Progressive Party Europe April 2021 by Max Publishing: Print, Digital Media + Events (London)

April 2021

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WELCOME The home of market leading trade magazines

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Max Publishing Ltd, United House, North Road, London N7 9DP T: 020 7700 6740 F: 020 7607 6411 www.max-publishing.co.uk hello@max-publishing.co.uk

ISSN 2058 797X

Welcome to the Party Give or take some days, or a week or two, this issue marks the year anniversary of when the coronavirus situation really took hold. The ‘one year ago’ reminders are popping up, offering a stark reality check as to quite how much has happened over the last year. Personally, everyone has had their own experience, of course. I know of some friends who have enjoyed Above: Progressive Party Europe’s Samantha and Rob, being furloughed, using the time to get fit and healthy – or watch endless television. I also have friends who’ve directly lost loved ones as a result of the disease. We can only hope that we do build back better, remembering the extra effort that people made to check up on one another and show care for their communities. The party products sector has played its part in this, as was echoed in our comment piece recently where we discussed balloons being a major route of celebration and support in the early part, with costumes and dressing up being a sign of the sun rising as we started to see the end coming into sight. What we have to overcome now is getting specialist retailers back open and giving them as much support as humanly possible. We know that many suppliers have found alternative routes to market in the interim. Everyone is ‘down’ but some have held the line and ‘done okay’. But as a supplier said to me only yesterday, “we’ve found ways to sell while the indies are closed, but there’s no way we can forget that without them we wouldn’t be here in the first place”. As your trade magazine we urge every company to remember this, talk about it, give your sales teams the tools and encouragement to offer whatever help these shops need to get back trading. All indications are the footfall will increase way quicker than planned, none of us have anything to lose, but a lot to gain. To this end we’ve discussed some of the current industry issues in the coming pages. Having crossed the first 100 days of Brexit, on page 24 we take a look at the current state of play at the border, an issue compounded by COVID-19. In terms of getting product to market and keeping connections going, many suppliers have been innovative and nimble as is evidenced, in one example, by Gemar’s ‘Live Day’ experience which you can find out more about on page 28. As for the opportunities ahead – it seems that outdoor partying is where the party’s at for the time being, as evidenced by the raft of new product on page 43 and the feedback from retailers on page 32. As we write this welcome page the sun is shining and it all certainly seems a lot more possible… the H&P Expo has even firmed up a return date for the big American show… skipping West to Las Vegas in January 2022. Progressive Party is a little upset to have missed a debut trip to Dallas, for he wanted to live out his life-long dream to be a proper cowboy… but we’ll see you in Sin City. I would finally like to say a huge thanks on behalf of the industry to the wonderful Jacqui Parr, Progressive Party’s editor for over a decade. Jacqui has taken an opportunity to move into a new role outside of this business, following her passion for doing good in the world. Jacqui certainly did a lot of good for this industry too and I know you will join me in saying thank you and good luck, Jacqui, you’ll always be The Party! For now, you’re stuck with me… PP’s new editor will be unveiled in the coming weeks. Let’s get on with the party – there’s so much of it to catch up on!

@Prog_Party_Eu

Rob Willis – Chief Cowboy Samantha Loveday – Supporting Editor

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CONTENTS

What’s inside: APRIL 2021 NEWS

The latest happenings from the party trade.

LETTER FROM AMERICA

Ed Avis talks age vs experience.

MARKETING MATTERS

Babita Devi on local loving.

BREXIT LATEST

Shipping delays coupled with Covid.

GEMAR LIVE DAY

Online event extravaganza.

10 21 23 24 28

32 35 39 43

FROM THE FRONTLINE Retail reopening.

SUMMER SALES

Outdoor partying is where it’s at.

DOWN WITH THE KIDS The latest kids stuff.

NEW PRODUCTS Lots of new products.

32 24

28 APRIL 2021 PROGRESSIVE PARTY EUROPE

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NEWS PAGE

NEWS UPDATE Party City share price adjustment amid affected sales period Shares of Party City dropped 7.8% in pre-market trading in March 2021 after the party goods retailer reported a fourth quarter adjusted profit, revenue and samestore sales that missed expectations, as the COVID-19 pandemic damaged sales. The net loss narrowed to $96.4 million, or 88 cents per share, from $268.8 million, or $2.88 a share, in the previous period. Excluding non-recurring items, adjusted earnings per share fell to 25 cents from 51 cents and missed the FactSet consensus of 31 cents. Total revenue dropped 11.4% to $648.2 million, below the FactSet consensus of $659.2 million, with total retail sales falling 8.3% given store closures. Brand comparable sales decreased 5.9%, while the average estimate of two analysts surveyed by FactSet was for a 5.5% decline. For the first quarter, the company expects total revenue of $397 million to $410 million, below

expectations of $426 million, while brand comparable sales are expected to increase 26% to 31%. Brad Weston, chief executive officer at Party City said: “We are very pleased with how our organisation navigated 2020, swiftly pivoting to meet the evolving needs of our customers, all while prioritising the health and safety of both our associates and our customers during this pandemic. Throughout the year, we made important Top right and below: Brad believes that Party City entered 2021 in a “substantially stronger position”.

Consumer footfall forecast to rise by +47.9% as retail returns Springboard – a leading provider of data and intelligence on customer activity in stores and destinations – predicts a significant footfall increase as the high street returns and outdoor hospitality re-opens, with 59% increases to be seen in high streets. The agency, which specialises in customer counting and demographic profiling through to sentiment tracking, monitors customer behaviour at a high level of detail. Its latest report predicts shopping centres and retail parks footfall will rise by +46% and 26% respectively in the first week of reopening, while greater rises are expected due to the success of the UK vaccination programme and the concurrent opening of retail and hospitality. The forecast increase in footfall means that it will be +128.5% higher than in the same week in 2020, although it will remain -61.8% below the 2019 level. The announcement of the date for the reopening of retail stores of 12 April will have brought a huge collective sigh of relief among all those involved in bricks and mortar retail. Finally retailers and destinations will be able to capitalise on the pentup demand among shoppers to return to stores.

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strides on our five strategic initiatives, innovating and elevating our customer experience while also significantly improving our financial position and flexibility with our actions to reduce debt and extend maturities. I am extremely proud of all that has been accomplished thus far and the hard work and commitment demonstrated by the entire team as we continue to transform the business. Brad continued: “We enter 2021 in a substantially stronger position, armed with greater consumer insights and a solid foundation to build upon as we further our mission to deliver The Party Platform by advancing the building blocks that we put in place in 2020. We remain intensely focused on our customer and more effectively operating and leveraging our unique North American vertical model as we continue our transformation and further strengthen our industry leadership position.”

The UK Licensing Awards 2021 are open for entries Industry accolades The Licensing Awards 2021 are now open for entry and all of the award categories – including those for licensed products – can now be entered, for free, via the website. The Licensing Awards 2021 (which are owned and organised by Max Publishing – publishers of Progressive Party) will look to recognise and celebrate all licensed product launches, licensing activity and licensed retailing execution in the 12 months up to the end of May 2021. Party and costume suppliers looking to enter the Best Licensed Dress-Up or Partyware Range (which this year is sponsored by Beano Studios) can enter online at www.thelicensingawards.co.uk The category is open to all licensed dress-up, balloons, party favours, party tableware, banners and cake decorations ranges aimed at children or adults. The products had to be launched into UK retail between 1 June 2020 and 31 May 2021. Previous winners of the Best Licensed Dress-Up or Partyware Range have included last year's Very Hungry Caterpillar butterfly dress-up for George@Asda from Christy’s By Design,

the Barbie 60th Anniversary Set from Smiffys, Disney Princess Dress-up for Sainsbury’s from Rubie’s, Marvel Superheroes Dress-Up for George at Asda by Christy’s, Mr Men and Little Miss Dress-Up from VMC Accessories. The Spiderman Airwalker from Amscan International also took home The Innovation Award in 2013. The deadline for entering any licensed product categories is Tuesday 1 June, 2021. As always, entry is completely free. The Licensing Awards takes place on Tuesday 14 September in The Great Room at The Grosvenor House Hotel in London. For sponsorship, entry enquiries or general questions regarding The Licensing Awards, Rob Willis on robw@ max-publishing.co.uk

For the latest news visit PartyWorldwide.net

19/04/2021 16:55

PARTY NEWS

H&P expo confirms 2022 return – in Las Vegas! The Halloween & Party Expo, which is owned and managed by the Halloween & Costume Association and Clarion Events, has announced today that the live event will return and take place on 11 – 13 January 2022 at The Mirage in Las Vegas, Nevada. The annual event is the sourcing destination for Halloween, party and speciality retailers, featuring the newest products and launches in all categories from costumes, accessories and party supplies to décor, makeup and more. Following a successful virtual experience earlier this year, the focus for the 2022 event will be bringing together the industry inperson for a safe and productive business experience while maintaining the hallmark sense of celebration the Halloween & Party Expo is known for. Marni Golden Vinci, show director of the Halloween &

Party Expo commented: “We are excited to finally share the news we are heading to Las Vegas! The decision to hold the show at The Mirage came after having discussions with our attending and exhibiting customers. Las Vegas is convenient and costeffective to travel to and the city has industry leading safety standards for in-person events through their Meet Smart, Vegas Smart program. We are excited to partner with the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority to showcase all Las Vegas has to offer. With the ongoing progress of the COVID-19 vaccine rollout we are very optimistic about next year’s event.” Halloween & Party Expo will offer retailers a one-stop shopping experience from hundreds of leading manufacturers. The show features a comprehensive product selection and buyers will have the opportunity to discover thousands

of new products and write orders for the 2022 season, while taking advantage of exclusive discounts and specials only offered during the event The proceeds from the Halloween & Party Expo are used by the Halloween & Costume Association to promote and grow the safe celebration of Halloween and year-round costumed events throughout North America. Michele Buggy, executive director of the Halloween & Costume Association added: “We had a very successful consumer campaign promoting the safe celebration of Halloween in 2020 and we look forward to continuing the momentum into the 2021 holiday. We want to head into the

Spielwarenmesse cancels July 2021 show, dates announced for 2022 The organiser of the Nuremberg Toy Fair has confirmed that what would have been the first ever summer edition of the event – due to be held in July – has been cancelled. The show had been moved from its traditional January slot due to the continuing COVID-19 pandemic, with Spielwarenmesse eG pulling out all the stops to provide the industry with a suitable networking platform this year. However, due to the ‘unrelenting uncertainty’ surrounding the pandemic, both at national and international level, it has been decided to cancel the event. The focus will now turn to Spielwarenmesse 2022 which is due to take place from 2-6 February 2022 in conjunction with Spielwarenmesse Digital. “Initially, we received excellent feedback about the Summer Edition from both exhibitors and visitors,” commented Ernst Kick, ceo of

Spielwarenmesse eG. “In recent weeks, however, the disappointingly slow improvement in the pandemic has been fuelling uncertainty across the industry. Our top priority remains the health and safety of all our participants.” The company stated that the lack of political perspective with regard to trade fairs has had a considerable impact on the ability of exhibition organisers to make firm plans and for international manufacturers and buyers to schedule and book their travel and accommodation. The 2022 event will, for the first time ever, see the organiser linking the experience of the live exhibition in Nuremberg with a virtual element, enhancing the participation of both suppliers and buyers.

2022 Halloween & Party Expo on a strong note as manufacturers and retailers plan to reunite in-person in Las Vegas!” Kevin Johnson, chairman of the Halloween & Costume Association and ceo of elope, Inc. supports the plan, saying: “More than ever, we are excited for this this show. This is where we write orders, connect with our cherished customers and plan for the upcoming year.” For more information and to stay up to date all year-round visit halloweenpartyexpo.com.

Witbaard Feestartikelen and Haza Group join forces On 1 March 2021, Witbaard Feestartikelen took a step for growth with the acquisition of Haza Group in a bid to widen and strengthen its market share. Haza is a popular, predominantly paper products supplier and wholesaler based in The Netherlands with a client base all over the world. With an extensive range of party, hobby and packaging ranges, Haza runs from its own design studio which operates both own brand and licensed products, with a recent addition to include sustainable party ware. Witbaard Feestartikelen, which started as a party products retailer has been a family business for more than 120 years and is no stranger to this party industry. With an assortment of more than10,000 lines, its wholesale department has grown considerably in recent years. Johan Witbaard, proprietor of Witbaard Feestartikelen said: “This acquisition fits perfectly with our ambition to strengthen and expand our position in the market of party, hobby and packaging products. By joining forces, we want to serve ours and Haza’s customers even better, we look forward to the future with great confidence and hope to be a reliable partner for to the market for another 120 years," continued Johan.

Ghoulish Productions appoints Palmer Agencies as distributor Palmer Agencies has been appointed by Mexico’s globally renowned Ghoulish Productions to exclusively manage its UK and Ireland business from April 2021. Palmer Agencies’ appointment comes as the established Mexican producer seeks to expand its international footprint in the UK and Ireland. Ghoulish Productions, founded by Rafael Esponda Vila, has been producing masks, costumes, party lines and detailed sculpted products for more than 70 years. With a distribution footprint including Italy, France, Spain, Germany and the Middle East, the appointment of Palmer Agencies is Ghoulish Productions’ next step for international growth.

Commenting on the appointment, Sergio Battaner, sales and marketing director at Palmer Agencies said: “Just like the masks that are manufactured by Ghoulish the partnership between our two business is the perfect fit. “Both family run companies, we have a mutual understanding on the importance of value quality products, superb service and market honesty with our customers. The Ghoulish lines are a superb addition to our offering and I’m very excited about the year ahead!” He concluded: “With the Hellraiser mask now in our range, we’re going to raise some more hell in the market!” Esteban Esponda, commercial director at

For the latest news visit PartyWorldwide.net

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Ghoulish Productions added: “Palmer Agencies was a natural and obvious choice for us but, most importantly, the right partner for us in the UK and Ireland. They have a strong and well-established distribution network having been in the business for many years and this will be crucial in helping to establish our brand in this market.”

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PARTY NEWS

Products of Change membership hits 250 members in its first quarter Products of Change, the international digital membership platform built to drive sustainable change within the brand and licensing industry, has reached 250 members in its first quarter. Since officially launching the sustainability hub on 1 January 2021, POC has seen all manner of licensors, licensees, retailers, agencies, trade suppliers and supporting bodies join up as members. Party sector names including Amscan were among the first to sign-up and gain vital tools and knowledge for its business. Mel Beer, licensing director at Amscan International said: "Sustainability

is a vital element to our business at Amscan and so the opportunity to glean knowledge, resources and peer-to-peer discussions is an essential resource for us, our membership has proven to be incredible value for money in a very short space of time." Other members include BBC Studios, Asda, Dreamtex, Hasbro, LEGO, Viacom CBS, Tesco, Danilo, Character World, The Point. 1888, WildBrain CPLG, Carousel Calendars, Brand Focus, Kids Industries, Dependable Solutions, Licensing International, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and Recoup. “To see the industry embrace working together and sharing their sustainable journeys so openly, is testament to the foresight and leadership we have within the industry to build a better future,”

commented Helena MansellStopher, founder of Products of Change. The last three months since its official launch as a membership organisation has seen Products of Change gain considerable ground on many fronts and different sectors. Some of the highlights include bringing leading licensors together to work on embedding sustainability requirements into their licensing agreements; engaging with world leading names from the sports sector to create a set of guidelines for events and merchandising; and has been working with DEFRA (UK Gov), The Children’s Literacy Trust and Wastebusters (the leading environmental education not for profit organisation) to build the first global recycling infrastructure to recycle toys through an initiative called Recycle to Read.

Left: Mel Beer, licensing director at Amscan was keen to glean vital knowledge for the company’s party product supply chain.

Meanwhile, as part of its global mission, POC has also opened up dialogue with the Beijing Government through their Open Beijing initiative to work on improving the sustainable supply chain. “We have achieved a lot in our first quarter, but this has been down to the support and input from leading organisations,” Helena underlined. “The only way to shift our industry forward is to work together, and this is exactly what we are doing, across all sectors. It’s pretty phenomenal and I’m so proud of the work the Products of Change group is already achieving and as more members join, we will be able to achieve even more.” Products of Change membership is open to all businesses, organisations and individuals. Find out more at ProductsofChange.com

BLE extends Retail Mentoring Programme to European retailers Retailers are now invited to apply for a place on Brand Licensing Europe’s 2021 Retail Mentoring Programme. With the organisers offering a fully virtual as well as hybrid option this year, invitations to take part in the free to attend, CPD-accredited course are being extended to retailers from Europe as well as the UK for the first time. The BLE Retail Mentoring Programme is now in its 11th year and retailers from Marks & Spencer, John Lewis, Selfridges, Halfords, Asda George, Ann Summers, River Island, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Toymaster, The Entertainer and Morrisons are among hundreds of alumni. “With the growing importance for retailers to stand-out, the programme covers everything from identifying new trends, finding and securing the right partners and suppliers, and driving a great customer experience

through branded products. It means so much to us that we’ve been able to support over 400 retailers on the programme over the last 11 years, and we’re really excited we can now welcome European retailers to join us for 2021.” The Retail Mentoring Programme has been extended to retailers from Europe, as well as the UK, for 2021.Applications will remain open until Friday 28 May. Below: The Retail Mentoring Programme has been extended to retailers from Europe, as well as the UK, for 2021.

Released every Friday ready for a weekend of trialling, Amscan’s Educational Marketing team, Chris Horne and Jacob Megram, talk enthusiasts step-by-step through a variety of designs, processes and projects, whatever your skillset. Combining three categories of the Amscan portfolio including Sempertex latex, Anagram foils and Amscan Partyware, the tutorials cover items including balloon basics, double stuff trend palettes, and that hot topic of cutting and resealing Crystal Clearz™, which is currently at 37,000 views. “Amscan is really keen to get back to training as soon as the government roadmap allows” explained Jen Wilson, head of marketing, design and product development, “but until then, we’ve been creating a vast variety of resources which can be found on our website and social platforms.” Plenty of downloadable material is in the resource section of its website, which Amscan welcomes people to use and share. You can view and download all of the Amscan decorator resources at amscan.co.uk and subscribe to their YouTube channel – search Amscan at YouTube.com

Grabo 400 pages of new Grabo has released its new Seasonal and Everyday catalogue for 2021. Featuring nearly 400 pages of rich content, including company history, green statements and other special messages, the catalogue is a balloon industry bible with thousands and thousands of available products. Jonathan Grassi, director at Grabo said: “Our passion is in our product and I hope that having nearly 400 pages of it shows just that.” Download a copy from graboballoons.com

For the latest news visit PartyWorldwide.net

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Amscan International relaunches YouTube channel

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PARTY NEWS

NCA summit a success The National Costumers Association (NCA) is celebrating the success of a major two-day event that took place on 23-24 March. It was free to attend and open to both members and non-members, to help them continue to survive and thrive as we move into the second quarter of 2021. The NCA Success Summit was packed with peer panel discussions designed to give retailers ideas on finding new customers, better serving existing customers, selling more products, saving more money, and overall being

more successful. The Zoom based event designed to help the US costume industry get past the COVID gloom. True to its name, the event was a success – eight hours spread over two days, packed with practical, useful information to grow a costume business…plus a lot of virtual networking and socialising. Ed Avis, executive director of the NCA said: “What I loved most was seeing the groups interact with the more senior members revealing their deep knowledge of the industry

whilst the younger folks asked for advice on a wide range of topics.” Post-event content including a full range of videos can be found at the NCA portal. Below: Ed Avis, executive director of the NCA.

Disguise Inc. ramps up licensed lines for 2021

Above: Part of a poster that Five Dollar Shake created for its indie customers to promote shopping locally last Christmas.

Card retailers see party products as a key growth area Some 41% of independent card and gift retailers have set their sights on growing their business this year – though most of these (33%) are realistic that this growth will not be significant. These encouraging research findings are from the Progressive Greetngs Retail Barometer, the only annual survey into the health and wealth of the independent greeting card retailer. In the periods when indie card retailers were able to trade in 2020, the majority experienced an upturn in the average spend, partly due to pent-up demand but also attributed to customers reducing the number of shopping trips but buying more when they did venture out. The ‘shop local’ trend was cited as having been the biggest boon to an indie’s business over the last year, followed by social media. On the product diversification front, balloons and partyware ranked number five out of eighteen peripheral product ranges that card retailers were looking to expand with. Looking further ahead to the next 10 years, indies definitely feel more positive about the role of the independent card retailer, with 65% of respondents seeing it as having a real future (up from 44% a year ago) with only 12% seeing the long future as weak (last year this figure was 30%). Greeting cards certainly came into their own over the last year – a tangible way of communicating with loved ones at a time when meeting up physically was not an option for many. Over 75% of respondents were in no doubt that the consumer’s appreciation of greeting cards grew over the last year. Of these 27% felt that the appreciation had ‘increased significantly’.

The raft of new lines includes major licensed productions including Transformers, LEGO, Minecraft and Buzz Lightyear. Highlights of the new ranges include the LEGO Face Change mask. This is a half-mask that covers the front of the face and has an adjustable elastic strap. It comes with four changeable inserts to swap in and out, making it four masks in one. Little heroes will also be ready to save the day in the new Blue Ranger Dino Fury Classic Muscle costume, featuring a cool and comfortable polyester jumpsuit that looks like Blue Ranger. It has muscle padding in both the torso and arms and a dimensional belt at the waist, supplied with an awesome face mask including elastic strap in back. This costume has it all and is perfect for any Power Rangers lover. UK sales director Tony Lewis said: “We are really excited for the year ahead as we begin to finally exit the restrictions of lockdown. The general public will I’m sure be ready to party and also enjoy family reunions, birthdays and celebrations, whilst holidays, music festivals and outdoor sporting events should all return during the summer. “We are helping retailers in many ways, including smaller MOQs, new innovative product, flexibility packaging wise due to an increased consciousness for sustainability, and the launch of a number of exciting new licences.” Above: Tony Lewis, UK sales director at Disguise Inc.

For the latest news visit PartyWorldwide.net

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Carmen Stillwell retires from Qualatex Carmen Stillwell retired from Pioneer Europe Limited on 26 March 2021 after almost 27 years service. Carmen held many posts, culminating in her role as general manager, where she headed up customer services and Human Resources and had responsibility for compliance, as well as being company secretary. Carmen also represented Pioneer Europe on many EBPC committees, and in recent years worked tirelessly to lobby for the successful removal of balloons from the Single Use Plastics Directive. Pioneer Europe Managing Director, Marie Gransbury said “I know I speak for all of us at Pioneer when I say we will miss Carmen very much. Carmen had many great skills and everything she turned her hand to she did with determination and positivity encouraging the team to work hard, but to have fun too. She had a wonderful ability to find the best in people and over the years mentored and guided many employees. We wish her a happy and very well deserved retirement!”. Left to Right: Marie Gransbury, Carmen Stillwell.

Rubies Masquerade promotes key personnel Rubies Masquerade has made key personnel promotions amid its recent changes and restructure aimed at a strong future in the dressup sector. Donna Joyce has been promoted to head of UK retail sales and business development, following two years tenure as national business development manager and a previous six years as national account manager. Lisa Byers has also been promoted to head of e-commerce following five years in national accounts and sales management roles across domestic and European territories, and some 20 years industry experience. Commenting on the promotions, Rubies Masquerade’s UK managing director, Michael O’Connell said: “It’s always a pleasure promoting great team members, but both Donna and Lisa are especially important to the company’s structure and have such a wealth of experience and knowledge.” “It’s a real feeling of pride to promote and work with such popular, leading talent and I am more than confident they will both continue to serve Rubies as we move through the gears of positive change.”

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Check out the NEW colours available to order online now!

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PARTY NEWS

Party suppliers mostly prepared for Brexit’s logistics challenge Party product retailers were largely prepared for the new regulations following the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union in January 2021. Many international companies have solidified office and distribution spaces across mainland Europe – a feature on which will follow in the next edition – whilst advance stock ordering and managing has also served to prove fruitful with the shipping

situation compounded further by the COVID-19 pandemic. “I don’t think there is anyone who didn’t know that Brexit would be a shock to the system given the ease of trading with the EU for so many years. However, we had spent the previous nine months preparing for this situation, so we found ourselves better prepared than a lot of businesses.” said Linda Curley, head of inventory at Amscan International. With

Pioneer Europe readies for retail re-opening with Qualatex 2021 Everyday Catalogue As stores across Europe prepare to re-open their doors to customers, Pioneer Europe has released its new Qualatex 2021 Everyday Catalogue. As well as showcasing the Qualatex range for 2021, this goto catalogue also includes the Northstar Balloons collection, balloon accessories Above: The catalogue showcases and a selection of full ranges for 2021. partyware. The digital edition of the catalogue is now live on www. qualatexeurope.com - offering rich content throughout, with user-friendly functions such as a search facility and links to additional product information, education materials, marketing support and more. Recently launched new products showcased in the catalogue include trendy and colourful new Bubble Balloons, such as 22” Iridescent Swirls and Tie Dye Swirls Bubbles, and Sweet Bees & Daisies and Rainbow Cloud 24” Deco Bubbles. New inclusive, on-trend and thankful Microfoil™ balloons added to the range include Grateful For You And All You Do and Get Well messages, as well as darker skin tones in baby designs and a number of extensions to best-selling ranges. "The latex range is also refreshed; “Organic Decor is still trending-up, so we have added three new colours to our 16” round latex range - Ivory Silk, Chocolate Brown and Spring Lilac, said Anna Hickman, product manager for balloons at Pioneer Europe. “We have updated our Jewel Assortments and added some popular prints to our 6ct Retail Pack latex collection, including Leopard Spots and Paw Prints. In response to customer requests we’ve also added 25ct Gold and Rose Gold options to some of our best-selling Happy Birthday ranges." Printed copies of the catalogue will be sent to customers shortly.

Right: UK mostly ready for new regulations with the European Union.

New online marketplace for Partyware and Dress-up The idea of CAZAAR was thought-up some time ago by a group of professionals in the party industry. In 2019 it began to develop the carnival bazaar with a dream to make CAZAAR the ultimate online destination for all things fun. from toys and games to costumes and wigs, with much in-between. It aims to carry the largest portfolio of costumes, partyware, toys, games and merchandise from leading brands all over Europe. "CAZAAR is driven by a desire to create the best customer experience, which is built from the insight and data executed through our integrated technology and expertise,” said site director George Nesnas. CAZAAR is partnered with Paypal so all payments to and from the site are securely handled by their world class system. Cazaar aims to harness the collective power of the best stores by combining top online sellers from across Europe onto one easy to use platform. We are stronger together!” Continued George. For sellers CAZAAR is an exclusive

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Britain outside the EU’s single market and customs union, trade with the bloc has been damaged, for sure, though the full extent of the damage won’t be clear until businesses fully re-open after lockdown and time passes into the new normal. Read the latest article with industry feedback from page ** of this issue.

outlet to promote products with low fees and enhanced exposure. Not everyone will be invited onto Cazaar and standards will be high, as the site aims to create a space for sellers to thrive rather than endure "a race to the bottom on pricing." For buyers, CAZAAR is a one stop shop for all things fun, by carefully selecting who is allowed to sell on the marketplace buyers will get the best products at fair prices delivered on time, says the site. Key features include its partnership with Paypal, payments are safe and secure, payouts to sellers are made as soon as the order is dispatched. Each listing on the site gets optimised periodically by its in-house team so that it meets the best standards. Each listing will also be part of its Google and Facebook Dynamic Re-marketing Campaigns to draw customers back to the site. Finally, listings will be automatically translated and displayed across Europe on .de .fr .es and .it from July 2021 onwards. Find out more and sign-up as a seller at Cazaar.co.uk Above: George Nesnas, director at Cazaar.co.uk

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HELIUM SAVERS

The Standups Grabo Balloons | April 2021 | Air-Filled Collection

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The Standups CAKE / PUMPKIN Air inflation and integrated base guarantees helium saving! Place your Standups in every corner of the party making the atmosphere magical!

The Standups HEARTS / RINGS A fun idea is the ring shape to set up your hen party or both standups to celebrate love!

The Standups BOY / GIRL An excellent solution to celebrate the arrival of a baby: choose our balloons for your baby shower or gender reveal!

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ADVERTORIAL FEATURE

WHAT ABOUT THE KIDS? WHAT ABOUT THE KIDS OFFERS BEAUTIFUL KIDS SIZED TABLES AND CHAIRS TO HIRE, FOR EVENTS AND PARTIES…. WITH LOTS OF UPSELLING OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOU!

Our tables and chairs for hire are popular for birthdays, weddings and parties, especially when dressed with tulle bows and helium balloons. Here at What About The Kids we know how expensive and stressful events can be, so everything we offer is affordable, easy to order, delivered with no fuss and with optional extras to suit all budgets But I’m a party retailer, how can I be involved? Well, imagine being able to offer a furniture and decorating service, without actually having to outlay the capital expense and maintain it? That’s how you can be involved…

WHY PARTNER WITH US: ★ Zero cost - we provide the stock, marketing and web presence so no start-up costs for you ★ H assel-free bookings - payments, deposits and quantities are all managed by us - all you have to do is say ‘Yes’! ★ I ncrease footfall and customers ★ N o stock maintenance - your stock will be maintained by us with a regular planned routine of sanding, filling and painting in our workshop to ensure the furniture remains beautiful ★ T his is not a franchise but an opportunity to partner with What About The Kids

ABOUT YOU:

★ Y ou’re an established party provider with a physical store or online presence ★ You already have delivery vans and drivers ★ You have spare storage space that’s safe, clean and dry ★ You’re looking to increase sales, awareness and drive more people to you ★ You’re looking to extend your network with other party providers

ABOUT OUR FOUNDER:

Founded in 2015, What About The Kids is the brain child of Ellie, who realised there was little on offer to keep kids entertained at weddings. She started by supplying stylish and affordable kids corners at local events. Once word got out the business quickly expanded and now hires focuses on hiring out party furniture and party extras across the UK - all just for kids.

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WHAT DO OUR PARTNERS SAY: “Ellie is fantastic to work with and the whole process couldn’t be easier. From easy storage of the furniture, to the booking and payment processes, all simple and without any fuss.” “At Fun ‘n’ Frolic we are always looking at ways to change and diversify. So when the WATK opportunity came about, we decided to go for it. And we haven’t looked back since. Before the pandemic hit, we were really pleased with the number of bookings we were taking and as a party store, it also helped with our balloon sales, as many of the bookings were complementing the fantastic little wooden tables and chairs with balloon installations. Now the enquires and bookings are coming in again, so we are super excited for the next few months and beyond.” “Looking for some extra income after such a difficult year or so, then please do take a look at joining in with WATK.”

Dan – Fun ‘n’ Frolic

19/04/2021 16:44

COLUMNIST

Working in an industry which puts a smile on people’s faces every day is a real pleasure, as Ed Avis – the executive director of the National Costumers Association – reveals in his latest column. Right: Ed Avis is the executive director of the National Costumers Association. Contact him at executivedirector@costumers.org.

Mixing The Ages – What The Decades Can Learn From Each Other We just wrapped up the 2021 National Costumers Association Success Summit, a totally Zoom based event designed to help the US costume industry get past the COVID gloom. True to its name, the event was a success – eight hours spread over two days, packed with practical, useful information to grow a costume business… plus a lot of virtual networking and socialising. What really stood out for me was the interesting mix of ages in attendance and how they interacted. On one end of the spectrum was a large group of retired members or those near retirement. These

men and women have been the heart of the costume industry for decades. They built successful costume businesses during the 1970s, 80s and 90s, and now many are entering a quieter phase. On the other end was a group of younger members, several of whom joined the NCA in just past year (yes, even during COVID we scored some new members!). These are people who are completely in the exciting growth phase of their careers and businesses. They are trying new ideas – lots on online selling, pop-up shops, etc. –

and serving important new markets, including the drag community, cosplay fans, and other markets that are helping sustain costume businesses that have lost general costume retail sales to Amazon and the big box stores. What I loved most was seeing the groups interact. The more senior members revealed their deep knowledge of the industry when the younger folks asked for advice on a wide range of topics – for example, did you know that you can use a Clorox bottle to create the structure for a fancy Las Vegas showgirl headpiece? Or that performing simple magic tricks for customers can be a great way to entice the purchase of said tricks? And the younger members also provided spot-on advice on a wide range of topics that may not have always been a focus for the senior generation. How to serve the drag community, for example, was extensively covered in one panel discussion on serving unconventional markets. A key part of that conversation involved the importance of being sensitive about language – don’t assume you know the right pronoun to use based on a customer’s appearance, for example. In our final social event, which we called the Fancy Hat Ball, several senior level members discussed an upcoming, casual event called Spring Fling. This is basically a weekend full of eating, drinking, fun and games that a core group of members has participated in for at least the past two decades. It’s not an official NCA event so it never occurs to me to tell new members about it. But once the younger folks heard the details, they said they couldn’t wait! It will be a melding of generations that will serve our industry well. Inset: Young and old interact with some exciting results.

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CELEBRATE! N E W TA B L E WA R E , AC C E S S O R I E S + D E C O R – AVA I L A B L E N O W

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COLUMNIST

As we move towards getting back to normal, marketing expert Babita Devi asks the question we all want the answer to: What and where is normal? Right: Babita Devi, director of marketing company bStrategic.

The Evolution of Normal

here has been a lot of talk about ‘normality’ recently. Getting back to normal, or perhaps a new normal. The truth is that normality is constantly changing and evolving, even without global pandemics. Just take a look at how fashions change and how quickly technology is adopted. Normal never looks the same from one year to the next. The difference, of course, is that this year normal has changed far faster than we would ever have imagined. Some changes that would have been slow evolutions over many years, happened seemingly overnight. Some things suddenly became far more important than we could have expected. As our world continues to evolve things will change again. Perhaps face masks and hand sanitiser will become a little less important. But other changes are almost certainly here to stay as new values and attitudes continue to shape the future.

and discussions using the many platforms that your customers rely on – phones, tablets, TVs and smart speakers come top of the list.

LOCAL SHOPS FOR LOCAL PEOPLE? In a world that has suddenly gone online it may seem that location doesn’t matter and it’s certainly true that online sales can happen anywhere. However, many people have discovered a new appreciation for their local community. With travel almost non-existent people have had no choice but to find local retailers, and many have discovered the joy of supporting small businesses. Not only that, a community spirit has emerged. What began with

checking in on elderly neighbours has evolved to supporting the whole community, including businesses. Many people now feel that it’s important to support local, familiar, businesses. The sort of place where they know the owner and know that their custom will “make a real person do a happy dance”, as well as feeling confident that you operate safely. If you have a bricks and mortar premises then the link is obvious, but even if you operate entirely online you can still use this feeling to your advantage by becoming a well-known name in both local and virtual communities. BEYOND FACE VALUE! Taking this a step further, there seems to be a growing emphasis on doing the right thing, looking after each other as a society and championing important causes. There has been a surge in activism, giving consumers the feeling that they have the power to make a difference in a world where they might otherwise feel helpless. Your business can be a part of this when you communicate a clear purpose, something that goes deeper and takes your brand beyond the obvious. Perhaps you support environmental causes, fight world hunger or support a local charity. Whatever you do, it must be backed up with real action. Paying lip service to a cause can backfire, but if you truly have a passion to make a difference then you will earn a great deal of respect. Below: Will consumers have a renewed affection for the people and businesses that are their neighbours?

THE IMPORTANCE OF HOME… For some people home used to be little more than a place to sleep, with days spent in an office, or eating out and socialising. The crisis of 2020 has changed all that and home is now the command centre for busy lives. Home entertainment and décor are now more important than ever, and something the party industry can tap into. From balloon kits that allow a single person to learn a new skill, to decoration packs designed to liven up video calls. People are always looking for fun and novelty, but now they want it without leaving home. It’s also worth considering your marketing strategy, and how you can reach people at home without seeming intrusive. Aim to start conversations APRIL 2021 PROGRESSIVE PARTY EUROPE

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BREXIT 100 DAYS

Above: Taking a global view of the party market.

THREE MONTHS OF BREXIT - NO REASON TO PARTY?

he warnings were made - a vote to leave the European Union would kick off an unholy recession, cause ripples in the housing market and, above all, create a huge downward curve in imports and exports. This was all according to our own UK government over a five-year period since the referendum vote which didn’t go the way that most people expected or wanted. Now passing some three months of trading pattern, with a global curveball thrown in for good measure, we have a more evidential view of the ramifications of that decision to leave. The split has already seen a negative impact on the UK economy, the data shows quite clearly, even if it has been largely overshadowed by the coronavirus pandemic. Many of the consequences of Brexit will need time and motion to be understood. With Britain outside the EU’s single market and customs union, trade with the bloc has been damaged, for sure, though the full extent of the damage won’t be clear until businesses fully re-open after lockdown and time passes into the new normal. Some of the claims made by the remain camp, ‘Project Fear’ as not so affectionally named by the press, have proven to be overstated. In a report published before the 2016 referendum, the Treasury predicted that a vote to leave, followed by the immediate triggering of the Article 50 withdrawal process, would see national income decline by as much as 3.6% within two years, 520,000 more people unemployed and house prices fall by 10%. It didn’t turn out that way. Not least because the government didn’t invoke Article 50 until March 2017. By June 2018, gross domestic product had risen by more than 3%, unemployment had fallen by 280,000 and the average house price had gained more than 7%.

Following PPE’s ‘The Brexit Effect’ article in the January/February edition, we catch up with suppliers to understand how the ship is sailing – or not – as we cross the first hundred days of Brexit. Then came COVID-19. GDP shrank almost 10% in 2020, the worst slump since the Great Frost of 1709. The economy has only partially recovered from the huge losses incurred during the first lockdown of spring 2020, leaving us further below pre-pandemic levels of output than any other Group of Seven nation. INCREASED COST OF LIVING? In April 2016, the government sent a leaflet to all UK households, urging them to vote in favour of staying in the EU. It warned that leaving would increase the cost of living, because a falling pound would make imports more expensive – with around half of all UK imports coming from the European Union. That such leaflet would turn out to be mostly correct; the pound fell by as much as 18% against the Euro within two years of the referendum and remains 12% below its level on the day of the Brexit vote. Consumer-price inflation reached a near six-year high of 3.1%

in November 2017, squeezing living standards. It remained above the Bank of England’s 2% target for almost all of the following two years. But inflation has since slumped because of the coronavirus pandemic. ABOUT TRADE AND PRODUCT… The Treasury predicted that if the UK left the EU and managed to reach a trade deal with the bloc, the country’s economy would be between 4.6% and 7.8% smaller in 15 years’ time than it would have been had it stayed in the EU. Though Britain has only been formally out of the EU’s single market for around three months, the Office for Budget Responsibility estimates that Brexit has already lowered GDP by 1.4% since the referendum. It now expects GDP will be 4% lower in the long run than had Britain remained in the EU. The government also said that leaving the EU would make it more difficult for companies to export goods to the bloc, and that businesses would face higher costs. This warning turned out to be correct with party product suppliers having to traverse extra paperwork, jurisdiction and more to be able to ship into Europe. In January alone, exports to the continent shrank by 41% from the previous month. David Frost, who negotiated the post-Brexit trade deal with the EU and is now minister responsible for Britain’s relations with trading Europe has blamed stockpiling in December and the coronavirus lockdown for the reduction in trade. He says trade recovered to its normal level at the start of February 2021. The full cost of Britain’s decision to cut ties with its biggest and closest commercial partner is likely to only become clear once the coronavirus restrictions ease and businesses return to normal.

Inset: COVID-19 lockdown creates an unprecedented downturn in GDP.

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BREXIT 100 DAYS

What do the party people say? FRASER SMEATON, CEO, MORPH COSTUME COMPANY “There are multiple logistics issues live at the moment. They are caused by a variety of reasons stemming from both the pandemic and Brexit. COVID has caused long delays at UK and US ports which has then driven a spike in freight costs because there aren’t enough containers making it back to China. Luckily, we have, so far, escaped the worst of this due to the bulk of our 2020 orders arriving before these issues started in Q4 2020. We are hopeful these issues will have unwound before our 2021 orders need to ship but that is far from certain. The end of the Brexit transition period has caused big problems for trade into the EU. Bulk and direct to consumer orders require more paperwork, are more expensive and have longer ship times, making

businesses with UK held stock much less competitive than those with stock held in the EU. The only mitigating factor has been that the volumes we have required to ship to the EU have been much reduced due to ongoing pandemic restrictions and the cancellation of Karneval. With the end of the pandemic in sight and this issue impacting cross border trade in all industries hopefully pressure builds on the government to find a solution.”

ELLIOTT PECKETT, DIRECTOR, RH SMITH & SONS (SMIFFYS) “Smiffys put several plans in place to ensure the transition into shipping globally after Brexit was as smooth as possible. Our European warehouse means we are able to supply goods from within the EU with European freight operators. Our new, larger EU facility in Neuss now holds much more stock, offering superior levels of availability to international customers. We also have stock shipped directly from our Chinese warehouse to our European warehouse to ensure quicker lead times for stock without coming to UK ports. That being said, there are delays at ports due to the new protocol in place as well as a worldwide shortage of freight, so we are expecting occasional delays beyond our control while these issues are being ironed out.”

LINDA CURLEY, HEAD OF INVENTORY, AMSCAN INTERNATIONAL “I don’t think there is anyone who didn’t know that Brexit would be a shock to the system given the ease of trading with the EU for so many years. However, we had spent the previous nine months preparing for this situation, so we found ourselves better prepared than a lot of businesses. Even so, with this preparation in place there had been many new processes that have been added in at the last minute which we had to successfully navigate to ensure continuity of supply to our valued customers in Ireland and in mainland Europe.

Our European suppliers to our business have also been able to easily deliver goods to us. In addition, we have the flexibility of an established and successful wholesale business in Germany which enables us to tailor our supply in line with the best options for our valued customers.”

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GO TO OUR WEBSHOP TO SEE MORE THAN 40 ‘SMASHING’ THEMES: FOR EVERY PARTY A COMPLETE RANGE. piraat pinata2.indd 1 00_PPE_March April 2021.indd 1

WWW.BOLAND.EU SALES@BOLAND.EU / +31(0)172 447556 01/04/2021 11:04 12/04/2021 14:19

BREXIT 100 DAYS

A view from Europe… BOLAND PARTY: THE PEOPLE ON THE GROUND MUST WORK BETTER “It has been a complete pain in the proverbial backside. Now most customers are getting to grips with it, though it’s a shame that the courier and freight companies are not. Fundamentally, they are all setting the ground rules (the couriers, that is) but they are breaking their own rules. And, consequently, screwing up deliveries. It seems to be levelling out to a degree and would actually work okay if the couriers got their act together. Over the last week or so UK customers have started to order on a more regular basis. HRMC did their best to help at the beginning, but it was still pretty poor. It included a

two-minute YouTube video advert for Davies Turner (a shipping company). I know from other sectors, for example the stationery market, that there are still many shortages and we see it the non-food sectors of the supermarkets where the shelves all appear empty.” Below: HMRC issued a YouTube video pushing the work of expert freight forwarders.

SERGIO BATTANER, SALES AND MARKETING DIRECTOR, PALMER AGENCIES “As we’re based in Northern Ireland, we are part of the UK market AND the EU single market for goods. Our customers will not experience any problems and, for Palmer Agencies, this has not caused any issues at all. Expect the same service from us with none of the paperwork attached to Brexit.”

MIKE O’CONNELL, MANAGING DIRECTOR, RUBIES MASQUERADE CO. “Rubies has operations and warehouses throughout continental Europe and we are well stocked and prepared going into the seasons ahead. Ports do remain congested and this continues to have a relative impact on trade with delays longer than anticipated. Shipping prices significantly increased approaching Brexit. We had expected to them to stabilise, however, the Suez canal incident has exacerbated the situation. Fortunately, we have millions of pounds of inventory across all brands, instock throughout the region so we are well placed to be able to supply our retail partners. With demand expected to be incredibly

CARLOS PÉREZ, GENERAL MANAGER, MY OTHER ME FUN COMPANY

high post lockdown, we would encourage our customers to order early, taking full advantage of our great availability.”

“In addition to Brexit, which is a challenge for us as a company based in Spain, in 2021 we are encountering very important challenges with our manufacturing in Asia. The price increase in the containers as well as the longer time in production has led us to make a strategic decision and as of this year we began an ambitious project to manufacture in Spain and Turkey. This will help us to drastically reduce the times in the go to market as well as a significant increase in the quality of the products.”

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GEMARDAY LIVE USA

A GLOBAL EVENT LIKE NO OTHER

It takes a long time to plan a large-scale event. Over a year ago, when the world was in shock with the sudden arrival of a global pandemic, Gemar had to make a decision. With no crystal ball, it wasn’t an easy decision to make, but it turns out that taking GemarDay USA online was the best thing it could have done. PPS finds out more.

emar worked hard to create an event that was completely different from anything else that had gone before on this scale for its recent GemarDay USA. There were no pre-recorded tutorial - instead the company created 36 hours of content, live streamed to participants around the world in their own language. This meant there were three days where participants could ask questions and a panel of moderators would answer them. Where they could ask an instructor to explain something, or show a technique again, and the instructor

could give them that explanation. This was a truly interactive event, the closest thing to being in-person. And it’s not quite over yet. Part of the fun of a GemarDay is getting hands-on and making something. Gemar didn’t want participants to miss out on that so it sent balloon kits to them, allowing them to take part in some of the classes no matter where they were in the world. In a way this means that GemarDay Live lives on and it can’t Below left: The Shiny Modelling balloons are available in three different sizes and the full range of colours. Below: The opening ceremony was used to welcome Tampilipe to the Gemar family as its latest ambassador.

Above: Gloria and Genesio.

wait to see sculptures popping up on social media over the weeks to come as the fun continues through Gemar Spirit and #IDIDIT contests. This was an event where every day was also filled with surprises. There were special guest visits from members of the Rocca family, the founders of Gemar, while instructors had developed techniques especially for the event, showing off breathtaking displays that left the audience speechless. Participants even had the honour of witnessing the moment new parents discovered their baby’s gender, when Paola Camacho surprised them by putting her gender reveal party décor to excellent use. There were also some special announcements, including the launch of four new balloons and a brand new colour. Gemar Shiny started off as just a single balloon and has grown into a whole family, from the smallest Tiny Shiny all the way through to Giant Shiny. Which made GemarDay Live the perfect opportunity to announce some new additions to the range. Eagle eyed Shiny fans had already spotted one of the new balloons, hidden away in the Gemar 2021 calendar. They will be thrilled to finally get their hands on Shiny Modelling balloons, available in three different sizes

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GEMARDAY LIVE USA

and the full range of shiny colours. At the other end of the scale, the range added a new balloon for those who like to make a bold statement. Giant Shiny takes all the ‘wow factor’ of Shine Big and makes it bigger than anything else on the market. A full 31 inches of glorious Shiny colour, Giant Shiny makes a unique impact. On top of this, the company also shared a brand new colour, Shiny Purple, a colour it describes as speaking of deep velvet and luxury. “When the sessions began it was hard to know who was most excited,” says Gloria Veta, brand and sales director at Gemar. “The participants Below: The event included 36 hours of live content.

GemarDay Live USA in numbers Over 1,000 participants from 40 countries ■ 5 0 people working behind the scenes ■ 2 9 instructors from 16 countries ■ 3 0 hours of rehearsals ■ 3 6 hours of live content ■ 5 00,000 balloons ■ 2 ,444 questions from Q&A ■ 15,682 chat messages ■ 3 unforgettable days

were sitting at home with balloon kits ready. The instructors were poised with technology, interpreters and assistants at the ready. Backstage was buzzing with anticipation and on screen myself and Genesio in Italy stood next to Maria and Piero in Miami. We simply couldn’t wait to get started.” Perhaps one of the more eagerly awaited sessions was Tampilipe’s. Already well known in the balloon industry, the opening ceremony was used to welcome Tampilipe to the Gemar family. He is joining us as the newest Gemar Ambassador, and over the three days he took his place among so many talented professionals. Gloria continues : “It is impossible to convey the astounding things we learned in 27 different sessions. We saw distortion, fantasy flowers, g-links, foil, lights and paint. We gasped at safari scenes, marvelled at space adventures and enjoyed epic cake and ice cream. One thing was clear, the instructors agreed that if you can dream something you can make it with balloons - and it’s always best to dream big!” Albert Einstein said that “creativity is contagious - pass it on.” Gemar is confident it achieved that, with Gloria thanking the “amazing team of skilled and dedicated individuals working non-stop behind the scenes as well as on camera. Whether translating classes, dealing with tech issues or packing balloons, every single person played their part in making the impossible, possible.” Indeed, one of the company’s fans commented : “Whoever missed it, well I’m sorry because it’s an amazing event.” APRIL 2021 PROGRESSIVE PARTY EUROPE

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Sponsors:

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GEMAR SHINY Uniquely beautiful balloons that stand out from the crowd. It's time to shine. 31_PPE_April 2021.indd 1

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FEEDBACK As non-essential retail reopens, specialist party retailers are finding their feet and discovering what temporary and permanent changes have been forced upon them as a result of multiple lockdowns. Progressive Party donned its mask and camera to get a glimpse as to how retailers were finding their first week back at it. CAROL KIMBER at Perfect Parties in Leighton Buzzard, a prominent high street shop within a growing market town.

“Well, we are open… it’s not quite the opening of floodgates that we saw after the first lockdown, this time it’s been a much slower start, though picking up a little each and every day so we’ll be patient. In the meantime, we’ve been doing some good trade with local businesses that are opening again, pub gardens, outdoor dining, that sort of thing. One thing that has remained consistent is the

RETURN TO THE FRONT LINE balloon side; people are spending more on balloons, it seems that in terms of party product that’s the real non restricted area at present – and even people and don’t normally buy balloons have found themselves doing so, it’s quite interesting. Giant numbers are always popular,

details with balloons and we would never want to offer a lesser service. We are now selling off our fancy dress… balloons are just our main business now. We’re not a university town, we’re not London so it’s a little limited. We will always sell a lot of

“This summer we expect to be selling a lot of partyware and disposables.” even during lockdown we’ve had numbers going out – parents want them for the photos if nothing else. We could have serviced online in the interim via social media… but we decided we couldn’t properly service customers that way as there’s so many options and

accessories and events like World Book Day we will scale up for, but the value of balloon and partyware business we are doing is just a better return for us than fancy dress hire which just doesn’t pay for itself at all now. This summer we expect to be selling a lot of partyware and disposables – I’m even planning my own events; it’s going to be a great season of garden parties that’s for sure. Organic arches and air-filled balloons are best for outdoor – helium balloons can end up a bit of a mess under a gazebo if even the slightest bit of wind hits. Some customers are concerned with the sustainable credentials of product, though often they’re purely focused on their theme and making it all happen. Sometimes customers can think that it’s paper, it’s okay, but forget that it can be plastic-coated. However, we as a retailer, do really try and work with manufacturers and ranges that have the right credentials. I think there’s still some work to do by the suppliers in terms of packaging, and we ourselves are looking into finding paper, recyclable bags though they’re not cheap! Fortunately, many customers bring their own bags now.” Left: The business enjoys a prominent high street presence with good window display space.

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RETAIL RE-OPENING

NEVILLE BOYARS at Smiffys retail store in Liverpool, a well-known retailer in a busy city centre.

“We came back along with most on Monday 12th April and to be honest it’s started slowly, not the mad rush that we saw between the last lockdowns. It is picking up a little, day by day though. We enjoy a great location nestled amongst many restaurants, bars and cafes so we will capitalise on passing trade as we always have done, while we wait for the direct custom from those wishing to party – and that pent-up demand is clearly there, just that people are still, as far as I can see, putting restrictions and safety first, which is a credit to the community here. I’m confident things will grow and the real changing point will be in June if we see a total lift on what we can and can’t do. Many of our customers are excited about kids parties this summer, I think

we’ll see a big uplift in kids costumes, plus of course I should imagine a big amount of business across tableware, partyware, balloons and other outdoor items. Garden parties are clearly going to be in full force this year, weather dependent – but then again maybe not weather dependent, people just want to see each other and celebrate missed events,

new events, friendships and more. We’re taking time now to make sure our stock and ranges are all in line with the vision we have for szummer 2021, let alone moving forward into what we hope will be a simply massive Halloween – we still have a weekend date and kids really missed out last year. All in all, it’s all to play for, all to party for!”

“The pent-up demand is there.”

Right: Smiffys Liverpool can’t be missed and enjoys an enviable location.

Right: As locations go… an indoor unit capturing grocer footfall is a real opportunity.

keep growing a little each day and a positive summer season ahead. There’s definitely a huge demand for outdoor product and we’re expecting a lot of business ahead. Our location across from Tesco is of course a real score for us and

“After a storm comes a rainbow…”

Above: PartyRama has been at the Kingston Centre in Milton Keynes for three decades.

SHILPA BAJAJ director at Partyrama, Kingston Centre, Milton Keynes. A small store opposite a Tesco Superstore – what’s not to like!

“We are so happy and grateful to be able to open our stores today for the first time in 2021! We have a well-organised set-up to trade online, having made the leap quite early on in 2001 with a warehouse and distribution centre in addition to our local stores. To this end we continued to trade during the retail closures and saw significant activity as consumers tried their best to still acknowledge birthdays within their friendship groups and birthdays, outdoor distanced meetups and more. It was interesting to stray sideways with our product range, with our Tiki Bars and Tiki Tents being a huge seller. For now, though, it’s been different, a slower start. After the first lockdown we had queues of people each and every day, this time now there’s a bit more caution; people are getting back out but perhaps focused on the essentials and items they need to touch and feel such as clothing and health products – but we’re confident that our trade will

that’ll serve us very well as it has done for many decades now. We work hard to ensure our in-store displays are fresh, creative and inspiring, while also investing in a happy team of retail staff who enjoy their job and understand the products we have to offer. I hope the Hawaiian and Tiki lines continue to sell well, they’re amazing products and who doesn’t want an excuse to have a bamboo fire torch as part of a fun party set-up to impress their friends with? All in all, we’re confident and remaining really positive. We have great suppliers and operate in a celebratory industry so we must get back to it with optimism and positivity – and that’s exactly what we’ll do!”

Inset and below: Tiki Tents and Tiki Bars have been a big seller and will continue to do well.

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UK: Freephone 0800 590 599 / sales@smiffys.com

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Export Sales: +44 1427 619 799 / export@smiffys.com

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FEATURE: SUMMER PARTYING

As people slowly and carefully emerge from their homes, bunkers if you will, there’s much anecdotal evidence to suggest that many missed birthdays, anniversaries and other celebratory occasions have not been cancelled, merely put on hold until we can be together again.

he stored-up, caged desire to celebrate life events and just friendships in general is palpable, with so much talk of summer partying we do at least re-open retail at a time when demand for party products will be heightened. Indeed, there’s also much suggestion that single-use party products will also have a huge part to play as caution remains in terms of sanitisation – perhaps this is the year of the paper plate. “It’s been a year of uncertainty and unknowns but one thing we know for sure is that when lockdown is lifted and consumers feel safe again, there are a couple of things they’ll be craving: parties and sunshine,” says Shayna Bowles, marketing manager at Creative Party. “We foresee consumers will take full advantage of the ability to gather safely outdoors, with garden parties, pool parties and summer BBQs at an all-time high. ‘Simply because we can’ will be the reason to celebrate.” she continues. Almost no matter the weather, outdoor partying will

be a huge aspect of life, giving the industry an opportunity like no other. Offering an uplift to a wide variety of subcategories from balloons to tableware, props to décor, there’s an enormous opportunity for independent retailers to capitalise on. “Outdoor partying began with a bang at Easter,” says Elliott Peckett, director at Smiffys. “Social media was full of images of beautifully decorated outdoor tables and party areas, with consumers going the extra mile to create the party atmosphere we’ve all been missing in their gardens with balloons, table décor and accessories. “It was clear from this first weekend of celebration that summer parties will be back with a bang, even if the guests are limited for now,” Elliott continues. “Amscan International is ready with all the party, balloons and décor your customers will need to party in

Above and left: As consumers open their gardens, staying on-trend will be as much a fashion statement as ever. Amscan’s Aloha range is just one offer that has this covered.

style!” says Jen Wilson, head of marketing, design and product development at Amscan International. As we’ve developed our new ranges for 2021, we’ve had this date firmly in our diaries, making sure we are ready to help celebrate all those missed occasions from 2020. “Whether it’s occasion based such as hen parties and baby showers, those milestone birthdays, or the biggest of them all, those family reunions, we really wanted to ensure our portfolio was suitable to be part of everyone’s celebrations! We’re sure that summer partying is going to be top of everyone’s agenda, no matter how big or small, there’s never been a better reason to celebrate,” enthuses Jen. Suppliers have been busy readying new ranges, tailored to the season ahead with more consideration than ever to consumer trends, nods to fashion and indeed consideration to the sustainable credentials consumers now consider as a vital element. With single-use plastic banned in many major territories, the party business has done a tremendous job of moving onwards with products that fit, while remaining high quality and fashionable – the Unicorns are still with us, all we need now is sunshine.

“With 21 June looming, we’re sure everyone is getting ready to celebrate bigger than ever before!”

Far left: Creative Party’s Shayna Bowles is confident that we’ll all be craving sunshine and parties – and she’s ready for both! Left: Design meets eco-friendly with Creative Party’s paper straws.

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FEATURE: SUMMER PARTYING

LET’S GO OUTSIDE

Grown-ups only for Smiffys’ Peaky Blinders ensemble, offering props and décor for those with a desire to get into character – whisky and beer not included.

Tropic Like It’s Hot is the seriously colourful range from Club Green. A seriously wide range that is the epitome of on-trend and will suit just about every garden size.

No more caged animals as Amscan’s Get Wild range features the cutest of zoo mates with a colourful range that almost all ages would enjoy. Because’ we’re happy… especially with this inspiring Happy Rainbow range from Creative Party – it’s one to create smiles.

Dressing to impress is covered with Boland’s flamingo shirt, sure to be an attention grabber, chiselled body not included, we’re afraid…

Because’ we’re happy… especially with this inspiring Happy Rainbow range from Creative Party – it’s one to create smiles.

Deer Little One is a firm favourite licensed property for kids, with Creative Party’s range really encapsulating the thought given to the party category.

Don’t forget the décor… Amscan has a lively range of its AirLoonz that can turn any home counties back garden into a tropical paradise.

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KIDS COSTUMES

Down With The Kids

PP takes a closer look at what’s hot within the children’s dress-up space, checking in with some key suppliers on how they see the rest of 2021 panning out.

nrelenting, always in fashion, entertainment driven. The list goes on when it comes to children’s television and ‘what kids want’. PP knows only too well, with an eight year old and three year old who are brilliantly capable of being into a new trend for at least 24 hours before the next. This is, however, great news for the kids costumes market and while

a lot of major studios have delayed new releases during the pandemic, the natural course of TV characters and excitement for those delayed releases stays true and strong when it comes to the tumble down into dress-up. “We’ve seen that costumes have played a big part in keeping children happy over the last year, with some really interesting takes on themes,” says Sharon Poulter, licensing and marketing manager at RH Smith & Sons. “Barbie has been a popular at-home children’s birthday theme on Instagram throughout lockdown and we’ve added two new kids costume options to our current Barbie range, perfect for birthday celebrations and imaginative play.” Licensed costumes take the majority of transactions in the market, amplified over the last seven years (let’s forget 2021) of continual growth for World Book Day – a literary event that stays true to its cause though keeps pulling through the next generation of children who get the bug for dressing up. Left: Smiffys’ is in charge of all things ‘In a Barbie World’

Above: Rubies’ Raya has enjoyed a fantastic up-take.

Speaking with BBC News in March 2021, Mike O’Connell, Rubies UK managing director confirmed that while the event was challenged with retailers being closed, the “Virtual World Book Day this year was still something of a success for our online retail partners who’ve done very well”. He continued: “Marvel costumes have been particularly popular and have been for the last 12 months. As you can imagine that’s because heroes are very topical. Harry Potter again is also very popular this year.” Rubies continues to push forward in the licensing arena having seen amazing reaction to its Raya and The Last Dragon on Disney+. Critics and fans are loving the fantastic fantasy film and retail customers will love the costume, APRIL 2021 PROGRESSIVE PARTY EUROPE

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NEW

ONLINE Catalogue

OUT NOW bit.ly/CataloguePalmer21

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KIDS COSTUMES

Right: Amscan International’s kids costume portfolio boasts various licences for boys and girls.

as they transform them into a new legendary character, Raya, in order to save the world of Kumandra (otherwise known as the living room). Sam Taylor, dress-up category manager at Amscan confirms the same, telling PP: “Costumes have played a huge factor in keeping the children happy and entertained over the last year. “Amscan International prides itself on catering for all age groups, starting with newborn babies and toddlers having fun in our Warner Bros. Superhero baby range (as seen often on Joe Wicks Instagram stories) to juveniles, where we see such a variety of costumes being worn, from Nurses & Doctors, Police Girl & Boy to being little pirates enjoying role-play fun.” Sam was also in industry agreement as to the demand for licensed dressup in particular, adding: “Licences have continued to be a big factor and we were excited to launch new styles through 2020 and 2021 on Peppa Pig, Hey Duggee, Warner Bros. and many more.” There’s much to play for, too, as it’s not just the TV and film characters that are right in front of us, at the mercy of children’s daytime TV as we try our best to work from home. Evergreen and more specialist, hobby characters see as much demand with many trends set Stateside, filtering into Europe. A good example of this is the range from Disguise Inc. – indeed, the company’s footprint globally is of big interest to major licensors and retailers. The company has recently unveiled a raft of new lines of major licensed productions including Transformers, LEGO, Minecraft and Buzz Lightyear. Disguise Inc., UK sales director

Tony Lewis says: “We are really excited for the year ahead as we begin to finally exit the restrictions of lockdown. The general public will I’m sure be ready to party and also enjoy family reunions, birthdays and celebrations, while holidays, music festivals and outdoor sporting events should all return during the summer. “The Halloween weekend should

Above: Mike O’Connell spoke to BBC News about the opportunities around World Book Day.

be back in full swing especially with 31 October falling on a Sunday and the return of house parties – plus trick or treat returning with gusto. “Christmas should also be back to normal with families and friends being able to mingle together and celebrate in true party style. We are helping retailers in many ways, including smaller MOQs, new innovative product, flexibility packaging wise due to an increased consciousness for sustainability and the launch of a number of exciting new licences.” Highlights of the new ranges include the LEGO Face Change mask. This is a half-mask that covers the front of the face and has an adjustable elastic strap. It comes with four changeable inserts to swap in and out, making it four masks in one. Reminding retailers of quality, at the same time as desire for licensed products is Palmer Agencies, which also feels that: “Special and unique designs are the key to success in this part of the market and, while price is an issue, we firmly believe that independents should not measure their items to what’s available on the big multiples and they should stock better/ value added/different products.” Sergio Battaner, Palmer’s sales and marketing director, adds: “Whereas in the past few years, adult costumes have suffered when it comes to sellthrough, children’s costumes have gone from strength to strength.” Ultimately, as every parent knows, where there’s television and books there will be a demand for children to get into a role and become the character. This, then, offers an unstoppable opportunity for retailers to capitalise upon – not just for World Book Day or those birthday parties, but to be informed all year round on what’s happening at film and TV level that will feed through. PP encourages suppliers to ensure that all retail partners are kept up to date, it used to be a bone of contention and at a time when knowledge is everything, that good communication will aid a fantastic partnership with sales all round.

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Sparkling Fizz Birthday Blue NEW Stunning Holographic Foil Range

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KIDS COSTUMES

WHAT KIDS WANT...

Rubies Masquerade is launching both velour and fleece adult and toddler Sesame Street jumpsuits based on two extremely popular characters with Cookie Monster and Elmo. These incredibly cute costumes are available to pre-order now - what could be more adorable than seeing your own little preschool monster dressed up as either Elmo or Cookie Monster?

Licences have continued to be big business for Amscan and the company is excited to launch new styles through 2020 and 2021 on Peppa Pig, Hey Duggee, Warner Bros and many more.

Little heroes will be ready to save the day in this Pink Ranger Dino Fury Deluxe costume from Disguise. It has sublimated art throughout, an attached skirt, and a dimensional belt at the waist. It also comes with an awesome face mask with an elastic strap in back. This costume has it all and is perfect for any Power Rangers lover.

The highlight of Mom Fun Company’s latest ranges is the Surprise baby costumes. Some of them are reversible, others have sound… either way there’s always a surprise!

Cute, unique and... funny! So says Palmer Agencies with it’s take on a universal character, the clown. This item includes a baby pink jumpsuit with different patterns including stripes, colourful polka dots and clothing patches with colourful pompoms and matching collar, as well as a hat on a headband.

Smiffys has added two new kids costume options to its current Barbie range, perfect for birthday celebrations and imaginative play. Barbie Dreamhouse Adventures and Barbie Princess Adventures Deluxe costumes will be available in May.

The deluxe Raya child costume from Rubies boasts a jacket and trousers with glitter detail, belt and boot covers and separate cloak accessory – available for stocking now.

One of the heroes of our times is ready to fight germs and grime wherever he finds them. This costume from Palmer Agencies includes a very comfortable polyester top, elastic waistband matching trousers, a white examination coat with the Super Doctor screen print logo, face covering, and red cape.

No LEGO costume is complete without the LEGO Face Change mask from Disguise. This is a half mask that covers the front of the face and has an adjustable elastic strap. It comes with 4 changeable inserts to swap in and out, making it four masks in one,

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Start Planning for the most Spooktacular season, Halloween 2021!

NEW Catalogue Coming Soon!

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Progressive Party Europe April 2021

Articles inside

BREXIT LATEST

FROM THE FRONTLINE

NEW PRODUCTS

DOWN WITH THE KIDS

SUMMER SALES

LETTER FROM AMERICA

MARKETING MATTERS

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