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NEWS Old school printing
TOP STORY
Cardie Commuters Hallmark’s random acts of kindness Bradford-based Hallmark teamed up with bus company Arriva Yorkshire to spread a little goodwill across Yorkshire during Random Acts of Kindness Week, which ran from 12 – 18 February. Arriva staff handed out hundreds and hundreds of Hallmark cards to commuters at Wakefield bus station as they started their day, as well as on Arriva buses travelling throughout the region. It was a lovely initiative in which to be involved said Esther Key, licensing and consumer marketing manager for Hallmark. “We decided to team up with Arriva for Random Acts of Kindness Week as we saw it as the perfect opportunity to spread love and kindness throughout Yorkshire. By handing out the cards to
Below: Arriva driver, Kenneth Griffiths, hands out Hallmark cards during Random Acts of Kindness Week.
busy commuters at the start of their working day we were able to raise quite a few smiles as well as highlight how much handwritten messages in cards can mean to people. The people we met and gave the cards to were visibly excited to receive them and couldn’t wait to send them onto someone special.”
Gearing up for National Stationery Week Pencils are being well and truly sharpened for National Stationery Week, which is held from 24 – 30 April this year. Retailers are being encouraged to embrace a Seven Days of Stationery concept – with each day during the week taking on a different theme, such as Fountain Pen Friday or Thank You Letter Thursday. It’s up to retailers how they interpret the days, but the main thing is to have fun with the themes. Last year three of the days trended across Twitter, and had some major brands involved, including the BBC. This year sees the launch of a retailer stationery display competition, which will see one lucky retailer (and three runners-up) winning hundreds of £pounds worth of stock courtesy of the sponsors. All retailers need to do is dress their store as creatively as possible using the official POS materials. There’s still time to register at www.nationalstationeryweek.com to receive a POS pack and information. The Week coincides with National Stationery Show (April 25-26, London’s BDC). Left: Get involved with the Seven Days of Stationery.
LaunchPad winners announced The 12 winners of the first ever LaunchPad competition for stationery products have been announced and they’ll all get a chance to exhibit for free at the London Stationery Show on 25 – 26 April at the Business Design Centre. The competition was aimed at individuals and companies eager to break into the UK stationery industry. “We were delighted with the response to our first LaunchPad competition and we’re keen to make it a regular part of the London Stationery Show. We want to encourage and support new companies and products to come forward and showcase their ideas,” says Tim Willoughby, COO at Ocean Media Exhibitions, which now organises the London Stationery Show. The winners are: Archivia, Berjo Creative, By Mrs Carter, David Hayward Designs, Elmo Paperstories, Foggish, My Pretty Circus, Offlines, Ortiedesign, Spots & Stripes Design, Think Trigg and Treewise. 16
PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE
Andrew Davis a very well-known face in the industry from the supply side (Simson Pimm, Enveco and most recently the Offset Group). But Andrew has now moved to the other side and set up his own publishing house, printing his own range of greeting cards on a restored 1963 Heidelberg press. The company, LS20 Letterpress Studio, launched at Spring Fair and visitors to its stand were impressed by the beautiful cards printed using this ‘old school’ method. “I have always loved being involved in the greeting card industry and wanted to publish my own cards one day,” says Andrew. “The timing seemed right and everything just started falling into place when a nice Heidelberg Platen became available, as did an inexpensive unit and the enthusiasm to create something new. All the cards are printed on the Heidelberg press with the back of the cards stating ‘hand-crafted in Yorkshire’. “Price and cost-wise it works out very similar to digital, however our machine finish, which gives a deboss texture as it prints the impression, cannot be replicated on a digital printing machine,” says Andrew. Above: Contemporary designs are printed using an old-fashioned method. Below: Andrew Davis and the Heidelberg press.
Seminar programme for New York show Visitors to the National Stationery Show in New York (21 - 24 May) will be able to attend six educational seminars during the show. Industry experts will focus on topics, including website/email best practices, instore special events, colour/design forecasts, and success tips for small businesses. In addition, two programmes will feature panels - one exploring successful strategies to maintain a robust bridal business and the second featuring women entrepreneurs at the top of their game who will share their secrets to building successful stores and brands. See www.nationalstationeryshow.com for more information on the show and seminar programme.