There are many different ways to say the same thing, and sometimes images and messages say as much about us as the actual sentiment being expressed says to the people it is directed at. Hence, we need to move with the times.
Like most industries that we are constantly surrounded by, greeting cards are always evolving and the industry is shaped, at least to some extent, by everything going on in the world. You might think that greeting cards are stuck in a domain of rigid traditions, and of course they are in terms of what they represent; a simple message of congratulations, sympathy or to recognise a special occasion. But greeting cards certainly move with the times, and today we can provide a vast range of images, messages and thoughts that very much represent the fast-moving world that we live in.
Of course, there will always be a market for established designs, cards showcasing classic artists or photographs and carrying conventional sentiments and verses. But alongside that the greeting cards industry is an ever-evolving vehicle that represents the development of modern culture and styles.
Humour: classic humour will last a lifetime, but the style of humour changes, messages can be expressed differently and new catchphrases and sayings become ingrained in everyday language. Humour can become even more crude, blunt or honest, it can reference new characters, icons or cultural phenomenons. These are all reflected in our range of humorous greeting cards.
Popular culture: new faces arrive on the scene all the time; pop stars, film stars, children’s characters, politicians. They all bring a certain style and personality with them, be it visual or in what they represent or say, and these can be seen in modern greeting cards that we stock.
Art and design: possibly the fastest-moving industry of all is that of art and design, where imagery, illustrations or typography reflects the very latest ideas. And this can definitely be seen in modern greeting cards that can carry a huge range of different fonts, typefaces, trends and styles. Also, some classic photos and landscape images or drawings will last forever, but equally, there is always something new to photograph or sketch.
‘Old’ is the new ‘new’: the passion for looking back and savouring retro images doesn’t seem to be abating, and there appears to be little more ‘modern’ than gazing into our past, often with a shake of the head, at what styles, designs and humour we used to take as the norm. Mocking, but secretly savouring and even craving, past cultures, fashions and sayings is a modern trend that everybody loves, and today’s greeting cards will always be tomorrow’s as well.
Do-It-Yourself: uploading your own photos and designing your own cards online is definitely a modern trend. You can incorporate hobbies and pastimes, include a favourite football team or pop group or just somebody’s favourite photos, and what could be more up-to-date than sending Grandma a birthday card from her favourite granddaughter, showing exactly what she looked like only yesterday?
Language: “OMG it’s your birthday”, “You smashed it!” and “Best news ever!” They might seem pretty normal to us now, but you forget that these are modern sayings that have only just arrived in our everyday parlance. Modern greeting cards reflect modern language and often the message we want to convey reflects how we speak. And don’t forget, these will be in the ‘retro’ section in ten or twenty years’ time!
Browsing the many categories on our website demonstrates all the modern styles in every section, making sure that every occasion can carry exactly the kind of message we want to say today. Shop our Personlised Greeting Cards today!