Kansas City’s Hallmark hires exec to lead Black culture greeting card line Mahogany
Hallmark Cards has created a new executive position to lead the Kansas City-based company’s line of greeting cards that honor Black culture.
For more than 30 years, Hallmark’s Mahogany brand has offered birthday, holiday and wedding cards targeted to Black consumers. But officials say the hiring of Alexis Kerr as a new vice president should help grow and elevate that brand. In a news release, Hallmark says it is “building the brand to be more than a card line.”
“Hallmark’s investment in Mahogany will help us deepen and strengthen our relationships with existing customers, while also attracting new and diverse audiences,” Kerr said in a news release. “I am excited to lead the team as we help more people live caring and connected lives full of meaningful moments.”
Kerr previously spent decades in the automotive industry. She most recently worked as the head of multicultural marketing for Cadillac.
“Alexis is a proven leader in multicultural brand development and we’re thrilled she’s joining us to lead the growth of Mahogany,” Lindsey Roy, Hallmark’s chief marketing officer, said in a news release. “We see a great deal of potential in the power of this brand as we work to create products and experiences for our diverse customer base.”
Last week, Hallmark launched a card giveaway in celebration of Black History Month, handing out one million Mahogany cards in less than two days. The giveaway included one card from the new “Uplifted and Empowered” series, which was created by Black writers and artists.
That line celebrates Black resilience while also acknowledging decades of oppression and injustices.
“My job at Hallmark is all about writing those perfect words, words that heal and hold relationships together,” Courtney Taylor, a senior writer at Hallmark, said about the greeting card line. “But there are not many cards that address the difficulty of race, cards that speak directly to the truth of Black experiences.”
The cards contain a variety of messages and imagery. One showcases a Black fist with the words, “I stand with you.” Another says “You’ve got a powerful voice.”
In a video about the new line, Taylor said the Uplifted and Empowered series allowed Black creators to speak honestly about their own experiences.
“These cards are for us, by us,” Taylor said, “and that allows us to just remind each other that we matter.”
