- - - -
Now available for preorder:
The San Francisco Panorama.
- - - -
M O S T C E N S O R E D - - - - American Greetings Artist Creates a Giant Hit With Tiny Characters - - - - CLEVELAND, Aug. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Walk into Terri Libenson's office at American Greetings and you've entered the miniature world of the Nebs -- tiny, gender-neutral cartoon characters that make up Skitch(TM). These chubby, frizzy-haired characters have become stars of one of the company's most popular card programs. Skitch was born five years ago when Libenson submitted a cute romantic card featuring a gender-neutral cartoon character. The American Greetings creative managers liked the character so much that they encouraged Terri to develop the concept further. Since then, Skitch has grown from a few cards to approximately 80 designs for birthday, friendship, romance and holiday cards. According to Mark Stringer, American Greetings director of alternative cards, Skitch has a lovable "everyman" quality that really strikes a chord with people. "Terri's drawings place Skitch in typical, slice-of-life situations that anybody can relate to," he said. A typical Skitch birthday card pictures two characters in various roles described by the captions, "You're my teacher ... consultant ... coach ... party planner ... therapist." Inside, the card shows the characters standing side by side with the message, "... and buddy. (What would I do without you?)." Libenson draws from personal experience to develop many of Skitch's scenarios. For instance, one card features two characters lying in bed, under the covers. The front reads, "To the one I love ..." Inside, the covers are flung back to reveal one character sweating profusely, clad only in shorts, while the other is shivering uncontrollably, bundled up from head to toe in a sweater, scarf, flannel pants and wool slippers. The message inside reads, "Despite our little differences, we were meant for each other." "That's exactly how it is with my husband and me," Libenson laughs. "I was able to take that little quirk in our relationship, and turn it into a funny card that most married couples can relate to." Skitch's popularity should come as no big surprise according to Jerry M. Lewis, professor of Sociology at Kent State University in Kent, Ohio. "People these days are busier than ever," Lewis said. "Few people have time to sit down and write long, formal letters anymore. Sending a card with quick, witty verse is a great way to keep in touch efficiently, without asking for anything from the receiver in return. "Humor is one of the best ways to communicate," he added. "Telling a joke is a gift. It gives the recipient something to feel good about, as well as something they can hang on the refrigerator or office wall." So typical these days is informal and humorous communication that American Greetings has pinpointed it as one of the eight trends in its "All New American Way 2000" product development strategy, which has led to the creation of thousands of new greeting cards geared toward contemporary lifestyles. Skitch is cited as a prime example of this trend. Seeing people using her ideas and designs to keep in touch with friends and relatives gives Libenson a great sense of satisfaction and accomplishment. "Skitch is my baby, and I've been given free reign to do pretty much anything I want to with the cards," she said. "It's very gratifying to see that so many people are able to laugh at the same things I do and use it as a humorous way to keep in touch." American Greetings is the world's largest publicly held creator, manufacturer and distributor of greeting cards and related special occasion products. Based in Cleveland, Ohio, American Greetings employs more than 21,000 associates worldwide and is home to one of the world's largest creative studios. SOURCE American Greetings
|
Red dot denotes content that is new today.
Black dot denotes newish content.