming greeting, which can be personalized with more than 1,000 names. The card includes footage of Bing leaning on the piano delivering his iconic performance of "White Christmas," and closes with another personalized holiday greeting shown on the television screen.

"Bing Crosby, with his unique, velvety smooth voice, is not only one of the most iconic performers of all time, but he is truly synonymous with Christmas. Being able to help carry on his legacy and bring to life the spirit of the holidays in a new way is an honor and is nothing short of magical," said Rob Matousek, Executive Director, Direct to Consumer Business at American Greetings. "As we learned from his family, Bing was also a champion of innovation, always using the latest technologies and techniques to bring his music to his fans, which makes this modern-day digital greeting card collaboration even more special."

In addition to the personalized SmashUp™ video ecard, the Bing Crosby holiday collection also includes five Christmas Creatacard™ greetings featuring nostalgic, festive designs and offering messages of joy, peace, merriment, and, of course, a white Christmas. The cards feature classic holiday images of Bing Crosby, and users can choose to include clips from five of his iconic recordings, including "Let It Snow!," "O, Little Town of Bethlehem," "Joy to the World," "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas," and "Silver Bells." The cards can also be customized with photos or video, a personalized message, digital envelope liner, and matching stamps.

"As a family, we love what American Greetings has done: bring dad into homes everywhere, helping people start their holidays in the very best of ways. Merry Christmas!" said Mary Crosby, daughter of Bing Crosby.

SmashUps™ and Creatacard™ greetings are available on www.americangreetings.com, www.bluemountain.com, and on the American Greetings and Blue Mountain ecard apps for iPhone and Android. They can be shared via email, text, or on social media. Users can sign up for a monthly, yearly, or two-year American Greetings account to have the ability to send an unlimited number of SmashUps™ and Creatacards™—as well as all American Greetings digital offerings—over the course of their membership period. Membership costs range from $6.99-$39.99, depending on the length of membership. For the latest news from SmashUps™ and Creatacard™, follow @americangreetingsdigital on Instagram and @americangreetingsdigital on Facebook.

ABOUT AMERICAN GREETINGS:

American Greetings is a global leader in the large and enduring Celebrations marketplace.  The company helps people celebrate holidays, each other, and all of life's special moments, in-person and online, guided by a mission to "make the world a more thoughtful and caring place every single day."  American Greetings offers products wherever and however people wish to purchase them – online, in-store, or curbside pickup.  Celebrations happen throughout the year, driven by traditional holidays, key milestone moments such as weddings, baby showers and graduations, as well as recurring everyday events such as birthdays and anniversaries.  The company's brands include American Greetings, Papyrus, Recycled Paper Greetings, Paper Rebel, Carlton Cards, Today and Always, DesignWare party goods, and Plus Mark gift wrap and boxed cards.  Its digital business unit, AG Interactive, is a leading provider of digital greetings and premium Celebrations content through proprietary technology platforms and apps. Our popular digital brands include American Greetings, Blue Mountain, Jacquie Lawson, SmashUps™, Pics & Wishes™, and Creatacard™. For more information, visit corporate.americangreetings.com and follow us @AmericanGreetings on Facebook and @amgreetings on Instagram.

ABOUT BING CROSBY:

Bing Crosby was the 20th century's greatest multi-media star — acclaimed in the worlds of recording, radio and motion pictures and honored by all three on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He was the most recorded voice in history. Bing recorded 41 #1 hits, including "White Christmas" – a best-seller for five decades. At the time of his passing in 1977, Bing Crosby was still the best-selling recording star of all time, certified by the Guinness Book of World Records. He won the 1944 Oscar for Best Actor in Going My Way. To learn more, please visit bingcrosby.com or follow on Instagram @bingcrosby.

SOURCE American Greetings