HALLMARK INTERNATIONAL: Licensing Out & Franchised Brand Extensions

PROBLEM:

• Hallmark needed to shift from a reactive to a strategic approach in licensing creative assets internationally.

• Existing international licensing and franchise opportunities were limited and lacked scalability.

• Hallmark’s offerings weren’t clearly differentiated from competitors in design and content.

SOLUTION:

• Researched regional product, design, and lifestyle trends to shape strategy.

• Created licensing and franchise packages rooted in emotion, storytelling, and meaning—not just design.

• Developed distinct brand essences and positioning for each product category.

• Crafted overarching points of view to make offerings more scalable and appealing across categories.

• Designed a life-stage migration strategy positioning Hallmark as a premier lifetime brand internationally, starting in Asia and expanding to the Middle East and South America.

• Ensured emotional and cultural relevance across product categories and regions.

• Trained international licensing agents and Hallmark leaders on strategic principles to enhance global appeal.

RESULT:

• Expanded global reach by leveraging Hallmark’s intellectual property strategically.

• Licensing agents reported emotional, story-driven packages were more scalable and easier to sell.

• International buyers became enthusiastic about meaningful, story-based solutions.

• Buyers found licensed content packages easier to apply, merchandise, and sell.

• Hallmark expanded from licensing packages to international franchise and store concepts.

• Developed franchise concepts for key partners in Asia and Saudi Arabia.