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Focus on... diversity & inclusion
All inclusive
Below: Creeping Thyme from Peartree Heybridge was developed with diversity in mind.
Someone who looks like me and reflects my life should not be the biggest ask of anyone scanning a greeting card display, but there has been something of a wake-up call among publishers and retailers to provide a selection of designs that celebrate diversity and inclusion. With the search now on for the contenders in the Best Diversity & Inclusion Range in The Henries 2022 greeting card awards, PG delves deeper into some of the publishing developments on this important issue. It needed to, but ground has most definitely been gained on the diversity and inclusion front in the greeting card sector. There have been some major initiatives, most notable of which being the Sainsburys x GCA Design A Card For Black History Month project, which attracted 1,000 entries and resulted in a dedicated range going on sale in 107 of the supermarket’s stores, but arguably the most progress has been in the engagement, discussion and as a result better understanding of where we as a sector have been falling short. Of course, there is still much to do, but with significant retailers, from Card Factory to WHSmith, Scribbler to Moonpig, all committed to better reflecting society, and mainstay publishers through to niche players all keen that their card designs are relevant to all, progress will continue to be made. Diversity and inclusion is not only about skin colour, hair type, Mr & Mr, or acknowledging a father figure - as Helen Barker states, she started her greeting card company Cake And Crayons a year ago because her little girl wanted to see others
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PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE
Right: Fiercely fashion-forward at The Art File. Below right: Diversity is part of Jolly Awesome’s brand. Below left: Celebrating all mums with Cake And Crayons.
wearing an eye patch and glasses just like she does. Helen said: “When we see ourselves represented in pictures, we feel celebrated and greeting cards are all about celebration! So, I was surprised when I couldn’t see many cards representing disabilities, family set-ups, gender roles and multi-racial families.” To her mind: “Businesses have become more accountable to their customers but you can't just talk about inclusion, you have to be intentional and committed to being diverse; everyone has a role to play. This isn’t just about selling cards, it’s about making a positive difference!” Not before time, last year saw the inaugural Best Diversity & Inclusion Range category introduced into The Henries Awards, sponsored and wholeheartedly supported by the GCA with the finalists collectively celebrating a breadth of difference that should be recognised on greeting cards just as they should in other aspects of life. In the Cath Tate Cartoons range people using wheelchairs and walking aids show humour isn’t just for the able-bodied, while Lottie Simpson’s Hello Family range
covers many different relations, Embrace (Race) from Emotional Rescue and AfroTouch Design’s Live In Colour Collection featured numerous religions and ethnicities, while the princesses in Kitsch Noir’s Family And Friends Collection definitely aren’t the white, simpering, constantly fainting variety. The first-time winner of the category was The Art File, with its Fierce & Fabulous collection celebrating female empowerment across a broad spectrum of ethnic and cultural diversity. Beth Kemp, the inhouse designer who
created F&F, wanted to encapsulate positivity and evoke a smile: “It’s all about embracing imperfection, owning our identities, and celebrating diversity and what it means to be female in today’s society.” Now, in response to customer requests for a male counterpart for F&F is You The Man, which also honours diversity and inclusivity at its core and captures a variety of identities in a fashion-forward yet relatable design style.
