Picture postcards were a huge fad in 1911. However, like all fads, postcards fell out of favor and were replaced by something even better, greeting cards. The key innovation was combining a nice illustration AND a sentimental bit of pre-written text helping the sender seem more eloquent that he or she really was. The person sending the card only had to sign their name, include a few perfunctory X & O’s and they were done. The distinction between postcard and greeting card seems small in retrospect, but it was big enough for Joyce Hall, founder of Hallmark, to create a business that is worth $4B today.
Customization companies often talk about how advanced their technology is, but customers want help with expression. Most people have developed a personal taste, but don’t have the time or training to be able to develop a product that reflects it. As the Hallmark example shows there is a huge amount of money for companies that can help them create.
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