Here we are again – the yearly “Do we have to do it again?” on our agendas: Christmas cards, greetings, and year-end wishes to customers, business partners, employees, and investors.
It often starts with the internal discussion, “Are our Christmas cards still up-to-date?” and “Does this align with our internal ESG rules”?
A seasonal greeting card can elicit joy from your customers and make them feel valuable. That’s important because emotions play a crucial role in decision-making.
“Today’s Christmas card customers are looking for something non-generic, personal. We find that our customers are purchasing with somebody specific in mind,” says Victoria Venturi, founder and CEO of greeting card maker Paper Epiphanies. “I think that’s where we see the big shift.” Whereas social media allows – even encourages – presenting a façade to the world, Christmas cards can be a space for sincerity and vulnerability.
In the last couple of years, companies often commissioned a creative agency to create a lovely, company-branded Christmas card and formulate well-meaning, grateful year-end wishes in October.
And then the revolution happened.
Chatbot Chat GPT was launched in March 2023, and alternative tools like Jasper AI, Google Bard, and Chat Sonic have mushroomed since then. Whatever tool you use, there is no denying that a new way and era of content and communication creation began.
With this in mind, this raises the question: should a company use chatbots to create texts for Christmas cards? No doubt, using chatbot texts for Christmas cards can be a unique and exciting way to create content for holiday greetings, but is it practical or even appropriate for your business? Does it value your stakeholders?
Yes and no. This depends on several factors:
Content: please ensure the AI-generated text is high quality and suitable for the recipient. Edit and proofread the text to make it sound heartfelt and genuine.
Christmas card recipients’ expectations: think about your recipient’s expectations. Some customers may appreciate the novelty of AI-generated text, while others might prefer a more personal touch. Employees might perceive it as a lack of appreciation if they find out a chatbot generated their Christmas message.
Personalisation: the personal touch is critical in greeting cards. Adding a personal touch, like a handwritten note or the recipient’s name, can make your card feel more special when using AI-generated text as a starting point.
Ethical considerations: be transparent about the use of AI-generated text. Some people might find it disingenuous if they believe a human wrote the message.
Cultural sensitivity: this is also relevant for the “old, analogue” way of writing Christmas Cards: please ensure the content is culturally appropriate and sensitive for your recipients’ diverse backgrounds and beliefs.
Compliance: check for legal or ethical concerns when using AI-generated content, mainly if the card is intended for business clients.