Hallmark Cards acquires online video startup SpiritClips

Hallmark Cards, a household name in the greeting card industry and one of the region’s most established companies, is turning to a startup to help beef up its digital presence. …

Hallmark Cards, a household name in the greeting card industry and one of the region’s most established companies, is turning to a startup to help beef up its digital presence.

Hallmark, which is based in Kansas City, Mo. and is the largest manufacturer of greeting cards in the United States, on Friday announced the acquisition of SpiritClips, a broadband subscription-based online video service and film production company that offers heartwarming short films, family friendly movies and documentaries.

SpiritClips, based in Los Angeles, was founded in 2007 by Rob Fried, an Academy-award winning producer and studio executive, whose résumé films include “Rudy” and “Hoosiers”. Fried will continue in his current capacity as SpiritClips CEO, and the firm will remain in California.

Donald J. Hall, Jr., the president and CEO of Hallmark, said the acquisition offers Hallmark a new way to engage consumers in the digital world and a potential new channel of distribution for the brand. “It is a superb brand fit for Hallmark, with each story delivering compelling emotional content, positive family values and meaningful life lessons,” Hall said in a release.

Added Fried in the release: “It’s a dream come true for SpiritClips to be part of the digital future of so esteemed an organization as Hallmark.”

SpiritClips and Hallmark are both privately held, and terms of the acquisition were not released.

This story is part of the AIM Archive

This story is part of the AIM Institute Archive on Silicon Prairie News. AIM gifted SPN to the Nebraska Journalism Trust in January 2023. Learn more about SPN’s origin »

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