7_9_11_13_15_News Pages.qxp_9/11/13/15/19/23/25 24/12/2025 17:09 Page 1
NEWS TOP STORY Pitch Live returns to Spring Fair
GBCC x Dean Morris Clean Dean licensed range to launch at Spring Fair as well as a Pickled Prints collab Clean Dean is the work together to marry premise behind a our retailer and garden brand-new collaboration centres customers in the between well-known UK and overseas with his humour publisher Dean recognisable imagery and Morris Cards and the humour to bring it to a Great British Card more mainstream Company (GBCC). market.” Best recognised for Dean said: “I was Above: There are 12 designs in the his naughty cards, flattered and intrigued inaugural Clean Dean range from GBCC. Dean has worked as when approached by Below: Known for his humour, an indie publisher for GBCC, and this Dean’s antics at trade shows like over 25 years, and the PG Live always raise a smile. collaboration felt like a inaugural collection of 12 licensed brilliant fit right from the start. They designs launching at Spring Fair will really understand the market, and pair his bold and cheerful humour with together we’ve created a humour GBCC’s broad distribution and range that keeps my bold, cheeky different audience. style intact while promising designs “While Dean does publish non-rude that genuinely fly off the shelves to a cards, we see this collaboration as an new collection of retailers. I’m thrilled opportunity to get his great look into to see it launch at Spring Fair.” more places,” said GBCC ceo David Dean will be exhibiting all of his own Byk, explaining that he and head of cards on his stand at next month’s Spring Fair, which runs Sunday to Wednesday, 1-4 February, at the NEC in Birmingham, while the new licensed range will be showcased on the GBCC stand. David said the partnership was formed as part of GBCC’s ongoing strategy to expand its humour card offering, building on its established Humour Factory brand. And the collab is in addition to creative Lucy Ledger had been another partnership with James chatting about doing a range they Andrews, founder of Norfolk-based nicknamed “Clean Dean”. Pickled Prints, with that range also “Lucy then approached Dean on launching at Spring Fair having been this basis because we thought this initiated through a meeting at PG Live would be a great fit for us all,” David last June. GBCC already works with added. “Dean was hugely receptive humour publisher Bewilderbeest on and excited to explore how we could a licensed range.
Final festive push As PG went to press, retailers were bracing themselves for a final festive sales push. Although not all greeting card stockists were doing somersaults over the sales levels, there was plenty of Christmas cheer in other quarters. As John Procter, co-founder of Scribbler said: “After a slow start for us, not helped by the Budget which held back confidence, Christmas trade for us ramped up. Our sales of Christmas cards and wrap are already beating last year, and we still have a few days to go!” Sally Matson, owner of Red Card and Little Red in Petworth jubilantly proclaimed: “Little Red’s second Christmas has been huge while Red Card has sold more single cards and packs than ever before, which I find
Pitch Live is returning to Spring Fair, giving greeting card and gift Above: Pitch Live is returning for 2026. companies the Below: The SF Pitch Live chance to put their judging panel includes Voisins’ buyer Claire Smith. product innovations on front of a panel of retail judges at the show. In Spring Fair’s version of Dragons’ Den, there are three separate competitions across the show, which runs over 1-4 February at Birmingham’s NEC, for Gift products including cards, Fashion and Kids. Companies have until 13 January to submit their entries (via the Springfair.com website), after which three finalists will be picked for each category to make an in-person pitch to the judges including Claire Smith, buyer at Voisins department store; Judy Bendall, head of retail at Blenheim Palace; Rosie Troman, senior buyer at Nobody’s Child; Joanne Barker, owner at Hettie & Sid; and Deborah Jakobsen, founder and md of Roo & Little Boo. Each of the winners will receive a prize pack valued at £8,000 of a three-day outlet with the Co.lective pop-up shop in 2026; PR and brand strategy consultations with Sharon Good, founder of Good Results PR; a three square metre contribution towards a Spring Fair 2027 stand, and a free entry into the Gift Of The Year Awards. Spring Fair portfolio director Jackson Szabo said: “In a climate where independence, creativity and agility are more crucial than ever, Pitch Live offers a direct route to growth. It breaks down barriers for smaller brands and helps buyers discover fresh potential beyond established names.”
Right: Donna and postie Scott outside Little Red. Left: This Strictly themed card trended on Scribbler’s website.
astonishing. We have also sold more Christmas wrap than ever before.” This sentiment was echoed by Kaye Thurgood, owner of Sincerely Yours in Shenfield and Hornchurch: “Best we’ve ever had on Christmas card sales. We’ve had a sell-out of boxes and charity packs. Restocking the single cards continuously is exhausting, but satisfying to see so many people still embracing the tradition of Christmas card sending.” Similarly, Caroline Ranwell, owner of Hugs & Kisses in Tettenhall said: “We are having the best Christmas yet, which is just fantastic and makes all the hard work so worth it.”
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