Clash Of The Titans

I need a job. And I'd like to have one that people understand. Or is easy to explain. Doctor, lawyer, policeman, fireman. People have a hard time understanding what an illustrator or animator do, until you show them exactly what you do. A picture is worth a thousand words. I thought my days of explaining were over when I left Danya to work for American Greetings. At Danya, I worked on projects that were SBIR (Small Business Innovative Research) and mostly had to be 508 compliant. That kind of talk doesn't play too well at parties. I thought I was on easy street when I started working for American Greetings. Everyone knows about American Greetings, right? Over the past 3 years, I've learned how oblivious and ignorant people are about the greeting card business. And on top of it, they just don't care.

I can't count how many times I've had a conversation at a party similar to this...

Someone I've just met: "So, what do you do?"
Me: "I work for American Greetings."
Someone: "Oh? How is it working for Hallmark?"

The thing that really baffles me is that it's been so clear in my mind for as long as I can remember: Hallmark, Kansas City; American Greetings, Cleveland. Meanwhile, other people have no idea if American Greetings is a division of Hallmark. Or is it the other way around? Wait...aren't they based in New York? Why is the distinction so clear to me and so blurred for 99.9% of the population?

I guess I'm an oddball. I grew up in Kansas City, home of Hallmark. I had books put out by Hallmark growing up. And I loved greeting card humor. As I got older, I got into underground comics and learned about Robert Crumb and his stint at American Greetings in Cleveland. Are these the bits that make it all so clear for me?

But what makes the distinction so non-existent for others? Mainly, I think they simply don't care. Even the people I went to school with...illustrators, graphic designers, etc., are still ignorant. The bulk of the population really could care less about the greeting card business. They buy cards out of obligation with no regard to the maker. Ergo, there's no difference between the two. It's sad and funny seeing the 2 titans of greeting cards competing, trying to distinguish themselves from each other, and copying each other at the same time.

I'm out of that rat race. At least for the moment.