Hallmark is ramping up its consumer engagement, on a commercial as well as on the PR front.
Hallmark has just gone live with a brand new ‘all singing all dancing’ consumer website (www.Hallmark.co.uk), which the publisher stating that the “new venture marks a very important step on our journey to take our brand and product in the UK direct into the hands of our customers.”
The website, which is being actively promoted across all social media channels, has launched with a curated range of Hallmark’s everyday and Christmas products, but this selection will continue to evolve over 2021 and beyond. The plan is to extend the product offer to include print-on-demand and personalisation and the company is also exploring the opportunity to embrace Omni-channel trading with features, such as ‘Click & Collect’.
As Kirstie Watson, Hallmark’s communication partner explained, the new website is “a clear statement of our intentions to reach our consumers wherever they shop, online or in-store. The venture also brings benefits to our existing ‘B2B’ partnerships as the transformation enables us to support their digital and Omni-channel ambitions.”
As she added: “In this rapidly changing digital world – our range will expand to bring in exciting new categories, additional online websites and online marketplace ventures will open. Print-on-demand and personalisation will be added and we’ll explore the opportunity to embrace Omni-channel trading with features such as ‘Click & Collect’.
In addition, Hallmark has announced that it is partnering with Royal Mail to add some festive cheer to many children’s lives, by participating in the long running Letter to Santa initiative run by the UK’s postal operator.
For 57 years, Royal Mail has been helping to make Christmas wishes come true by sending children’s letters to Father Christmas at the North Pole. This year Hallmark is playing its part in helping Santa respond, by supplying 300,000 specially designed greeting cards which will be used to send the replies. It is also promoting it on its new consumer website under a separate tab.
As Jessica Lovelace, Hallmark’s head of marketing, highlighted “As Christmas 2020 will be a little different for everyone, it’s really lovely to be able to play a special part in the nation’s Christmas preparations. Our lovely card which has been produced in English and Welsh will be sent out to children across the UK from Santa as a thank you for their letter. We’ve got the delivery system all set up, the elves are ready to start on the lists, and all we need now is for the letter writing to begin.”
Royal Mail has been promoting the service (www.royalmail.com/santamail), urging children to send their letters to Santa no later than December 11.
All letters should be sent, on a stamped envelope to: Santa/Father Christmas, Santa’s Grotto, Reindeerland, XM4 5HQ.
Top: The new Hallmark consumer website is being widely promoted via social channels.
