Hallmark joins (Product) Red

CHICAGO Hallmark announced last week that it has joined (Product) Red campaign, Adweek reported.

Hallmark became the seventh company to take part in the (Product) Red endeavor. The venture, founded in 2006 by U2 front man Bono and Bobby Shriver, was developed as a way to raise awareness and donations for The Global Fund (which combats AIDS in Africa). The effort has raised more than $45 million from corporate partners.

Hallmark’s involvement with the organization will include outdoor advertising in major markets, a Web video placed on social networking sites and an e-mail campaign. Although he family-owned, private company would not disclose spending on the promotion, it said 8 percent of sales from the line would go to The Global Fund.

“We found a great matchup with our consumers,” Jill Rosen, Hallmark’s vice president of licensing, told Adweek. “People who shop at Hallmark are innately caring, remembering birthdays and special occasions. They want to buy products and help.”

(Product) Red merchandise will be identified with in-store signage, as well as identifying marks on the envelopes. The company has initially developed a line of greeting cards, sound cards, gift wrap and gift items such as ornaments and flower arrangements. In January, the line will be expanded to more than 150 products.

Despite the Internet campaign, Hallmark said it has not forsaken its core consumers. An outdoor effort will include billboards—going up on Nov. 1—in several major markets, including New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and Boston. The boards feature the line, “See how far a card can go” and a photo of a person either mailing or receiving the card, with the card highlighted by the alliance’s signature red parentheses.