Thousands of the UK’s finest design graduates were alerted to career possibilities within the greeting card industry thanks to Hallmark’s 20th year sponsorship at the recent New Designers show, the UK’s leading showcase for undergraduate creatives.
Two talented students – Ailsa Morrant and Maisy Summer Lewin-Sanderson – received extra fame and glory, as the winners of the Hallmark Studio Awards (for Part 1 and Part 2 sections of the show). Each winner received £500 and a four week paid placement with the publisher.
Explaining how the winners were decided, Laura Broadley, Hallmark studio manager explained, “We were looking for something different; real thinkers as well as talented designers.”
Ailsa Morrant, a jewellery undergraduate was selected as “her jewellery designs were all about emotional connections. It will be exciting to see how she can translate this into greeting cards.”
Maisy Summer Lewin-Sanderson’s striking illustrations, made her a worthy winner – and a serendipitously one to boot as he father, Geoff Sanderson (now creative director of Moonpig) was in fact one of the leading lights of setting up the partnership with New Designers.
“Proud Dad” Geoff described Maisy’s win as “a wonderful synchronicity” he had never anticipated. “Having begun the whole sponsorship award/placements model at my time as creative director at Tigerprint and Hallmark it’s a wonderful full circle for Maisy to win this award. Especially to be selected by Kelly Jones [creative director of Hallmark] who was one of the first graduates to win back in my day!”
Maisy, whose creative prowess has seen her gain a 1st in her degree at Manchester School of Art, told PG Buzz: “It does seem a bit crazy” how she has won an award that her Dad instigated all those years ago.
Commenting on the wider benefits of the New Designers’ sponsorship, Amy Banks, Hallmark’s marketing manager of trade events and digital said: “It is a great way of reinforcing the importance Hallmark places on maintaining a freshness on the creative front; rewarding outstanding young talent as well as positioning the greeting card industry as a credible career springboard for the next generation of designers.”
Over 50 of Hallmark’s current employees started out at New Designers.
