How Hallmark built a holiday media empire, complete with cruises

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The holiday season is Hallmark’s Super Bowl.

Hallmark is offering a huge lineup of holiday entertainment this year, with 80 hours of original content. That includes 24 movies – like “The Snow Must Go On” and “Christmas at the Catnip Cafe” – as well as several series and a special, all airing from mid-October through Christmas.

The company has expanded its offerings to include immersive experiences, such as a Hallmark Christmas Cruise and a festive Hallmark Christmas Experience event held in Kansas City, Missouri, where the company is headquartered.

Anjali Bal, a marketing professor at Babson College, believes Hallmark’s recent business move is exceptionally smart and necessary for growth. She explains that it creates a more personal connection with customers than a movie ever could.

Although Hallmark started as a greeting card company, its leaders believe the warm, festive emotions associated with its cards, decorations, and wrapping paper naturally extend to the movies and other content they now create.

Hollywood Inc.

Your kids’ favorite shows may be the ones you grew up with as they dig deep into TV libraries.

All that Christmas content has made Hallmark incredibly popular, and it’s inspired other companies like Lifetime and Netflix to create similar holiday romantic comedies.

But Darren Abbott, Hallmark’s chief brand officer, doesn’t seem overly concerned.

I’ve noticed a lot of companies are jumping on this trend, and it’s becoming clear why – people actually want this. It’s what customers are asking for, and that’s what’s driving everyone to pursue it.

Hallmark built its reputation on celebrating holidays, especially Christmas, and no other company has quite the same connection to those traditions, he explained.

Countdown to Christmas

Hallmark started in 1910 when an 18-year-old began selling postcards. Over time, the company became well-known for its greeting cards, holiday decorations, and stores.

Hallmark started as a family business and entered the world of television in 1951 with the “Hallmark Hall of Fame” program. Now, Hallmark Media, based in Studio City, runs three cable channels – including the popular Hallmark Channel which launched in 2001 – and a streaming service you can subscribe to.

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Hallmark has been showing holiday movies almost since its cable channel began, but in 2009, they really leaned into the season with “Countdown to Christmas.” This 24/7 programming event, dedicated entirely to holiday content, has become a beloved annual tradition lasting for over 16 years.

Hallmark produces about 100 movies a year, both holiday and non-holiday films.

Hallmark, being a private company, doesn’t share its financial details. However, company leaders have confirmed that the holiday season is crucial for their entertainment earnings.

Analysts believe Hallmark’s move into entertainment will help the company stay relevant with new generations and broaden its business beyond greeting cards and store-bought items.

According to marketing professor Bal, their TV channels and related experiences help them remain current and connected to their roots.

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Holiday-themed shows and movies, especially the heartwarming and romantic ones Hallmark is famous for, are attracting more and more viewers.

Nielsen data shows that holiday movies – both classics and new releases – account for over a third of all TV viewing in December. This trend has been steady for the past three years, with viewing peaking at 42% in December 2021.

Hallmark sees a slight increase in viewers as the holiday season approaches. Nielsen data shows Hallmark captured 1% of total TV and streaming viewership in October, rising to 1.2% in November. Meanwhile, its competitor, A&E (which owns Lifetime), maintained a steady 0.9% viewership during the same period.

Okay, let’s talk Hallmark movies. They consistently deliver that warm, fuzzy feeling, don’t they? You pretty much know you’re getting a happy ending – complete with a kiss or two! – where all the usual troubles, like relationship hiccups, money problems, and family squabbles, magically work themselves out. Now, they’ve definitely been getting some heat over the years, and it’s good to see they’re finally starting to mix things up with more diverse faces and storylines. But honestly? There’s still work to be done to truly reflect the world we live in.

According to Kit Hughes, a film and media studies professor at Colorado State University, Hallmark movies are made to appeal to as many people as possible. He watched all of the network’s 2022 releases while studying how small business owners are depicted on screen, and found they generally offer broad appeal – they’re movies most people can agree on and enjoy.

Hallmark is working with brands like the NFL to reach more people and offer a wider variety of content.

Hallmark released a romantic movie last year featuring a love story connected to the Kansas City Chiefs, and this year they’ve done the same with Buffalo Bills fans. They’re also teaming up with Disney to create a holiday film next year, which will be filmed at Walt Disney World and star Lacey Chabert, who Hallmark executives consider their leading lady for Christmas movies.

Meeting Hallmark stars on cruise ships

It might seem surprising that Hallmark is getting into the cruise business, but many entertainment companies are now offering fans ways to experience their brands in person. This includes things like cruises, theme parks, and live shows. Disney, for example, already runs its own cruise line as part of its broader tourism business, featuring its beloved characters.

Last year, Hallmark began offering “Hallmark Christmas Cruises” in partnership with Norwegian Cruise Lines. The first cruise, which sailed from Miami to the Bahamas, was so popular it sold out quickly—even before the planned advertising campaign began. Due to a waitlist of 70,000 people, Hallmark added a second cruise to meet the demand, according to Abbott.

Hallmark’s cruise from Miami to Cozumel, Mexico was so popular this year that they had to use a larger ship! Passengers on the November sailing enjoyed Christmas-themed activities like making ornaments and decorating cookies, and had the chance to meet and play games with their favorite Hallmark actors.

The cruises became so popular they inspired a reality TV show on Hallmark, following the stories of passengers and their encounters with Hallmark stars.

While you might not recognize them immediately, these actors have appeared in many Hallmark holiday films and have built up dedicated followings.

Abbott wasn’t initially a fan of cruises, but he found it interesting to watch how passengers enjoyed the ship’s celebrity guests when he joined one last year.

He explained that they offer a welcome break from current events, and that their events happen to provide that escape exactly when and where people need it.

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2025-12-25 14:02