British culture puts a significant emphasis on romantic relationships, with a high proportion of hit TV shows helping singletons find love with the likes of Love Island that takes the nation by storm every year – twice a year! However the importance of platonic friendships should not be overlooked as psychological research has shown how healthy friendships are crucial for our well-being too, and those with friends and close confidants are less likely to suffer from depression.
To get a closer look at how Brits undertake their friendships in today’s society, leading online greeting card experts Moonpig, conducted a survey to uncover the changing attitudes towards modern friendships and how they celebrate those closest to them.
Women are almost twice more likely to buy their friends birthday cards than men
More than half of UK adults are very likely (55%) to buy a birthday card for a friend. The research found that women (66%) are almost twice as likely to buy their friends a card than men (34%).
Not only that, but the older generations are more likely to buy cards than the younger generations. More than two-thirds (67%) of Brits aged over 65 are very likely to buy a birthday card for their friends in contrast to only a quarter (25%) of those aged 18 to 24.
This may be due to the younger generations being more likely to communicate with their friends on social media. The study found that whilst almost two-thirds of young Brits aged 18 to 24 (65%) choose to send congratulations to their friends online, less than a quarter of over 65s (23%) wish their friends congratulations online.
The majority of Brits prefer physical cards over virtual well-wishes
If Brits could choose to receive a physical or virtual card for a milestone in their life, more than half (52%) of respondents would prefer to receive a physical card. The research found that two in five (40%) men and almost two thirds (63%) women would prefer to receive a physical card.
Only one in seven (13%) Brits said that they would prefer a virtual message to celebrate their birthday. The preference for virtual greetings was significantly higher for younger generations with a quarter (25%) of 35 to 44 year olds opting for a virtual message and only 3% of over 65s agreeing.
Almost three in five Brits would like the greeting cards that they receive to have handwritten messages
The research from Moonpig found that not only do Brits prefer physical cards when celebrating milestone moments in life, but they also have a preference for handwritten messages as nearly three in five (59%) of those surveyed they preferred handwritten messages in their cards.
Interestingly, women in particular were found to have a higher preference for handwritten messages with over two-thirds (69%) opting for them in comparison to under half (48%) of men.
Older respondents also have a significantly higher preference for handwritten messages in cards with over two-thirds (67%) of over 55 year olds preferring handwritten messages in their cards. In contrast, Brits aged 25-34 have a higher preference for cards based on their interest (33%) and cards with personalised images (33%).
The research found that the second most favoured feature of greeting cards among Brits is the card design itself. Nearly a quarter of Brits (22%) have a strong preference for cards that appeal to specific aesthetic design choices including typography, comedic or stylistic design elements. This is followed by a card design based on the recipient’s interests such as favourite sport, celebrity, TV show or movie, which is preferred by a fifth of Brits (20%).
Sarah-Jane Porter, global design & licensing director at Moonpig, comments: “We know how much of an impact receiving a card can have on a person, with many feeling truly loved and appreciated – something which is cherished even more when celebrating those extra special milestone moments in your life.
We also know that it’s not just the sentiment of receiving a card which means so much to people but also how personalised and tailored to the recipient the card is, which is why our handwriting feature is so popular with our customers as it really allows people to show just how much care and attention they have put into selecting the card – making it feel even more like a gift for the recipient.
Personalising cards is at the heart of everything we do and we understand how important it is to our customers as they can create completely unique designs. So whether it’s adding a photo, video, audio message or even simply adding stickers inside the card, it’s this creative freedom which allows people to celebrate their loved ones in a way that feels totally personal to them.”
