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In Conversation With...
Having Lots Of
Laughs There is no doubting that Jackie Collins, owner and md of Cherry Orchard is deadly serious about her business, but she’s had a right laugh recently. Well-respected for its sentiment and traditional ranges, the last year has seen the Tewksbury-based publisher really go for it on the humour front, launching three different collections, each with their own interesting back story. PG caught up with the lovely Jackie to hear about how a wander down an aisle at last year’s Spring Fair was the catalyst for the publisher’s funny turn.
Cherry Orchard is well-known for springing surprises, not just on the market, but on its own salesteam too, who never know what to expect to be revealed at the company’s sales meeting. If its launch of Kaleidoscope, a collection of value cards five years ago set the pace - “it put us on the map”, believes Jackie Collins md - then its subsequent brands have kept it firmly on there. The Scent With Love range of scented cards, put together with expert help from perfumiers and specialist printers, was the talk of the show at PG Live in 2017, while of course its take on year/age cards in its Down Memory Lane range was not only a big hit when it launched, but has remained a must have for many retailers. However, as Jackie recognises, “Last year was the big one for us” as it marked
Cherry Orchard’s foray into humour, and not just by launching one ‘testing the water’ range, but with a triumvirate of brands. “I have been itching to get into humorous cards for some time, but was well aware that this was not an area you could just dabble in; you have to go for it,” says Jackie. “Glad to say we surprised our salesteam once again, but as the subsequent sales have proved, it was a nice surprise!” The catalyst to the diversification into humour was spotting Wot a Mug’s tiny stand at last year’s Spring Fair, when Jackie Top: One of the Wot a Mug card designs that resonates with many women! Above middle: Cherry Orchard is happy wearing ‘different hats’. (Right-left) Jackie Collins, creative director Bev Fisher, Jeff Williams (owner of Alpha Colour printers) and accountant Oliver O’Kane at The Henries, where the publisher was in the finals for the Best Service award. Above: Cherry Orchard is now offering 28 Wot a Mug mug designs. Left: Jackie Collins’ walking has included undertaking challenges for the Wellchild charity with creative director Bev Fisher (3rd right).
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PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE
chanced to go walkabout down an aisle with the company’s sales director Fi Douglass. They stopped to chat to Rebecca Exton-Russell, the founder of Wot a Mug, who having launched her contemporary humour hand-painted mug collection at Harrogate Home & Gift the previous July had just translated some of the designs onto cards. “I was approached by Jackie and Fi asking me if I was interested in licensing my cards. It was a tough decision as the cards were only two days old!” recalls Rebecca. A few months later, having sealed the deal, Cherry Orchard launched the Wot a Mug card range at PG Live last June to great aplomb and this has also led to Cherry Orchard expanding its commitment to Wot a Mug to include a mug collection too, which debuts at this year’s Spring Fair! It was another walk, this time at PG Live, that has also led to a collaboration with a newbie humorous publisher. As Jackie explains, “I was on my way to the lunchroom at PG Live, walking along the Springboard area on the Gallery level, when I was drawn to the Lucy Likes stand. I immediately liked Lucy’s [Bachmann] fresh contemporary style that fitted in with the ‘Insta-worthy’ world of