Hallmark Names Earthbound to Spearhead Expansion of Iconic Brand

EARTHBOUND APPOINTED TO STEER LEGENDARY GLOBAL BRAND TOWARDS NEW PRODUCT OFFERINGS & EXCITING PROGRAMS

NEW YORK, Nov. 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Earthbound, a leading product design, licensing and brand growth company, today announced that they have been chosen as the exclusive licensing and brand extension agency for Hallmark, the beloved brand that helps people live caring connected lives full of meaningful moments.

Founded in 1910 by teenage entrepreneur J.C. Hall, Hallmark's businesses employ approximately 20,000 people worldwide and generate revenues of approximately $3.8 billion. In addition to greeting cards, Hallmark produces ornaments, gift wrap, and a range of home décor and gift products. The company also operates Hallmark Media, an entertainment business which includes Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, Hallmark Drama, and Hallmark Movies Now, a streaming app. Hallmark also owns Crayola, the leader in children's creative expression products.

For the last 10+ years, Hallmark has successfully licensed its brand into new product categories by utilizing the brand's strong equity and vast portfolio of creative assets and character properties to create differentiated products globally.  Hallmark will be expanding these licensed product offerings by tapping into the industry experience and creative expertise of Earthbound Brands.

Earthbound has been chosen to helm Hallmark's expansion into a wide range of categories, including celebrations, seasonal décor, publishing, toys and games, experiential and much more. In a digital age where people are tethered to the internet or social media platforms, Hallmark fulfills the need for more authentic, meaningful connections to friends, family and loved ones. With Earthbound at its side, Hallmark will continue to find ways to expand into new categories while helping consumers celebrate their relationships and share meaningful moments.

"We are a creative company at heart, crafting emotional products that people love from a brand they trust.  Earthbound understands our commitment to creativity and to offering emotionally relevant licensed products to our consumers and has a unique and creative approach that closely aligns with our needs.  We are more than excited to announce this partnership and build out our brand licensing portfolio of products with their talented and committed team!" said Stacey Howe, Vice President Hallmark Global Licensing & Business Development.

Beyond the hero Hallmark brand, the company will also leverage its other successful brands and properties in its portfolio for new opportunities with Earthbound's guidance - including its Shoebox, Signature, and Hallmark Keepsake brands, Rainbow Brite and more.

"Hallmark is an amazing legacy brand that is completely synonymous with all things holiday, celebrations, relationships and meaningful milestones. While the brand has an incredibly strong foothold in its core categories, there is enormous potential to leverage their IP for extensions across multiple categories. We can't wait to build the business alongside the Hallmark team."  stated Jeff Cohen, co-founder and CEO of Earthbound.

For more information and for licensing inquiries, please contact Jacob Cohen ([email protected]).

Earthbound is a leading product design, licensing, and brand growth company that expands the reach of brands in the market on a global scale. With 22 years of expertise in retail brand licensing, product development, and product design, Earthbound augments brand potential by offering unprecedented growth potential for powerhouse brands. For more information, please visit www.earthboundbrands.com.

For more than 100 years, family-owned Hallmark Cards, Inc. has been dedicated to creating a more emotionally connected world. Headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri and employing approximately 20,000 worldwide, the approximately $3.8 billion company operates a diversified portfolio of businesses. The Hallmark Global business sells greeting cards, gift wrap and related products in more than 30 languages with distribution in more than 100 countries and 100,000 rooftops worldwide, including its own network of Hallmark Gold Crown stores in five countries. Crayola® offers a wide range of art materials and creative play toys designed to spark children's creativity around the globe. Hallmark Media operates three cable channels — Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, and Hallmark Drama — in addition to Hallmark Movies Now, a subscription-based streaming service. Crown Center is a real estate development company that manages the 85-acre hotel, office, entertainment and residential campus surrounding Hallmark's headquarters. For more information, visit Hallmark.com. Connect on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn and YouTube.

SOURCE Earthbound Brands