How to sell an idea to Hallmark Cards
Does not take outside ideas
Hallmark neither accepts nor buys unsolicited ideas, artwork, photography or writing for its cards or Gift Books. Writers seeking publication are told to find an agent. It has bought Binney & Smith, the maker of Crayola.
Read off Hallmark Cards's own pages on
In its own words
“Hallmark does not accept or purchase unsolicited submissions of ideas, artwork, photography, or writing for our greeting card or Gift Books lines.”
“Hallmark does not accept or consider outside submissions of creative ideas, suggestions, or materials.”
“For those seeking publication of their work, we suggest finding an agent to represent you in your search.”
What it has bought from outside
- 1984
Binney & Smith (Crayola) from Binney & Smith shareholders $204 million
“The same year, it acquired Binney & Smith (later Crayola), a manufacturer of crayons for $204 million.” en.wikipedia.org
- 1980
Valentine & Sons (picture postcards) from Valentine & Sons of Dundee
“In 1980, Hallmark Cards acquired Valentine & Sons of Dundee, Scotland, one of the world's oldest publishers of picture postcards.” en.wikipedia.org
Other companies that take an invention or product idea
Acroterion, CC BY-SA 4.0 
en:User:DG, Public domain 
Nyttend, Public domain 
Ralff Nestor Nacor, CC BY-SA 4.0 
Tony Webster, CC BY 2.0 
Guilhem Vellut from Annecy, France, CC BY 2.0 
掬茶, CC BY-SA 3.0 
Leefisher91, CC BY-SA 4.0