Sometimes projects inspire great feelings in the people who work on them, but other times feelings inspire great projects. When it comes to the Gratitude Notecards, it’s probably a little of both. This printed piece put its roots down during a lunch meeting in 2022 and blossomed into an inspiring story of collaboration and the power of a handwritten note and a kind word.

Sharing a Little Gratitude

Executed by an amazing group of women—Marie Langdon of Midland, Robin Ward of The Write Design, Christy Schneider of Inkello Letterpress and Rhonda Gibler of ProPrint—the project had one common goal in mind: to create a beautiful notecard set that would allow recipients to send one positive note to one person a day.

“I had a meeting with a client who works in the health services industry and things have been really tough for their staff,” shared Robin, still a little awed by how smoothly the project came together. “They’ve been through so much, so she made it a point once a week to send encouraging words to each person on her team via email. She could not believe how many people said they needed that little encouraging note to keep going. So, I thought she would enjoy doing better than just emailing people – she could send handwritten notes.”

Printed digitally with letterpress, they chose Cougar® 130 lb. cover for the notecards because of the brand’s consistent quality, weight and finish and Lettermark™ Colors Index for the binding belly bands because they felt  the sunny palette reflected the positive purpose of the card.

First, the cards and belly bands were printed using a Konica Minolta Accuriopress C6085 at ProPrint. Then the cards were passed to Inkello Letterpress, where a Heidelberg Windmill was used to add blind embossing and foil stamping. The “You Inspire Me” and “We Can Do This” cards were blind embossed using polymer plates and the “Best Days” and “You Are Amazing” cards were hot foil stamped with metallic silver foil. Each notecard is both a reminder of the kindness in the people around us and a testament to the fact that you can do amazing and challenging things, as long as you “align yourself with the right vendors and people that support your visions.” More than that, the cards are a real-life representation of what data has been telling us over the last few years—consumers are craving personalization and seeking escapes from increasingly online environments.

Take Note, Cards Work

A recent survey by the NY Post of 2,000 American adults revealed that millennials not only appreciate writing more but are, surprisingly, more likely to keep hold of handwritten notes than those in their fifties. In addition, this same survey showed that nearly nine in ten millennials value handwritten notes more than alternative means of communication (i.e., texts and emails). While digital communication is certainly convenient, people are rediscovering the fact that there is something special about the personal touch and cognitive benefits of a handwritten note. One reason may be that they harken back to a simpler time before digital communication took over and offer a break from the constant bombardment of screens and notifications—and the data seems to support that theory. Paper offers a personal touch that digital communication can lack because the tactile nature of the medium conveys emotions that are difficult to express digitally. The act of physically writing can help to improve focus and comprehension, making it easier to understand, remember important thoughts and ideas or leave a lasting impression. In this case, the Gratitude Notecards are a perfect example of the impact paper can have on both business and the people we work with.

For more on the power of collaboration in print, visit our blog. To request a sample of the Gratitude Notecards, click here.