Progressive Party Europe December 2016

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CONTENTS The home of market leading trade magazines

The home of market leading trade magazines max-publishing.co.uk The Thehome homeofofmarket marketleading leadingtrade trademagazines magazines March/April 2013

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Welcome to the Party Now that the shops are full of elf hats and Santa suits, it seems somewhat contrary to be looking back at Halloween.

But this year’s Halloween was one of the most talked-about in years - outside of the party industry, at least.

While Halloween preparations begin towards the end of the summer for us in the party industry, consumers don’t generally start planning their costumes and celebrations Inset: Progressive Party Europe’s Rob Willis and Jacqui Parr. until much later. This year - perhaps because Halloween 2015 was such a roaring success - that started much sooner, with private parties, public parades and street festivals being planned well in advance.

There was also the not-so-small matter of the ‘Killer Clowns’ which made themselves known right across the country for scaring people going about their daily business and which - for one reason or another - got the Halloween conversation started much earlier than normal. When something so dramatic and unusual makes the national media headlines, it can lead to some interesting decisions being made.

A number of party retailers took their clown costumes and masks off the shelves, with others even offering refunds on costumes which had already been purchased.

Luckily, most of the excitement had been and gone by the time Halloween actually came around, leaving those that wanted to dress up as a clown free to do so (although PPE attended four Halloween events and didn’t see a single one).

Whether all this pre-Halloween publicity made much of a difference is hard to identify; what is clear is that on the whole, retailers reported a fairly level Halloween.

Customers were still buying, but not with the urgency of previous years and there were no last-minute rushes on blood, fangs or white face paint; Halloween bread and butter! Of course, much of this could be down to better preparation and a longer buying period, both on the part of the consumer and the retailer.

Also notable was the lack of ‘theme’ for this year - Day of the Dead was expected to do very well, and it was certainly strong, but make-up and accessories were used to create the look, rather than complete costumes. What this means for next year’s Halloween is unclear - but as a number of retailers report having plenty of core stock left over, it’s clear that suppliers are going to have to get creative if they want to get those advance orders coming in over the next few months.

On that note, it is the time of year where we start looking forward to 2017 in general, to see what the next 12 months might have in store for the party industry.

With that in mind, we’ve previewed the Halloween & Party Expo, which is taking place this January in New Orleans. If it’s not something which has come up on your radar before then it might be time that changes - with hundreds of exhibitors showing thousands of new lines, it’s a sure-fire way of making sure you offer something different to the high street retailers and supermarkets.

Another way of making sure you carry something a bit special is to identify seasonal trends before they even happen - and our carnival feature in this issue will help you do exactly that. As a growth market in the UK at the moment, it’s not yet big enough for the discount stores to dedicate shelf space to, but for party retailers looking for a way to kick-start the new year with a bang, it’s perfect!

Elsewhere in this issue, we look at last-minute Christmas and New Year essentials, brush up on balloons for Valentine’s Day and talk to party wholesaler Party Plus as it moves into a new phase of business.

That should be more than enough to keep you all busy until the January issue, when we’ll be previewing Nuremberg and Spring Fair. There’s no rest for the wicked, is there!

Have a great Christmas everyone - and we’ll see you in 2017.

Jacqui Parr – Editor @Prog_Party_Eu

Rob Willis – Publisher, Progressive Party Europe

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016 PROGRESSIVE PARTY EUROPE

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CONTENTS

What’s inside: NOV/DEC 2016

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42 NEWS

Read all about it - it’s the round up from the last few weeks in the party world.

THE JESTER

The Jester turns customer to find out if one-size-fits-all is as good as it sounds.

BAPIA

John Bowler shares words of party wisdom.

LICENSED TO PARTY

The latest licensed releases from right across the party industry.

NEW PRODUCTS

The newest party lines to hit the market.

EUROPEAN NEW PRODUCTS

New lines and fresh releases from across Europe.

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27 33 37 42 45 49 52

HALLOWEEN & PARTY EXPO 2017 Preparing to party! Previewing the world’s biggest party trade show.

A YEAR IN PARTY

Talking to the trade about how business has been over the last 12 months.

IT’S CARNIVAL TIME

One of the most exciting party seasons in the year, the carnival market continues to grow.

TO THE MANOR BORN

Talking to party wholesaler Party Plus about their new chapter.

FESTIVE FUN

For all those last-minute Christmas and New Year customer requests.

ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE The season of love, balloons and novelty rose petals.

BEST SELLERS

Retailers share their tales from the tills.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016 PROGRESSIVE PARTY EUROPE

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NEWS PAGE

NEWS UPDATE A Halloween Howler!

It looks like Halloween in all its ghoulish glory has retained its place in UK consumers' hearts (and wallets!), bringing a welcome boost at retail, especially to those in the fancy dress and party industry. The latest figures from Mintel estimate that Brits spent around £310 million on Halloween in 2016, up 5% from £295 million in 2015.

While there's no shortage of people complaining that Halloween is an American import, they are increasingly outnumbered by those who welcome trick or treaters with open arms, decorating their houses and throwing parties to celebrate the annual frightfest.

Even the 'Killer Clown' hysteria leading up to Halloween – which saw a number of party retailers around the country taking clown masks and costumes off the shelves and even offering refunds – didn't get in the way of celebrations this year.

A Monday date allowed the celebrations to benefit from a weekend boost, with many attending a number of different events over the four-day period.

In fact, a buoyant Halloween trade has been credited with helping UK retail sales grow at the fastest annual pace for 14

years this October, according to official figures from the Office of National Statistics.

The figures reported retail sales volumes were up 7.4% on 2015 – the strongest growth since early 2002. How much party product accounted for these figures is unclear, but what is clear is that Halloween in general

has become more fashionable than ever, thanks in part to the inexorable rise of social media, with pumpkin-carving, Halloween games and creative costumes all taking centre stage online.

“For Millennials who grew up celebrating Halloween, this nostalgic event provides a good excuse for a party, driving retail spend on food and drink, as well as money on going out,” said Alice Goody, retail analyst at Mintel. “Capturing the imagination of these young consumers is key to driving the growth of Halloween, as they buy more items and spend more on average than other generations.”

Halloween 2016: Millenials drive much of the retail Halloween trade.

Bath Party Shop Closes Its Doors The well-known Oldfield Park costume shop has now closed.

The Bath Party Shop shut its doors earlier this year, although the company's other premises in Chippenham and Swindon remain open, as does the online operation www.giantpartyshop.com.

Formerly known as the Giant Party Shop, it had been a popular fixture at the southern end of the busy shopping street for a number of years.

The Bath Party Shop will be replaced by a craft beer and pizza restaurant.

Below: The Bath Party Shop shut its doors earlier this year.

In Memorandum It is with great sadness that Premier Decorations has announced the loss of its much valued Halloween general manager, Sean Looney, who passed away suddenly at the beginning of October.

Sean, who was a well-known and respected character in the industry, joined the Premier team in 1998 (along with his wife, Margaret) Above: Sean Looney was a to set up the Halloween division familiar face for many in the and quickly built up one of the most party industry. comprehensive portfolios of Halloween products the UK has to offer.

“Sean was a valued member of the Premier ‘family’ for many years and the Halloween division had become an institution in his own right,” said John Athwal, managing director of Premier Decorations. “He worked tirelessly to build and expand the ranges we offered and was rightly proud of his achievements. The latest 2017 Halloween collection is a testimony to his hard work and expertise and he was very excited about its launch. He will be sorely missed by us and everyone in the industry and we extend our condolences to his family and loved ones.”

For anyone wishing to remember Sean; the family has requested donations be made to The British Heart Foundation in his name.

Fright Night Feedback “It was 100% Mexican Day of the Dead! Sugar skull was THE costume for women, with lots of people doing one side sugar skull and other side normal make-up look. Our sugar skull sugar toppers were our best new launch. I think it was the year everything went Day of the Dead.”

Holly Forder, marketing manager, Creative Party “Halloween this year has been amazing for PaintGlow. Our new product lines did really well especially our Blood Paint Sticks and Professional Fake Blood.

Our Glow in the Dark range was a success with sales being double that compared to last year. Sales have been helped by the demand for UK made and our products have never been tested on animals. These two elements have helped to catapult our Halloween range.”

Lee Dobinson, director, Paintglow “It has been a good, but not an outstanding Halloween. I understand many retailers did not surpass the record figures of 2015, although that was a Saturday Halloween and was probably the second-best Halloween in the past six or seven years! It is clear that this Monday Halloween still benefitted from the weekend effect, but not as much as last year.

Zombies, clowns, scary/ cute dolls and Day of the Dead have been the star themes of the season, while star categories included makeup, masks and décor.”

Sergio Battaner, marketing director, Palmer Agencies “As a company we had a fantastic Halloween, but our customers have given mixed responses.

The main issue was they were basing it on last year and this proved somewhat misleading as it was comparing a Monday against a Saturday. Furthermore some items that sold very well last year did not sell well this year and vice versa, indicating that is very difficult to determine what sells year-to-year.”

Mark Brett, UK agent, Boland Party

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PARTY NEWS

France Bids Adieu To Plastic Partyware France has become the first country in the world to ban all plastic plates, cups and other utensils, passing a law that will go into effect in 2020.

The new law is a part of the country's Energy Transition for Green Growth Act, the same legislation that also outlawed plastic bags in grocery stores and markets last July.

Exceptions will be allowed for items made of compostable, biosourced materials.

The general idea behind the law, which was introduced following last autumn's landmark conference on

curbing global warming, is to promote a 'circular economy' of waste disposal, 'from product design to recycling'. Last year saw 4.73 billion plastic glasses discarded in France alone.

According to French President François Hollande, the ban is part of a larger push intended to make France “an exemplary nation in terms of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, diversifying its energy model and increasing the deployment of renewable energy sources.”

Not everyone is pleased about the news. In Brussels, some argue that the laws

violate existing European Union legislation regarding the free movement of goods and the protection of manufacturers.

Eamonn Bates, the secretary general of Pack2Go Europe, a Brussels-based association that represents packaging

Objections to plastic are well-known, but a blanket ban will have ramifications across the party industry.

Balloon World Changes Hands Long-established party wholesaler Balloon World has been taken over by Richard Aylett, owner of The Card House and Balloon Room.

After learning that the business was in some financial difficulty, Richard teamed up with some like-minded business partners – Chris and Lee Dobson – to purchase the business. The sale was completed in early November and changes have already been made, with an increased workforce boasting three new members of staff.

“The decision was taken with a view to changing the way Balloon World operates and approaches its customer base,” explained Richard. “The first thing we did was change the trading hours to more customerfriendly opening times, including Saturday mornings. We have also looked at the way Balloon World approached sales, as although the business had been trading for over 20 years

it had fallen behind in modern trading patterns, which is something we plan to address over the coming weeks.”

Chris and Lee Dobson have an extensive IT background and a wealth of experience trading in niche areas, while Richard brings 35 years of retail experience to the table. “Our main focus in the short term will be growing the customer base,” said Richard. “We are very excited to be taking Balloon World on its next big adventure to becoming one of the UK's largest totally dedicated balloon wholesaler to the industry!”

Below: The Balloon World website www. balloonworld.co.uk has been established for over 10 years and will be fully updated, bringing an easier, more streamlined experience to the end-user.

Flingers Expands A Bristol-based party shop founded more than 25 years ago in Patchway is opening a second shop in the harbourside shopping area.

Flingers Party Shop was initially founded in 1990 on Gloucester Road. The new shop, situated on Millennium Promenade, promises much of the same, selling everything from children's party accessories to hen and stag do fancy dress and everything in between.

The family-run business promises to; "ensure the best possible customer service, as we strive to leave every customer with a smile on their face and with their perfect fancy dress costume or party supplies!'

Left: Bristol's Harbourside is a vibrant shopping and lifestyle district.

manufacturers, has confirmed that he will challenge the ban.

"We are urging the European Commission to do the right thing and to take legal action against France for infringing European law," he said. "If they don't, we will."

A Broken Balloon Artist Jeff Koons, famous for his balloon dog sculptures, has been in the news recently, after one of his limited-edition porcelain models was broken. The mini magenta puppy fell out of its display and shattered on the floor of Bernardaud’s booth at DesignMiami art fair.

The mini sculpture was worth $9,000 – but compared to the original large-scale balloon dogs which have sold for up to $58 million, it wasn't as bad as it could have been!

Fright Night Fashions Everyone had their own ideas of what was going to sell well, but which were really the most popular costumes for Halloween this year? Here are some of 2016’s most popular Halloween costumes – and it's not all about clowns!

1.

Harley Quinn. Age and gender was irrelevant for this one – no Halloween party in 2016 was complete without at least one person dressed up as the most colourful member of the Suicide Squad.

2. D ay of the Dead. The make-up based look is a simple way to get involved, which helps explain its continued popularity.

Pam's Gets Personal

3. Clowns. Killer or otherwise, there were plenty of people still willing to embrace the circus-themed fun.

A new service from party favourites Pam's, personalised banners are now available and are already proving popular.

These easily-tailored banners – which start at just £5 – are a great way for retailers to promote products, offer sales and promote other initiatives and events. With over 600 backgrounds to choose from, retailers can simply go online and personalise a banner for your needs, with additional images and photos if required.

The new personalisation service can be accessed via www.pams.co.uk or call 01427 676300 for more details.

4. Zombies. Zombie cheerleaders, zombie postmen, zombie brides – there's no stopping a zombie!

5. D onald Trump and/or Hilary Clinton. It was inevitable.

Below: Television presenter Holly Willoughby nailed the Harley Quinn look.

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PARTY NEWS

A Hair Raising Victory

While Donald Trump's US presidential election victory was a hair-raising shock for many people, the fancy dress industry had seen it coming for weeks.

While most pollsters and political pundits predicted Hillary Clinton would win, they were ignoring an unusual but perhaps key indicator in the 2016 race for the White House – sales of wigs modelled on the candidates' hairstyles. And in the battle of the wigs Donald Trump won by a significant margin.

"We sold roughly 150 Trumpstyle wigs... versus about 50 or so Hillary-style wigs," said Coutland Hickey, owner of the Chicago Costume Company.

Halloween, sales of Trump wigs "Trump wiped the floor against were boosted as people bought Hillary,” agreed Timothy Connor, them as part of their costume. owner of British wig website The "Some consumers were buying Hairdrobe, who was selling 400 Trump wigs around the world per day. Timothy initially thought "it was a bit of a gamble" to create a Trump wig, saying "we weren't sure how well they would do".

Then sales skyrocketed.

London-based Angels Fancy Dress sold 500 Trump wigs to 300 Hillary ones over the election period. Director Emma Angel had recognised that selling the wigs would be a good business opportunity, but said that "demand exceeded even our Donald's wig sales expectations.” trumped Hillary's.

Because the US presidential election took place just after

Smiffy's Makes A Move Fancy dress supplier, Smiffy's, which has been based in Gainsborough for 126 years, has announced it plans to move its headquarters to Europe, following the result of the UK referendum earlier this year.

The party company, which employs 250 people, made the decision to move its operations to Holland last month.

Elliott Peckett, director of the family-run international business said 40% of the company sales go to the European Union, its largest trading partner, and as such he needs to be prudent.

"We are trying to stay ahead

of the curve with Brexit and are opening a Dutch headquarters so we can base our company within the EU,” he told the BBC. "It will mean we will start to invoice our customers in Europe, from an EU country and will start to pay tax to Europe.”

"It will mean our customers in Europe do not have increased prices due to trade barriers,” he continued. "We have been in Gainsborough for 126 years. It is our heritage. We will do everything we can to maintain a site in Gainsborough and I am sure that will continue to be the case.”

Latex Prices To Rise Rubber prices on the global commodities market are expected to rise to $2,500 per ton due to the improved state of the world economy and efforts by four major rubber producing countries – Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia – to cut back supply, according to a senior official in the Ministry of Agriculture.

Pol Sopha, general directorate of rubber at the ministry, has said that the four key countries in the Association of Natural Rubber Producing Countries had agreed to suspend their exports in order to stabilise prices.

“Because of that, global supply of natural rubber fell short by Above: Balloons are on the up.

300,000 tons, causing prices to rise,” he explained. “We anticipate that the price of rubber will rise to between $2,000 per ton and $2,500 per ton next year.”

He also pointed out that both the US and other global economies were slowly recovering causing a rise in demand for natural rubber, which further pushed prices up.

Care And Share Looking to improve your twisting skills? Graham Lee will be sharing his tricks of the trade in a Care and Share Star Lecture on Wednesday 11 January.

The class will involve four 60-minute workshops and a couple of fun light-hearted competitions throughout the day.

Book online at www.thequalatexevent.com

Trump items as they associated him with villainy, to others as he was perceived as a hero," Emma continued. "But it certainly reflected Trump's position as a pop cultural phenomenon who was very much front-of-mind."

Balloon Bans Continue Fife Council is the latest looking to join the list of local authorities to ban balloon releases, following in the footsteps of more than 20 councils which have already imposed similar bans.

However, the potential ban is facing some resistance following protests from Fife Sands, a local group which organises a balloon release each year, allowing bereaved parents to remember the devastating loss of their babies. The poignant annual event would have to be scrapped if the motion to Fife Council is passed.

A spokesperson for Fife Sands said the passing of the motion would be disappointing for members but that they would look to organise a suitable alternative. “We are a responsible charity and after obtaining advice regarding this event we have been using biodegradable balloons for some years.”

Councils including Oxford, Brighton, Cornwall, Cardiff,

Belfast, Ipswich, Portsmouth, Swindon, Suffolk, Plymouth and Shetland have all led the way in banning releases from council-owned land such as parks and open spaces, citing concerns as danger to wildlife and littering. Anyone found to be breaching Fife' Council's order could face a significant fine.

The European Balloon & Party Council Code of Best Practise can be found online at: www.bapiaonline.com/ EBPC-best-practice Below: Fife Sands has organised an annual memorial balloon release event at Lochore Meadows for many years.

Creative Party Expands Team Creative Party has welcomed Andrea Di Francesco as the new head of operations.

Andrea joins the team with a wealth of experience in operations and logistics and will be heading up the operations

team in the Bournemouth head office and warehouse location.

Andrea is looking forward to applying his knowledge and expertise in this new role and is particularly excited to be joining such a fun and dynamic industry.

Left: Andrea Di Francesco joines the Creative Party team.

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PARTY NEWS

The Annual Fancy Dress Furore Ever since the Great Costume Debate of 2013, it seems that costumes and fancy dress accessories have come increasingly under fire as 'bad taste' costumes become more popular. Back then, it was the 'mental patient' costumes which were making headlines, offending mental health charity Mind and being removed from sale in a number of major retailers.

A similar story has been played out with increasing regularity ever since, with all types of costumes falling foul of unclear 'taste' boundaries. If anything, it’s become clear that distasteful costumes – and the reactions to them – are now almost as much

of a Halloween tradition as apple bobbing. As such, a number of controversial outfits are being worn with glee, while the resulting backlash against them is also gaining traction.

Examples this year include the 'child terrorist', which came complete with beard

Balloon Boost

The Best Balloon Bear?

Following in the footsteps of previous balloons which have lasted well beyond their sell-by date is this air-filled teddy bear.

Given to Mary Wallace by her daughter after a hip operation in 1995, the balloon-ona-stick is still going strong 21 years later.

“It’s lasted so long it has become part of the family,” mum Mary told the Gazette.

“People think we’re joking when we tell them, many find it hard to believe, but it’s true.”

“It’s well looked after that’s for sure, I’d be devastated if anything was to happen to it,” Mary said of the balloon, which is now older than her grandchildren.

Above: Mary and her balloon, which she looks after carefully.

Balloon and décor expert Qualatex holds a number of key international events throughout the year, offering the opportunity for training, networking and competing. The next two to take place are On Art Event (Spain, 17 – 19 February) and BACI 2017 (Italy, 23 – 26 April).

Organised by Globofiesta Party, On Art Event is a three-day décor and twisting event with top level international instructors, hands-on classes, competitions and even an awards ceremony.

BACI 2017 (or Balloon Arts Convention Italy) is organised by Balloon Express Italy and is one of the important balloon events in Europe. Broken down into three sections, the timetable includes a sculpture competition, a CBA exam, other competitions, general classes and an opening party. The teachers include Alberto Falcone, Alberto Nava, Alessandro Patanè, Barbara Biagioni, Enza Mondello, Federico Onida, Josè Luthman, Luc Bertrand, Olga Baranova, Olga Samoilova and Sue Bowler.

For more information or to book either event, please visit www. thequalatexevent.com Below: Education is key for Qualatex.

and turban and the 'sexy burka', which needs no description. Both of these have now been removed from sale following complaints.

However, many of the costumes which have come under fire this year have not intended to court controversy at all – such as the Disney costume for Maui, a character from the current Moana film, which was widely deemed to be inappropriate. Disney apologised immediately and withdrew the costume from sale.

Objecting to cultural appropriation – where a culture’s identity is trivialised, particularly in a costume – is by no means a new development in the party industry, but is increasing, driven in part by the speed and nature of social media communication.

Get In The Ring Floyd 'Money' Mayweather jr. know hows to look good inside the ring – and is obviously pretty impressive out of the ring as well, as seen here in OppoSuits fabulous Cashanova suit.

Floyd tweeted the picture on his Instagram page, saying: 'This Halloween costume speaks for itself, "Money Man".'

Below: All about the dollar.

Left: The children's costume for Maui was met with outrage because it featured a full-body suit with brown skin, traditional tattoos and grass skirt.

EBPC AGM Date Set All members of the European Balloon and Party Council will receive an invite to the annual AGM in Nuremberg. The date for the AGM has been set for Friday 3 February 2017.

Members are kindly requested to pencil this date into your diaries to ensure you do not miss out on updates and developments of the projects the EBPC has been working on.

Costumes On The Continent

Above: Fun in the sun!

The resort of Benidorm on Spain's Costa Blanca has become synonymous with Brits abroad having fun in the sun, and now they even have their own special day.

British Fancy Dress Day is held every year on the day after the Benidorm fiestas. The tradition first started more than 20 years ago when free drinks were offered to anyone in costume. This year, on 17 November, around 40,000 people (mostly British ex-pats living in Spain and tourists visiting the Costa Blanca resorts) paraded through the streets in costumes.

Tourist website Benidorm All Round posted on its website: “Benidorm did it again, seeing thousands turn out for the annual British Fancy Dress Day, which always takes place the day after the official Benidorm fiesta ends. The variety of costumes on display was incredible and lots of thought and effort had obviously gone into them, with many themed groups.”

This year saw a number of Honey Gs taking their place alongside the more typical costumes which included men in drag and women in body paint.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016 PROGRESSIVE PARTY EUROPE

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The Jester Says

THE JESTER SAYS

One Size Fits All Writing freely, from behind a magical cloak of confidentiality, The Jester draws on an entire lifetime of party experience to bring us controversial opinions, interesting viewpoints and all the latest industry gossip, fresh from the grapevine...

“F

ollowing a recent request to attend a fancy dress party, I was forced to see costumes from the other side of the counter for a change. It was a lot of fun, but it also made me realise that ‘one size fits all’ is a statement that should never be printed on any fancy dress packaging!

“

”

Right: Cheap tie-up backs are better suited to hospital gowns than to £60 costumes.

PEOPLE POWER “On 23 June 2016 and again on the 8 November the people spoke. Contrary to all expectations, the sun came up the next day and the sky did not fall in.

What I did notice on these occasions was that politicians were not listening to what the public wanted. This may be a very hard lesson to learn, but it is also true of retail. If we do not listen to our customers and watch for trends, then they may do something unexpected and shop elsewhere. Maybe we should take this as a sign, we must be more in touch with our customers otherwise we may end up like Woolworths, C&A or BHS – just a footnote in the history of retail.”

Above: Should costumes leave the all-in-ones to the kids?

that I have seen try to address any of these problems is Wicked Costumes; maybe some other suppliers could take a leaf from their book?

While I am busy upsetting all costume suppliers I have one more point to annoy them with; where are all the zips?! A few years ago, when lots of costumes retailed at less than £9.99, I was happy with tie backs, no flys in trousers and the all-in-one jumpsuit style costume. Now a lot of costumes can retail – at more than £50. I am not sure that this is acceptable any more. The only gown that should tie up at the back is a hospital gown and even then it ruins your dignity!

If we can buy a pair of trousers in a high-street stores for less than £10 with a fly zip and a jacket with a zip-up front for a few pence more, why do fancy dress costumes still have no trouser fly and tieup backs and yet they sell for over £60?

I think that I have picked on costume suppliers enough for one month, so we’ll leave that there for now. And just in case you wondered, the only costume I could fit into was a pumpkin – which may have something to do with this whole campaign!

“

Following a recent request to attend a interpretation of the various sizes. If there fancy dress party, I was forced to see was some continuity between suppliers costumes from the other side of the we could have a poster instore helping counter for a change. It was a lot of fun, customers make an informed choice. but it also made me realise that ‘one size Another great problem with this type fits all’ is a statement that should never of sizing is that the average size of a UK be printed on any fancy dress packaging! women is now a size 16, but to some Now before everyone gets very excited, suppliers that is an extra large. While I am simply saying that such a broad term some may be happy to be called ‘extra does not help the customer in deciding if large’, others will find this insulting and the outfit will fit without trying it on. I it may ultimately put them off from am a large purchasing which the item.

I know that suppliers will argue that means We also they provide size charts in all their that really, have another it will problem; catalogues, but who does this benefit? never be as people appropriate for me to try on a are increasing in size, stopping at extra costume that states one size fits all. large may not be large enough! The Maybe its time that the industry had usual size of extra large for a male fancy a hard look at the way that fancy dress dress costume is a 46” - 48” (many costumes are sized in general? The of my friends are larger than that!) only thing that I buy in extra large is and an extra large ladies is a 16 – 18 a t-shirt. If somebody wants trousers, (many women that want to dress up they are able to choose waist size and are larger than that). The only supplier leg measurement, while jackets and shirts are chosen by collar or chest size. Skirt and dresses have generally recognised sizing as well – so why do we insist on using small to extra large as our sizing chart?

I know that suppliers will argue that they provide size charts in all their catalogues, but who does this benefit? Yes, it’s great for websites, but does it really help bricks and mortar stores? I have also noted that nearly every supplier has a slightly different

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016 PROGRESSIVE PARTY EUROPE

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* Spielwarenmesse, Nuremberg

* Spring Fair

International, Birmingham

To book an appointment with the PPE team at the upcoming shows, please drop us a line: robw@max-publishing.co.uk jacquip@max-publishing.co.uk

13/12/2016 11:07

The BAPIA Boost

Reaching Retail Success John Bowler has been part of the party industry for more years than he cares to remember! John currently runs the Balloon And Party Industry Alliance (or BAPIA) and can be contacted on info@bapiaonline.com.

The secret to retail success is that there is no secret. In fact, achieving retail success is more about the steps you take to set up your business. It’s a common guideline that the more time you take to set up and define your plans, the better prepared you will be to handle daily operations, customers and growth.

Some of these tips probably won’t come as surprise, but they are all necessary – shortcuts never prove successful.

If you’re already up and running but are worried about the future stability of your business, look through this list and decide where you can take a couple of steps back. Sometimes a fresh perspective and some new information is all you need to get started in the right direction.”

1. Define Goals

“Know what you want to achieve and write these goals down.

Psychologists have found that people are 42% more likely to achieve their goals when they put them in writing. When times get hard and you are unsure of your future, revisit these goals. Consider hanging them in your office or in a spot where you will see them (and be reminded of them) often.”

2. Decide A Unique Selling Proposition “Start with the facts. What makes your shop different? How is your product unique? Once you’re able to answer these questions, then say it in a way that is succinct yet informative. Use words like only, unique, largest or exclusive. Your USP needs to make you different!”

3. Identify Ideal Customer

“Who do you want to buy your product? What makes this customer ideal? What traits are common to all of

The Balloon And Party Industry Alliance, or BAPIA as it’s more commonly known, is designed to work for the party industry to promote the benefits of using industry professionals and to bring significant benefits to our members.

BAPIA is a member of the European Balloon and Party Council (EBPC) and keeps members updated on the latest news, including the most recent initiative – the Code Of Best Practice for balloon retailers and professionals.

You can read more about this in BAPIA’s latest quarterly newsletter.

Mailed directly to members, John is happy to send a copy of the latest edition to interested parties – simply email him at info@bapiaonline.com.

your customers (age, sex, geographical location, income etc)? If it helps, develop three to five personas that are your ideal customers. Make up information about these people that will help you identify their commonalities.”

4. Choose Location

“When establishing your location, make sure to think about where your ideal customer shops BEFORE you sign on the dotted line. Location is often one of the biggest drivers in a retail business. Try to identify other shops that attract your ideal customers.”

5. Implement Pricing and Promotional Policy

“How much is your product going to cost?

What value can you add to make sure you can achieve top prices?

Form a pricing strategy for your products and services. If you Above: Write your will be doing some goals down to remind marketing, base your yourself of them often. budget on percentages of your income rather than hard numbers and stick to it.”

8. Create A Theme

“Having themes and varying the message shared with customers will pique their interest and make them want to keep coming back. Things to change often include the music, the window display and your social media communications.”

6. Design Customer Engagement Processes

“How do you plan to communicate with your customers? The selling process is no longer a one-way street. Sometimes it can be hard to hear the truth, but you have to be willing to listen to your customers and their needs in order to grow.”

7. Keeping Shelves Stocked

9. Planning and Controlling Business

“If you want to compete with other shops in your category, you’ve got to have product to sell. Set up processes to manage your inventory and make sure you are reordering the right product at the right times.”

BAPIA was created to work with its members, supporting growth and developing benefits – such as AVIVA’s fantastic business support website – which help the industry grow in a sustainable way. For more information or a copy of the latest newsletter please visit www.bapiaonline.com.

“Always have a plan. You never know when crisis is going to strike, so be prepared with a business continuity plan for your staff, your financials, your equipment and your inventory.”

10. Setting Up An Effective Back Office “Make sure to train your staff so the business can continue making money when you are away from the shop.

Make sure your second-in-command knows where everything is, including your business continuity plan and how to access you in case of an emergency.

“

R “

What Is BAPIA?

ecent queries from BAPIA members have included questions about how best to set up retail shops.With that in mind, John takes this opportunity to share his ‘Ten Top Tips’ for retail success.

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Cardboard Character Masks Available Now!

It’s Time To Go Rogue…

The new adult costume range from Rubie’s is now available +44 (0) 8453 070707 www.rubiesuk.com

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■ Going Rogue

An exciting new range of Animal Jam cards and wrap and partyware from Gemma International has been announced. Created in partnership with National Geographic, it has over 3 million UK subscribers and has been gaining traction across all channels with a huge range of licensed product. Orders are being taken now for early 2017.

With a starring role in the Rogue One: A Star Wars Story trailer, droid K-2SO is expected to be a popular character when the latest film in the popular franchise opens on December 16 2016.

The brand new licensed costume and accessories range from Rubie’s features the droid as well as other leading characters such as Jyn Erso.

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Progressive Party rounds up the latest licensed releases.

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Licensed to Party Spring Fair

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■ Adventure Awaits Disney’s latest adventure stars spirited teenager Moana who sails out on a mission to prove herself. The partyware range from Pioneer Europe includes Bubble and latex balloons as well as a complete partyware collection (the latter is only available in the UK market).

Product is ready to ship now.

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■ Hanging

■ Freak Show

■ Mario Party

Honeycombs

These incredible latex overhead masks – created by Trick or Treat Studios and bought to the UK and Europe by Palmer Agencies – feature Gizmo and Stripe, two of the classic characters from the 80s Gremlins movie franchise. Perfect worn as part of a couple or on their own, the masks are ideal for causing latenight chaos!

An increased uptake is expected on the Gemma International’s Super Mario collection following Nintendo’s recent launch of the mobile game ‘Super Mario Run’. The most famous Italian plumber in the world has been a big hit for Gemma, which has licensed cards, wrap and partyware (plates, cups, napkins, banners).

Amscan has added some exciting new licensed options to its honeycomb decoration offering. The new lines includes popular kids properties such as Spider-Man, My Little Pony and Paw Patrol, Frozen and Avengers, all of which are now available to order. New generic and licensed designs will be coming soon for 2017.

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NEW LOCATION Hall 3 C30

Hall 9F89

The Early Bird * Catches the Worm

*10% Discount will be applied to all orders placed over £1,000 at Spring Fair & Spielwarenmesse 2017.

This promotion cannot be used in conjunction with other discounts. Orders for delivery at any time in 2017.

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+44 (0) 28 9064 5655 palmeragencies.com @palmeragencies 13/12/2016 09:46

What’s New?

What’s New?

New products don’t come much better than this...

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Feeling Blue

Introduced in response to popular consumer demand, Pioneer Europe will be bringing these Qualatex Blue Sparkle Milestone Bubbles to market in 2017.

The stylish new designs, which are ideal for all celebrations and occasions, will be available to ship in January 2017. Preorders can be placed now.

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Character Crazy

Get a head start on Book Week 2017 with Amscan’s new collection of children’s costumes and accessories. A fantastic array of popular themes is on offer to inspire children of all ages, with outfits offering a host of options such as fairytale, career, adventure, historic and many more.

■

What A Card!

The latest exciting new product offering from Bristol Novelty showcases more of Forum Novelties’ 2016 – 2017 range.

These fantastic couples costumes feature the King and Queen of Hearts and are perfect for a number of different themes, from casino and games nights through to Alice in Wonderland.

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Ready, Set, Glow!

Following a number of customer requests, Pam’s is pleased to be stocking the Paintglow face paint sticks range. Available in 24 colours, these glow-in-the-dark face paint sticks are another addition to the ever-growing – and increasingly popular – Paintglow range at Pam’s.

New value ranges from Creative Party offer consumers a simple and affordable option for pulling a party together.

‘Celebrations’ comprises four great quality designs, including Polka Dot Birthday, Pink Princess, Forest Friends and Fun Monkey. The ranges come with real budget price points and are available to pre-order for January delivery.

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Cool Collection

A series of themed collections from Simon Elvin have been launched for 2017, covering a range of products such as party invites, foil balloons, wall banners, gift bags, loot bags and badges. The themes cover everything from kid’s designs through to milestone ages. The latter includes wine and beer glasses as well as matching mugs.

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NEW

exclusive licence by toutatis! here we come!

CHAKS 3 rue Martin Hilti 68140 Munster - France Tel : +33 (0)3 89 21 65 50 . E-mail : info@chaks.fr . Website : www.chaks.fr Much more to discover in theme decorations and costumes, contact us !

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What’s New?

What’s New In Europe?

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■

Go Girl!

Closing this year with a bang, OppoSuits has expanded its collection to include skirt suits so everyone can join in with the fun, whatever their persuasion! The skirt suit includes classic designs such as Miss Rudolph (pictured), Christmiss, Lumberjackie, Miss Testival and Lady Jag.

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Pippi Comes To Life

Looking for something a bit different? Then it’s time for an international shopping spree!

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Roll Up, Roll Up!

■

One of Leg Avenue’s most popular costumesfrom its newest collection, is this ravishing ring master. This stunning costume has an unique design and perfect fit, with close attention paid to the fine detailing. The outfit includes the dress and hat (headband), and can be worn over a petticoat.

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A very special debut for Astrid Lindgren fans both young and grown-up, as maskworld.com releases its first ever licensed line; the official Pippi Longstocking costume. Based on the 1970s world-famous film version, the colourful costume (including wig) is available in both adult and child sizes.

Essential Extras

Glowing LED balloons are a popular choice for evening celebrations, and Godan has introduced a gold and silver collection, perfect for those New Year’s Eve midnight chimes. These complement Godan’s other NYE items, such as 11” latex message balloons, novelty hats and other fun accessories.

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This year has seen an impressive selection of new costumes and accessories being added into Thetru’s dress-up collection. These colourful outfits – in both male and female designs – borrow heavily from 60s fashion and are perfect for customers looking for something a little different.

Steampunk Kids

The steampunk fashion subgenre borrows heavily from both the sci-fi and Victoriana worlds, and has been popular as an adult costume choice for some time. The designers at Magic By Freddy’s have taken this grown-up trend and turned it into a fun and flamboyant children’s dress-up collection.

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H&P Expo 2017

PREPARING

To Party It might feel like the the cobwebs have only just been taken down, but plans for next year’s Halloween are already being put in place. As the most important season in the party calendar it’s essential that trends are identified early, and so retailers, agents and distributors from across the world are preparing to travel to New Orleans for the world’s biggest dedicated party trade show. PPE spoke to Urban Expositions’ senior vice president of specialty shows Mike Carlucci to find out more.

T

he Halloween & Party Expo, taking place from 14 - 17 January 2017 in New Orleans, is wellknown for being the most comprehensive event in the industry and the 2017 show is shaping up to be the best so far.

In addition to the 350+ international exhibitors showcasing thousands of the newest products and trends for the industry - and, of course, the party to beat all parties - H&P Expo has announced that it will also be holding the Independent Retailer Conference for the second year running. The show is also teaming up with the independent buying group Party Club of America (PCA) which will be holding its annual event at the same time, further aligning the industry and providing a strong Left: An exhibitor at last years H&P Expo comes face to hand with a gruesome prop.

Popular Picks “Licensed products are always popular, from children’s costumes to adults. We’ve seen some impressive unique products in the costume accessories area which have been very popular with buyers and I expect these to be big again in 2017 as the DIY side of the industry is growing.”

Mike Carlucci, senior vice president of specialty shows, Urban Expositions

Industry Insight

platform for both retailers and suppliers.

“Halloween & Party Expo is the comprehensive event for Halloween & Party in North America,” Mike told PPE. “Each year suppliers both domestic and international gather together to launch their new products for the upcoming Halloween season. The event vibe is very much celebratory – it’s seeing who’s who in the industry, making connections to grow your business. And what better place to be than in the heart of carnival in New Orleans?”

The event is the only B2B Halloween and party event supporting the $8.4 billion Halloween industry in the U.S., and buyers in attendance represent a whole variety of buying platforms, ranging from independent and specialty retailers to discount stores as well as online and big box retailers. Exhibitors can also expect to see interest from buyers as varied as amusement parks, zoos, grocers and drug stores.

The exhibitors themselves are a varied bunch too, as Mike explains. “From a product perspective, the exhibitor mix is an eclectic one.

The mix is wide-reaching and the offers buyers the perfect combination of curated Halloween and year-round party.”

On the Halloween side, buyers can find all the latest costumes for adults, children, licensed costumes, tween, teens and even pets. “Accessories have been a growth area for the show,” said Mike, “with everything from masks to wigs, to the all-important

Because the H&P Expo is supported by the Halloween Industry Association (HIA) it is able to focus on the industry and on elevating the marketplace as a whole. Additional support for leading associations such as Party Club of America (PCA), Paper First Affiliates (PFA) and National Costumers Association (NCA) truly make H&P Expo the central meeting place for the party industry.

Above and right: The H&P Expo attracts over 2,500 buyers from all around the world.

add-ons which can be used to accessorise and personalise a costume. Make-up and make-up accessories of all kinds can be also found on the show floor, while props and décor has been a real growth area for the show in recent years as outdoor products and special effects are becoming more important to our buyers.”

“The party side of the event offers buyers all they need for their seasonal party supplies,” said Mike, “from partyware, paper products, novelties and balloons. This year the Party Club of America has co-located with Halloween Party Expo to hold their annual sourcing event just prior to the opening of the

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H&P Expo 2017

Mike’s Top Five Top Five New Exhibitors: ■ Glowy Zoey ■ Paintglow ■ Horrornaments ■ Everbright Trading ■ Kryolan Top Five Returning Exhibitors: ■ Unique Industries ■ Creative Converting ■ Beistle ■ Pioneer Balloon ■ Mayflower Distributing show, so there’s a lot of added benefit from that partnership as well!”

With all that in mind, are there any exhibitors which Mike would highlight as bringing something a bit special to the show? “Oh, absolutely. In all honesty, there are so many it’s difficult to choose!

Although seeing the new products from Rubies, Fun World, Disguise, California Costumes, Funny Fashion and Elope is always a show stopper.”

“This year Dreamgirl is one stand I am especially excited to see,” he continued.

“They are bringing their fashions to the runway in a really exciting new way that I know will be a can’t miss destination for buyers. I’m also really looking forward to seeing Tinsley Transfers with their tattoos and make-up effects, Mehron with their body paint and make-up and

Left: Dress-up and costumes are central to H&P Expo.

Liquid Latex, who host demos in their booths that are truly transforming and trend-setting.”

Does Mike have a favourite part of the show? Or an area he would you advise visitors not to miss?

“There really are so many to choose from,” he said. “The Haunted Trends Runway is a new experiential area of the show, and is something H&P Expo visitors had asked for in order to help them see how the costumes work on real people. It allows the exhibitors who are participating to create a complete branded area - it’s a unique opportunity to showcase their brand and their newest products in a fun and interactive way. But what I like best really is seeing how our visitors interact with the show. This is such a fun industry and the connections they make here help them move their business forward.”

With all this in mind, why should retailers and buyers make the journey from the UK? Because the event is in North America it is truly international and provides UK buyers with the opportunity to connect with international suppliers while also previewing and purchasing products for the 2017 season and learning new ideas in

Above: Some 91% of buyers attend to seek out new product.

Left: Key trends are a focus.

retailing. Coupled with the growth of the Halloween industry in the UK this is where buyers can see the trends in the industry.

“While it’s not always easy to step out and leave your store for any length of time, it’s a good opportunity to recalibrate by seeing products in a new environments,” said Mike. “This is an event dedicated to the industry of Halloween, party and celebration and if you are in this business you can’t afford to miss it! Plus of course the destination city of New Orleans offers something for everyone.”

For more information and to register for the buying trip of a lifetime, visit www.halloweenpartyexpo.

Above: The Runway promises a high-energy costuming display, not to be missed!

Don’t Miss!

The Independent Retailer Conference is a great place for retailers to stop by and pick-up some new ideas in the quick 15min show floor sessions. This conference is designed for the unique lifestyle and responsibilities of independent retailers and aims to support both online and offline stores in gaining expert news, education and support through a variety of educational sessions from top retail leaders and experts. The impressive 2017 lineup includes industry experts from Kizer & Bender Speaking, Yelp, Square, Refund Retriever, RMSA and SellerActive.

The Haunted Trends Runway and Lounge is a new area in the middle of the show. It will be the place to be for visitors looking to see the hottest products the industry has to offer.

The runway will allow exhibitors and brands to their latest products on live models throughout the show. The lounge environment also provides the creature comforts visitors crave, offering lounge seating, wifi, charging stations and even a cash bar! The runway itself will be taking place throughout the day from Saturday

– Monday and is a perfect place to take a break while also catching a glimpse of the products that are set to be the next big thing for 2017.

The Brewing Boos & Booze Costume Party is coming back this year! This is a night of networking and celebration for the industry, all in costume, naturally. This year’s party will be held at Generations Hall on Saturday evening, and is the perfect place to network, dance and celebrate the industry.

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H&P Expo 2017

Who’s

At

Scarecrow

The Show

With over 350 exhibitors at the 2017 Halloween & Party Expo, there’s plenty of fabulous new party product, while a range of exclusive discounts and special offers for orders placed at the show will save international buyers both time and money.

The varied exhibitor list represents a diverse range of categories, such as: costumes (of all types), party goods, masks, novelties, sexy costumes and lingerie, costume accessories, christmas merchandise, costume kits, makeup, body paint, latex paint and make-up appliances, decorations and haunted house props – and more!

Here are a few choice highlights...

Mullet On The Go

Booth 2810 The Mullet On The Go is a collection of novelty mullet headband wigs.

Fully patented and one-of-a-kind, the booth promises to show a wide variety of mullets, wigs, moustache sets and party accessories.

“This will be our fifth H&P Expo,” said president Morgan Simpson. “We’re looking forward to visiting with our loyal retailers and establishing new partnerships.”

Both show specials and fun times are promised to draw in any interested buyers – and as the Mullet On The Go team say; “It’s hair on a headband, sucka!”

Below: Brand new style, The Lucky Charm, will be available from January 2017.

Booth 219 Scarecrow Vampire Fangs was the first company to design high-end, customfitting vampire fangs, and has been focusing on realism and wearability since 1993. The patented dentalquality customising kit stands apart from all other brands for its easy-use, allinclusive moulding process which promises a superior fit and unsurpassed realism.

Scarecrow continues to push the boundaries of vampire fang design, offering seven unique tooth cap shapes in 17 different styles and finishes.

For over 20 years, Scarecrow has been the most widely recognised fang brand around the world, and is the standard of excellence for any store.

Above: Scarecrow’s most popular styles include Scarecrow Small, Deluxe Custom Fangs (pictured) and Classic Custom Deluxe Fangs.

Under Wraps

Booth 2637, 2737 Underwraps Costumes is a leader in the US Halloween industry, and has has established itself as a benchmark for quality and value with a product line of over 1200 styles in both adult and child designs.

“At Underwraps Costumes, our goal is to design and manufacture with the Halloween retailer in mind,” said vice president Irene Shaffa. “We connect with our stores and create the quality our customers demand and have come to expect from us. Our goal is to make and design costumes that can be sold year-after-year.”

Well-known for its distinctive use of unique fabrics as well as versatile trims, Underwraps Costumes thinks ‘outside of the box’ when it comes to design. The introduction of hand-beading and handembroidery have ensured the company is able to offer a product which is rich in design, with a unique perspective on what is new and exciting in the world of fashion.

Camden Passage

Booth 1628 Camden is the source for theatrical and cosmetic eye accessories. Customers are able to add a dramatic effect for Halloween, special occasion or a night out with these popular accessories. A highvalue, low space product, these accessories can really help elevate sales figures.

A great selection of colour as well as crazy designs, and great service, make Camden Passage a natural place for all cosmetic eye accessory needs.

All Camden Passage products are made in the UK or USA to high quality specifications, and Camden promotes safe and legal eye accessory retailing. Countertop display cases and POS material are available.

Below: Underwraps Costumes produce costumes with the specialty party and Halloween retailer in mind.

Above:Camden Passage ships worldwide from its Canadian and USA warehouses.

It’s An Education The Halloween & Party Expo also provides education and demo sessions across all four days of the show.

Everyone is welcome to attend, and there is no cost to attend the seminars, which are produced and provided by the Independent Retailer Conference.

All seminars are held directly on the exhibit floor of the Halloween &

Party Expo. They are quick, 15-minute pop-up sessions that help to balance retail education with time spent with exhibitors on the floor.

Seminars also offer a daily Power Hour, offering an in-depth look at today’s hottest retail topics, as well as providing valuable access to experts, who buyers can learn from and connect with.

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FEEDBACK

A Year In Party Whatever you might think of 2016, there is no doubt that it’s been a tumultuous year and the last 12 months have certainly kept the retail industry on its toes. From Brexit (does anyone know what it really means yet?) to President Elect Trump, the news has rarely been so unfailingly dramatic.

But while the nation’s shopkeepers might be giving a collective sigh of relief as the retail market shows tentative signs of returning to normal behaviour over the Christmas period, there’s no guarantee that trend will continue.

And so, as the final few weeks of 2016 draw to a close, Progressive Party has asked some of your favourite suppliers to look back and share the highlights of their last year in party....

Joyce Mallow marketing and communication, Leg Avenue How do you think the party industry has fared over the last 12 months?

“The spend-rise for Halloween costumes has risen significantly in Europe, and so has the party industry Joyce Mallow grown. 2016 was an excellent year for Leg Avenue, this year’s collections were very popular and quite some styles sold out in an eyeblink.”

What has been your business highlight of 2016 and why?

“The overall highlight must have been Halloween of course, no doubt.

The period towards this event was very busy, in a good way.

We’ve invested a lot in the ordering process and the improvement of our logistics. We even expanded our warehouse capacity by building extra floors. This investment made this year’s sales go smoothly. Leg Avenue has grown as a company and we intend to do grow some more next year.”

What are your hopes and expectations for the party market in general next year?

“At Leg Avenue, we expect that the spend rise trend of this year’s Halloween will grow even bigger next year. The party market seems unstoppable.The Halloween madness will be noticeable throughout Europe, even more than it has been in other years.”

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Sergio Battaner marketing director, Palmer Agencies How do you think the party industry has fared over the last 12 months?

“Resilient and reinventing itself. Whilst there has not been any major boosts during the year (bar a bit of Olympic fever), retailers have been making ends meets and anticipating the big sales season of Halloween.”

Sergio Battaner

What has been your business highlight of 2016 and why?

“Clowns… When we selected the 2016 range we knew clowns were going to be big… We invested heavily in nine new clown costumes for adult and children and about ten new masks and other accessories and make up.

Although many lines were sold out by the time the Clown-mania (Coulrophobia) exploded, savvy customers availed of great products. The lowlight is Brexit and the side-effects it is going to bring to market.”

What is your personal party highlight of 2016?

“It has been a very busy year for me. I may actually move closer to an airport as I seem to be flying places more often than not!”

Inset: Killer Clowns made the headlines in 2016.

Can you sum up 2016 in three words?

“Managing. Challenging. Fun.” Best new party product of 2016 and why?

“For us, it is the addition of the Trick or Treat licensed masks with great characters from Game of Thrones, Gremlins, Halloween/Michael Myers, America Horror Story…”

What are your hopes and expectations for the party market in general next year?

“In what seems to be a fairly uncertain year 2017, both importers and retailers will need to tread carefully and work tirelessly to be ahead of the curve.”

Can you reveal any of your plans for 2017?

“All will be revealed at Spring Fair Hall 3 Stand C30. And trust me when I say it will be awesome!”

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Feedback

Emma Angel director, Angels Fancy Dress

Emma Angel

How do you think the party industry has fared over the last 12 months?

“People are becoming more excited about dressing up for their parties than ever. With people going all out for festivals, Pride events and of course, Halloween, this year has been a great success for the party industry. Halloween spending was at an all-time high.”

What has been your business highlight of 2016 and why?

“Halloween was, as always, our highlight of the business year. It’s by far the most popular time of year for everyone to enjoy dressing up, being silly and a bit scary.

Being creative with horror costumes was especially prevalent this year, and customers were choosing outfits not usually associated with the creepy season. The popularity of Suicide Squad costumes, especially Harley Quinn, was a huge highlight for our London store this Halloween.”

Carl Taylor sales director, Pam’s “2016 has been a challenging year and we have found that as wholesalers we have to work harder for the trade that is available to compete with the high Carl Taylor street giants and supermarkets.

In 2017 we will keep pushing forward in this challenging market, striving for better prices and products and to support the independent retailers, keeping a positive mind throughout.”

Inset: Book Week got the year off to a great start.

What is your personal party highlight of 2016?

“Book Week was an excellent example of people getting involved in the party spirit, as both children and adults really enjoy themselves and go all out with their costumes and accessories.”

Can you sum up 2016 in three words?

“Fun, exciting and interesting!”

Best new party product of 2016 and why?

“Rasta Imposta always have brilliantly fun party products, and this year we’ve loved their Hoopster costumes. The novelty men’s costumes such as Cinderfella have also been a great seller, as they are great for stag parties.”

What are your hopes and expectations for the party market in general next year?

“We hope to carry on seeing the increased popularity of events such as Halloween and Book Week and for customers to keep enjoying the party seasons as much as they are now.”

Can you reveal any of your plans for 2017?

“We can’t reveal anything just yet, but watch this space for new and exciting things in 2017!”

Inset: The referendum result: Brexit means Brexit!

Below: Everyone is working harder to compete with the larger retail chains.

Alice Knight sales and marketing, Fun Shack “Fun Shack has had a great 12 months trading in 2016, despite it being quite a tough year for the party industry as we all faced the challenges that came with the Alice Knight Brexit result.

We are looking forward to continuing this success into next year and beyond, excited for the upcoming release of our innovative and creative new lines and seasonal collections throughout 2017, beginning with showcasing our new designs in Nuremburg at Spielwarenmesse at the end of January.

We are not going to reveal our new items yet, but suffice to say that the design team has been very busy!”

Gary Vincent, business development manager “Halloween 2016 proved to be very successful for Bristol Novelty this year, considering the number of very unexpected factors – Brexit, the unsavoury Clown situation on social media, Monday Halloween to name but a few!

Sales were strong in certain new products Gary Vincent ranges, like the Forum Novelties Day of the Day range. Traditional core lines again were stronger this year, which follows feedback that no real theme developed for this year’s Halloween. Is this trend going to continue, as more people opt for ‘regular’ costumes? Perhaps the UK will continue to follow the trends of the US with

more non-scary dress-up, home parties and Halloween décor.

The big surprise this year was how flat the last week was – there were no top-up orders or customers panic-buying high consumable products such as blood and make-up on the last days before Halloween. Perhaps more customers bought on the net this year, rather than making last minute purchases in retail shops? This was compounded by the fact that certain suppliers slashed prices on key lines, which of course can only harm in the industry in the long term.

It’s not great secret that Halloween 2016 for retailers came in well below expections, especially in comparison to the highs of the previous year. This will no doubt have some ramifications for next year’s Halloween across the whole of the industry.”

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Carnival and Mardi Gras

The word ‘carnival’ can conjure up a number of different images – but whether it’s Rio de Janerio’s half-naked dancers with colourful headpieces or the Renaissance-themed dresses, powdered wigs and masks of the Venetian carnival; there’s no doubt that carnival really means just one thing; party!

Above: The colourful Rio de Janeiro carnival is the biggest in the world.

Carnival Time S IT’S

o much more than just a few days of parades, Carnival refers to the whole festive season, generally occuring in the run-up to Lent. Mardi Gras and carnival have brought celebration, colour and vibrancy to many European and American streets for centuries and recent years have seen these festivals making their way to the UK, either in their own right or as a theme for other celebrations.

Carnival typically involves a number of public celebrations or parades combining the various elements of a circus, a masked ball and a public street party. Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro carnival is widely considered to be the world’s largest, with approximately two million people taking part in the festivities each day.

Traditionally a Catholic event, carnival was originally a food festival, marking the last opportunity to feast before the 40 days of Lent (a sixweek period of frugality before Easter). Some of the best-known traditions, including carnival parades and masquerade balls were first recorded in medieval Italy. From there, traditions spread to the Catholic nations of Spain, Portugal, and France

Above: Masks are a popular motif, as this 38” foil balloon from Qualatex shows.

Right: Mardi Gras Masks range from Creative Party includes tableware and décor.

Right: The show-stopping Miranda costume from Widmann.

before Catholic colonisation bought it to the Caribbean, Latin America and the Americas.

“After the rush of Christmas and New Year and after the sales have all sold out, here at Pam’s we start to focus on the Spring events during the early part of the year,” explained sales director Carl Taylor.

“One of the biggest events for us now is the carnival season and Mardi Gras. We tend to find most retailers focus on the main colours of Mardi Gras – gold, purple and green – and we stock a large range of party supplies including balloons, tableware and decorations in these colours.”

By simply choosing plain coloured party supplies to match the theme, Carl points out that if carnival fever does not take off in a particular area as predicted, then retailers don’t have to carry out of date stock and can ‘recycle’ the products for another occasion or theme.

“Mardi Gras really gets moving at the end of February so our stock will start to be available late December/early January,” said Carl. “We’ll also have plenty of brightly coloured and unusual masquerade masks that will bring a fun-filled carnival atmosphere to any party.”

Indeed, those masqerade masks are so integral to the carnival scene that they are used as a motif for other carnival-related décor. “Our ‘Mardi

The Italian Perspective

“Across Europe, people are preparing for one of the largest celebrations of the year; one which is growing in popularity, rather rapidly. Yes, it’s carnival and Mardi Gras, where people parade through the streets, amidst music and festivities.

We stock a tremendous number of carnival accessories and are pleased to say that they are highly desirable all year round. Retailers seem to gravitate toward our range of feather headdresses from Widmann and in particular, our Rio, Brazilian and Columbian styles. Being of premium quality with varying hues of bright colours and adorned with sequins, they are sure to make any carnival-goer stand out in the crowd.

Another favourite, which we believe will continue to be a great seller, is our Miranda costume. Wearers can’t help but strut around like a magnificent peacock, dressed in bright yellow and with a fruit basket atop your head, this is an eye-catching costume that is sure to attract attention. Retailers expecting to get involved in the fun and festivities of the carnival will not be disappointed by our extensive line-up.”

Anna Solly, director, Sancto International

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Carnival and Mardi Gras

Right: The UK’s Notting Hill carnival takes place at the end of August each summer. Below: Elaborate eye masks, like this feathered version from Fun Shack, are hugely popular.

Carnival Crazy “One of the biggest celebrations to take place right across Europe, the carnival and Mardi Gras market is growing every year,” points out Emma Angel, director at Angels Fancy Dress.

“Despite having no fixed date, it’s big business for party retailers, with elaborate costumes and extravagant décor, props and accessories making it a real celebration. This is the perfect opportunity for retailers to sell accessories, such as UV face paints and masquerade masks, as partygoers fully engage with the carnival atmosphere.”

Emma gives a nod to Face Lace masks, which have been popular so far this year and which she expects to keep growing in popularity. “They are perfect for those who want something a little more extravagant!”

Gras Masks’ tableware collection is a trendy theme that stems from carnival’s rising popularity right across Europe,” said Creative Party’s marketing manager Holly Forder. “With a nod to the tradition of celebrating in masks and costumes, this range features fun, stylish and bright colours of purple, green and gold jewel-tones, setting the tone for any carnival décor.”

Holly is also quick to point out that by stocking co-ordinated solid bright coloured tableware which can be sold all year round as an addition to any party throughout the season, retailers will be able to avoid overstock during seasonal times.

Qualatex has also released a new 38” Mardi Gras mask microfoil balloon specifically for this market. “We have seen more interest for balloons across this category recently,” said marketing

communications manager Anna Hickman CBA. “The biggest carnival markets in Europe are Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Sweden. Interest in the UK is more from Mardi Grasthemed birthdays and New Year’s Eve parties, which do seem to be growing.”

Bristol Novelty’s business development manager Gary Vincent agrees that carnival offers a great deal of currently untapped potential.

“The European carnival season offers the UK party industry another huge growth opportunity,” he said.

“Traditional costumes and novelty style costumes are always a big hit. With more suppliers sourcing carnival style products and significant advances in product accessibility via e-commerce sellers, carnival season is full of untapped potential for UK party industry.”

Not everyone is quite so convinced that carnival has reached the

UK just yet, although Mark Brett, UK agent for Boland, predicts it is just round the corner. “I am not sure that carnival is making an impact on UK party retailers just yet, though I think it will come. However, for online operators it started to get very big in 2016. I think with the devaluation of sterling that 2017 could see a big leap forward as European consumers look to the UK for competitive pricing thanks to the strength of the Euro.”

So as these carnival and Mardi Gras celebrations continue to become more popular each year, costumes, décor and other add-ons are also becoming increasingly elaborate.

For the party industry, this is one event which is firmly all about celebration. The bigger the better!

Left: A classic skimpy carnival costume from New Temptations. Far left: Rasta Imposta’s range of fairy tale-themed drag dresses are elaborate and fun, making them perfect for carnival season.

Inset: The Venice Carnival is famed for its elaborate costumes and masks.

Carnival FeveR

Carnival – Rio de Janeiro, Brazil An estimated two million people turn out on Rio’s streets every day of the four-day carnival to watch performances from around 200 samba schools and 300 neighbourhood street bands.

groups and numerous parades. For many people, Tenerife’s Carnival is second only to Rio’s.

Notting Hill – London, UK Takes place on the last Sunday and Monday each August and around one million people attend the two-day carnival.

Sunday is traditionally the children’s day, while Monday is for the adults.

Mardi Gras – New Orleans, USA Carnival celebrations start on January 6, and pick up speed until midnight on Mardi Gras, the day before Ash Wednesday. The festivities draw three quarters of a million people each year.

Santa Cruz de Tenerife Carnaval – Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Tenerife The fortnight-long carnival has performances from more than 100 music

Carnevale di Venezia – Venice, Italy Thousands of people attend public and private events over a 20-day period.

A masquerade affair, it’s all about centuries-old refined customs while wearing a mask and an elaborate costume.

Cologne Festival – Cologne, Germany Another event which takes place away from the Lent period, Cologne carnival season officially kicks off at 11.11 am on the 11th of November. The celebrations and parades draw over a million visitors to the city.

Carnaval de Nice – Nice, France Events are spread over 15 days, with 11 parades featuring 1,000 musicians and dancers from around the world. Flower parades see up to 100,000 flowers being thrown from floats to the crowd.

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Carnival and Mardi Gras

It’s Carnival Time!

The timeless circus strongman from Palmer Agencies is a great comedy costume for men looking to get into the carnival spirit.

These jester outfits from Fun Shack come in the bright purple, green and yellow which is now synonymous with Mardi Gras.

A popular choice for getting in the carnival spirit are these full face Tinsley Tattoo FX Transfers, such as ‘Carnivale Face’ and ‘Candy Skull Face’.

Costumes of all types are worn at carnival, but historical lines are particularly popular, such as this Roman toga from Bristol Novelty.

The traditional colours of Mardi Gras are gold, green and purple, and Pam’s has a wide range of party supplies and fancy dress accessories in these carnival colours.

This fab new red dragon hat from Boland is perfect for carnivals, parades and parties – just what every carnival dragon seeker needs!

These classic Mardi Gras masquerade mask 11” latex balloons from Godan are available in a range of festive colours.

The Mardi Gras Mask Bubble balloon from Qualatex is a great way to add a bit of carnival pizazz to a bouquet of plain colours.

Tinsley Tattoo FX Transfers has a number of vibrant Body Bands which are excellent temporary tattoos, ideal for Mardi Gras celebrations.

Eye masks can be as elaborate or as simple as the wearer desires – these styles from Godan are pretty without being over the top.

Comedy costumes are popular for carnival celebrations and these step-in costumes from Bristol Novelty certainly got plenty of attention at last year’s Toy Fair in Nuremberg.

It wouldn’t be Mardi Gras without some elaborate masquerade eye masks, like this feathered selection from Fun Shack.

A fun take on the 20s is this mint green and lilac flapper dress from Leg Avenue, which is perfect for all colourful carnival partying.

This ‘Mardi Gras Maven’ from New Temptations is perfect for any carnival season in this beautifully styled green and purple foil print dress with matching shrug.

Partygoers can add the finishing touch to their carnival look with Smiffy’s Neon Liquid Latex Face and Body Paint Kit, complete with pink and yellow liquid latex and brushes.

If you’re going to do carnival, you may as well do it properly!

For customers who are looking to go that extra mile, Widmann has this incredible outfit and accessories.

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Party Plus

Inset: Progressive Party Disclaimer: This is not Steve’s actual house!

Manor Born TO THE

When party wholesaler Party Plus moved to Winchester earlier this year it was a bold move - leaving behind a prime London location which had been built up over the last two decades was a tough decision. PPE paid the new premises a visit to find out more about the wholesaler’s reinvention.

I

t’s the classic English dream, isn’t it – working hard each and every day until you are finally in a position to wave goodbye to the relentless city life and move to the country, taking in a more relaxed way of life.

However, making such a dramatic move isn’t for everyone – so what do you do if you want to move to the country but still keep your Londonbased business running at the same time? Simple; just move your entire warehouse and wholesale operation to the countryside! That’s what Steve and Carol Wilson did almost a year ago and it’s a move which has already paid off.

“We officially moved over here in February of last year,” said Steve, talking from Arelsford Manor, where Party Plus is now based.

It’s not the name of an industrial state where the new warehouse is situated; rather it’s Steve’s new home adddress. It seems Right: A Finding Dory flat pinata from Verbetena offers a point of difference.

42 PROGRESSIVE PARTY EUROPE

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that, when space is not as so much of a premium, having a warehouse less than a stone’s throw from your kitchen window is the ideal solution to the work/life balance. In fact, the 18,000 sq ft Party Plus warehouse is actually part of an extension which has been built onto the residential property, so there’s no need to even step outside if the weather is bad.

The warehouse and stock were moved over back in July 2015, when the London property sold. “There was a lot of upheaval for a few months,” said Steve. “Because we still have the retail shop in London, we were essentially operating from two sites, which involved a huge amount of travel going back and forth between them.”

Travelling the two-hour journey between the premises three or four times a week was no mean feat, but the big move did give Steve – along with wife and business partner Carol – the opportunity to sort out all the Party Plus stock. “We’ve never been so organised,” Steve laughed. “Although we

Above: Steve has been one half of the team behind Party Plus for the last 20 years, along with wife Carol.

always knew exactly where everything was, setting everything out for the first time and working with a blank canvas means that we’ve got a really clear, logical system in place. It does make everything much easier.”

Additionally, the new warehouse has an extra 7,000 sq ft of space which has given Steve and Carol the opportunity to take on a number of new lines. “We have taken on a lot of Verbetena product,” said Steve.

“It’s a Spanish brand, with a whole range of party accessories and décor.

We have cello bags, flat piñatas and party boxes, among other things.”

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Party Plus

Licensed Lines A specialist in licensed and generic children’s partyware, Party Plus has a good overview of the licensed market.

Relative newcomer Paw Patrol is a top performer, but Peppa Pig is still very strong and the range continues to grow. Angry Birds is hotly tipped for slightly older children – especially as there is a new game coming out in 2017, while Hello Kitty’s popularity also shows little sign of waning.

The Spanish partyware label also offers a number of licensed collections, which means Party Plus can offer party boxes and piñatas for popular children’s brands such as Paw Patrol, Frozen, Star Wars and Avengers. “Verbetena offers a lot of product that other companies don’t carry in the UK,” Steve pointed out, “so we are able to carry something a little bit different. Paw Patrol in particular is absolutely huge at the moment. The ranges we have work really nicely with the BBS melamine as they all complement each other, which is great for merchandising at retail.”

In taking the definition of ‘working from home’ to the next level, Party Plus is now also able to offer a five-day operation, meaning it can fulfil orders much quicker. “People can come and visit as well,” said Steve. “It often helps if retailers can see exactly how we work.”

Currently, the pair are living apart during the week, with Carol running the retail store in London and Steve looking after the wholesale side of the business. They are able to team up at weekends, but are hoping to be able to move the whole family down to Arelsford in the not-toodistant future. “The next stage for us is to sell the shop,” said Steve, “so we can have our weekends back! We’ve been running it for a long time and in the last 20 years our whole operation has grown from that store. It means a lot to us, but it’s time to move on.”

By being able to focus all their attention on the wholesale side of the business, Carol and Steve will also be able to develop more of their own generic partyware collections. With 27 ownbrand lines, Party Plus already has a number of popular products and the plan is to bring out even more of these.

“Launching new collections is actually quite expensive, so we need to make sure that we get them right!

Having the time to really concentrate on them will make a big difference to what we can offer,” explained Steve.

The current offering is aimed squarely at the children’s market, with farmyard animals, wheeled vehicles and Christmasthemed plates forming the basis of a wider partyware collection. “We are best known for our fun shaped plates,” said Steve, “that is definitely our USP in the market at the moment!”

“Once we have the designs we are able to get creative with them,” he continued.

“As a comparatively small business, we are able to react quickly and fill gaps which appear in the market.

For example, a major supplier stopped making a fire engine range and we had a lot of requests for replacements.

We took the fire engine design from our vehicle collection and created a range using the artwork we already had – it worked really well.”

As a more modest operation, Party Plus is able to run smaller numbers of these collections, producing them at a level which simply wouldn’t be viable for a larger supplier.

Overseas business is also key to Party Plus’ success, and the company currently ships to distributors, agents and retailers across most of Europe as well as countries Below: The new 18,000 sq ft warehouse is attached to Steve and Carol’s residential property.

Creative Collections With almost 30 exclusive in-house designs in addition to the other lines it carries, Party Plus has a wide range of options for retailers to choose from.

Some of the more popular partyware collections include sealife, vehicle, farmyard and jungle as well as its own take on classic lines such as princess, pirate, football and rugby.

Top: Paw Patrol is currently one of the company’s top selling licenses. Middle: The animal collections – such as farmyard, sealife and jungle – are popular lines for Party Plus.

Bottom: Star-shaped Christmas plates sell well at this time of year.

as far-flung as Australia and Hong Kong. “We weren’t seeing so much overseas business for a while,” Steve explained, “as people tended to go to the US where it is cheaper. But then Brexit happened!

Now that the pound has dropped, we’re much better value for those buyers. For example, I’ve just fulfilled a large Australian order for Talking Tables’ Very Hungry Caterpillar – it’s been out of stock for a while and when it came back in I sent out an emailer and got a response straight away!”

Steve sends out those marketing emails a few times a month, letting buyers know what is in stock, which new lines are being introduced and if there are any special offers on.

This proactive approach works extremely well, encouraging online orders and repeat visits to the Party Plus website.

“The newsletters work really well for us, especially if we have a special offer or have been able to get stock before anyone else. The reason we have such a good uptake is because we have an extremely extensive database,” said Steve. “We’ve been building it up steadily over the last 20 years, targeting countries and really making sure we have as much coverage as possible.”

While retailers naturally move away from the wholesale model as they grow, there will always be a place in the party industry – which is rich in start-ups – for Party Plus. “We still get a lot of new customers,” Steve confirmed. “New start-ups will always use companies like us, where they can source a good variety of product in one place. And we love it; we offer them advice and help out in those tricky early days as much as we can. It’s all about relationships at the end of the day, isn’t it!”

It’s this attitude towards the business which explains exactly why Steve and Carol were so reluctant to leave the party industry behind when they moved away from the city. And it also explains why we’re looking forward to seeing what this next chapter brings.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016 PROGRESSIVE PARTY EUROPE

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Christmas and New Year Update

Festive Fun It’s that most wonderful time of the year – when everyone from last-minute Christmas shoppers to slightly tipsy co-workers are wandering the streets looking for something extra, whether that is a novelty hat or some decorations for the party they’ve found themselves throwing at two hours notice. With that in mind, here’s PPE’s festive shopping guide.

O

nce again, the party season is upon us – the one time of year when even the most seasoned hermit will drag themselves out to (over)indulge and have some good, oldfashioned, festive fun.

As themed nights out and Above: Santa suits from Pam’s Christmas parties are getting are suitable for all into full swing, retailers are price brackets. preparing for a deluge of weird and wonderful last-minute orders.

Of course, most of our Christmas and New Year business is conducted much earlier in the year, when the rest of the country is busy trying to decide whether to pack the bucket and spade or not. However, there are certain lines which will always need restocking, classics which have been given a new twist and even a number of brand

Right: A gorgeous little mini-Santa from InCharacter.

new product releases which simply weren’t around six months ago.

“It’s interesting to try and predict Christmas and New Year’s Eve in terms of what new products will grasp the public’s imagination,” said Bristol Novelty’s business development manager Gary Vincent. “The traditional costumes like Santa, nativity, snowmen and elves will always sell well, but party retailers have to give these some serious consideration, especially as they are now competing with supermarkets and other multiples offering much lower price points.”

According to Anna Solly, director at Sancto International, seasonal accessories such as Christmas Tree and Snowman Head Boppers are becoming more popular each year. “We can say with complete conviction that our range of quality Santa beards will be a top seller, as sales of them are already peaking over last year,” she said.

Below: The Nativity Role Play costume range from Pretend to Bee offers high-quality nativity costumes that can be worn time and again. Below middle: Bristol Novelty has a great range of masquerade masks for both men and women, perfect for any New Year’s Eve bash. Below right: The New Years’s Eve collection from Godan includes a range of fun hats and accessories.

WHAT’S SELLING? “Stock has been selling really well since the release of our Christmas flyer, with the range of Santa suits proving extremely popular.

For New Year’s Eve we are seeing masquerade masks selling well for balls and corporate events, and the novelty photo booth props selling well for the parties at home.”

Carl Taylor, sales director, Pam’s Above left: Celebrate the season with this Anagram Christmas jumper balloon, available from Amscan.

Left: This Martini Bubble Anagram SuperShape foil balloon from Amscan is right on trend.

Pioneer encourages its customers to plan for Christmas and New Year’s Eve early, according to marketing communications manager Anna Hickman. “Most corporate parties are booked during the summer; that’s when retailers should target venues with their décor offers. Some of our more successful customers get their bookings confirmed for the following year in January and February!”

With that in mind, maybe it’s not too early to start planning for Christmas 2017!

Right: Henbrandt’s gold star costume is always a top seller.

WHAT’S SELLING? “Children’s nativity costumes consistently sell well because of school plays. Our adult Christmas hats and Santa costumes are also always in demand because of charity events and parties.”

Bethany McCormack, marketing, Henbrandt

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016 PROGRESSIVE PARTY EUROPE

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Christmas and New Year Update

CHRISTMAS FESTIVE FUN

This fun Elf hoodie from Amscan is perfect for Santa’s not so little helpers over the festive period!

These novelty hats from Henbranbdt are great fun and are proving to be very popular alternatives to the classic santa or elf hat.

Liven up any Christmas or New Year’s Eve party with a fun photo booth kit, just like this Christmas-themed set from Delights Direct.

With everything from classic Santa suits to fun seasonal accessories Widmann offers a whole host of seasonal accessories and outfits, like this fab elf costume.

Embrace the festive spirit with Rasta Imposta’s easy to wear new headbands that include ‘Reindeer’, ‘Santa’ and ‘Elf’.

This year OppoSuits has taken the Christmas suit game to a whole new level, with a range of skirt suits joining the collection for the first time.

NEW YEARS EVE

This trendy 18” New Year Confetti Strips Microfoil design from Qualatex is perfect for New Year’s Eve parties. It can be paired with 11” New Year Confetti Countdown latex.

Feathered and other novelty eye masks are fast becoming a New Year’s Eve essential; this selection is from Palmer Agencies.

The new Mrs Claus and Christmas Tree Lady have brought more variety and choice to Fun Shack’s existing ladies Christmas offering.

New designs to look out for include the Confetti New Year Orbz from Amscan which is right on trend to see in the new year.

Unique Party will be making sure festivities start with a bang, thanks to these new foil confetti push poppers!

Making this fabulous Globos Christmas balloon arch from ITI Balloons can even be a fun family activity for those looking to really get into the spirit of Christmas!

Party-goers will stand out from the Christmas jumper crowd in Smiffy’s festive Brussel Sprout Suit with matching jacket, trousers and tie.

Themed New Year’s Eve parties remain as popular as ever, with 20s glamour, 70s disco or 80s pop all selling well for Fun Shack.

A classic masquerade ball-themed New Year’s Eve party will see plenty of elaborate eye masks, such as these from Fun Shack.

Fun photo booth props from Pam’s are ideal for New Year’s Eve parties and events and are a fantastic way to create some memories at the turn of the year.

This ride-in Santa costume from Bristol Novelty offers a fresh take on the man in red!

New Year’s Eve classics which always sell well for Godan include feather boas, serpentines, whistles and novelty hats.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016 PROGRESSIVE PARTY EUROPE

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Valentine’s Day

All You Need

IS LOVE Whether it’s a grand gesture at the top of the Eiffel Tower or a single balloon elegantly tied to a breakfast tray, one of the simple pleasures of Valentine’s Day is that, for once, it really is the thought that counts.

T

he annual love-in that is Valentine’s Day is one of the first major party celebrations to take place in the new year. Once the Christmas and New Year hangovers are over, retailers waste no time at all in clearing stock to make room for sentimental cards, cuddly ‘I Love You’ bears and, of course, the ubiquitious heart-shaped balloons.

Valentine’s Day has long been a key event in the foil balloon calendar, but according to the most recent Progressive Party Retail Barometer, it is now the third best occasion for balloon business, coming only behind milestone birthdays and Christmas.

“Valentine’s Day at Pam’s is all about the balloons!” commented sales director Carl Taylor. “Obviously, January/

February is one of our busiest times for selling red heart foil balloons so we always recommend that retailers order these fast-selling items as early as possible.”

“We literally sell thousands of plain red hearts in the run up to Valentine’s Day,” he continued, “as well as the popular printed foil balloons from Amscan and Qualatex. We always try to advise our customers to place their orders as early as possible, even before Christmas, to ensure their quota is guaranteed.”

The day also offers a great opportunity for retailers and balloon decorators to capitalise on the various opportunities for display and point of sale throughout their store. Retailers Top: This Unique Party classic is one who plan their of Pam’s best-selling balloons for Valentine’s balloons Valentine’s Day. Above: This Northstar script balloon is a best-seller in advance by creating beautiful window displays will always do well at this time of year, as while retailers should be prepared, customers rarely are! The biggest rush of Valentine’s sales tend to happen at the last-minute, so having plenty of balloon arrangements

Something Extra?

Left: Red and gold are key colours for Qualatex in 2017.

pre-inflated and ready for pickup is a great opportunity.

“The Valentine’s market is generally very greetings cards oriented,” said Delights Direct account manager Stuart Wheeler, “and balloons are definitely the product which compliments them the best, especially as a spontaneous purchase. We’ve added quite a bit of variety this year, as customers always want to see something new.”

Amscan has added some new foil balloon designs to its 2017 Valentine’s Day collection, with the innovative new styles and formats from Anagram designed to bring joy to those who receive the balloons.

“Emoticons are a major trend that will continue in 2017,” said Amscan’s marketing executive Charlotte Cox, “and we’ve got a number of brand new fun designs which tap into that trend.

Of course, we have a whole collection of the more traditional balloons as well, such as the Red Rose UltraShape and the adorable Bear with Heart SuperShape.”

According to Pioneer’s marketing communications manager Anna Hickman CBA, Valentine’s is another big season for the balloon experts. “We have continued to invest in balloons this season,” she said. “We find that classic designs with gold and red are always popular for our markets and so Qualatex has created a new collection, with an 18” Valentine Burnished Hearts Gold Microfoil design and two 11” Happy Valentine’s Day Script latex designs, in red and pink.”

“We are also seeing a demand for more humorous product,” she continued, “particularly with younger customers.”

So as the UK retail industry continues to capitalise on this annual event, consumers have more choice than ever before. You might not be able to put a price on love, but you can certainly celebrate it!

Inset: Letter balloons are popular for all occasions and Amscan offers bunches of X-O-X-O.

“We are fully committed to providing the very best in Valentine’s merchandise. We are already preparing to heat things up after Christmas with our selection of saucy Valentine’s gifts and novelty items.

February 14th can be a great time for both retailers and consumers, if the right merchandise is stocked beforehand. Our adult range of accessories is sure to be a big hit, and whether people are looking for a lovers set or some petals to scatter around, we stock it all!”

Anna Solly, director, Sancto International

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016 PROGRESSIVE PARTY

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Valentine’s Day

VALENTINE’S DAY

Sometimes the simple messages are the best – this I Love You balloon from Godan says everything your customer needs to.

This Emoji Valentines range is new from Unique Party for 2017, and it will steal your heart with a range of tableware, including plates, cups and napkins; perfect for valentine’s functions.

Fill this cute sitting Emoticon Multi-Balloon with air for a sweet Valentine’s gift, available from Amscan.

This impressive Vertical Hearts Multi-Balloon by Anagram measures an impressive 157cm high, and is available from Amscan.

For those looking to go the extra mile, this heart-shaped confetti gun from Godan is ideal for special occasions and big announcements!

With a huge range of Valentine’s-themed goodies, Widmann can meet your heart’s desire, offering romantic touches like these petals for scattering.

For a fabulous Valentine’s pun, look no fiurther than this Qualatex 11” Star Wars latex design, featuring the message ‘Yoda One For Me’.

Following the honeycomb decoration trend Amscan also has some gorgeous pink and red honeycomb hearts.

This fantastic ‘Frosted Fun’ theme from Creative Party is great for Valentine’s Day celebrations, featuring trendy decorated heart-shaped cookie tableware, treat bags and décor.

If your customers are looking for a little light-hearted fun, then this cute Cupid’s bow and arrow set from Widmann is sure to hit the mark.

This supershape red rose from Amscan put a modern on twist on the classic red Valentine’s rose - guaranteed to have no thorns!

Following a great response for the rose-coloured version of this Love script balloon, Northstar has now added a red version to its range.

For 2017 Qualatex has created a new 40” You Turn Me On! Microfoil balloon in the shape of a lightbulb.

There are plenty of new additions to this year’s Valentine’s balloon range at Delights Direct, including this fab supershape emoji.

The classic designs with gold and red are always popular for the balloon market, and Qualatex has a new collection featuring this 18” Valentine Burnished Hearts Gold Microfoil design.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016 PROGRESSIVE PARTY

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Best sellers Carnival Costumes CAT E G O R Y

As retailers gear up for the festive season, PPE finds out what has kept the tills ringing over the last few weeks.

Angela Wakely/ Bristol

M A N UFACTURE RS / RANGES

Ten years in business, the shop specialises in children’s costumes and hire.

COMMENT

Halloween Costumes

Clowns; Bristol Novelty, Smiffy’s

Despite all the media hype, clowns weren’t affected. We have quite a lot of friendly clowns too, and they all sold well.

Halloween Accessories

Overhead masks, Creative Collection

The Ghoulish masks from Creative sell brilliantly. They’re such good quality, people love them and come back for new versions year after year.

Generic Costumes

Made in-house

We are always getting orders for 60s, 70s and 80s outfits. There’s a Butlins down the road, so we are a handy stop for all the theme nights.

Generic Accessories

Masks; Widmann

The colourful Day of the Dead masks did fantastically well, we totally sold out.

Kids Costumes

Nativity costumes; Bristol Novelty, Widmann, Smiffy’s

These have been selling reasonably well, but nowhere near the levels we are used to. We’d normally be totally sold out of shepherds by now!

Kids Accessories

Victorian and Tudor; Bristol Novelty, Guaraca, Widmann

We have a lot of schools and drama groups near us, so we find these lines sell well for us all year round. People know us for them.

Anything Else?

Realistic wigs, Bristol Novelty

These new wigs are selling so well. They’re reasonably expensive, but the moment people touch them they don’t mind paying it!

Creative Collection

Widmann

CAT E G O R Y

Bev McGrath/ Cheshire

M A N UFACTURE RS/RANGES

COMMENT

Foil Balloons

Large and small numbers; Northstar

These sell very well. We also create some fantastic bouquets with the smaller numbers and foil stars!

Latex Balloons

Plain colours and milestone age; Qualatex

These always sell well for birthday parties and anniversaries, things like that.

Twisting

Characters; Qualatex

Very popular, both as famous characters and caricatures of the people they are being given to. We’ve done everything from a fat SpiderMan to an 80 year old lady with her knitting!

Anything Else?

Bubbles, Qualatex

Stuffed balloons are really popular at this time of year. We fill them with all sorts of gifts; Paw Patrol and My Little Pony teddies are popular at the moment.

“

Northstar Balloons

We’ve been seeing a lot more funeral requests recently. People are quite specific with their tributes, whether that’s butterflies or names spelt out in letters, but it’s really nice to be able to help them.

52 PROGRESSIVE PARTY EUROPE

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Family-run business off the high street. Destination store.

“

The Wow Shop

“

“

“This Halloween was quite flat. We’ve been in business ten years and this was the quietest its ever been. We’ve got a lot of stock left over so that’s going to have ramifications on the orders we place next year. Competing with the budget retailers gets harder every year.”

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016

13/12/2016 11:27

Best sellers Destination store in the heart of Chiswick, specialising in children’s partyware.

Carol Wilson/ Chiswick

CAT E G O R Y

M A N UFACTURE RS / RANGES

COMMENT

Fancy Dress

Accessories; Bristol Novelties, Smiffy’s

People were looking for lots of extras like blood, vampire capes, face paint and horns this year. A little bit of everything!

Balloons

Foil numbers; Unique Party

These are great quality and sell really well.

Silver is big this year, and we have people asking for lots of 2016 and 7 sets so they can do a big swap at midnight!

Decor

NYE theme; Amscan

Customers are already looking for this rather than Christmas lines. Black, gold and silver banners and other decor lines are very popular.

Partyware

Football and Jungle Party

Classic lines which sell well week-in, week-out.

Kids Extras

Licensed balloons, Verbetena

Ben and Holly, Dr Who and Octonauts all do really well, kids licenses work well on balloons as an add-on gift.

Anything Else?

Pinatas, Unique Party

The number-shaped pinatas are doing very well, people tend to choose them over the themed ones these days.

Amscan

We are just across the road from a big Sainsburys so we don’t carry the younger age range so much anymore. They stop at about 6 or 7 so we pick it up from there! We did that for Halloween and we’ll be doing it for the Christmas lines as well.

Swinnertons Balloon & Party Emporium CAT E G O R Y

M A N UFACTURE RS/RANGES

Jaz Jassall/ Walsall

Small business which took over Lavish Legs Fancy Dress and Dancewear last year and has grown the business steadily since then.

COMMENT

Adult Costumes

1920s; Sandroy, I Love Fancy Dress

The flapper dresses and suits are really big news for us, especially at this time of year.

Licensed Costumes

Superheroes; Rubie’s

Licensed lines always sell well for us, particularly Batman and Spider-Man, they sell well at any time of year!

Halloween Costumes

Retro lines; Rubie’s, Palmer Agencies

For some reason we had lots of people asking for Edward Scissorhands and Freddy Krueger! Palmer Agencies’ black and red clown was very popular too.

Kids Costumes

Traditional; Bristol Novelty, I Love Fancy Dress

At this time of year all the nativity costumes are really popular, with lots of elves and little Santas for good measure! Period costumes always sell well too.

Accessories

Wigs and masquerade masks; Bristol Novelty, Smiffy’s

There are some fab new wigs coming onto the market and eye masks are always great as well. If accessories are good quality, people are happy to spend.

Balloons

Bubbles and latex; Qualatex

We’ve just started doing balloon printing so we’re seeing a lot of business in that area.

We’re also seeing an increase in funeral balloons, Bubbles are good for those occasions.

Anything Else?

“

Personalised gifts and novelties

This is already doing very well for us, as we can offer the service on everything from banners and sashes to gift product. It’s a real business driver.

We’re having the whole side of the shop painted up like a fairytale castle over Christmas. The Birmingham Post is doing a before and after feature on us, so that will be great publicity.

Sandroy

Qualatex

Rubie’s

“

“

Bristol Novelty

“

Party Plus

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016 PROGRESSIVE PARTY EUROPE

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