I’ve always wanted to sit in on a greeting card company’s annual business planning meeting. I think it would go something like this:

Ted: “OK, everyone, let’s get to work. I want to spend the next two hours really focusing on how we can make a big splash in 2009. Let’s get creative. How can we stand out?”

Dale: “What if we sold really big cards.”

Ted: “We already sell big cards. Everyone does.”

Dale: “No, I mean really big. Like twice as big as they are now. Or thee times. Can we do three times?”

Ted: “I like where your head is at Dale, but keep thinking. No idea is a bad idea.”

Susan: “What if the card was blank. Like, the inside and the outside?

Ted: “Both the inside and the outside?”

Susan: “Right. It gives the card giver total freedom to customize the whole card, not just the inside.”

Jill: “I like that.”

”Roger: “Yeah, me too.”

Ted: “Hold on guys. What we’re talking about just sounds like a piece of paper.”

Susan: “But it’s thicker. And already folded.”

Ted: “Anyone else have some ideas they would like to share?”

Wayne: “OK, what if we created anti-cards?”

Ted: “What’s that?”

Wayne: “It’s like a greeting card, but the message inside is an insult, like ‘Hope you get worse soon.’”

Susan: “OK, Wayne, you’re just pissed that Kate broke up with you.”

Wayne: “No I’m not.”

Susan: “You totally are.”

Ted: “Hey everyone. Let’s focus. Wayne, I do like the thought. I just don’t know if we want to create a greeting card cards for people that are pissed. We’ll run it by R&D though.”

Wouldn’t it be cool if Wayne suggested  The ____ Cards?