Progressive Party January/February 2021 by Max Publishing: Print, Digital Media + Events (London)

Jan/Feb 2021

Still Home Schooling

The Little Monsters? Take a break and join us at the Smiffys UK Virtual Showcase 22nd – 26th Feb And learn all about our exciting new lines and offers

Book an appointment now

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Welcome to the Party Welcome to the first issue of 2021! Hopefully the first few weeks have been a great start to the new year, with business booming and orders being placed so fast that you can barely keep up. No? OK, let’s be brutally honest here; January is always a difficult month for the party industry. But following on from the last 12 months, it’s fair to say that this one has been Above: Jacqui and Rob, seen here modelling two of the excellent masks from My Other Me. particularly harsh. However, as each new year begins, it’s important to look back at what we have learned over the past year – whether that is with optimism, pragmatism or a healthy mix of the two. The lack of physical trade shows, roadshows and catchup meetings which typically start the year have been particularly difficult for the party sector and the lack of face-to-face contact has been keenly felt by those of us used to hopping on a plane to meet up with industry friends and colleagues, sharing strategies, stories and maybe even a drink (or two). As with everything else over the past year, party suppliers have been quick to react to these changes, putting virtual showcases in place and seeking out other ways of sharing their plans for the coming year. The focus on being as proactive as possible and approaching what feels like an impossible situation with a seemingly never-ending supply of optimism is something to be truly admired – but if there’s one thing the party industry excels at, it’s adapting to change and making the most of these difficult situations. We asked them to fill us in as well – so turn to page 39 to find out more. Balloon deliveries are able to continue operating on a click-and-collect or delivery-only basis, allowing them to capitalise on the latest must-have birthday balloon trend, but with parties and events currently almost impossible to hold, the fancy dress and costume sector continues to be on hold. It’s no surprise then, that when the UK’s third lockdown was announced, costume suppliers and retailers kept their focus on World Book Day – one of the biggest seasons in the UK’s fancy dress calendar, and certainly the first major dress-up event of the year. Collective hearts sunk a few weeks later, when it was announced that lockdown 3.0 would be in place longer than first anticipated. However, World Book Day organisers have announced that the show must go on and so preparations are now in place to help this year’s World Book Day take place at home (see page 49). Fancy dress can continue to play a crucial part in this – after all, parents will be looking for something (anything!) to make homeschooling more interesting, while teachers are likely to embrace the idea of fancy dress video calls to help engage struggling pupils as much as possible. Sticking with this theme of positivity, the current pandemic restrictions are expected to begin easing up over the coming months (hooray!) and so consumers will be looking to come together with friends and family as soon as they can, making up for all the missed events over the past year. We can expect to see lots of missed milestone birthdays, delayed weddings and other rescheduled celebrations over the summer, but in the shorter term, spring 2021 will be bringing us all plenty of reasons to party – whether it’s a socially distanced Easter Egg hunt or a post-vaccine hug for Mother’s Day. Take a look at page 52 for some Q1 inspiration and start preparing for all those garden parties and mini-festivals that are just around the corner. Things are on the up!

@Prog_Party_Eu

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CONTENTS

What’s inside: JAN/FEB 2021 NEWS

Everything you need to know about the world of party

LETTER FROM AMERICA The passion of costuming

MARKETING MATTERS

Making connections in 2021

DRESS-UP DEMAND

Talking costume with Sainsbury’s

FEEDBACK

Looking forward- what’s in store for the year in party

07 19 21 22 29

34 39 49 52 55

THE PARTY WORLD TOUR

A round-the-world journey, taking in the USA, Italy, Holland, Poland and Spain

THE SHOW MUST GO ON

Party suppliers share their plans and launches for 2021 and beyond

KEEPING THE STORY ALIVE Celebrating World Book Day 2021

SPRING SEASONS

Q1 brings with it plenty of reasons to party

RETAILER IN NUMBERS

We crunch the numbers with Pink Tree Parties

49 39

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NEWS PAGE

NEWS UPDATE Amscan International completes management buyout Amscan International is delighted to announce that its management buyout transaction – which was initially announced in December 2020 – has now completed. Amscan International has been acquired from Party City Holdco Inc by the existing management team, led by Gary Panons and Joe Hennigan, and supported by Endless LLP, a UK-based private equity investor. The acquisition covers all retail and wholesale businesses in UK, Europe, Australia and parts of Asia. In addition, the Everts latex balloon manufacturing plant is included in the transaction and a joint venture will be created in Asia and Africa between Amscan International and Party City Holdco for the product

development, manufacturing and sourcing of costumes. “We believe this is a business with fantastic potential and that we can accelerate our strategy for growth,” stated Amscan International’s ceo Gary Panons. “With support from Endless we look forward to an exciting future together.” He continued: “I would also like to thank Party City for the support they have given Amscan International during their ownership, and we look forward to continuing to work with them as our customer, supplier and partner in the newly created joint venture operation.” “We are delighted to finally get the deal completed,” added coo

Below: Amscan International will continue to partner very closely with both Party City and Amscan US.

Joe Hennigan. “We are confident in the future growth prospects for our business and believe more local focus, combined with greater opportunity to invest will help the business fulfill its potential.” “I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our colleagues. Their experience, dedication and enthusiasm were essential in attracting outside investment. We recognise the pressures that families are currently under which makes their dedication all the more humbling. We look forward to repaying their faith in the business and it’s prospects.”

Christy’s By Design scoops Licensing Award for Very Hungry Caterpillar dress-up The stunning Very Hungry Caterpillar butterfly dress-up for George@Asda from Christy’s By Design was named the winner of the hotly-contested Best Licensed Dress-up or Partyware Range at last year's Licensing Awards, which were held online via digital events platform hopin. “It’s fantastic to have recognition for the Christy’s

By Design teams’ hard work, especially design and technical, who have done an amazing job,” said Laura Sumner, UK director at Christy’s By Design. The win was revealed in front of a virtual audience of almost 1,100 licensors, licensees, agents and retailers. Right: The glitzy dress takes a colourful and cute approach to Very Hungry Caterpillar dress-up.

Licensing industry pays tribute to Kelvyn Gardner It is with enormous sadness we must share the devastating news that licensing industry legend Kelvyn Gardner died unexpectedly of a heart attack on Tuesday 26 January. Hugely respected and loved by all, Kelvyn was the founder of Asgard Media, long-time managing director of Licensing International UK and active Light Fund committee member. Tributes have been flooding in from all corners of the licensing business, describing Kelvyn as ‘a one-off, irreplaceable and

unrepeatable’, ‘the heart of the licensing industry’, ‘incredibly charismatic, insightful and inspiring” and ‘a true gentleman of the licensing industry’. The tributes can be seen on LicensingSource.net Above: Kelvyn Gardner was 'a true gentleman of the licensing industry'.

Qualatex hosts online Mother’s Day webinar The latest in Qualatex’s programme of educational webinars will feature a number of Mother’s Day designs and sculptures from multi-award winning designer and international instructor Federico Onida, CBA. This 90 minute class – which will be followed by a 30 minute Q&A session – will be taking place on 17 February, from 3pm – 5pm (GMT). The two-hour session will see Federico showcasing some fabulous Mother’s Day designs. Federico has been a balloon artist and teacher since 1990 and will be highlighting a number of techniques, many of which can be tweaked and reused for other occasions. Tickets can be booked via the Qualatex Facebook page and BAPIA members will benefit from a 20% discount.

For the latest news visit PartyWorldwide.net

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Spirit Halloween exceeds its 2020 donation goal of $12m

US party retail group Spirit Halloween has been donating some of the $12.4 million it raised in 2020 for its Spirit of Children charity, which aims to make hospital stays and visits ‘less scary’ for children. Spirit Halloween, the largest Halloween retailer in North America, exceeded its 2020 donation goal thanks to the generous contributions of its customers. Representatives of the group have been visiting children’s hospitals over the last few weeks, donating the much-needed funds. Spirit Halloween donated almost $180,000 to the Child Life Department at UPMC Children’s Hospital and over $94,000 to the Oishei Children’s Hospital Child Life Department in Jersey Shore, while the Phoenix Children’s Hospital was presented with a cheque for more than $176,210. “We’re honoured Spirit of Children continues to provide magic for children in hospitals through fun and play,” said Steven Silverstein, president and ceo of Spirit Halloween. Funds for Spirit of Children are raised via in-store donations and online, in addition to contributions from vendors and business partners. 100% of funds raised by Spirit of Children stay local and are donated to each hospital’s Child Life department.

Disguise announces new Blippi deal across the US Disguise has secured the North American rights to create an official costume and accessory range for the smash hit preschool brand, Blippi in partnership with digital media company, Moonbug Entertainment. “We are excited about our new partnership with Blippi,” said Tara Hefter, evp and gm of Disguise. “Blippi's interactive, educational content resonates with both children and adults, making it an amazing heartfelt hit. We are excited to extend the brand into costume, dress-up and accessories in 2021.”

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PARTY NEWS

World Book Day is full steam ahead for 2021 The UK's World Book Day 2021 celebrations – including, of course, the call to dress up as favourite book characters – will continue to take place on Thursday 4 March despite ongoing lockdown restrictions. The charity behind the annual celebration of books and children’s literature has confirmed that a range of new measures have been put in place that will allow schools, children and parents to embrace

the occasion, regardless of their individual situations. “Children need reading for pleasure more than ever, and we can’t wait to celebrate on 4th March,” the charity stated, before revealing its plans for a lockdownfriendly celebration – which includes a section about dressing up along with a number of ideas. The WBD website states: ‘World Book Day aims to change lives through a love of books and shared

reading. We encourage children to use their imagination and engage with the world of books creatively. Children can do this in any way they like, including bringing their favourite book characters to life in a range of ways.’ With less than a month to go before World Book Day 2021, major UK retailers (such as Sainsbury’s and Argos) and party specialists (including Party Delights and Struts) are already

Premium Balloon Accessories launches new website US-based balloon company Premium Balloon Accessories has launched a new and improved website, which is both quicker and more user-friendly, offering an informative and more accessible online offering. The new online platform also highlights the benefits of the high-quality equipment and machines that Premium manufactures. The new Premium website offers all of the usual product information that you would expect as well as a number of new product demonstration videos and sell sheets to help balloon artists and retailers decide which inflator suits their needs best. There is also the capability to search the global distributor list and to register any new purchases officially via the website. “This new website is long overdue, but our focus has been

NABAS helps members with Valentine’s Day campaign

on introducing new equipment and accessories to ensure that we continue to be market leaders in our field,” commented Premium’s director of marketing, Hugh Alpeter. “We understood that we needed to invest in our website and ensure that our customers were able to easily identify the products that they needed, so we created some great demonstration videos of our inflators which are in the support area of the website. We hope these will help people easily understand the benefits of the different inflators in our range.” Visit www.premiumballoon. com to find out more.

Traditionally a very popular time for balloons and balloon decor, Valentine’s Day has always been a key date in the calendar for the party industry. The team at NABAS – the National Association of Balloon Artists and Suppliers – is looking to make the most of this year’s romantic celebrations regardless of lockdown, with a campaign to encourage people to celebrate Valentine’s Day despite the current obstacles. The campaign will incorporate love spanning all relationship types, from romance and passion through to family and friendship, even single person household ‘bubbles’ who can provide so much happiness and comfort to one another. Members will be presented with an array of assets to use on social media channels and in shop windows to help attract new customers.

Rubies to host virtual showroom tours With 2021 now well underway, Fran Hales, head of marketing and content for Rubies and Bristol Novelty, reveals some of the fancy dress experts' plans for 2021 and why World Book Day can still be a success for independent party retailers. “We’ve started 2021 as we finished 2020, with a positive outlook on what’s to come,” said Fran. “We have very exciting plans in place to utilise all our showrooms across Europe, starting with our incredible permanent showroom in Nuremberg and the newly refurbished Bristol showroom,

starting to promote the event, making the most of their literarythemed costume collections. Above: Party Delights is wasting no time with its World Book Day promotional page.

Licensing shows confirm new 2021 dates and multiplatform format Global Licensing Group has confirmed the 2021 dates and a new event format for both the Licensing Expo and Brand Licensing Europe trade shows. Licensing Expo 2021 will take place in Las Vegas from 10 – 12 August, with an online event scheduled to take place two weeks later, on 24 – 25 August. Brand Licensing Europe 2021 will take place in London from 17 – 19 November, with the online event also following two weeks later, on 30 November – 1 December. Find out more at www. brandlicensing.eu

Isaac Silvera promoted to president at Spirit Halloween

which are both hosting virtual tours of the latest collections for our incredible portfolio of products.” “The organisers of World Book Day have advised that the event will continue as planned and so we are making the best of it and promoting dress-up at home,” he continued. “Rubies is fully aligned with the central message of World Book Day. If teachers and students wish to dress up for the big day, then we will of course be there to provide inspiration with all our fantastic ranges of generic, curriculum and licensed costumes.”

Isaac Silvera has been promoted to president at Spencer Spirit Holdings, parent company of US seasonal party retailer Spirit Halloween, in addition to his existing role of coo and cfo. “As a seventeen-year veteran of Spirit Halloween, Isaac’s leadership and guidance has been instrumental to our revenue growth to over $1 billion,” said Steven Silverstein, ceo of Spirit Halloween. “In the face of a global pandemic, Isaac’s decisive and strategic leadership skills have played a crucial role in our ability to successfully and safely navigate what remains a highly uncertain environment.” In spite of the difficult trading environment throughout 2020, Spirit Halloween successfully opened and operated more than 1,400 locations last year, the most ever opened in the retailer’s history. Right: Isaac's promotion is effective immediately.

For the latest news visit PartyWorldwide.net

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PARTY NEWS

Gemar launches new calendar for 2021

UK party trade takes practical approach to lockdown #3 The UK party trade has taken a practical and no-nonsense approach to the third lockdown, which has closed all nonessential retail across the UK until at least Monday 8 March. With parties and events now almost impossible to hold, the fancy dress and costume sector continues to be the most at risk, with many retailers closing their doors temporarily to make the most of the government’s various packages of financial help, if they are applicable. Balloon deliveries are able to continue operating on a click-and-collect or deliveryonly basis, depending on the local Trading Standards regulations. “The darkest hour is before dawn. The current situation is bleak at best but we now know there is an end in sight and within reach,” believes Palmer Agencies’ sales and marketing

director Sergio Battaner. “We know this will have an impact on retailers, but I think we need to be realistic and plan for spring, if not summer.” As the UK agent for both Boland Party and I.T.I (UK), Mark Brett is well-placed to take an overview of the lockdown’s effect on the UK market, pointing out that: “retailers will be lot better prepared this time, as will consumers, who now know exactly where they can get their party supplies from.” Over at BAPIA, chairman John Bowler was equally pragmatic about life in lockdown, saying: “I think we have to trust that this is the best way to contain the spread of Covid especially with the new variants that are

Creative Party launches trade website Leading partyware supplier Creative Party has launched an easy-to-use B2B e-commerce website, giving its global customer base the ability to manage and place orders on demand. The brand new website – which can be seen at www. b2b.creativepartyltd.com – provides retailers with quick and convenient access to trend-led, high-quality party product, balloons and cake decorating products, across all the company’s leading brands. Designed to replicate the layout of Creative Party’s renowned catalogues, the

website features all Everyday UK stocked lines from each brand, all in one place and accessible from any device, at any time. “We always take customer feedback on board and we knew how important it was for us to bring online ordering to the list of ways to order from us,” said managing director Alan Clark. “Having listened to feedback and by working in tandem with our customers on the development, we have been able to craft an innovative account management tool that provides the ultimate in hassle-free service.” Visit b2b.creativepartyltd.com to find out more.

so quickly transmitted.” “Many BAPIA members were able to continue trading through the Christmas period, albeit with a greatly reduced order book, but sadly there have been a large number who had to stop trading and this third lockdown has added to that misery,” he added. “I believe that we will see more businesses close for what we hope will be a short-term basis until this pandemic is over. But I also predict a year full of weddings, parties, celebrations and corporate promotions that make it the best year ever for the balloon and party industry!” Above: Lockdown has been a difficult time for the party industry.

Fancy dress fundraiser goes viral Fancy dress fan Nick Jemetta has gone viral after being interviewed on national breakfast television for raising money for local charities by wearing fancy dress to work. Nick’s fancy dress story started back in May 2020, when he began dressing up for work meetings on Zoom but only went viral recently when he picked the challenge back up in December and was interviewed by a number of local and national media outlets, including BBC Breakfast. The two challenges combined have seen saw Nick raising more than £7,000 for six local charities, while also ensuring that fancy dress and costumes remain firmly in the spotlight.

Italian balloon company Gemar has produced a brand new calendar for 2021, with balloons taking centre stage in the colourful pages, along with a high fashion influence. The calendar has been produced by the Gemar team along with renowned fashion designer Giada Curti, ensuring that each page is bursting with playful energy and a love of life. Bringing Giada to work with the Gemar team offered the perfect opportunity to play with colour, texture and techniques, creating something utterly unique on every page. Right: Gemar brings balloons together with high fashion.

NCA fashion shows are an online triumph It was costumes, masks and accessories galore when NCA members saw the introduction of the association’s first-ever Zoom Fashion Show, which took place over a three-day period in January. The show, which was hosted by NCA chair Ed Avis, ran for approximately one hour each day, with between 30 and 60 attendees logging in to see the latest lines from the online exhibitors. “One of our strategic goals has been to better connect our Vendor Members to our bricks-and-mortar store owner members, and the Zoom Fashion Show did a great job of that,” commented Ed. “That seems especially important this year, when face-to-face meeting opportunities are non-existent. We’ll definitely plan on doing this again, even after Covid goes away.” Exhibitors included: Ellie Shoes, Dreamgirl, Camden Passage, Rubies II, Go Fun Face, Trick or Treat Studios, Zagone Studios, Mehron, Halco, Sunnywood, Funny Fashion, Graftobian and Rasta Imposta. All shows are available to watch on-demand in the NCA Member Center.

BAPIA continues support for members in Lockdown 3.0 BAPIA – the Balloon And Party Industry Alliance – has once again shown its support for members by increasing its investment in a social media marketing campaign. The campaign will see BAPIA using both Instagram and Facebook adverts to promote its members to the public, encouraging them to contact their local BAPIA member in order to organise Valentine’s Day balloon deliveries. “We believe that the best support we can give our members is to try and generate business for them and as we all know, social

media is the best way to achieve that at the moment,” said BAPIA’s chair John Bowler. “With everybody in lockdown I think we will see people wanting to send more love messages than ever, so BAPIA is going to put balloons front and centre on social media,” he continued, “which we hope will make for an extremely busy Valentine’s Day this year!” BAPIA’s social media campaign will continue through World Book Day, Mother’s Day and Easter and will also be supported by the continued programme of free

For the latest news visit PartyWorldwide.net

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member webinars which have been so successful throughout the lockdowns. For more information on BAPIA and the benefits of membership please visit www.bapiaonline.com or contact info@bapiaonline.com

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NEW BABY GENDER REVEAL A N D B A BY S H O W E R AVA I L A B L E NO W

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PARTY NEWS

Smiffys launches virtual showcases Fancy dress and party company Smiffys has launched a programme of virtual showcases, which are open to all UK and EU customers. The EU showcases took place in late January and early February, while the UK showcases are yet to take place, and will be held from 22 – 26 February and are being held in place of the UK roadshows which typically see the Smiffys team heading out on tour with their newest lines to meet with customers and make the most of the trade show season. The online showcases will

allow Smiffys to share its latest lines and newest launches for 2021, and allow retailers to book one-toone appointments with the team. “We are excited to be able to reach out and connect with our customers, albeit online, during this time when we’re all being asked to stay apart,” said Smiffys’ director Dominique Peckett. “It won’t make up for the lack of face-to-face contact and the social aspect we all enjoy during the traditional

road show and trade show season, but we look forward to meeting up again in real life soon. Bring the party home!” Please get in touch with your Smiffys rep to find out more about how to sign up for the showcases. Above: Smiffys gets digital to showcase new launches.

St. Patrick’s Day celebrations move online

NABAS chairman to stand down in new year After more than four years, the run-up to Christmas 2020 saw George Oustayiannis, chairman of balloon and party association NABAS, announcing his intention to stand down in the new year. “It’s my intention to hand over the baton of NABAS chairperson,” he began. “My initial three-to-six month brief of turning the fortunes of the association around Above: George Oustayiannis is has become over four years of consistent committed to the NABAS cause. commitment. It was never supposed to be easy, but nothing worth having and achieving ever is.” George will continue as chair until this year’s AGM, when he will introduce and hand over to the next chairperson. “Until then, it’s business as usual as we continue to build something you should all be proud of.”

For the second year running, the coronavirus pandemic has seen organisers cancel the official St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Dublin, Ireland. This year will see the team behind the world-famous parade pivot to a virtual celebration, making it accessible to anyone with an internet connection. The online festival will run from 12 – 17 March and will allow audiences to ‘participate virtually and enjoy safely from their homes until we can come together again.’ Belfast also has cancelled its St. Patrick’s Day parade for the second year in a row, while it’s a similar story over in the US, where Boston – which typically sees over one million gathering in one place – has cancelled its parade completely, while a large question mark is currently hanging over the New York parade, which draws crowds of over two million.

IG Design continues to grow partyware offering The latest trading statement from IG Design Group showed a 35% surge in turnover (taking it to $737 million) and an increase in pre-tax profit as well as dramatic reduction in its borrowings. The company, which specialises in greeting cards and giftwrappings, is largely orientated towards the grocers and value retailers – such as Aldi, B&M, Wilko and Poundland Above: Disney partyware has been a popular line for IG Design. – which have been able to trade throughout lockdowns. Paul Fineman, ceo of IG Design Group highlighted partyware as “another of our growing categories,” with last year's acquisition of craft company CSS reinforcing its partyware position. “We feel confident that the next couple of years will further grow in this sector in the UK, Australia and Europe, increasing our product portfolio and design focus,” predicts Paul. On the licensing front, Paul reports a consumer focus on the evergreens, saying: “We have seen classics from Disney, Star Wars and definitely Peppa Pig still up there in the UK, while in the States, sports licences have done very well for us.”

For the latest news visit PartyWorldwide.net

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Below: The parades won't be taking place this year.

Bira calls for year’s business rates freeze The British Independent Retailers Association (Bira), is calling for business rates to be abolished for another year. The plea for Government action follows a damning report from the British Retail Consortium (BRC), which reveals the impact of Covid-19 on shopper footfall. According to the BRC’s latest report, year-on-year footfall for 2020 fell by 43.4% overall and by 49.5% on the UK’s high streets. The last quarter of 2020 saw nearly half the footfall compared to the same period in 2019. “These figures are a clear indication the impact of lockdowns and Covid-19,” said Andrew Goodacre, Bira’s ceo. “The situation has made retailers even more vulnerable than they might normally have been at this time of year,” he continued, “and that is why we believe the Government support measures do not go far enough.” Business rates are currently due to be reinstated this April following a freeze throughout the pandemic.

Virtual Christmasworld gets festive trade back on track A virtual Christmasworld – which is being held as part of the Consumer Goods Digital Day on 20 April 2021 – will help retailers get their festive trade back on track with the latest trend updates and product presentations. With the next physical show now scheduled to take place a year from now, from 28 January to 1 February 2022, the online offering will help both buyers and manufacturers prepare for the coming business year, whatever it may hold. “The ongoing shutdown of retailers has made relevant up-to-date information and solutions essential, and we are satisfying this demand with our digital offerings,” said Detlef Braun, member of the Messe Frankfurt executive board. “We are also continuing to do everything in our power to make safe and successful trade fairs possible. Nothing can take the place of face-toface encounters.” More information can be found at consumergoodsdigitalday. messefrankfurt.com

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NEW BALLOONS GIANT SHAPED BALLOONS BALLOON ARCHES 30" STANDING BALLOONS RAINBOW STAR, HEART & ROUND BALLOON CENTERPIECES

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PARTY NEWS

Party City looks forward with 2021 celebration predictions Right : Party City predicts good times ahead.

American party and costume retail chain Party City is looking ahead to brighter times next year following the results of its 2021 Celebration Survey, which focused on party and event planning for the future. The report – which was complied by Party City in collaboration with its Joy Squad influencer network – focused on 2021 celebration trends, measuring the effects that party and event planning behaviours

from 2020 will have on next year’s celebrations, with results showing a cautious optimism for traditional gatherings. Half of those surveyed said that they intend to hold an event in 2021 that was originally cancelled in 2020, with birthday party do-overs sitting at the top of the priority list. However, while there is great enthusiasm to make up for these missed celebrations and plan new events, around 30% of savvy planners will continue to

MOM looks to extend reach for 2021 Spanish costume and accessory business My Other Me is looking to take on a number of agents and distributors to help it extend its reach across Europe and North America. The company, which has been running since 2013 and offers a wide range of highquality, distinctive products and original designs, aims to establish solid, long-term business partnerships with the professional distributors across a range of territories. A permanent stock offering based in in Alicante, Spain, ensures full availability of all MOM products at any time of the year. To find out more, visit www. momfuncompany.com Below : MOM offers a range of colourful, fun costumes and accessories.

Amscan launches key catalogues for 2021 Costume, balloon and party company Amscan has launched three brand new catalogues for 2021, each taking a particular focus on party, dress-up and balloons. The latest installment of 'The Big Book of Party' showcases a number of exciting new ranges, while the 'Dress Up 2021' catalogue is packed full of new lines, in plenty of time for World Book Day. Balloons haven’t been forgotten either, with a dedicated catalogue – The Big Book of Balloons 2021 – including a number of exciting new innovations. “We’re really proud to be launching our new ranges across our core categories of party, balloon, latex and dress-up,” commented Emily Duke, marketing and design co-ordinator. “It has been a really exciting time developing these fun new ranges for our customers and we can’t wait to hear what they think!”

NABAS launches dedicated skills hub NABAS has created a bespoke skills hub to support members with the resources needed to ensure business continuity both in the immediate future and for the longer term. Tailored to meet a range of business areas that may require additional development and reinforcement as the industry continues to experience challenging circumstances, the skills hub will help businesses shoulder the current climate and prepare for sustained recovery. “We are excited to share this resource with our members,” said NABAS chairman George Oustayiannis. “We have carefully planned and developed the skills hub to save our members substantial costs in business consultancy and help them to be incredibly successful.”

Disguise adds Kirby to gaming portfolio American costume company Disguise has announced a new global partnership with Warpstar (part of Nintendo) to create and distribute costumes and accessories for the Kirby gaming franchise. Costumes and accessories will be created in the style of the original Kirby from the video games and television animated series – which is one of the top 50 bestselling video game franchises of all time. “The demand for gaming-themed products has exploded in recent years, and we are the worldwide leader in licensed video game costumes.” said Tara Hefter, evp and gm of Disguise. “Kirby is a natural fit for our portfolio as we have been Nintendo's costume partner since 2013. We are excited to bring this adorable pink character to life, as it is sure to be a hit with fans globally.”

For the latest news visit PartyWorldwide.net

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wait until the last minute before planning any 2021 events. The results also suggest that parties and celebrations will look a little different, with respondents noting that regardless of a safe and approved Covid-19 vaccine, they will continue to plan smaller events (68%), outdoor events (50%), and at-home parties (46%). Additionally, the results of the report also suggest that many consumers will still the opt for the alternative options of virtual parties

(46%) and drive-by celebrations (43%) which have become popular over the last 12 months. Party City has also stated that it will: ‘continue to find ways to help customers reconnect with family and friends so they can celebrate safely whether together or apart'.

Party City updates Q4 financial outlook following impact of Covid-19 Party City has updated its financial outlook for Q4 2020, adjusting its total revenue, brand comparable sales and adjusted EBITDA for the three-month period ending 31 December 2020. The preliminary total revenue is now expected to be approximately $645 - $650 million (compared to the $675 - $695 million predicted in November 2020). Brand comparable sales are now expected to decrease in the mid-single digit range. “We are pleased with the progress we continued to make in the fourth quarter against our strategic initiatives to reinforce our position of authority when it comes to celebrations,” said Brad Weston, chief executive officer of Party City. “However, the rapid surge in Covid-19 cases had a greater than expected impact on customer behaviour in the months of November and December.” “We remain very encouraged by the strength in balloon demand across our fiscal fourth quarter, as winning in balloons is a core strategic priority and differentiator, and key to expanding our relevance with customers.” During Q4, Party City also continued to improve inventory levels across its stores and distribution network, updating its seasonal assortment strategy to target higher in-season sell-through of merchandise and reduce annual inventory carry-over. The curated product selections are expected to improve customer experience and inventory management while also reducing working capital needs.

OppoSuits releases new suit in collaboration with Pokémon The Dutch novelty suit company OppoSuits has launched a brand new suit in partnership with Pokémon, one of the most popular entertainment franchises in the world. The first official Pokémon suit features the iconic Pikachu as well as other fan favourites, including Bulbasaur, Charmander and Squirtle. “The products that we make are real eyecatchers and bring a very positive vibe to any occasion," said co-founder Jasper Castelein. "That’s why we’re able to work with cool brands and companies like The Pokémon Company.” JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 PROGRESSIVE PARTY EUROPE

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COLUMNIST

Working in an industry which puts 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.

Above: Ed Avis is the executive director of the National Costumers Association. Contact him at executivedirector@costumers.org.

The Passion of Costuming: It’s Not Just a Job

“

I’ve had the good fortune to interview several vendors to the costume industry over the past few weeks, and talking to them has reminded me of the depth of passion in this industry. For example, I have recently had several conversations with Nigel FeBland, a veteran sales representative for multiple costume companies. He started in the industry working for his father’s mask factory, Topstone Industries, in the mid 1970s. He didn’t really want to work in the factory, he said, but his father insisted that he learn how everything was made before he became a sales rep. That from-the-ground-up education paid off – he eventually took over the sales rep side of his father’s business and has made a successful career of it. There have been tough times – for example, he no longer reps product for the successor company of Topstone Industries because the new owner didn’t seem to value the relationships sales reps form with buyers – but overall he has loved what he does. Working with costumes, masks, novelties and other fun products means he’s putting smiles Right: Foam animal masks are the focus for Go Fun Face. of faces every day. Above right: Topstone’s deluxe “To be honest I’m rubber masks set the standard in the 1970s. Above: Rasta not sure how much Imposta is perhaps best-known longer I’m going to for its banana costumes stay in the business, but it’s been a good career,” he told me. On the other end of the career spectrum, I also recently interviewed Keith Fotta, founder of Go Fun Face,

who launched his company just three years ago. Go Fun Face makes animal masks from sheets of foam; they’re very popular at zoos, amusement parks, universities and the like. Fotta is a serial entrepreneur – most of this other companies were in the tech world – but he says the costume industry is the most pleasurable so far: “It’s so much fun. People are nice, and they’re engaging and don’t hold it against you if you’re a newbie in the industry,” he says. “It’s fun to do something that you can hold in your hand. It’s more rewarding than the other industries I’ve been in.” In between these two extremes are Robert and Tina Berman, owners of Rasta Imposta; and Chris Zephro, owner of Trick or Treat Studios. Both of those

companies are well established in the costume world and have deep relationships with members of the National Costumers Association (and many others in the industry). What makes the Bermans and Zephro alike is how much they care about the quality of their products. For example, Tina Berman told me that major food companies love having Rasta Imposta license their brands – such as Hershey’s Chocolate and Bud Light Beer – because they pay great attention to getting the details of the brands right in their costumes. (see box out) Meanwhile, Zephro is worldrenowned for creating exact replicas of masks used in horror films. In fact, the designers he employs are often the people who create the masks for the movies in the first place! In a world where many people slog off to their jobs and dream of retirements, it’s great to work among people who truly love what they do. Costuming is full of those types, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to associate with them.”

Going Bananas “We get our ideas by looking at pop culture and what’s going on in the world, what people find currently funny. Robert and I constantly talk to our children, who are 12 and 14, and they help keep us in tune. It’s amazing to watch the creativity of the next generation come out. We love making things that are nostalgic, that create an emotional response in people. We’ve made a lot of costumes of basic products – like a banana and a hot dog. And we’ve made a lot of licensed costumes from brand name products, like Heinz Ketchup and Hershey’s Chocolate. Our licensing guy has a lot of integrity and good relationships, so he helps bring in these offers. Now national brands come to us because they know we are the best ones for those kinds of costumes. At the end of the day laughter is what’s important, especially with all the craziness in the world. The products we make ultimately make people laugh, and that’s what keeps us going.” Tina Berman, owner, Rasta Imposta

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 PROGRESSIVE PARTY EUROPE

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COLUMNIST

Above: Babita Devi, director of marketing company bStratgeic.

Making Connections in 2021

“

The start of a new year is always a time to pause and reflect. People make resolutions, set goals and consider their lives in general. It’s a time to look back on the past year and see what we can learn from it. Well, there’s no denying that 2020 is an interesting year to look back on, and one we can learn a lot from! I don’t mean that you should ponder the importance of face masks, or the relative merits of different countries’ approaches to a pandemic; we can leave that for another day. There is a lot that the last year has shown us about running a business, things that we can take forward and build on in the future. The key message to take from 2020 is the importance of human contact. At a time when we stayed at home and had very little in-person interaction, it became very clear that we all needed to connect with other people. Whether that was singing on balconies, clapping on doorsteps or painting rainbows in windows, the human spirit always finds a way to build community. In business this means two things. Firstly, your customers want to be more than just customers. They want to be part of a community of followers. For some that’s a local community, for others it can be worldwide. It almost doesn’t matter. People want to connect, to share ideas, support each other through hard times and laugh together in good times. If your business can be at the heart of a community of loyal fans, then they will naturally think of you when they are ready to make a purchase. This keeps you front of mind as someone they know, trust and want to support. You can create communities in many ways, from events in a bricks and mortar shop (when things are back to normal!) to hosting online challenges. The important thing is to bring people together, focus on having fun and building relationships

so that your space is one people want to be in – both off-line and online. Of course you will also promote your services and products, but make that a small part of what you do. People come first, and developing a loyal fanbase will pay dividends in the long run. Which leads to the second point. When people are craving human contact they want to connect with others in any way they can. That includes shopping, even online. It’s been said many times that ‘people buy from people’ and this has never been more true, with 2020 seeing many turn away from the big companies and make a very deliberate decision to support smaller, local businesses. In fact, research by Small Business Saturday

“

As we move into a new year, marketing and party expert Babita Devi says it’s the perfect time for us to take some time out as we look back at the past 12 months and what we have learnt from them.

UK and American Express showed that 59% of shoppers chose small or local businesses over corporate ones in 2020. The pandemic threw a spotlight on how important small businesses are to communities, and the public responded. You can build on this, no matter what type of business you have, by revealing the people behind your brand. From the story of how your business started to your passion for parties, you can connect with your audience on both an emotional and human level. Your social media feeds can really bring this to life with sneak peaks behind the scenes, live videos and honest conversations. Business is no longer about a ‘professional’ public image with corporate language and no personality. For many brands, it’s now about being real. In 2021 building relationships, finding your people and creating communities could be the most important part of your marketing strategy.

Above: “When people are craving human contact they want to connect with others in any way they can.” Inset: Focus on having fun and building relationships.

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SHOP TALK: SAINSBURY’S

The Dress-up Demand

Melanie Fieldsend, buying manager for childrenswear at Sainsbury’s, speaks exclusively to Progressive Party Europe to reveal how one of the UK’s leading supermarkets approaches the fancy dress and costume market.

uying a fancy dress costume at the same time as picking up a bunch of bananas or a pint of milk might not seem like the most logical shopping list, but children’s dress-up has been big business for many of the major UK supermarkets for some time now and Sainsbury’s is no different. The growth of traditionally costumefocused seasonal events such as World Book Day and Halloween over the last few years have seen supermarkets and other multiples placing more significance on the dress-up sector, with many now including costumes as part of their offering throughout the whole year. A small selection of adult costumes are always available online and can be seen in-store during key seasons, but the focus largely remains on the younger audience. “Core dress-up has actually been really good for us this year,” said Melanie, who has been part of the Sainsbury’s buying team for the last 13 years. “The difficulties faced by retail in 2020 meant we have seen a

Above: The costume offering at Sainbury’s and Argos includes both online and in-store ranges. Right: Generic children’s costumes like this doctor are a popular choice for role-play.

spike in our performance over the past year as well as a growth in our online business thanks to a new customer mindset.” In-store however, kids fancy dress sits comfortably alongside the marketleading childrenswear offering from in-house clothing brand Tu, which offers a convenient way for consumers to add clothing to their weekly shop. More than 400 branches of Sainsbury’s offer the exclusive Tu clothing (and costume!) range, which is also sold via Argos.co.uk and tu.co.uk. In fact, Tu is the tenth biggest clothing retailer in the UK by value, ensuring that consumers have full confidence in the brand’s strong design credentials and high quality. By including dress-up and costume options in this apparel space as well, parents are given easy access to a wide range of fancy dress, from generic nurses and doctors to Disney princesses and the entire gamut of superheroes. Part of the sector’s success is linked to the all-important play factor – Sainsbury’s online sales of fancy dress have been particularly strong over the past 12 months as parents have been looking towards a wide range of toy products to keep their children entertained and engaged while in lockdown, isolating or simply staying at home. “Costumes as purely imaginative role-play toys are so important,” Left: Sainsbury’s goes all-out at Halloween.

Sainsbury’s Stats ■ The first ever branch of Sainsbury’s opened in 1869. ■ More than 2,400 branches of Sainbury’s are now open across the UK, with 400 of them selling Tu clothing, including costume and dress-up ranges. ■ Sainbury’s costume collection has been available online for the last five years, offering customers choice, flexibility and convenience. ■ Of the 130 costumes currently available online, more than 85% are aimed at children.

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SHOP TALK: SAINSBURY’S

Above: In-store collection at Argos allows shoppers to pick up online exclusives with their weekly shopping.

explained Melanie. “We have seen that dress-up definitely benefits from the toy customer in Argos – it is one of our strongest participations online for both tu.co.uk and Argos.co.uk.” Licensing is an essential part of Tu’s childrenswear and costume offering, with a growing number of DTR relationships and exclusive deals allowing the brand to differentiate itself within the market. This is particularly crucial online, where there are more online exclusives than ever before and a spike in character sales reflects the customer’s very specific search mission. “We predominantly sell licensed costumes in our core dress-up range,” Melanie continued. “Character collections with Magic Light Pictures on Gruffalo continue to be strong, with Zog standing out as the definite winner this year. We’ve also seen Disney licences continue to perform well and take on more of a leading role within our trend drops as opposed to just being character styles in their own right. Licensed clothing and costumes will always play a part in our childrenswear collections, for as long as the customers continue to buy into them.” Conversely, generic designs come more into play for the seasonal events, particularly Halloween and Christmas, when Sainsbury’s offers a wide selection of classic designs such as witches, skeletons, snowmen and elves. These generic costumes – as well the as everyday, year-round designs such as the mermaids, doctors, nurses and pirates – are all created by the dedicated in-house childrenswear design team which focuses on trend, innovation, affordability – and of course, the fun factor. Although clearly fancy dress, the outfits feature more than a passing nod to the Tu kidswear’s unique handwriting – a cute rainbow detail to the pocket of the nurse costume, for example. “We do benchmark our quality against the high street but aim to be more competitive in price than our direct competitors,” Melanie added. “It is vital that we are able to meet or exceed customers expectations. Sainbury’s is well-known for its customer service and we are fortunate to enough to be able to utilise that right across the Tu offering.” Of course, meeting customers’ needs

during the ever-changing year that was 2020 was often easier said than done, and this was particularly true for the seasonal occasions and events which form the backbone of the key dates throughout the party and fancy dress calendar, with World Book Day, Easter, Summer, Halloween and Christmas all throwing up their own specific challenges. “Events are definitely more backended than they ever have been and this year has obviously been unlike no other in terms of the customers’ appetite for events,” Melanie revealed. “We saw a very different Halloween this year – as did everyone – but we were delighted to see that the customer was still buying into the event, just with a stronger emphasis on celebrating at home.” “Dress-up, role-play and make-believe are so important to young children, especially at the moment. It’s how they learn, it’s where their imagination comes into an play and – most importantly – it lets them just be kids, which is needed more than ever in the current climate.” When looking at the seasonal costume and dress-up market, Melanie was careful to emphasise that Sainsbury’s aims to fully trade all ranges before committing to anything new, pointing out that: “We have been working hard with our supply base to speed up the critical path in order to deliver that newness to the customer.” Moving into those seasons, it’s clear that Sainsbury’s is well-prepared for the coming year, whatever it may hold. “Of course, World Book Day is the first major dress-up day in the 2021 calendar, and we are hoping that schools, parents and children will continue to embrace it next year. Schools have worked so hard to keeps things as normal as possible since reopening in September, so I really do think we are all ready for a good World Book Day. We are positioning it as an event within clothing this year so it will really be able to come into its own and we have some exciting plans in place.” Looking forward even further, Melanie is already hoping that with 31 October 2021 still falling on

a weekend everyone will “be able to celebrate Halloween in style” this year. The events of the past 12 months have resulted in a number of other changes too, with online participation growing significantly over the last few months and showing no signs of slowing down. Of course, social media has played a huge part in this and Tu has also seen some good success with user-generated content driving interest and sales. However, instore sales still account for the highest percentage of Sainsbury’s childrenswear and costume sales, suggesting that the core customer still enjoys the convenience of being able to pick up their World Book Day costume, spider sleepsuit or Christmas hat along with the week’s groceries. “We have a huge opportunity as we move into 2021,” concluded Melanie, “to react to changes in the market and continue delivering for our customers, both existing and those who are new to us as a brand this year. We will keep this momentum going!” Left: Licensed lines such as Harry Potter and Matilda are strong sellers.

Going Green A socially responsible business, Sainsbury’s aims to be carbon neutral by 2040 and is focusing on helping to ensure a sustainable future by ramping up its efforts in a number of areas, including recycling, materials and production processes. Some 76% of the cotton Tu uses in its clothing and costume ranges is sourced through the Better Cotton Initiative, while an inreasing number of lines are being designed using REPREVE, a polyester material created from recycled plastic bottles. Sainsbury’s customers divert around 15 million items of textiles from landfill each year by donating their unwanted clothing in Oxfam textile banks, raising significant funds and providing a sustainable option for textile recycling.

Above and left: Fancy dress gets its own section within both the Tu and the Argos websites.

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THE TOP It’s all been about balloon deliveries this year. The top six products were: T B ubbles on small age bases T B ig helium number displays T N umber stacks with mini foils T P ersonalised bubble T G lobe balloons in boxes for posting T T hemed balloon displays

CUSTOMER CARE

PINK TREE PARTIES: IN NUMBERS Based in Preston, Pink Tree Parties first started 13 years ago as One Stop Party Store. It has changed and adapted over the years and now mainly specialises in balloon décor. In between navigating the latest lockdown restrictions, owner Paula Ardron-Gemell spoke to PPE to share the figures behind the store’s success.

“We’ve had a few wonderful customers recently who just give us budgets and an overview of what the birthday girl or boy likes and then trust us to create something wow. They’ve all been so thrilled with the creations, it’s a delight to see. We were also recently asked for a life-sized white bull for a Taureans birthday party!”

2021 PREDICTIONS

Above: Pink Tree Parties makes the most of its window displays

“We’re expecting to see a baby boom and an increase in outdoor décor when weather improves, as well as ‘party in a box’ and plus-one parties when we’re allowed. We will see people making up for those missed big birthday’s over lockdown, I think there will be a lot of 21+1 or 50+1 parties coming up!”

STORE STATS

Above: Social media is a valuable marketing tool.

GETTING DIGITAL We are on all social media, including LinkedIn and Pinterest. We currently get around 2,500 visitors to the website each month and are currently adding a whole section which will allow customers to order online and collect in store.” @pinktreeparties

T F ive experienced balloon artists make up the Pink Tree Parties team. T T he store is three stories high, long and narrow. The customer area has been greatly reduced post-Covid though and is now the size approximately three snooker tables! T T he window displays are usually changed every eight weeks or more regularly for seasonal events. T I t’s still busy at Pink Tree Parties, which is seeing around 40 messages and half a dozen phone calls each day. T A round 38 orders were fulfilled last week, with an average spend of £45. T S ix boxes came in on the last delivery

LOCKDOWN HEROES “Number balloons in all sizes from 14” to 40” in various displays have been really popular for us. I expect personalised balloons and themed displays to do well over the next six months – providing we can get the stock!”

ON THE WAY

“ Pastels are big at the moment and we’re expecting the lockdown baby boom very soon!”

ON THE WAY

“ Classic 18” foils aren’t too popular right now, people want more and are happy to pay.”

WORKING RELATIONSHIPS “Go International has been my first choice for 12 years, ever since we first started with fancy dress and partyware. Building a strong relationship helps with helium and stock shortages as I order weekly from them. My favourite new supplier is Grabo – their balloons are my favourite find as their designs and colours are different and lovely.”

CORPORATE CUTS “We have only had a few corporate jobs since Covid – one car dealership and a couple of Amazon jobs, plus a couple of independents when they reopened after first lockdown. It’s probably about 15% of what we’d usually get.” Below: Bubbles on small age bases have been a popular choice.

Above: Paula has been running Pink Tree Parties for 13 years. JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 PROGRESSIVE PARTY EUROPE

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FEEDBACK As each new year begins, it’s important to take stock as we look back at what we have learned over the past 12 months – whether that is with optimism, pragmatism or a healthy mix of the two. PPE asked a number of party suppliers to look back at 2020 as they also let us know their hopes, concerns and predictions for the year ahead – here’s what they had to say. A Celebratory Mood

“

How would I sum up the party industry over the last 12 months? In a word, challenging! While Covid has tested all of us in terms of mental strength and resilience, it has also brought out the best in our staff and in our relationships with customers. The ‘can do’ attitude from our team has been humbling, and our rapport with our customers has only grown.” Aside from the announcement of a vaccine, my business highlight of 2020 was the community spirit demonstrated by the way in which people celebrated the VE 75th Anniversary back in May. While Halloween represented a bigger success in terms of revenue, it was truly amazing to see people come together (while staying two metres apart!) in their gardens, front yards and in the street to celebrate this event in full lockdown. It was this spirit that gave us enormous optimism for the year ahead.” Naturally, 2021 will be a much slower start to the new year than we had in the first 10 weeks of 2020, but with the rollout of the vaccine getting off to a good start, we are incredibly optimistic for 2021 as a year for the party to return. The pent-up demand to dress up and party is palpable and demonstrated by the relative success of last year’s Halloween, despite very difficult circumstances. The ‘Roaring 20s’ was coined as such due to the return to partying following the Spanish flu pandemic. We fully expect to see this celebratory mood be repeated as soon as restrictions ease in early spring.”

ELLIOTT PECKETT director, Smiffys

Inset: There are some big hopes for the coming year – no pressure, 2021!

A YEAR IN PARTY Joy of Balloons industry “ Our has proved to

be remarkably resilient over the last 12 months. People’s desire to continue to celebrate all of life’s special occasions, albeit in a markedly different way to before, has meant that demand for balloons has remained high. And of course sharing the ‘joy of balloons’ has never been more important. For 2021, we hope that the biggest of the challenges are behind us, and that the things we have learnt

this last year will better equip us for tackling the challenges we still face. We expect there may be more shipping challenges in the short term, but we will keep evolving our practices to take account of new circumstances. We’re thrilled to be running the Q Corner Convention again and our monthly webinars will continue as well, covering themes such as Mother’s Day gifts, wedding and graduation. Our customers are creative and smart, and many have shown they are quick to adapt. We remain fully committed to supporting them as best we can.”

JULIE DOMMET head of marketing, Pioneer Europe

A United Front It has been months of hard work for Grabo “ and we have never stopped working hard; doing

everything possible to make our customers happy and keep shipping rapidly, despite all the problems being thrown up by the virus. The highlight of 2020 was the return from the first lockdown: we all had to adapt to safety regulations and accept the change to start again with great energy. Grabo is a big family and it was at that moment that we proved to be even stronger, because we are, have been and always will be united! Our expectations for 2021 are certainly positive, we are aware of how difficult it has been and will be to restart, but our greatest hope is to be able to return to normality soon and welcome back hugs and smiles! We were one of the most affected sectors; given the restrictions we thought at the start that no one would place orders with the abolition of parties and venues. We soon realised that was not the case - in fact it was all about the balloons and the positive energy they gave. This coming year will be filled with beautiful balloons and so we are entering it with hope.”

JONATHAN GRASSI managing director, Grabo

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 PROGRESSIVE PARTY EUROPE

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FEEDBACK 2020

FEEDBACK

C O N T I N U E D Party Planning last year has “ The been very difficult.

Almost all of us faced significant loss of turnover and were forced to make fast decisions without knowing how long the lockdown would last or how people would react to the restrictions. At least tech solutions were able to keep us together, so online meetings and virtual parties helped us to support our customers. It is very hard to predict what will happen in the future though – customers do not know what to expect or how to plan their selling, so everyone is being very careful. Our expectations for the new year are reconstruction of the sales figures, stabilising the situation with Covid and hopefully more predictability as we return to normality – whatever that will mean in future! From our point of view Covid will have a bigger effect on the party industry than Brexit. We can prepare ourselves to the new trade rules. It will also cause some problems and additional costs but we can control it to a certain extent. Even though times are hard and business is not easy we are continuing to launch new items, gain more clients in Poland and abroad and extend our franchise network here in Poland.”

MAGDALENA WOJTECZEK sales manager, GoDan

House Party

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It has been “ a painful 12

“

Over the past 12 months we have seen a drop in sales, although nothing like we had originally expected. Halloween was a very unexpected highlight for us in 2020 and from the feedback we have had, it was down to the fact that although going out or having a party was out of the question, people made the most of decorating their homes to amuse themselves and their children. If the country starts to recover from the Covid virus and vaccines are administered quickly, our industry will quickly flourish. Everyone will want to revel in the celebrations of being together again and sales will soar. Carnivals and festivals will be massive events and the party industry will prosper. Brexit will not affect us too badly as a company, as we have been planning for this for a long time. Our European customers will continue to be cared for due to the arrangements we have made, while the plans we put into place we can ensure business continuity. If I had to use one word to describe the current party industry, it would be – anticipative! The year ahead should end well for all of us.”

months for the party industry, but it was heartening to see how certain retailers responded. In general online operations did ok, despite losing a lot of dress-up business. It was all about parties at home and that will remain the case for the coming weeks. The unexpected boom in home parties was my business highlight of 2020 – I just did not see it coming! Like everybody, my hopes for 2021 are a successful vaccination programme. I expect that by summer we should quite literally be seeing the light of day, and in that event I do think there will be a party explosion – although of course it all depends upon the success of the vaccinations. I don’t hesitate to say that Covid will effect the party industry far more than Brexit, certainly for us. We have just sent a New Products catalogue out to all our existing customers. On 1 March there will be a brand new Halloween catalogue and by the beginning of June there will a brand new Everyday catalogue, so we’re keeping busy! If we had to describe the current party industry in one word, after the past year, it would be ‘remarkable’.”

GEORGE MORGAN design manager, Henbrandt

MARK BRETT UK agent, Boland Party

Going Virtual The last 12 months have “been the hardest months I

can remember since I have been working in this industry. Lockdowns prohibit parties and without parties people don’t wear costumes... When we decided to launch our new line of premium hygienic masks, we knew it would be hard work but it was worth it as sales have been very good! On the other hand, licensed costumes did work well at Christmas. There is no doubt that Brexit will complicate things but that is nothing when compared with the tremendous damage that Covid is causing to the industry. I am looking forward to end of the pandemic! Once everything is over, our business will be amazing as people will want to have fun again! We have worked hard to go virtual in the absence of trade fairs and in February we will launch the first My Other Me interactive catalogue, with a lot of additional material such as extra photos and videos. We have also built a virtual stand in our showroom in Alicante so that customers who want to visit us virtually can do so comfortably.”

CARLOS PEREZ general manager, My Other Me Fun Company

Above: The rise of smaller house parties has kept spirits up during the pandemic.

Summer Surprise My hopes for 2021 are simply for things to go back to normal, “ I feel everybody is just aching to go back to how things were. Without going into too many details – we don’t want to spoil the surprise! – we are of course launching a bunch of new suits, blazers and shirts in 2021, but we’re also working on something great for the summer season…” Above: Making plans for the coming year has had its difficulties.

ROBIN BREEMAN head of sales, OppoSuits

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The Party World Tour Above: Taking a global view of the party market.

n Holland there are a multitude of official and traditional holidays that the Dutch enjoy celebrating, with standout occasions including Easter and King’s Day. In addition to these official national holidays, a number of festivals and other celebrations will also take place throughout the year, which are celebrated with a passion! Boland

While globalisation sees the world become smaller, the opportunities we have to learn from different countries and embrace new celebrations only continue to grow. As the party industry continues to become more multi-cultural and inclusive, we decided to take a virtual trip to find out more about a number of key territories and their local customs. Part one in our roundthe-world journey sees us drop in on the USA, Italy, Holland, Poland and Spain to find out more.

Going Dutch Left: King’s Day is a pretty big deal in Holland.

Party’s general manager JanWillem Tuitel and OppoSuits’ head of sales Robin Breeman take us on a whistlestop tour of the current party market.

Jan: “The major annual party seasons include King’s Day (27 April), when we all dress in orange, have orange decorations everywhere and enjoy lots of free markets and parties. Liberation day is on 5 May and there are music festivals in many cities on that day. Of course, Sinterklaas (St Nicolas!) is on 5 December and is also a big celebration. There are lots of local differences across Holland, so we have a number of different ways of celebrating our traditional parties. A big one is the way we celebrate our 50th birthday: for men they are then called Abraham, while women become Sarah! Another really quirky one is that couples celebrate 12½ years as an anniversary! All these celebrations will continue to be very limited over the next 12 months because of Covid. The reality is we do not know what will happen and we can only take it day-by-day and follow all the government guidelines The Dutch party market has been very badly affected by the pandemic. We all try to survive, with support of

the government, but will not really know the full effect on retailers until it is all over. We launched our 2021 new items catalogue two weeks ago, it has about 400 new products. Our Halloween catalogue will launch in early March and we will launching our complete new catalogue for 2021/2022 at the beginning of September. In spring we are expecting to open our brand new 500,000 sq. ft head office, distribution centre and design studios, so we do have plenty to look forward to!” Robin: “The major celebrations here are of course Carnival, King’s Day, Pride, Halloween (although it is not as big as it is in the UK), Christmas, hopefully the Euros and some smaller events such as St. Patrick’s Day. Typical Dutch parties always involve lots of drinking but I don’t think this is unique to Holland! Dressing up in orange is something we’re very well-known for. I think everybody is pretty bummed out that carnival won’t be taking place this year, as for

a lot of people carnival is the highlight of the year. It’s always a great party and really ‘gezellig’ as the Dutch like to say; you can go up to everybody and have a chat. Everybody is very friendly and in high spirits, so it is a real shame that it won’t be taking place in 2021. I do think the Euros could potentially still happen, although maybe without fans. King’s Day is in April so I very much doubt that will be held. We have some exciting new licences coming up soon though, so it’s not all bad news!”

Above right: Boland Party’s banners and flags are a popular choice for local celebrations. Right: The colourful OppoSuits collection is ideal for Carnival.

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erhaps the biggest party territory, North America has a significant influence on the global market, leading the charge in Halloween, St. Patrick’s Day and Mardi Gras celebrations. Lynn Roberts, senior vice president of sales and David Coggin, senior director of sales for Disguise shared

Born in the USA Left: America makes the most of its 4th July parades. Below left: Licensed lines - like this Mario and Yoshi costume from Disguise - are a big deal in the US.

when around others. The pandemic has definitely affected their insight on the North all North American American market in 2021. Halloween and party retailers. Some were very cautious in their buying “The major annual party seasons decisions with the in the US are New uncertainty that Covid Year’s Eve, 4th of brings. No one knew July, Comic Con, whether or not children Halloween, Christmas could or would Trick and Mardi Gras. We or Treat, if bars would think most people will be open, or if Halloween still be celebrating these parties would still happen. in some way over the When it came down to coming year, whether it, Halloween was still that is socially distanced celebrated and families made in small gatherings, their own decisions based or with family. The CDC on how comfortable they (Centers for Disease Control were and if they wanted to and Prevention) has kept the participate. Whether that was public well-informed and in trick or treating in their local general most people realise neighbourhood while wearing that they need to socially face masks, or staying home distance and wear masks

he different festivals and customs of Spanish-speaking countries are well-known throughout the world. Almost every city, town and village has its own festival of some kind, while some are famous all over the world, such as the fireworks of Las Fallas in Valencia and the tomato throwing at

and celebrating inside. The adult market saw the biggest decline, with bars closed and the limitations of large gatherings for Halloween parties. We feel like Halloween 2021 could be more successful than anyone anticipates. Hopefully with the vaccine being rolled out, we will be able to celebrate holidays more normally as we did before Covid. We have developed a great new line of Halloween costumes/accessories for 2021 and are excited to build upon our growing gaming brands like Minecraft and Nintendo. But most of all, we are looking forward to seeing kids and adults dressing up and enjoying Halloween!”

Viva España Left: La Tomatina is one of the more unusual Spanish celebrations. Below: This wolf from MOM proves that cute children’s costumes are always a hit.

La Tomatina. Carlos Perez, general manager of My Other Me, explained more.

“There are so many occasions to party in Spain, but the carnival, in February, is the most important. Halloween is getting stronger and in summer there are countless local festivals where people dress up. Spanish parties used to be quite specific but they really are becoming less and less different from the rest of the world. Globalisation has worked here too! The next 12 months here will be interesting.

The pandemic has hit Spain hard and we have the most deaths per 100,000 inhabitants. For this reason people are afraid to celebrate parties again. At the same time, people in España are very festive and I am sure that when the pandemic is over the parties will be more massive than ever! Online sales have grown significantly and many of the physical party stores have closed. My Other Me has always been very strong in the toy store channel. This

has withstood the pandemic quite well and therefore we continue to develop actions there. Our plans are to accelerate our development outside of Spain. We have participated in the Halloween and Party expo show in the USA and are looking for commercial agents and distributors in the main European markets. In terms of product we have some very exciting licences such as Power Players from ZAG. Also this year we launched a line of baby costumes with movements and sounds that are very new. We have worked hard to go virtual and with no trade fairs, we have had to evolve to facilitate access to our products for our customers. We have also built a virtual stand in our showroom in Alicante so that customers who want to visit us virtually can do so easily.”

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country rich in unique traditions and authentic celebrations, Poland celebrates a wide variety of seasons, festivals and celebrations – many of them based in local folklore or religious beliefs. Many of them attract tourists from all around Europe, while others mark more serious

A Polish Przyjęcie occasions, such as the struggle for independence. GoDan’s sales manager Magdalena Wojteczek spoke to a number of the company’s Smile Zone retail partners to find out more.

“There are a great number of annual celebrations that take place in Poland, all throughout the year. Carnival is of course very popular, with schools organising special events on the last day. The spring brings Easter holidays and Spring Day, as well as the 1st Communion, Mother’s Day, Children’s Day and the beginning of wedding season. Halloween is not that important anymore, but All Saints Day is becoming more and more popular. A typical Polish party features plenty of foil balloon decorations and balloon garlands, which are very popular. A photo booth or photo wall is also often used and more and more people are taking advantage of small gadgets and accessories like fancy party glasses, headbands and ties. There have been no parties now since March really – it was a little better from June until September because weddings could be organised, but this was banned very quickly as the virus started to spread.

There is not much happening now. Children’s birthdays are taking place at home so people need less decorations and most of the trade business moved to online shops. Our retailers try to be as flexible as possible and often offer doorto-door services and are focusing on their online business. We asked our franchise stores about their current situation and what they expect to happen in 2021. Everyone believes that 2021 will continue to be very difficult as it will take a lot of time until major part of the population will be vaccinated. Everyone is hoping that summer time will be better again as there are more open-air opportunities! One of the problems is that regulations are changing so often that nobody can make any plans. We cannot plan for First Communion products because nobody knows what will happen in May. Most of our customers are focusing on how to survive and not on future investments. We have a lot of novelties now so some of our customers

talian tradition is filled with festivals which celebrate saints, holidays and important events in Italian history. New Year’s Eve is one of the most important celebrations in Italy, although carnival is easily the most elaborate celebration; a two-week party which is marked by parties,

Left: Poland has a whole host of traditional local celebrations. Below right: A typical Polish party setting, courtesy of GoDan.

who are doing well have been investing in those new items – for example, we are launching a special line of foil balloons which is perfect for those hard times as it is very good quality for less money! We are trying are best to forward positive vibrations to our clients for the nearest future, so let’s hope our products will help them make good business this summer.”

The Italian Job Left: The Venice carnival in Italy is a worldrenowned event. Right: Send in the clowns, courtesy of Widmann’s traditional classics.

saints), but there are a number of national holidays, too. Each region, city and country of Italy has its own traditions and customs which are remembered with specific festivals or ceremonies. They include: Feast of the Patron Saint, New Year, Epiphany, Carnival, Easter, Easter Monday, Liberation Day, Labour Day, Italian Republic Holiday, Assumption of Mary, Halloween, All Saints, Immaculate Conception, Christmas, Saint Stephen. In the short term, certainly any type of holiday cannot be celebrated

parades and masquerade balls. Widmann’s national Sales manager Lucio Freri gives us the lowdown.

“Italy has a lot to celebrate – so it’s not surprising that there are a lot of Italian national holidays! Each region, city and town has its own holidays (often having to do with local

due to Covid. Over time, the health situation will improve and, combined with responsible behaviour, it will be possible to celebrate again. Party trade here has been hit hard. We know with absolute certainty that the situation will return to normal, and the normal standard of living will resume. Life is strewn with obstacles, the current pandemic is one of these that, however, with the will of all we can get out stronger than before.”

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2021 LAUNCHES Below: Rubies showrooms have been set up for virtual tour experiences.

The Show Must Go On With no Spring Fair, Spielwarenmesse or trade roadshows for suppliers to catch up with customers and showcase new ranges for the year ahead, PPE took the time to catch up with party businesses looking to shout out about their plans for the coming year. And it turns out they have plenty to say!

he lack of physical tradeshows to start the year has been difficult for the party sector. A gregarious trade by its very nature, the lack of face-to-face contact has been keenly felt by those more used to hopping on a plane to meet up with industry friends and colleagues, sharing strategies, stories and maybe even a drink or two. As with everything else over the past year, party businesses have been quick to react to these changes, putting virtual showcases in place and seeking out other ways of communicating with their customer base. A Virtual Experience That’s exactly what costume giants Rubies is doing, as it

opens the digital doors to its dedicated showrooms. Based in both Nuremberg and Bristol, the team will be offering exclusive virtual tours and live appointments with brand specialists. The new virtual tours will be streamed via private viewings, providing buyers with an experiential approach, allowing them to remotely research, interact and place orders from their expansive portfolio of global licensed brands. “Online retail and remote selling is one of the big growth areas for our sector,” says Graham Gardiner, general manager EMEA. “With the virtual showrooms, we are bringing the same tailored personal showroom experience our customers are used to when they

visit our Nuremberg venue, from the comfort of their home or office.” He continued: “At Rubies we’re keen to position ourselves at the forefront of digital excellence through our e-commerce website, HUB platform and now our virtual showrooms. We are adapting the way our business operates to respond not only to the current crisis but also to be at the forefront of long-term trends and adapt to the Below: Hey Duggee has joined the Amscan family across all three categories; party, balloon and costume.

A Fresh New Look

Above: Fresh Pokemon and Peppa Pig costumes from Amscan for 2021.

Amscan is launching a plethora of new licences across its dress-up range. New franchises include Pokemon, Love Monster and Dragon Ball Z, as well as the arrival of Nickelodeon favourites PAW Patrol, Spongebob and Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles. There are also additions to classic characters, with new styles added to Dr. Suess, PJ Masks and Peppa Pig. A wider range of sustainable costumes will also launch in 2021, including licensed costumes from Warner Bros., career costumes and Book Week designs. Balloons were a hero of 2020 and with this set to continue throughout 2021, there’s plenty to choose from. New Airloonz have been a real success story and there’s additions following in Q2, for generic and licensed designs alike.

The trend for celebrating at home also maintains popularity and with this in mind there are DIY balloon kits in a wide range of colour choices for people to get creative, with new colourways launching in 2021. Amscan’s juvenile party category has also had an influx of fresh ensembles, with six new designs including Superhero, Fairy Princess, Girls Rule (perfect for tweens),Treasure Island, Go Wild and Koala. These ensembles use more FSC materials while also transitioning many products to paper, with further sustainable developments coming later this year. Amscan is keen to continue leading the way forward, making as many of its products as green as possible.

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Far Left: The Gruffalo comes to life with a new Smiffys deluxe kids costume. Left: Dreamhouse Adventures Barbie is a new addition from Smiffys for 2021.

Character Crazy Smiffys new releases for 2021 include some exciting licences that are ideal for World Book Day and everyday play all year round. Ever-popular character The Gruffalo comes to life with a new deluxe kids costume, starting from age one upwards. Another toddler costume which is new for 2021 is a welcome addition to the Bing range: Sula the elephant, Bing’s best friend. Classic storybook characters Mog the Forgetful Cat and The Tiger Who Came to Tea are both new licences for this year and will be available from three years upwards. Smiffys has also had great success with its current Barbie range, which currently only features adult costumes. The company is launching two new children’s costumes to its existing offering for 2021, Dreamhouse Adventures Barbie and Deluxe Princess Adventures Barbie. The hugely popular collection of David Walliams costumes is also increasing this year, with the addition to the Bing range. shifts in consumer behaviours.” “Increasingly, digital viewing platforms are on the rise by becoming key tools to accommodate for growing expectations in the current climate and continue promoting all our incredible licensed brands to the marketplace.” In November, 40 key customers from around the world were treated to a oneon-one interactive experience with live broadcast demonstrations of all Rubies new products from Marvel, Disney, Lucas, Sony, DC, Harry Potter, Looney Tunes, Power Rangers, Universal and many other major licences.

“By using our Nuremberg and Bristol showrooms, we were able to meet and present with our key partners,” explains Graham. “Customers have appreciated the personal approach and effort we have made in bringing our inspirational showroom to their desks.” Rubies is now looking to repeat these events early this year in the absence of physical trade shows and will be expanding these events to accommodate access for more customers throughout the UK and rest of the world. With a new year comes new product launches and new hope, especially in the form of Rubies’ hugely popular Mandalorian range, which has inspired a whole new generation to engage with the brand. This renewed popularity is rebooting not just the franchise, but also classic ranges. As the Rubies world continues to grow, so too does its wide range of licences. Exclusive new Marvel designs take inspiration from the actionpacked movies and include Black Widow, Sheng Chi and a new breed of galactic superheroes in shape of The Eternals. Rubies is especially excited about Disney’s next big release with more animated magic from Raya and the Last Dragon. Coming from the same studio that brought us Frozen and Moana, we are confident the lead costume for children will have the same traction and appeal of recent Disney successes. There is also a bit of nostalgia in the pipeline, with new jersey designs for the revamped live action movie Space Jam: A New

Legacy, staring favourite characters from Looney Tunes alongside basketball megastar LeBron James. Connect With Customers In the absence of this year’s Spring Fair, Creative Party is also looking at new ways to showcase its product collection digitally and connect with customers virtually. “We’ve just released an inspirational lookbook to unveil what’s new for 2021, which is available in both printed hard copy and via a digital flipbook,” reveals marketing manager Shayna Bowles. “Coupled with the recent launch of our new e-commerce site, it’s never been easier for customers to access our full product catalogue digitally.” “We’ll also be turning to social media, e-marketing campaigns, virtual showroom appointments and additional video content to help us reach current and new customers and exhibit our great products.” Of course, Creative Party is also launching a number of brand new products and ranges for the coming year, with new launches across tableware, décor, candles and balloons. Deer Little One is an extension of the Woodland Animals trend that did so well in 2020 and is ideal for 1st Birthday or Baby Shower celebrations. Other new partyware ranges include a joyful and budgetfriendly Happy Rainbow collection and the cool Shark Party which includes 3D centrepieces, shaped paper treat bags and a giant shaped foil balloon. Cake and candles remain an important party staple even in lockdown, so Creative Party has continued to expand its candle offering, Left: Raya and The Last Dragon is the latest Disney release from Rubies for 2021. Below Left: The Deer Little One range features a sweet doe crowned with a woodland tiara, with highlights including shaped paper treat bags and an easy-to-assemble table centrepiece. Below: Creative Party’s 100% recyclable, biodegradable and sustainably sourced paper straws with patented Eco-Flex technology are now available in gorgeous Rose Gold, Gold, and Silver metallics.

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2021 LAUNCHES

with 14 new styles for 2021, including the new metallic rainbow numeral candles. A new range of Rose Gold Milestone latex balloons is available in ages 18 to 80 while a new Pearl Anniversary capsule collection completes an updated Wedding and Anniversary offering. Keeping Communication Open “Tradeshows do make a difference and we will miss them this year,” says Tony Lewis, UK sales director for Disguise. “They help to reach smaller independents and to gather momentum for new licences and products, among other things.” “However, recent years have seen some suppliers opting out of many trade shows and concentrating instead on roadshows and social media platforms to promote to and reach existing and new customers. Suppliers looking to secure a licence will always have a separate meeting after the trade show, for more of a focused discussion. So as long as that communication can still take place via online channels it can be as effective as a walk-through trade show.” Disguise is constantly designing and developing new and exciting product, introducing sustainable materials and processes with a view to becoming fully sustainable within the next few years. Alongside that, it is also entering the UK and EMEA arena with a more focused strategy this year and so is extremely excited about the prospects of 2021. “We are delighted to become the new Hasbro partner for the region and with a new My Little Pony Right: This officially licensed Joker design from OppoSuits is new for 2021.

Suits You “We have some amazing new licences that we’re going to launch in 2021. We recently launched the Bob Ross blazer which has been very well-received and created quite a buzz! But we’re also going to launch a few extra licensed suits which are just great designs and popular licences so we know they will do well. More great things are coming but we can’t say exactly what they are just yet – you’ll see very soon!” Robin Breeman, head of sales, OppoSuits

Above and Right: This amazing Transformers Bumblebee 3-in-1 costume is one of Disguise’s prestige/halo ranges. Below: This LEGO Batman from Disguise is a key licence for the costume company.

movie due to launch in the autumn, we have a fabulous offer for the new characters,” reveals Tony. “Gaming is experiencing big growth at present and this is also set to continue.” Key licenses in the Disguise portfolio include Minecraft, LEGO, LEGO Ninjago, LEGO Batman, Halo, Apex, Nintendo and of course, Transformers and Power Rangers under the Hasbro licence. “For all our licences we pride ourselves in being able to offer something for everyone, (adults and kids alike), which includes a wide range of price points,” he adds. “And when it comes to our prestige/halo ranges, no expense is spared. We see a very bright future ahead!” The World of Balloons “We can certainly say that this has been and will be a very special year: the first year for Grabo, as for everyone, without a fair,” says managing director Jonathan Grassi. “The fair for our entire company is not only a moment of business, but also a moment of sharing and hard work: Grabo shares projects, ideas and emotions.” Each year, the Grabo team works synergistically towards one single goal: showcasing all the new product and innovation at the various exhibitions, but of course, this year unfortunately it was not possible. “It is with a bit of sadness that we have still joined our

Above: Grabo has continued to create a whole host of new lines for the coming year.

forces and managed to create lots of new product for you,” he continues. “We will be sorry not to be able to show them to you and surprise you in person, but rest assured that Grabo will, in one way or another, always be present in the world of the balloon!” Taking It Online “It turned out that the fair in Nuremberg in 2020 was very important as this was one of the last events were we could meet our customers face-to-face,” says GoDan’s head of sales Magdalena Wojteczek. “Online meetings are more convenient for already existing business partners but to find new ones the face-to-face method will always be better.” Because there are no trade shows taking place in the first quarter of 2021 GoDan is now focusing on conducting online meetings with all its regular clients. This online set-up allows the company to present new lines by showing all the co-ordinating items within the framework of one collection, giving customers an idea of how it looks all together. GoDan also sends customers planograms and JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 PROGRESSIVE PARTY EUROPE

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2021 LAUNCHES

Inspirational Celebration A new Qualatex Everyday Essentials supplement from Pioneer Europe features a host of new products that will be arriving this spring. In addition to new lines within best-selling ranges, there is also a host of additional lines created with the current climate in mind, with an eye towards compassion and inclusiveness as well as celebration. “A key feature of Qualatex balloons is that they are designed to co-ordinate across the range,” explains product manager Anna Hickman. “In this way, new styles can be quickly incorporated into existing bouquet styles, contactless deliveries, ‘yard art’ and on-trend fusion-bouquet designs – a sure way to encourage quick consumer engagement and sales!” other helpful material to help show how best to present the products in stores, bridging the gap that the lack of trade shows has created. “We also take advantage of all available social media, where we publish selling tips and detail how to use new products in partnerships Below: A stunning balloon wall created with Platnium Luxe 5” latex from ITI (UK).

DIY Detail “We learnt from lockdown that the consumer has cottoned on big time to doing their own home balloon decorations,” points out Mark Brett, UK agent for ITI (UK). “Consequently, we have added a retail pack of 50 x 5” into our rapidly-expanding range Occasion range of 12” latex, so there will be a pack of matching colours in 5” and 12”. This range will include more than 100 products, all at the same retail price.” ITI (UK) has also just taken stock of its new Platinum Luxe range of 5” and will be relaunching its stunning Titanium Colour range which was somewhat thwarted by the last lock down! Plus we have in stock now a Range of number 56cm light up Illooms Foils.

Above: A host of additional lines have been created with an eye towards compassion and inclusiveness as well as celebration. Above Right and Right: New styles for graduation or exam successes make for stylish deliverables.

with our regular lines,” Magdalena continues. “We hope our customers will survive the hardest time and that they will be able to invest in all the new items we have prepared for them!” Party Safe “Trade shows are an interesting one for Boland Party, as we had not planned to show at the NEC in 2021, due to all the changes the party section has seen over recent years,” revealed UK agent Mark Brett. “Although we were – and still are! – planning on exhibiting in Nurnberg’s summer show.” “When the restrictions on physical contact are somewhat relaxed we shall be seeing our clients in person as usual, but while that remains difficult we shall be publishing a number of catalogues and keeping in contact electronically.” Boland Party is currently in the process of constructing its brand new Head Office and distribution centre, all 500,000 sq ft of it! The main structure is now complete and it should be operational by early spring – as soon as travel is allowed there will be

opportunities for customer visits. On the product front, a Party Safe range from Boland Party offers a range of party decs for a fully Covid-safe party, while an extensive Rainbow Party decoration range, includes banners, balloons, decorations and disposables. “We don’t expect for the dress-up market to recover much before social distancing is eased,” adds Mark, “but we do have a new collection of kids animal face make-up kits, which should put a smile on their little faces during any Zoombased gatherings, while a brand new selection of glitter make-up gel will do the same thing for adults!” Left: Party Safe range from Boland Party offers a range of party decs for a fully Covid-safe party. Below: New lines from GoDan include a number of new themed partyware collections.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 PROGRESSIVE PARTY EUROPE

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PartyWorldwide.net

is the online news website for the global party and costume industry.Launched by the leading publisher to the worldwide party sector, Progressive Party Europe, the website serves as an essential online resource for the global costume, party and balloon market. «T wice-weekly newsletter landing in over 8,000 inboxes « I ndustry jobs / agents board « Resource section with industry analysis «D igital editions of Progressive Party Europe « F ully supported by industry associations and key trade shows

“We know our retail buyers trust and rely on Progressive Party Europe for their news, product information and seasonal focuses the launch of an online service reaching their inboxes will help retailers even more, which is something all suppliers can support.” Rubie’s Masquerade.

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For news submissions and content enquiries, please immediately get in touch with Jacqui Parr on jacquip@max-publishing.co.uk

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WORLD BOOK DAY 2021

Keeping The Story Alive One of the biggest seasons in the UK’s fancy dress calendar, World Book Day sees nurseries and schools encouraging children to dress up as their favourite book characters for the day. With the latest UK lockdown now in place until at least 8 March, PPE finds out why the latest Covid restrictions don’t mean the fun has to stop. Far Left and Middle: New licensed lines from Smiffys include classic childrens’ story characters Mog and The Tiger Who Came to Tea. Left: One of the newest David Walliams characters, Bad Dad – from Smiffys.

hen the UK’s third lockdown was first implemented at the beginning of January, party and costume businesses resigned themselves to the fact that there wouldn’t be much going on for a few weeks; but it was ok, just as long as the schools were back for World Book Day. Fast-forward a few weeks and it quickly became clear that this year’s World Book Day is the latest significant party season that is going to be more than just a little bit different. The organisers have announced that it will be going ahead on Thursday 4 March, regardless of the current pandemic restrictions which will see schools remaining closed for most children then. “Book Day is a key season for us every year and although it may look

slightly different in 2021 – as most things have for the past year – we believe there will still be a strong demand for children’s costumes throughout,” says Smiffys’ licensing and marketing manager, Sharon Poulter. “With most children currently being home-schooled, dress-up is a great way to help younger kids engage in imaginative play. Bringing characters to life is good for children’s development and imagination all year round, as well as World Book Day.” She continues: “As well as educational purposes, fancy dress is fun! With all our time spent at home these days it can be hard to keep the kids entertained. Why not encourage your customers to take part in Fancy Dress Friday and get the kids into a costume every week?” Smiffys new releases for 2021 include some exciting licences that are ideal for World Book Day and everyday play. The ever-popular Julia Donaldson character The Gruffalo comes to life with a new deluxe kids costume, while the range of classic storybook characters continues to expand with new Mog the Forgetful Cat and The Tiger Who Came to Tea costumes. Smiffys’ collection of David Walliams costumes is also increasing this year, Left: The latest Charlie and the Chocolate Factory-inspired lines from Amscan include this Charlie Bucket and even the Golden Ticket itself!

with the addition of a new Bad Dad costume, while two new children’s costumes are being added to the popular Barbie range for 2021; Dreamhouse Adventures and Deluxe Princess Adventures Barbie. “With non-essential shops still closed for now in the UK, we know this will be a difficult time for trading,” adds Sharon. “We predict strong online sales however, and we will remain open to our trade customers throughout to fulfil orders and support them where we can.” Left: Amscan’s Gingerbread Man is perfect for both classic fairytales and Christmas celebrations.

World Book Day 2021 Taking place on Thursday 4 March, this year’s World Book Day will be a little different, although schools, nurseries, parents and carers are still expected to make the most of the occasion wherever possible. There are also a number of £1 books available for this year’s event which lend themselves to dressing up. They include: ■ T here’s a Wolf in Your Book, Tom Fletcher ■ W hat the Ladybird Heard, Julia Donaldson ■ G igantosaurus, Jonny Duddle ■ F ootball School, Alexander Bellos and Ben Lyttleton JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 PROGRESSIVE PARTY EUROPE

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WORLD BOOK DAY 2021

Left: A licensed My Little Pony and LEGO Batman from Disguise.

Screen Time “Despite lockdown, (which potentially seems to be set to extend past World Book Day this year), I think World Book Day will still happen. It has become a key event in the dress-up calendar and kids need to have something to look forward to. Schools are still open for children of key workers and those being homeschooled get together via zoom classes. World Book Day is such an important message regarding reading, I think teachers will want to try to make it happen. Supermarkets remain open so purchasing a costume for the kids is relatively easy and of course with the wealth of online options now available, there’s nothing stopping it. Perhaps there might be an increase in sales of costumes associated with some sort of head gear, such as hats, wigs, masks or tiaras for children taking part via a screen?” Tony Lewis, UK agent, Disguise

as we did for Christmas and the fact that gives him a dual purpose is even better! And of course you can’t go wrong with the classic Dr Suess portfolio.” Amscan’s costume designer Lily Olley is similarly torn. “I would say Rosie Red Riding Hood with Goldilocks and Alice from our recycled range are a great addition for World Book Day. They are made with sustainable fabrics but are also beautiful designs created using a crossstitch storytelling inspiration. The Willy Wonka kids range also offers fantastic group costumes for friends and family and you can never go wrong with the

Right: Rosie Red Riding Hood is one of Amscan’s sustainable costumes, created from recycled materials. Middle: New launches from Rubies include this Raya and The Last Dragon costume from the Disney collection. Far Right: Bristol Novelty’s versatile offering includes this Saxon boy, which has many different uses.

Over at Amscan the whole team is excited about the upcoming literary celebration. “We have been planning for this event since World Book Day 2020!” says Sam Taylor, dress-up category manager. “World Book Day is key, as it is the first major UK season of the year which really focuses on costumes. We are looking forward to it and have a number of newly developed ranges including both licensed and generic, which target all those key characters. My hero line for this year’s season would have to be Wonka’s Golden Ticket! ” Amscan recognises the changes the market has seen over the past year and has responded by launching a number of new licensed and generic World Book Day costumes at key price points, ensuring the end consumer always feels they are buying a quality, wellengineered product at a realistic price. Choosing a hero product from the new range has proved tricky though, and it’s a close call for head of marketing Jen Wilson. “I can’t choose between our new sustainable range and our new Gingerbread man costume – we love him just as much for World Book Day

Tiger Who Came to Tea – our Tiger onesie would fit this perfectly.” It’s clear that the fancy dress industry has become a master at adapting over the past year. With most parties cancelled, the focus has been on making sure that consumers – and especially children – can still celebrate those landmark events in their lives, such as birthdays, Halloween, Christmas and now World Book Day. But can a celebration which is designed to take place at school really work on a virtual level? Right: This fab costume from Henbrandt is ideal for any mini-detectives.

“Absolutely,” enthuses Rubies’ head of marketing and content Fran Hales. “World Book Day can still very much take place at home. It has been proven that the wearing of costumes motivates children when learning to read, which is the reason schools and nurseries encourage dressing up as part of the event. We fully endorse anything which opens the doors to educating children and opening their eyes to the joys of reading.” Keeping kids entertained and focused during lockdown is far from easy and wearing a costume could help make the day a little different from the usual routine. Bringing a favourite character to life in this way will help lift spirits while also help very young children embrace storytelling. “It is important to recognise the core principle of World Book Day,” Fran continues. “A costume should be utilised as a tool to encourage creativity and nurture the joy we get from reading or through reading to others.” Rubies has been preparing for World Book Day for many months, ensuring it will be able to support all its customers and retailers as the big day approaches, with multiple new characters and costumes coming into the licensed range this year, such as Raya and The Last Dragon from our Disney collection. Rubies is also focusing on promoting the strong curriculum range from Bristol Novelty, having built on this last year with new additions including Saxon warriors and Tudor royalty. “Schools will do their best to support the day in whatever form that may take online, as will we here at Rubies,” Fran concludes. “Our job is to make sure we continue to help raising spirits through the power of costumes while ensuring we promote the positive message about picking up a book and reading – more so in lockdown than ever before.”

Time To Celebrate “World Book Day is an important event for Henbrandt as we sell a lot of children’s costumes, hats and accessories. Although we now know schools won’t be open again by March, this occasion will be celebrated despite any Covid restrictions and will be a busy a time for us leading up to the event. Due to worldwide restrictions over the last year we have not developed many fresh lines, however this year we feel our new Viking range will prove to be a great hit!” George Morgan, design and illustration manager, Henbrandt JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 PROGRESSIVE PARTY EUROPE

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Q1 EVENTS

Left: Pioneer Europe has a number of designs perfect for Mother’s Day creations.

With current pandemic restrictions expected to begin easing up over the coming months, this year’s spring seasons will give people more of a reason to celebrate than ever before. Whether it’s a virtual St. Patrick’s Day, a socially distanced Easter Egg hunt or a post-vaccine hug for Mother’s Day, spring 2021 will be bringing us all plenty of reasons to party.

ven in pre-pandemic times, the first few weeks and months of the year are cold, wet and everyone’s skint – it’s not the busiest time for the party sector. It’s a good time for planning though, especially with a number of mini-seasons just around the corner, offering a great way of getting consumers excited about new product. Once January is over, it all kicks off with Valentine’s Day on 14 February (see our November issue for a dedicated Valentine’s Day feature), followed by St. Below: This bright and playful tableware from Creative Party is ideal for Easter brunch or springtime celebration. Right: A collection of bright and bold balloons from Grabo make for a stand-out Easter display.

Above: Amscan’s Easter range includes basic egg hunt items as well as plush baskets including a dinosaur and unicorn option.

David’s Day on 1 March. Mother’s Day isn’t far behind, on the 14th, with St. Patrick’s Day falling just a few days later on the 17 March. Once we start heading into the spring (British summertime officially starts on 28 March) then (hopefully) it all starts to look a little brighter, with Easter Sunday taking place on 4 April and St. George’s Day on the 23rd. “Spring seasons are always key celebrations for the start of the year,” agrees Jen Wilson, Amscan’s head of marketing. “These will be even more significant in 2021 as we weren’t able to celebrate in the same way last year.” For that very reason, Jen believes that people will want to celebrate these miniseasons even more than usual, pointing out: “We’ve also started to become accustomed to celebrating at home in different ways, so now we all know how – whether we are in or out of lockdown – to make the most of the occasion!” Amscan has already launched an online catalogue featuring plenty of new balloon and décor lines for these seasons, as well as classic Easter items perfect for egg hunts.

“We’re really looking forward to people being together again and enjoying these key moments,” says Jen. The team at Pioneer Europe is also expecting to see a high consumer demand for Mother’s Day and Easter celebrations, reveals head of marketing Julie Dommett. “Regardless of whether or not in-person celebrations can happen, balloons are always a great way to brighten someone’s day. We know this probably won’t be the biggest year for St. Patrick’s Day celebrations but people can still hold a St. Patricks’s Day Zoom party! Now that small family celebrations at home are real events to look forward to, we also expect Easter balloons to be particularly popular this year.” The spring traditionally brings with it longer days and warmer weather, making it the perfect time to celebrate with the family. This year, with the end of the pandemic restrictions now firmly in sight, this spring could well be a celebration to remember. Right: Smiffys’ extensive range of St. Patrick’s Day novelty headwear are the perfect accessories for a boozy Zoom call with mates.

Time To Celebrate “We believe customers will embrace any occasion that gives them a reason to bring the party home this spring. From St Patrick’s Day to Easter, these special days will give people a chance to celebrate and add some fun into the restrictive lifestyle we are getting all too familiar with. The lockdown won’t stop customers from having their usual few drinks this St Patricks Day, even if they are at home rather than the local pub! Easter is always a perfect reason to celebrate with the family and we believe this year will be no different. With spring well on the way and a possible easing of restrictions in sight, we expect this Easter to be one filled with hope and happiness – what better time to party at home!” Dominique Peckett, director, Smiffys

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Q1 EVENTS

SPRING SEASONS

‘Love You Mum’ – sometimes the simplest messages are the best, as Pioneer Europe shows with a number of foil balloon options, all featuring that consistently popular message.

St Patrick’s Day is always a popular celebration and this hat from Henbrandt is perfect for this year’s festivities, which are likely to be taking place from behind a computer screen.

This Easter Bunnies Line Up bouquet from Pioneer Europe makes the most of its bright and cheery colours which just shout ‘Spring’.

There are a number of flowery options availble for Mother’s Day Bubble balloons from Pioneer Europe this year, such as the classic Pink Peony and the colourful Big Flowers design.

New Marblez Orbz colours from Amscan include this pastel option which is perfect for Easter and looks great with the Clearz (available in two sizes and eight colours).

Easter wouldn’t be the same without the Easter Bunny – and Smiffys’ range of Peter Rabbit costumes are great for the kids, while Mum and Dad can still get involved in these matching Easter Bunny suits.

A versatile Pastel Celebrations party range from Creative Party features gorgeous, scalloped edges and gold foil details, making it perfect for Easter gatherings and garden parties.

This stylish Betallic Mother’s Day heart foil from Grabo features an on-trend ombre pastel colourway.

Henbrandt’s range of Easter products includes hats, masks and a number of fun add-ons for families looking to make the most of this year’s celebrations. Who better to celebrate Easter with than the lovable Peter Rabbit? Creative Party’s licensed range of cake toppers, treat bags, cookie cuttersand more is a firm family favourite.

While this probably won’t be the biggest year for St. Patrick’s Day celebrations (no pubs and no parades) Pioneer Europe is championing the Paddy’s Day Zoom party!

This brand new pastel addition to Amscan’s DIY garland kits is perfect for springtime creations and is and available to pre-order online now.

GoDan has created a special and unique First Communion collection, to help celebrate the coming-of-age ceremony which is traditionally held in May by the Catholic church.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 PROGRESSIVE PARTY EUROPE

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CONTACT NOW TO PLACE YOUR ORDER SALES@OPPOSUITS.COM • WHOLESALE.OPPOSUITS.COM • + 31 6 27 41 76 94

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Facts and Figures

THE TOP It’s all been about balloons and decorations this year. The top five products were: T P iñatas (best year for these ever) T A ir-filled ‘Happy Birthday’ banners T N umber helium balloons (Oaktree’s new numbers are totally brilliant!) T G lobes/Orbz T C andles

CUSTOMER SAFETY

a party palace: IN NUMBERS Based near Richmond in South West London, A Party Palace is a party, costume and balloon décor business which celebrated its 12th birthday earlier this year. In between navigating the latest lockdown restrictions, owner Adrienne D’Souza spoke to PPE to share the figures behind the store’s success.

“We have some awesome customers but our best spender was on behalf of a big corporate client for bonfire night. Lots of our customers are concerned that we may not be here at the end of this so they keep checking up on us which is making us feel appreciated!”

STORE STATS

“We do Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, but work particularly hard on Instagram. It’s been worth it as we get lots of engagement and receive lots of enquiries and orders through it. We’ve learnt to have a laugh. The more fun you have the more people love it!” @apartypalacesw14

ON THE WAY

CUSTOMER CARE

Above: Adrienne and the fabulous team at Halloween.

GETTING DIGITAL

“ Blush, eucalyptus/ earthy colours and gold.”

“ Pink and silver/blue and silver combinations. Move over silver, gold is the hot fave now!.”

“We have made so many changes! We have removed fixtures, changed our return policy on wearables purchased in-store, added sanitiser everywhere, introduced more staff training and cleaning, become as cash free as possible and risk assessed until I can’t see straight! Who ever imagined that this would be how 2020 would work out?!”

Above: Window displays thanked the NHS and keyworkers during the spring lockdown.

ON THE WAY

T A drienne is ‘very blessed’ to be running the shop with a team of six – one full-timer and a fabulous bunch of multi-skilled part-timers. T T he store used to be a car showroom so is around 1200sq ft – which means three shop windows! T A t least one of those windows gets changed every four to six weeks. T I t’s all changed in lockdown – Tuesdays and Wednesdays are now A Party Palace’s busiest days. “The world really has gone mad!” T T wo boxes came in on the last delivery – Adrienne is mainly using wholesalers at the moment to top up as needed. T A verage spend per transaction is between £1,500 - £3,000.

“A couple of years ago we started to photograph our own balloon bouqet designs. Over lockdown they have been so popular and we’re very happy with ourselves! We love an organic display but still get wowed by a big ol’ bunch of brightly coloured helium balloons. They just ooze fun.”

WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

HALLOWEEN HEROES “Props and decorations. We sold loads of skeletons (thanks to Palmer Agencies and Boland Party) and paper decorations (Party Deco and Boland). It was a very traditional year.”

BALLOON BOOST

Above: Doin’ it for the ‘gram.

“I have been working with Smiffys and trading with Mark Brett one way or another depending on where he’s hanging his hat for the last 12 years. We have just started working with Hootyballoo – wonderful designs, slightly quirky and really well priced. Love it!” JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 PROGRESSIVE PARTY EUROPE

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OFFICIAL DRESS UP

FOR HALLOWEEN available on: UK: Freephone 0800 590 599. sales@smiffys.com

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

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