The number of traditional cards sent has increased last year and during the peak seasons this year. For example, the number of Christmas cards increased by 20% and the number of Valentine’s Day cards increased by 8% from the previous year. Traditional cards reach their recipients efficiently, bring joy and have a high attention value when compared to digital communications.
The first observations of the increased interest in cards as a means of bringing joy and their growing number were made already before last Christmas when a record number of cards were sent to veterans and our war-time women on Independence Day. The Christmas card tradition is going strong.
“It’s great that the traditional card has experienced a small renaissance. It’s interesting to hear about all the appealing factors related to card sending from the senders. We already know, based on our previous surveys, that the recipients value traditional cards. It’s possible that the coronavirus pandemic and spending more time at home are partly responsible for the growth of the card numbers,” says Tuija Åkerman, Consumer Mail Business Unit, Posti.
Posti participated again in the campaign where Valentine’s Day greetings were sent to SOS Children’s Village, SOS-Lapsikylälle, HelsinkiMissio and Rinnekoti. The campaign encouraged people to send cards and bring joy to people who are not personally known to them. According to the partners’ feedback, the campaign succeeded well and cards were received in great numbers in all locations.
“More than 15,000 people received a card from an unknown sender, which is a record. It was especially noteworthy how dedicated the senders were in choosing the cards or making them with their own hands. The senders wanted to convey personal feelings and greetings,” says Åkerman.
The next traditional card season will be the festive season in the spring.
“Cards are always in fashion. Cards are stored, kept as memories of celebratory moments and even used as decorative elements. Even though as a form of remembrance the card is centuries old, each generation has renewed this tradition to make it their own. Cards are modified and stamps carefully selected, or stamps are made of people’s own photos. I believe that traditional cards, digital cards and social media messages all have their own places and purposes,” says Åkerman.
