In the News All change at
Giftware Association
Danilo enters the anime arena Danilo is introducing anime brands into the greetings card domain this year with the likes of Naruto, Dragon Ball Super and My Hero Academia. All are hugely popular anime series whose calendars perform very well for Danilo in this increasingly popular genre. With a name that means ‘the first sound of the future’ in Japanese, Hatsune Miku is another new addition to the portfolio. She has become one of the most popular synthetic voice programs and is a virtual pop idol, performing songs for her audiences both on screen and as a holographic image at live concerts. Danilo’s new card range will incorporate her iconic image and famous catchphrases.
Umbellifer donates to wildlife charity Yorkshire greetings card brand Umbellifer has teamed up with Yorkshire Wildlife Trust (YWT) for its two new Christmas ranges to be launched at Home & Gift. Both ranges consist of six cards and are printed on FSC accredited board, carbon offset through the Woodland Carbon scheme. YWT will
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receive 10% of all profits from the two ranges. Jo White, corporate partnerships officer for the YWT, said: “We’re delighted to partner up with Umbellifer on its beautiful Christmas card ranges, it’s fantastic to receive support from a local small business.”
The Giftware Association (GA) hosted its AGM on 22 June for the first time in person for three years, seeing some big changes to the make-up of its National Committee and officers. The AGM was held at the GA’s Head Office in the Jewellery Quarter in Birmingham, with a selection of members including suppliers, retailers and service providers who braved the travel chaos to meet the team, network and learn from other members. Chris Workman, marketing and PR manager, opened the day welcoming the guests, and showcased a brief history of The Giftware Association to its newer members, as well as introducing the National Committee to the room. Chris handed over to outgoing Chair Gert Schyberg from Sebnini and CEO Sarah Ward to conclude the AGM Formalities and the official business of the AGM. Official Business saw Louise Welsby from Buy-From take over as the Chair of The Giftware Association, and Gert Schyberg step into the Deputy Chair role. Jeremy Corner from Blue Eyed Sun stood down from the National Committee and was thanked for his service and support over the years, and Mark Jones from Gisela Graham will step into the role of Vice Chair to form the new officer selection for the next two years. Louise said: “It is an honour to be the new Chair of the Giftware Association, the first service provider in the association’s 75-year history to take on the role. I am looking forward to continuing the excellent stewardship of Gert Schyberg and am keen to get to work on supporting the GA with new initiatives, including development of their digital marketing and educational benefits.” The GA also welcomed two new members to its National Committee ranks, both of whom bring a wealth of knowledge and experience with them. Tabi Marsh from Papilio Heritage will offer a valuable retail perspective to the association and on projects moving forwards, and Stephen Illingworth from Widdop, will offer support from his role from one of the largest gift suppliers in the UK. Sarah Ward said: “The day was fantastic, and it was great to meet new and familiar faces. We welcome the changeover in the committee and thank Jeremy for his time on the committee. We wanted the day to be a bit different from a formal AGM and we succeeded in making that happen and connecting a lot of people.” The Giftware Association likes to do things differently, so the AGM was enlivened by talks from three members, who each shared their incredible business journeys so far: Clare Harris from Talking Tables, Demi Pendakis from F.Y.G and Paul Sun from Gingko.
