Focus on Cute

from Progressive Greetings June 2022

by Max Publishing: Print, Digital Media + Events (London)

In Conversation With…Ankorstore

All together nowaaahhhh!

Sugar and spice and all things nice, that’s what traditional cute cards are made of - but, with the different attitudes and ideas of the 21st century, does that have to be the case, and is there still a market for the genre? Big-eyed fluffy kittens like the Simon Elvin Christmas card which has lasted three decades of being sent back and forth between a mum and son may be the epitome of cute, drawing the required “aaahhh” reaction, then there are those who find After decades in the greeting card business, tiny tots in skeleton costumes veteran publisher Simon Elvin knows a thing or cute, or photo-manipulated two about cards, but even he admits there are images of dogs dressed as no firm rules on what’s cute. pumpkins. PG asked the question While the styling of cutes has changed over the years, the factor that remains the of various publishers, from the same, according to Simon, “is that the design traditional to the quirky. has to evoke a real ‘aaahhh’ from the person selecting the card and, just as important, it must be something the recipient is going to love - for us that means a character that’s really soft and cuddly, put into a very appealing situation”.

Cute designs have always formed an important part of the Simon Elvin range, and will continue to do so as long as customer demand remains strong.

Simon added: “Cute designs still sell well for us in open birthday and relations and, while they work predominantly for female relations, there still is a limited demand for cute male designs, which need to be stronger colours and more fun. You can’t really lay down firm rules as to what works but you know when your design team come up with a big ‘aaahhh’ that you’ve got a hit.” Having hit the cute jackpot with Tatty Teddy and the Me To You brand back in 1987, Carte Blanche Greetings has spent 35 years refining and polishing its characters and offer. “There’s no doubt the pandemic has touched all of us,” said Carte Blanche’s marketing manager Grace Elphinstone, “we value our loved ones and our friends more than ever and we’re not afraid to show our feelings towards the people that matter. This is where cute definitely plays a part. “Me To You has always evoked that warm, fuzzy ‘aaahhh’ response but, today, the ‘aaahhh’ factor feels more relevant than ever, and we sense that even the most cynical consumer is willing to be won over by an uplifting and unashamedly cute Tatty Teddy card. The publisher has responded by refreshing both the Me to You artwork and the colour palette for 2022 and beyond, and has noted designs showing two Tatty Teddy bears are proving popular - perhaps because they highlight togetherness and personal interaction in an age when people no longer Top: Jay Harrison and mum Roe Walsh take this for granted. And the

have been exchanging this cute Simon

Elvin card for 30 years. warm and optimistic colour Above middle: A current cute design from Simon Elvin. palette full of sun-dappled Left: Two Tatty teddies are proving popular in Carte Blanche’s new Signature range. yellows and soft blues and Right: The vulnerable expression of the pinks, creates an ombre feel, top dog adds cuteness on a Nigel Quiney contemporary Doodle design. reminiscent of a sunrise.

With his grey fur, blue nose and patches, there’s always been a touch of vulnerability about Tatty Teddy, representing love and caring, tempered with fun and happiness, so he appeals to people in all sorts of relationships.

Grace added: “We’re proud to be at the forefront of cute. Cute is never edgy or threatening, it’s inclusive and welcoming - values that couldn’t be more important in these unsettling times.” To Grace’s mind “Cute has never been out of fashion but our feeling is that the demand is stronger than ever. We do, of course, recognise the current squeeze on consumer budgets, and as a company we’re doing all we can to keep price points competitive. At the same time, there’s a strong market for luxuryfinished cute cards that have the ability to express sentiment so beautifully. Our new Me to You Signature Specialist range includes a flourish of gold satin foil on white uncoated board along with premium golden envelopes. They’re absolutely gorgeous and brimming with positivity and optimism!”

Nigel Quiney has covered cute from various angles over the years, and art manager Carl Pledger hasn’t seen any notable changes in demand as the genre sells well for the publisher. Its latest offering is the Doodle range where the illustrations are in bold black ink strokes, highlighted with bigger and brighter splashes of colour, giving the cards an impactful on-shelf presence that definitely speaks to the 2020s. Paired with a striking printed envelope, the simple designs are fun, bold and commercial with a contemporary feel, featuring a cocktail-drinking octopus and a pile of paw-fect dogs.

Representing a diverse portfolio of talented creatives who offer an equally varied portfolio, Hannah Curtis, founder of artists’ agency Creative Sparrow, recognises cute cards don’t always have to be sickly sweet.

Hannah explained: “We have some wonderfully quirky designs that also give the ‘aaahhh’ factor. Abbi Goode of Lemon & Sugar, for example, creates wonderfully cute, felted characters which show a perfect interaction for occasions such as Valentine’s and Anniversary.

“Being able to illustrate cute designs doesn’t always pigeonhole a creative, we find that variety within a portfolio is the best way of maximising their potential, some of our most successful creatives can work in various styles such as cute, traditional, modern and trend-led. Roy Thompson for example is well known for his traditional Christmas, painterly scenes, and male ranges but he also has some wonderfully cute designs such as his super sweet little girl character.

“We don’t see any sign of cute cards dwindling in the coming years, different areas of the market showcase cute in different ways so, as long as we continue to create the next best ‘aaahhh’ factor design. we will continue to see them coming through in the industry, especially with the huge rise in thinking of you card sales, there will always be a need for a cute illustration to put a smile on someone’s face.”

At The Art File, the designers took a very real character and have turned him into a true icon as Sausage Dog Frank, much-loved companion to managing director and co-founder Ged Mace, continues to steal the hearts of good folk across the planet. Definitely cute, but with that modern twist, the Call Me Frank collection is full of fun designs capturing the little devil’s antics. Each design is finished with detailed embossing, uses a stunning colour palette, and the collection includes cards, gift packaging, gift wrap, and social stationery - as The Art File’s sales and marketing manager James Mace admitted: “Frank is a very real Sausage Dog, with a very real character!” Ginger Betty founder Tracey Colliston has some very good reasons for liking cute cards, having created some enduring characters for other publishers before setting up her own card publishing business. Her Owls’ Nest range won the Best Cute Range award in The Henries Awards 2021, having already picked up an award in the 2020 License This! competition at Brand Licensing Europe.

“I think a cute reaction happens when a character or characters make a connection with you,” Tracey said. “It might be a certain expression, their body language, or a situation they’re in that triggers the ‘aaahhh’ factor.

“When I’m creating a character, it may take some time to create the right expression, where even the slightest detail can make something cute or not. I often revisit artworks, to achieve the emotion I’m trying to capture. All my work is still illustrated or created by hand as I prefer to use watercolour and crayons, as well as felt and soft materials to create my three-dimensional characters, as I believe these mediums capture the softness and fluidity I’m looking for. “I believe we need cute cards, as they convey emotion and feelings in different ways to other card genres, which in current times is extremely relevant. Cute has never gone away - it evolves, but the basic elements that give the ‘aaahhh’ factor remain the same.”

Top: Creative Sparrow’s diverse artists’ portfolio includes Lemon & Sugar. Above middle: Frank cutes up The Art File’s offer. Far rght: UKG’s Boofle celebrates his 15th birthday next year. Right: Henries winner Tracey Colliston is ramping up Ginger Betty’s cute offer.

And Ginger Betty is growing the brand with the recentlylaunched Sunshine On Leaf capsule range of 3D photographed felted animals and bees, capturing a warm countryside feel while using upto-date techniques.

At UK Greetings, the publisher is proud to announce its Boofle products are not only downright cute, but also now fully sustainable including the exciting new standalone collection - Boofle’s Make It Mend It! which has cakes, rainbows, special people and special occasions.

Razina Laher, licensing manager for Boofle, said: “It’s a lovely new collection with fun colourful patterning, great energy and, of course, cute pose. Boofle’s personality continues to shine through in each card and charm recipients.”

And brand development manager Susan Jones added: “Cute cards have always expressed warmth, and this is so relevant post-pandemic as we value human connection more than ever. Whether its showing friends sharing a long-awaited cheeky G&T, referencing much-missed hugs or simply listing all the amazing qualities of a loved one, an expressive cute brand like Boofle can hit just the right spot in letting our friends and family know how much they mean to us.”

UKG ensures it represents the genre well with a vast array of cute programmes from well-known and loved characters such as Boofle, Lots Of Woof, Elliot, and Nutmeg, through licensing like Winnie The Pooh and Peter Rabbit to fun cute with Oodles, Benny and animal photos. The company has no intention of ever turning away from cute, rather it embraces the genre and just keep evolving it in line with changes seen in taste levels and sentiment in society.

With UKG research showing 21% of people include their pet in their birthday celebration, and 38% buy pets a Christmas present, the publisher has recently collaborated with Battersea Dogs & Cats Home to produce a bright and fun collection of designs which help to support its animal rescue work through royalties from sales. The range includes endearing photos of animals that are among the many thousands helped by Battersea each year together with appealing illustrations and bringing in light-hearted cute humour options too.

Marina Brook is another card publisher who loves a bit of cuteness and her latest Marina B Dotty Wotty collection keeps that animal theme going, while picking up on the soaring popularity of dogs over the past couple of years.

“Many of our cards have a sophisticated cuteness about them and some are more quirky cute!” Marina said. “We’re bringing a new dimension to our very popular dog cards - little dog-shaped characters to bring to life the varied designs and to add an extra layer of cuteness and a little individuality!”

As a relative newcomer to the cute scene, Sabivo Design founder Sabina Kovacheva has found that sweet spot of being cute without being overly sugary, like the wedding and anniversary additions to her Rainbow range.

“I think traditionally cute used to navigate towards juvenile, adorable animal character cards or overly-sugary pink designs,” she said. “Nowadays, cute can be quirky and fun, with plain modern designs and handwritten typography. Cute is no longer just bear cubs playing among daisy flowers but also reflects what’s happening around us. Remember when cute rainbows in every colour combination, shape and form swept the nation!

“Cute brings out the inner child in us and, we all know growing up is a trap so, as long as we have that little kiddie spot in our hearts, we will continue to love cute cards.”

Launched 11 years ago, Lucilla Lavender’s Little Quirks collection has evolved but the central set of super-cute characters are exactly the same. Lucilla, who runs the eponymous publisher with business partner Anneke Driscoll, explained: “The appeal of these characters has lasted the test of time and designs from this range are permanently among our best-sellers - which just goes to show that cute really does sell, and sells well.” So much so that Lucilla has just brought out a cute new range which features bold, loose linework while unashamedly focusing on cats and dogs, again looking to the pandemic-

driven popularity of pets. The animals featured in these colourful cards sometimes have human characteristics, and sometimes they’re just as they are - like the cat who likes to sit on your computer keyboard!

Paper Shed Design’s Jo O’Brien is another publisher who has set her stall out to meet consumer demand for cute. “Now, more than ever people are looking for heart-warming images to connect with. There’s a real need out there to convey sentiment and emotion. Nothing does that more than a super cute Illustration with the ‘aaahhh’ factor” says Jo. Jo’s aim is to create cute card ranges for the modern audience using her love of classic Illustration. She added: “We enjoyed a fabulous response to our debut at PG Live 2021. Our ranges Absolutely Barking, Pawsitively Purrrfect, Bucklebury Wood and The Bear, The Hare, And The Mouse now comprise over 200 designs. “Yes! I believe the cute renaissance is here - cute is cool again!”