85_87_Hallmark.qxp_Grid 22/05/2024 16:19 Page 1
Publisher Upfront
Hotel Hall-ways The Senato in Milan, Aristide in Syros, De Cambis in Avignon and Ritz in Paris all have something in common that will be there for all to see at PG Live at the beginning of June. It is not just that they are among the most revered hotels in the world, but are all inspirations behind the resurrection of the historical Hall & Co brand through a new premium greeting card and gift packaging collection from Hallmark. PG checks in and orders room service to find out more. Above: Hats off to a hotel welcome! Left: (right to left) Rebecca Clapham, Rachel Goodman and Kath McKerlie with Hallmark’s new Magical Botanicals that will also be launching at PG
There is nothing quite like walking into the sumptuous surroundings of a grand hotel, marvelling at the ornate decor or feeling like an A lister enjoying a cocktail or two in the roof bar of an exclusive boutique hotel, far away from home. These are memories in the making and for keeping. This was exactly the starting point for a significant collection that Hallmark will be unveiling on its stand at PG Live, which takes place June 45 at London’s Business Design Centre, under its heritage sub-brand Hall and Co.
“The consumer and consumer behaviour are always at the heart of the how and why we develop our ranges for retailers,” explains Rachel Goodman, creative director of Hallmark UK & Ireland. Not leaving anything to chance, not only does Hallmark have a team of six people in its inhouse data and insights team, but it also invests heavily in external research to track the inner workings of retail purchasing habits, responses to design trends,
drilling down to how different consumer segments are feeling and acting. “Among the changing consumer behaviours is that shoppers are looking for something extra special to mark their really close relationships and show how much they care, so we started to scope out what a ‘premium’ range of cards and gift packaging could look like within the Hallmark portfolio,” explains Rachel. Delving deeper into consumer insights, it became clear to Rachel and her team that there was a real appetite “to give shoppers something that can take the notion
Above: Milan’s Senato hotel was the inspiration for the Memento Luxe range. PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE 85