Nursery Today

Month: January 16 Issue 4 Volume 19

www.nursery-today.co.uk

Independently audited ABC circulation of 4402 1 July 2014 to 30 June 2015

grows every way. for every stage. meet every stage™ I’m the ultimate transporter from teeny tiny to 12 years old because everything should adjust to every stage. I face rearward up to 18kg because everything should simply 0+/1

1

2

3

make life safer.

simply brilliant.

For all sales enquiries, please contact Joie UK on 01889 808 900 or email: uksales@joiebaby.com

CONTENTS

Regulars

January 2016

April 2015 Issue 7 Volume 18

P20

the team Editor

Leader

6

News

10

New Products

12

Exhibition news

13

BPA

16

Nursery Natter

Cover Story 14

Penny Franks penny@lemapublishing.co.uk

Assistant Editor

5

Penny Franks

BabyStyle

Paul Donnelley pauld@lemapublishing.co.uk

Interview

Ad Manager

42

Penny Franks visited Gro’s head office

Christine Contreras christine@lemapublishing.co.uk Paul Donnelley

Design Production Director

P29

Paul Naish paul@lemapublishing.co.uk

Contributors 8

Circulation

retailers can respond to too much choice.

11

Christine Contreras

How to win in 2016 via your online marketing efforts

Managing Director

P34

32

Lema Publishing Ltd

A member of the Audit Bureau of Circulation

Nigel Plested Moving baby is Nigel’s topic this month

1 Churchgates, The Wilderness, Berkhamsted, Herts, HP4 2UB Telephone: 01442 289930

Subscription per annum: UK £40, Europe £50 (surface), £60 (airmail)

Ross Hewitt What’s going to happen in the new year

Mark Naish

40

www.nursery-today.co.uk

David Fairhurst, Intelligent Retail

Mark Naish mark@lemapublishing.co.uk Malcolm Naish malcolm@lemapublishing.co.uk

Christian Jones, Gro Christian looks at how manufacturers and

Robert Thomas robert@lemapublishing.co.uk

Publisher

Gro Company

50

Features

Paul Naish

Malcolm Naish Malcolm Naish

NSG

P44

20

Baby Essentials

29

Launching now

34

Travelling baby

44

Made in Britain

48

Meet the PRs

20th - 22nd March 2016 Harrogate International Centre Harrogate, North Yorkshire, UK

Meet UK retailers & buyers - and raise consumer brand awareness

Come and be part of a GREAT British event For stand rates and booking form visit:

www.nurseryfair.com

www.nursery-today.co.uk Twitter: @nurserytodaymag

F

irstly, Happy New Year to you all - here’s to a buoyant 2016 and if we’re really lucky we will see an increase of our UK birth rates.

The biggest news I can give you to start the year off is that as the UK’s leading nursery trade magazine, we have now officially become a monthly title - yes, meaning we will bring you 12 issues throughout the year. We feel that this is fantastic news as it means that we can bring you a much broader spectrum of features, profiles, articles and, of course, you’ll be able to catch up with your favourite Nursery Today contributors on a much more regular basis.

“

BabyStyle have done it again! 2016 sees the arrival and launch of their innovative Hybrid Edge.

The BabyStyle team are stating that The Hybrid Edge is being marketed as “a stroller without compromise”

”

message from the editor... as you leaf through the pages? Well, firstly you may have noticed our front cover. BabyStyle have done it again! 2016 sees the arrival and launch of their innovative Hybrid Edge.

The BabyStyle team are stating that The Hybrid Edge is being marketed as “a stroller without compromise” - why?

Well turn to page 14 to read more about this great product and it will all become clear. If the success of the egg, launched last year at Harrogate, is anything to go by and of course the continued support this company gives to the independents, then we are sure to see this fast becoming a must have by many parents. Of course, BabyStyle will be extremely visible at Harrogate International Nursery Fair in March and a quick word to the wise, it may be a good idea to try to book an appointment with Andy Crane and his team as judging from what I saw last year, their stand was swamped with visitors wanting to see a demonstration and

The new Hybrid Edge from BabyStyle

January is always such a busy month for us all as we prepare for the year ahead. A good way perhaps is to visit Toy Fair which is now on the horizon (24-26 January, Kensington Olympia). Toy Fair is a great way of spotting upcoming trends, new licensed product ranges and the next must have toys for Christmas 2016. Toys saw a growth in their market share in 2015 and this looks set to continue during 2016. The additional footfall this category could give you instore is well worth consideration. Toys are bought by not only the parents, but also family members and friends. For more information visit www. btha.co.uk/toy-fair So, back to this issue. What can you expect to find

Baby & Toddler Tod d dler Shoes

order the egg as it was launched, so this could be a similar scenario!

We also bring you a great round up of PRs who are focussed on the nursery sector. If you are a company currently thinking about changing your existing PR, or perhaps you are a new company looking for help in driving consumer awareness to your product or brand, or a retailer looking for unique ways of drawing attention to your store or website to gain additional page views, then look no further than our feature starting on page 48.

Just to ensure you have plenty to keep you occupied while reading this issue we also take a look at Baby Essentials, all those items that mums just feel they can’t be without (page 20). You’ll also find products of interest when we look at travelling with baby (page 34).

On a final note can I also remind you all that you can subscribe to our popular online news service if you would like to receive daily nursery trade news, simply visit www.nursery-today.co.uk

Great shoe for little fee Proudly made in Britain

Leader 5

NEWS Feeling good at Little Helper 2015 has been a fantastic year for Little Helper with sales growth of 32% driven largely by new and existing products, including the British manufactured Feel Good Art nursery décor range.

However as one year draws to a close the Sheffield-based brand are already looking to 2016 by adding three new members to the team as well as opening a new purpose built distribution centre, also in Sheffield, headed up by Operations Manager, Jay Brooks.

Jessica Burns and Daryl Kiernan have also joined the Little Helper sales administration team as Account Executives in the last couple of months to provide a first class service to independent and national retailers.

For more information on Little Helper’s British manufactured Feel Good Art nursery décor range please contact us 01909 561155.

Richard Gosling joins phil&teds phil&teds are delighted to announce that Richard Gosling has joined the team as UK Account Manager. Richard brings to the role a wealth of experience in the nursery trade both as an independent retailer and in business development. He will be responsible for sales and account management of the phil&teds and Mountain Buggy brands in the South West, Wales and Midlands area.

Sales Leader Brett Capon says: “Richard is an excellent addition to the phil&teds and Mountain Buggy team with his background. We have had one of our most important years in 2015 launching our phil&teds World’s Best Inline and Mountain Buggy three-wheel platform which have had a great reaction and I am looking forward to a fantastic 2016 for our brands.

Richard comments “I am looking forward to working with the phil&teds and Mountain Buggy team. I have seen the new products launched this year and with further new developments for 2016, this is an amazing time to be joining the gang!”

Tel: 01753 832 311 www.philandteds.com www.mountainbuggy.com

Halilit reduce minimum carriage paid order values over the Festive period To support independent retailers throughout the festive period and into the New Year, Halilit has announced that they are reducing their carriage paid order values until the end of January 2016. Camille Ashforth, Sales Co-ordinator at Halilit, said: “We are aware that our recent awards publicity has increased demand for our products and we want to help our stockists to maximise sales in this busy period. By reducing our minimum carriage paid order values, we hope to support retailers and enable them to keep topped up with our products.”

The developmental baby and pre-school toy distributors exclusively supply Halilit Musical Toys, Battat, Lori by OG, Terra, Interstar, Edushape, Taf Toys and Brik-a-Blok ranges in the UK. www.halilit.co.uk For more information email: Camille@halilit.co.uk

6 nursery today

sponsored by hardenbergco.co.uk 01785 503 305

Torque – true experts in logistics Torque offers a unique set of flexible services that can be customised to fit any logistics and warehousing requirement.

Using best practice and working in partnership with their customers, Torque delivers a tailored solution that is versatile, seamless and cost-effective.

In addition to offering the regular freight and warehousing services you would expect to find from a successful third party logistics provider, Torque focuses on providing a solution to help brands succeed in the Toy & Nursery Sector. These specialist services include: Stock Control & Reporting, Repairs & Returns, e-Commerce Sales, Compliance and Customer Services.

Working with organisations who have a variety of fulfilment solutions, and using their firsthand experience of the Toy and Nursery Sector, Torque is the ideal partner for your business.

Torque is one of the UK’s largest independent warehouse and logistics providers and operates in over 1.8 million sq ft of warehousing, with six sites in the UK. The company employs over 900 people across a range of departments which enables them to offer their one-stop shop solution.

Web: www.torque.eu

Chinese buying mission to visit Harrogate Harrogate International Nursery fair will extend its worldwide reach in March 2016 with a visit planned by a delegation of Chinese nursery retailers, buyers and distributors.

Adrian Sneyd, show organiser, comments: “We have been working closely with UK Trade & Investment with a view to extending Harrogate’s buying platform to nursery retailers around the world. We are delighted that UKTI in Guangzhou has embraced this proposition and Cherry Che, senior trade and investment officer, will be leading a group of Chinese buyers attending the show in March 2016.”

British designed products are much coveted by Chinese consumers and the attendance of these buyers at the show offers British companies an optimum opportunity to open up new exporting channels.

Adrian continues: “We have also been approached by a major UK retailer regarding the possibility of hosting ‘Meet the Buyer’ sessions which will be a beneficial format for our Chinese guests as well as adding a new dimension to the show.”

Stand space is booking fast with a number of prime positions still available. For more information about exhibiting visit the website at www.nurseryfair.com or contact Adrian at adrian@nurseryfair.com

Fantastic 10% Discount H&Co has got exciting new products and offers to get you noticed in 2016! They’re sure you’ll love these fantastic new ranges and take advantage of the 10% discount. Contact H&Co Trade to find out more!

The Sassy Silly Sensory Blocks Collection (From £11.99 – £29.99) are sure to be the next big thing to inspire playtime. Each set is equipped with unique Sassy Stay Trays meaning even the youngest of children can learn to stack, build and tear down towers with a sense of accomplishment and minimal frustration. Beautifully designed with bold colours, high-contrast patterns and embossed prints for tactile stimulation.

Sassy Inspire the Senses (From £34.99 - £89.99) Maximise your baby’s development using the new Sassy Inspire the Senses Collection. There’s plenty of multi-functional playmats, developmental gyms and activity centres that will all grow as your baby grows. Designed with sassy colours and patterns and also include adorable sensory toys to customise each play experience whilst developing 4 key senses Touch, Taste, Vision & Hearing.

Angelcare Baby Monitors Two new monitors with a fresh new sophisticated style now offer a large 3.5” portable Colour LCD Screen. Within the range there’s our AC1300 Movement, Video & Sound Monitor and AC1300 Video & Sound Monitor. Not only do these look the part, they offer true value for money and trusted technology.

Tel: 01785 503 305 Web: www.hardenbergco.co.uk

Babycup takes wing with Butterfly Babycup has joined forces with Butterfly for PR across their existing range of award-winning mini open cups.

Babycup First Cups are Made in Britain and recommended by midwives and Health Visitors for cup-feeding milk to infants and by dentists for every mealtime from weaning onwards.

“We are thrilled to work with Babycup, ” said Kelly Jones of Butterfly, “We are completely in love with the range which is being snapped up by consumers keen to have its health and developmental benefits for their babies - we are excited to get going!”

For further information, contact: Email: kelly@thebutterflyconsultancy.co.uk Email: sara@babycup.co.uk

Launching early due to popular demand – new Privé range from Bebecar After showing sneak previews on their Facebook page, Bebecar will be launching their new 2016 Privé fabrics one month early due to popular demand from their followers.

The luxurious range includes eye-catching sparkling fabrics and a stunning yellow pushchair that proved a huge hit at Kind + Jugend.

The Privé range will now be available from mid-February. Please contact Bebecar for more information.

Tel: 01692 408801 Web: www.bebecar.co.uk

International baby brand teams up with Amir Khan and the Penny Appeal International baby brand Bizzi Growin has teamed up with the Amir Khan Foundation and charity Penny Appeal to provide warmth to refugees this winter.

The baby brand pledged 1,000 baby blankets, 359 sleeping bags and 195 cot bed sets, totalling over £15,000, to support the recent refugee crisis in Europe and also to those in need within the United Kingdom.

Rebecca Rowlands, head of product development at Bizzi Growin, said: “Christmas is a very special time of year but unfortunately not everyone can enjoy the festive season.

“It’s reported that there are over 1,000 babies and children in various refugee camps around Europe and also in the UK and as a baby brand we just couldn’t sit back and do nothing.”

In total the brand supported six organisations across the UK with the charitable donation and the Amir Khan Foundation worked with one of its delivery partners the Penny Appeal which the two-time former world champion boxer Amir Khan worked with recently on donations to Lesbos.

Speaking of the donation Amir said: “There are thousands of people that need support and we’re only too happy to work with the Penny Appeal which is one of our delivery partners and it’s great to see organisations like Bizzi Growin donating products that will really help.

“I’d be devastated to see my child in that position and the blankets and sleeping bags will provide warmth and comfort for many during difficult times.”

The Penny Appeal handed out the donation alongside water, food and other vital supplies on Christmas Day as part of the support it is providing to The Amir Khan Foundation.

Come and see us Toy Fair –E90 Nuremberg – Hall 2, B-08 Spring Fair – Hall 5, J77

FOR HAPPY LIVELY LITTLE PEOPLE

Distributed exclusively in the UK and Ireland by Halilit www.halilit.co.uk Tel: 01254872454

nursery today 7

NEWS Christian Jones, Managing Director of leading safe sleep brand The Gro Company, looks at how manufacturers and retailers can respond to the problem of too much choice.

Little helper celebrates in China and Japan

Please Sir, I want less

I

t seems appropriate in this period after the excesses of Christmas to consider the nature of choice – particularly consumer choice. The received wisdom is that is a wonderful thing to have moved on from the stark days of Henry Ford to a brave new world that gives customers as much choice as possible. But as anyone who spent time buying Christmas gifts (or food) will attest, there is such a thing as too much choice.

Whether in stores or (even more obviously) online, customers facing a barrage of choices can get bogged down in a series of decisions which over-complicate the buying process – and may actually lead to them leaving a store or website in frustration, without actually buying anything.

Curation is key Smart retailers are starting to realise that more does not always equal better, and that they do not necessarily add value to their customers by offering the widest ranges possible, in terms of product brands, styles, colours or designs. Instead, curated ranges that fit closely with a

retailer’s target demographic, and which make it easier to solve customers’ problems (rather than adding to them), appear to be the way forward. Similarly, products that have strong brand values which offer a high degree of recognition and reliability can offer an additional short-cut in the decision-making process for time-poor consumers.

Conversely, where retailers are required to respond to customers’ demands for more choice is in the area of omnichannel marketing.

Brands and retailers which aim for relevance in the lives of their target customers need to be available to their customers in whichever channels those customer prefer.

The path to purchase is changing and becoming more complex all the time, but the need to understand the consumer, anticipate their needs or desires, and reduce any friction points, has never been stronger.

Christian Jones is the Managing Director of The Gro Company who recently underwent a company MBO after just 24 months of Christian being at the helm.

For more information about The Gro Company please visit www.gro.co.uk 8 nursery today

sponsored by

February 8 is, literally, a red letter day in the Chinese calendar. The start of a new year brings huge festivities and this year Little Helper is joining in the celebrations.

The Little Helper range, designed exclusively in the UK, is being launched in China & Japan in the new year, so Little Helper has a lot to celebrate too.

Committed to developing young minds, whether kitchen related activities, or creating an artistic masterpiece, we can now inspire more children across the world to keep away from electronic devices and expand their creative horizons.

Sean Johnson, Managing Director of this Sheffield based company tells us: “British products are much sought after in the Far East and we are delighted to have set up a Sales Office in China and take on a new distributor in Japan. 2015 has been a very busy year for us and 2016 sees us gear up to launch more nursery products in more markets.

As an ex-Sheffield steel worker designing and manufacturing in Sheffield is close to my heart, and seeing products that once again wear the famous Made in Sheffield mark shipped to China and Japan is something we are very proud of. Indeed, we have a lot to celebrate.”

Web: www.littlehelper.co.uk

Potwells Trading bumps up to 2016 Potwells Trading, the distribution company bringing unique children’s brands such as Aloka and Zoocchini to the UK, is thrilled to unveil exciting plans for the year ahead. With three new brands now on board and an award winning PR agency appointed, 2016 is set to be fantastic.

Having only opened its doors in January 2015, Potwells has experienced a phenomenal first year in business. With a passion to source high quality, unique children’s products, co-founders Nicola Barnett and Julie Ann McClean have successfully established a truly enviable portfolio.

Brands including, Aloka, the enchanting multi-colour night lights from Australia and American company Zoocchini, the brand behind the adorable animal-themed hooded towels have been a big hit since the distributor brought them to the UK. Potwells Trading has a clear mission to support retailers achieve great sales and the team is committed to offering retailer’s premium brands that they can truly rely on, not only to sell well, but give a great margin. It is this dedication that has enabled the distribution company to build fantastic relationships with major retailers including John Lewis and JoJo Maman Bébé, as well as a host of independent stores.

To support its ongoing growth, Potwells Trading has appointed bumpPR to handle all its media relations. The award-winning agency has specialised in the family sector for six years, and presents the perfect partnership for the distribution company. The team at bumpPR will be in charge of increasing brand awareness and securing exposure in front of the distributor’s key audiences, as well as sourcing influential bloggers to work with.

Summer Infant hires new junior key account manager Summer Infant Europe is delighted to announce the recruitment of Philippa Shefras as their new junior account manager for the UK. She re-joins the company after a three year absence, which she utilised to further her career in sales at the BBC. Hashim Yilmaz, UK Sales and Marketing director added: “We are thrilled to have Philippa re-join Summer Infant in her new role. She can really hit the ground running because of her knowledge of our product portfolio, systems and customer base. We look forward to introducing her to key customers and utilising her new skills at Summer Infant.” Summer Infant Europe are expanding their sales team in 2016 and the new position of junior key account manager is necessary to maintain and grow our domestic account base. With some existing new products on the horizon and new members of the team being added in the first half it looks like 2016 will be another year of growth and expansion.

Web: www.summerinfant.co.uk

Monitor movements with Buddy Tag Buddy Tag is a stylish easy to wear wristband that uses Bluetooth technology to monitor children using a mobile phone. It works by sending an alert when a child is out of the parent or carer’s proximity. We questioned Mark Phillips to find out more.

Why have ID solutions grown in popularity?

The world is changing and whilst we all keep an eye on our children, we lead busy lives and can be distracted. We also don’t trust easily anymore and it’s a scary world out there, and if some kind of device or ID wristband offers extra protection, why not use it?

What makes a good product in this category?

Affordable, functional and easy to use.

How important is technology in this area?

I think it is very important. Why not use resources we have to help keep our children safe? We all carry a mobile phone so having the ability to sync up a wristband that your child wears to the phone is a no brainer.

How easy are these to operate?

Very easy, we made them this way on purpose. The app has a simple interface, the wristband is easily connected and the distance can be changed along with the alarm tone. We have a lot of grandparents that use Buddy Tag when out with little ones and have been praised on its ease of use for all ages.

When are they mainly used?

Family days out and holidays, anywhere you anticipate a lot of people. Perfect for theme parks or the beach.

How are these made child friendly?

Bright vibrant colours, children love wearing them.

They are made from 100% silicone, making them comfy to wear, easy to wash and clean. They fasten using a coin screw so easy for adults to remove but very hard for little ones.

What benefits can retailers receive by stocking these items?

Retailers are showing they care about children by stocking them. In our experience it’s an easy sell, at some point anyone with kids has had that heart wrenching moment when they have run off. All parents can relate to this product.

Email: mark@buddytag.co.uk Web: www.buddytag.co.uk

Sponsored by

New Products Be dazzled with Little Helper Choosing the right decor for your child’s nursery or bedroom can be a real headache.

Tradition tells us it’s blue for boys and pink for girls. At Little Helper they have a different view on this subject.

Their range of children’s furniture comes in dazzling white, so not only does it look ultra clean and bright, but it’s the perfect choice for those of us with have a more modern approach to our interior design.

And with blue skies a distant memory, these will brighten any bedroom or playroom. Choose from the FunStation, FunStation Solo, RoomTidy or FunPit to give you a modern and clean look just in time for Spring.

Tel: 01909 561155 Web: www.littlehelper.co.uk

Don’t let pain and discomfort take the joy out of pregnancy Dedicated to one’s well-being throughout pregnancy and beyond, Sit & Sigh is pleased to announce its upcoming range of orthopaedic cushions designed to relieve pelvic and back pain.

Sitting is a necessity, but conditions such as Pelvic Girdle Pain or Low Back Pain and pelvic floor issues can make sitting comfortably during and after pregnancy almost impossible.

Their seating/posture aids have multiple benefits beyond reducing pain during pregnancy, these include: less fatigue, improved mood, more room for belly growth and post-birth back pain management.

Sit & Sigh provides improved posture and comfort levels at home, the office, or on the go.

Designed and tested in the UK to rave reviews, this unique, patent-pending cut-out gives maximum support with minimum contact on sensitive areas, and empowers women with freedom lost to pain and discomfort.

The luxurious triple-layered core provides gentle but firm support in a sleek, stylish package. A breathable, washable cover, stain-resistant lining and the choice of three firmness levels suits all body types, making Sit & Sigh a stand-out for quality and features.

At Sit & Sigh, their philosophy is simple: Comfy Mum, Happy Baby!

Web: www.sitandsigh.com

The brand that parents trust www.clippasafe.co.uk 10 nursery today

Retail Technology

Getting Creative with Online Marketing

By David Fairhurst

D

o you remember Jedward?

Personally, I’m desperately trying to forget about the two lads from Ireland who seemed to dominate the headlines back in 2009 but there’s no doubt the gruesome twosome had something which stirred emotions, good and bad. Some ridiculed John and Edward Grimes, after all why would you go onto a singing contest like The X Factor when you clearly can’t sing? Others pointed out the fun factor. Who can forget Jedward’s rendition of Britney Spears’s Oops… I did it again. Instant classic!

Which brings me in a round-about way to the subject of this month’s rumbling. If you want to win in 2016 with your online marketing efforts, it’s time to get more creative!

The fact is, if you have an online business in the UK, you probably need all the love from Google you can get, the way to get that moving forward is to find more creative ways of getting convertible traffic to your website.

There are well-tested ways to get large volumes of traffic to any website which have been around as long as the World Wide Web has existed, including the use of ‘sticky content’ such as games, guides and free tools. In 2016 you are going to see more and more websites relying on these to again get traffic, because Google is getting smarter by the minute and the methods of marketing websites with link building are becoming less and less effective.

Gaming for Success Going back to Jedward, enterprising website owners back in 2009 capitalised on the fame of the unlikely duo by creating a ‘Jedward Votegrabber Game’ . This became so popular that it captured the attention of major newspapers like The Daily Telegraph, was mentioned on the BBC and at the time generated massive amounts of traffic.

The type of traffic generated by games of this type probably wouldn’t lead to immediate sales if this had been put on a retail website, but it does mean that the page this game was published on has languished in my rather long list of browser bookmarks for seven years now. If this was a page on a retail website, I’d definitely be well acquainted with all the products on that site by now as this is my go-to game when I’ve had a particularly stressful day at work.

This begs the question, are games an appropriate way to capture traffic for a retail

website? Google seems to think so! Let’s face it, a large portion of the population in the UK are gamers (even the over 50s like me) and the increasing sophistication of web languages used to produced websites and the ready availability of sophisticated tools for games creation means that just about anyone can create a game for their website.

Enticing Links

features of your products and you are showing that you have product knowledge, which is just the kind of reassurance purchasers need when making a purchasing decision.

Creative Social Marketing One of the great things about retail websites and social media are that they allows you to connect with people from around the Planet.

This means the reach of your marketing efforts are no longer confined to a geographical area around your ‘bricks and mortar’ store, your

Google have stated over and over again that they want website owners to gain links through quality of content and don’t want people to build links themselves.

There are well-tested ways Whilst it’s easy to gain to get large volumes of traffic links organically if you have a news website or a to any website which have been blog and know how to use around as long as the World Wide social media effectively, Web has existed, including the it’s pretty hard to do this with category and use of ‘sticky content’ such as product content on a retail games, guides and free tools website. So what should retailers do to gain those all-important incoming links? online store is in fact a global player in a very big Well, you could do a lot worse than creating marketplace! useful guides, interest articles and videos to flesh Using your retail website and social media out your website and get interest from Google. creatively throws up all sorts of possibilities.

Creation of these types of pages means that your Think about getting creative on Facebook by website benefits in several ways – you will get launching a competition, combine this with a more traffic from Google (more content means marketing message and you’re onto a winner. your website ranks for more keyphrases), the One example was done a number of years articles you write will be read by people (who ago by Motorcycle News.

Readers were asked to might convert into buyers) and also if those send in photos of the newspaper being read in people like what they see, they may even link far away and bizarre places.

Combine this with a to your website, write about it on Facebook or competition and give away prizes and you can a blog, or post on one of the many social media see the potential for virality – marketing like this channels available. can spread like wildfire across the web.

Writing interesting guides and information Get Visual for your website is therefore a no-brainer and Imagery is everywhere nowadays. Combine this something you definitely need in your content with the fact that attention spans are dropping strategy for 2016. due to the bombardment of information we Videos can also be very useful, even if you all have to endure every day, sometimes the choose to launch those videos on external only way to get your message across is with an services like YouTube. For Google, your goal image. should be to dominate search results, the more For those retail websites which sell visually pages you can score in the first page of results strong products, utilise the many different the better (preferably in the top three results on image-strong social media platforms out there. the first page) as these get the most clicks from Pinterest, Instagram and Tumblr spring to mind, Google’s search results. but there are many others just waiting to give a Feature and usage guides work best for retail link for your website, you may even gain some videos, especially for higher ticket items like fans for your website as well! watches. Show your potential purchasers the

“

David Fairhurst, Head of Creative Online Marketing, Intelligent Retail. David has been involved with Search Engine Optimisation and web development since 1999 and has spoken at many different retail and SEO conferences including Spring Fair and SES London. Tel: 0845 6800126

”

It’s hard to imagine the online world without Google.

Globally acknowledged to be the mosttrafficked website on the World Wide Web, the Google search engine has surpassed all others to be the go-to destination when searching for something online. Yet Google probably would not have been so popular if one innovation hadn’t been used early on PageRank.

nursery today 11

EXHIBITION NEWS

China Kids Expo –Your Link to High Quality Suppliers in China Held annually since 2011 in Shanghai, China Kids Expo (CKE) is the must-attend event for buyers looking to find good quality products and reliable sourcing partners.

High quality trade fair standards and global networks from German-based organizer of Kind+Jugend, Koelnmesse combined with the broad knowledge and network of the country’s most authoritative industry organisation, the China Toy & Juvenile Products Association guarantee a unique juncture for the entire industry.

On October 22, 2015 China Kids Expo 2015 closed its doors in Shanghai New International Expo Center (2345 Longyang Road, Pudong New Area) setting

new benchmarks in terms of size, visitor numbers and international participation. With China Toy Expo and China Kids Expo, the expos totally attracted 60,618 professionals including 4,900 overseas buyers from nearly 120 countries and regions. The entire exhibition space exceeded 145,000 square meters with 1,593 exhibitors, with its concurrent The show 2016 will open on October 19-21 in Shanghai.

Here are many good reasons to use CKE as the platform for networking with your customers and doing business: Right Place Shopping among the factories!

As Asia’s Leading Children’s Goods event, CKE is a unique

channel for buyers to meet the greatest number of exportready Chinese juvenile products manufacturers.

Right Products Qualified and reliable products at reasonable price, showing whole scope of baby products and exposing the innovative ones for the coming year!

More Convenient One badge allows you the access to not only CKE, but also Toy Fair and Licensing Expo!

Please go to www.china-kids-expo.com for more information or directly contact with Ms. Helen Zhang via zhangying@tjpa-china.org.

LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION FOR CHICCO Global nursery and toy brand, Chicco, is kicking off 2016 with a return to TV screens across the country, promoting its award winning Next2Me, the original side sleeping crib.

Following the success of its groundbreaking campaign last year, the company is once again investing in a significant TV advertising partnership with Sky. “2015 was an incredible year for Chicco with Next2Me becoming the driving force behind our phenomenal growth,” explains Giulia Toselli, marketing manager, Chicco. “Our TV campaign last summer was certainly key to this success and not only increased awareness of Next2Me but also created a ‘halo-effect’ across every product category and the wider Chicco brand.

2016 is already shaping up to be an exciting year for Chicco with new product launches across our ranges and the second phase of our TV advertising campaign will certainly reinforce Chicco’s position as one of the UK’s most trusted and loved baby brands.”

The Next2Me advert will return to screens on the 20th of January and will be supported by a number of integrated marketing campaigns, including in store displays, digital advertising and social activity which highlight Chicco’s family of sleep time products. This will also coincide with exciting new launches in the Next2Me range. To complement the original side sleeping crib, Chicco will be introducing a completely new range of accessories including the original Next 2 ME crib sheets, a reversible sleeping bag and a mattress cover, all of which will be suitable for both Next2Me and Lullago, Chicco’s popular travel 12 nursery today

crib. On top of that, Chicco will launch Next2Stars, the new First Dreams family projector suitable for Nex2ME and all the travel cots, for a more relaxing night sleep.

For information on Chicco products, visit www.chicco.co.uk or connect with Chicco on Facebook at www.facebook.co.uk/chiccocompanyuk.

BPA Notice Board The future looks bright for companies willing to adapt to ever-changing markets As we embark on another new year, the Baby Products Association is looking forward to a dynamic 2016 with a positive outlook for its members and the baby products industry as a whole.

According to Tim Plyming of Nesta – an independent charity that works to increase the innovation capacity of the UK – this year, the high street and the arts sector will collaborate to take ‘experimental retail’ centre stage. He comments: “The past festive period continued the trend of breaking all records for online sales, but predictions about the growth of online shopping leading to the demise of the physical shopping trip seem to have been far off the mark. The high street continues to draw shoppers in their millions, seeking physical experiences that are as much about satisfying the need for leisure and entertainment as the purchase of products.”

He continues: “Customers are demanding enhanced experiences in their face-to-face store visits, so where will retailers turn for expertise in ramping up the physical experience? The arts sector is the natural answer, being brilliantly placed to help retailers understand how to deliver memorable and shareable experiences.”

This is positive news for nursery retailers who continue to explore new initiatives to entice customers into their stores and overall the economy is also on their sides. Market research company GfK stated that consumer confidence was up in 2015 with inflation at its lowest level in modern times and consumers having more disposable income for big ticket and impulse purchases. Erol Sukan of GfK said: “It’s time for the nursery industry to externalise its focus and recognise the value of providing customers a convenient way to shop and the freedom of choice in features as well as pricing. Parents are savvier, better connected and heading towards a connected smart home with a smart nursery.”

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In addition, with more and more BPA members extending their reach into new international markets, it is also important to adapt strategies to particular localities.

At a presentation by GfK in Germany in September, Erol explained that research from FutureBuy explored why shoppers use different channels and how their country of residence seems to have significant influence on their preferences. For example, when buying mobile phones, German shoppers buy online primarily to save money (62%); whilst Japanese consumers (where the market is technologically advanced) prefer to buy in store to get products sooner (62%) and to see and feel them prior to purchase.

Opportunities for British baby products companies to gain significant sales growth internationally have never been greater and the statistics portal, Statista, forecasts that the worldwide baby care market which was worth US$44.7 billion in 2011 will increase total sales to US$66.8 billion by 2017.

With the introduction of a new two-child policy in China on 1 January 2016, which is predicted to lead to 100 million Chinese births in the next 15 years, the Asian market is certainly one to focus on. Robert Anslow, managing director of the BPA, explains: “China is a hugely lucrative market for British companies and we encourage our members to grab this opportunity whilst it is still ripe. We understand that Chinese retailers are already actively seeking British baby products with a delegation from Guangzhou attending Harrogate International Nursery Fair in March with a serious view to sourcing European distribution channels to cater for the expected influx in baby product sales. We are once again organising a UK Pavilion at CBME Shanghai in July 2016 and this will provide a great opportunity for companies to follow up initial meet-the-buyer sessions, as well as engage with new Chinese contacts.”

The BPA is also hosting UK Pavilions at Kind und Jugend in Germany in September 2016 and at ABC Kids Expo in Las Vegas in October 2016 – both trade shows having

www.thebpa.eu

provided worthwhile business platforms for BPA members in recent years. Full details about joining all of these, as well as information about funding which may be available can be found on the BPA website at www.thebpa.eu

The judges are out The BPA’s team of expert judges are putting their heads together to create a shortlist for the 2016 Concept & Innovation Awards and have once again been impressed with the outstanding quality of entries. Julie James, membership and technical support manager for the BPA who organises the annual awards, comments: “With so many baby products on the market, it is hard to believe that there is still room for innovative ideas, but every year we are amazed at the originality and novelty of some of the inventions presented.”

Shortlisted entrants will soon be advised and will be invited to London to present their ideas first hand to the judges in February. Two Concept Award finalists and two Innovation Award finalists will be invited to show their entries at Harrogate International Nursery Fair in March where the winners will be announced. Julie continues: “This year the Awards are sponsored by law firm 3volution which is offering two fantastic prizes each of £750 worth of legal services to the two winners, which will be a great help for these new businesses to get up and running.”

European Nursery Products Confederation (ENPC) update The ENPC – which is a membership association representing the baby products industry at European level consisting of organisations across Europe including Austria, Spain, Italy, Germany, the UK, Belgium and France – held its AGM at the London Marriott Hotel in December, hosted by the BPA. For information about the ENPC visit www.enpc.eu

nursery today 13

Focus BabyStyle

Hybrid Edge - A Stroller without compromise 2016 will see BabyStyle add another thoroughbred into their award winning stable with the arrival and launch of the innovative Hybrid Edge which is featured on the front cover of this issue of Nursery Today.

T

he Hybrid Edge is being marketed as “a stroller without compromise� and in this description it truly delivers.

While used as a single stroller it is both compact and incredibly user friendly, when the Hybrid Edge is used in City Mode with its smaller wheels and narrow axle it is perfectly designed for city living and shopping trips, this feature being further enhanced by the large shopping basket and intelligent luggage system. Should the family grow then so will the Hybrid Edge with its clever, quick and unique simple exchange of axles it transforms into a tandem with the use of minimal effort. When used in tandem mode the Hybrid Edge provides plentiful space and comfort for both occupants and with the available seat configurations it is useable by twins as well as families with mixed ages. The seat combinations will accommodate either 2 car seats, 2 carrycots or 2 seat units or indeed any required arrangement of the above. When the tandem unit is no longer necessary the same simple steps are taken to revert the Hybrid Edge back into the original single unit stroller state, totally original and ingenious.

The Hybrid Edge will be compatible with a multitude of leading brand name car seats as well as offering its own matching Hybrid Edge brand car seat. Stylish accessories will be available including coordinating carrycots which will fully compliment the originality and the true multifunctional nature of the Hybrid Edge.

The Hybrid Edge continues with its uncompromised properties when you look at the impressive specifications that come as standard with no trade off against composition or quality. The Hybrid Edge itself is lightweight and this feature

14 nursery today

extends to include a fully reversible lightweight seat unit which incorporates a full recline and 3 position seat, the seat unit has an integral insect net with a large sun protection canopy, just perfect for those long (and eagerly awaited) summer days to be spent in glorious weather.

The telescopic handle comes in a hand stitched leatherette and this in turn compliments and accentuates the hand stitched leatherette bumper bar.

In bringing the Hybrid Edge to the marketplace

The Hybrid Edge will be compatible with a multitude of leading brand name car seats as well as offering its own matching Hybrid Edge brand car seat

BabyStyle wanted to include the best standout features from their highly successful Oyster range and the new premium Egg collection. The Hybrid Edge therefore comes to you showcasing some of these finer elements including a space defying compact fold and full all round suspension with PU smooth ride tyres for the ultimate in passenger comfort. The wheels are all quick release whilst the Hybrids front wheels are both swivel and lockable. Initially the Hybrid Edge will be introduced to the market in a selection of 5 classic and appealing colours whilst being pitched at a very sensible and affordable price all to add to consumer and retailer interest.

With this innovative Patented and unique new product BabyStyle are confident that they can continue their company ethos in producing fantastic award winning products that are new, exciting and contemporary whilst encompassing and surpassing all safety standards. The Hybrid Edge really does have to be seen to fully appreciate its ingenuity and engineering, it legitimately is “a stroller without compromise.�

In bringing the Hybrid Edge to the marketplace BabyStyle wanted to include the best standout features from their highly successful Oyster range and the new premium Egg collection

Tel: 01509 816444 Email: info@babystyle.co.uk Web: www.babystyle.co.uk nursery today 15

This issue we spoke to a number of independent retailers with their thoughts on the year ahead.

Emma Charlesworth Baby Birds, Dorchester, Dorset What do you think will be the biggest hurdles of 2016?

It will be our new web site.

Always a massive hurdle as we are so used to the system we have, fingers crossed it will run smoothly.

Do you think we will see any specific trends forming?

More of the same really. Grey is still a very strong colour for us.

Which trade shows will you attend?

Harrogate for definite. We need to support Harrogate or we’ll lose it. It’s so important for the independents’ future. We will struggle as independents if we don’t have it. We will only have the same stock as the multiples. We need to wake up and smell the coffee and now! Cologne is great to see the bigger picture.

How will you be researching nursery items throughout the year for your store?

Nursery Today magazine, NSG, Nursery trade page mainly.

Julie Robinson Baby Direct, Leeds What do you think will be the biggest hurdles of 2016?

The internet definitely.

We just cannot compete on price. The prices can just be silly on the internet.

What trends do you think we may see?

I think we will be seeing more subtle colours rather than the usual bright ones we are familiar with.

Which trade shows will you attend?

We will be going to Harrogate and Cologne.

How will you be researching nursery items throughout the year for your store?

We are constantly looking in the internet for what’s new. We have reps coming in to see us all the time. And obviously we see a lot of new products at the baby shows.

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Jason Hellor Huggle, London What do you think will be the biggest hurdles of 2016?

We think that this year is going to prove to be a challenging one for retailers across all sectors as consumers continue to become attuned to the promotional cycles of retailers.

Customers will continue to demand more, want their product delivered faster and expect retailers to provide seamless customer service across all areas of their business. We will be looking to work closely with those suppliers and brands who are prepared to support our business achieving this and continue to look for new, innovative product that excites our customers.

Which trade shows will you attend?

We hope to be attending shows in Harrogate and Cologne as they will remain an important source for us for new product and trends.

How will you be researching nursery items throughout the year for your store?

We have already seen some exciting things in the past six months from the teams at Cybex/ GB, Bugaboo, Stokke and even brands like Beaba and will look to ensure that we represent these brands instore and online in the best way possible this year.

John Barker Pramland, Hull What do you think will be the biggest hurdles of 2016?

2016 and every other year the biggest hurdle will be competing with the online stores whilst trying to maintain a margin that will allow for growth. Once the New Year silly sales period is over we are hoping that the pricing online gets back to the way it was in the latter part of 2015. Second to this will be attracting new customers and trying to stay relevant to our local customers.

What trends do you think we may see?

We are hoping the trend for premium brands continues. We try to avoid the online/ stack it high brands and this has worked for us over the last few years.

Which trade shows will you attend?

We will be attending the Harrogate Show. Sadly the show is becoming less important and the pull of Cologne is now starting to appeal.

How will you be researching nursery items throughout the year for your store?

Internet “Mums” forums are a great source of information and it gives you a flavour of the items mums to be are looking for. We also keep an eye on the celebrity magazines, new mums are becoming more and more influenced by who’s pushing what. Of course, we also read Nursery Today magazine.

Sue Dronfield Baby Barn, Chessington, Surrey What do you think will be the biggest hurdles of 2016?

Price haggling - maintaining a positive approach when dealing with pushy customers that use us before buying elsewhere or on-line due to heavy discounting. Unnecessary discounting on line - particularly new products that have just been released or not even available. Receiving goods in time for customers.

What trends do you think we may see? i-Size car seats - we have already seen an increase in car seat sales for 2015 and also customer awareness of the new legislation - we feel that in 2016 our car seat section will not only see a good increase in sales due to more i-Size products readily available and the fact the customers feel they are good value for money as well as safety plus one base/two stages of car seats - but also due to these products maintaining their value.

Which trade shows will you attend?

We will attend Harrogate and Cologne.

How will you be researching nursery items throughout the year for your store?

Mainly from the trade shows, word of mouth from other retailers in particularly NSG! Plus of course Nursery Today magazine via the articles and advertising.

Susan Pellett Ann’s Prams Nursery & Baby Centre, Petersfield, Hants What do you think will be the biggest hurdles of 2016?

I think our biggest hurdles will once again be price matching the discounter that are still reducing prices when they don’t really need to as there is enough business out there for everyone bearing in mind there are fewer nursery shops both independent and multiples out there. Also some suppliers are not as supportive with prices as they could be and we all need to work together to give customers a good deal and excellent service.

I think customers will be returning to the smaller shops for the personal service that we all give and the best aftercare they can get, but once again I think prices will be an issue. I think customers are very much more aware of the good fitting service that the independent shops give as far as car seats are concerned having seen Watchdog which showed some of the multiples not giving the best advice.

Which trade shows will you attend?

At this moment in time I will not be attending the trade shows as many of our suppliers are now doing their own events which I may attend as this is a more personal approach and you get to see the new products.

How will you be researching nursery items throughout the year for your store?

Researching new products will be via the web and also our reps/suppliers coming and showing the new products along with their shows.

Red Kite 2015 collection 01454 326 555 www.redkitebaby.com

Alexandra Wyver-Northam Fiesta Tots, Horsham, West Sussex What do you think will be the biggest hurdles of 2016?

Footfall and potential competition from nationals and their bigger buying power. There is also hassle from online sellers who are not UK-based and amazon and all of that.

What trends do you think we may see?

I don’t know. Every time I think I have sussed something I get confused. Someone said on NSG that they had heard babywear was going to be the new trend but that’s been going on for a while.

I wonder when that is going to abate because the secondhand market will be quite full. I am hoping for me personally that it keeps going because I have quiet a lot of babywear in stock.

More people seem to find out about it but that is not a new trend – it is a continuation. I think people will be more cost savvy so the big brands will lead the trends. People will be more aware of pricing which is not helping the independents and those internet sellers I was talking about benefit. However, certainly in my town people are

becoming more and more aware of the problems with internet buying. This is a personal hope but I am hoping that the trend for 2016 will be a return to the high street.

Which trade shows will you attend?

I’m hoping it will be Harrogate. It depends on how the business goes and whether I can afford to go up there.

How will you be researching nursery items throughout the year for your store?

Firstly, I will go and say hi to the people I already get stock from. Then it might be some suppliers who have been highly recommended and got good comments from other NSG members, just to see what the craic is about. I will have a general wander around. I’d love to visit every stall but I think my brain will go pop.

Nickie Philipson-Stow, The Orange Pig, Tewkesbury, Glos What do you think will be the biggest hurdles of 2016?

We have had a much better time last year than the year before. I would say that the internet is our biggest rival.

What trends do you think we may see?

We are not trendy. We are very classical. We do classical clothes, we do not go out on a limb at all.

Which trade shows will you attend?

We go to Bubble in London and we attend the Alternative Kids’ Show in Solihull and sometimes we go to Spain.

How will you be researching nursery items throughout the year for your store?

By going to the shows and having a look-see. I think you can tell by the number of people gathering around a stand whether it is any good or not.

Julie Robinson Baby Direct Leeds What do you think will be the biggest hurdles of 2016?

The internet definitely. We just cannot compete on price. The prices can just be silly on the internet.

What trends do you think we may see?

I think we will be seeing more subtle colours rather than the usual bright ones we are familiar with.

18 nursery today

Which trade shows will you attend?

We will be going to Harrogate and Cologne.

How will you be researching nursery items throughout the year for your store?

We are constantly looking in the internet for what’s new. We have reps coming in to see us all the time. And obviously we see a lot of new products at the baby shows.

Alexandra Schick Milestones, Kent Do you think we will see any specific trends forming?

There seem to be many new, smaller companies releasing innovative products onto the market.

We have seen a rise in demand for wooden toys at low prices in the last few months which has led us to look for suppliers as far afield as Australia, we believe this will continue.

For us, 2016 will see a continual rise in eco conscious customers which has now reached the grandparent generation. We are also still seeing a return to traditional British childhood favourites like Paddington and Peter Rabbit which seem to unite the generations.

Which trade shows will you attend?

This year we are starting it off with Top Drawer in London then Harrogate and Bubble and possibly Kind Und Jugend.

How will you be researching nursery items throughout the year for your store?

We follow many different avenues in our research including following all major Awards, industry publications and parenting blogs as well as product launches at the fairs.

We also continue to monitor customer product reviews online as these offer a comprehensive insight into the products’ strengths and weaknesses.

Gary Watts WH Watts, Middlesborough, Cleveland What do you think will be the biggest hurdles of 2016?

The biggest hurdles are going to be maintaining margin as it seems like the price cutters are back. We have seen some brands and product prices being ripped apart by not only the internet but also by some of the majors. Everyone is entitled to be competitive but at times it has been beyond belief. Are we not all here to make money?

Another challenge for us to deal with is consumers ordering very late as they seem to assume lately that all products are in stock in every colour. I am sure this thought process has been caused by the internet.

What trends do you think we may see?

I don’t think there will be any changes to trends in the near future. I have a feeling this year will be very similar to last year but at some point you would imagine grey fabric will start to slow down as this has been massive for us.

Which trade shows will you attend?

We attend both Harrogate and Cologne, both of which are a really enjoyable experience and a must for any serious retailer, even if you can’t take the time or the expense to visit Cologne you must visit Harrogate.

If not it may fail and where would you see new products if not there?

Answer, well you wouldn’t be able to and that would have a negative effect on your business, I would urge all retailers to support this event.

How will you be researching nursery items throughout the year for your store?

We are quite happy with the product mix we have in store now and see no need at the moment to add anything to this but we always keep an open mind about products. We visit both of the trade shows I have mentioned earlier and also attend supplier events. Knowledge is key to your business.

We would consider ourselves very aware of the market and what’s going on out there.

Derek Bavaird Jan Stewart Prams, Glasgow What do you think will be the biggest hurdles of 2016?

Here we go again, yet another year and many retailers will be examining their sales stats and exploring avenues of revenue not yet exploited by Internet sales. As I have always said never mind what the competition is doing concentrate on what you are doing, any improvements that you can implement will make a huge difference.

The nursery industry is still very much driven by good hands-on retailers backed of-course with friendly, knowledgeable, well trained sales staff.

Professionally presented displays and attractive shop windows are your trump cards. This industry is, and will always be, in my opinion, strongly driven by these essential, though basic, retail values. Remember, good retailers sell to the heart and not to the head.

What are your current thoughts on trade shows?

I am not so surprised to hear that some major players will not be attending Harrogate this coming spring as through the years I have watched Harrogate grow well beyond its natural boundaries. It has, in my opinion, become bitsy. Will this perhaps contribute to Harrogate’s ultimate demise and be detrimental to the future of the entire show? I, for one, certainly hope not but this is something of a wake-up call and must be looked at very closely by the organisers, although on the upside with so much floor space being freed up by the absence of the mighty it certainly offers an opportunity for the smaller operators to obtain prime spots to showcase their wares.

Harrogate aside, Jan and I will continue to travel the world seeking out exclusive lines as I firmly believe this is a major factor in retail success. Harrogate, although a great social venue and one that we look forward to very much, it is sadly the case that Cologne and other world trade fares definitely steal the limelight.

It is where, in our opinion, where the real business gets done.

Focus Baby Essentials

Essentially baby The baby is here but your adventures are only just starting Courtesy of Gro

I

t’s that time. The proud parents wander into your shop – their little bundle of joy has arrived.

Yes, they may be sleep deprived and want to share photos that will melt your heart of the little one and they have lots of fun to look forward as their baby grows into a not so little one and brings joy.

With that fun and joy comes a responsibility and various must-have items. We asked members of the trade what they regard as the essentials that parents simply have to buy for the little one.

The first necessity is finding somewhere for the little one to sleep. Karl Hughes, the Account Development Manager for East Coast Nursery, said: “Moses baskets remain a popular sleep solution for newborns, and we have recently seen strong sales of our swinging cribs – a luxurious option for a first bed. Many parents will choose a bedding set to dress their nursery, and our Silvercloud Counting Sheep bedding set is still performing really well.

“For consumers choosing to put together their own look, sales of our Love Colour range of separate coverlets, bumpers and blankets are strong too.”

Karl also revealed the trends that are apparent: “Consumers seem to be making more conscious choices in their purchases – not choosing ‘basic’ products, and opting for higher-spec ones; this is especially evident across our mattress range. Parents are well informed about options like breathable fabrics and pocket springs, and are selecting those items for their babies.”

It is a point of view backed up by Suresh Ganjian who runs Baby Shop in east London. He told us: “When I first opened the shop customers did not really know too much about cots and bedding. They came in and a bought a cot.

Now all that has changed. Parents are much more savvy and do their research on the internet before they come to the shop.”

Items that years ago no one would have considered a necessity mainly because no one had thought of inventing them.

One such item is the changing bag. Karl Hughes from East Coast Nursery told us: “Changing bags have always been 20 nursery today

“

Moses baskets remain a popular sleep solution for newborns

”

an essential item – babies don’t travel light – but recently they’ve moved from purely functional to fashionable. While we still need to ensure a changing bag is sturdy, easy to find items in, and exceptionally functional, Bebecar update their fabric range every year, so bags are available to match our pushchair colours – a great add-on sale for retailers.”

Baby needs feeding and in early days many mums prefer to breastfeed. Chris Clarke of NUK Baby said: “In the early months of baby’s life when their immune system is still developing, sterilising is a key requirement to ensure that baby’s bottles, soothers and other accessories are clean and hygienic to prevent germs and infections.

“However it is really important that prior to sterilisation, bottles, soothers, accessories etc are cleaned properly, otherwise you are essentially sterilising a dirty product, which can lead to baby having an upset stomach. In response to this NUK launched the Baby Bottle Cleanser, which is a naturally derived cleaning solution featuring enzymes which break down dried on milk pulp, protein and food residue more effectively than hot soapy water alone.”

Mum can get tired easily and breast feeding can be tiring especially if baby doesn’t take to the nipple straightaway so the solution is to express milk and let dad have a go.

Chris Clarke of NUK Baby said: “It is well known that breastfeeding is best for baby but a downside of breastfeeding is it excludes dad from the feeding process.

This is where a breast pump is beneficial because it not only opens up feeding, and the associated bonding with baby that it provides, to dad but also to other family members. And at the same time it also gives a certain amount of control back to mum as she can express at a time that is convenient to her and have feed readily available whenever it is needed which makes on the go feeding more convenient.”

So there you have it, gadgets for dad, sleep solution for baby, respite for mum and much more besides – and your customers thought that having baby meant the beginning of hard work.

Did you know…

■ Elijah Pratt invented and patented the India-rubber nipple in 1845.

■ The world’s first commercial infant formula was created in 1867.

■ On 20 June 1854, the US Patent Office issued Patent No. 11,135 to O.H. Needham for a breast pump.

■ Babies can roll from the age of 3-4 months so should be placed in a cot bed.

January Promotion Contact Victoria to find out more

Transforming bedtime for your baby and you A revolutionary new 100% natural cot mattress collection by expert bed makers Harrison Spinks Unique baby pocket springs giving babies the best postural start Combined with QDWXUDO êOOLQJV grown on the company’s Yorkshire farm Now available: A

100% natural, waterproof and breathable mattress protector

www.harrisonspinksbaby.co.uk

Victoria Charlton - Nursery Sales Manager - 0757 2577 407 - vcharlton@harrisonspinks.co.uk

Focus Baby Essentials

First Dreams Next2 Stars and Baby Bear

BreathableBaby Crib Liners Following the success of the BreathableBaby Cot Liner, the company expanded innovation and launched the BreathableBaby Crib liner earlier this year in order to provide a solution for parents with newborns.

The liner is made from a soft mesh fabric with a patented ‘breathable’ core to allow maximum air flow and temperature regulation eliminating the risk of suffocation. The liners are also cushioned offering parents extra protection from knocks and bumps, and keeping tiny new limbs safely within the crib.

The liner is available in White or White with Silver Trim.

Chicco is building on its incredibly successful First Dreams sleep time range with the introduction of two new soothing light projectors. Next2 Stars is a versatile crib projector, featuring a soft, plush teddy bear. The projector can be attached to a cot or travel cot with an easy to use universal attaching system.

The projector has three functions and can be used as a ceiling projector, atmosphere lamp or a nightlight at the touch of a button. It also features three soothing melodies to help baby self settle. A sound sensor also picks up baby’s crying and automatically activates the music and light projector or nightlight according to preference. Available in pink or light blue, RRP is £19.99.

Designed to comfort and reassure, First Dreams Baby Bear has a soft projection tummy that when pressed activates a Goodnight message for baby. A button on the bear’s tummy activates the soothing melodies and light show and after 20 minutes of playing the product automatically turns to stand-by mode. Parents have control over the settings and can choose between on with light effects and melodies, on with light effects only, or off. Available in light blue and pink, First Dreams Baby Bear retails for £19.99.

Tel: 020 8593 6627 Web: www.chicco.co.uk

Email: rachelleharel@breathablebaby.com Tel: 0797 677 3486 Web: www. breathablebaby.com

Perfect addition to any pushchair Obaby New for 2016 is the Obaby universal newborn liner. Whilst simple in concept, it is priceless in application. Attachable to any five point safety harness, the newborn liner is the perfect way to provide extra padding and comfort for baby. With its extra supportive memory foam construction, cosy fleece lining, durable outer fabric and easy to remove zipped apron, the newborn liner is the perfect addition to any from birth pushchair.

Tel: 01652 641491 Web: www.obaby.co.uk

22 nursery today

Focus Baby Essentials

The importance of sleep for babies Harrison Spinkx Sleep plays a significant role in a baby’s growth and brain development; a lack of it can affect their mood, alertness and ability to concentrate.

And with newborn babies requiring around 17 hours sleep each day, parents need to choose a mattress that perfectly supports their posture and is specifically designed with the wellbeing of their baby in mind.

This is exactly what expert bed makers Harrison Spinks has done with its NaturalStart collection.

The new 100% natural cot mattress range is designed to offer the correct postural support at each stage of development.

The mattresses are dual-sided, offering a firmer support for 0-18 months on one side and a more responsive support up to fiveyears-old on the other side.

Building on the company’s 175-years’ experience, Harrison Spinks has used its world-leading spring technology to create the world’s smallest pocket springs. Each BabySpring adapts to the sleeping position of the infant and ensures perfect postural support throughout the night.

As well as the innovative spring technology, the mattresses feature a range of luxurious natural fillings such as wool, mohair and hemp, many of which are grown on the company’s own 300-acre Yorkshire farm. Natural fillings offer unique properties unlike any other; wool for example, regulates body temperature, while hemp is naturally resistant to mildew, ensuring the NaturalStart mattress stays clean and fresh throughout the years.

Tel: 0113 205 5200 Web: www.harrisonspinksbaby.co.uk/naturalstart

Peaceful slumber with Prince Lionheart The Prince Lionheart Back to sleep slumber BUNNY and Back to sleep slumber bear Original are an essential purchase for a new born baby.

In 1975 Dr. William Eller, a physician at Holy Cross Hospital, inserted a microphone into the womb of a pregnant woman and recorded the actual womb sounds Baby hears during pregnancy. Dr. Eller thought that playing these familiar sounds would calm and reassure a newborn baby confronting his new environment outside the womb.

Dr. Eller’s findings were refined with the creation of Back to sleep Bear / Slumber Bear, the Original natural audio pacifier.

Since then, the Bear has been used by parents, doctors and midwives to help settle babies. It has been used in hospitals, nurseries, maternity wards, and in homes throughout the world because it comforts and helps Baby get the sleep necessary for growth and good health. A happy, sleeping Baby means parents get the sleep they need too!

The Bear’s remarkable effectiveness is due to Prince Lionheart’s exclusive use of actual womb sounds recorded, moments before birth, inside a pregnant woman’s womb. The secret is in our Soundbox and that secret is the key to the Bear’s success!

The new back to sleep Slumber Bunny comes with our award winning soundbox, remote control, 15 minute auto shut off and USB charger.

Tel: 020 8997 7054 Web: princelionheart.com

Dreami by Shnuggle - The Essential Baby Sleeper The gorgeous Dreami sleep system uses the clever Shnuggle ventilated base with a fully breathable 3D mesh fabric, reducing the risk of airflow restriction within baby’s sleeping environment to help towards a safer and sounder sleep. The mesh is cotton facing to be soft against baby and has a hypoallergenic inner core which wicks away moisture and offers a slightly padded feel for complete comfort.

For maximum flexibility the Dreami base is easily removed from the included Curve Stand, and can be used in a highlevel fixed position or turned upside down to create a lowlevel rocker. When not in use, the Curve Stand can be easily folded up for easy storage and travel.

Tel: 0289 181 5169 Email: martin@shnuggle.co.uk Web: www.shnuggle.co.uk

24 nursery today

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washes away MILK RESIDUE AND ODOUR from your baby's bottles

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Focus Baby Essentials

Style your Snüz with Designz

Humidifiers to Create a Healthy, Happy Home Crane has taken the lead in putting the fun and style into cool mist humidifiers to create a design for better living.

The humidifiers emit a cool silent mist to help babies sleep sounder. Humidifiers relieve cough, cold, and flu symptoms including nasal congestion, dry coughs, sinus irritation, nose bleeds and dry skin making for happy babies and happy parents!

Three Humidifiers - a funky Droplet and fun Elephant or Frog designs. Each humidifier has an easy fill one gallon tank which runs for 24 hours with auto shut off and has a clean control antimicrobial material in the base which is proven to help reduce mould and bacteria growth.

Email: Stephen.Gridley@nimans.net Web: www.crane-usa.com

Snüz, the innovative brand behind the multi award winning SnüzPod bedside crib, is thrilled to unveil its latest range. Introducing the Designz collection, a gorgeous selection of contemporary products, specially made for styling baby’s.

Super soft and made from 100% cotton, the Designz collection includes a complete three piece bedding set, which has been specially made for the SnüzPod, but also fits many other standard size cribs. The new product range will also feature a reversible blanket to be sold separately and fitted sheets, available in three sizes including crib, Moses basket/pram and also cot and cot bed.

With its stylish look and luxury feel, the Designz collection fits the Snüz branding perfectly and the team is thrilled to offer the striking collection to its customers.

This exciting news also marks the arrival of the SnüzPod Pocket, a clever storage accessory for the SnüzPod, which will hold all the essentials parent and baby will need during the night, and all within an arm’s reach.

Snüz believes that sleep is the fuel for life and the team are passionate about providing innovative, stylish and high quality products for both baby and parent. Like all products from Snüz, the Designz Collection and the SnüzPod Pocket has been developed to ensure the whole family has a great night’s sleep. With three fresh and stylish prints, there is sure to be a Designz to suit every little personality, so parents can style their little ones sleep space perfectly!

Tel: 0800 028 1433 Email: trade@snuz.co.uk Web: www.snuz.co.uk

Parents say Bye-Bye to Cloudy Bottles with Nimble Babies Nimble Babies Limited is thrilled to have launched its first product, the revolutionary Nimble Babies Milk Buster, a truly unique cleaning product created especially for baby bottles.

Every parent will be able to relate to the tiresome scrubbing of baby bottles in the hope of avoiding any cloudiness left by expressed breastmilk or formula. However, with milk fats and proteins prone to clinging on to plastic this issue is actually inevitable and despite thorough cleaning with washing-up liquid milk residues are often left behind. This not only causes an unpleasant odour, it creates the perfect environment for bacteria to feed and thrive so ridding of all traces is essential!

Thanks to the exciting launch of the ground-breaking Nimble Babies Milk Buster this common problem is set to improve! A unique washing-up spray with carefully selected properties proven to remove milk residues unlike any other washing-up cleaning product: parents just add a little warm water to their baby’s bottle and teat, spray the Nimble Babies Milk Buster and use a brush to wash and rinse.

Created following years of research by Von Sy, a chemist and former R&D Manager for a blue chip multinational company, Nimble Babies Milk Buster is made from plant-based ingredients and contains no harsh chemicals, dyes or fragrances. Its special formula has even been clinically tested to be as mild as water so parents can be rest assured that the innovative new washing-up spray is completely safe to use. Available in just one size, the Nimble Babies Milk Buster is easy to stock and with lab tests proving its effectiveness against other regular washing-up liquids, it is sure to be a welcome addition to every family household and become a staple to sit alongside bottles, sterilisers and family cleaning products.

Founder of Nimble Babies, Von Sy, said “We’re so pleased to launch our first product, the Nimble Babies Milk Buster. I was inspired to create a solution to this common parenting bugbear when my sister complained she could never get her baby’s bottles truly clean. After extensive research, lab testing and product development, Nimble Babies was born. Easy and safe to use, with Nimble Babies Milk Buster Wash baby bottles will always look, feel and smell 26 nursery today

clean, ready for the next feed.”

Nimble Babies is being distributed in the UK by bébélephant which has already had the product ranged in Kiddicare with other major names set to stock in 2016. “Innovation in this space is pretty uncommon so the product will certainly do well. We are delighted to have been appointed distributors and have had some early successes already” said Elliot Bishop of bébélephant.

Nimble Babies will be exhibiting along bébélephant Boulevard at the Harrogate Nursery Fair.

RRP: £5.99 Available from: bébélephant

Tel: 020 8202 1467 Web: www.bebelephant.com

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Ideal for busy families Write Away!â&#x201E;˘ Peel & Stick Labels Super durable, super cute Mabelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Labels are designed for all the stuff kids lose. These self-laminating name stickers are perfect for busy families and ready in an instant. Just write, seal and stick. Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re dishwasher, microwave and laundrysafe and perfect for everything kids take to school, crèche, activities and more.

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Focus Baby Essentials

SwaddleMe re-launched Summer Infant recently re-launched its beautiful range of SwaddleMe swaddle blankets and sleeping bags and is already seeing a significant increase in demand.

The range comes in a selection of attractive, modern designs and packaged in premium gift style packs, making them a great baby shower gift.

As the creator of the original SwaddleMe blanket, SwaddleMe now has a comprehensive range that adapts for every stage of a baby’s first two years. The complete line of sleep products has been expertly designed and tested to keep babies snug, safe, and comfy throughout the night.

For newborns, the Stage 1 SwaddleMe Pod is a tiny, zipped pod for secure swaddling that recreates the comfort of the womb. The Stage 2 Original SwaddleMe has a proven and protected design that makes swaddling easy and safe for babies from 0-6 months. Then, when little ones can roll over, it’s time to move onto the Stage 3 SwaddleMe Wrapsack, which provides babies up to 8 months personalised comfortable by allowing them to have their arms in or out. For up to 24 months, there’s the Stage 4 SwaddleMe Wiggle Blanket, with its extended sleeves to keep baby’s arms warm and provide a snug feeling of security.

Web: www.summerinfant.co.uk

Colour-changing solutions Maguari Maguari is a flexible silicon band that uses colour-changing technology to confirm when baby’s bottle is the optimum and safe temperature for feeding. Whether warming or cooling a feed, the colour green is the indicator of the perfect temperature. For babies who go to nursery or day care, the bands can be personalised using ball point pen, to show a child’s name and any health or allergy information. This information can be removed during cleaning or made permanent by placing the band in boiling water. Dishwasher, microwave and steriliser safe, Thermobands fit most makes of feeding bottles and are BPA free, FDA approved and EN tested.

Tel: 01293 592170 Web: www.maguari.com 28 nursery today

Perfect entertainment for newborns Rainbow Designs Rainbow Designs are launching three new fantastic collections in the Baby and Nursery category that are perfect to entertain and comfort for newborns.

Launching this spring is a cute new Paddington for Baby range. Everyone’s favourite bear will now feature on a variety of nursery products designed specifically for baby include a My First Paddington Plush, Comfort blanket, Activity Cube and Ring Rattle.

This spring will see the launch of a brand new Miffy for Baby collection which is available in both pastel pink and denim blue tones and includes 25cm Plush Toys, Ring Rattles, Comfort Blankets and an Activity Cube.

Rainbow will also be previewing their brand new The Snowman and The Snowdog ‘My First Christmas collection, this beautiful new collection will be available for Christmas 2016, and includes an endearing plush collection from Rainbow Designs featuring My First Snowman and Snowdog Comfort Blankets, Ring Rattles and Jingle Bell Booties.

Tel: 01329 227300 Web: www.rainbowdesigns.co.uk

Cosi Cot Bedding Sets The Red Kite Baby Co Ltd Let’s be honest, babies don’t really do much more than eat and sleep (what a great life hey?) so with this in mind The Red Kite Baby Co Ltd have updated their brilliant range of bedding. The new five piece bedding bales are available in Princess Pollyanna, Bertie Bear and Safari, these great sets make perfect gift ideas due to the great packaging each one is supplied in. The Cosi Cot kits coverlet fits standard cot beds and come with a bumper, two sheets and a blanket making it the perfect addition to any nursery. With matching mobiles and other nursery toys within each colour range the Cosi Cot bedding bales become an essential choice when planning any nursery.

Tel: 01454 326 565 Web: www.redkitebaby.com

Focus Launching Now

Great Innovation in 2016

Take a look at what 2016 has in store for you.

Here’s a fantastic selection of products that will kick-start and launch in January and are available now to order.

All in the character Rainbow Designs

A great night’s sleep now got even better.

ClevaMama The ClevaSleep+ Positioner elevates your baby to ease the discomfort caused by reflux, colic, nasal congestion as well as aiding digestion.

The newly designed positioner has adjustable straps and a three point harness that grows with your baby. The slight elevation also helps provide a more comfortable and peaceful sleep for babies.

Made using ClevaFoam technology, which was researched and developed with the Trinity College University in Dublin. ClevaFoam it is scientifically proven to reduce the pressure on the back of your baby’s head by 50% and increase support by 80%, thereby helping to prevent Flat Head Syndrome.

Rainbow Designs have announced the launch of a brand new nursery category for 2016. Due to the success of their Character nursery collections Rainbow are introducing brand new Activity Playmats in their most popular brands.

The beautiful Character Playmats, that are part of Rainbow’s new ‘Big Box’ initiative, are suitable from birth and have been packed with activities to help stimulate babies’ senses as they grow. The Activity Playmats include activities such as a detachable mirror, removable shaped teethers, a cute peek-a-boo flap as well as a multitude of textures and sounds designed specifically to encourage babies’ early development skills. The Activity Playmats will be available in Peter Rabbit, Guess How Much I Love You, Peppa Pig for Baby and The Very Hungry Caterpillar collections.

Tel: 020 8881 1234 Web: www.rainbowdesigns.co.uk

Tel: 353 1 8770724 Email: info@clevamama.com Web: www.clevamama.com

Add a bit of Zeal Obaby Whether your customers want a suitable from birth stroller, the added comfort of a carrycot or the versatility of a travel system, the Zeal stroller effortlessly grows with baby and along with the variety of colour options available, is designed to suit any parents needs. The lightweight, extra wide aluminium chassis accommodates the optional carrycot and 0+ car seat with minimal effort. Having a four-position, full lie back seat means baby will be safe and comfortable from birth, surrounded by durable fabric in a range of stylish designs. Add to this a matching footmuff, changing bag, reversible padded head hugger/ harness pads, large shopping basket and lockable front swivel wheels and you have a great value travel system perfect for whatever life throws your way.

Tel: 01652 641491

RECARO Child Safety launches Optiafix Optiafix is a forward-facing group I seat, suitable for use from 9 – 18 kg (approx. 9 months – 4 years). The integrated RECARO fix base ensures a secure and stable fit, offering greater stability whilst the colour indicators confirm the correct installation.

Optiafix is the third RECARO seat to feature the innovative HERO headrest system. The shoulder padding, belts and headrest form one unit which prevents the harness system from twisting and slipping, this also assists when buckling in too. The system has an integrated five point harness to secure the child in safely. In the event of an impact, advanced side protection is provided by the high performance energy absorbers.

Comfort is consistent as the child grows; the headrest has six height settings which can be easily adjusted to the size of the child and the recline function can be adjusted with one hand. The seat covers are soft and comfortable and they are suitable for machine washing at 300C. Optiafix will be available from January 2016. It will be exclusively available from Halfords stores in the colour Ruby and available from nationwide stores and independent nursery stores in the remaining seven colours: Black, Graphite, Shadow, Saphir, Pink, Violet and Mocca.

Tel: 01926 484111 Web: www.recaro-cs.com

Web: www.obaby.co.uk nursery today 29

Focus Launching Now

Introducing the Hybrid, a stroller without compromise BabyStyle You will have seen the Hybrid on the front cover of this issue of Nursery Today, let us tell you a little more about it.

BabyStyle have another innovative and exciting new stroller to add to their collection for 2016.

It is unique in its design. The Hybrid offers a totally new concept towards our interpretations of a convertible tandem pushchair, its versatility truly has to be seen to be fully appreciated. The Hybrid is new, fresh, original and exciting, it really is the stroller without compromise.

Come and see it for yourself on the stand at Harrogate and see if you agree.

Tel: 01509 81644 Web: www.babystyle.co.uk

New 6 in 1 projection thermometer Brother Max Launching in March is the new non-contact thermometer which is easy to use, highly versatile and gives guaranteed accuracy making this the perfect thermometer for the whole family.

It can be used to measure the forehead, room, bath water, liquid, food and skin (body) and will project the illuminated temperature directly onto the surface, as it is being measured.

Measuring from 1-80 C and storing nine previous readings.

Also using the unique projection aiming system, the temperature is always the correct distance from the surface to ensure reliable accurate reading each time.

Tel: 01280 878260 Email: family@brothermax.com

New Tech from Angelcare The world of parenting just a little easier thanks to innovations in technology from Angelcare.

This new collection of baby monitors has been designed to fit comfortably into parents’ contemporary lifestyles with sleek technology that not only looks the part but can be trusted, day and night.

They’re now offering a large 3.5” portable LCD Colour Screen with stand to make monitoring your sleeping baby even easier.

This new sophisticated, sleek design is available with both AC1300 Movement, Video and Sound Baby Monitor and the AC1320 Video and Sound Baby Monitor.

Key features include: Under-the-Mattress Sensor Pad (AC1300), large 3.5” LCD Colour Screen, Photo Sensor (Auto Day & Night), Adjustable LCD Screen Brightness, Temperature Display & Control, 2.4GHz Digital Transmission, and built-in Nursery Night Light.

Tel: 01785 503 305 Email: info@hcotrade.co.uk Web: www.hardenbergco.co.uk

Three times the fun Halilit/Taf Toys An ingenious 3 in 1 toy, the new Musical Boat Cot Toy from Taf Toys provides a companion for the cot, a fascinating toy for tummy-time and a toy to encourage crawling once baby gets bigger.

From birth, the Musical Boat Cot Toy attaches to the cot rail and plays relaxing sounds, stars are projected onto the ceiling, and the owl character sails and bobs along the base. As baby develops, the base can be placed on the floor for tummy-time play. Finally, the boat can be used independently of the base. Pushing the owl’s head activates music and movement and the boat sails slowly along the floor, encouraging baby to crawl after it.

Tel: 01254 872454 Email: sales@halilit.co.uk Web: www.halilit.co.uk 30 nursery today

4 seats in 1 – Joie launches an every group child seat When it comes to car seats that are designed to grow with your child Joie’s Every Stage car seat has it covered. This addition to the Joie family is designed to make growing up easy from birth to 12 years. It is four seats in one that adjusts, adapts and protects through groups 0+, 1, 2 and 3. Thanks to its AutoAdjust technology, the headrest and side wings grow up and out simultaneously meaning parents can rest assured the seat is where it should be. Additionally the seat has Guard Surround Safety, with side-impact protection panels built in and a reinforced steel inner seat frame, meaning Joie has designed this to be as safe and secure as possible. Plus Every Stage is another great seat in Joie’s extensive range of extended rearward facing seats, as it can be used this way up to 18kg/4 years and then forward faces to 36kg/12 years.

Tel: 01889 808 900 Email: uksales@joiebaby.com

Special Feature Social Media

New Year, New Horizons...

Same Old, Same Old? 2016 has been ushered in, and the bells that rang for Christmas Day are fading echoes as Easter Eggs begin to show their foil-covered faces on the shelves.

I Ross Hewitt, Managing Director of Secret Pie and author of ‘Savvy Social Media’. Ross began his digital marketing career in 1998 and had his first foray into the nursery industry as Head of Marketing & Ecommerce for Silver Cross in 2008. He set up Secret Pie in 2010 and has been helping clients get found and loved online ever since. www.secretpie. co.uk | Ross@ secretpie.co.uk | 01904 410027 | Twitter: @Ross_ Hewitt 32 nursery today

’ve written previously about the merits of having a rolling 3 month social media plan, and I’ve waxed lyrical about extending this into planning the rest of your digital marketing activity, but there is something to be said about looking over your shoulder too.

The best marketing advice I ever received was from an old financial services boss I cut my teeth under back in the 20th century…well, it was actually in 1999, but it has more gravitas and wisdom when a deeper feeling of vintage is being implied.

He told me to always make sure that a marketing manager was looking at tomorrow, today, and yesterday.

So do plan away, and nail down your strategy and content schedules as it will make the todays and tomorrows of this year much easier to manage, but revise and tweak those plans based on the learnings of all those yesterdays.

A good place to start, if you haven’t already, is to properly review your social media activity from 2015. Go back through your Facebook or Twitter accounts and start recording the exciting successes or bland failures that you experienced through last year’s posts and tweets.

If you paid to boost a post on Facebook, then what sort of post was it and how wide was the reported ‘reach’.

How many people ‘liked’ the post, and how many clicks did it attract through to your website? You will be able to see some results data from Facebook for each boosted post (or advert) that will show you the gender split and age groups of people who interacted with the post. Make a note of all of this.

Have a look at your Twitter account – which tweets attracted a decent amount of attention, such as ‘likes’ and retweets? Do the same for any other accounts you have – for example on Instagram record the number of likes

By: Ross Hewitt

or comments you attracted and then higher for a well curated and tended make note of which hashtags you used recipient list that you have been using and what sort of picture is was that you for a reasonable length of time. shared.

Einstein is widely credited with You need to run through this stating that “The definition of insanity exercise until you get a proper feel for is doing the same thing over and over what type of content your audience again, but expecting different results”. responds to best. If you like to share Whether he said it or not is academic, photos of a team member doing something ‘crazy’ and it consistently got Wherever demographic data is little to no response available to evaluate you must start using whatsoever in 2015 then remove that type of it to inform your choices going forward. If content from your 2016 you boost posts to a certain audience that plans completely. If you shared a couple of kid’s includes men and women, but 90% of your baking recipes around clicks and interactions consistently come Easter or Halloween and from women then it is time to ditch the the audience loved them then try introducing more guys and focus your budget on the ladies of that going forward.

Wherever demographic exclusively data is available to evaluate you must start using it to inform your choices going but the message is crucial. Use as much forward. If you boost posts to a certain historical data as possible to shape and audience that includes men and tweak your plans for this year. women, but 90% of your clicks and If that type of email never works, or interactions consistently come from that banner ad on that website never women then it is time to ditch the guys produces revenue, or those tweets just and focus your budget on the ladies fall flat on their face then shake it up exclusively. Make sure you spend as and try something new. much of your budget as possible on the Have a closer look at your groups that are most likely to respond. competitors content…can you see If you sent out email newsletters anything in what they are doing that in 2015 then go back through all the might give you a different angle, campaign data from last year and try especially when they appear to to get a picture of what types of emails get getting some decent audience were the most compelling and which engagement? ones bombed. Review the subject Having a plan is the best way to run lines too that you used as that can your marketing…just don’t plan the often be the first hurdle that parts of same old, same old. Learn from the an audience will fall at. You should be past, try something new. If some of it getting a minimum 20% open rate on doesn’t work then take it on the chin your emails. You should be looking to and move on…the worst case scenario get at least 5% of those people that is that you will have even more and opened it to actually be clicking on better data with which to make your a link. These figures should be even next decision.

“

”

New Arrivals from Little House Furniture The Little House Glider Chair and Footstool. Available in Oak and White colours with adjustable and locking recline mechanism. Available for immediate delivery to retailers.

Brampton â&#x20AC;&#x201C; A beautiful, new range of nursery furniture featuring soft curves and delicate pewter effect handles. Available for immediate delivery to retailers and consumers.

For more information go to www.littlehousefurniture.co.uk

Focus Travelling Baby

On the move There are so many solutions to moving little ones around

O

nce upon a time when mums and dads wanted to move baby from one place to another their choices were to say the least limited – pushchair, pram or dad’s arms and that was about the long and short of it.

Now, times have changed and transporting babies has become much easier and choices are legion.

We put out our feelers to those with an expert knowledge of the subject.

“For Hippychick, it is all about making life a bit easier for parents. For us it is important to ensure that carriers are safe

Did you know…

■ Large and heavy prams as used by the Victorians did not start to be replaced by parents until the mid1950s.

■ Images of children being carried in slings can be seen in Egyptian artwork dating back to the Pharaohs.

■ The modern pouch carrier was created in Hawaii in the early 1990s.

34 nursery today

for both parents and babies to use by eliminating the strain placed on your back whilst securely supporting your baby or child,” said Kelly Linthorne of Hippychick.

“Our Hipseat is designed to keep the spine straight while carrying therefore distributing the weight evenly. There are other options in the Hippychick range such as footmuffs and wraps that enable easy transference from baby seat to crib or pram.”

Daniel Lucas, the founder of We Made Me, said: “It is true to say that a pushchair is the big purchase nearly every family will make when a baby is on the way, but in recent years the trend to have a carrier as well has grown dramatically.”

Mums and dads can transport baby in a sling that enables them to feel close to the little one and the infant is comforted by the sounds of the parental heartbeat.

“Parents have become far more aware of the benefits of babywearing and with a great selection of slings, wraps and carriers now available, many of which look good as well as being functional it is no surprise parents are enjoying keeping baby close,” said Daniel.

Travel systems mean that mum and dad can carry the infant from home to car and then to shops/granny/wherever they want to go without chopping and changing.

“The real winners in this category are multi-tasking – if you can use one product for three jobs then it has the advantage,” said Kelly Linthorne. “Snugglebundl blankets can be used in all of the above and the handles provide an easy way to lift baby safely without excessive bending, however conventional blankets can be just as useful, wrapping or swaddling baby for comfort.”

Once in a pram, babies can now have their own special foot muff to keep those tiny tootsies toasty warm.

“This is a growing market and we are very aware people

“

In recent years the trend to have a carrier as well has grown dramatically

”

like to personalise their major purchases with bright, colourful and original accessories. Here at We Made Me we are working on a collection of new accessories – watch this space,” said Daniel.

There are benefits for retailers as they can use the opportunity to upsell to customers as John Jackson of The Baby Store in Staffordshire confirmed. “Parents come in with one item to buy in mind and they often leave with lots of other important but necessary stuff.”

“This is especially true for travel systems where there are a multitude of accessories that can be attached – My Buggy Buddy, for example, takes the form of a simple carabineer clip but can be used to hang shopping, a handbag,” said Kelly Linthorne “and is also available with a combination lock to allow safe stowing to railings when out and about. For this time of year where nights are long, Buggi Lights ensure safety by the road, illuminating the front and back of a buggy in a similar fashion to bicycle lights.”

Sleeptight Travel Cot The Red Kite Baby Co Nights away from home for little ones become a major tactical operation with weeks of planning, loads of worry and the compulsory full car load of your little ones’ night time essentials. The Travel Cot has become a stalwart item for nights away and offers little ones comfortable secure sleep where ever they might be adventuring at the time. The Red Kite Baby Co Ltd have long offered the award winning Sleeptight range of travel cots, with a current choice of black, blue and pink options. The Sleeptight Cot comes with a handy carry bag which fits the travel cot and slotted mattress comfortably inside, one of the main plus points is the ease to which the Sleeptight is assembled and collapsed. Upon using this great travel cot it is easy to find out first hand why the Sleeptight Travel Cot has been – and continues to be – such a popular choice for travelling babies.

Web: www.redkitebaby.co.uk

Pop Up & Play Portable Playpen Summer Infant For years playpens have been the same and have not been ideal for taking out of home when travelling with baby, until now…

Summer Infant recently launched its Pop & Play Portable Playpen that is highly innovative in its design, it is the only ultralightweight, compact folding playpen that lets parents create a safe play area at home or away, in seconds. At last parents can feel at ease when staying at holiday homes, campsites or other less child-friendly locations, knowing they can let their little one have a safe and comfortable play space to explore.

Weighing in at only 5.4kg and with a handy carry strap, the Pop Up & Play Portable Playpen is great for travelling, it folds down so compactly it takes up as much space as a traditional folding camping chair. In terms of ease of use, it is so quick and simple for parents to erect and just as easy to fold down. Yet despite it being lightweight and super compact, it is actually very sturdy and has 1.3 square metres of floor space, giving baby plenty of room to play. The easy breath mesh sides also give baby easy visibility of the world around him and with a water-resistant floor it is perfect for indoor to outdoor use.

• Adjustable leg room • SIP+ • 5-belt harness • Double cushion inserts

To join in contact BeSafe UK/Ireland on: sales@hts.no

Web: www.summerinfant.co.uk nursery today 35

Focus Travelling Baby

i-Size with BabyStyle 2016 will see BabyStyle produce and supply their own Oyster brand of isize Car Seats. The new range of Oyster Isofix Car Seats will combine and offer style with safety for the conscious parent. The venture into Car Seats is an exciting step forward for BabyStyle see how they enhance the Oyster collection

Happy Travels from Happy Mummy Happy Mummy offers a superb range of brands which make travelling with Baby easier! Chiropractor-inspired and mum-designed Baby Elephant Ears is a multi-use baby headrest providing spinal/neck alignment and comfort - offered in beautiful prints and organics, ethically manufactured and made with sustainable materials.

Buggy Guard is an anti-theft device for prams and strollers while at the park, home, or travelling. A long cable of almost four feet allows for it to be looped through or around a stationary object. Buggy Butler is a handy stroller organiser that doubles as a shoulder carry changing bag with two generous sized insulated cup holders, a built in cooler for food, a phone pocket and a dry back pocket for keys, purses and extra nappies and baby essentials.

at Harrogate.

Tel: 020 3002 9698

Tel: 01509 816444

Email: anna@happymummy.com

Web: www.babystyle.co.uk

Web: www.happymummy.com

Zoom with ABC Design Obaby Are your customers looking for a twin tandem that can handle any situation? Then look no further than the ABC Design Zoom Tandem. With an endless amount of seat configurations, the Zoom is perfect for any adventure.

The new for 2016 Style trim adds an extra elegant touch with handmade, leather effect handles and accents throughout the seat unit and optional carrycot. Couple this with the new Street colour scheme in durable denim fabric and you have not only an amazingly engineered tandem, but one that looks as amazing as it performs.

Tel: 01652 641491 Web: www.obaby.co.uk

Out of this world SpaceCot Travelling with a baby is no small task which is why there are products a plenty designed specifically for this purpose that are full of promise, yet when it comes to a truly comfortable light weight travel cot, options are limited. Cue the rocket scientist.

Yes, a real life rocket scientist has been involved in the development of SpaceCot, the ultra-light travel cot that opens up in just three seconds. SpaceCots unique folding mechanism is derived from the European Space Agency’s foldable satellite technology and offers a baby travel system which is simple, light-weight, and easy to set up anywhere. SpaceCot’s clever mattress can be adjusted to two different levels, is machine washable and eco-friendly. Once folded it fits easily into a stylish protector bags with a strap making it easy to carry. SpaceCot is launching in March 2016 and is available for pre-order please contact contact@oxfordspacestrucutres.com for more information.

Tel: 0742 767 5012 Web: oxfordspacestructures.com Email: contact@oxfordspacestructures.com

36 nursery today

Introducing

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Find us at the Toy Fair, stand B56 Contact details: nursery@east-coast.co.uk 01692 408802 EastCoastNursery @EC_Nursery

Focus Travelling Baby

Going potty Maguari Maguari’s comprehensive travel range provides parents with a onestop shop for stress-free journeys.

The award-winning Potette Plus is an invaluable travel potty for families on the go, while the ISI Mini Baby Seat Protector is 100% waterproof for protecting car seats from potty training accidents or drink spills. Also from the ISI Mini brand, the Car Seat Organiser keeps kids’ boredom at bay, neatly storing toys and accessories as well as providing a tablet viewer for films on the move. Keeping leaks and odours contained and wet and dry clothes separate, parents will appreciate the Skip Hop Grab & Go Wet/Dry Bag. With two zippered sections and a waterproof lining, this machine-washable, smart-looking bag has a sturdy strap for conveniently attaching to the buggy. Visit www.maguari.com to see the full travel range.

Go Urban

Tel: 01293 592170 Web: www.maguari.com

Chicco Coming back bigger and better, the Chicco Urban will be reintroduced as the Urban Plus Travel System. The new and improved model offers increased practicality, as the seat unit is now fully foldable along with the chassis, in one easy manoeuvre. This offers maximum convenience for parents as the Urban Plus becomes even easier to close and transport than its predecessor.

In addition, the pram unit can now become a semi rigid carrycot, meaning when it is detached from the chassis it can be placed onto a flat surface to offer maximum comfort and minimal disturbance for the baby.

The Urban Plus also features a stylish new design with an all black chassis and, new for this year, it now will be possible to buy the complete travel system, including the pushchair with carrycot system, colour pack, Autofix-Fast car seat and adapter, all in one box.

This offers increased value for consumers, giving them everything they need to take their baby on the move, and minimising any left over product for retailers.

Just like the original Urban, the seat can be easily switched from rear facing to forward facing and offers various recline positions to ensure maximum comfort for baby at all times. The colour packs can also be swapped and changed to offer a fully customisable system that can be personalised to suit every parent.

The Urban Plus travel system will be available in the all in one box solution with either the Anthracite, Red Wave or Dune colour pack. Other colour packs available will be Beige, Cyclamen, Summer Nature, Summer Sahara, Winter Night, Winter Sunset.

RRP £475.00

Tel: 020 8593 6627 Web: www.chicco.co.uk 38 nursery today

On the go, with the umbrella-folding Spot from Bebecar The Spot combines great features with compact folding.

Its clean look is deceptively simple – Spot includes ergonomic handles, adjustable suspension, an adjustable/removable hood, an extra-padded seat, and ball bearings in the rear wheels, so it’s comfortable for parents and baby on long days out.

Unlike many umbrella-folding strollers, the Spot can lie flat, so it’s suitable from birth.

The patented folding mechanism and security lock protect little fingers and prevent accidental folding; and all four wheels can be easily detached, making the Spot chassis truly compact to store and transport.

Bebecar products are designed and engineered to an extremely high specification, and are made in Europe.

Tel: 01692 408801 Web: www.bebecar.co.uk

Travel Cot and Click On Accessory Range from Joie

Dreaming with Diono Diono Dreamland is a brand new travel cot offering parents a lightweight, compact and portable sleep solution. A combination of superior function, ease of use and stylish design, the Diono Dreamland Travel Bassinet is one of the easiest bassinets to assemble. Ready to use right out of the box, Dreamland unfolds in seconds and automatically clips into place with no complicated mechanism or assembly required.

Tel: 01827 310557 Web: uk.diono.com

SecureClick is the popular travel cot range from Joie, which allows parents to choose the right cot and accessory package to suit their travel needs. All the products in the range come with SecureClick technology – a unique and ultra-safe way for the toppers / accessories to secure to the base unit. Designed as convenient travel companions, the SecureClick cots are engineered to keep baby secure whether playing or sleeping.

All are suitable from birth to 15kgs and come with a simply brilliant range of features you’d expect from Joie including: • A full-sized bassinet which can be attached and removed easily • Four-sided mesh-lined sides for ventilation • Simple push button fold for set up and fold down in seconds • A carry bag Winner of the BANTA 2015 Travel Accessories category at the Harrogate International Nursery Fair, the Joie SecureClick range includes the Excursion Change & Rock travel Cot with a comfy bassinet, deluxe lift-off changer, lift-off napper, plus a sound and light unit all with SecureClick technology. Both accessories have their own feet, allowing them to be used on or off the cot. The napper turns into a stand-alone rocker once placed on the floor. It features soft, cosy fabrics and includes an infant pillow and lower harness cover. There is also a removable napper canopy. The cocoon-shaped seat is perfect for cradling newborns.

Tel: 01889 808 900 Email: uksales@joiebaby.com

Happy babies with Taf Toys A fabulous accessory for anyone purchasing their first car seat, the new Musical Car Toy Owl from Taf Toys is designed to keep baby happy during journeys in the car. This innovative and entertaining travel toy attaches securely to a headrest and features an owl character with light-up eyes, dangling toys, baby-safe mirror and an assortment of playtime and soothing melodies. The music and lights can be touch-activated by baby or controlled by the driver via a handy portable remote control which features an on-off button and mode selection. One of a wide range of innovative in-car activity toys from Taf Toys.

Tel: 01254 872454 Email: sales@halilit.co.uk Web: www.halilit.co.uk nursery today 39

Special Feature Nigel Plested

The road ahead By the time you’re reading this it will be 2016, with the promise of a whole new year in front of us.

By: Nigel Plested

Nigel Plested is a designer and a creative director.

He is the founder of Narrative Studio, a strategic design business, which brings together a specialist and experienced team of designers with a rich expertise in new family culture, parenthood and babyhood; creating award-winning products and brands.

Prior to setting up the business. Nigel was on the board of directors at Mamas & Papas, and alongside Narrative, he now writes and lectures on the subject of parenting and product culture. Nigel can be contacted through the company website www. narrativestudio.com or he can be found on LinkedIn.

40 nursery today

If your customers are in the midst of newly established parenthood, or expanding their brood, there will be an excitement of what lies in store, the chance to go somewhere new, and maybe endeavor to try something for the first time. But with the ambition to get out and about, travel afar and even voyaging to new continents, they are presented with a whole host of challenges, from planning routes to carrying kit for the eventualities which lie ahead.

Once upon a time…

Historically, babies used to go where ever we did, although in simpler times that was generally not very far. Some cultures were nomadic, and had smart solutions for getting family from A to B as a part of their seasonal journey, but we could argue that modern cultural patterns, traits and opportunity for babies to travel over distance, at times of our choosing, and in multiple modes of transport, is very still very much in its infancy.

This is why there is so much scope to design and develop travel products, for babies and infants, and it is not just linked to the fact that we are travelling a little bit more, or that we have pragmatic needs when we are embarking on our annual jollies.

It’s more multifaceted and reflective of the changing nature of our social structures and our ability to move unrestricted, quickly and with reliable modes of transport. Sometimes it’s not ideas that create innovation, but the changing landscape of the world we live in.

These are the shifting perspectives that we are considering when we design for travel, and it is less about compromised solutions and more about new classes of product, reflecting changing needs and wants.

Family planning There are several factors at play which encourage us to travel with children, however young. One of them is the increased frequency we need to travel as a reflection of

the demands of a modern family structure, and quite often independent transport. where we are no longer local to our “tribe” This was unseen in past generations; when or family. In this world the significance of driving out of town required an oil check, travelling becomes ever-more important stringback gloves, and an AA map of Great when we need to be mobile and we need Britain. to be independent. This is illustrated during This means that if we consider seasonal holidays we seemingly move automotive environments, we are not just more, rather than less, and rather than catering for one family car, but multiple stay put, we attempt to get back to somewhere we once grew up.

There is so much scope to design You could argue that digital communication via and develop ‘travel products’, for babies Skype or social media also and infants, and it is not just linked to keeps us close, but it is key contributor providing us the fact that we are travelling a little bit with the confidence and more, or that we have pragmatic needs reassurance to spread out, beyond the streets of our when we are embarking on our annual home towns, and through the boarders that previously jollies limited our horizons. Local dependence on communities we once knew is significantly reduced, and the “roots” and family vehicles. We might be looking at products frameworks that previously influenced which translate from vehicle to vehicle, where we did our family planning are or we might be looking at duplicity and dissolving. This is creating international repetitive or group purchases. families, and transcontinental migration of couples planning to start a family or taking Home comforts a very young family with them.

This family stretch also means that we need to be able to replicate our parental Twice the effort expectations of normality, comfort and Our modern paternal and maternal roles quality “home from home”. Parents of also mean that we are equally positioned, course look for the practicalities of size, empowered and motivated to make weight and convenience, but this is now journeys with our children independently only a part of the story, in a world where we of each other. This is a relatively new want least compromise and best for baby. scenario. My mother couldn’t drive, and The driving factors are moving away from we only had one car in 1971 for a family disposable, temporary solutions, in favour of six, but the idea of couples moving of semi permanent or new archetypes, independently with newborns would have where we feel that the compromises are been more unusual, male or female. Today, better managed. this means that the frequency of travel Comfort is also something that parents is duplicated, and dads have the need to have always found hard to judge. Quite be equipped and organised, as much as naturally our ideas regarding baby’s mum, who has found a self-dependency comfort are governed by visual assessment

“

”

Think Baby.

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Fast forward In the future, things that we consider to be travel products will become more integrated into the fabric of our lives, and less about bolt on, third party widgets and gizmos that make up for a hotels lack of beds, or our need to get more into the back of a hatchback.

Instead I think that travelling with baby is more about a whole host of cultural needs, some of which are shaping up rather than being well established. Parents no longer see the world as an obstacle course to be warily approached, and instead they have the confidence, desire and want to move at will in a world that will become smaller and smaller with every future generation. As designers, brands and service providers, that makes for an interesting landscape full of change, opportunity and interest.

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Pop up shop On a recent journey to the west coast of America, I was reading the in-flight magazine. In it was an article about the growth of parent services on arrival, and a host of start ups creating convenience for parents who want to travel and arrive with all their transient needs catered for. In the past these might have been rental businesses, where the products were world worn, tired and unattractively used.

But these new businesses cater for a more demanding traveller, who is not distressed and in need of “something to get them by…” but instead they are looking for service, quality and that VIP feeling.

The ABC Design range of pushchairs are designed and engineered in Germany

Ready, steady, go!

We are also under pressure to be at the ready. Not for planned journeys but the potential need to travel at a moments notice. We have unpredictability in our lives, which leads to parents attempting to future-proof their ability to get out of the door when they least expect it.

This seems to be represented in my parenting circles by the permanent addition of a roof top box to the ubiquitous seven-seater, which is prepacked to go anywhere at the drop of a hat, rather than a garage ornament.

The cost of travel has reduced over the last three decades, both in terms of cars and fuel, married with more competition to get us to more destinations worldwide. We are holidaying further afield, and we are seemingly less concerned by international risks of hygiene, weather and disease. I am conscious of many parents taking a break with their under threes in Asia, or the US, where once upon a time the Canary Isles was as distant and exotic as it got for a small family unit looking for sun, sea and sand.

This is married with increased reliability. We do not doubt we will arrive on time. Whether we are taking the car or jetting off, we take travel for

granted because delays, complexity, breakdowns or the bureaucracy of travel has reduced and made moving with babies more certain.

- (SS [OL ÅL_PIPSP[` `V\ JHU [OPUR VM

(which can be counter intuitive, in a world where soft and squishy is not necessarily good for baby), but there are innovation opportunities in the control, development, staging and appropriation of comfort when away from home.

We are also looking for enduring comfort when moving. We travel for longer periods over shorter distances, so the emphasis is on comfort factors whilst moving, not just when we arrive.

Focus GRO

Time to Gro Having now been operating in the nursery industry for 15 years, Gro have certainly come a long way since the introduction of their first Grobag. Penny Franks visited their head offices in Exeter, to speak with CEO, Christian Jones to find out a bit more about this growing brand.

A

s the number one manufacturer of safer sleep solutions, Gro have developed and licensed a variety of products which meet the demands of their customers.

Having listened to their retail partners and consumers, they are driven and passionate about what the future holds for the next 15 years.

With more than 70 staff operating across 3 continents (with offices in Australia, France, China and of course the UK), Gro are fast becoming a recognised global brand, although their origin will always be as a UK company with Christian stating: “The UK will always be the heart and soul of our heritage. We are after all a British company - we reflect that in our branding, but want to be accessible to all parents.”

With a single product launch 15 years ago, it is evident that this company hasn’t rested on its laurels and has looked to create products that fit their portfolio. So how was this achieved? What credentials do they look at before increasing their product range?

“The key thing for us first and foremost was to really establish the core proposition of the brand, so it’s all about sleep credentials. It’s uncompromising and once you’ve established that you can start to build brand equity.

“It is a danger in business to start with a product and then

42 nursery today

immediately start to look for what you think will be the next big thing. The difficult and more sustainable approach is to focus on core and establish it within the key markets as opposed to continual new product cycle.

“Our design team is based here in the UK. We are still very much British in our approach.”

“For me coming in to what was a single product company at the time, the important thing was to establish the brand, and then build, keeping in mind that whatever we do, we will always remain focussed and relevant to our consumers.

If we start to ‘switch off core’, then it would mean that our ranges drift away from what consumers feel we are about. It

“Our product portfolio has grown, and it has grown in keeping with our company values and in line with what our consumers want.” doesn’t mean to say we are going to be a one trick pony, we have demonstrated that we are not.

“Our product portfolio has grown, and it has grown in keeping with our company values and in line with what our consumers want. Regular touch points with consumers through research and feedback are essential.”

For many, Gro is often thought of as a soft product range, associated perhaps with the sleeptime category, but Christian sees this differently. “I wouldn’t say sleeptime,” he says. “I would say the sleep environment - whether it’s preparation for sleep or travel - anything to do with reassuring parents when they are looking to put their little one to bed or for a nap. Sleep can incorporate a number of environments, but I feel it’s all about preparation for bed. There are opportunities in a number of areas outside of sleep that are still relevant.”

Having started with just one product, the Grobag, this company has certainly grown and matured over the years.

With a strong and realistic business approach Gro aims to ensure that each item is carefully selected, updated and improved where and when possible, and to offer products that run in line with consumer trends and of course safety standards, something that is extremely important to them (as it should be in this industry) - and then, and only then, will they look at perhaps launching new ranges into this extremely emotive product category – sleep associated products.

Of course, their ranges offer a variety of safe sleep solutions, whether they be at home, on the move, or whilst away on holiday - their products offer a sound, solid and more to the point, responsible approach to infant sleeping.

Working in harmony with The Lullaby Trust, their chosen charity, Gro feels this is their perfect charity partner and is incredibly proud that the majority of their product ranges carry not only the coveted Lullaby Trust logo on their packaging but are the only brand recommended and endorsed by the charity.

“We work closely with The Lullaby Trust and at present

it would appear that the 25 and up age group understand and are aware of safe sleep. However, by working with The Lullaby Trust and producing products in association with the European standard and The Lullaby Trust guidelines, it is our hope to bring this awareness age down via a number of channels. Social media is one such example as this is a fantastic way of generating spontaneous awareness and provides us with a good platform to raise awareness among the younger parenting age group and those identified by The Lullaby Trust as key target groups for education.

“The Lullaby Trust is also a research charity, not just an awareness organisation into the prevention of SIDS and we help to increase the reach of these messages to a wider audience.”

And what about growth outside of existing markets – what can we expect?

“Making parenting easier is at the heart of everything we do and we want to make our products as accessible to as many parents as possible globally – however this is not at the expense of diluting our core proposition or making our products too expensive for many new parents to buy.

“Therefore our approach is to create a sustainable model in each of our key markets to allow both product education and Brand positioning to sit side by side – it is not a numbers game as to how many countries we can distribute to, as many of these distribution points would not achieve our core aim of having a Gro product in every household and not just those that can afford it.”

An area that has been incredibly notable over the years for Gro, is their ability to spot smaller, stand-alone products that fit with their core proposition. How important are these to Gro? “We get excited when we see a product that we feel is innovative in a way that will enhance parents’ lives, for example the Gro-hush which we felt was a genuine consumer need. It’s a product that enables parents and care providers to engage with a distressed child by providing soothing sounds directly to their baby. We know that this is a very strong trend in the US, but here in the UK it is still gaining awareness. We feel this trend will gain momentum.

“Our design team is based here in the UK. We are still very much British in our approach but use influences from all of our key markets to keep the design process both relevant and attractive to our wider consumer base.”

And what about retailer support? “We consistently strive to ensure that our brand resonates with consumers via Brand

awareness / education / marketing and social media – this is our window to the world. This helps to drive consumers to our retailers where we then offer a wide range of Trade marketing support across the retail spectrum to influence and engage at point of purchase.”

And finally, what about the future – what can we expect?

“Pretty much more of the same, as our core message is to make Gro the number one baby sleep brand globally.

This will only happen if we remain focused on delivering products which we are passionate about and deliver best in class for a parenting universe which demands the best for their new baby.”

Fun Facts • Gro have now been established for 15 years • Gro staff enjoy half day Fridays in July and August • Every team member automatically gets the day off on their birthday • They have won in excess of 200 consumer, trade and business awards worldwide • One Gro-clock is purchased every 3 minutes worldwide

nursery today 43

Focus Made In Britain

Once the laughing stock of the civilised world, now everyone is clamouring for items that are made in Britain

Made in Britain

F

or a long time, the words “Made in Britain” on a product showed that the item was among the best in the world. Then came a lull and the words “Made in Britain” became ones to avoid on almost any product.

Now the wheel has turned full circle and once again people are putting their faith in buying British and customers around the world know they can buy British with confidence that they are getting a top product.

We spoke to a number of interested parties who were all, of course, made in Britain!

Kelly Linthorne of Hippychick told us: “British products have always been seen as both innovative in design and quality, borne from the fact that Britain was a market leader in many fields.

“The home of many world-class, well-established brands, the perception of Britain as a quality manufacturer falls into place because of this heritage.”

“

British products have always been seen as both innovative in design and quality

”

Indeed, the pride in British workmanship goes back to the industrial revolution when the country was in the vanguard of so many innovations in so many different industries.

It is this history that drives the demand for British items as Kelly says: “British products on a whole are well marketed with a host of global endorsements and figures leading campaigns for them.”

Sean Johnson, the managing director of Little Helper, said: “British products are viewed around the world as quality products, and much of this has to do with a long history of Britain being at the forefront of design, engineering and 44 nursery today

manufacturing. We may not have the manufacturing base that we once had, but Britain still carries the torch for worldclass design and engineering.”

“British products tend to be more crafted in small batches these days, allowing for exacting levels of finishing resulting in higher quality,” says Nick Paxton, the chief executive of Silver Cross.

Stephen Truswell, the sales director for Harrison Spinks’ Nursery Division, told us: “Perceptions indicate that people buy British thanks to the guarantees associated with British products. From high quality, craftsmanship and reliability, to durability, innovation and value for money, Britishmade products are commonly associated with heritage and excellence, all of which are held in high esteem by both UK and overseas buyers.”

We also know how to advertise and market our products and although it is paramount that a Made in Britain is marked on product packaging “it is more important that a product is to be perceived as British in its design and quality origins,” says Kelly.

“Over the past decade British brands have found their confidence to design the classic understated look that only comes from British branded design,” said Nick Paxton.

People are no longer happy to put up with shoddy foreign goods that fall apart ten minutes after mum or dad has taken it out of the packaging and put in the hands of a little one.

“Manufactured in Britain is important, so too is designed and serviced in Britain, guaranteeing the highest levels of quality at every touch point,” says Nick Paxton.

Claire Blake, a retailer from BabyBaby in east London, said: “We find customers are much more interested now in a product’s origins. And we seem to shift many more units of those products that are made at home.”

Kelly says: “There is definitely a growing concern with consumers when it comes to how long a product will last and being able to trust the brand that you are buying from, especially when it comes to products for your children.”

Nick Paxton comments: “Manufactured in Britain is important, so too is designed and serviced in Britain, guaranteeing the highest levels of quality at every touch point.”

So what trends can we expect to see? Nick is certain: “Small batch, artisan crafted finish and detail, detail, detail!”

Sean Johnson said: “Perhaps the biggest trend in our industry that impact on many subject areas, not just Made in Britain, is how the evolution of the online market is changing everything. Today trends change so quickly, and tomorrows trends will soon be superseded and history.

Quality is the key. Quality is what will keep the trend line moving in the right direction, because quality will always outlive technology fads, and quality is what British designed and manufactured products are about.”

Did you know…

■ The Made in Britain Campaign was originally conceived in 2011.

■ “I’m Backing Britain” was a patriotic campaign, which flourished in 1968 and features in the first edition of Dad’s Army.

■ Two and a half million are involved in manufacturing in Britain.

■ Despite being available all over London Boris bikes are actually made in Canada.

■ Long before people watched TV on their phones, the first handheld pocket television was made in Britain.

Focus Made In Britain

Proud UK manufacturers, East Coast Nursery

Clippasafe’s British heritage in harnesses Clippasafe are known for a comprehensive range of safety products that protect babies and toddlers in the home and out and about, but the company started life making safety harnesses and leather products at their factory in Nottingham in the 1958. Since then they’ve expanded to sell a range of 15 harnesses and still weave the webbing for them on site in Nottingham. They’ve even been given the honour of creating a harness for His Royal Highness Prince George.

Clippasafe’s factory in the UK employs 35 people.

Along with their webbing harnesses and wrist links, they also manufacture their toy hammocks, stroller net bags and safety nets at their manufacturing site in Nottingham.

East Coast Nursery offer a comprehensive range of mattresses, all of which are proudly made in the UK. Designed to give customers a choice of construction, the range comprises: • Foam mattresses, with a choice of wipe-clean or washable covers • Fibre mattress with a breathable, washable cover • Spring mattress contains a supportive Bonnell spring unit wrapped in dentresistant foam, with a breathable, washable cover • Pocket sprung mattress offers exceptional support with individual springs, high-grade foam and a breathable, washable cover • All Natural mattress, made with natural coir and wool with a quilted bamboo cover East Coast Nursery are passionate about UK sourcing and manufacture wherever possible, also making their changing mats and highchair insert cushions in their UK factory.

Tel: 01692 408802 Email: nursery@east-coast.co.uk Web: www.eastcoastnursery.co.uk

Tel: 0115 9211 899 Web: www.clippasafe.co.uk

If The Shoe Fits Hippychick are proud to present their own signature baby and toddler shoe range – hand made in the UK. The next best thing to bare feet, each pair is made of sustainably sourced, Chrome 6 free leather and fully tested by the British Leather Technology Centre.

Extremely soft and breathable, the Hippychick range feature non slip, flexible suede soles to aid those important first steps and no laces or fastenings mean nothing to trip over. With 16 styles available for boys and girls – there’s something for everyone!

Web: www.hippychick.com

3D Wall Art from Little Helper For the new year, comes a new approach to nursery décor. Little Helper is proud to introduce 3D Wall Art to transform any nursery, bedroom or playroom into a fun, colourful and enchanting feature. Exclusive designed and manufactured in the heart of the industrial north, the contrast couldn’t be greater. Bright, cute and loveable characters that will literally stand out in their 3D form, wherever you choose to arrange them, gives you the opportunity of designing the layout yourself. Part of Little Helper’s Animal Kingdom, these adorable animals will bring any room to life. 2016 sees Little Helper launch these cuties on bedding and nursery accessories so you can bring the safari to the nursery.

Feel Good Art now boasts a range of gallery-wrapped canvases, décor blocks, framed prints as well as new 3D Wall Art for the New Year. For more information or to become a reseller, contact the lovely folks at Little Helper.

Web: www.littlehelper.co.uk

46 nursery today

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Focus Meet The PR’s

Say hello to the nursery PRs Getting your news out into the world can sometimes prove quite a tricky business with an endless list of pressing things to do. Fear not, as a trade sector this where a good PR company comes in. They take the pressure off and do all your promotion for you. From contacting the necessary press to marketing online, good PR companies know exactly who and how to get your news, deals, offers and promotions read by the right people, something that will only help you and your sales succeed.

Bertelli Communications

The Butterfly Consultancy Butterfly is a fully integrated Marketing and PR consultancy specialising in the parenting sector. Our clients range from parenting lifestyle goods and services to baby products and toys.

We have a wealth of experience across all aspects of traditional and modern day marketing techniques including: • Advertising and PR to include ATL and BTL campaigns with a strong network of contacts • Digital development: Social Media, Website management • Event management across trade, press and consumer platforms • Brand development projects managed through entire life cycle Working as part of your team, we take a very hands on approach to implementing PR and marketing strategies and create tailored campaigns and strategies to suit the individual needs of our clients and budgets.

Butterfly is owned by Kelly Jones who has nearly 20 years’ experience in International Marketing, Brand Development, Product Marketing, New Product Development and Marketing Communications working within the Parenting sector. A mum herself, Kelly understands the market and the consumer from both a personal and professional perspective in order to deliver the right campaigns for the right brand.

Email: kelly@thebutterflyconsultancy.co.uk Tel: 01865 655802 / 07717 214040

48 nursery today

Bertelli Communications has nearly 20 years’ experience within the nursery and toy sector and specialise in getting brands noticed. The small team devise cost-effective, affordable PR campaigns to suit each client’s specific needs and work hard to achieve results – positioning clients and their products within their target audience to generate PR exposure that drives brand awareness and ultimately sales.

Lianne Bertelli, MD at Bertelli Comms comments: Having worked in this industry for so long we not only understand our clients target market but are passionate about achieving results in this fast-moving and always exciting sector. We like to think of ourselves as an integral part of our clients’ team and we work with some fantastic companies. We are always looking to work with new clients so please do get in touch.’

The agency currently works with Dreamgenii, Baby&More, KiddiCorp, Pretend to Bee and Kiddiewinkles.

Email: lianne@bertellicommunications.co.uk Website: www.bertellicommunications.co.uk

Corporact Award-winning communications agency specialising in developing communications strategies, creating unique content and improving brand visibility.

Click - the agency of choice for online PR and brand communications solutions for the nursery industry.

Create - use their storytelling skills to create content that people want to share.

Communicate - digital capabilities and best-of-class communications solutions help deliver content across multiple channels to the right people in the right places.

Connect - inform, educate, engage and get social in b2b and b2c communities.

Tel: 020 7917 6804 Email: info@corporact.com Web: www.corporact.com

Azaria Now in their twelfth year, Azaria is one of the UK’s leading family specialist PR, Marketing and Social Media Agency. With a proven track record and envied reputation,

bumpPR

they work with brands big

As bumpPR embarks on its 6th year specialising in the nursery and toy industry, the team’s

campaigns.

passion is bigger and better than ever, and the multi award winning PR agency remains one of the most successful in the sector. Not only does the team still work for many of the brands it did when it first opened its doors in 2009, but with new clients coming on board monthly, they have built up a truly enviable portfolio. Ranging from some of the biggest parenting brands such as Medela and smarTrike to the UK’s most famous parenting innovations including SnoozeShade and ewan the Dream Sheep, the team are so proud of the products they represent. With bespoke packages created to meet each client’s PR needs, the team and clients enjoy great results!

Tel: 01462 613002 Email: lisa@bumppr.co.uk Web: www.bumppr.co.uk

and small, helping their clients reach their business goals through targeted From strategy to content to execution, they handle it all. They nurture their clients including brands such as Stokke, Little Tikes and Joie, looking after all their PR needs, as well as social media, awards, sampling, advertising and much more. Azaria have a first class team led by MD Amber Steventon who has more than twenty years’ PR experience; “we all love what we do and our passion shines through.

“Our regular research and expert contacts mean we have our fingers firmly on the pulse of the British family, plus we know our industry inside out - toys, pushchairs, car seats, apps, food, gifts, services, shows, we have worked with them all!

“We’re well known amongst celebrities, media and bloggers as the go-to agency for all things family, which ensures we stay one step ahead of the game.”

Tel: 01604 217 000 Email: hello@azariapr.co.uk Web: www.azariapr.co.uk

Clareville Communications Babyville, the baby and parenting consumer division of Clareville Communications, offers a specialised, integrated creative approach to PR and marketing for all its clients, with outstanding results. Nikki Fox, Director of babyville has grown babyville while representing some of the most well-known baby brands and continues to dominate the baby arena.

Tel: 020 7736 4022 Email: Nikkifox@babyville.co.uk Web: www.babyville.co.uk

Kara Rose PR

Dinky Dragon, Love Boo, Your Baby Club, Bohn Swimwear, Wishagift, and Multimac.

KRPR has a breadth of experience that includes PR, advertising, social media and marketing which gives them a superb understanding of how to deliver outstanding, and often award-winning campaigns for all of their clients in the highly competitive nursery industry.

Capturing attention is one thing, but at KRPR their aim is to capture and retain that affiliation. They understand parent loyalty to products and brands they have grown to love but also know that brands can’t sit back and rest on their laurels and campaigns need to resonate with consumers for the right reasons.

For some new brands who need help entering the industry, the team at KRPR work with them to achieve standout against tough competition. KRPR keeps it fresh, engaging and proactive to ensure clients are front of mind and where appropriate, that their clients are aligned to celebrities and suppliers akin to their own brand values.

One successful PR campaign was for KRPR client, Bizzi Growin, Lancashirebased suppliers of soft nursery furnishings on an international scale. One strategically crafted ‘Find the Face of ’ campaign was swiftly picked up by local and national newspapers including OK! magazine, Lancashire Life, the Daily Mail and the Daily Star with backing gained from a raft of celebrity supporters too.

From high impact, creative, experiential campaigns and product launches, through to nurturing blogger relationships and community engagement, they carefully manage brand awareness and make their clients the ‘go to’ brand of choice for consumers.

Tel: 07967199552 Email: charlotte.allister@swaypr.co.uk

Tel: 01257 262498 Web: www.kr-pr.co.uk

Sway PR Sway PR is proud to represent truly innovative brands and this is they feel what sets them apart. They look to work with clients who have a product or service that is truly useful to new parents and families.

The idea for Sway was sparked three years ago when Charlotte, the founder, had her first baby and learnt first-hand how challenging parenting is and this is why they only work with brands and product that are truly exceptional.

Sway PR has a great reputation within the parenting and national press and they are always a first port of call for journalists looking to feature entrepreneurs and amazing products!

For them PR is not just about exposure, it’s about helping your business grow and they will pull out all the stops to ensure that happens. Sway PR clients include Mia Tui, SpaceCot,

nursery today 49

Talking Shop with NSG By: Yasmin Ali, Babyland

H

appy New Year! Word is that the New Year, as expected, has been busy for most of us - it has also come with its fair share of suicidal offers online. At fault here are nationals and independents alike... we all lose and it further deteriorates the trade. Or of course we could go lower and lower in price and just give items to the customer free of charge - that would always work wouldn’t it?

Don’t forget FREE delivery, it’s not like you have to pay couriers(!). Yes some of the suppliers are stomping down on it – that’s great, thank you... but so many are not. Look, I get that price fixing is a no-no, but those who can’t stick to a promotion price, or a minimal discount, need to be weeded out. You can’t price fix...but you CAN stop stock flow. All I’m seeing at the moment is my mailbox full of screenshots - this offer, that offer...so I start to think maybe this is just the way of things now then I speak to an NSG member who tells me they don’t have a sale at all, and very rarely discount! If some can manage it...why can’t we all? I think it’s getting a bit ridiculous now and, as an industry, we need to find solutions. This isn’t the food industry where we are looking at 50, 100, 200% margins! At best we’re looking at 25-40%, 50% on some promotions if we’ve been really good.

So, our margin...when we offer a 10% (or more) discount...gives us what in return? My hope is that 2016 will bring in more unity, better price and stock management and more margin.

Let’s take a look at baby essentials The editor wanted me to look at

50 nursery today

baby essentials. It depends what you are looking at as essentials... nappies disposable; (supermarkets); reusable - very niche market. Things like vests, babygrows, basic blankets, mitts and hats - yes we can keep a range - but we can’t miss the trick here. Cheap and cheerful - leave that to the supermarkets and nationals.

Yuk. Make yourself a destination store - I recommend quality products, higher price point, look for margin on these items. There isn’t much that the consumer can’t pick up alongside their beans and bread; we’re already competing on all levels, this is how we up our game - source products, not available elsewhere, it’s not hard to outsmart the supermarkets, but we need to out-think our competitors as well, what differentiates us? The main baby essential is a car seat...from what I’ve seen recently; midwives and baby classes are giving basic advice - don’t keep baby in car seat for more than two hours, Isofix is good (that’s about the extent of THAT info), oh and you can’t get out of hospital unless your baby is in one. I think overall, new parents need educating on car seat safety - I know of a retailer who used to talk to parents to be at classes in the hospital - to give them some basic knowledge. I think something like that would be invaluable, maybe we don’t have the manpower, but there must be something we could create together. Consumers have a scary amount of layers on their little ones, and tell us that they are snug in the car seat, at four months they need to be in a second stage car seat. My favourite, my child is not happy rearward facing, he cries. My favourite answer - tough!

Let him cry, she’s right, at least they

“

The editor wanted me to look at baby essentials. It depends what you are looking at as essentials... nappies disposable; (supermarkets); reusable very niche market. Things like vests, babygrows, basic blankets, mitts and hats yes we can keep a range - but we can’t miss the trick here

”

are safe. How to communicate this information better to new parents?

The hospital posters are right - your baby doesn’t come with an instruction manual.

Now let me talk products. Mee-Go

Yasmin min Ali

footmuffs arrived tail end of December - large, zip down the middle, fleece lined, great colours, good margin, they also have buggy boards, with seat and a great USP of light wheels - kids will love them, super incentive for stressed parents! iCandy new prams have started to filter through...still loving the butterscotch and looking forward to more independents getting the Royal in, it’s the one we are all waiting for.

Bring on April time for the All Terrain.

The Oyster independent exclusive city grey has proven very popular, I hope it’ll continue to grow at a great rate.

I must say Izziwotnots new range of Humphrey is absolutely stunning, he is so so cute. Cosatto new lines have started to come through - OMG I LOVE KOKESHI SMILE! There isn’t a huge amount else going on with regard to new products to be fair, we are trying to push those we have and awaiting stock.

Here is to 2016 - I hope for big things for the independents, increase in margins, better stock flow, exclusive independent only products, better communication between suppliers and retailers, more respect between retailers, and building of relations between suppliers and retailers. My biggest hope is that suppliers and retailers get behind Harrogate, our home show - and represent. PLEASE put it in your diary to attend.

SUPPLIERS please show even if just a teeny weeny spot. Don’t show up and want to meet us in cafés - I for one will not be meeting anyone who is not showing and think we should all do the same - support those that make the effort.

All the best in this New Year.

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