Progressive Greetings December 2019

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Leader

On The Cards I vividly remember my Christmas Day, aged nine, opening a rather flat rectangular parcel, inside which contained a rather special shiny covered book that had been top of my Christmas wishlist - it was my very first (and only!) stamp album. It was accompanied by some wee opaque bags containing my new treasures - stamps featuring names of countries I had never even heard of featuring some gorgeous pictures - the tropical birds were among my faves.

I diligently spent hours affixing these mini works of art in my album using tiny sticky ‘hinges’ as the conduit and proudly showed anyone who showed a modicum of interest in my growing collection. With quantity rather than quality being my driving force I used some of my pocket money to fill those pages. I didn't think I was a geek, I liked Scooby Doo, The Brownies and bouncing around on my Space Hopper as much as the other girls, but having your own stamp album was somehow seen as a rite of passage into being a ‘big girl’, learning and remembering facts (46 years on) like ‘Magyar’ is the word that features on all Hungarian stamps. The reason for this reverie was that my (seemingly deep-rooted) fascination with the philatelic was re-kindled by a trip to the Isle of Man as part of the official launch of the island’s Spirit of Christmas festive stamps that are based on actual Christmas card designs by leading UK publishers, namely Belly Button, Carte Blanche Greetings, Cath Tate, Ling Design, Marina B and Peartree Heybridge as a result of a competition coordinated by the GCA. It was the first time in many decades that I had really thought about those tiny bits of paper (ie stamps) that play (and have played)

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Above: The star of the Visa Christmas

such an important role in the advert, Jim Davidson (of Brockwell Art Supplies) and PG’s Jakki Brown. evolution of the greeting card Left: Garlanna’s co-owner Jackie industry. Appreciating the passion MacNamee (left) with PG’s Jakki Brown in the new look card department in Leekes and attention to detail that the of Melksham. left: (left-right) Chris Beards close-knit Isle of Man post office’s Below (Mantons), Amanda Fergusson (GCA), stamps & coins team (headed up Stewart Brook (Marina B), Grace Elphinstone (Carte Blanche), Marina by super woman Maxine Cannon Brook (Marina B), Rachel Hare (Belly Button), Amelia Strawson (Ling), John and creative maestro Paul Ford) Partridge (Peartree Heybridge) and expend on creating the 14 stamp Maxine Cannon (Isle of Man Post Office) collections the island alone issues in front of the Castletown Castle. was incredibly humbling. Maxine is a real zealot for card and letter sending - “you can’t put a text on a mantelpiece” and “don’t be hard, send a card” are two of her current catchphrases - going into schools, appearing on media galore to spread the love.

Back on the “adjacent island” (I made a mistake of referring to England as “the mainland” which did not go down well with Manx born and bred Maxine), together with the rest of the UK card industry, I am so relieved that Royal Mail will not be going on strike in the run up to Christmas, which would have been such a dampener on Christmas card sending. I for one will be looking at the stamps as well as the cards this year!

With this being the last edition of PG to land before Christmas I do hope that Santa is good to you and brings you all you have on your wishlist (and if it includes a stamp album, I could be up for a bit of swopping!).

Have a good one!

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Contents

What’s Inside?

21

9-19 News

22

With This Issue: FOCUS ON KIDS’ CARDS

28-29

35-41

Industry Initiative

Innovations

Above: A party animal on a Stormy Kids design from Stormy Knight.

Man Up On Stamps PG reports back from The Isle of Man Post’s launch events for its The Spirit of Christmas stamp issue.

20-21 Over The Counter

Retail Wars David Robertson, co-owner of JP Pozzi in Scotland, highlights retailers’ battle in a high street not far away.

22-23 Cardsharp

Chestnuts For Christmas

43

Art Source 44-45

31-33

What’s Hot?

Publisher Profile

Looking At Leekes 47-48

PG caught up with Alan and Jackie MacNamee, owners of Garlanna, at Leekes’ flagship store in Melksham.

Cardsharp muses over topical events happening in the industry.

Jeremy’s Journal

Reflections

31

Jeremy Corner of publisher Blue Eyed Sun reflects on the past year.

49-62

25-27

Classified

Viewpoints

Brand And Deliver?

63

Indie card retailers share their views on the role branding plays within the greeting card sector.

Appointments

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Tracey Arnaud

Jakki Brown

Warren Lomax

Gale Astley

Ian Hyder

Editor/Joint Owner

Joint Owner

Deputy Editor

Joint Owner

Sales Manager

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Copyright© 2019. While every effort has been made to ensure the information in this magazine was correct at the time of publication, the publishers cannot accept legal liability for any errors or omissions, nor can they accept responsibility for the standing of advertisers nor any organisation mentioned in the text. Views of contributors do not necessarily reflect those of the publishers.

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NEWS Shout-ing The Happy News

TOP STORY

Cards For (BBC) Breakfast Two million viewers received an industry masterclass Over two million people were served up greeting cards for breakfast recently as Amanda Fergusson, chief executive of the GCA, made the most of an opportunity to promote the industry on BBC Breakfast in a prime-time three minute slot.

While the news that Clintons was in discussions with landlords over a possible CVA was the hook for the live interview, Amanda superbly deflected any direct questions from business correspondent Sean Farrington about the specialist retail chain’s situation, instead using it as a platform to highlight the size and scale of the industry and the importance of buying and sending cards.

Having made reference to key statistics taken from the GCA’s Market Report - notably, that we buy more cards per person than any other nation, the UK spends £1.7 billion on greeting cards with 94% bought in bricks and mortar stores Sean put it to Amanda: “How is it with all those big numbers that you can get an established retailer on our high street selling cards still struggling?”

While she acknowledged the generally accepted view that “there are challenges for all retailers on the high street” right now, Amanda then turned the emphasis to cards generally highlighting that it is “an important industry.”

Making a reference to Card Factory’s recent positive trading update, Sean asked about changing card buying habits and whether we are “going cheaper” with our

card buying to which Amanda confidently replied that in fact we are spending more on cards for close family and friends and how sales of occasions cards are growing.

“If you want to say something special to someone you care about, you put in a bit of effort” by sending a card.

When pressed about the impact social media is having on the card trade, Amanda was ready with a positive spin.

“Social media gives more opportunity to send cards as you’ll know if someone’s grandma is ill or their dog has died,” going on to highlight how young people are in fact sending more cards than they were a generation ago.

With the cameras then panning back to main presenters, Louise Minchin and Dan Walker, there was some extra reinforcement. “I still love opening cards,” admitted Louise.

“It’s a fascinating industry as it seems to be booming,” said Dan. “It seems to be rebelling against everything else,” concluded Louise.

Having won a Henries award for its The Happy News card range in the Best Licensed Range category, Pigment was not looking for any more good news about the brand, but the publisher and stockists of the card range have good reason to be happier.

To coincide with the recent World Kindness Day, Shout, a leading teenage magazine, has distributed a special 24-page edition of The Happy News newspaper to its 500,000+ readers with its current issue.

“This is a wonderful link up for The Happy News brand,” Martin Powderly, creative director of Pigment told PG. “To get a special edition of the newspaper into the hands of more than half a million teenagers, with strong uplifting messages, is a great tie-up all round.”

Coordinated by DRi, the licensing agent for The Happy News, the brand created by Emily Coxhead, the special Above: Emily Coxhead, creator of The Happy edition newspaper News with a copy of builds on the fact that Shout and the special Emily has been writing edition newspaper. a column for Shout since April in which she has shared her insights on staying positive, friendship, social media and other related topics.

Above left: BBC’s business reporter Sean Farrington with Amanda Fergusson, ceo of the GCA, in the BBC Breakfast studio.

Below: The GCA’s Amanda Fergusson was interviewed by nine different BBC radio stations this week connected to the #cardtokeep Campaign consumer launch.

Below left: The #cardtokeep Campaign centres around people sharing the stories and images of cards that have meant something to them.

BBC launches the GCA’s #cardtokeep Campaign Greeting cards are well known to lift the spirits, well it seems this is especially true in the run up to a somewhat problematic general election.

The BBC committed to launch the GCA’s #cardtokeep Campaign to the consumer, an initiative that champions the special role certain cards have played in people’s lives.

Amanda Fergusson, ceo of the GCA, was invited to take up ‘residence’ in London’s BBC Broadcasting House where she was interviewed by nine different regional BBC radio stations, the majority of which ran card-centric programmes involving input from their listeners about the role greeting cards have in our lives.

“It would appear that it is not just in comedy when timing is everything!” stated Amanda, buoyed up by a hectic schedule of live and recorded interviews with BBC stations. “The proximity of the election has worked in our favour as the media is up for good non-political stories. The #cardtokeep Campaign is very much centered on wonderful non-political individual stories about true emotions and strong social bonds forged and celebrated by the simple act of sending a card to someone,” said Amanda.

The activity kicked-off with Amanda being interviewed on BBC Norfolk, before BBC Cornwall took up the baton, followed by BBC stations in Wiltshire, Hereford & Worcester, Leicester, Cumbria, Merseyside, Shropshire and Tees.

Eager that the good news continues to spread, the GCA has encouraged the respective BBC radio stations to make contact with GCA publisher members in their area. Supportive PR material and useful back-up information has been loaded in the GCA members library to prepare publishers if they are contacted by members of the press in connection with the #cardtokeep Campaign or any other greeting card linked publicity.

“We’ve had such a great reaction to this first stage of our press campaign and are now looking to spread the message far and wide!” said Amanda.

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NEWS TOP STORY

Cardzone Acquisitive Boom Nottinghamshire multiple acquires six indies in two months Cardzone has acquired Unit 7, the Manchester city centre store that was formerly owned by Andrea and David Pinder. This is the sixth independent retail card shop the Nottinghamshirebased specialist multiple has acquired within two months, meaning it is now trading from 135 stores in the UK and Ireland.

The Unit 7 deal follows hot on the heels of Cardzone’s acquisition of Tidings in Cirencester (formerly owned

by Kim Ralph); Just So in Malvern (formerly owned by Jane Knowles); Occasions in Nailsea (formerly owned by Peter Waring); Occasions in Oadby (formerly owned by Gerald Ingrams) and The Card Shop in Porchester (formerly owned by Jane Chandler).

In February 2018 Paul Taylor, founder and md of Cardzone, stated the retailer’s ambitious plans to double the size of the business over the next three years and made no bones about the fact that acquiring strong indies would be likely to form part of this growth strategy.

“Good independents are and have been the lifeblood of the card world, but we understand that many are now

Above: Tidings in Cirencester, formerly owned by Kim Ralph, bolsters Cardzone’s premium end activities.

Below: Just So’s Jane Knowles (second right) at The Henries with the Cardzone gang, including directors James Taylor and Jo Hancock (second left).

looking for a way out due to rising costs and increasingly tough trading times”.

Of the latest clutch of acquisitions, Just So’s Jane Knowles is remaining involved on a part-time basis, while Kim Ralph is helping out until Christmas. Kim is continuing to own and run her Tidings store within Westonbirt Arboretum.

While no longer involved with Unit 7, Andrea Pinder is now focusing her “energy and passion for this wonderful retail industry” by continuing her other retailing interest, her Presentation Cards and Gift Store in Barrowford, Lancashire.

James Taylor, trading director of Cardzone, explains that the addition of these half dozen new stores joining the multiple’s portfolio “not only strengthens its presence in terms of numbers of stores, but also widens our breadth of store types.” James also confirmed that there are several additional more likely acquisitions in the pipeline.

Postmark scratches the surface Long-standing customers came out in force to celebrate independent London retail group’s Postmark’s 15th birthday recently. Mark and Leona Janson-Smith, the husband and wife owners of the indie mini specialist card retail group, marked their business’ milestone with a bespoke scratchcard giveaway that went down a storm with customers.

The retailer gave every customer who came into its four stores on Monday 11 November (the date when the first Postmark store opened in Balham) a specially created scratchcard, every one of which offered a prize.

“It was such a great day. We had some amazing feedback from customers, across all four shops, who had great fun scratching and winning,” said Mark Janson-Smith, who spent the day itself in the original store in Balham. “We also had a lot of love from the card industry, especially from our top suppliers who are so integral to our success, supplying us with amazing products,” he added. “We were really touched that so many of them were so generous gifting prizes for our big bash.”

The Art File, Caroline Gardner, Esmie, James Ellis, Jellycat, Leuchttrum, Paperlink, Pigment Productions, Pop Out Card Company, Redback, Think of Me Designs, U Studio and Woodmansterne were among the companies who contributed prizes that were redeemed by scratchcard winners.

Top: Postmark’s Leona Janson-Smith.

Above: The scratchcards were specially made for the 15th anniversary initiative.

Louise Mulgrew’s pledge to the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Greeting card publisher, Louise Mulgrew Designs is to donate 1% of its turnover to the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, the Kenyan-based conservation charity.

Best known for its ‘Orphan’s Project’, a successful elephant rescue and rehabilitation programme, the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust also encompasses anti-poaching operations, safeguarding precious wildlife habitats, mitigating human-wildlife conflict and providing veterinary assistance to wild animals in need, all of this work being underpinned by engagement with local communities.

“The SWT is a charity very close to my heart. I visited its elephant orphanage in Nairobi National Park during my second year of university ” reveals Louise. “It marked a poignant time in my development and direction as an illustrator, and was really the inspiration for me to start painting animals. For my third-year final major project, I wrote and illustrated a picture book about a baby orphan elephant called Tibbo. Five years later, elephants feature often in my card designs and are still my favourite animal to paint.”

Louise has also designed a Christmas card for SWT to raise funds for the charity.

Tesco has pledged it is to remove one billion pieces of plastic from products by the end of 2020 – and greeting cards will be part of that tally.

As part of its quest to reduce its environmental impact, the supermarket says it is to remove 200 million wrappers used to pack greeting cards and clothing.

It is also to stop using small plastic bags, currently used to pack loose fruit, vegetables and bakery items. These will be replaced with paper ones.

Above: Louise Mulgrew has first hand knowledge of the great work SWT does for wildlife conservation, with its elephant orphan programme among its most famous work. ©The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust/Freya Dowson.

Above: Greeting cards are playing a part in Tesco’s plastic reduction.

Tesco highlights cards in its plastic cutback

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NEWS TOP STORY

Christmas Card Sales Hot Up John Lewis and Sainsbury’s report early Christmas card buying “Our trade in single Christmas cards (including relations) has really started to motor in the last few weeks,” Lisa Rutherford, John Lewis & Partners’ buyer for greeting cards, stationery and seasonal events told PG. As last year’s Christmas singles trade was record breaking for JL&P, Lisa said the retail group had been “expecting growth, but fairly small growth”. However, exceeding expectations, commenting in mid November, Lisa said: “The double digit increases we have had in the last two weeks are very welcome indeed!”

In the grocery sector, the Christmas card sales in Retas’ award-winner Sainsbury’s also got off to a good start. “I am really happy to report that customers have responded really well to Christmas!” summed up buyer Carly Pearson.

Meanwhile, indies too have reported encouraging signs of an early pick-up.

Sally Matson, owner of Red Card in Petworth said that the “unseasonably warm weather in October” did little to foster a festive feeling as, in her view, “You just can’t get into the spirit of Christmas if you’re wearing a t-shirt!” However, she says that “the real buying started much earlier

IG Design Group aims for card growth

Above: Excitable Edgar is the star of John Lewis’ Christmas advert this year.

Below middle: John Lewis has reported double digit increases in Christmas singles.

Below: Best Wishes of Garstang commissioned its own charity Christmas cards this year, supporting its local branch of Cardiac Risk in the Young, including this image of Garstang in the snow supplied by local photographer Mike Coleran, which are selling very well.

than usual - really taking off in November.”

Sally reports “much higher sales of single Christmas cards and card packs with six weeks to go than we have previously seen.”

Midlands-based retailer, Roger Eames, co-owner of Celebrations in Stourbridge, said that while “business is tough, single Christmas cards are selling well, but sales of boxes are slow.”

Further north, Marion Flaherty, co-owner of Best Wishes in Garstang, reported that, at odds with the climatic conditions, “things are hotting up for Christmas, with sales of festive cards and gifts moving well.”

Woodmansterne strengthens its W-Select team Woodmansterne has strengthened its W-Select team with the appointment of Katrina Sachno, who has joined the company following 29 years working for GBCC/Paper House, latterly as senior manager of its Waterwells’ brokerage division.

Katrina has taken up the newly created position of W-Select development manager, reporting to Mark Timlett, Woodmansterne’s national sales manager.

W-Select is Woodmansterne’s category management, brokerage and planning operation, that now supplies many retail rooftops, including independent specialists, department stores and garden centres.

Commenting on Katrina’s appointment, Andy Paterson, sales director of Woodmansterne said: “Katrina joining us comes at a great time for W-Select. Her skills and personality means that she is the ideal person to understand the needs of our W-Select retail customers as well as strengthen relationships with the 30 publishers whose cards we broker in.”

Above: Katrina Sachno is to join Woodmansterne on December 2 following 29 years with GBCC/Paper House.

Left: Elys Department store in Wimbledon is planned and supplied via W-Select.

Greeting cards are cited not only as having been an area of growth by IG Design Group, but one of future expansion too.

Announcing the group’s interim results (which cover the six months to end of September) which showed a 21% growth in pre-tax profit (£17.1 million) on sales that were up 22% (£284.4 million), Paul Fineman, ceo of the global business, told PG that greeting cards have been “a strong growth area” for the group, having seen their sales rise “consistently for the last five years.”

IG Design Group includes its greeting card sales as part of its Celebrations business. “Sales from our Celebrations side are up 20% and greeting cards represent 17% of this part of our business. So far, so good!” said Paul.

Top: Paul Fineman, ceo of IG Design Group.

Above: Some of the Christmas products from IG Design Group.

The company recently extended its business relationship with Aldi, whereby IG Design Group is now supplying over 400 of the value grocer’s stores in the UK with a bespoke selection. It also creates and supplies bespoke single card selections for B&M, Poundland and Wilko in addition to supplying many other leading UK retailers with own brand wrap and boxed card products.

“We have a fairly niche position on cards in that we very much cater for the discount and value market, not just in the UK, but overseas too,” explains Paul.

While the US remains the largest card market for the group, Paul also feels there is more growth potential in the UK. Part of this is likely to come from the expansion of its licensed products. With licensed merchandise now accounting for around 14%/15% of all sales, the group is looking to leverage its position on the licensed card front. Its first licensing agreement for cards is for Emoji, but Paul says “there will definitely be more” to follow.

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NEWS TOP STORY

Celebrities Promote Card Factory Value player reports sales up 5% and 0.9% like-for-like Card Factory spread some early Christmas cheer one involved financial figures, the other celebrity ‘figures’, in the form of Stacey Solomon and Joe Swash, who fronted the retailer’s launch of Festive Family Photocards.

Card Factory’s trading update (covering the nine months to October 31) show sales were up 5% and like-for-like sales are up 0.9%. However, despite an increased average spend, the like-for-like sales in Q3 declined 0.4% due to weaker consumer footfall.

Some 12 new stores, including four in the Republic of Ireland, were opened in the third quarter.

Commenting, Karen Hubbard, Card Factory's ceo, said she was “pleased” with the year-to-date performance. “Our ongoing focus on customer experience, and the quality and range of our card and complementary non-card products, has led to an increased average spend both in stores and online. This has helped us to substantially offset the effect of the lower high street footfall experienced in

the quarter and the corresponding impact on our like-for-like sales.”

She assured that the retailer is on track with its new store roll out and is also focused on “pursuing other new growth opportunities and retail partnerships to extend our market penetration in the UK and overseas,” such as its ongoing relationships with Aldi, Matalan and The Reject Shop (in Australia).

The trading statement coincides with the ‘fluffier’ news that popular celebrity couple Stacey Solomon and Joe Swash, together with their children, are at the centre of Card Factory’s first ever Christmas PR campaign.

Bringing the value retailer’s #MakeItATradition activity to life, Stacey, Joe and their kids, including new baby Rex, are fronting the launch of Card Factory’s Festive Family Photocards.

Above: Celebs Stacey Solomon, Joe Swash and family including new baby Rex - bring the launch of Card Factory’s Family Photocards to life.

The Art File’s eco pilot tests The Art File has just completed a six-month sustainability research, development and testing in readiness for its 2020 everyday product launches.

“The environmental impact is one of the most significant and important challenges the industry and the planet has to face,” said Ged Mace, managing director of The Art File. “Defining our environmental strategy is not something we have taken lightly as we needed to work closely with customers, understanding their concerns and issues in regard to both the durability and merchandising issues.”

Having successfully launched its first two ‘naked’ greeting card ranges at PG Live in June - namely Emily Brooks and Snap to Grid - their distribution in retailers large and small provided The Art File with learnings that have fed into the Above: Sakura is one of The Art company's new environmental strategy, acknowledging that some File’s new ranges that will launch retailers face some barriers in stocking completely unwrapped cards. as naked in January 2020.

As James Mace, The Art File’s sales and marketing manager reveals, while all “10 of The Art File’s brand new everyday launches for January 2020 will be supplied unwrapped (or nested) as standard”, the publisher is also making them available clasped or cellowrapped, though the latter two options “will require a few extra days lead time”. Although the plan is for existing ranges to transition to unwrapped (or nested) as standard, these are continuing to be wrapped for the time being.

The Nottingham-based publisher is also preparing to run some pilot trials with selected retailers to test new packaging approaches on its Christmas boxes and packs which will track the impact of making some plastic-free while others will see the plastic element reduced. “It is about striking a balance, minimising unnecessary plastic packaging while still offering a premium product that is practical for a retailer to display,” said Ged.

Danilo collab with My Design Co “Our October sales for calendars, both online and in store, were surprisingly good, with our like-for-likes well up,” revealed Daniel Prince, managing director of Danilo Promotions as the big calendar countdown was getting underway.

Danilo’s product portfolio really is ‘all singing all dancing’ this year. A collaboration with My Design Co (known for its Music Box cards and Cracker Cards) resulted in Danilo launching a trio of innovative licensed musical Advent calendars - The Snowman, Frozen II and The Gruffalo’s Child titles. Each calendar comes with three magnetic characters that can be placed on the base’s moving mechanism enabling them to glide around the scene as the music plays.

Above: The Frozen II Musical Advent joined Danilo’s other licensed Frozen II dated products.

John Lewis’ ‘write’ idea John Lewis & Partners and Waitrose & Partners have opened a breakthrough new experimental format store in Southampton offering ‘experience playgrounds’ for consumers which touch on greeting cards.

Customers can start their day at the rooftop farm shop, pause for a 15-minute fashion fix in the style studio and learn to bake bread in the first ever Waitrose & Partners Cookery School to open in a John Lewis & Partners shop.

A moodboard for a home refurbishment can be compiled in The World of Design, while customers can attend a workshop on gardening and experiment with make up or gadgets in one of the ‘stay and play’ areas.

Among the pop-up workshops is one to learn or improve skills in modern calligraphy.

If the full on ‘experience playgrounds’ being trialled in Southampton are successful, they could be rolled out across the country. However, John Lewis has already upped the consumer engagement activity, including a series of Christmas giftwrapping workshops (pictured above).

Meanwhile, encouraging children to write, John Lewis and Partners is running a Post a letter to Father Christmas service with post boxes installed in some of its stores until 12 December (promising a reply from the big man himself).

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NEWS TOP STORY

46% Of Indies Predicted Growth PG’s Annual Independent Retailer Barometer survey gets underway “This year is proving a pivotal one on so many levels, with so much change and significant happenings both within the greeting card industry, the UK and the world at large,” stated Jakki Brown, editor of Progressive Greetings. “Within this is the continuing and important role of independent retailers. The PG Retail Barometer, the only annual survey into the trials, tribulations and triumphs of the independent greeting card retailer, provides invaluable insights and annual benchmarks as to how business is going for these greeting card champions,” she added.

This year’s PG Independent Retail Barometer survey went live towards the end of last month which saw thousands How do you think your business will fare 2019 v 2018?

of independent greeting card stockists being asked to confidentially share their business’ ups and downs, highlight areas of growth and future opportunities, as well as tell home truths about which competitors they see as threats.

“Tough” was the one word that most independent card stockists felt summed up trade last year - but what will be the magic word for 2019?

This time last year, indie card stockists were full of gusto about 2019, with 46% predicting growth this year, albeit marginal.

It was the supermarkets who were seen as the retailers posing the biggest threat to their trade, due to their enviable footfall, invariably free parking and improvements in their greeting card selection and display, although Card Factory was a smidge behind the grocers.

Humorous cards were feted as the category which showed the greatest growth, while social media, shop improvements and loyalty building initiatives were highlighted as having been boons to their business.

The survey is open until December 15.

Above: The PG Independent Retailer Barometer will reveal how trade has been in 2019 for indie card stockists.

Left: A pie-chart which shows the predictions Barometer respondents made this time last year about trade in 2019.

Pabuku’s licensing growth Austria-based greeting card publisher Pabuku is set to build on its success on the card front with teNeues joining Carousel Calendars and Ice House Books as licensing partners featuring the brand’s distinctive look.

These signings follow Pabuku’s co-owners Ulla Klopf and Ute Baurecker appointing This is Iris as a licensing agency for the brand. The relationship blossomed following Pabuku reaching the finals in last year’s License This! competition, run by licensing trade show, BLE. “We are excited to welcome our new licensing partners to the vibrant world of Pabuku and to see our designs spreading from greeting cards to other products and dimensions to touch people and make them smile,” commented Ulla and Ute. While Carousel Calendars has the licensing rights for calendars and diaries for the UK market, the recent signing with teNeues is for the rest of Europe, the US, Japan and Australia.

Commenting on the attractions of the brand, Martin Rees-Davies, product and licensing lead of Carousel Calendars said: “The Pabuku brand offers designs that are very different from anything on the market yet at the same time very on-trend. This is a collaboration that we are really excited about and also want to bring our environmental credentials with uncoated papers and plastic-free product to fully endorse the brands and Carousel’s values.”

Above: Pabuku co-owners and designers Ulla Klopf and Ute Baurecker on their stand at PG Live.

Left: A cover of one of the gift books from Ice House Books.

Clintons hits the headlines Normally at this time of year, Clintons has dreamt up some quirky PR slant with the aim of clinching some juicy coverage for its Christmas selection. This year however there has been no shortage of media mentions about the UK’s second largest specialist chain, though none of it is full of festive joy.

‘Clintons to shut one in five of the greeting card chain’s 332 sites’ proclaimed the Sunday Telegraph last month, with the Sunday Times following suit with its story headed up ‘Clintons warns that 2,500 jobs are in peril’.

The coverage is all based around talks that, at the time of PG going to press, Clintons was having with landlords with a view to exploring the possibility of a CVA. The Sunday Telegraph article by journalist Laura Onita was based on an alleged sighting of a restructuring document that detailed: “Approximately 90 of the company’s stores are currently loss-making with the business forecasting that sales will continue to decline.”

The news piece speculated that 66 out of Clintons 332 have been earmarked for closure with rent reductions being sought on more than 200 of the remainder.

For a CVA to go ahead it would need to be supported by at least 75% of Clintons’ creditors, which would mean getting a fair number of landlords on board.

Above: A CVA is looking like a ‘least worst’ option for Clintons.

Local happiness Recent research commissioned by Visa found that seven out of ten consumers (73%) say that shopping locally makes them feel happy, with two fifths (42%) citing supporting local shops and knowing where their money is going as the main reason.

Spending time with friends and family (22%) and offering a sense of community (21%) were other reasons cited for why high streets make people happier. The research also reveals that half of consumers (50%) feel that their high street gives them a sense of pride in their local community. Independent retailers echo this positive sentiment with almost three quarters (73%) optimistic about the future of their high street, up from 52% in 2018.

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NEWS TOP STORY

The Calies 2019 Winners “On The Wall Or Not At All!!” was host Stuart Goldsmith’s rally call The Calies 2019 awards event, which took place recently at London’s Stationers’ Hall, was definitely worthy of an entry ‘in the diary’ as calendar and diary publishers of all shapes and sizes were duly feted in the UK’s only dedicated awards for the dated product sector.

Among the delighted winners of what are the third ever Calies awards are Abrams & Chronicle Books, Allan & Bertram, BrownTrout Publishers, Carousel Calendars, Danilo, English Graphics, Rose Calendars, Seedlings Cards & Gifts, teNeues Calendars and Wrendale Designs.

“The Calies not only celebrate the excellence and innovation that exude on the product front, but also serve to champion the product area giving the sector greater visibility and credibility which is so valuable in these challenging times,” stated Warren Lomax, joint md of Max Publishing, which owns and organises The Calies.

Waterstones’ Hazel Walker sustainable plea

Comedian Stuart Goldsmith hosted the awards ceremony that was peppered with his quick-witted observations. “Good for you all for standing up against the mighty Google, APPs, phone synching and all the other technological aids to keep track of appointments. Other industries might have given up, but not you lot! Calendars? On the wall or not at all!” stated Stuart.

Providing an emotional crescendo to the awards’ official proceedings, industry stalwart Nigel Green, owner of Eight Days a Week, was presented with the prestigious Calendar Ambassador Award 2019 for his commitment and passion for the sector over many years.

Above: All The Calies 2019 winners.

Left: The Danilo gang with their three trophies (right-left) Daniel Prince, Martin Carter, Christine Statham and Bradley Green.

Here are the winners… l Best Animal Kingdom Calendar - Deluxe Wildlife Edition

Seed Calendar from Seedlings Cards & Gifts l Best Corporate (B2B) Animals or the Natural World

Calendar - Untamed from Allan & Bertram l Best Transport Calendar - Haynes Classic from

teNeues Calendars l Best Scenic Calendar - National Trust Seasons from

Carousel Calendars l Best Corporate (B2B) Scenic Calendar - 360 Interactive from

Rose Calendars l Best Art, Illustration or Design Calendar - Ben Rothery

Illustrator Natural History from BrownTrout Publishers l Best Corporate (B2B) Contemporary Calendar - Iconic

Structures from Rose Calendars l Best Charity Calendar - Marine Conservation Society Sea Change from Carousel Calendars l Best Corporate (B2B) Special Interest, Bespoke or Humorous Calendar - Maritime Gallery

from Allan & Bertram l Best Music, Talent or Sports Calendar - Liverpool FC Collector’s Edition Box Set from

Danilo Promotions l Best Entertainment or Humorous Calendar - Peaky Blinders from Danilo Promotions l Best Family Organiser or Planner - The Country Set Family Organiser from l l l l l

Wrendale Designs Best Advent Calendar - The Met Toy Shop Pop-Up from Abrams Best Diary: Generic - One Line A Day from Chronicle Books Best Diary: Licensed - Blue Planet II from Danilo Promotions Best Desk Calendar - Dog Lovers from English Graphics The Calies’ Calendar Ambassador 2019 - Nigel Green, owner of Eight Days A Week

Right: Comedian Stuart Goldsmith’s sharp observations and slick delivery went down really well at The Calies.

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PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

“Our cat calendars outsell dog titles two to one,” is one of Hazel Walker’s favourite facts about the calendar and diary buying habits of Waterstones’ shoppers that she revealed in a fast-paced fact-filled pre-awards talk at the recent Calies awards event.

“I am surprised how much we take on calendars,” admitted Hazel, with the product’s sales accounting for 10% of Waterstones’ general merchandise products. She revealed that this year’s calendar season has also got off to “a strong start”, ahead of last year. That said, with 50% of Waterstones’ calendar sales coming in December she accepts that there is much to play for.

Wall calendars still account for the lion’s share at Waterstones (some 60% of its calendar sales), with boxed calendars representing 33%, mini-wall titles 5%, Advents 2% and mid-year products the remaining 1%.

Hazel stressed the importance of regional calendars, which account for 20% of Waterstones’ calendar sales, with Scotland, London and Yorkshire generating the highest sales. Some 120 regional titles are offered in Waterstones’ core range with many more in stock in their respective areas.

Ending on a poignant note, Hazel delivered a personal and business plea for calendar and diary companies to look to make further improvements on the sustainable front.

She paid tribute to the card industry for “leading the way” in the reduction of unnecessary plastic, she turned her attentions to dated products. Highlighting how there had been a “good reaction” to plastic-free options on offer for 2020 on calendars, such as the award-winning Sea Change calendar from Carousel Calendars, Hazel asked the audience to share the responsibility of looking to make further improvements in this area. “We all need to be doing more as an industry,” she concluded.

Top: Waterstones’ senior buyer Hazel Walker (left) with buying colleague Claire Quinn at The Calies.

Above: Carousel Calendars’ Sea Change title for the Marine Conservation Society fanfares a new plastic-free packaging option.

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NEWS TOP STORY

Indie Card Stockists Sing Out Visa’s #Where You Shop Matters supports the high street Visa is giving a voice to independent retailers in its heart-warming Christmas TV advertising and marketing campaign - #Where You Shop Matters - with 13 real independent retailers, including card stockists playing a starring role, singing Queen’s Somebody to Love.

Visa has also launched a nationwide competition inviting retailers to warm up their vocal chords and recreate Visa’s Christmas advert to show why ‘Where You Shop Matters’. The winning retailer will see their advert air during a prime-time advertising slot in the run-up to Christmas for millions to see.

The campaign is a rally cry to UK shoppers, urging them to show their local retailers some love.

“It all started when a man came in to buy a birthday card for his wife,” said Jim Davidson, owner of Brockwell Art Services, a framing shop that sells greeting cards by local artists in London’s Herne Hill, revealing about how it came about that he ended up playing a leading role in the advert. That card buyer was in fact an executive of Independent Film Company scouting possible locations as well as participants for the high profile advert.

“He first asked if it would be OK to use the shop in some filming and finding out that I am a member of our local

Above: Jim Davidson of Brockwell Art Services at the start of the advert, outside his shop.

church choir asked if I would sing into a mobile phone. After that I was invited to auditions in Oxford Circus and ended up appearing in the advert,” explained Jim, whose business this year is celebrating its 40th anniversary.

To his mind, local retail communities and greeting cards have something in common: “They connect people, which is very important, especially today,” he stresses. “Shops in local areas, like here in Herne Hill, are interdependent, we work together. There is real merit in everyone helping each other,” he adds.

Also singing in the advert is Ella Bucknall, who works in Village Books in Dulwich, a shop owned by Hazel Broadfoot, which sells a lot of cards.

“We are already seeing a direct benefit from the shop and Ella appearing in the advert,” said Hazel. “We had someone come in today who said that they were just about to order a book on Amazon, but having seen the advert bought it from us.”

A Festive Friday franking bonanza All GCA members will by now have received their Christmas card from the association - all posted on Festive Friday - with a special postmark as well as some card-centric stamps.

The cards, which this year were donated by Belly Button (as the company’s founder is president of the GCA) and they were posted in the Isle of Man, featuring not only the island’s special Christmas stamps (based on greeting card designs), but featuring a bespoke GCA postmark that celebrates its centenary as well as Festive Friday.

Marina Brook, founder of Marina B; Rachel Hare, founder of Belly Button Designs; John Heybridge, co-founder of Peartree Heybridge; Amelia Strawson, marketing manager of Ling and Grace Elphinstone, marketing manager of Carte Blanche (who all have designs in the stamp collection) joined Amanda Fergusson, GCA ceo, on a trip to the Isle of Man to officially launch the stamps (see pages 28-29) as well as make their Festive Friday postings. The Isle of Man post office had created a bespoke postmark for each company.

“I can’t thank Maxine Cannon and the team at Isle of Man post office enough for really going to town on this launch - and for being so supportive of Festive Friday. It is a wonderful example of how you can create something very special when people work together,” said Amanda Fergusson, ceo of the GCA. Above: (Left-right) Maxine Cannon (Isle of Man Post Office), Rachel Hare (Belly Button) and Amanda Fergusson (GCA) posting some Christmas cards with the Festive Friday postmark on.

Right: As he too appears on one of the stamps, Tatty Teddy also joined the publishers on the trip and cheered up the children in Nobles Hospital in Strang giving them goody bags.

UKG makes “big step forward” on service UK Greetings is making tangible improvements to the service it is offering its independent retail customers by switching to Parcel Force as its parcel delivery partner. Having trialled the move from Yodel to Parcel Force, UKG made the full switch over last month.

Darren Cave, commercial director of UKG said the change is a “big step forward” on the service front. Under the new arrangement, retailers can now pinpoint the hour the UKG delivery will be made. In addition, “customers can expect to receive a much more efficient collection process, whereby ordering pre-12pm will guarantee a collection for that afternoon and credits processed promptly,” said Darren.

Darren has also just been elected as a GCA Council member: “I am delighted to have the opportunity to give something back by serving on the GCA Council and joining my fellow council members in safeguarding, protecting and protecting this wonderful industry,” said Darren.

Above: UKG’s switch to Parcel Force will improve service for indies.

House of Commons Indies Marple Stationers in Marple, and Mooch Gifts & Home in Stourport on Severn and Bewdley, were commended in the finals of the 25 Best Small Shops in the UK, at an event held at the House of Commons recently.

MPs galore were invited to the event, organised by the Independent Retailers Confederation (IRC), which lobbies on retailing issues on behalf of its 100,000 independent retail members. Marple Stationers’ owner Sarah Laker told PG. “I felt very humble to be among such incredible independents. It’s amazing what some retailers do. For me, it was lovely to be flying the flag for stationery and what we have to offer as a shop.”

Jon May, co-owner of Mooch concurred that being in the final was “great PR.” He explained: “Customers have been coming into our shops to say ‘you really deserve this’. To be in the top 25 Best Small Shops final is a great achievement for us.”

Above: Mooch Gifts & Home’s co-owners Luke Jacks (left) and Jon May at the event

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OVER THE COUNTER

Retail Wars Independent card and gift retailer, David Robertson, co-owner of JP Pozzi in Scotland, explains the battle-cry of the ‘Rebel Forces’ retailers in a high street not far away.

Tis the season to be jolly. Tis the season to be thankful. Tis the season of joy and peace to all men. Tis the season of fat robins and red doors illustrated on cards. Yet, here we are at the end of another year of turmoil and trouble. A year where we have learnt new words, discussed borders in the sea and seen the High Street washed away in a continued wave of closures, CVAs, buyouts and bankruptcies.

The year 2019 brings to a close a decade where everything we knew and thought we knew about retail continues to be challenged and changed.

When looking at where you currently are, it is always useful to look back and see where you have come from. Not in a nostalgic, 'them were the good old days’ way, but to remind you of the journey that you have been on: the journey that has shaped you and your business.

As many of you know I have been on a bit of a rollercoaster journey for a number of years!

Retail has huge highs and excitement.

As owner of a shop or shops there are days you go home elated and days that send you twisting downwards. Each day you have to rise to the challenge of being a boss and sometimes have the stubbornness of believing and backing your judgement against the advice of many.

In 2009, we bought a derelict nightclub and spent six months (and a small fortune!) turning it into a coffee, card and gift store that would catch the public’s imagination. For the first five years this store flew like no business I 20

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Top: Retailers are fighting the battle of their lives on the High Street.

Above: Mothercare is another High Street name that has recently gone into administration.

Below: David’s Bijou store was once a derelict nightclub.

had ever been involved in, and it continues to be a strong part of what we do today.

This was all against the backdrop of the recession of 2008, the emerging social media, online shopping becoming a thing and funnily named websites such as Amazon, which were yet to really dominate in the way they perhaps do now.

Retail used to be pretty simple - offer interesting products for all occasions, especially in the card and gift sectors, and you would create a following or a tribe.

Margin was healthy and this allowed you to do quite well - it all seemed quite straightforward.

In those good old days, as well as steady card sales, the public still had a desire for collectables. This meant many

of us prospered from key brands such as Enesco’s Willow Tree. Fast forward to now, and these types of price points and products are not what they were and many a car boot sale on a Sunday is full of what would have been at one time sought after ornaments.

Retail in truth was never easy but it still felt like fun, and that people wanted to find and explore different cards and gifts.

Costume jewellery became our saviour, but now where would we be without scarves, handbags and maybe even one size clothing.

The point of all this is that retail is constantly changing in terms of what people buy. Now though it is not only what they buy but if they buy at all.

People used to enjoy the social aspect of shopping and speaking to the shop assistants. You didn’t buy six things and then return five. You didn’t delay that purchase until you found a discount code.

Cards were, and still are, cherished things, with people loving the design, the words and maybe even the price point.

Thankfully this part, for now, is still remarkably the same.

So, you are reading this column and I would imagine that you are thinking similar thoughts to this: ‘I am loaded with stock and need to be busy! Are the customers going to come? How can I do all this in so little time?

Will my sales be steady?’

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OVER THE COUNTER We also find ourselves having little chats in whispers: ‘Are you busy?’ ‘How are you finding things?’

Well I can summarise these thoughts very easily - the only thing that is consistent is the inconsistency.

November and December is always a time when us retailers are sitting here trying to pay bills, keep on top of everything, juggle shop and family life and get ourselves sorted for Christmas… and this year we now have to vote in the general election. Soon we will have a new government and we can only hope and pray that this one, whichever way you lean politically, can actually govern and make decisions.

Indecision and the lack of ability to move forward cripples the country, business and entrepreneurs, and causes that continual Groundhog Day scenario. We really can’t cope, nor do we want to cope, with another 2020 full of it.

My concern is that I doubt that any of the current politicians truly understand the challenges that we as small businesses face.

They pretend too. They act all sympathetic and pat us on the head for creating a few jobs, while at the same time making our jobs more and more difficult.

In the last six weeks I have met three high ranking people in our local political scene, and I have spelt it out in brutal blunt words where, I believe, a great deal of retailers are currently situated business wise.

The first question I asked them was ‘Do you enjoy going to the cinema?’ Politicians, being what they are, looked on even this as a trick question, where in truth it was really a simple Yes or No answer.

I then explained to them, and to the other business people around the table, that it has always been my favourite thing to do. No phones, no discussion in the darkness and the immersive nature of film.

Cinema in the UK, ironically enough, is thriving (back to that experience thing!) In 2018 a record 117 million of us visited a cinema in the UK, and this year is set to smash that with major event movies such as Avengers: Endgame, The Lion King, Joker and Frozen II all having sent us to our nearest screen.

So, on the December 19, a week after the general election, we have the last massive film release of the year - Star Wars 9 - The Rise of Skywalker - which will see me taking a few hours off to hopefully see it on opening night.

There are many jokes we could make here - PM Boris with his Anakin Skywalker blonde mop of heroic hair. Or is he the Evil Empire trying to crush the will of the people (the Rebel Forces)?

Now, while I am excited for Episode 9, it will never compare to Star Wars the original in 1977 - A New Hope, which has long been one of my favourite films of all time. I can vividly remember watching and owning it on VHS tape as it came out three years after I was born. I would literally watch it over and over again, with classic duels and scenes vivid in my memory.

It was one of these classic scenes that I used to highlight how many indie retailers feel right now to the politicians I met.

Setting the scene - Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Han Solo and Chewbacca dive into the rubbish compactor to get away from the Storm Troopers and suddenly the walls start to close in on them.

Having painted that picture, I described the four walls as: business rates, the living wage, the costs businesses have no control over ie heat/light/insurance and footfall/turnover.

The first three of these ‘walls’ have always gone up and closed in on us retailers, Above left: Politicians, it seems, do not truly understand the challenges small businesses face.

Above right: Star Wars heroes, C3P0 and Luke Skywalker.

Below: Newly weds, David and Nicola Robertson.

but we have always found ways to cope with them. The saviour was that we were always able to grow sales in such a way that the fourth wall could be held back. Now though, that fourth wall is also closing in, as footfall is dropping and people want, and have the right, to spend differently.

These walls closing in are like in the film - a slow creep with each passing year, a challenge affecting our bottom line and making things more and more difficult.

As retailers we are selling different things but probably cheaper than before.

Gone are the days of £200 Border Fine Art sales and now it’s a Joma bracelet or £10 scarf as that gift. We are all trying to find ways for customers to spend that little bit more, to tempt them in, to try and compete.

Perhaps, now more than ever before, the politicians, and perhaps even the public, need to know what is happening to the High Street - that we are not just whining for the sake of it. That we are not simply moaning because we have to work a bit harder.

Let me lay this on the line: small retailers are having to work a lot harder for a lot longer for less and less.

Unlike Luke Skywalker we can’t simply message C3PO to stop the walls and open the door. We have to be practical and look at what we are doing and find ways to keep going.

I am sure next year we will see many more indies decide that enough is enough. Hopefully they will be able to sell their businesses on.

Maybe they will just close their doors and the dream will fade. I have no intention of doing either at this minute. I will gather myself and hope for that festive bounce.

I will hope that customers decide that they do want to buy things again. I will hope that the surge doesn't come too late. I will hope that people still love the personal touch of a handwritten card. I will hope that ‘the force is strong’ and that the weather is kind. But most of all, I hope you have a great Christmas!

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CARDSHARP

Chestnuts For

Christmas

Well another festive season is upon us, reflected Cardsharp. This year it seems to have come around quicker than ever, or is it just his age? Our sector, even more so than other retail categories, is highly dependent on Christmas, so this month is going to be vital, even more so than usual given the testing year most retailers have experienced. For the majority of UK retailers December accounts for about 10% of their annual sales, but for most greeting card shops the percentage is well over double that.

As Cardsharp writes this in the last few days of November, the omens are looking surprisingly bright. For the last few years it has been perceived wisdom that Christmas buying is getting later and later every year,

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but there are signs that this trend just might be changing. Just like two swallows don’t make a summer, two robins don’t make a Christmas, but it was encouraging that John Lewis, which had very good sales of single Christmas cards last year, reported double digit like-for-like weekly sales growth in mid November.

Meanwhile, Sainsbury’s too proclaimed a very healthy start to its Christmas card sales.

And although many independents were reporting a drop in boxed card sales, the trend of increased sales of individual cards seems to be continuing.

And the most recent general CBI retail figures were

Above: Purchases of Christmas cards have made a healthy start.

Below: Will retailers be in for tasty Christmas sales?

Below left: Royal Mail’s Christmas strike has been deemed unlawful.

encouraging for once. After months of gloomy readings, they suggest that retailers are entering the Christmas period on a more stable footing. Some 44% of retailers said they expected sales volumes to increase in the year to December, while only 23% foresaw a drop in sales. These are the strongest expectations for over 18 months.

Another factor is the way Christmas falls this year. Christmas Day is on the Wednesday and Christmas Eve is on the Tuesday and Cardsharp suspects that very few people will work those two days, meaning four clear shopping days before Christmas morning.

All these positives could have been negated if the planned Royal Mail strike had gone ahead as planned preChristmas. Thankfully the strike was

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CARDSHARP deemed unlawful, which caused everyone in the card trade to breath a sigh of relief - one less thing not to worry about.

Still, reflected Cardsharp, a lot could still go wrong. The incredibly wet November we have experienced could still turn into a blizzardy December, keeping people off the street. But bizarrely, at least so far, the election campaign has not had the unsettling effect that one might have expected. Of course the shadow of Brexit still hangs over us, but ironically, mused Cardsharp, perhaps the airing during the election campaign of lots of other issues like the NHS, housing and welfare, has taken the sting out of the whole Brexit farrago at least in the short-term.

So far, and it is early days, there has been little or no negative publicity surrounding Christmas card sending. But we must brace ourselves for the usual lazy columnists spouting their rubbish.

Cardsharp can predict them now: “Why I won’t be sending Christmas cards this year”. As if we care Mr. or Mrs. Misery Guts with your own inflated sense of your own importance! “Why is there no Christian element in Christmas cards anymore?” Because we are mainly a secular society now. And of course there is the banker for the Daily Mail: “The Christmas card filth that is polluting our high streets!” In other words Dean Morris’ humorous cards in Scribbler!

And Cardsharp muses, Christmas would not be Christmas without that old hot chestnut (excuse the Christmas pun!), “Christmas card charity scrooges”, where the huge amount of money we as an industry donate to charitable causes is totally distorted into a negative story about

Left: GCA ceo, Amanda Fergusson, on BBC Breakfast recently.

Below left: Along with many high street brands, Clintons is facing a CVA. Bottom: Retailers will be asking Santa for a profitable Christmas.

the percentage contribution, not the fact that nearly all the charities in the UK are massively appreciative of the industry’s efforts.

But that said, with the decline of newspaper sales, these stories when they inevitably appear won’t have the impact they would have done a decade or so ago.

The newspapers are increasingly toothless tigers in this social media age.

In fact so far, given that so much of the news, whether on multiple TV channels, social media or in newspapers, is so depressing and confrontational these days, the media seems to be keen to take up the more positive stories about Christmas card sending. There have been multiple stories about our industry’s founder, Sir Henry Cole and the first commercial Christmas card, he published.

And Amanda Fergusson, the GCA’s chief executive, who is a very effective media operator, seems to be omnipresent on radio and TV channels. Cardsharp was particularly impressed by the way she turned a question from a business expert on BBC Breakfast about Clintons woes into an amazingly positive advert for the greeting card industry. It was a side step that any of the politicians being quizzed ad nauseum at present would have been proud of. Even Boris Johnson! And at the end of the interview, Amanda’s

message even got the endorsement of the Queen of the breakfast television sofa, Louise Minchin.

But talking of the media and Clintons, we as an industry did face a few dodgy moments last month. The rumored impending Creditors Voluntary Arrangement (CVA) of the high street chain, that until the rise of Card Factory was very much the public face of the greeting card industry, led to a flurry of media interest in the greeting card industry by ill-informed journalists looking for an angle and jumping to the wrong conclusions. “Is it because everyone buys cards online now from Moonpig?” “No, online is still only a paltry 6% of the market.” “Is this because card sending is declining?” “No it is still a market worth £1.7 billion and is holding up much better the most retail sectors.” “Is it because retailers can’t make money selling cards anymore?“ “Have you seen the profit that Card Factory makes?”

Thankfully the Clintons’ story has blown over in the short-term. Mothercare going down completely was a bigger business story (no one suggests this was because people are giving up having babies these days!) And, reflects Cardsharp, troubled retailer stories have become so two a penny now that even CVA’s barely makes the news. They have almost become a high street chain’s rite of passage!

So Cardsharp hopes all our notes to Santa asking for a profitable Christmas make it to Lapland now the Royal Mail strike has been called off, meaning we can all enjoy a manic couple of weeks before settling down for our festive celebration on December 25th surrounded by tons of gorgeous Christmas cards.

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VIEWPOINTS

Brand And

Deliver?

PG asks respected independent greeting card retailers for their view of what role brands play within the greeting card sector, both at consumer and trade levels.

‘Welcome to the new world of retail, where nothing is for sale’ was the headline of a recent article in The Times, written by respected journalist Harry Wallop in which he muses on the opening of Samsung KX, a new outlet in Kings Cross, London. ‘It’s not a shop,’ says its website, ‘It’s a place you can’. At 20,000 sq ft the space is larger than seven tennis courts, but as Harry states bemused, ‘It doesn’t sell anything. Instead it displays Samsung products without price tags, and a limited range at that.’

This is an exercise (albeit an expensive one) in branding. Make-up brand Sephora sold tickets to a “personal immersion” event at an historic theatre in Los Angeles, luring in consumers with the chance to luxuriate in tubs of gold confetti and on gigantic faux watermelon wedges.

With greeting cards sold in one in six shops, it must rank as one of most visible and sizeable consumer product sectors. And with much discussion currently about the removal of cellowrapping (thereby eradicating ‘front of card’ branding), a move to clasping (facilitating mid-card branding) or nesting (whereby the envelope is snuggled in the naked card, meaning removal of all front of card branding), the importance of branding at a retail and consumer level continues as a hot topic of discussion among retailers and publishers.

Above: Part of the Samsung KX experience that ‘is not a shop’!

Sara Still manager of Bluestone Gift Shops, four shops in Scotland:

The role of brands in the greeting card sector: “I think brand recognition for any company is important. I always turn a card over when we receive it to see who published it. I buy what I believe my customers are looking for but also feel it’s become important for an independent to trade up and not stock brands that are associated with the budget side of the high street.”

Is there consumer awareness of card brands?: “I think there’s an older generation that looks for things that are in their comfort zone, however they are more likely to ask for a theme than for a specific brand.”

Importance of ‘front of card’ branding: “I think ‘front of card’ brand visibility has a place for general cards as it can make the racks look smarter for the consumer. However, it is not so important on the integrated display.”

What non-card brands do you admire?: “My standout brand would be Apple, because it’s one of my 5 a day!”

The role of brands in the greeting card sector: “Branding is important in the greeting card industry though it is more recognised from a B2B point of view than from the perspective of the customer/recipient of the card. Branding is maturing within the greeting card industry, with Janie Wilson, Wendy Jones-Blackett and Blue Eyed Sun among the most professionally presented brands, each of which have maintained a strong brand presence over the years.

As a retailer we are definitely affected by brand and consistently order from suppliers whose brands we value for quality, though price, as well as the relationships we have established with those suppliers, also play a part. We do prioritise ordering from design-led brands as these fit with our own brand.”

Is there consumer awareness of card brands?: “There are a few instances of consumer brand awareness of card brands - most notably Five Dollar Shake (above). We have customers who will only purchase this brand. This however is a rare exception for cards and most likely is due to the price point, while there is also a familiarity due to personalisation options.”

Importance of ‘front of card’ branding: “I don't believe branding should overpower a card. Having branding on the front of a card does make it more visible but I don't believe adds value/increases sales as a result. Cards sell by the image/artwork/design/sentiment and nothing should detract from this.”

What non-card brands do you admire?: “My favourite brands include: l Oatly - the Swedish plant-based milk brand with quirky marketing. l Sara Miller London - I really love the reach this brand has achieved. l The Fox in the Attic - the company’s lifestyle marketing content really captured my attention as a new mum!”

Above: Maggie Wynn inside her shop with a Holy Mackerel card, one of the brands that sells very well for her.

Above right: Sara Still with her brother Haydn Park-Patterson with The Retas award for the Bluestone Gift Shops.

Maggie Wynn owner of Just Cards, Honiton:

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VIEWPOINTS Julia Keeling

Lucy Sticka

owner of Wishes of Cudworth:

co-owner of Little Paperie, Ashbourne, Derbyshire:

The role of brands in the greeting card sector: “For us we see our publishers/brands as The role of brands in the greeting partners. It’s a beneficial symbiotic card sector: “It’s definitely good to relationship, but as we predominantly see the brand on cards. We are stock smaller indie suppliers the role always drawn to a card company with of branding is not always a big good branding as it shows a lot of selling factor.” consideration for the bigger picture Is there consumer and makes us want to ‘buy’ into that company so much more. awareness of card brands?: “Our We are quite particular and I would say branding would sway us customers are quite traditional and in our buying decisions. Strong and consistent branding shows will go for a nice verse or imagery us that every little detail matters. The back of the card is as that connects on an emotional level important as the front in our eyes.” rather than because they know the brand name. When it comes to Is there consumer the big brands like Marvel, Star Wars and Disney then yes, our There’s a runNer inside alL of us screaming to get out awareness of card brands?: “It’s customers will ask, especially for a kid’s card. We expect Frozen 2 nice to hear people come in the will be popular over Christmas, and with the new Star Wars coming shop and say “Oh that’s a Rosie out too that should get a boost. Baby Shark is doing well too!

Made A Thing card’ or a “Paper However, our customers respond more to the licence rather than the Salad card”. I'm sure the publisher. Saying that, Hallmark is a recognised name outside the companies with stronger branding greeting card industry but with some of our best-selling publishers do get recognised a lot more! We like Cherry Orchard, Nigel Quiney and Words 'n' Wishes, the designs But we can usualLy shut her up with a biscuit do get asked for Rosie’s cards a really sell themselves. Our rude box by lot, that’s for sure!!”

Brainbox Candy is also popular too, with our customers asking for the “really rude Importance of ‘front of Rosie Made A Thing cards, nudge, nudge”.” card’ branding: “I’m not sure Importance of ‘front of card’ branding on the front of the card is necessary. I think people branding: “Less is more for us. We recognise brands more by design style, but they do always prefer our cards unwrapped and are seem to flip over to the back so get to see the branding on the aware of the changing attitude towards rear of the cards.” being eco-friendlier.

We’d encourage publishers to be prominent on What non-card brands do you admire?: “Ooh I’d probably social media and promote themselves and their stockists on platforms say M&S - it always stands out for its branding and advertising.” like Facebook. Saying that, suitable and free Point of Sale also helps Top: Lucy Sticka (left) and her business partner Heidi Richardson.

Above: Little Paperie gets asked for Rosie Made A Thing cards by brand. to promote the publisher and their latest card ranges.”

What non-card brands do you admire?: “We’re big fans of how the craft beer industry has reinvented itself, with many brands looking to co-owners of Celebrations, Stourbridge: engage with a younger The role of brands in the greeting card sector: “At trade level, target audience through branding is important, but not crucial, to help guide buyers along lines contemporary and very of proven quality, design and value. Design, quality and service are funky packaging. A great much more important to us than branding when ordering.” example is Abbeydale Is there consumer awareness of card brands?: “We have Brewery who work with been asked for Five Dollar Shake cards but never any other brand. At Barnsley’s own Lewis Ryan, consumer level card brands do not normally make any difference aka Lewy, to design its beer unless it is a brand known outside of the card industry. For example cans and point of sale. we’re convinced that the National Trust and Emma Bridgewater cards Lewy designed one of our (from Woodmansterne) sell better Cudworth Bunnies this year, under their respective brands than they would do otherwise.” bringing the same dramatic Importance of ‘front of card’ branding: “Customers buy cards because flair to his rabbit as he does of design and sentiment not because of the brand, so having the brand visible to his beer labels. A lot of on the front of card does not matter, although it does help us sometimes and the craft beer branding is also makes the card look a little more professional.” modern, fresh and certainly What non-card brands do you admire?: “Apple. It’s great how the doesn’t leave a bitter taste!” corporation has taken a common everyday piece of fruit and made it into an Top: Julia Keeting with Brainbox upmarket worldwide brand name.”

Candy’s ‘Naughty Box’which has

Roger Eames and Laura Didehvar

Above right: Roger Eames and Laura Didehvar at a Henries judging where there are no brands on show.

Left: An Emma Bridgewater card from Woodmansterne with the branding on the card clasp.

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increased its brand awareness.

Above: Julia is a fan of the Abbeydale Brewery’s branding.

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VIEWPOINTS Sonya Haandrikman-Sibbald co-owner of Celebrations, Carlisle: The role of brands in the greeting card sector: “I truly believe branding is important in any business. A brand represents the sum of people’s perception of a company’s customer service and reputation. We use our logo wherever we can, even our price stickers have the gold and silver CC printed on them and we individually price every card; we went to the trouble of printing in gold and silver because our brand represents quality.

Branding is important in the greeting card industry as much as any other because not only is it what makes a memorable impression on consumers but it allows your customers and clients to know what to expect from your company. It is a way of distinguishing yourself from the competitors and clarifying what it is you offer that makes you the better choice.”

Is there consumer awareness of card brands?: “I do believe that some consumers are aware of greeting card brands, we have a loyal following for Ling Design’s cards in particular and customers ask for them by name (especially the boxed Christmas cards). I think a lot of people know Hallmark as a brand and would associate a certain level of quality with the name. Generally, the vast majority of customers don’t care, but there are surprisingly quite a few that know their stuff!”

Importance of ‘front of card’ branding: “I would hate to think that every supplier would have their brand visible on the front, as it could detract from the card. The clasped cards work well if there is no insert, especially if there isn’t much of a verse, but if there is an insert people would want to see that. I quite like the clasped cards. It’s a neat idea, but again, I wouldn’t want to see it on every card. With regard to branding on the clasp - why not?! I would do it if I was a publisher - that’s how you build your brand.”

What non-card brands do you admire?: “I have to confess, I do like a brand! Whereas I wouldn’t be influenced in business, on a personal level I can honestly say that I am. Cars, clothes, bags, shoes - yep the lot! Although, I do admit, after having my little boy I much prefer my Skechers to my Louboutin’s!”

Above: Celebrations of Carlisle makes the most of its own brand.

Below: Sonya’s approach to marketing has seen Celebrations win many awards over the years.

Marion and Steve Flaherty co-owners of Best Wishes, Garstang, Yorkshire: The role of brands in the greeting card sector: “The role branding plays for us is to highlight the variety and quality of cards we have on offer for our customers.

When choosing our stock we aren’t purely affected by brand. Quality, design and value for money come into our selection decisions too. We also like to look out for new companies that are unknown to our customers to constantly give a fresh look, giving a mix of core brands and small select companies.”

Is there consumer awareness of card brands?: “Customer knowledge of branding is apparent to us with certain companies, such as Jonny Javelin, Five Dollar Shake as well as some licensed lines. We feel that customers make their card buying decision based on the feel, look and caption required for the particular recipient, not necessarily by brands they know or have bought before.”

Importance of ‘front of card’ branding: “Our ‘naked’ cards sit alongside cards with branded wrapping in our racks, and sell just as well or better.”

What non-card brands do you admire?: “The sleek, classy brands that we admire, that have stood the test of time and are known for quality include Jaguar (motors) and Moorcroft (pottery). We also rate our local Beeches Chocolates from Preston that has been producing high grade confectionery for nearly 100 years.”

Above right: Marion and Steve Flaherty at The Retas.

Above: A Velvet design from Jonny Javelin, a card brand that is asked for by Best Wishes’ customers.

Sarah Mitchell Wave in Bungay and High Tide in Southwold: The role of brands in the greeting card sector: “I think branding is more important for the suppliers than the consumers. I know the brands I want to order and which will sell well. Having said that, there is always a strong desire to find a new brand.”

Is there consumer awareness of card brands?: “Clearly some customers get to know brands they like but most of the time I believe they browse the spinners and choose based on the cards they see in front of them. Suppliers can develop a strong brand loyalty by having a distinctive style - Rosie Made A Thing being a clear example; there is no mistaking a Rosie card.”

Importance of ‘front of card’ branding: “I don’t think the consumer needs the brand on the front packaging/tab, featuring it on the back is enough.”

What non-card brands do you admire?: “The power house for us has to be Jellycat.”

Above right: Sarah and Guy Mitchell at The Retas.

Above: Plush brand Jellycat is a master at marketing.

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Industry Initiative

Man Up On

Stamps Below: The Spirit of Christmas stamps.

actual Christmas card designs by leading greeting card publishers.

Coinciding with the official start of the Isle of Man Post Office’s Christmas season, a great fanfare was arranged by the tenacious team on the island to launch the ‘Christmas Cards - The Spirit of Christmas collection’, and it’s not just the island’s population that are revved up about the festive stamp issue, but philatelists all over the world are pretty excited too.

With their designs being among those to feature in the stamp collection, Rachel Hare (md of Belly Button, and president of the GCA), Marina Brook (founder of Marina B), John Partridge (director of Peartree Heybridge), Grace Elphinstone (marketing manager of Carte Blanche) and Amelia Strawson (marketing manager of Ling Design) flew across to the island for the

The Queen gave her official approval to ten Christmas card designs by Belly Button Designs, Cath Tate Cards, Carte Blanche Greetings, Ling Design, Marina B and Peartree Heybridge, which are now winging their way all over the world as they feature on this year’s Isle of Man’s Christmas stamps.

PG joined the posse of card publishers, the GCA’s Amanda Fergusson and Tatty Teddy ’on tour’ in the Isle of Man for the jam-packed launch programme of The Spirit of Christmas stamp issue.

Below: Outside Mantons with enlargements of some of the cards and the “I feel that the centre of the UK greeting card industry shifted to the Isle of Man this week!”

Chris Beards, co-owner of award-winning independent card and gift shop, Mantons, based in Port Erin, confided to PG after a hectic twoday programme of events to launch the Isle of Man’s Christmas stamps recently.

It might never have happened had Chris not appeared on the island’s leading radio station talking about the importance of sending cards. This sparked a chain of events that resulted in the Isle of Man Post working with the GCA to create a wonderful collection of stamps, based on 28

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

promotional material. (Left-right) John Partridge (Peartree Heybridge), Amelia Strawson (Ling), Maxine Cannon (Isle of Man Post Office), Chris Beards (Mantons), Amanda Fergusson (GCA), Rachel Hare (Belly Button), Marina Brook (Marina B), Grace Elphinstone (Carte Blanche) and Lisa Walster (Mantons).

Right: Tatty Teddy and his stamp went down well with some of Mantons’ younger customers.

launch, as did the GCA’s ceo Amanda Fergusson and PG’s editor Jakki Brown.

The launch involved radio broadcasts, TV filming, photocalls at Mantons and Isle of Man landmarks, a visit to a children’s hospital ward, a reception with a parliamentary member, a meeting with senior executives from the post office - and even the chance for the visiting publishers to post their own Christmas cards (timed to go out on Festive Friday), not only with their own stamp designs, but a specially created company postmark too.

Also making the trip from Carte Blanche was Tatty Teddy

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Industry Initiative

who received a very warm welcome wherever he appeared, delighting shoppers in Mantons as well as cheering up the children in Nobles Hospital in Strang.

As a passionate believer in the power of sending cards and letters, Maxine Cannon, general manager of stamps & coins for Isle of Man Post Office says she could not be happier about the collaboration. “Anything that encourages people to put pen to paper is fabulous, whether at Christmas time or

Above: In the Manx Radio studio. (Left-right) Chris Beards (Mantons) and Maxine Cannon (Isle of Man Post Office) with producers/presenters Christy De Haven and Beth Esprey.

The creative process “Of all the stamp designs we issue in a year, our Christmas issue is arguably the most significant as it generates the most feedback,” explains Maxine Cannon, general manager of the stamps & coins side of Isle of Man Post Office.

Together with her tightknit team, some 14 new stamp collections are issued by Isle of Man Post Office every year. Each issue may include up to 10 different stamps with each and every one having to be approved by the Queen as well as its own internal board.

The Isle of Man has been independent of the Royal Mail since 1973, though the two operators have a reciprocal agreement. They share a dedicated aeroplane, which brings post from Royal Mail on the “adjacent island”, as it is referred by the Manx population, and then takes pre-sorted mail back across the next morning. Revered for its efficiency (as well as being cheaper than Royal Mail, with a regular stamp costing 57p, 5p cheaper), many companies use the island’s service for their mailings.

Learning that this is the centenary year of the GCA, and herself a great lover of greeting cards, Maxine set her sights on creating a special festive stamp collection that Above right: It was important that the celebrated the greeting card industry stamp collection featured a nativity scene. This one was from Ling. and the leading role they play in our Above: The special stamp, created by Marina Brook (of Marina B) features Christmas festivities. some Isle of Man elements.

Right: A contemporary approach from As Geoff Sanderson (an Belly Button’s Rachel Hare. experienced greeting card creative exec) was already working on the GCA centenary exhibition he extended his remit to include co-ordinating a competition that was open to all GCA publisher members to submit their actual Christmas card designs (ie that have already been published as cards) that could be considered to feature on the stamps.

As Maxine explained, there were some considerations that needed to be taken on board when the submissions were made.

“There is of course the size issue. The stamps could not be too large as they need to be used on small envelopes. Yet they need to

throughout the year. As I tell everyone who will listen, you can’t put a text message on a mantelpiece. And my new slogan is, ‘Don’t be hard, send a card’, which seems to be going down well too!”

GCA ceo, Amanda Fergusson said, “I can’t thank Maxine Cannon and the team at the Isle of Man Post Office enough for really going to town on this launch. It is a wonderful example of how you can create something very special when people work together.”

be readable - the designs might look great blown up but when reduced down to 32mm x 32mm you still need to get the gist of the design and message,” said Maxine for starters.

Importantly, the designs needed to meet royal approval guidelines, with the design accommodating the Queen’s head in the top left corner.

“With this collection we wanted to offer a diversity of designs, which would also reflect the creativity in the greeting card industry. We wanted to include a nativity scene, a robin, a Father Christmas and something that had a connection to the Isle of Man,” said Maxine. With no GCA members being based on the Isle of Man, a design created by Marina Brook (founder of Marina B), which incorporates several Isle of Man landmarks, was included to provide a local flavour.

Maxine’s hope is that the broad attraction of the stamps, as well as the publicity around the launch, will encourage more people to send Christmas cards and nurture the tradition in children, though Maxine is aware that there is progress to be made.

“A few years ago I spoke with a lady who hosts children and lectures at a local wildlife park. She asked them to write a letter about their experience and a little hand went up. A child, aged about 9 asked “Which letter? M for monkey miss?” When she elaborated that the idea was to handwrite a letter to a friend or relative they didn’t have a clue. When she said to pretend it’s a text message, the penny dropped,” said Maxine.

Maxine’s mission to get people writing more involves her going into schools and working with teachers. Recent activity has included a tie-in with The Cooish Manx Language Festival which saw the Post Office give away thousands of specially created postcards and stamps to schools and groups, encouraging the children to send the cards with the messages written in the Manx Gaelic language.

Seeing bundles of these postcards going through the sorting office made Maxine feel rather emotional. “This is so lovely to see,” said Maxine brushing away a tear. “It is the social responsibility of everyone in our industries to remind people that to receive a handwritten card or letter really means something. The Spirit of Christmas stamps will most definitely play a part in this.”

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Discover Everything you need to mark the occasion.

We bring together every kind of greetings and stationery product to inspire the art of gift-giving.

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Publisher Profile

LOOKING AT

Leekes Garlanna, the County Wicklow-based greeting card publisher, has long had aspirations to move into the UK greeting card market – well now it has, with major installations now up and running in several of the Leekes department stores in the group and others to follow.

PG visited Leekes’ flagship store in Melksham, Wiltshire, to meet Alan and Jackie MacNamee, owners of Garlanna.

There will be several major publishers who will be kicking themselves that they missed out on the chance to introduce a whole new look greeting card department into established independent department group, Leekes, especially as the company who clinched the deal is not one of the usual suspects.

Now up and running very successfully in two of Leekes’ stores - Cross Hands and Melksham - is a smart new approach on the greeting card and giftwrap front from Garlanna, a successful Ireland-based company with Second Nature being the only other publisher involved in the product selection.

Prominently positioned on the ground floor of Leekes’ flagship store in Melksham, Wiltshire, the new department attracts shoppers’ attention with the specially created wooden fixtures, special lighting and prominent Garlanna branding.

The racks and carousels (Garlanna’s upmarket spinners) feature approaching 2,000 different designs. While Garlanna

Above: Jackie MacNamee with one of the company’s famous carousels!

Left: (Left-right) Garlanna’s Alan MacNamee, Leekes’ buying controller Amanda Reed and Second Nature’s sales manager Tim West.

Below: One of the Welsh language cards published by Garlanna for Leekes.

Bottom left: Garlanna’s expansive card ‘department’ in Leekes’ Melksham store, which includes 24 metres of cards and wrappings.

products account for 75% of the display, Second Nature completes the line-up providing the remaining 25%.

“As very much a family store, greeting cards are important to us, and we are delighted not only by the look of what Garlanna has created, but by the sales too - which have

almost doubled since the new selection was installed,” says Darren Clements, general manager of the Melksham store. (Previous to Garlanna, the cards were supplied

by Hallmark).

For Garlanna clinching this opportunity with Leekes fulfills a dream for the company’s owners, Alan and Jackie MacNamee. It enables them to demonstrate just what the publisher is capable of outside of its home territory, on product, display and service.

“This is a very exciting and important deal for us in the UK, as it is an extension of what we are really good at in Ireland. Now people can see what Garlanna is about and that we can supply a complete solution for retailers, giving them another choice,” said Alan. “The Leekes team have been so lovely to work with, sharing the same values as us on quality and service.”

In Ireland, Garlanna supplies some 1,100 retailers. It has, over the last 22 years, earned a reputation as a key supplier of greeting cards, invariably on a solus basis, with its commitment and investment in PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

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Publisher Profile

fixtures as well as broad product mix going down well with what are referred to as ‘convenience stores’ in Ireland, which Jackie likens to “middle market multiples that are not card specialists,” in the UK. It was a conversation with Tim West, Second Nature’s sales manager, that led to the Leekes launch. “We have always got on very well with the Second Nature team and have a great respect for their business,” says Alan. “Tim came to see us in Ireland as he was keen for Second Nature to have a stronger presence in the convenience market there. “Can we do something together?” he asked us. We jokingly replied, “Yes, if you can help us to find a way to launch in the UK”. The Leekes opportunity was the perfect solution for all of us - Garlanna, Second Nature and Leekes!” sums up Alan.

Tim and the Second Nature team are not surprisingly happy with the partnership with Garlanna for Leekes. As Tim commented: “Having worked in partnership with Leekes for many years, the ability to offer a fresh, new, innovative department along with Garlanna was a fantastic opportunity too good to miss.

Both publishers offer exceptional quality along with depth and breadth of captions and design content, really making Leekes department stores stand out from the crowd. Second Nature is over the moon with the look and feel of the new department and we’re confident that both publishers will deliver significant development and growth for the greeting card category for Leekes.”

At present, all Garlanna products are shipped from its County Wicklow base, but it has the support of dedicated merchandisers to ensure the displays

for both publishers are kept topped up and tidy.

While Alan’s obsessions are on how the product is displayed, Jackie takes responsibility for the planning of the selection.

Garlanna creates all its 2,000 card designs as well as its giftwrappings products either by artists in its own studio or relationships with freelance designers.

“We have two of our own printing presses in-house which means we can cater for specific needs - Leekes asked us to a range of Welsh cards for example, that we have been able to create,” explains Jackie.

With the arrangements with its retail customers invariably being the only publisher supplying, the Garlanna product portfolio is pretty broad.

Top: The Garlanna card display in Leekes’ Cross Hands store.

Above middle: Thinking of You is a big caption area for Garlanna.

Above: Little Mac is one of Garlanna’s cute creations.

Left: As well as cards, the selection includes packed giftwrappings products from Garlanna.

“We know we need to offer choice so cater for various tastes within each area, whether that is for caring thoughts or juvenile ages. You cannot just have ‘one look’.”

Where there is ‘one look’ is on the branding and fixtures.

“I love the challenge of creating fixtures, FSDUs, packaging that works well for the retailer, the products, the customer, while having the Garlanna stamp on it,” says Alan with a twinkle. He is especially proud of the company’s approach to spinners or “carousels” as they are referred in Garlanna speak.

“On hearing about a great new approach to spinners in Canada, Alan jumped on a plane to go and meet the manufacturer in person. He was so taken with the concept that he flew back with one so he could work on his own specifications!” reveals Jackie.

But rather than just being free-standing, these carousels are neatly incorporated into a classy wooden fixture.

“It is these finer details that really excite me,” admits Alan.

In tandem with working on plans to install a Garlanna ‘department’ in Leekes’ Llantrisant store, Alan is also inventing his own solution to the ‘naked’ card involving a peelable label inside the card which still enables an insert to be appreciated while also keeping the envelope attached. “I am only at prototype phase now. It is an idea, but not the complete answer. Just like our entry into the UK, to do things properly it takes time!”

The Leekes Story Established in Rhondda, Wales, in 1897, Leekes now trades from six department stores in South Wales, South West England and the Midlands.

Leekes owns department stores in Wales in Cross Hands and Llantrisant, and a builders' merchant at Tonypandy. Its stores in England are in Bilston, Hereford and Melksham, together with showrooms for conservatories and windows at Thornbury (Gloucestershire) and Swindon. In addition, the Park Furnishers store in Bedminster continues to trade under its own name.

The company also owns the Vale Resort in the Vale of Glamorgan and the adjacent Hensol Castle, a conference and wedding venue.

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

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PG Innovations Nov 00-00_muk.qxp_38-39/40-41 28/11/2019 10:29 Page 35

PG showcases a selection of new product launches

A Lovefest Laura Sherratt has added 28 new cute and quirky designs to its Pots of Love collection taking it up to a total of 58 designs. The new designs (all 12cm square) cover male and female birthdays as well as special relations captions, including parents to be, Uncle, Son, Sister, Mummy, special friend. All come with a wooden plant pot embellishment, are hand-finished with gems and are accompanied by a 100% biodegradable brown envelope.

Laura Sherratt Designs 01538 384566 www.laurasherrattdesigns.co.uk

Shaken And Stirred

Strike A Pose

Fawn & Thistle have combined three very popular themes into the one range – animals, cocktails and puns. Centering around illustrations by Kirsten McNee, among the funny, punny designs in the Cocktail Animals Range are Pina Koala and Aperowl Spritz, with a cocktail recipe on the back. All A6 in size, the cards come with neon coral envelopes.

Fawn & Thistle 07545590406 www.fawnandthistle.com

The Crumble & Core jewellery card range continues to grow, and now spans over 200 designs, including one for yoga lovers! All of the designs feature the stunning watercolour art by Jilly Mercer that are hand-finished in-house with the addition of either a sterling silver necklace, bracelet or pair of earrings, presented in a gift box.

Crumble & Core 01825 841412 www.crumbleandcore.com.

Word Perfect Tess Cards’ Basic Bits range of simple, yet colourful, text-led designs has been expanded with new offerings that put an on-trend, quirky spin on some of life’s big milestones, including having a baby and reaching middle age. There are now 10 cards in the range, all measuring 120mm x 170mm, printed on 280gsm coated board and supplied with a white envelope.

Tess Cards 01892 533413 www.tesscards.co.uk.

Going Wild Lucilla Lavender’s fun new birthday range, Wildcard, picks up on the huge trend for animal prints in fashion and sets them against contemporary colours.

The 12 designs feature text that is written in a relaxed style that complements the spirited illustrations. The different prints are embossed and spot-varnished for extra impact.

Lucilla Lavender 0203 405 1410 www.lucillalavender.com

Heard The Buzz?

mu

M - t O - be E

!

In response to the popularity of the bright and cheerful bee cards in Still Sunday Designs’ Buds & Bees range, the publisher has added 12 new designs to cover everyday occasions. All featuring Breton stripes and buzzy bees, the hand-painted designs are printed on a luxury textured FSC certified board, are 150mm square and come cellowrapped with a light grey envelope.

Still Sunday Designs 07801568882 www.stillsundaydesigns.com PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

35

England

25. – 28. 1. 2020 Frankfurt am Main

Start 2020 with new inspiration for your product mix Discover at Paperworld an impressive and diverse range of products as well as the latest trends for paper and stationery products for personal use. The focus here is on the most important shapes, colours and materials of the coming season. Book your ticket to access Europe’s leading business and dialogue platform for the sector. Network with key players and set new standards with your product mix in the future.

Book your ticket now! paperworld.messefrankfurt.com

info@uk.messefrankfurt.com Tel. +44 (0) 14 83 48 39 83

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The stationery trends.

PG Innovations Nov 00-00_muk.qxp_38-39/40-41 28/11/2019 08:58 Page 37

PG showcases a selection of new product launches

Going To Town Pink Pink has expanded its popular Babble Town range by adding some new designs. Retailers have the option of adding their own town name to the design. The range now includes 20 designs, to cover both male and female sends. All printed on FSC board with ecofriendly textured envelopes, the cards are available wrapped or naked.

Pink Pig 0779 5574548 www.pinkpigcards.co.uk

Age Matters Blooming Lovely

Always Sparkle’s popular #sendacard range has expanded to include designs for ages 18-70.

Coupling the tradition of card sending with a modern social media twist, these new age cards (105mm square in size) feature a unisex colour palette and fun sentiments with hashtags below the message. The concept of the collection is to encourage more people to send cards and share pictures of them on social media.

Always Sparkle 07940 726842 www.alwayssparkle.co.uk

Bouquet is Sabivo Design’s new capsule range. Drawing an inspiration from the beautiful fields in the rural area where the publisher is based, this new collection of 12 fresh open everyday captions bursts with colour.

Unmistakably hand-drawn and handglittered, these 145 mm square cards come wrapped with a luxury gold envelope.

Sabivo Design 44 (1858) 433 716 www.sabivo.co.uk

Rural Treasures Drawing on her love and knowledge of wildlife, printmaker Lizzie Perkins has released some new designs, notably designs of a blackbird, robin, badger and fox. They are 125mm square in cello packs of five cards with white envelopes, with larger 150mm square blank cellowrapped versions also available. Each design originates as an A3 limited edition screenprint created in Lizzie’s garden studio in Berkshire.

Art Matters 01491 671758 www.lizzieprints.com

A Touch Of Spice Ready for the launch of its 2020 catalogue, Go La La’s latest range ‘Rhubarb & Ginger’ comprises over 30 fun designs including ages, relations and occasions – and there are even cards from the pets! Printed on a quality uncoated FSC certified board the cards come with a light grey envelope.

Go La La 01458 830913 www.golala.co.uk

Bean There?

Lucy and Lolly has a great new concept – a range of plantable bean cards. All of the designs in its Jelly Bean range include a themed bean which once planted will grow with a message on the leaves. The 19 gold and silver foiled designs cover birthday, thank you, new home, wedding, engagement, I miss you, new baby, congratulations, sympathy and get well soon. Made in the UK and printed on recycled board, all the cards measure 14.8cm x 14.8cm, come individually cellowrapped with an accompanying brown kraft envelope.

Lucy and Lolly www.lucyandlolly.com PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

37

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www.davora.cards 22/11/2019 12:08

PG Innovations Nov 00-00_muk.qxp_38-39/40-41 28/11/2019 08:59 Page 39

PG showcases a selection of new product launches

Magical Marbling After many months of experimentation, Paper Mirchi is gearing up to the launch of something pretty special. It has blended the art of traditional hand-marbling with funky neon colours to create a contemporary range of artisan giftwrap. Every one of the sheets is hand-marbled by skilled artisans onto recycled cotton paper (ie tree-free).

Paper Mirchi 020 3633 1415 www.papermirchi.co.uk

Just Your Type?

Following extensive research, Brainbox Candy has concluded that despite the internet, people are still having birthdays and often these are milestones ones.

The plucky publisher thought therefore that it was a mediocre excellent idea to launch a new range of milestone age cards. The new Typewriter range covers all the landmark birthdays (apart from twelfthteen and eleventy seven). All cards are printed on FSC accredited board, sourced from sustainable sources.

Brainbox Candy 020 3633 1415 www.papermirchi.co.uk

Pun-ny Approach Wraptious’ new pun-filled animal range features the work of talented book illustrator and author, Sophie Corrigan. There are 15 designs in the range, with each one accompanied by a kraft envelope – and each card can come either wrapped or naked.

Wraptious 0161 430 2310 www.wraptious.com.

Rock n Roll Molly Mae’s popular It Rocks range has been extended with the addition of 18 new designs, covering titles including auntie, wife, sister, daughter, teen and many more. All of the cards feature a signature bright colour palette with eye-catching patterned backgrounds and large attention grabbing words. The cards are 155mm x 155mm in size and are supplied with a kraft envelope.

Molly Mae 01455 557115 www.mollymaetrade.co.uk

Woodland Wonder Jane Faires is known for her exquisite animal and bird cards, which capture their personality and character. In celebration of the winter season is a delightful Woodland Art collection. This capsule range of eight cards, all taken from Jane's original artwork, feature warm, rich tones, with designs including hares, rabbits and owls.

All 150mm square in size, the cards are printed on FSC board.

Jane Faires Art 01803 862123 www.janefairesart.com

Mothering’s The Word In answer to the requests from one of her retail customers concerning the paucity of choice for cards which feature the words ‘Mothering Sunday’, Emma Bryan was quick to respond, ensuring that this was one caption that was most definitely included in her new Spring Collection. The new range for 2020 features Emma’s distinctive pretty artwork and covers all the main spring season events.

Emma Bryan 07889 598606 www.emmabryan.co.uk PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE 39

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PG showcases a selection of new product launches

Talk Olde Greate Olde Englysh Wordes is a new range from Rusty Pencil, a collection which centres around old words that have been sourced from old English slang and dialect dictionaries, and are a cheeky complement to today's vocabulary. There are 24 designs covering birthdays and occasions. Cards are 150mm x 150mm and come with a white envelope. So let's get coxy-roxy!

(Merrily tipsy.) Or even pollrumptious!

(Unruly, restive.)

Rusty Pencil 07970 950541 www.rustypencil.com

Sporting Success Worry Less Design has not only introduced several new, humorous designs to its Definitions and Repeat range for sports lovers, but it has also been re-designed to look and feel more luxurious, with textured card and an embossed frame. New designs joining the fold cover yoga, netball, rugby, football, cricket, golf and rowing.

Worry Less Design 01256 381521 www.worrylessdesign.co.uk

Write And Wrap Capitalising on the success of two of its greeting card ranges, retro brand Pennychoo has developed patterns from the ranges and has now launched matching A5 notebooks and giftwrap packs (each including two sheets). The Coast pattern is inspired by fond memories of childhood seaside holidays and features jaunty rows of midcentury modern ceramics jostling with beach-combed objects in sun-bleached, pastel tones. Honey, I1m Home! meanwhile, is a celebration of American post-war optimism in domestic design.

Pennychoo 07941 645 018 www.pennychoo.com

Annual Events Taking The Biscuit Jammie Lover is among the new Spring Seasons additions to Paper Bird Publishing’s popular new Woody range for Valentine’s, Mother's and Father's Days. The range of 12 cards also includes birthday and everyday designs.

Measuring 150mm x 150mm, the cards are printed on robust and luxurious 350gsm textured board and come with a kraft envelope. While supplying the cards naked is the publisher’s preference, it does offer a cellowrapped option.

Paper Bird Publishing 0208 613 8085 www.paperbirdpublishing.co.uk

I’ll Drink To That In an attempt to reduce plastic pollution in our ocean, Xpressions has launched a brand new range of stainless steel bottles named AKWA. Its double walled insulation and high-grade stainless steel keeps beverages cold for 24 hours and hot for six hours. The collection spans five contemporary colours, finished with a glossy and wood-effect design. All bottles are BPA free and leak-proof.

Xpressions 020 8756 7793 www.xpressionsgifts.co.uk

Cherry Orchard has taken a new approach to Month You Were Born cards. The new range consists of 24 designs (one male, one female for each month of the year). The bright male month cards have text-based artwork and gentle humour. Inside the card are some facts about events and famous people who share the birth month. The female designs feature floral imagery and details of the symbolic gemstone and flower for each month, combining both inspirational words and beautiful artwork.

Cherry Orchard 01684 295500 www.cherryorchardpublishing.co.uk PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

41

ART SOURCE AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT...

Our innovative greetings card finishes include: Thermography Foil Intense Glitter Snowraise Liquid Metal Blended Glitter Embossing Textured Foil Laser Cutting

ask about our ‘Mr Abbot’ sample pack

To discuss your next greetings card range call us on 01797 223355 www.abbotprint.co.uk sales@abbotprint.co.uk

TO APPEAR REGULARLY IN THE

ARTSOURCE SECTION OF PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS CONTACT TRACEY ARNAUD ON 01234 740 051

42_PG_December 2019.indd 42

27/11/2019 16:22

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Art Source PG helps to paint a pretty picture of freelance artists, designers, verse writers and photographers’ worlds in order to promote their talents to publishers and, conversely, make it easier for publishers seeking artists.

ARTIST IN FOCUS

Peter Brock I was born in Crieff, Scotland, and I still work from my home studio in Crieff. My name is Peter M.C. Brock, however I am better known as 'Pedro'. I have been illustrating greeting cards for more than thirty years, I even remember winning a prize as a child back in the 1970s for designing a Christmas card in a local competition.

I studied Book Illustration and Typography at Dundee Art College, and draw and paint using various mediums. Most of my artwork for greeting cards are watercolour or acrylic scenes but I have had a lot of commissions to create cartoon style illustrations and have been commissioned by several major companies to draw personalised cartoons and caricatures.

I also illustrate books, calendars, coasters and keyrings, and, as an added bonus, I draw on the spot caricatures at corporate events, weddings, trade shows etc.

I would like to get my art work published on greeting cards as I would love to see my designs on UK cards racks in shops small or large. l Tel: 01764 652665 l Email: pedro@pedroart.co.uk l website: www.pedroart.co.uk

WANT TO BE FEATURED?

If you are an artist, photographer or verse writer and would like to be considered to appear in Art Source, please contact PG’s Emma Cain on emmac@max-publishing.co.uk. This is an editorial feature and as such is free of charge.

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

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PG asked a selection of card retailers for their ‘hot’ card sellers.

Andrea Pinder, owner of Presentation Cards & Gifts, Barrowford, Lancashire A medium shop in a thriving village with a loyal locals and visitors customer base.

Category

Name of Publisher

Product/Name Range

Comments

Everyday

Blue Eyed Sun

Fiesta

Paper Salad

Jamboree

Humour

Redback Cards

Holy Flaps

Right: Beautiful Designers Guild wrap and giftbags from Deva Designs.

CardMix

Drama Queen

Paperlink

Bottom Line

Words ‘n’ Wishes Woodmansterne Five Dollar Shake

Across The Board Across The Board Across The Board

Wendy Jones-Blackett

Quicksilver

Children’s

Rachel Ellen

Jigsaw Cards

Giftwrap

Deva Designs

Laura Darrington and Designers Guild Paper Salad and Wendy Jones-Blackett Ceramic sentiments plaques, coasters mugs and Christening gifts

Floral designs with lovely illustrations finished with brightly coloured gems.

Beautiful designs, all painted and foil finished, that sell across the board.

Says what everyone thinks - a very funny range.

The laughter that comes from our card room says it all!

These cards sell every day and have stood the test of time.

Great for sentiments and good quality board.

Lovely designs with foil finishes and beautiful envelopes.

Quality and style at its best, these cards are always in demand across all sections, especially the personalised service.

We have been buying cards from WJB for 18 years. All its ranges sell extremely well across all sections. The Quicksilver range has certainly stood the test of time as the publisher continues to bring out new designs and do it well.

Fantastic cards for both boys and girls. And with bright colours and trendy illustrations, the Pow range for teenagers is great too.

Collaborations with card publishers to produce wrap and giftbags with artwork from their cards - with matching tissues and tags - allows us to create lovely shop displays.

Traditional Handmade/ Hand-Finished

Glick Ancillary

East Of India

Simple ceramic gifts with encouraging uplifting words.

Lindsey Adam, owner of Bonkers, Edinburgh (with another store in St Andrews) A medium shop in a city centre with a loyal locals and tourists customer base.

Category

Name of Publisher

Product/Name Range

Comments

Everyday

The Art File

Across The Board

Cute Humour

Rachel Ellen Objectables

Cherry On Top I Am Objectable

Art

Art Angels

Printmakers

Contemporary

Stop The Clock Design

Joy

Traditional

Paperlink

Handmade/ Hand-Finished Children’s

Five Dollar Shake

Mimosa and Across The Board Across The Board

Earlybird Designs

Mini Age Cards

Giftwrap

Bubble (from Belly Button)

General

Jellycat

Amusables plush

Cards for all occasions, stylish and very nice quality.

Bright, colourful, sparkly birthday cards.

Irreverent humour with simple illustrations and strong design.

Beautiful cards on quality card and wrapped in a biodegradable cello bag.

On premium board, foiled and embellished designs available in birthdays, occasions and ages - Big, colourful designs.

A big selection of cards to cover all occasions.

Still the fanciest and best handmade cards.

A smaller size card at a good price point.

The gift bags are bright and contemporary with co-ordinating tissue paper.

Adorable avocados, toast and watermelons!

Right: A design from Objectables’ ‘I Am Objectable’ range.

Ancillary 44

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

Above: The adorable boiled egg plush from Jellycats’ Amusables range.

44-45.qxp_46-47 27/11/2019 15:23 Page 45

Tabi Marsh, director of Papilio at Heritage, Thornbury, Bristol A medium gift shop, with an attached coffee shop, in a market town with a loyal locals customer base.

Category

Name of Publisher

Product/Name Range

Comments

Everyday

Coulson Macleod

Wise Words

Alex Clark

Classic Square Cards

Cute

Wrendale

Everything!

Humour

Redback Cards

Cloud 9

Art

Museums & Galleries

Matthew Williamson

Contemporary

Dandelion Stationery

Words Of Wisdom

Megan Claire

Fresco

House Of Sarunds

Belgian chocolates

Customers have thanked us for stocking these cards as they truly get to the heart of why people like that particular topic, including tattoos and poetry! They are perfect for any occasion and customers rarely leave with just one card.

At a fantastic price and the cards appeal to all ages. This is a particularly popular range for men to buy.

You can’t help but fall in love with Hannah's illustrations. It’s amazing the stories you hear from people about experiences they have had linked with a particular animal.

The bright backgrounds and humorous sayings make this a winning range. Customers will stand there reading them all, laughing out loud and showing other customers. This range appeals to all ages, including people you may not guess would like them!

Matthew’s designs are full of colour and detail. These are cards that stand out on a mantel-piece.

You can’t go wrong with Jo’s illustrations and words. They sell well for all occasions, but Jo’s ability to write for the tougher occasions, and say what we often struggle to, mean her cards are unparalleled for the harder occasions: (Life can be tough; It’s been a long hard slog; or Recovery are all fantastic examples of this).

Fresh colours combined with brilliant quality, this new range is proving popular.

A fantastic seller all year round. Customers love that they can buy one chocolate or a whole box full.

Ancillary

Sarah Laker, owner of Stationery Supplies, Marple, Stockport A small stationery, gift and card shop in a small rural town with a local and varied customer base.

Category

Name of Publisher

Product/Name Range

Comments

Everyday

Paper Rose

Hazy Days

Alex Clark Art

Sparkle

Humour

Dandelion Stationery

Words Of Wisdom

Right: A delicate watercolour Hazy Days design from Paper Rose.

Right: Supportive words on an East Of India ceramic pebble keepsake.

Redback Cards

Holy Flaps

Art Contemporary

The Art File Alljoy Design

Sara Miller London Message In A Bottle

Redback Cards

Shine

Traditional Children’s

Two Little Monkeys Earlybird Designs

Vanilla Fab

Ancillary

Eco Chic

Bamboo mugs

I’ve dealt with Paper Rose for over 13 years. The publisher has continually refreshed its ranges and brought out new designs at modest price points.

Hazy Days is a fairly new range that has been very well received by my customers.

I’ve only just started stocking Alex Clark’s cards recently and am already topping up the spinner!

That speaks for itself.

Jo at Dandelion has an amazing knack of hitting just the right balance of sentiment and humour, with her down to earth approach appealing to customers of all ages.

There is nothing better than hearing a customer laugh out loud at our cards, and Holy Flaps is often the cause of these outbursts! - Although they are quite naughty and not for everyone.

Simply stunning cards.

Quirky 3D pop-up cards which amaze customers seeing them for the first time.

With a reversible sequin peel off patch these cards are seriously amazing. They’re bang-on trend and customers buy them in multiples!

Great designs in all ages and occasions, a great all round range.

Bold, bright and fun, covering all ages from 1-20, and customers like the compostable sleeves and recycled envelopes.

Strong designs liked by everyone. At a good price point and ecofriendly, they are just flying off the shelves!

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

45

Polypropylene & biodegradable bag specialists Over 40 years quality service to the trade Hotfoiling also available

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GREETING CARD Our innovative greetings card finishes include: Thermography Foil Intense Glitter Snowraise Liquid Metal Blended Glitter Embossing Textured Foil Laser Cutting

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T 01206 396209 E sales@badgerconverters.co.uk www.badgerconverters.co.uk

46_PG_December 2019.indd 46

ask about our ‘Mr Abbot’ sample pack

To discuss your next greetings card range call us on 01797 223355 www.abbotprint.co.uk sales@abbotprint.co.uk

27/11/2019 12:44

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JEREMY’S JOURNAL Business blogging by publisher Jeremy Corner of Blue Eyed Sun.

Reflections Jeremy Corner, owner of greeting card publisher Blue Eyed Sun and distributor of BambooCup, looks back on the past 12 months.

Wow. I can’t believe that it’s the end of the second decade of the new millennium and almost 20 years since Blue Eyed Sun launched. It’s also been 100 years since the GCA was first formed. It’s been a very busy year full of new learnings and shifts in perspective.

seconds and you’ll see just how remarkable this achievement really is.

Instead of being attached, I am now committed to things I’m doing that may move forward and may not. This year, some things worked and some didn’t. Some just were where they were. I got what I got, and I didn’t get what I didn’t get.

Success and failure Until recently I used to get very attached to winning or losing. I believed that if you weren’t attached it meant that you weren’t really committed. It’s been a major shift for me to pull attachment and commitment apart from one another and enjoy being committed without being attached.

For example, sometimes it’s simply enough to complete the Brighton Marathon (as I did in April) rather than worry about my finish-time. For most marathon runners, completing the course is the triumph, the speed at which it is done is less relevant.

Having said that, it was incredible to see Eliud Kipchoge become the first to run a marathon in less than two hours this year.

To do this, he had to run 100m in 17.08 seconds 422 times in a row at a speed of 13.1 mph. Try and run a single 100m in 17

What worked Blue Eyed Sun grew sales by 30% thanks to our best-selling BambooCup and new eco-gifts. In the current climate this feels like an achievement in itself. The brand has been further boosted by a recent independent study by Stiftung Warentest that showed BambooCup by chic.mic to be ‘the only bamboo cup [of 12 brands tested] that had no pollutant problem and did not raise false hopes.’

Our new card range, licensed from Jade Mosinski, has also worked for Blue Eyed Sun, and it has been very well received and is selling through nicely. We are also pleased with the response to our Doodle Girl licensed cards.

This year we expanded our sales agent force to 13 agents on the road with only Wales left to cover.

It’s a challenging time to find good agents and we are very grateful to have some of the best in the UK doing a great job for us.

Top: Jeremy reflects on the past year.

Above right: Gorgeous Jade Mosinski designs from Blue Eyed Sun. Left: Superstar marathan runner, Eliud Kipchoge.

I also took part in Plastic Free July for the first time and spoke about my experience at Autumn Fair. It was a fascinating challenge, which I shared with my followers on social media through a series of videos. Sustainability and taking care of the environment is becoming increasingly important for all of us.

What didn’t work Despite being a runner-up for a Gift of the Year award with Origamo cards at Spring Fair, we did not progress with distributing the handmade Italian pop-up and quilling card collections as the business model did not work for us.

For different reasons, new interiors products W-Lamp and Canvas Gallery both failed to take with our customer base. I’m glad that we limited our exposure to large stock holdings on these products and were able to test and move on from them without it damaging us in any major way.

For all of us in business we have to try things and see what works and what doesn’t. Whilst we all want the outcomes to be good, it’s important to be assessing and adjusting regularly to sail through the current choppy climate.

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

47

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JEREMY’S JOURNAL Another thing that I’ve realised doesn’t work for me is…

new Bioloco brand of environmentally friendly products. We have some lovely new double walled water bottles that have tested really well. These will be a good complement to our best-selling BambooCups, lunch boxes, children’s beakers and SlideCups. We are also expanding our greeting cards offering, particularly with our Jade Mosinski licence, which will soon reach 100 designs.

Trying to look good This year I learned that I used to do a lot of things to ‘look good.’ Trying to look good comes at a cost, as it’s difficult to say no.

Which means one can over-commit and not have much free time to oneself.

Being so busy also means that I don’t always come up smelling of roses because I inevitably let people down from time to time.

For example, I filmed the speakers at the GCA Dragons’ Den event earlier this year and it has taken me many months to edit and load the footage up to YouTube.

So, I’ve cut back. After filming, editing and loading up 20 videos for the GCA’s YouTube channel, I have decided not to do it any more. The association now needs someone to help them with these videos, so if you know anyone who can film, edit and load onto YouTube then please drop the GCA’s Amanda Fergusson a line.

Though I am continuing as a council member, I recently stepped down as Treasurer of the GCA. Also, after 15 years of speaking at The Ladder Club I will not be at the event this November. The reason being it was scheduled on my birthday and on a Thursday when I spend time with my son.

As much as I love helping others, it felt good to do what I wanted and focus on what’s important to me rather than how I think others might perceive me.

Endings We’ve also had a couple of things come to an end this year at Blue Eyed Sun. After a decade, we recently closed our wedding division, Ivy Ellen. During that time, we created 117,251 gorgeous wedding

The future invitations for 2,019 weddings and won several awards while building a well-loved and recognised brand in another lovely industry. It’s been a blast and now we want to focus on other things.

After 16 wonderful years our longstanding colleague and friend, Lewis Early is moving to new pastures. During his time with us he worked his way up our business from packing boxes in our warehouse at the tender age of 16 to becoming our in-valuable general manager. He has lived and breathed Blue Eyed Sun with us and we will all miss him greatly and wish him all the very best.

New beginnings I launched Rising Retail this year, but the date of the event has been shifted to the 1 June 2020 to allow more retailers to get the most of this TED style networking event, with 14 incredible speakers, designed to share best practice and help businesses to thrive. It’s still to be held at The Shard and it promises to be an awesome day.

At Spring Fair 2020 we are all being moved into Hall 2. I’m excited about Blue Eyed Sun’s new stand and, after the success of our move at Autumn Fair, I am looking forward to similarly strong results with this change. I will also be speaking about Sustainability in Retail on the Inspiring Retail stage at the NEC. We’re looking forward to launching our Top: Jeremy and colleague and friend, Lewis Early, with an award for Ivy Ellen, Blue Eyed Sun’s wedding division.

Above right: Bioloco's ecofriendly products will be available on Blue Eyed Sun’s Spring Fair stand in 2020.

Left: Jeremy in full flow at a Ladder Club seminar.

48

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

This year, the EU voted overwhelmingly in favour for a new law to dramatically reduce the 150,000 tonnes of plastic waste tossed into European waters each year. Single-use plastic cutlery, cotton buds, straws and stirrers are to be banned by 2021. Oxodegradable plastics and food containers and expanded polystyrene cups will be banned.

There will also be a more stringent ‘polluter pays’ principle and 90% collection rates for

plastic bottles are being targeted by 2029.

The legislation stipulates that labelling on the negative environmental impact of littering of single-use plastic cups and other items should be mandatory. Despite Brexit, the UK will undoubtedly follow a similar line regardless of which political party wins the forthcoming election.

This is fantastic news for anyone operating in the environmentally conscious space and helping consumers to cut back on their consumer waste by encouraging the use of reusable bags, containers, cups and bottles.

It also means that the card industry’s drive to reduce plastic could not have come at a better time. Around 68% of all cards sold in the UK are expected to be naked by next month. We believe more will follow as the customers of independent retailers begin to reward those that make those plastic-free changes.

Read more on Jeremy’s blog at www.blueeyedsun.co.uk/blog

49-57_Product Directories_v2016.qxp 27/11/2019 11:54 Page 49

PRODUCT DIRECTORY

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To appear in the Product Directories contact

Warren Lomax

020 7700 6740 Abacus Cards Limited t: 01638 569050 e: info@abacuscards.co.uk w: www.abacuscards.co.uk

or email warren@max-publishing.co.uk or contact

Tracey Arnaud

07957 212 062

or email traceya@max-publishing.co.uk

01565 830 546 | bexyboo.co.uk @BexyBooLtd

BexyBooLtd

@BexyBooLtd

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

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www.cathtatecards.com

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To appear in the Product Directories email

LOTTIE COLE

Warren Lomax

warren@max-publishing.co.uk or

Tracey Arnaud

Witty, gritty, switched on humour.

Cards and gifts with a real difference.

tarnaud@btinternet.com

Beautiful, Soulful Cards

Unit 1, 45 Morrish Road London SW2 4EE Tel: 0208 671 2166 Fax: 0208 678 1119

www.lottiecole.com info@lottiecole.com

info@cathtatecards.com

lottiecoledesigns

AGENTS WANTED Caspari Ltd Linden House, John Dane Player Court

East Street, Safffrron W Waalden Essex, CB10 1LR Teel: 01799 513010 T Faax: 01799 513101 F Email: inffoo@caspari.co.uk ww ww w.CaspariOnline.com

Products: Everyday cards - birthday, blank & occasions, charity Christmas cards, gifftt wrap, bags, tissue, ribbon, hankies, napkins, paper plate, candles, placemats, crackers,invitations, placecards, notecards,diaries, address books, journals, advent calendars and bridge gifftts.

Method of Sale: Direct to Retail

Publishers of quality blank greeting cards made with great imagination

Tel: 0115 929 4776 enquiries@bugart.co.uk

@thecuriousinksmith

01892 838 574

Order Online

www.bugart.co.uk

sales@thecuriousinksmith.co.uk One of the UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading suppliers of Greeting Cards since 19995 Products: High quality greetin ng cards with superb finishes. All maajjor and minor titles, covering traditio onaall to the latest in innovative design, n both Everydaayy and Seasonal. Providing an all NEW selection of Muggs and Notebooks. k

THE GREATEST COLLECTION OF GREETING CARDS IN THE WORLD

Brands Include: Down Memory Lane, W Wo ot A Mug and T Tw wist & Shout Methods of Sale: Direct to retail Desiggners welcome contact beverley@cherryorchardpublishing.co.uk

Unit 10 Duddage Business Park Brockeridge Rd Twyning Tewkesbury GL20 6BY 01684 295500 info@cherryorchardpublishing.co.uk www.cherryorchardpublishing.co.uk

www.progressivegreetingslive.com

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Welsh and English cards

Innovative high quality gift wrap, gift bags, tissue paper and accesssories galore for all seasons and occasions. frrom the

0127 74 4 655980 sales@glick.co.uk www.glick.co.uk

www.draenog.com

07815 153 582

agents wanted

Including firm favourites and brand new designs Brands include: Keepsakes, Words of Love, Jelly Beans, Bella Rose, Champagne and many more

THE GREATEST COLLECTION OF GREETING CARDS IN THE WORLD

Glick, Unit 1 Allenby House, European Ind. Park, Knowles Lane, Bradford BD4 9AB

@glickgiftwrap

NEW CHRISTMAS AND SPRING DESIGNS

www.emmabryan.co.uk

â&#x20AC;˘ UK Market leaders with humour, art, photographic, contemporary and traditional occasions & relations cards, plus seasonal. â&#x20AC;˘ 2Î?HULQJ D IXOO SODQQLQJ VHUYLFH with merchandising and retail development opportunities. www.progressivegreetingslive.com

;1b-Ѳbv|v |_mb1 u;;࢟m] -u7v "r S end i n g YO Y OU OU

WISHES

A w o n d e rf u l

Tel:: +44 (0)115 986 0115 Te customer t ser vices@paper i @ rose.co.ukk www.writefromthehear t.co.uk

â&#x20AC;˘ Specialists in garden centres and the independent trade.

SALES AGENTS W WA ANTED hello@emmabryan.co.uk 07889 598606

Eid!

High Quality Greeting Cards, Gift Bags,

Ch C hin nese ese

Gift Wrap & Ta Tags for every occasion.

HE IS

THE

WAY

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LIFE

THE

*GCF 1HĆ&#x201A;EG +353 (0)404 20528 Email info@garlanna.com www.garlanna.com

Find The Great British Card Company on:

SUPPLIER

Polissh Po h

Te T el: 0161 16 64 41 06 0655 Email: m sales@da sales@d avora.co.uk av 135 Hea 13 135 eaton Moorr Rd | Stockp ock kpo port ort SK4 4H 4 4HY HY

www.greatbritishcards.co.uk Waterwells Drive, Gloucester GL2 2PH Tel: 01452 888970

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

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CHARITY GREETING CARDS One of the UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading publishers of Charity Greeting Cards.

Impress offers a wide collection of images, including fine art, graphic, photographic and cute.

We also offer a bespoke design service for bulk orders and/or mail order fulfilment.

60 years

Your Number One Supplier of Numerals, Name, Relation & Age Labels for Greetings Cards.

Impress Publishing Appledown House Barton Business Park New Dover Road Canterbury, Kent CT1 3TE Tel: 01227 811 611 Fax: 01227 811 618 email: info@impresspublishing.co.uk

Huge selection with immediate deliveryy.. Buy direct or from your wholesalerr..

Listan Labels 3 Isis Court, Wyndyke Furlong, Abingdon Business Park, Abingdon, Oxfordshire OX1 5JN Te T el 01235 465489 Fax 01235 532118 www.listanpublications.co.uk sales@listanpublications.co.uk

New Cardiff designs at

www.idrewthis.co.uk

.6-5*3"$*"- and -(#5 (3&&5*/( $"3%4

To appear in the Product Directories simply contact

Warren Lomax on:

020 7700 6740

Hue tribe

www.huetribe.com t: +44(0) 7943416562 e: info@huetribe.com facebook: www.facebook.com/huetribedesign

CPNF TFF PVS OFX JMMVTUSBUJPOT PO 45"/% 41 BU 1( -*7& % OFF ALL SHOW ORDERS

or email on warren@max-publishing.co.uk or contact

Tracey Arnaud on:

07957 212 062

or email on tarnaud@btinternet.com 52

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

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WIDE RANGE OF PRODUCTS

An exciting and innovative range of quality Birthday, Relations, Special Occasions, Handmade, Art and Humorous greeting cards. Full range of Christmas and Spring Seasons merchandise.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Art that tells a storyâ&#x20AC;Śâ&#x20AC;?

B rand N ames a Pizazz, Pizazz Gallery, G Pizazz Limited Edition, E Pizazz for Men, Doodle, D A of Nature, Whatt a Picture, Art Designers Corner

LING DESIGN

Cloudesley House, Shire Hill, Saffron Walden,, CB11 3FB

T: 01799 520200 F: F: 01799 520100 www.nigelquiney.c w ww ww.nigelquiney.com om

Love Country

by Sarah Reilly

Tel: 07735 918118

www.lingdesign.co.uk

01892 838 574 information@lingdesign.co.uk AG E N T S WA N T E D :

sarah@lovecountryuk.co.uk www.lovecountryuk.co.uk

ĆŤ ĆŤÄ&#x2018;ĆŤ ĆŤ

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Silk Screened Retro, Pop & Classic Cards

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Inspired by Music and 1960â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s American Advertising.For all Vinyl & Rock nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Roll lovers

L E T U S TA K E YOU BAC K

TRADE WEBSITE:

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Ä&#x2039; 01780 763 368

For further details please get in touch.

info@vincentmcevoy.com

+44 (0)7779 578340

LING DESIGN The UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading privately owned publisher of Greetings Cards and Stationery.

Great brands, Great service Bespoke planning

Marina B Designs from me to you with love

UK

We can help with all your bespoke planning requirements.

From smaller displays to redeveloping complete card departments

...The home for

originalposter.com

and

Products: Greetings cards for all occasions, Christmas and Spring Seasons cards, gift wrap and bags, charity cards, social stationery.

Bespoke service for charities and other fundraisers.

Ling Design Ltd 14-20 Eldon Way, Paddock Wood, Kent TN12 6BE Tel: 01892 838574 enquiries@lingdesign.co.uk www.lingdesign.co.uk

All our cards are supplied on consignment, so you only pay for what you sell.

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not a Birthday without bubbles www.marinab.co.uk marina@marinab.co.uk Agents wanted

We also supply card fixtures and spinners free-on-loan.

We replace slow sellers and damaged stock free of charge. @NoelTattGroup 01227 811 600 sales@noeltatt.co.uk www.noeltatt.co.uk

We merchandise regularly, so you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to.

THATâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S WHY WEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;RE ORIGINAL!

01932 267 300 PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

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Greeting cards & gifts designed with awesomeness in mind

Exquisite Designs Beautiful Cards Key br ands include: Wr ite from the Hear t Ar tisan, Marzipan, Capisco Designer s Guild, Clare Tupperr Lucy Ledger plus man y more

p p paperlink...

Tel:: +44 (0)115 986 0115 Te customer ser vices@paperrose .co.uk www.paperrose .co.uk www.ar tgroupcards.co.uk

purpletreedesigns.co.uk info@purpletreedesigns.co.uk

the home of fabulous cards!

Uk publisher of Greetings Cards with an extensive range of quality Birthday, Relations, Occasions and Seasonal product... available from

LUXURY GIFT PACKAGING

356 Kennington Rd London SE11 4LD T 020 7582 8244 info@paperlink.co.uk k www.paperlink.co.uk Paperlinkcards

THE GREATEST COLLECTION OF GREETING CARDS IN THE WORLD

www.progressivegreetingslive.com

@ @paperlinkcards

LING DESIGN

Our Brands: Laughter with Animals, Sporting Fun The Funny Side of Life.

ICONIC LICENCED BRANDS

R

son s easo e

01892 838 574 www.pennykennedy.co.uk

to be

Method of sale: Direct to Retail 14-20 Eldon Way, Paddock Wood, Kent TN12 6BE Tel: 01892 838574 enquiries@lingdesign.co.uk www.lingdesign.co.uk

cheerful ...

Design-led Stationery, Gifts, Calendars, Diaries and Cards

happy cards f rom

0208 613 8085 paperbirdpublishing co uk paperbirdpublishing.co.uk

Brands Laura Ashley, Roald Dahl, Lily & Val, Vintage Ladybird, Caroline Gardner, Monsoon, Born to Shop, Flash Gordon, Boofle and many more.

Our In-house design studio and established supply chain enables us to offer bespoke services. tel: +44 (0) 1225 329494 email: sales@porticodesigns.com website: www.porticodesigns.com

raspber r yblossom.com hello@raspberryblossom.com 020 3723 5405

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t. 07779 654 694 e. info@ruby-tuesday.co.uk www.ruby-tuesday.co.uk

greeting cards & contempoRary gifts www.redbackcards.com e: info@redbackcards.com t: 01752 830482

AGENTS WANTED

To appear in the Product Directories contact

Warren Lomax

020 7700 6740 or email warren@max-publishing.co.uk or contact

Tracey Arnaud

07957 212 062

or email traceya@max-publishing.co.uk

Products: Greetings Cards, Gift Wrap, Gift Bags, Social Stationery, Partyware

Brands: 6 Heron Trading Estate Alliance Road, Park Royal, London W3 0RA T: 0208 385 4474 F: 0208 385 4471 E: info@Xpressyourselfcards.co.uk WWW.XXPRESSYOURSELFCARDS.CO.UK

To appear in the Product Directories

PRODUCTS: World’s leading publisher of high quality plastic greeting cards. Also an extensive range of quality greeting cards covering Everyday, Occasions, Christmas and Spring seasons.

Warren Lomax

BRANDS: Cherished Thoughts, Sweet Sentiments, Buddies Always, Symphony, Thinking of You, Style, Special Wishes, Special Times, Young Editions, Groove Sensations, Forever Blessed, Grey Skies, Classics.

Tracey Arnaud

METHOD OF SALE: SENSATIONS – Direct to retail XPRESS YOURSELF – Now one of the leading wholesale publisher suppliers in the UK

email warren@max-publishing.co.uk or tarnaud@btinternet.com

To appear in the Product Directories contact

Warren Lomax

020 7700 6740 or email warren@max-publishing.co.uk or contact

Tracey Arnaud

07957 212 062

or email traceya@max-publishing.co.uk

Blossom & Bows Card Essentials Greetings Impressions In Touch Isabel·s Garden Planet Happy Sentiments With You In Mind Word Play

Method of sale: Wholesale Distributors

Simon Elvin Limited Wooburn Industrial Park, Wooburn Green, Bucks HP10 0PE Tel: 01628 526711 Fax: 01628 531483 www.simonelvin.com mail@simonelvin.com

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

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The UK’s leading publisher of highest quality handmade Greetings Cards.

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DIRECT TO RETAIL & EXPORT

Products: Greetings cards for all occasions, Christmas and Spring Seasons. Spinners and other retail displays available.

Talking Pictures Cards Ltd 14-20 Eldon Way, Paddock Wood, Kent, TN12 6BE

Tel: 01892 838574 enquiries@talkingpics.co.uk www.talking-pictures.co.uk

To appear in the Product Directories contact

Warren Lomax

TEL: 01480 435562 FAX: 01480 450599

020 7700 6740

www.tracksltd.com

or email warren@max-publishing.co.uk or contact

STUKELEY MEADOWS IND EST,

UNIT 2, 12 BLACKSTONE RD, HUNTINGDON, CAMBS, PE29 6EF

Tracey Arnaud

2@= 29KL= M<K

07957 212 062

or email traceya@max-publishing.co.uk

Just food and their friends....

7RPFDW &DUGV

5= N= ?GF= ?J==F

56

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

designed in thames ditton

... so when I said ..

“I’m dating Ian with one i”, what exactlly y were you thinking ?

topdog@view by rufus.com 020 8972 9706

All greeting cards printed with vegetable inks on recycled boards/envelopes, including biodegradable packaging...

www.the-taste-buds.co.uk info@the-taste-buds.co.uk 07906 367 663

view by rufus

viewbyrufus.com register fo for a trade account: www w..viewbyrufus i b f .com/b2b /b2b

www.tomcat.cards info@tomcat.cards

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DIRECTORY OF WHOLESALE

We offffer a We COMPREHEN

range of high Greeting Cards f ALL Occasions,

CHRISTMAS an Season f Sale:

mail: inffo o@words-nWeb: www We w..words-n-wishes.co.uk

Tel: 01942 233201

EUROPEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S LEADING GREETINGS CARDS, PARTY PRODUCTS, GIFTS, CANDLES, TOYS, STATIONERY AND FLORIST SUNDRIES DISTRIBUTION CENTRE 75000 SQ FT

Verse

& entimen

an extensive range of superior quality,

design-led Greeting Cards for all occasions, Spring Seasons & Christmas.

Method of Sale: Direct to Retail

Orders can be placed on our trader site

www.cbgtrader.co.uk

or call our customer services team on

+44(0)1243 792600

Art Cards eA Botanical Fine

Market Leaders in

Vibrant and nd elegant gree greeting cards A freshly fr modern perspective on nature

BESCOT CRESCENT, WALSALL, WEST MIDLANDS. WS1 4NG 01922-646666 www.greetingshouse.co.uk info@greetingshouse.co.uk MON,WED,FRI 8.00am-4.45pm TUES,THURS 8.00am-7.45pm SAT,SUN 8.00am-1.45pm

Call Now 075 7700 1145 www.zaquarella.co.uk info@ zaquarella.com

To appear in the Product Directories simply contact

Warren Lomax: 020 7700 6740 warren@max-publishing.co.uk or contact

Tracey Arnaud: 07957 212 062 tarnaud@btinternet.com PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

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Polypropylene & biodegradable bag specialists

GREETING CARD

Over 40 years quality service to the trade Hotfoiling also available

T 01206 396209 E sales@badgerconverters.co.uk www.badgerconverters.co.uk

GIVE E YOUR

BAGS

Manuffacturers of high quality fllexible packaging 30 YEARS EXPERIENCE - QUA UALITTY Y SERVICE EXTENSIVE STOCK RANGE - QUICK DE ELIVERY ASSURED

- HEADER BAGS - WA WALLET BAGS - ZIPPER BAGS - FLEXOGRAPHIC, HOTFOIL & THEERMAL PRINTING www.transrappackagin ng.co.uk sales@transrap.co o.uk

V VIP

CALL US TODA AY

TREA AT A TMENT

01773 5378 810

HIGH CLARITY L TY Y BA AGS FOR R GREETING G ET T NG CARD DS, CALEND EN N ARS ARS AND AND D ARTW TWORK WORK

ENVELOPES

ŏ ŏđŏ

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FOIL L BL B OCKING NG G EXTE XTENSIVE NSIV VE RA V R RANG ANGE OF S ST TOCK SIZES SIZ ZES AND BES AND BES E PO OKE KE MANUF KE MANU UF FACTU TUR TURE T U E

FOR ALL YOUR ENVELOPE NEEDS!

AT TED D WRAPPING SERVICE NEW AUTOMA

Largest range of in-stock colours

CALL CA CAL C LL US ST TO ODAY OD

0122 1228 228 2 28 8 56 5605 60 052 26 6 www.fful ulcrumfilms. ulcrrum mfillm ms s co.uk uk

Over 400 Bespoke Envelope Sizes 8 Sizes Permanently in Stock RECYCLED

PAPER A

100% Recycled Paper Av Available Stock & Bespoke Cello Bags Peel & Stick Envelopes p Bespoke Service on Request

ORDER ON LINE AT:

W W W. EN VE CO .CO .U K

01 90 83 78 86 6

www.regentenvelopes.com 01274 583000 sales@regentenvelopes.com

We’ve been producing p bags of high clarity and high quality q for over 30 years.

01274 220 220 www w.wrapid.co.uk sales@wrapid.co.uk

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PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

IN FO @E NV EC O. CO .U K

‘we we make Envelopes and Stationery’

MOREE THAN 50 COLOURS 6 POPULAR GREEETINGS CARD SIZES 50+ WH HITE SIZES IN STOCK BESPOKE ENV VELOPES AV AVAILABLE PEEL A AND SEAL CLOSURE RECYCLED / KRAFTT / 140GSM / 120GSM 11 SUPER BRIG GHT NEON COLOURS BESPOKE NOTEBO OOKS & STATIONERY

PLEASE GET IN TOUCH FOR YOUR COMPLIMENTA TARY RY ENVELOPE OR NOTEBOOK SWA WATCH PA PACK

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SPECIALISTS IN SHORT RUN MULTI IMAGE PRINT s Foiling Services without the need for dies s Wiro bound notebooks, no minimum quantity s In House Fulfilmment Services

T 01274 305832 E info@hellocards.co.uk www.hellocards.co.uk

The simplest way to order your greetings cards

FLITTERING FOR ALL YOUR FLITTER REQUIREMENTS

ABL Foil Ltd Unit 1, Industrial Estate East Hanningfield Chelmsford Essex, CM3 8AB

Contact DAVID JIGGINS Tel: 01245 400104 Email: david@abl-ltd.co.uk

Powered by

Unit 8, Archers Park, Branbridges Road, East Peckham, Kent TN12 5HP www.theimagingcentre.co.uk Email: info@theimagingcentre.co.uk Tel: 01622 871449

we print

we ďŹ nish

we pack

we deliver PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

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Your saf ep ai

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Outstanding, cost effective and efficient production of Greeting cards, Packaging and Social stationery, ideal for intricate and hand finished products.

• Over 15 years experience providing high-quality printed products direct from the Far East • Trusted and financially stable, UK owned by The Sherwood Group • Socially responsible manufacturing: SMETA, ISO9001, ISO14001, FSC certification • Full product prototyping in the UK for competitive speed to market requirements

To find out how we can benefit your business, contact Derek Lam +00 (852) 3527 3471 / derek@sherwood-press.com or The Sherwood Group Head Office Hong Kong Office: 13/F, Kam Chung Commercial Building, 19-21 Hennessy Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong

www w..sherwoodgroupuk.com

000510

PJ PRINT LONDON The Capitals Only Specialist Greeting Card Printer All Industry Finishes Available In-House Including Laser Cutting

Social Sta tationerry Printer of the Year

Award winning U UK & Global specialist manufacturer ffor the greeting card industry fo or over 40 years The Print Works Colville Road, Acton, London, W3 8BL E-mail: sales@pj-print.co.uk Tel: 020 8993 5160 www.pj-print.co.uk 60

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

To discuss how we can worrk together, contact Richard Bacon: Tel 0115 928 7766 Email ric chard.bacon@sherwoodgroupuk.com

www.sherwoodgroupuk.com Hadden Court, Glaisdale e Parkway, Glaisdale Drive West, Nottin ngham NG8 4GP

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THE RIGH HT PARTNER

FOR ALL YOUR MANUFACTURING REQUIREMENTS

THE SPECIALIST GREE ETINGS CARD PRINTE ER Litho Print

Die-cutting

Digital Print

Flittering

Foiling

Packing

Embossing

Distribution

Tel:0127 e 4 4531828 Email: info@herbertw o alkers.co.uk

www.herbertwalkers.co.u uk

Glitt i Glittering

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Facto ory Outlook

Established in 1997, headquarters in Hong Kong 600,000 Sq.fftt of modern production facility ouse production Ensure complete co ontrol from start to finish with our full in-ho Continually investin t planet ng in people, equipment, technology and the

TERRY JOHNSO ON PO Box 1600 Hemel Hempstead, HP1 9SR Mobile: 07773 389784 Email: terryjohnson@ve eb.com.hk Website: www.veb.com m.hk

DISPLAY AND SPINNERS

Same day order turna around Accurate fulfilment Value added only as you sell the product Exclusively Greeting Cards Dedicated Account Managers With an excellent reputation we work as an integral part of yourr team bringing QYGL QSVI XLER JYPǻPQIRX 4YV GSWXMRK WXVYGXYVI MW WMQTPI ERH XVERWTEVIRX ;I ; I GEVV] SYX EPP EWTIGXW SJ LERH ǻRMWLMRK ERH EWWIQFP] ERH TVSZMHI [LEXIZIV EHHMXMSREP WIVZMGIW ]SY RIIH 4YV WIPIGX XIEQ SJ SYX[SVOIVW GEVIJYPP] LERH [VET ER] WM^I SV JSVQEX SJ GEVHW YVKIRXP] 4ZIVRMKLX ;I GEVI EFSYX ]SYV TVSHYGX EW QYGL EW ]SY HS &XXIRXMSR XS HIXEMP 6( .WWYIW ;I ERH .8 WYTTSVXIH F] E GSQTVILIRWMZI TETIV T XVEMP JS JSV EPP WXSGO QSZIQIRXW EVI SYV LEPPQEVOW 4YV GER HS ETTVSEGL QIERWW [I EVI LETT] XS WSPZI ]SYV TVSFPIQW 4YXWSYVGMRK ]SYV [EVILSYWMRK STIVEXMSR VIPIEWIW ]SYV XMQI XS CREA AT TE/MARKET/SELL/ MANAGE/ /GROW THE BUSINESS =SYV FYWMRIWW MW SYV FYWMRIWW T =S TPIEWI ZMWMX Z SYV [IF WMXI ERH WII [LEX SYV GYWXSQIVW WE] XLIR XS ǻRH SYX S QSVI GEPP Ly Lynda Raymond ERH TIVLETW [I GER EVVERKI XS QIIX ERH HMWGYWW ]SYV RIIHW . EQ WYVI XLEX [I GER G LIPT

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Call: 0121 557 7 1891 email: sales@nsmithb box.co.uk

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