Progressive Greetings May 2019

May

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2019

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Leader

On The Cards

@Prog_Greetings

It is always good to hear good news, especially if it casts some sunshine far and wide. I genuinely felt a surge of joy when I discovered that Wrendale Designs had been awarded a Queen’s Awards for Enterprise: International Trade. It was not just because I have known Hannah Dale, the co-founder and creative driver of the company since before she started, but because the endorsement of this accolade celebrates the creative preeminence of our industry - following in the wake of Santoro, The Art File and Blue Eyed Sun who have also received the award.

I have vivid memories of meeting Hannah at The Ladder Club in 2011 before she had even started, and then a few months later at the pre-PG Live exhibitors’ meeting for newbies at which she timidly proffered a leaflet she was printing for the show, asking if Warren and I thought it was OK. OK? It was blinking marvelous… strong designs with wide send appeal, matched by professional branding. We thought Wrendale would do well, but goodness me, the success of the business is off the scale.

While few businesses can catch the meteoric rise of Wrendale in the card and gift sector, there are lots of lovely stories out there.

This issue alone celebrates just a few of these. I achieved a personal triumph in finally managing to clinch an interview with Paul Lavery, co-founder of Budget Greeting Cards, following on the Canadian private equity company, Ardenton Capital, taking a 51% in the business. Seeing Paul in the massive flagship branch in Manchester, I was amazed that he knew the sales rate of each of the hundreds of greeting card designs on its shelves, and it gave me a greater understanding of how Budget has continued to thrive in a sector that has suffered (see pages 49-51).

Above: Hannah Dale (left) with PG’s Jakki Brown in 2015 at the launch of one of her books.

Far left: Budget’s Paul Lavery (second right) with the company’s studio manager Sarah Hartley (far right), Ardenton’s Allan Dunn who is now strategic business director of Budget and PG’s Jakki Brown in the company’s showrooms in its HQ. Left: Tache’s Pennie Bryant (right) and Louise Tiler, namesake of Louise Tiler Designs, put the PG Live legendary veggie lasagne to the test taste as co-sponsors of the lunchroom and opening night party at the June show.

Likewise, I loved hearing the respective stories of the blood, sweat and tears that have gone into making the fifth anniversaries of Tache and Louise Tiler Designs, well worth marking at June’s PG Live (see pages 32-33).

And my final applause has to go to the finalists of this year’s Retas greeting card retailer awards. Everybody and every business has a story to tell and there are some great reads in our sector, that’s for sure!

www.max-publishing.co.uk THE HOME OF MARKET LEADING TRADE MAGAZINES

EXHIBITIONS

THE HOME OF MARKET LEADING TRADE AWARDS

Max Publishing Ltd, United House, North Road, London N7 9DP Tel: 020 7700 6740 Fax: 020 7607 6411 www.progressivegreetings.co.uk PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

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Contents

What’s Inside?

With This Issue: FOCUS ON HUMOUR CARDS

30

49 7-19

32-33

56-57

News

In Profile

What’s Hot?

High Five X 2 21-23 The Retas Rollcall

The Retas 2019 Finalists 24-25

Sharing their 5th anniversaries as both publishers and friends, publishers Tache and Louise Tiler will celebrate their halfdecade at PG Live 2019.

35-41

Over The Counter

Innovations

The Real Thing David Robertson, co-owner of JP Pozzi in Scotland, takes the greeting card taste challenge.

Cardsharp

Putting The Zs Into Greetingz Cardz Cardsharp muses over topical events happening in the industry.

Jeremy’s Journal

Keep On Running Jeremy Corner of publisher Blue Eyed Sun discusses going the distance in business.

61-74

43-47

Classified

Spotlight On…3D Cards

Into The Fold Pop-ups, paper-engineering, honeycombs and music - the 3D card sector is adding an extra dimension to the sector.

26-27

59-60

75

Appointments

53

49-51 In Conversation With… Paul Lavery

Budget-ary Controls Co-founder of wholesale group Budget Greeting Cards, Paul Lavery, discusses the next step in the businesses’ future.

29-31 Viewpoints

Was Mum The Word?

How did this year’s Mother’s Day turn out for card retailers?

53-55

Art Source Subscribe to Progressive Greetings from £60 (UK) to £90 (International).

You can organise this quickly and easily online at our secure site: Max-Subscriptions.net For assistance, please email maxsubscriptions@marketingreinforc ements.co.uk or call 0207 700 6740.

Tracey Arnaud

Jakki Brown

Warren Lomax

Gale Astley

Ian Hyder

Editor/Joint Owner

Joint Owner

Deputy Editor

Joint Owner

Sales Manager

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Copyright© 2019. While every effort has been made to ensure the information in this magazine was correct at the time of publication, the publishers cannot accept legal liability for any errors or omissions, nor can they accept responsibility for the standing of advertisers nor any organisation mentioned in the text. Views of contributors do not necessarily reflect those of the publishers.

PG is the official magazine for the Greeting Card Association GCA: Amanda Fergusson 020 7619 9266 Email: gca@max-publishing.co.uk www.greetingcardassociation.org.uk PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

5

wavelength A NEW RANGE OF PHOTOGRAPHIC CARDS DESIGNED BY

icon-art.com

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NEWS TOP STORY

Royal Honour Wrendale Designs receives a Queen’s Award for export Wrendale Designs, the Lincolnshire-based greeting card and gift brand, has been honoured with a Queen’s Award for Enterprise: International Trade. This top accolade continues to shine a light on the industry’s creative global preeminence, with Wrendale Designs following in the wake of Santoro being feted in 2018, The Art File in 2017 and Blue Eyed Sun in 2016.

Wrendale Designs, founded by wife and husband team Hannah and Jack Dale, made its debut as a greeting card publisher at PG Live in 2012 with The Country Set, a greeting card collection based on Hannah’s zoologically correct, but cute nonetheless creations. Since then, the Wrendale Designs’ portfolio has expanded to include a wide range of gift and homewares, including tinware, stationery, textiles and tableware, produced both under the company’s own steam as well as through licensing agreements with other brands.

“We are so thrilled to receive this award - launching our brand and seeing it so well received across the world has been incredibly exciting for us, but we’d like to say an enormous thank you to all of

our loyal customers in the UK who have supported us since we launched Wrendale - without their belief in our brand this would never have been possible,” commented Hannah Dale, who prior to pursuing her artistic talents in the greeting card scene had been a stockbroker.

Hitting the ground running since its debut at PG Live only seven years ago, the Wrendale brand has been on a steep success curve ever since, amassing a huge number of collectors, not just in the UK, but worldwide, as testified by this top export accolade.

Wrendale’s export sales have grown more than 400% over the last three years following the brand’s successful launch in the US, Europe and Japan, as well as growing relationships with distributors elsewhere in the world.

Among the notable brand expansion has been a continuation of the successful collaboration with tableware group Portmeirion, onto many ceramic and kitchen items, including a recently launched dinner service.

While naturally shy and self-deprecating personalities, Hannah and Jack will attend a reception with the Queen at Buckingham Palace in June, before receiving the award at the company’s premises in Brigg from a representative of the Palace.

Wrendale Designs is able to make full use of the award’s endorsement for the next five years.

Top: Wrendale Designs can use The Queen’s Award endorsement for the next five years.

Above left: Hannah and Jack Dale with some of the Portmeirion group licensed products.

Above: Former stockbroker, Hannah Dale has drawn on her zoological degree and natural artistic talent for the basis of her brand’s USP.

UKG creates extra buzz for Toy Story 4 Tipped to be the biggest family film of this summer, Disney Pixar’s Toy Story 4 hits the big screens on June 21, and UK Greetings has something extra in store for all retailers ordering one of the specially designed shippers that has been developed to house the 20 greeting card designs for the Disney franchise.

For every order of the UKG shipper (each of which will come with a wobbler to further highlight the new film), the retailer’s name will be entered into a free prize draw, with the lucky winner receiving a £250 voucher to spend at the Disney Store.

There is so much anticipation about the new film, especially as it’s been eight years since Woody, Buzz and the gang were on the big screen.

The UKG Toy Story 4 shipper will be delivered by May 17.

The winner will be contacted on 10 May. Left: The UKG Toy Story 4 shipper.

Wraptious’ cards sees trees planted Card and homewares company Wraptious has considerably upped its commitment to the environment through a partnership with charity Trees for the Future, as well as through a switch to naked cards.

Officially launched to coincide with World Earth Day on April 22, the company, founded by Simon Wadsworth, shared its Go Further mission. This allembracing pledge covers its commitment to the environment, the local community, as well as to its customers and artists with whom it works.

“For every order we receive, no matter how large or small, even if it is just for one card, we pledge to plant three trees through our partner, Trees for the Future,” assured Naomi Smith, Wraptious’ marketing and media manager.

Trees for the Future is a not-for-profit organisation which is working to end hunger and poverty for smallholder farmers by revitalising degraded lands. This is done through strategic tree planting, which creates sustainable food sources for farmers and their families, livestock feed, products to sell, fuel wood and a 400% increase in their annual income in four years.

“Trees for the Future is a fantastic charity and Wraptious is excited to be a part of it. We've planted 10,000 trees so far - we now want to get to 100,000,” said Naomi.

Reinforcing its commitment to the environment, Wraptious has now gone ‘naked’ with its cards, unless a retailer has a specific request. “Now all our online greeting card orders come without cellophane wrap, in order to reduce the impact of plastic in our industry,” added Naomi.

Top: Wraptious is supporting Trees for the Future, a not-for-profit organisation which is working to end hunger and poverty for smallholder farmers.

Above: Kate Findley is among the artists whose work Wraptious publishes on cards as well as other products.

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NEWS TOP STORY

Ohh Deer to go plastic-free

Hoppy Easter And Mother’s Day The sunshine continues to shine on Spring Seasons After a better than expected Valentine’s Day for the greeting card sector, Mother’s Day and Easter continued to put a joyful spring in the step of the majority of those in the trade, with this year’s second and third Spring Season events continuing on an upward trend.

The late timing, good weather and a high awareness generated by extensive marketing by all and sundry helped to deliver a strong Mother’s Day and Easter for cardies.

“This was our strongest ever Mother's Day week in 20 years of retailing,” revealed a delighted Kate Cowie, director of Utility, which trades from four shops in Liverpool and Manchester, which saw a 30% uplift in sales.

John Lewis & Partners was among those to embrace an upturn in Easter sales. “This week, we saw an even bigger uplift of 28% on the previous week,” revealed Lizzie Batchelar, assistant card buyer of the department store group of the last week before Easter. JL&P helped on the PR front, sharing the view that more customers than ever before are viewing Easter as an opportunity to get together and celebrate with family and friends and are decorating their homes in the same spirit as they do at Christmas. Its sales of Easter decorations were up a third compared to last year in the run up to the event.

While Easter’s growing popularity as an event is welcome news, even more reassuring is confirmation that Mother’s Day, a mainstay card sending occasion,

proved its worth good and proper this year for greeting card specialists.

As Paul Taylor, md of Cardzone, which ended 5% up on Mother’s Day sales, believes that the longer lead time between Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day, which this year was six weeks, played into the tills of high street retailers rather than the supermarkets who benefit if there is a tighter timeline.

“I do feel that this helps high street retailers and there are more opportunities for the public to be reminded of the event,” Paul told PG. West Country indie, Kristan Miller, owner of Cadeaux & Co, based in Wells and Chipping Sodbury, was another to report “extremely positive” Mother’s Day sales. “I’d have to agree with reports in the press that Mother’s Day has become the second most popular ‘occasion’ after Christmas. In recent years we have seen Mother’s Day sales rise.

With Mother’s Day falling the day before Sainsbury’s switched over to all naked cards, it was the start of a big week for Sainsbury’s. Carly Pearson, Sainsbury’s card buyer confirmed a “good performance” for Mother’s Day in the supermarket “with very strong growth in own label.” A large proportion of its Mother’s Day cards, but not all, were sold unwrapped.

For more comments on Mother’s Day see Viewpoints pages 29-31.

Above: Among the JL&P best sellers for Easter was this Louise Mulgrew design.

Tell you what I want Scribbler wins the prize for the top celebrity endorsement of its Mother’s Day selection, with Victoria Beckham telling her millions of followers on social media of her joy of receiving a Scribbler card from her kids. The card in question featured a contemporary illustration of the Spice Girls. Jennie Procter, co-owner of Scribbler said that adding to the “positive” Mother’s Day sales for the retail group she was more than happy to lap up “this fantastic bit of free publicity!”

Scribbler saw an upturn of 10% of sales of Mother’s Day cards, both of its quirky own brand designs but also from branded publishers.

“Our more irreverent captions did well. Maybe you can make more fun (cautiously!) of your mother than previously,” said John Procter, co-founder of the retail business.

Above: The Scribbler Mother’s Day card design that Victoria Beckham received and blasted its arrival on social media to her millions of followers.

Greeting card and stationery company Ohh Deer is going plastic-free by the end of this year.

All Ohh Deer greeting cards will be using the newly designed Kard Klasp (as offered by Windles), which replaces the need for the cellophane sleeve.

The new clasp is a sticker that wraps around the card and envelope, keeping both items safe and secure during transportation and on retail shelves.

Commenting, the company’s cofounder Mark Callaby said: “People's attitudes towards the use of plastic is changing and Blue Planet II was a massive turning point for most people. Collectively we're all responsible for our planet’s future and we believe that we should also do our part. I think many people have naively assumed that the cellowrap on cards won't make much of an impact but our industry produces a crazy amount of cards and we should all be responsible for helping our industry become environmental leaders.”

Above: One of the Ohh Deer cards showing how the Kard Klasp will look.

Elys’ personal touch Department store Elys of Wimbledon (part of the Morley Stores group) pulled out the stops to create a personal Mother’s Day for its customers by joining forces with Woodmansterne and other leading brands in other product sectors to create a personalisation event in the store.

A dedicated area in the busy Wimbledonbased department store became a Woodmansterne creative hub in the run up to Mother’s Day when the publisher’s designer Beth Lewton was on hand to offer customers buying any of the cards additional calligraphy/brush lettering or small watercolour illustrations on the envelopes as well as additional gems/embellishments.

As Morley Stores’ card buyer Kate Neligan commented, not only did the activity generate sales for the retailer, but added to the store experience. “Seeing the Woodmansterne design talent creating extra special cards was a real treat for us all - our customers loved the personal touch.”

Above: An Elys’ customer requesting some personalisation on a Woodmansterne card.

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NEWS TOP STORY

Paperchase Trials Nakedness Retailer announces changes to its buying team Paperchase has instigated a trial of naked cards in its stores involving three of the retailer’s best selling card ranges. The results of the trial, which involves Paperchase’s Birthday Best, Simple Birthday and Party Time collections, are to be reviewed before any decision is taken as to whether this approach is to be adopted across more card ranges.

Last September, as part of its mission to minimise its impact on the environment,

the cards at Paperchase as there have been movements within the retailer’s buying team.

While Frances Burkle is now its product director, Tish Bas has been promoted to head of buying. Tish now heads up all of Paperchase’s buying teams, which comprise 27 people in total.

Following the departure of senior card buyer Hazel Walker (who joined Waterstones recently), Natalie Alexander has been appointed senior buyer of cards and wrap at Paperchase. Natalie has been a member of the Paperchase team for the last five years, latterly as senior buyer for gifts.

“Having come from the gifting side of Paperchase the card industry is a whole new world for me so I’m really excited to get learning within my role… I’m taking the mantra of ‘no question is a stupid question’ a bit too literally to make sure I’m absorbing all I can. Paperchase is so renowned for its cards that I’m keen to make sure we continue pushing the boundaries, finding the innovation and keeping our customers happy,” commented Natalie.

Paperchase issued revised Product and Packaging Guidelines for suppliers. This covered the substrates used for the packaging (of the actual products as well as shipments) and even how samples are submitted to the buyers for consideration.

“We already only accept FSC or recycled paper and are now trying to reduce the use of plastics across our entire production process. In particular any plastic packaging or single use plastic,” stated Emma Clooney, Paperchase’s greeting card buyer.

It is not only its environmental sourcing that changes have been on

Above: Natalie Alexander is Paperchase’s new senior buyer for cards and wrap.

Above left: Paperchase is trialling the reactions to stocking unwrapped cards in its stores.

Left: Paperchase’s Conscious Living range launched at the start of this year, including notebooks that used to be coffee cups, pens that used to be plastic bottles, erasers made from diverted landfill materials, storage items that are 3D printed sugar cane.

John Lewis prepares to undress John Lewis & Partners is working towards going naked on cards to coincide with its Autumn replan, which goes into stores in October.

“We are currently working with our publishers to achieve this, so it’s not all confirmed as of yet, but that is the current target we are working towards,” Lizzie Batchelar, assistant buyer of cards, giftwrap and seasonal events at John Lewis & Partners told PG. Following trials with Woodmansterne, the department store group is advocating that all its supplying card publishers adopt the Smart Seal method of keeping the card with the envelope without need for any additional wrapping.

Reinforcing its commitment to further improve its environmental credentials, the department store group has collaborated with Caroline Gardner and Jutexpo (an eco-friendly reusable bag company) to produce a new shopping bag made entirely from recycled plastic bottles.

Each of the bags, which feature a striking pineapple design, is made using 7.6 recycled plastic bottles. They have been manufactured using Jutexpo’s HALT process, which turns post-consumer plastic into a soft, durable fabric called rPET (recycled polyethylene terephthalate), which can be wiped clean. The bag is now on sale in store and online for £8.

Left: The eco bag that has been made from recycled plastic bottles by Jutexpo in collaboration with John Lewis & Partners and Caroline Gardner.

Mother’s Day card sent from heaven Amid all the positive reports from card retailers about the success of Mother’s Day this year, one story of one little girl’s card went off the emotional scale - with a Royal Mail’s act of kindness applauded by the public and the media.

Four-year-old Ella Lennon, who lost her mother Jennifer to cancer last December, posted her Mother’s Day card to her ‘Mummy in Heaven’. The card, which was Despicable Me-themed, featuring one of the Minions characters from the film, included the message: ‘You’re one in a minion Mum...Happy Mother’s Day…I love you, Ella x’.

Two days after posting her card from her home town of Kilmarnock in East Ayrshire, thanks to a kind gesture from someone at Royal Mail, little Ella received a heart-warming response which read: ‘To my beautiful Ella. Thank you so much for my very special Mother’s Day card. You’re one in a Minion to me and I love you very, very much. Millions and billions and trillions is how much I love you! You are growing up to be a special big girl and I am so proud of you, and even though I am in heaven I watch over you every day! Lots of love, hugs and kisses, Mummy.’

The letter’s envelope included the return address of ‘1 Angel Gate, In the clouds, Heaven.’

Ella’s father Dean took to social media to thank the thoughtful individual at Royal Mail for sending the response that meant so much to his daughter. ‘I would like to thank the kind-hearted person at Royal Mail,’ he posted.

Ella’s auntie Linda Ross (sister to Ella’s mummy) was also full of praise for the Royal Mail gesture, sharing images and the story on her Twitter feed.

Media all over the world latched onto this true tale of such human kindness at a time of loss for Ella and her family; a perfect illustration of how a single Mother’s Day card can make a difference to so many people’s lives.

Above: A photo of little Ella Lennon posting her Mother’s Day card was featured on her Auntie Linda’s Twitter feed.

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Noted

NotedExpo

MAY 18-20, 2019

Noted is more than just a trade show; it’s a greeting card industry event, created by the community, for the community Discover greeting card companies launching their new lines Rediscover established lines from the industry’s leading suppliers Shop new styles from 150 diverse greeting card lines, including winter holiday collections Learn from your peers, suppliers and sales reps through educational programing Explore Brooklyn’s great neighborhoods to find new retail trends

isn’t a pitch

isn’t a trend

#

Connect at scheduled events and happy hours from opening night until close

isn’t just a tradeshow

Retailers and Sales Reps carrying greeting cards—or interested in doing so—are cordially invited to register and attend free of charge.

Register today at

notedexpo.org

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NEWS TOP STORY

The Retas Awards moves in protest Event now to take place at the Grosvenor House Hotel The finalists of The Retas 2019 greeting card retailer awards have been announced, collectively representing the best greeting card retail stockists in the UK. This year’s roll call of finalists (detailed on pages 21-23) are as a result of an industrywide nomination and entry process.

The winners will be unveiled at a lavish afternoon Frida Kahlo-themed event on Wednesday 10 July, that will take place at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London’s Park Lane, not at The Dorchester as previously announced.

This decision was taken by The Retas’ organisers Max Publishing (which also owns Progressive Greetings) in protest at the anti-human rights laws that came into force on April 3 in Brunei. The Dorchester is among the nine luxury hotels that are owned by the Sultan of Brunei through the country’s sovereign wealth fund, the Brunei Investment Agency.

“We felt compelled to join the international outcry against the barbaric

laws now in place in Brunei, which includes the death penalty by stoning or whipping, for those found to be engaging in same-sex relationships or committing adultery,” commented Jakki Brown, joint owner of Max Publishing and editor of PG. “These new laws also order the amputation of hands or feet for acts of theft.”

As she added, “The greeting card industry has human emotions at its heart.

There is no way that awards that celebrate the industry’s achievements could take place at a venue where the profits of which contribute to a regime that is at odds with basic human rights.”

To make sure you secure your ticket to The Retas contact Clare Hollick on clare@createvents.co.uk or on 07769 905959.

Above: This year’s Retas trophies will be presented in the ballroom of the Grosvenor House Hotel instead of The Dorchester.

Views on the news l Among those who took to social media to pledge their support of The Retas’ boycott of The

Dorchester is Sean Austin, owner of leading indie card and gift shop, Austin and Co in Malvern.

Hearing of the news that The Retas will now take place at to the Grosvenor House Hotel, Sean told PG: “This is great news. I know the UK greeting card industry may not be able to change the laws in a country, but by taking action in this way we at least are making a stand.” l Carl Dunne and Oliver Guise-Smith, owners of independent greeting card retailer, Cards & Gifts, based in Sheffield were also vocal in their support of the change of venue: “We just wanted to applaud our industry, for joining the fight against injustice and violation of the human rights of the citizens of the world,” stated Carl.

As Oliver continued, “I have been involved in many LGBT+ organisations over the years, from marching, protesting and fighting human rights violations across the world. I’m guessing that to some, what you have done will just seem like a gesture, but to others like myself and Carl it actually made us well up and feel so proud of you and your organisation. If more companies like yours join the fight then it sends a stronger message that change is needed.” l Timothy Melgund, deputy chairman of Paperchase added: “Good call on The Retas! Quite right!” l Miles Robinson, co-owner of House of Cards immediately got in touch: “I have to say I agree 100% with you and well done for taking such quick action. I’m sure we’ll enjoy the event at the Grosvenor just as much.” l Wendy Jones-Blackett, namesake of the eponymous card publisher and a sponsor of The Retas was one of the first to take to social media to rejoice that the event was to be move from The Dorchester: ‘I am super proud of the UK’s #greetingcard industry as the organisers move The Retas 2019 greeting card retailer awards event from #theDorchester to @grosvenorhouselondon in protest at the anti human rights laws that came into effect in Brunei on April 3rd.’

Left: Cards & Gifts’ Carl Dunn (far right) at The Retas 2018.

May The Thoughts creator books TV coverage Charlotte Reed, the creator of the May The Thoughts Be With You brand, made a high profile appearance on ITV London News recently.

Charlotte, who still mans her stall at London’s Portobello Road market most weekends, featured in a five-minute segment watched by millions on the ITV news programme to fanfare the launch of her second book (which launched on May 2).

The new book, My Path to Happy, backed by a consumer PR campaign by book publishers Simon & Schuster, is a personal account of Charlotte’s struggles and path to happiness, as well as her fight to overcome depression.

A feature film based on the book has already been optioned.

My Path to Happy is illustrated with ‘daily thoughts’ and positive messages that also anchor the cards and gifts which Danilo and Half Moon Bay produce under licence (brokered by Larkshead Media) and will be on show at PG Live (June 4-5).

The launch of the book coincides with Mental Health Awareness Week (May 13-19), for which Charlotte is an ambassador. She will be going into schools and businesses to give talks on the importance of understanding and recognising the mental health issues.

WHSmith is the latest retailer to get behind the brand, having launched the Danilo greeting card range into select stores.

Charlotte is delighted that May The Thoughts Be With You greeting cards are gaining wider distribution. “Greeting cards are an excellent way to raise awareness because they can convey a meaningful and poignant message but in a simple and digestible way. They are accessible to everyone and if you know someone who’s not feeling good then they need something that shows you’re thinking of them without it being something heavy or lengthy to read.”

Top: Charlotte Reed (left) being filmed on her market stall in Portobello Road.

Above: Charlotte’s new book My Path To Happy launched at the start of this month.

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NEWS TOP STORY

NEWS IN BRIEF

Card Factory Aims For 1200+ Stores Like-for-like sales remain flat for the value chain “We delivered a robust performance for the year, maintaining flat like-for-like sales despite a tough consumer environment,” commented Karen Hubbard, ceo of Card Factory as she presented the annual results for the UK’s largest greeting card retailer recently.

The results revealed that while Card Factory’s sales for the year to 31 January 2019 grew 3.3% this was largely achieved through the opening of new stores, with an additional 51 stores being opened in the 12 month period. Card Factory traded from 972 stores (including seven in the Republic of Ireland) but has many more stores in its sights.

Card Factory’s revenue reached £436 million (up from £422.1 million the year previous) with a pre-tax profit of £66.3 million (down 8.3% on the previous year).

Karen acknowledged that the company’s results have been impacted by a drop in retail footfall generally but highlighted how Valentine’s and Mother’s Day held up exceptionally well for Card Factory, revealing “record seasonal performances”.

She also cited the further improvements in Card Factory’s card ranges and designs, notably the new premium everyday card ranges as having contributing to holding the line on like-for-like sales.

With the opening of new stores highlighted as the retailer’s most likely route for growth, Karen revealed that the company is extending its goal of trading from 1,200 stores to an even greater number. This future growth is not understood to be confined to the UK,

l Hot off the heels of a successful launch earlier this year, 18 new designs have been added to the Rosie Made A Thing mug range produced under licence by Mclaggan. “We’re thrilled with the response so far and they’ve become some of our best sellers,” comments Mclaggan’s marketing manager Stuart Williams.

Above: Two new designs among the Mclaggan’s Rosie Made A Thing mug collection.

Above: Card Factory is now looking to grow to more than 1,200 stores globally.

with international opportunities also to be pursued.

Making reference to other factors that have contributed to the retailer’s recent growth, Karen touched on the trials underway in Aldi in the UK (in which it has dedicated card displays in 121 stores), in The Reject Shop in Australia as well as with a franchise partner in Jersey. She believes that performance in these other retailers’ environments “show that the Card Factory brand is a footfall driver that has real resonance; we will pursue these types of opportunities to open new routes to market where we see attractive returns.”

Looking to the future, Karen hinted of “further initiatives” planned for the retailer for the current year, which will include bringing more of its production back to the UK. While considerable growth has been achieved online via its Cardfactory.co.uk site (up 56.3% year-on-year in the latest results), performance from the group’s Gettingpersonal.com site has been described as ‘disappointing’, apparently affected by increasing cost of customer acquisition and promotional-led competitor pricing.

Special moments Emotions were running high both among the viewing public as well as the Cherry Orchard team when one of the publisher’s cards provoked an emotional response in a recent episode of The Mummy Dairies.

The ‘sister card’ from Cherry Orchard’s Carnival Celebrations range was sent by Billie Shepherd to her sister Sam in ITVbe’s Sam & Billie Faiers: The Mummy Diaries Series 5 - Episode 4. The heart-warming message in the card moved Sam to tears as she joked, ‘it’s not sad, it’s lovely!’

With over 97,000 likes on the Instagram video post (at the time of writing! Cherry Orchard celebrated in the emotional reaction that a special birthday card can have.

Above: A heart-felt emotional response to a Cherry Orchard card as captured on TV. Left: The Cherry Orchard card that resulted in such a high profile reaction.

l Wyevale has sold a further 31 of its garden centres to Dobbies for an undisclosed sum.

This marks the third tranche of Wyevale centres to be acquired

by Dobbies.

The centres include sites in Altrincham, Andover, Beaconsfield, Brighton, Bury St Edmunds, Cadnam, Findern, Galton, Gosforth, Hare Hatch, Harlestone Heath, Havant, Hungerford, Keston, Leicester Rowena, Lelant, Marple, Moreton Park, Northampton, Pennine, Poppleton, Royston, Rugby, Shenstone, Stratford upon Avon, Stockton, Swansea, Swindon, Telford, Thornbury and World's End. This leaves Wyevale trading from 60 centres.

Above: Wyevale’s Royston garden centre has been recently acquired by Dobbies.

Noted prepares for its NY debut As the final touches are being put to the inaugural Noted: The Greeting Card Expo, the new US greeting card trade show plans, which debuts in New York’s Brooklyn Expo Center (May 18-20), are already underway for the show’s next location, in San Francisco in May 2020.

The new show, being organised by the US Greeting Card Association, will see around 150 publishers exhibiting.

The exhibition also allows for the trade association to showcase its other initiatives, including its take on the UK initiative, Thinking of You Week, a special USPS dedication of the newly redesigned Love Stamp, plus a display of the Louie US award finalists.

The 2020 show, which will take place in San Francisco, will have the added attraction of running alongside Blue Print, a surface print and design show. The idea is that Noted will move to a different US city each year.

Above: Some of the branding to promote Noted.

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Bringing some Razzle Dazzle to PG Live

CHERRY ORCHARD Come and see us and check out our dazzling new designs on Stand Number 418

55 e d Co 1.79 ÂŁ P R R

AGES 1-100

Finished With Amazing Cold Foil & Embossing

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Call Customer Services Tel: 01684 295500 Follow us on Twitter @CherryOrchardP Facebook: Cherry Orchard Publishing www.cherryorchardpublishing.co.uk Email: info@cherryorchardpublishing.co.uk Razzle Dazzle AdvertPG.indd 1 16_PG_May 2019.indd 1

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NEWS TOP STORY

Lagom Has It In The Bag PG Live’s card dressmaking challenge gets underway With less than a month to go until Progressive Greetings Live opens its doors (Tuesday 4 and Wednesday 5 June) to showcase the greatest collection of greeting cards in the world, over 230 greeting card publishers are putting the final touches to the thousands of brand new designs to be launched at the show.

Registration is now well underway as retailers book their tickets for PG Live 2019, which takes place at London’s wonderful Business Design Centre.

“Having been treated to a sneak peek at just some of the new launches being planned, revealed in the Preview publication which will be sent out to all retailers who have pre-registered for the show, it is going to be a real feast for the eyes!” commented Warren Lomax, joint show director of PG Live.

It will not just be the greeting card designs that will pack a punch visually at the show, as this year’s PG Live keepsake cloth tote bag, designed and produced by Lagom Design, is certain to be a must-have accessory for all cardies.

“We wanted to create a keepsake bag that would not only work well for buyers while they are at PG Live, but something that they would want to use afterwards too,” explained Kelly Hyatt, founder and creative maestro of Lagom Design. Visitors will be able to choose from five different coloured bags, each of which is anchored by the statement ‘I’m a card-aholic’ printed in a bold white font.

“I think we could call this a ‘bag of honour’!” quipped Warren.

Meanwhile, as exhibitors tweak their plans on how they will dress their stands at the show, so the ‘materials’ for the PG Live meeters and greeters attire are being put to good use by theatrical costumier Sharon Harvey who has been commissioned to create ‘dresses’ for the meeters and greeters made from exhibitors’ cards and wrap.

“Inspired by nature as well as popular culture, this year I am looking forward to creating dresses that fanfare fabulous floral blooms, amazing birds and animals as well as all the wonderful designs featuring cocktails, glasses prosecco, lemonade and cups of tea,” said Sharon. “It is wonderful that through the dresses we can bring to life the huge diversity of subject matter, design styles and colours that exude from PG Live exhibitors’ cards and wrap - seeing the samples altogether certainly proves that the UK leads the world on greeting card design.”

Online registration for PG Live works really well (www.progressivegreetingslive.com) and the site also facilitates registering via social media channels too, but for anyone who would just rather speak to a real person, just call the PG Live show team on +44 (0) 1635 297070 during office hours.

Sweet Design Create and Craft TV debut Sally Anson, owner of the Somerset-based greeting card and gift company, Sweet Design, recently made a sellout TV debut on leading Create and Craft TV channel, as part of her mission to raise awareness for endangered species. As part of a collaboration with the Create and Craft channel, Sweet Design has licensed an initial eight designs from the company’s Exotic Endangered Collection for use on card making kits with stamps and dies.

The plucky entrepreneur and artist was scheduled for three separate one hour slots on the leading craft shopping channel

(which airs in the UK, US, as well as online) to promote her products, her brand and her mission, but as all the products had sold out in two hours the evening slot was cancelled.

“I didn’t sleep a wink the night before, and had to be at studios for 6.30am for the 8am slot. My heart was pounding at countdown, but I became more relaxed as time went on,” revealed Sally who, as well as talking about her company and products, also showed her artistry at work and started a painting of a white tiger design on air.

Create and Craft is also showcasing Sweet Design on its online platform, including a background on the company and Sally’s passion to raise awareness for endangered species.

As well as greeting cards, Sweet Design (exhibiting at PG Live in June on Tuesday 4 June and Wednesday 5 June) also produces notebooks, magnetic pads, coasters and prints.

Above: Sally Anson (right) on air on Create and Craft TV. Below: The white tiger painting that Sally worked on, live on air.

Top: Not long now until PG Live 2019 at London’s Business Design Centre.

Above: The striking cloth bags that Lagom Design has produced for this year’s PG Live.

Left: The greeting card dresses for this year’s PG Live are in the making!

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NEWS TOP STORY

Chris Houfe Joins Santoro Publisher and gift company recruits UK sales team Well-known industry executive, Chris Houfe, has joined Santoro, taking up a newly created position as its UK national sales manager, an integral part of the company’s UK growth strategy. Chris’ remit is to expand the domestic sales of Santoro’s wide portfolio, from its 3D Swing cards to its Gorjuss ranges.

“I said that ‘not working’ just didn’t suit me and that I wanted to stay in the industry - this is the ideal challenge for me,” Chris told PG. Latterly Chris was joint managing director of Emotional Rescue (a role he fulfilled for the seven months prior to the company being acquired by its former co-owner David Greaves in February). Previous to this, Chris was sales director of GBCC for many years.

“Do you know that this is the first time in the company’s 35 years that we have recruited from within the industry for a senior management role, but Chris’ experience, strategic thinking and upbeat personality meant that we are in no doubt that he is the man for the job at what is an

exciting time for the company,” said Meera Santoro, who together with her husband Lucio is co-founder and co-owner of the global card, gift and brand business, which last year received The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise: International Trade.

Chris joining Santoro coincides with the company looking to ramp up its activities in the UK to mirror that of elsewhere in the world.

In pursuit of this, Santoro is now investing in a team of fulltime sales representatives.

The company is to recruit around half a dozen people who will collectively form a strong team.

“We are gearing up for growth. Chris joining is very much part of this,” explained Meera. “We are continuing to invest heavily in new products, creating today the treasures of tomorrow; the nostalgia of the future that will be kept.”

Top: Meera Santoro with Chris Houfe in one of Santoro’s showrooms in its Wimbledon headquarters.

Above: Master Pieces is a bold new range from Santoro.

Postmark Supports Miscarriage Association Award-winning London-based card retailer Postmark has lent its full support to a special collection of greeting cards that caters for the delicate subject of pregnancy loss, as well as other ‘don't know what to say’ situations.

The card collection has been produced by the Miscarriage Association with the help of design agency MRM/McCann and input from the Postmark team. The cards, which are on sale on Postmarkonline.co.uk as well as in its four London card shops, have received a positive reaction from the public and the media.

One in four women having a baby suffer a miscarriage during pregnancy leaving an immense sense of loss and upset. The typography on the new cards features actual handwriting of people who themselves have been affected by pregnancy loss. ‘I wish this wasn’t happening to you. I don’t know what to say, but I promise I’m here for you’ is an example of the naturally honest tone the designs take.

Postmark is donating a full 100% of the proceeds from the new collection to the Miscarriage Association. Commenting on the collaboration with the charity, Mark Janson-Smith, md of Postmark said: “We really believe in selling cards like these as a way of helping people reach out, rather than for commercial gain. You never want to sell these cards as everyone sold has a sad story behind it, but feel it is an important part of the industry and one where pen to paper means so much more than most other forms of communication.”

The Postmark team was involved in the development process of the range right from the start, which is branded with the Miscarriage Association logo on the outer packaging and inside there is a sticker with details of the charity’s free and confidential support services.

Above: Heartfelt messages of empathy on the new card collection now on sale in Postmark.

Left: Postmark’s shop in Greenwich. The retailer is donating 100% of the proceeds to the charity for the sale of these cards.

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PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

Marple Stationery Supplies spearheads #StationeryShopSaturday A self-confessed greeting card and stationery passionista, indie retailer Sarah Laker, owner of Marple Stationery Supplies, spearheaded the campaign to establish Saturday 4 May as #StationeryShopSaturday, a day to celebrate all stores, especially indies, that sell stationery in the UK. This special Saturday falls at the end of National Stationery Week (29 April-5 May, 2019).

The Stationery Show London trade exhibition, which launched National Stationery Week took place within that week (on April 30 and May 1).

“I am a fan of National Stationery Week.

While I was happy to see that both Paperchase and Ryman were each sponsoring a day within the week, I also thought that it was important that us indies had a special day too, so I contacted the organisers to share my views - and have ended up agreeing to front it!” Sarah told PG. As Sarah elaborated: “This provided a great opportunity for us to encourage the public to visit their local indie who sells stationery, treat themselves to a new notebook and pen, write a letter or a card and celebrate the wonderful products and the act of writing.”

She urged all independent stationery stockists, whether card retailers, gift shops or stationery specialists, to get involved.

Paperchase, Ryman and Derwent Art were among the official sponsors of National Stationery Week.

Above: Sarah Laker, who bought Marple Stationery Supplies 14 years ago, is on a mission!

Rachel Ellen’s digital thrust Rachel Ellen Designs is perpetuating its growth spurt of the last few years with significant investment in a brand new sparkling website (www.rachelellen.co.uk) which is right at the heart of a campaign to stay in touch with its customers.

“Certain aspects of the business remain relatively unchanged,” reveals Rachel Church, co-founder of the 22 year-old card and gift business, “but the last few years has seen a significant change regarding the importance of the internet and we are keen to offer our customers a positive experience.”

Above: The new Rachel Ellen Designs’ website looks good and is easy to navigate.

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NEWS Waterstones appoints Hazel Walker

TOP STORY

New Owner For Abbey Cards Sunil Rakholiya has acquired the greeting card wholesaler The long-established greeting card cash and carry wholesale business of Abbey Cards, licensed sports merchandise distribution company Spot On Gifts, and Party Wholesale, an online B2B portal for party products, has been sold to entrepreneur Sunil Rakholiya. This is a culmination of a carefully considered exit strategy put in place due to the directors, including founder and managing director, Harry Rai, wanting to retire.

Everything Abbey Cards’ founder Harry Rai does in business he does well and that includes how and to whom the group that he and his family have built up over the last 35 years has been sold, ensuring the legacy will continue and the staff’s jobs will be safe.

The business has not only survived economic turbulence, but Harry’s vision and entrepreneurial spirit has seen the greeting card wholesale business of Abbey Cards be joined by two start-ups, Spot On Gifts (launched in 2007) and Party Wholesalers (in 2016).

Spot On Gifts is now a major global distributor of officially licensed football and character merchandise supplying retailers all over the world.

The company will continue to trade under the brand names of Abbey Cards, Spot On Gifts and Party Wholesalers, but has relocated to a new location nearby (Unit 5-6 Abercorn Commercial Centre, Manor Farm Road, Wembley, HA0 1AN).

Harry is to continue to offer support to the new owner for the next 12 months.

Highly popular and experienced card buyer, Hazel Walker, who worked at Paperchase for almost nine years in total, has joined the Waterstones’ buying team, taking up the role of senior buyer for cards and giftwrap.

Hazel had made the decision to take a three-month sabbatical to go travelling, starting last December, when she was approached about the Waterstones’ job.

“I was so sad to leave Paperchase and the team, but felt I was ready for a new challenge,” Hazel told PG. Hazel joins Claire Quinn, buyer for cards, giftwrap and calendars, to further develop Waterstones’ greeting card and giftwrap sales. “There’s lots of potential and I’m excited to get stuck in!” Hazel said a few days into her new role.

Her first priority is to finalise the Christmas 2019 selection, but then Hazel says she will turn her attentions to the everyday offer. “Timing wise, PG Live should tie into this perfectly!” said Hazel, a big fan of the June show (June 4 and 5). “I am so looking forward to catching up with everyone. I’ve only been away for three months but it feels like longer!”

Above and below: Hazel Walker has recently joined the Waterstones’ buying team.

Above: Harry Rai (left) with Sunil Rakholiya who has taken over the business.

Left: All three parts to the group will continue under the new ownership.

Simon Elvin Group acquires Grass Roots assets The Simon Elvin group has acquired the majority of the vast design and verse bank of Grass Roots International, the trading name of the Liverpool-based card company that ceased trading in March.

GRASS ROOTS In addition to these creative assets, the Simon Elvin group has also acquired INTERNATIONAL the publisher’s brand names, Grass Roots and Write from the Heart. from the The deal does not include the actual business, which was liquidated on April 8.

Commenting, Simon Elvin, co-founder of the group which includes the wholesale publishing business Simon Elvin as well as Paper Rose, Nigel Quiney Publications and Glick, told PG: “I have long admired the card ranges published by Grass Roots and was saddened to learn that the company was in difficulty. When I was approached by Rob [Brown] and Lisa [Ardren, the co-owners of Grass Roots] about whether I would be interested in taking on the thousands of designs for which they had the rights, as well as the huge number of verses, I was obviously very interested.”

Knowing the goodwill that the Grass Roots and Write from the Heart brand names have with retailers, Simon also saw merit in bringing them into the group’s portfolio.

“As this is not something we had anticipated, we are still debating how best to use the designs, verses and brand names, and which of our companies are best suited to be their ‘home’,” added Simon.

Several years ago the Simon Elvin group acquired Card Essentials, a small franchise card business that was owned by Grass Roots’ Rob Brown and Lisa Ardren.

TM

Left: Simon Elvin, founder of the eponymous group, which also includes Paper Rose, Nigel Quiney and Glick.

Above: The Grass Roots and Write from the Heart brand names are now owned by the Simon Elvin group.

Cards star perform for IG Design IG Design Group ceo Paul Fineman highlighted greeting cards as one of the group’s “star performers” this year, while revealing that the UK’s market conditions as having been challenging with growth generally is being outpaced” by other territories in which the card, wrap and gift group is active.

IG’s everyday card presence has been bolstered recently by the supply of a bespoke card collection into Aldi (that is now installed in 100 stores) joining other exclusive collections in Wilko, B&M and Poundland in the UK alone.

Paul added: “We've had a strong year on greeting cards, it is a good success story for us and we are still gaining momentum.”

Above: One of IG Design Group’s displays in Aldi.

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The Retas Rollcall

The Retas 2019 Finalists

Frida Kahlo was revered for her vibrant artistry, independent thinking and appreciation of people. This makes for a perfect theme for The Retas 2019, the awards that celebrate and recognise the very best greeting card retailers in the UK right across the spectrum.

We reveal the finalists of The Retas 2019, with the winners to be announced at a wonderful afternoon event that will be held at London’s Grosvenor House Hotel on Wednesday 10 July.

Greeting Card Retail Employee Of The Year n Mandy Baker, manager of Celebrations, Aylsham n Helen Baxter, visual merchandiser of Thurrock

Garden Centre n Jennifer Burke, store manager of Card Factory,

Bootle Parkside and Stonedale stores n Denise Keers, shop manager of Cards 2

Confetti, Brixham n Pippa Kelly, card buyer/admin coordinator of Gee

Tee’s, Westhoughton and Bamber Bridge Stores n Ben Knight, customer service manager of Scribbler,

Manchester store n Emma Knights, part-time sales assistant of Dragonfly

Cards & Gifts, Knaresborough n Karen Roberts, shop assistant for Memorable Moments, Ripon n Antonia Secchi, assistant manager for The Write Stuff, Edinburgh n Helena Smith, sales assistant for Nickery Nook, Bedale

Best Independent Greeting Card Retailer - London (inside the M25) n n n n n n

The Ark, Stoke Newington Diverse, Brixton Gift, Crouch End The Loft, Teddington Medici Gallery, South Kensington Pretty Shiny Things, Stroud Green

Best Independent Greeting Card Retailer - Home Counties n n n n n n

The Card Hall, Maidstone No. 14, Ampthill Paddock Wood Cards, Paddock Wood Red Card, Petworth Something Special, Edenbridge Zebra Cards, Royal Tunbridge Wells

Best Independent Greeting Card Retailer - East Anglia n n n n n n

Blue Dog, Clare Greetings from the Heart, Bourne Little Boat Gifts, Brightlingsea Love It, Bury St Edmunds and Stamford Sincerely Yours, Shenfield Wave and Spots, Bungay and Southwold

Best Independent Greeting Card Retailer - South West n n n n n n

Cards 2 Confetti, Brixham Cilla & Camilla, Bridport Daisy Park, South Molton Island Greetings, two stores in St Helier Just Cards, Honiton Soukous, Bristol

Best Independent Greeting Card Retailer - Wales and the Midlands n n n n n n

Bentleys and Maddison, Stourport and Harborne In Heaven At Home, Market Harborough Little Paperie, Ashbourne Nest, Leicester Tidings, Cirencester Tokenhouse, Nottingham

Best Independent Greeting Card Retailer - North and Northern Ireland n n n n n n

Baileys Cards and Gifts, Southport and Crosby Cards etc, Horsforth Forget Me Not, Rochdale Hallmark, Castle Douglas and Newton Stewart Memorable Moments, Ripon Nickery Nook, Bedale

Best Independent Greeting Card Retailer - Scotland n n n n n n

Alba, Oban Bluestone Designs, Largs Coorie Doon, Gourock The Gift Boutique, Fraserburgh JP Pozzi and Bijou, Buckie and Elgin The Write Stuff, Edinburgh

Best Greeting Card Retailer Newcomer or New Branch - South n n n n n n

Objectables, Folkestone No.66 Cards and Gifts, Ryde Pack A Punch, Bridgwater Planet Sal, Honiton Sincerely Yours, Hornchurch Sullivan’s, Thorpe Bay PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

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The Retas Rollcall

Best Greeting Card Retailer Newcomer or New Branch - North n n n n n n

Best Wishes, Garstang Cards & Gifts, Sheffield Holly Blue, Saltburn-by-sea Pencil Me In, Elgin Rad Studio, Saltaire West Kirby Cards Hallmark, West Kirby

Best Independent Bookstore Retailer of Greeting Cards n n n n n n

Blandfords, Broadway, Hereford and Ledbury Bookends, Christchurch Edge of the World, Penzance Serendip, Lyme Regis Spencer Thorne, Bude Walkers, Oakham and Stamford

Best Non-Specialist Independent Retailer of Greeting Cards - North n Boroughbridge Post Office, Boroughbridge n CTD News, Allestree n Hand-Picked By Henrietta, Chapel-En-Le-Frith

and Poynton n The Old School Beauly, Beauly n QLM, Leeds n Spirito, Glasgow

Best Non-Specialist Independent Retailer of Greeting Cards – South n n n n n n

George R Reeve, Wymondham Gifted, Thaxted Mimi, Hartley Wintney Mooch, two stores in Northampton Mooch Gifts & Home, Stourport on Severn My Flair Lady Floral Design, White Roding

Best Greeting Card Small Multiple (4-20 stores) n n n n n

House of Cards - six stores in the Home Counties Mayther - seven stores in the South Penmark - four stores in the Midlands Postmark - four stores in London Three Wishes - Broadstone, Ferndown, Lymington, Ringwood and Verwood n Zo & Co - four stores in Greater Manchester and Cheshire

Best Department Store Retailer of Greeting Cards n n n n n n

Atkinsons, Sheffield Elys of Wimbledon Daniels of Windsor Dawsons, Clitheroe Barkers, Northallerton John Lewis, Oxford St

Best Supermarket Retailer of Greeting Cards n Aldi n Asda n Co-Op

n Sainsbury’s n Tesco n Waitrose

Best Non-Specialist Multiple Retailer of Greeting Cards (4+ stores) n n n n n n

Between The Lines - 15 stores in the South Lorimers, 12 stores in Surrey and Kent Oliver Bonas - 70 stores nationwide Utility, 3 stores in Liverpool and one in Manchester Waterstones - 250+ stores nationwide WHSmith - 611 stores nationwide

Best Specialist Multiple Retailer of Greeting Cards (20+ stores) n n n n n n

Cards Direct - 30 stores Card Factory - 970+ stores Cards Galore - 50 stores Cardzone Group - 130 stores Paperchase - 130+ stores Scribbler - 38 stores

Best Garden Centre Retailer of Greeting Cards n Burston Rose, St Albans n Blue Diamond Group - 30 garden centres n Garrion Bridges Garden and Antique Centre,

Overtown n Klondyke and Strikes - 22 garden centres n Longacres - Bagshot, Bybrook Barn, Chobham

and Shepperton n Planters, Tamworth and Derby

Best Greeting Card Retailer Initiative (for a specific project or initiative undertaken by a retailer to promote card sales) n Blue Rose Gifts & Balloons, Heywood - for its Make A Pudsey activity n Card Factory - for its Father’s Day Macmillan Cancer Support Partnership n Cardies, Stevenage - for its community street art programme n Dragonfly Cards & Gifts, Knaresborough - for its Milestone Birthday Giveaway n Scribbler - for its Goes Greener initiative n Pencil Me In, Elgin - for its My Shoplife 19 Instagram Challenge n Wishes of Cudworth - for its Christmas programme

Best Greeting Card Service Based Wholesaler n n n n n n

Archway Cards, Norwich Budget Greeting Cards, eight branches UK and Eire Card and Party Store, Bury Crosswear Trading, Enfield Greetings House, Walsall Jacksons, Sheffield

Greeting Card Retailer of the Year n To be announced at The Retas Awards. The winners

of the other categories are finalists in this category.

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OVER THE COUNTER

The Real Thing

Below: The Pepsi Challenge is ingrained into popular culture.

Below left: Micheal J Fox in a Pepsi ad in the 1980s.

Below right: David’s card controls have had an overhaul.

Independent card and gift retailer, David Robertson, co-owner of JP Pozzi in Scotland, takes the greeting card taste challenge.

Pepsi and Coca-Cola are without doubt two of the world’s most recognisable brands.

They have a wealth of sales history and most importantly cash at their disposal so their marketing, slogans and ads have always been at the forefront of popular culture.

Coca-Cola has always pushed the American dream, with a rich history that makes fascinating reading. Pepsi has always courted a more cult celeb following, from Michael J Fox in the 80’s to football stars such as David Beckham. Ask anyone and I am sure that they can name slogans such as ‘Have a Coke and a smile’ or ‘Pepsi. The Choice of a New Generation’.

Each brand has a distinctive colour scheme, but if you are of my generation one marketing strategy will stand out above all others…the blind taste test.

The Pepsi Challenge, as it is still known, has run since 1975 with two disguised cans/bottles and two little cups of liquid. A member of the public is then offered a sip of two colas unmarked, and the claim since the beginning has been that Pepsi is preferred more than Coca-Cola. The fact that Pepsi is sweeter and in small amounts is more distinctive than Coca-Cola is not really acknowledged.

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PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

The whole taste test thing was at the front of my mind upon reviewing cards from a publisher that I had long since had my mind made up on, although normally I had dismissed them.

As retailers we can often be set in our ways, and while I am always searching out new small publishers and looking for the latest greatest board and innovation I can be guilty of not looking as closely at the bread and butter lines. The cards that make up the controls of so many of my and your stores are tried and tested, and without realising it we will favour them for many reasons, possibly because we have always sold them, possibly because we have a good relationship with the rep or agent or maybe just because it is a card collection that we can have in the area without a competitor, but mostly because as indie retailers we believe we will know what works for our customers.

The cards on our control will not change as often as our small publishers as we tend to make the decision, ticket it and let it do its thing. In the last two years though, as business continues to be challenging, we have been asking more and more questions of the control and the companies with cards within it. We are looking at the ticket turns and asking for poorer performing designs to be switched out earlier. We are asking the publishers on it to ensure that we have the latest product and we are also, in some instances, double

pocketing to allow more customer choice. I have also changed companies on the control more in the last two years than ever before as we have tried to find a mix that works - price, design and customer wise.

We tried one display area with designs from eight publishers, which was too many.

We had one where the publishers’ designs were too similar and the colours blended. It became very pink in actual fact! We have mixed price points and offered more choice with both cheaper and more expensive products. All in all we have done a power of work with the publishers and I am proud of where the controls now sit.

So while I have been changing designs and suppliers I have had quite a few

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OVER THE COUNTER publishers challenge me to look again at their product. Two publishers in particular come to mind, both of which I have not dealt with for some time.

I wanted to look at how the big two were also trying their own version of The Pepsi Challenge.

Last year UKG launched its Kindred brand, which had its own stand at PG Live. I was sent out a sample pack and apart from sharing a postal address it made no mention of UKG or the might of its parent company American Greetings.

UKG wanted Kindred to live and die by the quality of its own designs, and the biggest compliment I can pay is that the collection can sit alongside any of the top small publishers and not look out of place. Indeed, I often send the cards myself. If you haven’t looked at it or tried it I urge you to go back and look again.

Woodmansterne has also done something similar with its Proper Mail Company brand. These cards can happily sit alongside any of the handmade product.

Hallmark too has been launching lots of new innovation in small capsule collections and this has freshened up its brand as well.

These publishers have both the blessing and curse of being the best-known brands to the general public, and the perception is that they are expensive quality cards. While this is true, they also offer the public many choices.

Emotional Rescue is a brand that I have flirted with off and on and never had any real success with. At various times various things have worked, but perhaps much of the problem is that I always stuck with the humour that has worked for me for a long time - UKG’s Giggles range.

With my friend David Greaves stepping back into the main Emo position he challenged me to try 4ft of Emo’s best product, and despite it only being in store for two weeks the sales have been encouraging, and interestingly the staff have really liked it and got behind it. The humour classics are there, such as On The Ceiling, but interestingly, other Emo ranges have worked as well.

Would I have tried it if it had not been for David’s persuasion? Would my staff have got behind it if I had asked them? Probably not.

Long-term I await what happens, but if it sells it will keep its place and that is something I would be happy about.

Above: The Kindred stand at PG Live last year with UKG’s commercial director Darren Cave and creative director, Frances Billington.

Left: A beautiful card from Hallmark.

Below: Wendy Jones Blackett keeps innovating her designs.

The publisher that perhaps has been the biggest challenge is one that I simply had stopped considering. In the past I had ruled out Cherry Orchard. My preconceived view was that I didn’t like the board, felt the designs were oldfashioned and I felt that I had not seen any new innovation. I stress that these were personal historical opinions and I am sure the product has worked for many others for years.

But again a new person at Cherry Orchard challenged me to have another look.

My staff too were less than enthusiastic about the product so I did a sneaky thing and covered the logos with a large white sticker. Giving my colleagues the new product like that the reaction was overwhelmingly positive. So this week, for the first time, I have gathered together an order for the publisher for two of my stores.

It hasn’t reinvented the wheel or anything like that, but Cherry Orchard’s designs are quite simply good, well-priced traditional card product with some nice touches.

The ‘blind taste test’ with my staff worked and I will be interested to see how the cards sell through.

Have these publishers re-invented themselves? In some ways yes, but in others they are just doing what we all do. They are trying to engage new customers and keep relevant. They are trying to build sales.

‘Re-invention’, this word is thrown about freely whether it is about deals, people, places, things, and of course businesses.

There is almost an unwritten rule where we all need to be constantly examining and

looking at what we need to do.

The old joke was if you were standing still you were going backwards, and that is true to an extent, but there are many people who simply don’t know how to move forward.

Cards as a medium, I always say, are fashion, and with the production costs falling and large print runs a thing of the past the ability to do something different and to try and innovate has never been easier. That is why the greeting card industry is such an exciting place to work in. It constantly changes.

Small publishers’ designs are also a great place to see this innovation. Every year these publishers try to move things forward and sometimes these new things work and sometimes they don’t.

One publisher comes clearly to mind where I love the company, the designer, but the current range is not for me… but the next one might be and that is always my attitude. If someone asks me to look at a product, I will. I am constantly being sent cards - I like this. I use them, I show people them and also put them out for customers to buy. If they are snapped up quickly then I look at them again.

Designers are creative people and that means that we won’t like everything they do.

The strength of many of these publishers will rise and fall, and often see new publishers arrive with a massive impact to then simply fade away. In many respects it is like a band’s difficult second album.

The follow up range after initial launch can be difficult and that is why long-lasting publishers such as Wendy Jones-Blackett, Five Dollar Shake, Belly Button, Blue Eyed Sun and many others have to be admired.

They have continued to innovate and be at the forefront of design for many years, consistently selling while retaining their love for the industry.

So perhaps we all need to look at things again. You can’t beat the feeling of the ‘real thing’ when you know you get it right. Greeting cards, who knew it was so complicated?!

To contact David email: jppozzi@btconnect.com PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

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CARDSHARP

Putting The Zs Into Greetingz Cardz The UK greeting card industry faces many challenges over the next few years, many of which have been catalogued by Cardsharp ad nauseum in PG’s past editions. The decline of the high street footfall and its dent on bricks and mortar shopping, the dominating influence of social media and the drop in postal sending generally have all highlighted the industry’s need to stay ahead of the game.

Cardsharp gets down with the kids by underscoring one more big challenge coming up, that of staying relevant to Generation Z as it matures.

Cardsharp is always suspicious of labels and fatuous over-generalisations. Most of these emanate from the mass media or the advertising industry. It is far too easy, thinks Cardsharp, to pigeonhole people, attitudes and habits by class, ethnicity, age, religion, sexuality and regionality, especially in this era of identity politics. “We are all individuals!” exclaimed Graham Chapman, who is mistaken for a Messiah in the Monty Python film Life of Brian. Having said that though, Cardsharp, by using a quote from that 1979 film, is well and truly identifying himself as a Baby Boomer!

A Baby Boomer is defined as someone who was born in a period of greatly increased population growth, dating from

the period 1945-1965. The Baby Boomers are often lazily referred to as the hippy generation, the first generation to have sexual freedom thanks to the pill, and sometimes named the spoilt generation, given that many of them were able to buy property cheaply and easily and benefit from rising property prices. Yet not all Boomers by a long chalk bought property, had lots of sex or grew their hair long!

The next defined aged grouping was Generation X, those born 19661980, followed by the Millennials, born between 1981 and 1995. And now there is a new age grouping doing the rounds, those born post 1995 - the so-called Generation Z. For those like Cardsharp who has only just got his head around Millennials as a term, it is a bit of a shock to learn that the oldest Millennials are now hitting 39 years old. So for someone like Cardsharp, who still thinks he’s an 18 year old, understanding Generation Z is Top: Facebook launched in 2004.

Above: Launched in 2000, PlayStation 2 is the best selling video game console of all time.

Left: Princess Diana died in 1997.

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going to be a real challenge. But more of that later.

As far as greeting cards are concerned, the industry really owes its early growth and massive expansion in the 1980s and 1990s to the Baby Boomers. Of course greeting cards (and Christmas cards in particular) had been around since Sir Henry Cole in the Victorian era, but the development of a greeting card culture did not really emerge until a lot later. The huge growth in sales of blank cards, humorous cards, cute cards like Tatty Teddy and Forever Friends, all came about from the Boomers’ voracious appetite for something ‘new and different’. It’s not an exaggeration to say greeting cards were the

‘Paper Rock and Roll’ of the ‘Boomers’, a habit they passed (in the main) onto the Generation Xers. The Xers then added photographic cards, art cards and handfinished/embellished cards to their list of likes, and the new breed of card publishers were there to quench their thirst.

Many of us in the industry thought the Millennials would be a problem. As many hit maturity, there was talk of text messaging and e-cards (remember them?!) replacing greeting card giving and sending. Then, as Facebook took its iron hold on the nation’s smart phones, then Twitter, Instagram and YouTube, the news on the ‘txts’ was that no one would buy archaic greeting cards any more. In fact, reflected Cardsharp, quite the

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CARDSHARP opposite happened. Many millennials experiencing social media and screen overload, embraced paper big time, as evidenced in the revival in sales of quality gift stationery, and a pretty constant level of greeting card purchases. And Millennials positively lapped up new trends in greeting card design and content brought them by another new breed of card publishers embracing the advantages of the short lead time and minimal print-runs that digital printing allows, with no drop in quality.

In fact, in Cardsharp’s humble opinion, the rise in the popularity of very rude cards (the kind that the Daily Mail professes to hate, but its damning pieces has fed the tills of Scribbler, the DM diatribes acting as an oblique PR push for the edgy retailer) as well as the continuing wave for graphic design and simple worded cards is mainly down to Millennials. Cardsharp is not saying that everyone in this generation has embraced greeting cards, but it does appear that female Millennials (and an increasing number of males) once they hit around 24 years old seem to up their card buying.

So the new challenge is to make sure this greeting card habit is passed on to Generation Z. It is quite pertinent, now the oldest of them being 24 years old, is the age traditionally when many people start buying greeting cards seriously.

Cardsharp for one, hasn’t a clue about ASMR (Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response if you want to know!), but he is probably in good company. But from what he has clocked, Z-ers are a savvy bunch.

They have grown up on Facebook and Instagram and are ruthless in their attention span, so immediately hitting between the eyes with content is crucial.

Left: Apple’s first iPhone was announced in 2007.

Below left: Barack Obama became an American President in 2008.

Below right: The London Olympics were held in 2012.

Gen Z-ers tend to spend their money on products that promote positive initiatives, around the environment, racial justice, LGBT issues and gender equality. Some 60% of them want to change the world, compared with 39% of Millennials, at least that is what Cardsharp thought the infographic from Upfront Analytics was depicting! They also have a bit of a ‘cancel culture’ and will fall out of love with something very easily.

Pulling the wool over their eyes it would seem is difficult. Many of them can see through cynical attempts at manipulation having been bought up on a diet of pop-up ads! In the main, YouTube is their favoured social media channel having never really adopted the Boomers’ and Xs’ favourites of Facebook and Twitter, or the Millennials’ fave, Instagram.

What is more, Generation Z, as it reaches maturity, doesn’t like being patronised, tricked, and critically for the card trade, ‘greenwashed’.

So mused Cardsharp, will this new emerging generation, like the three that have proceeded it, end up embracing greeting cards as they mature? In a world that is so unpredictable and moving so fast it is hard to say one way or another. For a start we will have to make sure the industry’s green credentials are totally in order and subject to scrutiny. The supply side of the industry and progressive proactive publishers have gone a long way down that road already. Who would have thought five years ago that some supermarkets would be leading the way in banning poly bags, previously considered vital protection, or something that once seemed so innocuous as glitter on cards? If we are not to get the cold shoulder treatment, to Cardsharp’s mind, the trade must make sure that all the green boxes are well and truly ticked and there are no skeletons in the cupboard (like the treatment of returns for example by some major retailers).

Z-ers are likely to have more of a propensity to buy cards that reflect diversity and gender equality. The old stereotypical battle of the sexes type humour will probably

not appeal to them, and at present this demographic seems less interested in alcohol (although this might change as they mature) which means the Prosecco, gin and beer cards may not appeal to many of them.

Card designs will need to have a close eye to ‘stay woke’ (in keeping with the African American term adopted by Z-ers that refers to perceived awareness of issues concerning social justice and racial justice).

This ‘wokeness’, which is typical of this generation, would imply an earnestness that might find them resistant to erstwhile humour cards, especially those that might inadvertently cause offence, which let’s face it reflected Cardsharp, could be anything!

Some of the issues facing the card trade with Generation Z are out of our hands. We can’t force them to go out and shop, but hopefully as they reach maturity, like others before them, they will go out and do it, if perhaps not as frequently as previous generations. Perhaps Z-ers will grow tired of being on screen all the time and want more physical activity. With all the talk about doing 10,000 steps, perhaps this generation will discover they like to walk to the shops!

Perhaps Cardsharp is analysing this all too deeply and once the Z-ers reach card buying age, say 24-25 years old, they will follow the buying habits of the Millennials and those before them. But as history has shown, each emerging generation has left its taste imprint on the greeting card industry, and so it is likely that Z-ers will leave theirs. The trick is second guessing what it will be, concluded Cardsharp, before he heads off to the pub, knowing that he is unlikely to bump into any campaigning, clean living Z-ers!

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Was

Mum The

Word?

The later timing, the good weather and the fact that we love our mums, all boded well for Mother’s Day this year. So how did this major Spring Season event stack up for card retailers?

PG asked retailers to reveal their star performers as well as share whether they had noted any changes to buying habits for this year’s event.

Left: There was no missing it was Mother’s Day in Loft and Spires in Bury St Edmunds.

Lucy Sticka co-owner of Little Paperie in Ashbourne, Derbyshire: How were sales?: “It went really well for us this year - in fact we almost had a sell out of Mother’s Day cards! We opened our concession last month so that brought in extra sales, but we had to keep swapping cards between the two locations and organise extra last minute deliveries.”

Changing buying habits?: “It was a bit strange with it being so late this year. As soon as Valentine’s Day was over we were getting asked all the time for Mother’s Day cards. We had been a bit reluctant to put them out so early, but also didn’t want to lose sales.

We had strong sales early on in March and so had to restock a few designs towards the day or would have lost those last minute sales over the final weekend.”

Above right: Little Paperie setting up before the Derbyshire Spring Market, held in the Roundhouse building.

Left: Part of the Mother’s Day display in Little Paperie.

Right: Wendy Jones-Blackett’s small Mother’s Day cards did well in Little Paperie.

Star performers and sales boosters?: “Stop the Clock’s designs always sell really well for us and they had a great selection for Mother’s Day this year. The smaller square cards by Wendy Jones-Blackett and Molly Mae sold out first and we also found a lot more people were asking for cards without sentiment so just a nice floral design or something quite simple.

Our Mother’s Day sales were boosted by our involvement in a big local event the week before, called the Derbyshire Spring Market.

For this we basically emptied the shop and replicated it in the middle of Derby’s amazing Roundhouse building where it’s held. We made a feature of our Mother’s Day gifts and cards there and sold a lot of Mother’s Day cards, while our mini framed prints were a big hit too.”

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Kate Cowie director of Utility, three shops in Liverpool and one in Manchester: How were sales?: “Our Mother's Day Card sales were fantastic. It was our strongest ever Mother's Day week in 20 years of retailing. Not including our Manchester store (which opened less than two weeks before Mother’s Day) our year-on-year sales with our existing stores were over 30% up - an actual rise of over 1,200 single cards.”

Changing buying habits?: “Buying habits followed a similar track to recent years where the focus of sales were single cards or single cards with a gift. The cards that featured in our Top 10 demonstrated a good mix across contemporary, humor, traditional and hand-finished.

We saw strong sales in jewellery, bags, scarves, bathing and home fragranced products. Although we filtered in the Mother’s Day cards from March 1 onwards, the strongest sales were in the week before March 31.”

Star performers and sales boosters?: “Our Top 10 Mother’s Day card sellers were from Redback Cards, Dean Morris, Claire Giles, Soochichacha and Stop The Clock.

We had large posters made for each of the Liverpool store windows that proclaimed ‘Best Mum in Liverpool’, and the window content reflected our strongest Mother's Day-related gifts. This followed through into the store with the front fixtures displaying relevant displays to increase gift sales. We also did a joint promotion with Katie Loxton and Joma where we offered a gift with purchase, which proved popular.”

Paul Taylor managing director of Cardzone: How were sales?: “Mother’s Day was really good this year - we ended up 5% on cards and 7% on gifts. There is no doubt about it, the longer lead time between Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day, which this year was six weeks, really helped.

I do feel that this helps high street retailers and there is more opportunities for the public to be reminded. The closer that gap between Valentine’s and Mother’s Day the more it plays into the hands of supermarkets when panic buying comes into play.”

Changing buying habits?: “The longer lead time meant that it was more of a steady build up of sales this year.

While we did have some customers wanting to buy a humorous card the more traditional designs seemed to fit the bill.”

Star performers?: “Hallmark, UKG, IC&G, Carte Blanche and Emotional Rescue all performed very well for us.”

Above: The Cardzone Didcot store.

Below: Cardzone’s md Paul Taylor (left) with PG’s Warren Lomax and fellow retailer Maxine Nield of Reflections, Nantwich at the recent retirement event for Hallmark’s Steve Wright.

Top: Utility’s shop window in its Liverpool One store.

Above: One of the lovely Mother’s Day designs from Stop The Clock.

Rod Saunders co-owner of Card Shack in Broadstairs: How were sales?: “We had a stonking Mother’s Day our sales were up 50%, but so much of this was down to the good weather. Our shop is located right on the beach so when the weather is bad, as it was last year, we can be left with tons of stock, but this year it was perfect. The sun was out and so were the people! It was a different story last year when the Beast from the East was doing its worst!”

Changing buying habits?: “We saw a notable uptake on cards featuring a ‘Mothering Sunday’ caption. We were surprised as we are known for our quirky humour, but people couldn’t get enough of the more traditional floral designs featuring Mothering Sunday.”

Star performers?: “Among our best sellers were cards from Paperlink, Tracks and Pigment.”

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Left: Rod Saunders and his wife Carrie outside their shop Card Shack in the Broadstairs sunshine.

Above: Paperlink’s Mother’s Day and Mothering Sunday cards fared well in Card Shack.

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Kristan Miller owner of Cardeaux & Co in Wells and Chipping Sodbury:

Mark Janson-Smith managing director of Postmark, four shops in London: How were sales?: “Mother's Day was OK for us this year, but not our best. Our like-for-like sales of Mother's Day specific cards were down 5% in value and 4% in volume, which suggests a more cautious approach by us and the customer. We were probably a little too cautious and under bought slightly as our sell through on Mother's Day was over 90%.

We did make up a lot of sales in cards suitable for Mother's Day, which would not be recorded in our overall Mother's Day figures.”

Changing buying habits?: “Due to the different dates Seasons fall, it is always hard to judge the first quarter until after Mother's Day, but we are 1% down for the year to date despite the number of customers being up which suggests customers are being a lot more careful with the money they are spending due to the continued uncertainty in the UK.” Star performers?: “The really strong performers for us this year based on sale through rates were: Think Of Me Designs, Stop The Clock, Paper Salad, Noi and Louise Mulgrew who all had a sale through of above 95%.

The top three had 100% sell through so we definitely should have had more of those!

Sooshichacha was also particularly strong with great sales numbers and had a 90% sell through.”

Top: Postmark’s East Dulwich store.

Above: Two Mother’s Day designs from Paper Salad.

How were sales?: “Mother’s Day was extremely positive. In recent years we have seen Mother’s Day sales rise to become larger, for us, than Valentine’s Day.” Changing buying habits?: “I’d have to agree with reports in the press that Mother’s Day has become the second most popular ‘occasion’ after Christmas.

Similarly, as in the last few years, we hope that Easter sales will follow the upward trend too.“ Star performers?: “Our most popular range of cards for Mother’s Day was undoubtedly Stop the Clock, of which we sold out, followed by Wendy Jones-Blackett, Five Dollar Shake, Dandelion Stationery and Toasted Crumpet.

This year we saw sales strong in traditional gifts of bath and body, candles and jewellery, but with a greater emphasis on lovely homewares, too. Beautiful Walton & Co cushions, vases and champagne flutes from LSA International, an inordinate amount of ‘Mum’, ‘Mummy’ and flower mugs from Emma Bridgewater, bath and body products to include the Mum range from Bath House and the ever-popular Naturally European from Somerset Toiletries.”

Top: A Dandelion Stationery Mother’s Day card that celebrates all ‘motherly’ relationships.

Above: Kristan Miller at The Henries judging last summer.

Sean Austin owner of Austin & Co, Malvern: How were sales?: “Mother’s Day was fabulous for us - it wiped the floor with Valentine’s Day!” Changing buying habits?: “Mother’s Day card buying was a build up to a last minute surge. We sold 300 individual cards on the Saturday before alone - our displays were decimated! We definitely sensed that the cost of the card was less important with customers having no problem going for the higher priced cards such as those from Cinnamon Aitch.”

Star performers?: “As well as Cinnamon Aitch, our star performers on the Mother’s Day card front included those from Dandelion, ArtPress, Ohh Dear and Folio.”

Above: Sean Austin of Austin & Co with Bexy Hassett of Bexy Boo at PG Live.

Left: A lovely Mother’s Day design from Cinnamon Aitch.

Miles Robinson co-owner of House of Cards, six shops in the Home Counties: How were sales?: “Our Mother’s Day card sales were slightly down this year like-for-like, but only by 1%. However our overall sales held up quite well.

Miles Robinson That said, as Spring Season timing has varied significantly Above: (left) with his business partner Nigel from last year we can’t really compare like-for-like until the Williamson in their end of April.”

Wallingford store.

Star performers?: “Winners on Mother’s Day for us came from Blue Eyed Sun, Cherry Orchard, Lucilla Lavender and Tracks.”

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In Profile

High Five X2

To mark their respective companies’ shared fifth anniversaries, card publishers, Louise Tiler Designs and Tache are inviting the entire global greeting card industry to lunch two days running and will also be putting on a great evening party to boot as cosponsors of the lunchroom and opening day drinks bash at this year’s PG Live show (June 4 and 5).

PG caught up with the owners of these two impressive companies who not only both made their trade show debuts at PG Live five years ago but also christened a friendship that has blossomed between the companies’ directors in the ensuing half decade.

Steering the Tiler “We first met Frank and Pennie [the cofounders of Tache] at PG Live five years ago.

We have very different looks to our greeting cards, but it is so good to have friends in the industry that are growing at a similar rate, enabling you to share the journey together,” believes Louise Tiler, the namesake of Louise Tiler Designs, who runs the business from its base in Keighley in Yorkshire, with her partner in business and love, Gavin Nicholas.

“Being a new publishing company and working most of the year in your own space or office it is so lovely to have the friendship and support from those within the industry,” says Louise, celebrating the relationship she and Gavin have shared with Tache’s Pennie and Frank since their respective debuts at PG Live 2014.

While the ‘difficult’ job of the food tasting has now been done (the PG Live legendary veggie lasagne is on the lunch menu!), the designs for the PG Live Gallery Hall, where the lunch and opening night drinks party will take place, are still underwraps with the final tweaks being made to the grand plan hatched by the Louise Tiler and Tache teams.

However, at odds with the muchdeserved success and recognition Louise and her eponymous greeting card publishing business has received since it launched, are also some decidedly ‘ungrand’ moments in the company’s development which Lou and Gav are big enough to share.

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drawing board scooping the top award at New Designers in 2011, swiftly followed by an award at Surtex, the US surface pattern show. Buoyed up by these and with an urge to launch her own card company, she booked a stand at PG Live. (Louise’s award success has since continued, having been crowned Most Promising Young Designer or Artists in The Henries in 2017).

“I remember her spending a month in virtual solitude, only surfacing when she had created 64 card designs she was happy with

Above: (Left-right) Tache’s Frank Nicholls and Pennie Bryant with Michael Jellie, the head chef at the Business Design Centre (where PG Live takes place) with Louise Tiler Designs’ Louise Tiler and Gavin Nicholas in the kitchen.

Left: Some of the current best selling Louise Tiler Designs’ cards.

Below left: Louise Tiler and Gavin Nicholas at The Henries 2017 at which Lou won the Most Promising Young Designer or Artist award.

Bottom: Louise at work in her studio at the company’s Keighley HQ.

to launch at PG Live,” recalls Gav, Louise’s soulmate of the last 15 years.

“She came back from the show in floods of tears, not because she hadn’t received any orders, far from it, but as she had no money to get the cards published to supply the orders she had taken,” Gav reveals, who as he was working as an electrician back then (before he came into the business full-time) was able to help out financially until the business got on a firmer footing.

As Louise accepts, “like every startup business we had our teething problems, and at least ours were due to the company growing.”

She recalls a memorable evening shortly after the business had received its first export order, to Australia.

“I was supposed to meet the family for an early tea at 6pm. They phoned at 6.30 and I said I would be another half an hour.

At 9pm they all came to the studio to find me crying into a mass of bubblewrap trying to get the orders out. At that moment we accepted the need to employ someone to help!” admitted Louise.

The company now employs six full-time staff, has six outworkers, a full team of agents, sells its cards in 17 different countries and has licensing agreements for

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In Profile

wrap (with Penny Kennedy) and crafting books (with Trimcraft).

For Louise and Gavin those early days were peppered with lots of lasting memories, including their accommodation of choice at their first Spring Fairs - an old leaky caravan that Gavin had bought from his gran and grandad for £300.

“We paid £12 to park it in the campsite near the NEC for the week and shared a kebab to celebrate our first night!” said Louise.

Now putting the finishing touches to the new designs and personalised options

launching at PG Live this year (with a hotel room not a caravan booked!), when put on the spot as to three key lessons Lou and Gav have learned in the company’s first five years, the couple are in no doubts: “1. Stick to what you are good at, find others to do the bits you can’t do. 2.

Don’t expand too quickly, go at the right pace for you. 3. Make sure you say thank you to those who help you. “We would not be where we are now without the help and support of others,” they said.

Below: Frank and Pennie, co-founders of Tache.

Below left: Tache, the namesake of the company.

Below right: One of the designs under the Lashes brand.

Bottom left: Thankfully the pallets of stock are no longer in Frank and Pennie’s home like they were in the early days.

A well-groomed Tache Had Frank Nicholls not created a special birthday card for his girlfriend Pennie Bryant, Tache may have remained only as the name of the couple’s pussycat and not what has become a leading light of the UK’s handmade card sector.

Pennie Bryant had been making cards for friends and family for years so when it was her birthday, boyfriend Frank felt compelled to get creative and went to town with a multi-dimensional card, complete with lined envelope to woo his lovely girlfriend.

“I loved the attention to detail, and after my birthday put it away in a drawer for safe keeping,” recalls Pennie, who had been working in the fashion and visual merchandising fields while Frank was working in the digital department of a magazine company.

Having been made redundant, Pennie took a stopgap post as a waitress and bolstered her income by making cards that she then sold on Etsy.

“It was in the run up to Christmas and I couldn’t quite believe that I sold 100 cards. It gave us the confidence to think we could do it as a business and so landed a start-up loan and then booked a stand at

PG Live, calling the company after our kitten Tache,” said Pennie.

With no industry knowledge to speak off, but using Frank’s special birthday card to Pennie as the starting point, the couple came up with their own distinctive range of handmade cards - notably printed characters affixed onto kraft board with foam pads accompanied by hand-lined enveloped that were affixed using a Tache label.

“We were cutting the elements by hand, didn’t have an understanding of trade pricing or even what an invoice was - we really were clueless,” admits Pennie, recalling that very first PG Live at which Tache made its debut with Krafty Collection, still a successful range.

“Fortunately our stand was close to Jess Hogarth’s who, while laughing at our ignorance, was incredibly helpful.”

However, for Pennie and Frank despite their naivety, the business got off to a great start. “We picked up John Lewis at our first ever PGL from our little 2x1 metre stand and still supply them today. We are now stocked in some of the most prestigious retailers in the

UK and have a global reach through multiple international distributors,” said Frank of the company’s illustrious journey so far.

In common with Louise Tiler Designs, Tache’s success also brought its own problems - notably spatial ones.

“When we started, we ran the business from our small one bedroom flat. There were boxes everywhere - in the kitchen, in the bedroom, it was ridiculous. So we moved to a bigger place, but the same thing happened, only worse, as we then had people coming round to our house to help.

We had racking in house everywhere and gazebos in the garden to cover the palettes of stock. Two years ago, when we were really fed up with it all we bit the bullet and moved the business into an industrial unit in Poole - it is now bliss!” exclaims Pennie.

Picking out a PR highlight of the last five years of Tache, it would be the media interest that Tache’s Famous Faces range received when both Adele and Lionel Ritchie both went public on their delight of seeing their visage on the cards that were on sale in John Lewis.

PG Live sees some more Famous Faces joining the fray, from Boris Johnson to Sir David Attenborough as well as a new range, Modern Missy from Tache’s new feminine sibling band, Lashes created in collaboration with graduate Frankie Norman.

As to key lessons they have learned, Frank highlights self-belief. “Don’t be put off by the inevitable ups and downs. Oh and avoid running the business from a flat!”

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PG showcases a selection of new product launches

Into The Fold Coulson Macleod’s Mini Boxed Foil Concertina range covers ages 13 to 60. The little cards are on pearlescent blush pink board enhanced with metallic gold detailing, while the natural gift box (7.5cm x 7.5cm) comes with a pink wrap that is gold foiled.

Coulson Macleod 01536 419944 www.coulsonmackleod.com

Look East Bearing All

Eastern Print Studio has added new designs to its collection of Easterninspired portfolio, including a humour range with a desi (eastern) twist. Featuring colourful patterns and palettes reflective of Eastern celebrations, the designs cover Islamic, Sikh and Hindu key religious/cultural events, milestones, celebrations, birthdays and weddings.

The cards are captioned in Punjabi, Urdu, Hindi, Arabic or English.

Following on from the successful introduction of Words ‘n’ Wishes’ adult, cute sentiment brand, the publisher has expanded its Bear Hug (Everybody Needs a Hug) range to include a raft of new code JJ/75 designs covering female and male relations. Printed on high quality, textured board the cards are finished with embossing and cold foil to provide a strong ‘ahh factor’.

Words ‘n’ Wishes 01924 233201 www.words-n-wishes.co.uk

Eastern Print Studio (0)77085 48842 www.easternprintstudio.co.uk

Feline Good?

Woody is the star of Paper Bird's new cat collection. Artist Una Joy has conjured by a perfect brew of style and silliness in the Woody capsule range. Paper Bird is looking forward to offering eco packaging options but for now is continuing to cellowrap cards with an envelope.

Paper Bird 0208 613 8085 or 07766164807 www.paperbirdpublishing.co.uk

Spring To Life

Sheer Dino Might

Cherry Orchard’s Spring 2019 Collection includes 34 new relations designs in a mix of styles, price codes and sizes, covering price codes 55, 60, 100 and 150. The square format cards feature text-based designs on geometric backgrounds with cold foil and embossing finishes while other more sentiment-focused designs feature flowers, boats and favourite tipples.

New fun open birthday designs have joined Deckled Edge’s Dinky Dino range, which cater for that tricky older children’s market of 8-12 year olds. In this range many of the fave dinos are brought to life in watercolour by artist and company founder Janna Cossentini. The cards measure 150mm square and are supplied with gunmetal grey envelopes. Also available are dinosaur giftwrap designs in black and ochre.

Cherry Orchard Publishing 01684 295500 www.cherryorchardpublishing.co.uk

Deckled Edge 0800 771 0771 www.decklededge.co.uk PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

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SE Midseason A4 PG Ad AW 4.19.pdf

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PG showcases a selection of new product launches

Strike A Pose!

Building on the success of Marina B’s male Jack Spratt range, the collection is being expanded to include new designs that capture the fun of everyday life.

Inspired by the love of the outdoors and bright colours, these hand-drawn designs convey the carefree spirit of adventure, aimed at capturing the imagination of boys, big and small. All the cards are 150mm square, are printed on a luxury 350 gsm board and come individually cellowrapped.

Marina B 01858 434462 www.marinab.co.uk

Trees A Crowd

Ohh La La French print designer Jennifer Bouron’s fashion and clothing background is evident in the card range from Lagom that features her work. Jennifer studied fashion and print design in the west of France before working as a children's clothes designer. The experience of these two strands of her life influence the colourful, stylish and fun designs of the card range. Measuring 109mm x 155mm, each card is individually cellowrapped with a Lagom Kendal white envelope, adorned with gold foiled lettering.

As the range name suggests, Stormy Knight’s new Christmas Keepsake Baubles range includes an element that can be popped-out and hung on the Christmas tree, so the message can be cherished for years to come! The designs are finished with gold foil and a satin ribbon. There are 16 designs in the range, eight for general greetings and eight relations. The cards come with a scarlet red or recycled kraft envelope.

Lagom Design 0333 123 0101 www.lagomdesign.co.uk

Stormy Knight 0117 9098684 www.stormyknight.co.uk

Nipping Out

Ling Design has refreshed its occasions and relations offer with a new clutch of designs featuring distinctive looks. A wide variety of female relation captions and a collection of new baby designs have just joined the Ling portfolio, with an emphasis of upping the ‘cute’ element with designs featuring adorable original little animals.

Cardigan Cards’ brand new Wee Nippers juvenile collection is debuting with 12 designs, with another 12 to follow hot on their heels. The inaugural designs cover Granddaughter and Grandson in ages 1-6. This will be followed by designs for Daughter-Son ages 1-6 as well as Great-granddaughter and Great-grandson in ages 1-6. The vibrant designs, which include a verse, are finished with sparkly encapsulated glitter – and of course a verse.

Ling Design 01892 838574 www.lingdesign.co.uk

Cardigan Cards 01785 250511 www.cardigancards.co.uk

Relating To Cute

Just Imaginel There are 17 striking everyday cards in Soul’s new Imagine Too range. The contemporary designs that feature animals, flowers and celebratory icons are all enhanced with beautiful embossing and foil finishes.

Measuring 137mm square, the cards are printed on recycled board and come with a recycled envelope.

Soul 01235 537816 www.souluk.com PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

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KardKlasp_advert_PG.pdf

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Playing #Hashtag Poet and Painter’s new #Hashtag range is aimed at visual purists, who like to cut to the chase with minimal fuss and maximum statement. The cards, which are 150mm square, feature hand-drawn lettering, and come cellowrapped with a white envelope and Poet and Painter sticker.

Poet and Painter 07786906648 www.jessicahogarth.com

Pretty Pastels

Scent With Meaning

Delicate watercolour illustrations with on-trend hand-lettering come together beautifully in Sabivo Design’s new Indigo range. This collection spans 40 designs covering everyday, wedding, anniversary and empathy sends. The cards are available as a printed only version or hand-glittered by real people in England.

The cards are 145mm square, come wrapped with an ivory envelope.

Two of the senses are in for a treat with Made With Love Designs’ range of Everlasting Blooms fragranced greeting cards covering all occasions. At the heart of each of the cards is an embroidered pink rose, which is fragranced with essential oils to give the card a wonderful floral aroma. The fragrance is created in the publisher’s Saddleworth studios and applied by hand to each card to give a long lasting fragrance to each card.

Sabivo Design 01858433716 www.sabivo.co.uk

Made With Love Designs 07795 670 371 www.madewithlovedesigns.co.uk

Brush With Nature Abacus has broadened the appeal of its BBC Earth Springwatch collection with the addition of designs in a soft painterly style.

These 12 beautiful British wildlife designs depict popular garden birds, waterfowl, fallow deer, a hedgehog, red squirrel as well as a striking brown hare, with extra info about the animal or bird included on the rear of the card. Printed on art board, in a 160mm square format, the cards are left blank for the sender’s own message.

Abacus Cards 01638 445395 www.abacuscards.co.uk

Soft Touch Well-known for its humorous cards, well The Buddy Fernandez Card Company has gone all friendly, ‘relation and occasiony’ with its new Posh range. The new cheeky but friendly collection centres around a Buddy F flavour of honesty with a funny twist covering romance, ages, weddings, Mum’s and Dad’s Day, anniversary, birthdays, as well as general bits and bobs. All the greeting cards are 155mm square, have a velvety finish, foil lettering and are individually cello-wrapped and come with a white envelope.

Dandelion Stationery 01332 695359 www.dandelionstationery.co.uk

The Gentle Touch IC&G is breaking into the hand-finished high code arena, adding another facet to its main model line. As well as the hand-finished elements, this collection of 16 new designs includes specially commissioned heartfelt verses which appear on the four page insert.

IC&G 01202 897 494 www.icgcards.com PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

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Quack Quack There is no stopping the frenetic launch pace of Doodlelicious. New to the fold is the delightfully named Floral Ducks Collection. As the range name suggests, the designs feature our appealing web-footed feathered friends with dainty floral enhancements. The cards are 6” square in size and come individually cellowrapped with a brown envelope.

Doodlelicious 07734 034 039 www.doodleicious.co.uk

In The Frame The wonders of nature in its many guises feature in the new Decorative Melange on Black collection from Decorque. Stunningly colourful montages of flamingos, cacti, birds and their nests, tropical fruit, a coral underworld, form the themes for the designs in the new collection. The artwork ‘frames’ birthday wishes or occasion captions. The cards are 150mm square, printed with a satin finish and come with a black envelope with a white address box.

Shaggy Dog Story Tapping into the growing trend for sending cards to/on behalf of man’s best friend, Paper Plane (allegedly!) drew on the design talents of the founders’ pooch, Dog. The 16 designs in the new Designed By Dog range are fun and cheeky cards to give on behalf of your fourlegged friend, from birthdays to new baby, new house and Christmas. All wrapped in biodegradable bags, the 170mm x 122mm cards come with bright yellow envelopes.

Decorque 01865841689 www.decorquecards.com

Paper Plane Designs 07810 797957 www.paperplanedesigns.co.uk

nk Tha you !

Zingy Embrace Papagrazi's new Hugs collection features bright colourful motifs, foil embossing and come with on trend neon envelopes.

The 12 stand out designs cover different occasions in a 125mm square format. The cards are printed on FSC approved board and comes cellowrapped.

Papergrazi 07775 833065 www.papagrazi.co.uk

Drink Up

Sporty Antics

Quenching the thirst for re-usables, Lesser and Pavey’s new range of drinking 750ml flasks are both attractive and totally practical for sporty and busy people’s everyday lives. The collection includes three different styles - metallic, marble and floral - in assorted colours.

Having been unable able to find a suitable card for cyclist chums, Worry Less Design has published a whole range of designs covering all manner of sports. The collection covers designs for those keen on running, golf, skiing, triathlons, football and cricket.

Lesser & Pavey 01322 279225 www.leonardo.co.uk

Worry Less Design 01256 381521 www.worrylessdesign.co.uk

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

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Focus On... 3D Cards

INTO THE

FOLD

It’s been going on since the 8th century, but the ancient Japanese art of Origami, as well as its later ‘sister’ of paper engineering (the 13th century Benedictine monk Matthew Paris was an early star), is certainly enjoying something of a revival in the greeting card sector.

PG joins the fold and embraces all the activity in the 3D greeting card arena from every angle.

Top right: A Treasures design from Noel Tatt.

Above right: One of the cards in Second Nature’s new Paper Dazzle range.

Above: One of Santoro’s Pendulum designs.

Those 8th century Japanese aristocrats really started something when the precise art of Origami was born, based on mathematical intricate paper folding techniques. However, fast-forward 1,300 years, and their legacy, as well as that of engineer-based paper artistry, is adding some extra dimensions to the modern day greeting card sector.

Pop-up, 3D and paper folded cards have been around for years - Second Nature’s Original Pop-Up collection celebrated its 25th anniversary last year and Santoro’s Swing Cards range is to mark its silver jubilee this year, for starters - but a

surge of activity from established specialists, as well as publishers adding 3D offerings to their portfolio, and some interesting distribution tie-ups, has created a wave of extra interest in these multidimensional creations.

Noel Tatt took the trade by surprise when it clinched a distribution agreement with US 3D maestros Up With Paper at the start of this year; Hallmark packed a punch with its front cover position on PG’s March edition to launch its Paper Wonder collection, a collaboration with its Japanese creative team, while there are patents now pending both for Forever Cards’ Magic Box Cards as well as Alljoy Designs’ Message In A Bottle range.

Santoro proved it is very much still ‘in the swing’ of 3D cards, with its latest inventions of Pendulums and Baubles being

Personal stand-outs

PG asked those in the 3D field to select one of their designs that stands out for them.

Lucio Santoro, co-founder of Santoro: “There are very few card designs that worked in the 80s that are still going strong today, but this is one of them. I scoured the country to find the right floral illustrator to create the artwork to match the paper engineering of this hanging basket design which is still in our Swing Cards range.”

Michael Griffiths, sales manager of Noel Tatt: “This wedding design really sums up why a pop up card can become a keepsake.

The card opens to reveal a stunning horse and carriage image, with the married couple in the back of the carriage. The additional appeal in this card is that when a tab is pulled the newly weds move towards each other for a romantic kiss!”

Chris Bryan, joint general manager of Second Nature: “One of my favourites is our best selling 3D design to which we have recently added ‘wobble’ numbers for extra attraction and impact.”

Right: There’s extra wobble on this Second Nature Pop-Up.

Below: An Up With Paper design, distributed by Noel Tatt.

Above: This hanging basket design has been in Santoro’s Swing Cards range for 25 years.

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given pride of place on its stand at the Spring Fair; Second Nature, another 3D stalwart, has recently launched two new ranges, while UKG’s Toy Story 4 collection goes ‘to infinity and beyond’ with laser sound effects combining with paper engineering on its latest range.

And these are just some of the news highlights from this enclave of the market.

PG Live this year (June 4 and 5) will see The Art File add to its 3D credentials with the work of a new paper artist complementing its Form range; Tigerlily will be showcasing its first ever paper engineered card range; EastWest will be celebrating its distribution relationship with Quilling Card, while Tomcat Cards will be showcasing its charming take on pull out honeycomb cards.

Summing up the attraction of 3D cards, Michael Griffiths, sales manager of Noel Tatt, feels that Top left: The Art File teamed up with Elod Beregszaszi, one of the UK’s leading ‘foldesigners’ to create FORM, as a contemporary collection, made from a single piece of board.

Above right: Hallmark’s massive Giant Adventure cards fold out into 3D play structures (a car, train, castle or dinosaur world) and include puzzles and activities for kids.

Left: One of the UKG’s RHS designs.

Below left: An intricate Cardology design.

they get to the core of why people send cards, but then, literally add another dimension. “People want to send a card that makes the recipient feel special. Receiving a 3D card means that the sender is giving something so intricate and inventive that it becomes a keepsake and is shown off to friends and relatives. In a time when it is becoming increasingly difficult to produce something that is truly 'different', using 3D and pop up technology gives publishers a

Multi-dimensional delivery “I have very little idea of what goes on in the world beyond the cupboard that is my studio in Brighton, but I am sure the world needs more 3D cards!” says Mark Jamieson, founder of Special Delivery Cards.

As to his personal story, he reveals: “I make 3D cards because I have always worked in a 3D way. Before I started Special Delivery I did a lot of carved plaster and paper sculpture that have been used as illustration in books and on cruise ships.

I also made the 3D version of the Kangol logo, while the largest thing I have made was a low relief dancing figure that is 8’ tall!

As for the ongoing charm of a 3D card, Mark says: “Simply stand it up and you’ve got a friend!”

Above: A ‘Stan and Olly’ Special Delivery design.

Continued on page 47

David Falkner, director of Cardology: “That would have to be our Mad Hatters Tea Party card, purely because of how it came to be. It’s gone on to be a bestseller for us, but started life purely because we wanted to thank close friends for a memorable dinner party they hosted. There’s something about all the characters sitting around the table that just seems to encapsulate the mad, chaotic, but ultimately brilliant friendships we enjoy, and I guess this is something which resonates with our customers.“

Ben Whittington, UKG’s creative director of humour, character and licensing: “We have a 3D Princess Castle design that’s really special for a granddaughter. Rather than pop-up on the inside the whole card is the 3D/pop-up element on this one. It comes with an oversize sticker on the front of the packaging so you can see exactly how it will look when you display it!”

Mark Jamieson, director of Special Delivery: “I love dance, so our new ‘Ballet Cats’ card stands out for me featuring one cat with its eyes closed and both standing on one leg. It is all a gentle joke. I love the illusion that the ballet cats are all standing on one leg as this should not be possible.”

Below: This Ballet Cats design puts Special Delivery’s best foot forward!

Left: A Disney fairytale design from UKG.

Above: Friendship personified in this Cardology designs.

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

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chance to create greeting cards that really do stand out from the others!”

Adding to this David Falkner, director of Cardology says: “We’ve all seen the increasing crossover in the greetings market towards gifting, and 3D cards provide the opportunity to combine the two. Our ‘gift a card’ ethos means our end customers are able to truly delight their loved ones in a single purchase. “ David believes that the recent addition of new competitors into the fold has served “to bring the whole category even more to the forefront of consumers’ minds - and it’s great to see some of the stunning work people are producing.”

With its products now sold in 93 countries around the world, Lucio Santoro,

Loving Lovepop’s PR

Above: One of the designs in Alljoy’s patent pending Message in a Bottle range.

who founded Santoro with his wife Meera 35 years ago, has seen the 3D card market from all angles, literally!

“There are so many wonderful 2D greeting card ranges out there, but what we do is create something unique,” he says with a passion which is as fresh today as it was when Swing Cards first launched onto the Left: A Lovepop design.

It is not just in the UK where 3D cards are attracting considerable attention as on the other side of the Atlantic, scoring something of a $multi-million PR coup, the entrepreneurial founders of the Lovepop 3D card company clinched a massive slug of investment from celebrity businessman Kevin O’Leary when they appeared on Shark Tank, a US equivalent to Dragons’ Den. In their quest to ‘disrupt the greeting card industry in much the same way Airbnb transformed the hospitality business’, Lovepop’s co-founders, former naval engineers, Wombi Rose and John Wise, having been inspired by the paper artistry of those in Vietnam, have set about taking the market by storm.

Bolstered by extra investment from O’Leary, awareness of their brand has been raised, but with knock-on benefits to others in the sector.

As George White, president of Up With Paper, (whose main range is distributed in the UK by Noel Tatt and its Luxe collection through Northlight Design) commented: “Yes, Lovepop have really helped develop the direct to consumer market for high-end cards here, and also pushed up the price point.”

That said, Lovepop still have some way to go to usurp those established in the field, such as Up With Paper, Santoro and Second Nature.

Sara Schofield, graphic designer of Quilling Card (distributed in the UK by EastWest): “The fluidity of the quilling and bright colours complement the Hamsa Hand symbolism of happiness, luck, health and good fortune. The design has such positive meaning yet is broad enough in its appeal that it can be given as a friendship/encouragement card for many different occasions or life events. In terms of engineering, it involves a lot of line work which is one of the more difficult quilling techniques.”

Above: Featuring the ancient art of quilling, EastWest is now distributing the Quilling Card range in the UK.

Suna Sor, creative director of Tigerlily: “A stand out for me is ‘One fine Christmas’ from our new collection. I wanted to create a card that gave our customer an experience of movement in snow scenery.

The structure was equally as important as the design as we also wanted to give our customers a panel for a personal message.

Combining the two was challenging but three months and seven folds later we created a card that ticked both boxes!”

Left: Suna’s favourite design in Tigerlily’s new 3D card collection.

scene 25 years ago, with plenty of sibling ranges now at its side. “It is complex, involving true engineering, wonderful illustration work, manufacturing triumph and sentiment all in one. They use no glue, come folded flat, but when they are taken out of the envelope, that’s when the magic really happens!”

And by the sounds of it, there is plenty more multi-dimensional magic to happen in this enclave of the market in the coming year.

Looking east While Hallmark has included 3D cards within its portfolio for years, the recent launches of Paper Wonder and its Giant Adventure Cards ups its commitment to this dynamic area.

The Paper Wonder collection is something of a global collaboration, with the heart of the concept originating from Kirigami, a variation of Origami that began in Japan more than 1,000 years ago.

So when the UK publisher was looking to create the new 3D range it drew on the expertise from the creative team of Hallmark Japan.

As well as being packed flat, popping into shape when removed from the envelope, as Tamsyn JohnstonHughes, Hallmark UK’s marketing manager highlights, “The best part is that whichever angle you look at the card there is part of the design from the 360 degree scene that offers a different view.”

Above: Some of the designs in Hallmark’s Paper Wonder collection.

Jamal Merdassi, creative director of My Design Company: “We recently sold our Music Box range to a dementia charity and learnt that music is a key driver in connecting and evoking memories for a dementia sufferer, allowing them to be reminded and have moments of clarity that are otherwise hard to touch. Creating ‘moments’ for our customers and their family and friends with our concepts is extremely rewarding.”

Above: Two of the new Christmas designs from My Design Company that combines 3D, music and movement.

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

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In Conversation With... Paul Lavery

Budget-ary Controls Paul Lavery’s incredibly low PR profile is somewhat at odds with the commanding position the business he started with his brother Martin over 40 years ago has built up over the years.

Having recently sold a 51% stake of the wholesale group Budget Greeting Cards to Canadian private equity company, Ardenton Capital, PG persuaded Paul to come out of the shadows.

‘Windfall for gift boss Paul Lavery’ was the headline that appeared in the Sunday Times on March 10, breaking the news that Ardenton Capital, a Canadian private equity company, had acquired a controlling stake in Budget Greeting Cards, the UK’s largest wholesaler of greeting cards and allied products.

Having never courted publicity and in fact actively shied away from it, Paul Lavery, the company’s co-founder and a continuing significant shareholder, found himself in the limelight whether he liked it or not. So, ‘in for a penny in for a pound’ (and those early pennies will have stacked up to make a few pounds!) for the first time, PG’s requests for an interview were met.

As well as being good news for Paul and his elder brother Martin, Ardenton’s attraction to the Budget business and subsequent Top: Paul Lavery still passes every one of the 1,300 greeting card designs BGC Studios creates.

Above: The BGC Studios generate a great diversity of greeting card designs, some of which are then also translated onto wrap.

Above right: The front part of Budget’s Manchester branch.

Left: Budget sells almost 100 million greeting cards every year.

clinching of the deal is also something of a positive thumbs-up for the greeting cards sector, giving credence to the robustness of the market.

Greeting cards have always been key to Budget’s business. It now sells almost 100,000 greeting cards through its eight branches annually, accounting for 49% of the group’s turnover.

Significantly, while a major customer of wholesale card publishers, some 70% of all the cards Budget now sells are exclusive to the wholesaler, the vast majority (some 1,300 designs) of which are created by the company’s own inhouse studio (which employs

14 people based in its Manchester HQ) and are published under its BGC Studios marque.

In what Paul describes as “the best thing that has ever happened to the business” was the demise of wholesale card publisher Kingsley Cards over 10 years ago, which enabled Budget to acquire many of the assets and stock, thereby providing a sizeable leg-up on the greeting card publishing ladder, providing an extra chunk of margin to the company as well as a USP which independent greeting card wholesalers did not have within their grasp.

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

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In Conversation With... Paul Lavery

“The wholesale greeting card market has changed enormously over Budget’s tenure.

Just think that 400 greeting cards wholesalers were at the launch event of Hambledon Studios [a major wholesale publishing company back in the 90s], now look, there are only a handful of card wholesalers still around,” Paul rightly points out.

Ardenton’s investment in the business, Paul feels, will safeguard Budget’s future, by building on its strengths as well as addressing its weakness, notably an online presence.

For Paul, who is to remain with the business (though his brother Martin is no longer involved day to day), the new set up allows him to do what he likes doing best, “being on the shopfloor, listening to customers, gauging the response to new card designs.”

Despite the impressive growth of the business, Paul not only still sees every single greeting card design, but also has an uncanny knowledge of their individual sales.

Paul fully accepts that his personal taste is sometimes over–ruled by those in the

A wholesome offer It is not until you walk through the doors of Budget’s flagship branch in Manchester (an impressive 200,000 sq ft building, equivalent to six Manchester United football pitches) that you appreciate the immensity of the operation and the diversity of the product areas in which the business is involved.

There is no doubt about it, greeting cards have a commanding position, the Budget ‘in stock’ line is given pride of place, displayed adjacent to the wider card selection, and the gifts showroom is more akin to a department store maze. “We do cover everything from hatch, match to dispatch and everything in between,” says Paul.

An elevated section above the gift showroom is set out theatre style to accommodate regular balloon workshops, while other areas of the warehouse are given over to a huge selection of frames, toys, wrap and gifts.

“Sourcing and importing our own products has been key, especially when you consider this Manchester branch is located a mile from Widdop and Co in one direction and five miles from Joe Davies in another direction,” says Paul with a wry smile.

Candles, both for domestic and religious use, is another sizeable product area.

“We bring in high quality church candles from Belgium by the container load,” reveals Paul, with Budget’s Dublin branch selling an eye-watering number.

And the export counter is being kept increasingly busy. “Export is proving especially lucrative for greeting cards, notably in spring seasons,” reveals Paul, who is delighted that Mother’s Day is celebrated in May in many parts of the world meaning Budget receives a second peak.

He is relishing that different markets are still in their infancy and so promise growth potential. “We are seeing a notable upturn in Valentine’s Day sales from countries in Africa, for example,” Paul adds.

Paul’s antennae is always on the alert for new opportunities, such as padded envelopes and flat-pack boxes.

“We are doing a roaring trade in these - due to the explosion of re-selling by eBay and the like,” says Paul. And who knows what will be next!

studio team, ably headed up by studio manager Sarah Hartley and product manager Kerrie Dearnaley.

Besides product, Paul is also looking forward to scouting out new locations for additional branches.

Nottingham is already on the cards for this summer, but Paul feels “there are potentially another four locations” worthy of investigation.

Plus, in something of a swerve, the uproar from customers in reaction to the decision to close Budget’s Dunstable branch (which it opened in 2015 to expand the

Brotherly love Budget Greeting Cards has certainly come a long way since Belfast-born Paul Lavery and his elder brother, Martin, borrowed £7,000 from Bank of Ireland to buy a newsagent, in Salford, Manchester back in the 1970s.

“I was 21 years old and Martin was still working as a teacher. All I wanted was to also be earning a teacher’s wage so we bought the first shop and then a couple more,” recalled Paul. The shops being newsagents and offlicences meant 15 hour days were the norm, with Paul managing to fit in a van sales to other retailers from the wholesale operation they set up from above one of the shops.

In 1977 they sold the shops to concentrate their attentions on the wholesaling side, specialising in greeting cards. Their savvy business nous has seen the business expand over the years to eight cash-and-carry wholesale operations in Britain and Ireland in Belfast, Birmingham, Bradford, Bristol, Dublin, Dunstable, Gateshead and Manchester – soon to be joined by Nottingham and potentially four others.

The company now has a turnover of £36 million and currently employs 180 people.

Above: Company co-founder Martin Lavery at The Retas 2014 at which Budget won the Best Greeting Card Wholesaler award.

Top left: Paul (centre) with Allan Dunn and Sarah Hartley in the showroom in the company’s Manchester HQ. Above: The faux flowers aisle in the Manchester branch.

brand’s presence in the south of England) has seen the decision being overturned with the result that “a baby Budget”, as Paul refers to it, with the branch relocating to much smaller premises nearby.

Ecommerce is another area ripe for development, a side that is being driven by Allan Dunn, who joined the business from Ardenton and is now director of strategic development, based in Budget’s Manchester head office.

“We don’t want to rush this, we want to do it properly,” says Allan, referring to the trading website which is expected to go live in autumn 2020. “We’re in this for the longterm,” he assured.

“There’s still so much opportunity out there,” adds Paul, clearly relishing the next installment in Budget’s continuing ride.

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

51

ART SOURCE

TO APPEAR REGULARLY IN THE

ARTSOURCE SECTION OF PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS CONTACT TRACEY ARNAUD ON 01234 740 051

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Art Source PG helps to paint a pretty picture of freelance artists, designers, verse writers and photographers’ worlds in order to promote their talents to publishers and, conversely, make it easier for publishers seeking artists.

ARTIST IN FOCUS

Claire Winteringham I have always loved observing nature - beautiful landscapes, interesting plants or exquisite and delicate flowers - and for as long as I can remember I have been inspired to draw and paint them. For me, using the subtle medium of watercolour helps capture their wonder, beauty and joy. Where possible, I try to work from life rather than photographs for a more genuine and spontaneous response.

I studied textile design at Manchester Metropolitan University and have been a freelance painter and illustrator ever since (although usually part-time while juggling it around my family). I feel very lucky to have had marvellous tutors who fostered my inherent appreciation of the natural world and inspired me to develop my drawing skills with a love of colour and sense of design.

Over the years, I have taken up several part-time lecturer posts at UCE, MMU and Solihull college of Technology and at The Maharishi Free School in Lancashire.

WANT TO BE FEATURED?

I have also previously worked for David Davies Associates, LSA International, John Lewis Partnership, Worldwide Fund for Nature, Save the Children Fund, Padblocks Ltd and Dunoon Ceramics.

My work has been published over the years by many different card publishers, including Abacus, Art Angels, Ling Design, Pomegranate and Woodmasterne. My watercolour paintings have been exhibited in galleries in the UK and abroad and acquired by private individuals and corporations. Some have been selected by The Royal Watercolour Society, The Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolour and The Sunday Times Watercolour Open Exhibition. Commissions include work for Sir Richard and Lady Branson, Birmingham City Museum and Art Gallery, The Birmingham Repertory Theatre and 3i Business Centre in Solihull. l Yellow House Art Licensing l sue@yellowhouseartlicensing.com

If you are an artist, photographer or verse writer and would like to be considered to appear in Art Source, please contact PG’s Emma Cain on emmac@max-publishing.co.uk. This is an editorial feature and as such is free of charge.

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

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Art Source

Arnelle Woker I am an illustrator, graphic designer, pattern maker, plant mum and international boss lady.

I was born in sunny South Africa, but currently I call London home.

I’ve always loved drawing and as a kid my subject matter ranged from the Ninja Turtles, my family to mermaids and dogs (which we had plenty of running around the house at any given time). I would often try and sell my creations to my neighbours! That didn’t always work out so well but occasionally I was given some chocolate for my efforts.

After completing my BA Information Design degree at the University of Pretoria, I moved to Johannesburg and worked in animation. Two years later I moved to Cape Town to pursue illustration and worked with some incredible people along the way, including Ogilvy & Mather, Saatchi & Saatchi, Mullen Lowe and Masters & Savant.

Currently I am working part-time at ONE which is a campaigning and advocacy organisation. We do a lot of work around empowering women and girls and this plays a huge role in my work.

When I am not in the office, I spend the rest of my time working on building out my own business. I have an addiction to stationery and pattern. Exploring surface pattern design has always been a dream of mine and I am hoping to expand on this over the course of the next few months to include a range of fabrics.

I love drawing people (especially women) and incorporating narratives into my work. You'll often see an array of plants and foliage throughout and the occasional naked lady running across the page!

Outside of work, I love swimming (and often get wrinkly hands from staying the water for too long), interior decorating, Christmas, food, spending time with people I love, foraging, travelling, doodling at airports, making things, miniatures, Wes Anderson films, stop motion, the instant gratification of ironing, raw bacon and bread! And one day I hope to retire by the sea. l Email: info@arnellewoker.com

Bex Parkin I am a Staffordshire based artist and illustrator newly represented

by Jehane Ltd. I have lived most of my life in London where I worked in textiles after getting a degree in Art History.

I started my illustration career after having a family and I think it is the best job in the world! It combines my love of pattern, decoration and colour and allows me to work in so many creative fields. All my work is hand-painted in gouache, and recently I have been adding pastel, coloured pencil and inks to my pieces to add texture.

Nature is endlessly inspiring for me, with most of my designs including plants, birds and animals. My imaginary tropical landscapes usually include lots of big leaves, exotic flowers and characterful animals with tigers, cheetahs and leopards frequently popping up.

I have huge wanderlust, with travelling being very important to my life. I find so much inspiration for my work by seeing other cultures as well as having the headspace to be creative. I always carry a sketchbook and take lots of reference photos for when I get back to the studio.

I am excited to recently have joined Jehane Ltd. l Contact: Jehane Boden Spiers 07703 185413 l Email: studio@jehane.com l Web: www.jehane.com

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PG asked a selection of card retailers for their ‘hot’ card sellers.

Amanda Seager, director of George R Reeve, Wymondham, Norfolk A large stationery, gift and card shop in a market town with a loyal locals and tourists customer base.

Category

Name of Publisher

Product/Name Range

Comments

Humour

Photography

Paper House (GBCC) Clare Maddicott Woodmansterne Abacus

We often hear customers laughing at the humour ranges, which are more middle of the road, not rude just a little risqué.

Designs that are rural scenes, floral, nature and animals appeal to our customers.

Art

Woodmansterne

General Harold’s Planet General Posies & Petals, Countryfile, Gardeners’ World, Springwatch General

Martin Sexton Mark Yardley Paper House (GBCC)

General General Peony Rose

Talking Pictures (Ling)

Manuka

Alex Clark

Canvas prints, cushions, stationery and giftbags Tins, cushions, stationery, china mugs

Right: Gorgeous bunnies on a Springwatch design from Abacus.

Traditional Handmade/ HandFinished Ancillary

Wrendale

Different styles of artwork of varying scenes - from country scenes to St Paul’s Cathedral on quality square size cards.

Artwork of the pretty coastline and rural areas right on our doorstep by local artist. They are perfect for framing and placing on the wall.

In open and occasions designs, the sentiment verses are short without over gushing.

The designs have really freshened up their look recently and are more modern.

Not only does the giftware compliment the cards, the range looks strong as a whole.

We do brilliantly with both the cards and the gifts, especially the Wrendale china mugs from Portmeirion.

Rachel and Paul Roberts, owners of Mooch, Northampton, East Midlands Two independent gift stores in a historic town with a loyal locals customer base.

Category

Name of Publisher

Product/Name Range

Comments

Everyday

Belly Button Designs

N78 (formerly Platinum)

Cute

Counting Stars

F Scott Fitzgerald

Humour

Dandelion Stationery

Words of Wisdom

Photographic

Susan O’Hanlon

Classic

Art

Jane Warwick & Sam Wadsworth

n/a Colourlight Studios

Contemporary

Coulson Macleod

Wise Words

Children's

James Ellis

Shakies

Handmade

Five Dollar Shake

Liberty Print

Giftwrap Ancillary

The Art File Wild Things

Luxury Crystal Fantasies hangings

Great all round cards and consistently a best seller for us. The new collection has something for everyone.

Gorgeous glittered cards featuring quotes from F Scott Fitzgerald… the range is small, but perfectly formed.

This is our best-selling card range week in week out. The humour hits the spot, every time, and the thinking of you/sympathy cards have some of the most beautiful messaging we’ve ever seen (customers absolutely love them).

Totally gorgeous images on great quality board. The seasonal ranges work particularly well for us.

We’re lucky to have two wonderful local artists who we work with to create a fabulous range of art cards, many featuring local landmarks.

These are a HUGE customer favourite. Often customers pick up five+ cards at a time from this range because they love them so much.

These fab cards are popular across the ranges, and the kids’ age cards work brilliantly for people looking for something a bit different.

The cards have amazingly stood out in our ranges. They’re perfect for the very special occasions.

As soon as we brought this paper in it became a huge hit.

These are a consistent best seller, with the added bonus that they take up a tiny footprint in the shop.

Above right: Adorable designs from Susan O’Hanlon.

Right: A wonderful Wise Words sister design from Coulson Macleod.

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Jon May and Luke Jacks, owners of Mooch gifts & home in Stourport on Severn and Bewdley, Worcestershire Two medium gift shops in picturesque towns, with a loyal locals and varied customer base.

Category

Name of Publisher

Product/Name Range

Comments

Everyday

WendyJones-Blackett

Quicksilver

Right: Card Nest creates sweet but unusual designs for children.

Below: Louise Mulgrew’s animal designs make you smile.

Louise Tiler Designs

General

Paper Salad

Across The Board

Cute

Louise Mulgrew Designs Rosie Made a Thing

General

Dean Morris

General

Handmade/ Hand-Finished

Tache

Lashes

Children’s

Card Nest

General

Giftwrap

Special Impressions

Sheet Wrap

Ancillary

Hot Tomato

Jewellery

Fabulous modern designs for any occasion, by far our best-selling collection in both our stores! Customers love the bright, foiled designs.

Simply stunning designs from the very talented Louise. We love the new five pack mini cards ranges.

Beautiful bright designs with funky envelopes. Our customers love the modern fun designs.

Fabulous animal designs for any occasion guaranteed to raise a smile!

Quirky fun cards that are naughty enough to raise a smile without causing too much offence - we often hear roars of laughter coming from the Rosie spinner!

Every card shop needs a ‘top shelf’ designer, ours is Dean - fabulous fun cards where rudeness is needed.

Recently introduced but proving very popular are these beautiful cards. Our customers love the quirky envelopes and seals.

Customers love the cuteness and modern designs of these mini cards; great for those who want to send a beautiful card but are on a budget.

Simply beautiful wrap. Designed and printed in Milan, this paper makes a gift extra special - and the glitter is within the ink so it doesn’t come off!

The perfect gift for those ladies who love a bit of sparkle. We particularly love the new bangle bracelets.

Humour

Gin & Frolics

Kathy Starr, owner of Gifted, Thaxted, Essex A large gift and card shop in a small country town with a loyal locals and visitors customer base.

Category

Name of Publisher

Product/Name Range

Comments

Everyday

Archivist

General

Jessica Hogarth

Across The Board

Cute

Raspberry Blossom

Humour

Rosie Made a Thing

Pop! and Sweet as Candy Gin & Frolics

Art

Orwell Press Art Angels Think Of Me

General Printmakers Jot

Cinnamon Aitch Stormy Knight

Framed Concertina

Handmade/ HandFinished

Dilly & Pink

General

Children’s

Paper Sole

Badge Cards

Giftwrap

Artebene

Across The Board

Ancillary

Compton and Clarke

Pewter charms

Letterpress retro images that stand out.

We worked with Jessica to design an illustration of Thaxted. We love it and it is by far and away our best selling card.

Pretty, girly and fun. Love the colours of these designs.

They have people laughing out loud in the shop.

We have lots of local links to printmakers, Ravillious and Bawden in particular, so both of these are consistently good publishers for us.

Love this simple, clean design-led range, it’s selling by the bucket load at the moment.

We have actually only got a few of these left as they flew out!

We do well with lots of Stormy Knight’s cards, but these are particularly different.

Our own cards, we design and print everything in-house so keep the racks well stocked. Just trialing our new 'Bubbles' range which will launch at PG Live.

The badges have a beautiful matt finish and who doesn't love a birthday badge?

Our main supplier of all things wrapping. Recently we’re very pleased with their mini gift bags, which are ideal for jewellery.

Lost count of how many thousands of these we have sold - retailing under £2 and can be slipped into a card.

Right: Contemporary and bright, a Dilly & Pink design (who will be exhibiting at PG Live).

Contemporary

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

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99p RRP

CDU Dimensions: Height (Including Header) - 613mm Width - 332mm Depth - 80mm

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JEREMY’S JOURNAL Business blogging by publisher Jeremy Corner of Blue Eyed Sun.

Keep On Running Jeremy Corner, owner of greeting card publisher Blue Eyed Sun and distributor of BambooCup, on going the distance in business.

Ten years ago I ran my first 26.2 mile race in the inaugural Brighton Marathon. Since then, I’ve taken part in several events including London, Paris, Berlin and Edinburgh marathons, along with many halves and 10ks. Then, three years ago, my life changed and I stopped running.

Last month I returned to the Brighton Marathon for a second time. Even though I love to run, it felt like starting over. Worse still, my training was disrupted by two separate injuries, a busy work schedule and a short illness. All of these meant I was frustratingly ill prepared. The race was incredibly challenging, messy and nowhere near any previous time I’ve completed other marathons in. Having said that, it was fun, energising, life affirming and a reminder of the tenacity that we can have to triumph in the face adversity.

Running a marathon is a lot like being in business. There are moments when it feels like a breeze and others, when no

matter how hard you try, you don’t seem to be getting anywhere. There are times when you have no idea where your energy comes from. Sometimes things don’t go to plan and you feel like giving up.

Time is man-made One of the best ways to ruin a run is to get hung up on finish times. It’s the same with your business. It’s important to remember that the numbers are just measurements.

They are not who you are, nor are they an indicator of your value or self-worth. Time doesn’t exist outside of human kind. It is literally man-made. As is its meaning.

It was near ‘mile eighteen’ on the marathon when everything inside me screamed “STOP!” My energy was gone, my inadequately trained legs were struggling and all I could think about was ducking through the barriers and walking the short 500 metres to my home.

As in business, you have to accept the reality of your situation. Especially when it’s hard. You then have to decide to stop or Above: Often running a business is like running a race.

Left: If your task takes longer than estimated, simply reassess your goal. A Gardeners’ World design from Abacus.

keep on going. If you choose the latter, you need to be realistic and reassess. I realised that I had to forget about achieving a timebased goal. I simply had to focus on completing the race.

Accepting my fatigue, I thought about how I’d feel quitting and then how I’d feel completing the race, regardless of time. I decided to stick it out and began to walk for 50 steps and run for 100. Counting the steps kept me focused on a very simple task: each step. That was it. For you, it might be counting the greeting card sales you make - card by card.

Keep it fun One of the things that’s wonderful about marathons like Brighton’s is the number of families out on the streets offering sweets, orange slices and fruit to the runners. When you run a marathon your glycogen (sugar) stores deplete after 2-3 hours. If your training has gone well your body will have learned to burn fat at a rate that holds this off for as long as possible.

Once your glycogen is spent, your energy levels drop and you feel like you’ve hit a wall. It’s the hardest part of running a PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

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JEREMY’S JOURNAL Left: Deckchairs on Brighton beach ready for any tired Marathon runners.

Below right: Jeremy after the first mile running this year’s Brighton Marathon, with university friend Yan. They ran the marathon ten years ago together.

Below left: Every business has its fans.

Bottom: With a little help from some Brighton beach hut owners, Jeremy was back on track.

marathon. With good training you can usually stave this off until somewhere between mile 20 and 22. This still means you have at least 30-60 minutes of ‘running on empty’ and using all the will your mind can muster to reach the finish line.

My energy had dropped off even earlier. So I stopped running past kids with bowls of sweets and began stopping to say hi and carefully choose which colour I wanted. They were delighted and it made my run a lot more pleasant. I also began to high five supporters and chat with runners around me. It feels so much better when you choose to smile and make it fun, despite it feeling tough.

Why are you even doing your business anyway? To make money? It’s easier and less stressful to get a job. If it’s your business it should be fun. If it doesn’t feel

like it then lift your head up and look for the fun in it. There’s opportunity for wonder and delight in so many moments of our everyday lives that we can miss them because we are so busy running along, caught up in our own little meaningless missions.

I say ‘meaningless’ not to be cruel, but because for the most part it is true. What’s important to us is invariably irrelevant to most other people. And yet we can’t understand why they don’t get it. Everybody enjoys a laugh and a smile though.

On an industrial estate, halfway through mile 21 I stopped smiling as we doubled back along the seafront into an icy cold wind blasting at us for the last few miles. Yippee. Despite the earlier sun, it had been a cold start and fortunately I still had a 60

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

jacket tied around my waist and a pair of gloves, both of which I slipped back on. Not long after though, I stopped jogging completely and walked steadily forward as several pace makers, carrying balloons labelled with those precious times I’d hoped to conquer, chugged past me.

Help!

Back among supporters, at mile 23 I tried to start jogging again. Big mistake. My thigh muscles pulled sharply into a tight spasm and I couldn’t move my legs without searing pain. The cold was causing me serious issues.

I don’t know about you, but as much as I love to help other people I haven’t always been that good at asking for help from others when I need it. Not only that, but there have even been times when I haven’t paid attention to the fact that I needed to ask for help.

This can happen in business too. We often feel like we need to do it all on our own and somehow we are failures if we reach out to others. Perhaps we are afraid that we will look weak or vulnerable. We feel ashamed. We may also feel that our achievements won’t be our own if we do.

Balderdash. Sharing vulnerability is brave. Take care of yourself when you are finding it tough and ask for help when you need it. Most importantly, accept the help when it is offered, especially if you really need it. Don’t let your pride get in the way of your wellbeing. Caring and be cared for are two sides of the same coin.

I spotted three people in a Brighton beach hut nearby and staggered over to them hoping to get warm. They were wonderful and offered me a seat and a

blanket. I eyed the chair nervously wondering if I’d be able to get up once I sat down. My legs felt even worse when I did sit. The blanket warmed me and I enjoyed their company as my body recovered. They poured me some lemonade and I scoffed handfuls of crisps from a bowl on their table.

The warmth, sugar, salt and compassion all helped and five minutes later I was able to move my legs. I thanked my samaritans and ambled off towards the finish.

Cheers!

The support at most marathons is great, but Brighton is really special. The cheers and whoops from the crowd really pull you through the last three miles along the seafront. Soaking up the energy of the crowd is a real boost to anyone on their last legs at the end of a long race. Buoyed up, I even managed to run the last mile to the finish line.

Every business has fans so remember to spend time enjoying their cheers whenever you can. Testimonials are a great reminder of why your business is special, as are referrals. Keep a book of compliments your business has received as a reminder.

Read it when things feel challenging.

Your business is a long distance event.

It’s not a sprint. Even the biggest companies are built for the long haul. Remember it’s not just about the money. Remind yourself to keep it fun, ask for help when you need it and celebrate your victories (no matter how small). When in doubt, just keep on running.

Everything passes in the end.

Read more on Jeremy’s blog at www.blueeyedsun.co.uk/blog

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PRODUCT DIRECTORY

l PRODUCT DIRECTORY

To appear in the Product Directories contact

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Warren Lomax

020 7700 6740 or email warren@max-publishing.co.uk or contact

Tracey Arnaud

07957 212 062

or email traceya@max-publishing.co.uk

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Warren Lomax

020 7700 6740 Abacus Cards Limited t: 01638 569050 e: info@abacuscards.co.uk w: www.abacuscards.co.uk

or email warren@max-publishing.co.uk or contact

Tracey Arnaud

07957 212 062

or email traceya@max-publishing.co.uk

01565 830 546 | bexyboo.co.uk @BexyBooLtd

BexyBooLtd

@BexyBooLtd

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PRODUCT DIRECTORY

l PRODUCT DIRECTORY

l PRODUCT DIRECTORY

To appear in the Product Directories contact

Warren Lomax 020 7700 6740 or email

warren@max-publishing.co.uk or contact

One of the UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading suppliers of Greeting Cards since 19995

Tracey Arnaud 07957 212 062 or email

traceya@max-publishing.co.uk

Products: High quality greetin ng cards with superb finishes. All maajjor and minor titles, covering traditio onaall to the latest in innovative design, n both Everydaayy and Seasonal. Providing an all NEW selection of Muggs and Notebooks. k

Publishers of quality blank greeting cards

Brands Include: Down Memory Lane, W Wo ot A Mug and T Tw wist & Shout

Tel: 0115 929 4776 enquiries@bugart.co.uk

Methods of Sale: Direct to retail

Order Online

Desiggners welcome contact beverley@cherryorchardpublishing.co.uk

www.bugart.co.uk

Unit 10 Duddage Business Park Brockeridge Rd Twyning Tewkesbury GL20 6BY 01684 295500 info@cherryorchardpublishing.co.uk www.cherryorchardpublishing.co.uk

To appear in the Product Directories contact

Warren Lomax 020 7700 6740 or email

warren@max-publishing.co.uk or contact

Tracey Arnaud 07957 212 062 or email

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traceya@max-publishing.co.uk S end i n g YO Y OU OU

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www.cathtatecards.com

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Caspari Ltd

HE IS

THE

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Unit 1, 45 Morrish Road London SW2 4EE Tel: 0208 671 2166 Fax: 0208 678 1119 info@cathtatecards.com

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Products: Everyday cards - birthday, blank & occasions, charity Christmas cards, gifftt wrap, bags, tissue, ribbon, hankies, napkins, paper plate, candles, placemats, crackers,invitations, placecards, notecards,diaries, address books, journals, advent calendars and bridge gifftts.

Method of Sale: Direct to Retail

WAY

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made with great imagination

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Cards and gifts with a real difference.

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PRODUCT DIRECTORY

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Welsh and English cards

TM

GRASS ROOTS

INTERNATIONAL

G RASS R OOTS INTERNATIONAL A U.K owned Greeting Cards Publisher.

Our everyday ranges for all occasions and relations include traditional, contemporary, cute, humour and photographic designs. We also have a full range of Christmas and Spring Seasons.

All products are designed and printed in the U.K on the finest quality board.

BRANDS “Write from the Heart” brand includes; Corsage, Sentiments, Champagne, Celebrations and Jelly Beans.

M ETHOD OF SALE Direct to Retail

G RASS R OOTS INTERNATIONAL

w w w.dr aeno g.com

07815 153 582

agents wa wanted w anted

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Innovative high quality gift wrap, gift bags, tissue paper and accesssories galore for all seasons and occasions.

0127 74 4 655980 sales@glick.co.uk www.glick.co.uk Glick, Unit 1 Allenby House, European Ind. Park, Knowles Lane, Bradford BD4 9AB

from the @glickgiftwrap

AR RT TISTS CARDS glebecottage.co.uk 01626 369269 Esta ab blished 1993

To appear in the Product Directories simply contact

Warren Lomax on:

020 7700 6740

• UK Market leaders with humour, art, photographic, contemporary and traditional occasions & relations cards, plus seasonal.

• 2΍HULQJ D IXOO SODQQLQJ VHUYLFH with merchandising and retail development opportunities.

• Specialists in garden centres and the independent trade.

or email on warren@max-publishing.co.uk or contact

Tracey Arnaud on:

07957 212 062

or email on traceya@max-publishing.co.uk

Find The Great British Card Company on: High Quality Greeting Cards, Gift Bags, Gift Wrap & Ta Tags for every occasion.

SUPPLIER

*GCF 1HƂEG +353 (0)404 20528 Email info@garlanna.com www.garlanna.com

www.greatbritishcards.co.uk Waterwells Drive, Gloucester GL2 2PH Tel: 01452 888970

PHOTOGRAPHY glebecottage.co.uk 01626 369269 Estaab blished 1993 PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

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60 years

CHARITY GREETING CARDS

Your Number One Supplier of Numerals, Name, Relation & Age Labels for Greetings Cards.

One of the UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading publishers of Charity Greeting Cards.

Impress offers a wide collection of images, including fine art, graphic, photographic and cute.

We also offer a bespoke design service for bulk orders and/or mail order fulfilment.

Huge selection with immediate deliveryy.. Buy direct or from your wholesalerr..

Listan Labels 3 Isis Court, Wyndyke Furlong, Abingdon Business Park, Abingdon, Oxfordshire OX1 5JN

Impress Publishing Appledown House Barton Business Park New Dover Road Canterbury, Kent CT1 3TE Tel: 01227 811 611 Fax: 01227 811 618 email: info@impresspublishing.co.uk

Te T el 01235 465489 Fax 01235 532118 www.listanpublications.co.uk sales@listanpublications.co.uk

New designs at

www.idrewthis.co.uk

.6-5*3"$*"- and -(#5 (3&&5*/( $"3%4

Hue tribe

www.huetribe.com t: +44(0) 7943416562 e: info@huetribe.com facebook: www.facebook.com/huetribedesign

CPNF TFF PVS OFX JMMVTUSBUJPOT PO 45"/% 41 BU 1( -*7& % OFF ALL SHOW ORDERS

WWW.LOTTIE-MURPHY.COM LOTTIE@LOTTIE-MURPHY.COM INSTAGRAM @LOTTIEMURPHYDESIGNS

AGENTS WANTED PG LIVE 19 SPRINGBOARD 766

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WIDE RANGE OF PRODUCTS â&#x20AC;&#x153;Art that tells a storyâ&#x20AC;Śâ&#x20AC;?

LING DESIGN

Love Country

by Sarah Reilly

Tel: 07735 918118

Great brands, Great service Bespoke planning We can help with all your bespoke planning requirements.

From smaller displays to redeveloping complete card departments

www.lingdesign.co.uk

01892 838 574 information@lingdesign.co.uk

sarah@lovecountryuk.co.uk www.lovecountryuk.co.uk

Silk Screened Retro, Pop & Classic Cards Inspired by Music and 1960â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s American Advertising.For all Vinyl & Rock nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Roll lovers

L E T U S TA K E YOU BAC K

@NoelTattGroup 01227 811 600 sales@noeltatt.co.uk www.noeltatt.co.uk

For further details please get in touch.

info@vincentmcevoy.com

+44 (0)7779 578340

AG E N T S WA N T E D :

LING DESIGN

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The UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading privately owned publisher of Greetings Cards and Stationery. ...The home for and

Products: Greetings cards for all occasions, Christmas and Spring Seasons cards, gift wrap and bags, charity cards, social stationery.

Bespoke service for charities and other fundraisers.

Ling Design Ltd 14-20 Eldon Way, Paddock Wood, Kent TN12 6BE Tel: 01892 838574 enquiries@lingdesign.co.uk www.lingdesign.co.uk

An exciting and innovative range of quality Birthday, Relations, Special Occasions, Handmade, Art and Humorous greeting cards. Full range of Christmas and Spring Seasons merchandise.

B rand N ames a Pizazz, Pizazz Gallery, G Pizazz Limited Edition, E Pizazz for Men, Doodle, D A of Nature, Whatt a Picture, Art Designers Corner

TRADE WEBSITE:

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Cloudesley House, Shire Hill, Saffron Walden,, CB11 3FB

T: 01799 520200 F: F: 01799 520100 www.nigelquiney.c w ww ww.nigelquiney.com om

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To appear in the Product Directories contact

Warren Lomax

020 7700 6740 Design-led Stationery, Gifts, Calendars, Diaries and Cards

originalposter.com

Brands Laura Ashley, Roald Dahl, Lily & Val, Vintage Ladybird, Caroline Gardner, Monsoon, Born to Shop, Flash Gordon, Boofle and many more.

All our cards are supplied on consignment, so you only pay for what you sell.

or email warren@max-publishing.co.uk or contact

Tracey Arnaud

07957 212 062

or email traceya@max-publishing.co.uk

Our In-house design studio and established supply chain enables us to offer bespoke services.

We also supply card fixtures and spinners free-on-loan.

tel: +44 (0) 1225 329494 email: sales@porticodesigns.com website: www.porticodesigns.com

We replace slow sellers and damaged stock free of charge.

We merchandise regularly, so you don’t have to.

THAT’S WHY WE’RE ORIGINAL!

01932 267 300

Exquisite Design, Beautiful Cardss Key brands include Marzipan, Portobello, Mosaic, Daisy Patch, Aquarupella and Designers Guild, plus many more.

Tel: +44 (0)115 986 0115 Email: info@paperrose.co.uk www.paperrose.co.uk www.artgroupcards.co.uk PaperRoseCards TheArtGroupCards The_Art_Group

Greeting cards & gifts designed with awesomeness in mind

p p paperlink... the home of fabulous cards!

LUXURY GIFT PACKAGING

To appear in the Product Directories contact

Warren Lomax

020 7700 6740 356 Kennington Rd London SE11 4LD T 020 7582 8244 info@paperlink.co.uk k www.paperlink.co.uk Paperlinkcards

66

@ @paperlinkcards

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

or email warren@max-publishing.co.uk or contact

ICONIC LICENCED BRANDS

01892 838 574 www.pennykennedy.co.uk

Tracey Arnaud

purpletreedesigns.co.uk info@purpletreedesigns.co.uk

or email traceya@max-publishing.co.uk

SPRINGBOARD 792

07957 212 062

VISIT US AT PG LIVE

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Uk publisher of Greetings Cards with an extensive range of quality Birthday, Relations, Occasions and Seasonal product... available from

l PRODUCT DIRECTORY

To appear in the Product Directories contact

Warren Lomax

020 7700 6740

LING DESIGN

or email warren@max-publishing.co.uk or contact

Tracey Arnaud

07957 212 062

or email traceya@max-publishing.co.uk Our Brands: Laughter with Animals, Sporting Fun The Funny Side of Life.

Method of sale: Direct to Retail 14-20 Eldon Way, Paddock Wood, Kent TN12 6BE Tel: 01892 838574 enquiries@lingdesign.co.uk www.lingdesign.co.uk

To appear in the Product Directories contact

Warren Lomax

020 7700 6740 6 Heron Trading Estate Alliance Road, Park Royal, London W3 0RA T: 0208 385 4474 F: 0208 385 4471 E: info@Xpressyourselfcards.co.uk

raspber r yblossom.com hello@raspberryblossom.com 020 3723 5405

WWW.XXPRESSYOURSELFCARDS.CO.UK

PRODUCTS: World’s leading publisher of high quality plastic greeting cards. Also an extensive range of quality greeting cards covering Everyday, Occasions, Christmas and Spring seasons.

BRANDS: Cherished Thoughts, Sweet Sentiments, Buddies Always, Symphony, Thinking of You, Style, Special Wishes, Special Times, Young Editions, Groove Sensations, Forever Blessed, Grey Skies, Classics.

METHOD OF SALE: SENSATIONS – Direct to retail XPRESS YOURSELF – Now one of the leading wholesale publisher suppliers in the UK

To appear in the Product Directories contact

Warren Lomax

020 7700 6740 or email warren@max-publishing.co.uk or contact

Tracey Arnaud

greeting cards & contempoRary gifts www.redbackcards.com e: info@redbackcards.com t: 01752 830482

07957 212 062

or email traceya@max-publishing.co.uk

or email warren@max-publishing.co.uk or contact

Tracey Arnaud

07957 212 062

or email traceya@max-publishing.co.uk

Products: Greetings Cards, Gift Wrap, Gift Bags, Social Stationery, Mugs and Glasses, Partyware

Brands: Card Essentials Designer Collection Greetings Impressions Inspirations In Touch ,VDEHO·V *DUGHQ Planet Happy With You In Mind

Method of sale: Wholesale Distributors

Simon Elvin Limited Wooburn Industrial Park, Wooburn Green, Bucks HP10 0PE Tel: 01628 526711 Fax: 01628 531483 www.simonelvin.com mail@simonelvin.com

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

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To appear in the Product Directories contact

Warren Lomax 020 7700 6740 or email

warren@max-publishing.co.uk or contact

Tracey Arnaud 07957 212 062 or email

DIRECT TO RETAIL & EXPORT

traceya@max-publishing.co.uk

The UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading publisher of highest quality handmade Greetings Cards.

Products: Greetings cards for all occasions, Christmas and Spring Seasons. Spinners and other retail displays available.

Talking Pictures Cards Ltd 14-20 Eldon Way, Paddock Wood, Kent, TN12 6BE

Tel: 01892 838574 enquiries@talkingpics.co.uk www.talking-pictures.co.uk

2@= 29KL= M<K

TEL: 01480 435562 FAX: 01480 450599 www.tracksltd.com

Just food and their friends....

UNIT 2, 12 BLACKSTONE RD, STUKELEY MEADOWS IND EST,

view by rufus

HUNTINGDON, CAMBS, PE29 6EF

designed in thames ditton

7RPFDW &DUGV

full range of british superheroes 0 see

To appear in the Product Directories simply contact

Warren Lomax on:

020 7700 6740

or email on warren@max-publishing.co.uk or contact

5= N= ?GF= ?J==F All greeting cards printed with vegetable inks on recycled boards/envelopes, including biodegradable packaging...

www.the-taste-buds.co.uk info@the-taste-buds.co.uk 07906 367 663

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Tracey Arnaud on:

07957 212 062

www.tomcat.cards info@tomcat.cards

or email on tarnaud@btinternet.com

iron man topdog@view by rufus.com 020 8972 9706

viewbyrufus.com register fo for a trade account: www w..viewbyrufus i b f .com/b2b /b2b

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EUROPEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S LEADING GREETINGS CARDS, PARTY PRODUCTS, GIFTS, CANDLES, TOYS, STATIONERY AND FLORIST SUNDRIES DISTRIBUTION CENTRE 75000 SQ FT

Verse

& entimen

an extensive range of superior quality,

design-led Greeting Cards for all occasions, Spring Seasons & Christmas.

Method of Sale: Direct to Retail Orders can be placed on our trader site

www.cbgtrader.co.uk or call our customer services team on

Art Cards eA Botanical Fine

Market Leaders in

Vibrant and nd elegant gree greeting cards A freshly fr modern perspective on nature

BESCOT CRESCENT, WALSALL, WEST MIDLANDS. WS1 4NG 01922-646666 www.greetingshouse.co.uk info@greetingshouse.co.uk MON,WED,FRI 8.00am-4.45pm TUES,THURS 8.00am-7.45pm SAT,SUN 8.00am-1.45pm

Call Now 075 7700 1145 www.zaquarella.co.uk info@ zaquarella.com

+44(0)1243 792600

To appear in the Product Directories simply contact

Warren Lomax: 020 7700 6740 warren@max-publishing.co.uk or contact

Tracey Arnaud: 07957 212 062 tarnaud@btinternet.com PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

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Polypropylene & biodegradable bag specialists

GREETING CARD

Over 40 years quality service to the trade Hotfoiling also available

T 01206 396209 E sales@badgerconverters.co.uk www.badgerconverters.co.uk

GIVE E YOUR

BAGS

Manuffacturers of high quality fllexible packaging 30 YEARS EXPERIENCE - QUA UALITTY Y SERVICE EXTENSIVE STOCK RANGE - QUICK DE ELIVERY ASSURED

- HEADER BAGS - WA WALLET BAGS - ZIPPER BAGS - FLEXOGRAPHIC, HOTFOIL & THEERMAL PRINTING www.transrappackagin ng.co.uk sales@transrap.co o.uk

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CALL US TODA AY

TREA AT A TMENT

01773 5378 810

HIGH CLARITY L TY Y BA AGS FOR R GREETING G ET T NG CARD DS, CALEND EN N ARS ARS AND AND D ARTW TWORK WORK

ENVELOPES

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FOR ALL YOUR ENVELOPE NEEDS! Largest range of in-stock colours Over 400 Bespoke Envelope Sizes

CALL CA CAL C LL US ST TO ODAY OD

0122 1228 228 2 28 8 56 5605 60 052 26 6 www.fful ulcrumfilms. ulcrrum mfillm ms s co.uk uk

8 Sizes Permanently in Stock RECYCLED

100% Recycled Paper Av Available Stock & Bespoke Cello Bags Peel & Stick Envelopes p Bespoke Service on Request

ORDER ON LINE AT: www.regentenvelopes.com 01274 583000 sales@regentenvelopes.com

We’ve been producing p bags of high clarity and high quality q for over 30 years.

01274 220 220 www w.wrapid.co.uk sales@wrapid.co.uk

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FLITTERING FOR ALL YOUR FLITTER REQUIREMENTS

ABL Foil Ltd Unit 1, Industrial Estate East Hanningfield Chelmsford Essex, CM3 8AB

Contact DAVID JIGGINS Tel: 01245 400104 Email: david@abl-ltd.co.uk

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SPECIALISTS IN SHORT RUN MULTI IMAGE PRINT s Foiling Services without the need for dies s Wiro bound notebooks, no minimum quantity s In House Fulfilmment Services

T 01274 305832 E info@hellocards.co.uk www.hellocards.co.uk

PRINTERS

AND NOW FO OR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT... .

Our innovative greeting gs card finishes include: The simplest way to order your greetings cards

Thermography Foil Intense Glitter Snowraise Liquid q M Metal Blended Glitter Embossing Textured Foil Laser Cutting

Powered by

ask about our ‘Mrr Abbot’ sample pack

To discuss your nextt greetings card range call us on 01797 223355 www.abbotprint.co.uk bb i k sales@abbotprint.co.uk l bb i k

Unit 8, Archers Park, Branbridges Road, East Peckham, Kent TN12 5HP www.theimagingcentre.co.uk Email: info@theimagingcentre.co.uk Tel: 01622 871449

we print

we finish

we pack

we deliver PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

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Your saf ep ai

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Outstanding, cost effective and efficient production of Greeting cards, Packaging and Social stationery, ideal for intricate and hand finished products.

• Over 15 years experience providing high-quality printed products direct from the Far East • Trusted and financially stable, UK owned by The Sherwood Group • Socially responsible manufacturing: SMETA, ISO9001, ISO14001, FSC certification • Full product prototyping in the UK for competitive speed to market requirements

To find out how we can benefit your business, contact Derek Lam +00 (852) 3527 3471 / derek@sherwood-press.com or The Sherwood Group Head Office Hong Kong Office: 13/F, Kam Chung Commercial Building, 19-21 Hennessy Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong

www w..sherwoodgroupuk.com

000510

PJ PRINT LONDON The Capitals Only Specialist Greeting Card Printer All Industry Finishes Available In-House Including Laser Cutting

Social Sta tationerry Printer of the Year

Award winning U UK & Global specialist manufacturer ffor the greeting card industry fo or over 40 years The Print Works Colville Road, Acton, London, W3 8BL E-mail: sales@pj-print.co.uk Tel: 020 8993 5160 www.pj-print.co.uk 72

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

To discuss how we can worrk together, contact Richard Bacon: Tel 0115 928 7766 Email ric chard.bacon@sherwoodgroupuk.com

www.sherwoodgroupuk.com Hadden Court, Glaisdale e Parkway, Glaisdale Drive West, Nottin ngham NG8 4GP

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YOUR MANUFACTURING PARTNER FOR VALUE ADDED PRODUCTS English speaking production team, prices quoted in sterling... and only 3 days delivery to THE UK...

Really... and there s no VAT to pay or customs procedures either...that's a great deal!

• Hand made and hand finished greeting cards • Boxed sets and acetate packs of cards / envelopes • Giftwrap and tag packs • Individually open and closed wrapped cards • 'Pop up' and cardboard engineered products • Notelets and social stationery • Specialised printing on plastics & lenticular

THE SPECIALIST GREE ETINGS CARD PRINTE ER Litho Print

Die-cutting

Digital Print

Flittering

Foiling

Packing

Embossing

Distribution

Tel:0127 e 4 4531828 Email: info@herbertw o alkers.co.uk

www.herbertwalkers.co.u uk

For production enquiries, estimates etc., please contact our UK Agent:

Rob Pearson 07710 132 232 rob@solutions-polska.com FSC accredited (BV-COC-002485). Audited member of SMETA. Printing to ISO12674-2 standard.

THE RIGH HT PARTNER

FOR ALL YOUR MANUFACTURING REQUIREMENTS

Glitt i Glittering

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Established in 1997, headquarters in Hong Kong 600,000 Sq.fftt of modern production facility ouse production Ensure complete co ontrol from start to finish with our full in-ho ng in people, equipment, technology and the Continually investin t planet

TERRY JOHNSO ON PO Box 1600 Hemel Hempstead, HP1 9SR Mobile: 07773 389784 Email: terryjohnson@ve eb.com.hk Website: www.veb.com m.hk PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

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DISPLAY AND SPINNERS Tel: 01929 550085 Email: sales@westminsterwire.com Web: www.westminsterwire.com

Home of the Wire Spinner Stand

The Wire Spinner is proven to be the most cost effective method to display and enhance products.

We also offer sheet metal, wood, acrylic and cardboard solutions or a combination of materials.

To appear in the Classified pages simply contact

Warren Lomax 020 7700 6740

Same day order turna around Accurate fulfilment Value added only as you sell the product

on to Su lin the bs c e at new rib PG s e Bu flas zz h .n et

or email on warren@max-publishing.co.uk

Exclusively Greeting Cards Dedicated Account Managers With an excellent reputation we work as an integral part of yourr team bringing QYGL QSVI XLER JYPǻPQIRX 4YV GSWXMRK WXVYGXYVI MW WMQTPI ERH XVERWTEVIRX ;I ; I GEVV] SYX EPP EWTIGXW SJ LERH ǻRMWLMRK ERH EWWIQFP] ERH TVSZMHI [LEXIZIV EHHMXMSREP WIVZMGIW ]SY RIIH 4YV WIPIGX XIEQ SJ SYX[SVOIVW GEVIJYPP] LERH [VET ER] WM^I SV JSVQEX SJ GEVHW YVKIRXP] 4ZIVRMKLX ;I GEVI EFSYX ]SYV TVSHYGX EW QYGL EW ]SY HS &XXIRXMSR XS HIXEMP 6( .WWYIW ;I ERH .8 WYTTSVXIH F] E GSQTVILIRWMZI TETIV XVEMP JS T JSV EPP WXSGO QSZIQIRXW EVI SYV LEPPQEVOW 4YV GER HS ETTVSEGL QIERWW [I EVI LETT] XS WSPZI ]SYV TVSFPIQW 4YXWSYVGMRK ]SYV [EVILSYWMRK STIVEXMSR VIPIEWIW ]SYV XMQI XS CREA AT TE/MARKET/SELL/ MANAGE/ /GROW THE BUSINESS

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From the team behind Progressive Greetings Worldwide, PG Live, The Retas and The Henries, PGBuzz.net has launched as the new online central resource for the greeting card sector online...

Raymond ERH TIVLETW [I GER EVVERKI XS QIIX ERH

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Twice weekly newsflash delivered to over 9000 inboxes

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Regularly updated jobs-board

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The very latest news, views, articles and analysis

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Digital issues of Progressive Greetings Worldwide

●

Dedicated pages for the GCA and The Ladder Club

Warren Lomax warren@max-publishing.co.uk

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Up to date information on PG Live, The Retas, and The Henries

Tracey Arnaud traceya@max-publishing.co.uk

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Advertising, Recruitment and Sponsorship Opportunities:

News • PG Worldwide • Interviews • PG Live • Newsflash • Events Gallery • Jobs • Ladder Club • GCA

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P U B L I S H E R / DI STR I B U T O R

C OM M I S S I ON AG GENT N OR T H E R N IRE L A N D DEVELOPMENT’ SALES AGENTS WANTED Words ‘n’ Wishes a leading verse & sentiment publisher also distributing exclusively Danilo, the No 1 in licensed character greetings cards, plus Quitting Hollywood specialist humour requires additional ‘Development’ Sales Agents to add to our extensive team of agents for the following areas: Q Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambs & Essex area Q South-East – Kent, Surrey, East & West Sussex We are looking for any sales agents that wish to carry a broad portfolio of successful product ranges supported by excellent service into New Accounts that we do not currently supply and then develop them as yours on-going.

We offer 20% commission rates plus bonus commission based on achievement levels.

If you are interested for further information, please contact: Alison Traynor: 01942 233201 or send your C.V to alison@words-n-wishes.co.uk

Card works

Well connected commission sales agent required for Deva’s on-trend gift wra p collection, Kitted Out wedding and ba by gifts and Bunnies By The Bay cute and adora ble plush and ba by gifts .

Yo ou will consolidate and develop existing active accounts , renew previous customer connections and pioneer fo or new business , backed by Deva’s excellent customer ser vice, trade website www.devadesigns .co.uk and warehouse stock ser vice.

Apply now with br ief details of sales exper ience and agencies held: sales@devadesigns .co.uk

CONVERT Y EXCESS ST OUR OCKS TO CASH TODA Y!

EXCESS GREETING CARD STOCKS? WE OFFER A PROFESSIONAL CLEARANCE SERVICE FOR EXCESS & REDUNDANT STOCKS OF GREETING CARDS, WRAPPING PAPER, GIFTS & ALLIED PRODUCTS O GUARANTEED OFFER WITHIN 24 HOURS O WE COLLECT O PROMPT PAYMENT O UNFINISHED PRODUCTION CONSIDERED O MOST TRANSACTIONS COMPLETED WITHIN 7 DAYS O FULLY CONFIDENTIAL O 40 YEARS EXPERIENCE

SEND SAM PLES AND STOC K QUANTITIE S TODAY!

CARDWORKS CLEARANCE SERVICES

92 Station Road, Willingham, Cambridge CB24 5HG

Email: cardworkstrading@btconnect.com Tel: 01954 260728 PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

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