American Greetings has added another mobile application to its repertoire, enabling consumers to create their own cards with a new iPad app.

The Creatacard app lets children create their own artwork with stickers and photos, and parents can then order a physical card that incorporates that creativity to bring the artwork to life. The app is available for free download in Apple?s App Store.

?We have taken the offline behavior of making cards that children have enjoyed for generations and created an app that brings this experience to an amazing new level with the option to professionally print their imaginative designs as real paper greeting cards,? said Radhika Balasubramaniam, senior brand manager of mobile at American Greetings, Cleveland, OH.

?For the card artists, this first-of-its-kind iPad app encourages creativity with a rainbow of crayons, paint and markers, the ability to easily add their own photos and access to tools they might not otherwise have like spray paint, stamps and stickers,? she said. 

?Working together on the iPad is now creative and educational shared time between children and parents.?

Creatacard
The Creatacard app provides tools such as crayons, paint, stickers, stamps and chalk for children to create their own artwork. They can also add their own photos and frames.

On the back of each card, kids can sign their artwork in the ?Made By? spot.

Parents can then order a print version of the card for $3.49 via the app. American Greetings will mail the card anywhere in the world.

Parents can track the card?s journey in the ?Where?s My Card?? feature.

The app prevents kids from ordering multiple cards by incorporating security steps that ensure that only adults can make an actual purchase in the app.

In the near future, American Greetings will add a Pick-A-Card feature that will provide card templates with popular characters such as Strawberry Shortcake, Thomas the Tank Engine and Hello Kitty.

Mobile cards
Creatacard joins a growing group of apps from American Greetings, including JustWink, LiveGreetings and P.S. Video, to name a few.

The greeting card company recently added a new gift card feature to its JustWink app, showing its constant commitment to the channel and mobile commerce in particular (see story).

American Greetings maintains its suite of apps as opposed to one universal app to personalize experiences for different consumers.

?Our mobile approach starts with our users? content preferences while leveraging a common, favored product interaction,? Ms. Balasubramaniam said. 

?Offering a suite of branded apps helps us easily direct the user to the type of card they want to send without adding unnecessary complexity to the navigation or personalization experience,? she said.

American Greetings realizes the growing importance of mobile and embraces the technology to connect with consumers. The company wants to enable consumers to send cards when they want and how they want.

?Over 60 percent of the U.S. population currently has a smartphone with the numbers rising every day, and mobile ownership among kids has tripled over the past two years,? Ms. Balasubramaniam said. 

?At American Greetings, we want to make sure we are there with the best cards to suit our customers? individual needs, no matter which channel they choose," she said.

Final Take
Rebecca Borison is editorial assistant on Mobile Marketer, New York