Undergraduate Greeting Card Firm Now Outselling Established Rivals

While the Veritas Committee worries about the evil effects of Keynesian economics upon undergraduates, a group of sophomores have given the capitalist tradition an invigorating shot in the arm. A greeting card company founded by Richard D. Copaken '63 and Mark E. Talisman '63 has met with such success that major firms are being forced to imitate their line.

The two sophomores evolved an idea last September that many in the industry regard as the first innovation in greeting cards since the nebbish. Balancing lights on stacks of books, using a table top as a studio and a windowshade as a backdrop, Talisman photographed a group of models sculpted by his partner. They then capitalized on the University's geographical distribution in lining up eighty ingenious undergraduates to promote the cards across the country over the Christmas vacation.

Orders for shipments started coming in immediately. Apparently the black, glossy cards stood out on racks of standard white, and the photographed models offered welcome relief from two-dimensional cartoons. Particularly frantic requests for more came from college towns, where the undergraduate wit of the captions struck home.

Unique Difficulties

The greatest difficulty that the Avant Garde greeting card company has had to face is unique: since only minors were involved, no one could sign a valid contract. But John Singleton, a Cambridge printer, and then other firms, were excited by the cards' commercial potentialities and sealed working agreements with the students. As if an undergraduate company hadn't individuality enough, they were now doing business on the honor system.

Another problem turned up when a Cleveland pharmacist found one of the cards too risque. "You're the best friend a fella ever had," announced the front. "But I'm a girl," it concluded. The druggist was sufficiently struck by the other cards to order the line.

Talisman, Copaken, and their board of directors (roommates and friends) now plan additional lines of cocktail and Christmas cards.