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A design company in Albion, Michigan is providing corporations with greeting cards that have personality. Maggie LaNoue, president of Albion Design is the artist that creates various types of cards in a style that is recognizably her own. Most noticeable is the intricate detail, and bold outlines that captures the recipients' attention and draws them into the scene on each card. Maggie's signature, ever present, has been found on greeting cards in the Michigan area since 1979, when she drew a pen and ink scene of the blizzard the year before. As she has developed her style, she has also helped many Michigan corporations develop their own style of holiday and employee birthday greeting cards, as well as thank you notes. |
| "Corporations today are competing in a global economy, and may lose a customer next door to a supplier on the other coast," said LaNoue. "It is important to stand out, to be remembered in a favorable way, to brighten the day of your clients and employees." A case in point was an anniversary card LaNoue developed for Dawn Food Products, headquartered in Jackson Michigan. Ron Jones, president of Dawn Food Products commissioned Albion Design to create a composite scene of Dawn's various locations over the years in honor of Dawn's 75th anniversary in 1995. The resulting thank you cards, ordered on a "one time only" basis to honor the family-owned firm's 75 years in business, caused a minor sensation among the salesmen and customers. There were so many comments and thank you's for the holiday greetings, that Dawn Food has reordered variations on the theme every year since then. |  |
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Along the way, Dawn Foods has expanded its marketing territory into 3 continents, so the 1998 cards were printed in 18 different languages. Working with Jones' executive assistant, Bev Lambkin, LaNoue has developed creative themes for the Dawn holiday cards through the years. This continuity includes a festive snow colored pine tree, jolly shoppers, and families. Some characters depicted are in Dawn's card each year, and subtle changes depict their changing life-style. A couple was depicted at the bus stop in the 1995 card, they were cozier in the '96 card, with a small infant in the 97 card, and |
| onward. There was an old man with the bag of day old doughnuts in the 95 card, using a red-tipped white cane in the 96 card (still with his large bag of day old doughnuts) and still sitting on a park bench but with hot coffee chatting with a "Bobby" in the 98 card, which featured Dawn's Evesham, England location. The cardinals which were prevalent in the earlier cards made way for robins, which are naturally found in England, even in the winter. A large reddish brown dog gleefully jumps through many cards designed by Albion Design. |  |
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Another firm which has used cards from Albion Design for many years is Felpausch Food Centers. This is also a family owned business with many locations, and recently celebrated its 65th year. Tom Feldpausch, President of Felpausch Food Centers, has commissioned Maggie to depict all 26 of the Felpausch Food Centers. Each year, Tom chooses different locations to be featured in a composite arrangement that showcases the Felpausch logo as well as the Felpausch style of business. Tom personally signs birthday cards for all of the 3,000 employees who receive a card on their special day each year. |
These custom cards with distinct touches help employees and customers to feel special when they receive them. The amount of time that goes into designing each style of card is obvious as soon as the card is opened. Sometimes the amount of special attention put into the holiday greetings is evident even before the card is opened, as in the case of Falco Construction Corporation of Brooklyn, New York. Lynne Falco, President of Falco's Construction Corporation (another family-owned business with a history), had each holiday card hand-addressed in calligraphy by a local calligrapher. |
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Ms. Falco located Albion Design on the Internet in 1998. Although starting relatively late in the season (custom cards can take months to create,) the final design of the Falco Construction cards is memorable indeed. Any recipient of a card showing 60 foot high pile drivers decorated for the holidays, in a scene with snowball fights, a happy dog, a snowman and a semi truck with a wreath in front is bound to "take note." |
Artwork © Albion Design / Maggie LaNoue 2005
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