NobleWorksCards.com - Customizable Funny Greeting Cards from Nobleworks

Press Release | Q & A | Press Release Images

For Immediate Release
Contact: Ron Kanfi, President and Creative Director, (201) 420.0095, x28

NobleWorksCards.com unveils a new website featuring outrageous, customizable cards just in time for Christmas and Valentine’s Day.

NobleWorks Inc. offers the irreverent, politically incorrect content consumers crave, but superstores are afraid to carry. It’s a serious commitment to funny.

October 17, 2007–Hoboken, New Jersey–Tired of the same-old (yawn), put-you-to-sleep cards from Hallmark and American Greetings at the, dare we utter the word, Wal-Marts of the world? Say no more, because just in time for Christmas and Valentine’s Day, NobleWorksCards.com has pushed the envelope yet again by making their entire collection of over 1,200 not-for-your-grandma, anything-but-boring greeting cards–including those from celebrated The New Yorker cartoonists–completely customizable.

Want to add to, delete or personalize the provided inside text of your chosen card? No problem. How about uploading a for-your-eyes-only photo? Done. Love the cartoon on the birthday card, but want to use it for an anniversary? Cool–you can even change the original occasion. And, as if all this isn’t enough (you greedy little pig), they haven’t stopped there. You can have the cards shipped to you and then mail them to all of your loved ones. Or you might prefer to select a stamp design and address an envelope right on screen, choosing the typeface that really gets your nipples hard. And there’s even more on the way. Starting next year, you’ll be able to keep an address book on the site, receive reminders of important events in your life (sorry, pooping doesn’t count) and even schedule customized cards and greetings to be automatically mailed on future dates.

“We’re thrilled to be offering this new level of personalization on top of our exclusive content from world-class cartoonists and a wide range of humor that appeals to a variety of comfort zones,” says NobleWorks Inc. President and Creative Director, Ron Kanfi. “And did I mention convenience? Traditionally, our cards have been available only in urban areas. But with NobleWorksCards.com, the product can now be accessed no matter where you live in the world–even sitting home buck naked, trimming your toenails, if that’s what your into.”

Headquartered in Hoboken, NJ, and founded in 1980 by Christopher Noble, NobleWorks Inc. is the world’s funniest greeting card company. The originator of Talk Bubbles, NobleWorks features cards by a long list of internationally-acclaimed cartoonists, many of whom are regular contributors to The New Yorker, Playboy, Penthouse, National Lampoon and MAD magazines. NobleWorks Inc. also publishes cards on behalf of an ever-growing stable of ground-breaking artists and designers, including Comic Debris and Emily the Strange. With more than 10,000 original designs in its archives and over 8,000 retailers nationwide, NobleWorks Inc takes full responsibility for reminding folks everywhere not to take life too seriously.

###

FUNNY BUSINESS Q&A

Ron Kanfi, President of NobleWorks Inc., on how greeting cards are born, where the industry is going and what consumers really want.

Why such an emphasis on NobleWorksCards.com? What’s that all about?

NobleWorksCards.com is our direct line to the consumer. And that means the consumer has more choices. No matter where you live in the world, you have immediate access to our product through this website. And now it’s interactive, as all 1,200 cards on NobleWorksCards.com are completely customizable. Add, delete or modify text, insert your own photos, even change the original occasion. The options are endless. The days of relying on the same old offerings from the superstore down the street are over–it’s the democratization of funny.

NobleWorks Inc. is the flagship and we continue to enjoy a healthy business through printing hilarious–and often outrageous–cards the old-fashioned way as well. This product is distributed to a nationwide network of independent retailers that the company has established relationships with over the course of the last 27 years.

27 years is a long time. What do you think is the secret to your success?

There are always several factors contributing to the success of any business. Staying power is even more elusive.

There is no question that first of all, you have to be excellent at what you do. The retailer and the consumer have lots of options and they know what is good and what they like. For some odd reason they seem to like us. To tell you the truth, I think they are all secretly in love with me.

We also have been lucky to work with some incredibly talented artists over the years. 27 years of consistently good product doesn’t come easily. You have to keep taking risks, stay on the cutting edge, and change with the times. Staying fresh and new is critical. After all, you are only as good as your current product line. We constantly take risks, take on new projects, change formats, introduce new concepts and expand our horizons.

I think integrity and loyalty are important aspects as well–we have a very low rate of employee turnover. We also have some reps that have been with us since the very beginning! It makes all the difference.

Have any particular artists influenced or inspired you?

I have worked with and published dozens of artists. But if I had to name one influence, it would be John Callahan for sure. John came into my life in early 1990 shortly after I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. And though after 17 years I am very well, I was not at the time; I had difficulty writing and walking and was using a cane. It was quite a dramatic time for me and I was feeling lost. A dear friend, and fellow publisher, recommended I look John Callahan up. I first discovered his cartoon collection books at Coliseum Books on Columbus Circle in New York (not there any longer, unfortunately). I remember sitting on the floor (this was before there was a Starbucks in every bookstore) and reading the books cover to cover. It was a revelation. John’s life is as amazing as his art. John, a redheaded quadriplegic, was raised by nuns and later adopted by a black Irish family that proceeded to have four more boys of their own. He eventually succumbed to alcoholism and ended up in a devastating car accident, which landed him in a wheelchair for life. On the cover of his autobiography (go to callahanonline.com) is a cartoon of a sheriff standing over an empty wheelchair in the middle of the desert saying to his deputy: “Don’t worry–he won’t get far on foot.”

I admired the way that, despite everything he had been through, he was–and is–the funniest, sickest man I have ever encountered. I was most impressed by his ability to see humor even in what seemed to be the most dire of conditions. It was almost as if his misfortune gave him license to skewer anything and anyone: nuns, alcoholics, amputees–even God was fair game. To me, it was liberating. It was suddenly okay to laugh again. Believe me, I was having trouble finding humor in my life at that time. I know it’s a cliché, but I finally understood how powerful humor was.

So many things are funny in retrospect–they must have been funny at the time as well, if only we could see it…

Are there any early mentors in the industry that you might owe homage to?

There are two people who come to mind. The first is my deceased partner Christopher Noble Peterson who founded the company. He named the company with his mother’s maiden name, and then took the name himself. He took me in when I barley spoke English (maybe he thought that was funny) and taught me so much of what I think I know today. He had a fantastic sense of humor. He was a truly funny man, and I am not referring to his looks. I miss him greatly.

My other mentor was a fellow by the name of Ron Blanchette. He was the sales director of a fantastic company called MainLine Cards. He was a good friend and teacher. I learned a lot from Ron.

Unfortunately, we have lost both Christopher and Ron to AIDS, as with so many of our industry’s brightest talent.

How do you think the fiercely divided political climate affects the card market?

Well, this one is a bit loaded. Surely, I should take the Fifth here. I don’t want to be closed down for saying the wrong thing. As you can imagine, not everyone finds our humor appetizing. I am not sure how all this has affected the industry. What I can tell you is that we have started using red envelopes. It also seems as if politically related subject matter sells more these days.

How does your creative team at NobleWorks help you to produce your product? Tell us about the process.

The process is intricate, interactive and fun. We buy some of the ideas “as is” from folks who submit them to us unsolicited. Our challenge is to pick the ones that will make a good card and adapt them to an occasion by writing a greeting to go with them, such as a birthday or seasonal message. Other cards start with an image which we then write copy for. We have some great talent on staff that does all that, as well as a stable of freelancers and contributors. It is a creative process, and as such is fluid and always changing. Some ideas we license and adapt from other products altogether. We also have a great art department who turns every concept and piece of artwork into a well-designed card. And believe me, it sometimes takes vision and patience to get there.

What makes you laugh?

Most of what makes me laugh you could not publish here, unfortunately.

What kind of cards do you personally feel like giving?

Now that is not so funny. I do not give cards often. First of all, I don’t have any friends. Secondly, there’s the pressure of choosing one. Oh my GOD! I’m like a little kid in a Hagen Daaz store. Overwhelmed by the choices, I just break into tears. Prepaid gift cards are big these days. I think I am going to start giving them to the local card store.

What is your message to today’s retailers?

Support your future! Your challenge today is staying relevant in a world of convenience shoppers and price-driven consumers. Your edge in the big box game is content. Aside from personal service you have the advantage of being able to tailor your offerings to the specific niche customer in your area. Yes, service and personal attention are important, but let’s face it: Have you ever gone back to a store that offered a wonderful experience but didn’t have the products you were looking for? Your challenge is to offer what the chains can’t, since they are focused on the national mainstream. You, on the other hand, have the advantage of stocking product from smaller niche publishers. It kills me to see independent retailers devote large amounts of shelf space to the same lines carried by the big box down the street.

What are some of the changes that you have seen in the industry?

All the new technology we enjoy today has totally changed the way we exchange information. And as a result very few things shock us anymore. We see sex and violence in just about every blockbuster movie. Nudity is common on TV, in magazine ads, on the net, and even in your email box (penis enlargement, anyone?). Presidential candidates star in Viagra ads, while a sitting president’s sexual escapades and the specific location of his cigar are the subject of congressional hearings! In addition, we now have gangs of flaming queens doing makeovers on hapless heterosexual victims. What’s left?

For publishers of humor, such trends are, on the one hand, liberating. But on the other hand, they pose a challenge, since the element of shock and surprise are such an integral part of humor. It has become quite difficult to find a decent taboo these days, and to keep an edge, as the edge moves closer to the middle.

Some big changes have also been occurring on the sales front as well. The consolidation trend among both publishers and retailers has made it more challenging for unique, independent and creative talent. Publishers are finding themselves having to be safe and homogenized, since their big box retailers are a lot more concerned with public opinion and the average common denominator. Unfortunately, the consumer ends up with less diverse offerings as a result. This is a loss for both the industry and the consumer.

How has marketing and merchandising changed?

The big box retailers have changed the playing field to a service and margins game, leaving content in third place. I’d like to think it is unsustainable, but time will tell. It does leave an opening to be taken advantage of by the independent retailer, though.

Tell us a favorite story about how a card came into being.

Picking your favorite card is like choosing your favorite kid. It’s practically impossible. We have so many great-looking, beautiful cards. Oddly enough, the one I’m thinking of wouldn’t win any beauty contests. In fact, it’s kind of ugly. But that’s part of its charm.

Last Christmas, we got a holiday card from a vendor. It was one of those corporate cards that you pass around to everyone in the office to sign. The office manager put a sticky note on it that said “Don’t mention Christmas–he’s Jewish” (referring to me, of course). How do I know this? Because she left the note on the card and mailed it like that. I almost died laughing when I got it. It was one of the funniest cards I have ever seen. So we modeled a Christmas card after it. We worked hard to capture that “Oops” feeling. I think we hit it on the head.

This is a great example of how we work. Stuff happens, it’s funny, and a new card is born.

###

Images available for press release