Monday, February 6, 2012

Just in Time for Valentine’s Day, iStockphoto Launches Free E-Card App for Facebook Users

Customer Survey Reveals E-cards Have Become a More Acceptable and Often Preferred Alternative to Traditional Cards (but Might Still Land You in the Dog House on Valentine’s Day)

CALGARY, Alberta: Feb. 7, 2011 — iStockphoto today announced a new app that lets anyone create fast, fun and free e-cards for use on Facebook. The company also announced the results of an in-depth consumer study that revealed more people are turning to e-cards now instead of traditional cards.

The iStock e-card App can be accessed via any existing iStockphoto Facebook page or http://apps.facebook.com/istockecard/. In a matter of seconds, a user can create, customize and personalize a card that can be posted to a friend’s wall or sent privately via Facebook message. With over 50 free images, illustrations and videos representing major holidays, celebrations and milestones, iStock’s e-card app makes it easy to customize an electronic greeting for virtually any occasion.

“One of the greatest things about Facebook is that it lets you stay in touch with a wide range of people simultaneously,” said Rebecca Rockafellar, general manager of iStockphoto. “If you’re one of the more than 800 million people who frequent Facebook, chances are on any given day at least one of your friends is celebrating something special. The iStock e-card app makes it easy to mark the occasion with something more meaningful than a simple comment or wall post.”

iStock also announced the results of a survey it recently conducted on Facebook, which revealed the following:
  • Environmentally conscious women are OK with e-cards over paper cards (even on Valentine’s Day)*
  • Most women prefer Valentine’s Day gifts to e-cards *
  • Most men find Valentine’s Day e-cards a fine substitute for paper cards, but say a naughty outfit can negate the need for either (shocker)
  • For recipients aged 50-years and up, a handwritten card is more meaningful than an e-card in most cases*
According to a panel of iStock relationship advisors, an e-card on Facebook is rarely an acceptable substitute for a traditional card when it comes to mothers or anyone over the age of 60. They also caution that the inappropriate use of an e-card with a sensitive spouse or significant other – particularly for birthdays, anniversaries or Valentine’s Day - can result in spending the night alone on the couch. In cases where a physical card is necessary, advisors recommend creating something unique using images procured from the iStockphoto website.

The iStock e-card App is available immediately. International versions of the Facebook app have been created in GermanItalian,FrenchJapaneseBrazilian Portuguese and English. The application is free and available to anyone with a Facebook profile.

About iStockphoto
iStockphoto offers easy, affordable inspiration with millions of vetted, royalty-free photos, illustrations, video, audio and Flash®files. Using the most advanced search in the business, customers download a file every second from a collection of more than ten million files for business, marketing and personal projects. iStockphoto started in 2000, pioneering the micropayment photography business model, and has become one of the most successful and profitable user-generated content sites in the world. iStockphoto is headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Getty Images.

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