Progressive Greetings Worldwide August 2015

FC_PG_August 2015 24/07/2015 12:03 Page 1

IFC_PG_August 2015 24/07/2015 12:04 Page 1

3_5_Grid 29/07/2015 11:36 Page 1

Leader

On The Cards However grown-up you think you are, however professional you convince yourself you are, however stressed or fatigued that you might be, special things can happen that take you by surprise, ignite a tingling of your senses and sends a rush of excitement. And I am not talking about anything smutty, but those moments when the feeling of inspiration and immense joy supercede everything.

I have had the good fortune to both experience and witness this on two memorable occasions in the last month.

The first was at The Retas, which saw hundreds of us feel like ‘kids in a fancy sweetshop’ in the luxurious Dorchester Hotel lapping up the infectious sheer delight of the greeting card retailers who bounced onto the stage to collect their worthy Retas trophies.

The fairytale theme of The Retas was definitely fitting, especially for Box of Delights, the Flitwick-based indie who won Best Independent Greeting Card Retailer - Home Counties, seeing as the shop was named after a favourite fairytale book!

A week or so later, that tingling struck again, this time at Paperfest, a very special one day event that was organised by Abigail Warner (known for her eponymous upmarket paper products) which crafted together an incredibly potent collection of speakers.

Abi, hosting the event like a contemporary and stylish Mrs Merton (yes, there is such a thing!), introduced guests which included Cath Kidston, Selfridges’ Geraldine James and Heals’ Kirsty Whyte. The room was packed, but there

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

Above: Cath Kidston (centre) with PG's Jakki Brown and Really Good/Soul's David Hicks at Paperfest last month.

Right: It was happily ever after for Michelle Ellingham, co-owner of Box of Delights, Flitwick when her shop (that is named after a fairytale) won a Retas at the fairytale-themed event.

Bottom left: And you shall go to the ball! (Right-left) PG's Warren Lomax, Gale Astley, Master of Ceremony, 'Gingerbread Man' Jim Bullough and Jakki Brown.

was a joyful intimacy and all pervading atmosphere of inspiration that if it could be bottled would be the perfect fillip for any rainy day.

It is nigh on impossible when you run or work in a business (be it in publishing, retailing or on the supply side) to live ‘in the present’, as we are told it is the answer to contentment, so maybe the answer is just to give in to those inspiring moments when they happen, often unexpectedly.

Our business lives, unlike the theme at this year’s Retas, are not fairytales, but you should always believe that there is a chance of those pots of gold at the end of rainbow.

THE HOME OF MARKET LEADING TRADE AWARDS

15 From baby to toddler to starting school

EXHIBITIONS

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

3

04_PG_August 2015 28/07/2015 19:10 Page 1

µÃÀ ¾ÊÇ<À¾Ï¼½ÇÀ ËÇÐÎà őÀÉμÏÄÊÉ Ã¼Î Ç¼É¿À¿ ColLect them alL!

To find out more visit us at hub.hallmark.co.uk or call 0800 90 20 900

3_5_Grid 29/07/2015 11:35 Page 3

Contents

What’s Inside

Within This Issue: FOCUS ON RELATIONS & OCCASIONS CARDS

31

Above: A card from Portfolio’s brand new range - T’too by Ashcroft Designs.

42 7-19

28-30

48-49

News

The Retas 2015

Jeremy’s Journal

Fairytales Came True

Strengthening Your Core

20-21

Party pictures from The Retas Awards’ Fairytale themed event last month.

Blue Eyed-Sun’s Jeremy Corner reveals how yoga is strengthening his life and business.

Over The Counter

Crowded House Independent card and gift retailer, David Robertson, co-owner of JP Pozzi in Scotland, discusses crowds.

31-41

The Retas Awards Winners 2015

22-23

42-43

Cardsharp

Retailer Face To Face

The Hundred Years’ War – And Counting

Wishes Granted

Cardsharp muses over topical events happening in the industry.

PG caught up with this year’s Retas Award’s Greeting Card Retailer of The Year winner, 3 Wishes.

24-25

45-47

Viewpoints

Innovations

51-53 Relations & Occasions New Launches

Close Ties PG gets up close to some new Relations & Occasions range releases.

55-57

Art Source 58-59

What’s Hot?

Premium Bonds

61-62

Independent card retailers share their views on the Relations & Occasions card market.

Lynn’s Lines

61

Service Rules 63-74

26-27

Classified

Publisher Face To Face

A Good Ling To It

75

PG gets up to date with the news of Swan Mill’s acquisition of Ling Design.

Appointments Progressive Greetings is a monthly business magazine.

SUBSCRIPTIONS: UK subscription: One year £50 Two year £85 Three year £110 Overseas subscription: One year £75

Jakki Brown

Warren Lomax

Gale Astley

Editor

Advertisement Director

Deputy Editor

jw@max-publishing.co.uk

warren@max-publishing.co.uk

galea@max-publishing.co.uk

SUBSCRIPTIONS ENQUIRES: maxsubscriptions@marketingreinforcements.co.uk Tel: 020 8943 9541

PG is the official magazine for the Greeting Card Association GCA: Sharon Little 020 7619 0396 Email: gca@max-publishing.co.uk www.greetingcardassociation.org.uk Use your smartphone app to scan the QR code to visit our website.

Copyright© 2015. While every effort has been made to ensure the information in this magazine was correct at the time of publication, the publishers cannot accept legal liability for any errors or omissions, nor can they accept responsibility for the standing of advertisers nor any organisation mentioned in the text. Views of contributors do not necessarily reflect those of the publishers.

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

5

06_PG_August 2015 24/07/2015 11:27 Page 1

Wild Wild Things Things greeting greeting cards cards designed by icon order online: www www.icon-art.com .icon-art.com telephone: 0 01242 1242 679800 679800 / email: info@icon-art.com

7_11_13_15_17_19_9/11/13/15/19/23/25 29/07/2015 11:19 Page 1

NEWS Beeky Leads MBO At Is It Art?

TOP STORY

The Retas 2015 Winners Announced Fairytales Come True The winners of The Retas 2015 greeting card retail awards were unveiled recently at a ‘fairytales come true’ awards ceremony at The Dorchester Hotel in London.

Hundreds and hundreds of greeting card publishers, retailers and trade suppliers lapped up every second of the fairytale ball-themed afternoon event (organised by Progressive Greetings) and witnessed the UK’s top greeting card stockists receiving the prestigious accolades they truly deserved.

“The Retas 2015 really do celebrate the ‘fairest in the land’. A lot of frogs were kissed, a few poisoned apples discarded and some ugly sisters dispatched before arriving at The Retas 2015 princes and princesses,” commented PG’s editor Jakki Brown.

Celebrated comedian Sean Collins hosted the awards ceremony, which saw coveted Retas trophies being presented to top greeting card retailing independents, multiples, specialists and non-specialists.

Independent retailer 3 Wishes was presented with the prestigious Greeting Card Retailer of the Year award, while fellow small multiple, House of Cards received the Best Greeting Card Retailer Initiative accolade for its enterprising Ladder Club promotion which supports several fledgling card publishers.

Scribbler received the award for Best Specialist Multiple Retailer of Greeting Cards 2015, while Frosts was feted as the Best Garden Centre Retailer of Greeting Cards.

(See pages 31-41 for all The Retas 2015 winners).

The Retas awards finalists and winners were decided upon as a result of an industry-wide poll, as well as self-nomination, all ratified by a panel of retail experts.

Above: Belly Button’s Kerry Mellor with the ‘magic wand’ menu that the published created for the event, with David Pinder, co-owner of Unit 7, which won the award for Best Independent Greeting Card Retailer – North.

Left: The Scribbler team were delighted to win The Retas award for Best Specialist Multiple Retailer of Greeting Cards. (Left-right:) Jennie Procter, Eliot James, Gemma Rochester and John Procter.

First BGC Flagship 'Down South' Making its first foray into the South East of England, Budget Greeting Cards (BGC) has opened a massive 83,000 sq ft cash and carry warehouse in Dunstable, Bedfordshire. The company turned an empty warehouse into a fully functioning branch in just eight weeks, thanks to the efforts of a dedicated team of 20 experienced members of staff, pulled from BGC’s seven other branches across the country.

Project manager Richard Lee's team worked around the clock to fit out the store. "If laid end-to-end, the racks of cards they erected would stretch five miles from Junction 11 of the M1 right up to the front door of the new branch!" he enthused.

In jest, Budget’s managing director Paul Lavery had promised the travelling team ‘luxury spa accommodation’ for the duration of the project - but in fact they made do with the more modest surroundings of the University of Bedfordshire’s Halls of Residence!

"I’m proud of the team’s achievement in getting the store ready so quickly," said Paul paying tribute to his “talented and dedicated staff. We’re excited that customers in the South East will be able to work with us at last. Being so close to Luton and Heathrow airports also makes us better able to serve our many export customers."

The Dunstable branch is being managed

by Laimonas Navickas who has been at BGC’s Manchester flagship branch for over 10 years.

BGC stalwart Gary Leonard, a branch manager for over 20 years, will now be responsible for BGC’s operations in the South East and its possible further expansion.

Left: The new Budget Greeting Cards warehouse in Dunstable.

Leading greeting card distributor and publisher, Is It Art?, is under new management and ownership. Following cofounder Martin Nevin's move to join Emotional Rescue (as joint managing director), a management team, led by Peter Beecroft (aka ‘Beeky’) has acquired a majority shareholding in Is It Art. “We are delighted to be taking charge of such a well-respected and successful business and are looking forward to working together with our retail and publisher partners to grow the business," comments Peter, who is well-known to many in the trade, especially during his time with Camden Graphics and EMS Publications. Peter was latterly director of Cards For Top: Peter Beecroft has You, a consignment based bought into Is It Art. card business.

Above: Martin Nevin.

Martin, who is retaining a share in Is It Art, said: “I am very pleased to be in a position to hand over the business in good shape and into the safe hands of Peter and the new management team. Is It Art will remain as Emotional Rescue's independent trade distributor, and, as such I will remain very much interested in its ongoing success.”

The new management team has been operational for the last few months to ensure a smooth transition under the new ownership.

Is It Art, which is currently celebrating its 20th anniversary, is the sole sales and distribution organisation to the UK independent trade for Danilo, Emotional Rescue and Gemma, as well as being the sole distributors of Blue Mountain Arts’ products in Europe.

Abacus' TV Tie-Up Viewers of BBC TV's popular Springwatch programme will be able to choose from 24 photographic, blank British wildlife cards that are being published by Abacus in a rare licensing tie-up with the programme. Each design provides information on the reverse of the card relating to the featured animal, insect or bird, with cards branded with a BBC Earth Springwatch label.

In addition to the Springwatch umbrella brand, the licence also includes imagery from the Autumn and Winterwatch programmes.

Above: A new Springwatch design from Abacus.

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

7

08-09_PG_August 2015 24/07/2015 11:58 Page 1

Christmas 2015 Gold foiled and embossed All designs available as a cello-wrapped single card or a 5 pack

Contact us for a brochure: Tel 0115 907 8420 Fax 0115 943 0342 Email enquires@bugart.co.uk Website www.bugart.co.uk Please note that Bug Art sales administration is undertaken by our distribution company A La Carte

08-09_PG_August 2015 24/07/2015 11:59 Page 2

Christmas Landscapes

21 designs available (DFK FDUG LV ÁLWWHUHG DQG SULQWHG RQ TXDOLW\ WH[WXUHG ERDUG $YDLODEOH DV VLQJOHV RU SDFNV

10_PG_August 2015 28/07/2015 19:11 Page 1

7_11_13_15_17_19_9/11/13/15/19/23/25 29/07/2015 11:20 Page 3

NEWS TOP STORY

Congratulations To Royal Mail

The Sale Is Off Paperchase Goes For Growth It was no secret that Paperchase’s venture capital owners, Primary Capital, was open to offers for the leading card and stationery chain, but they would only sell if the price was right.

However, having reviewed several offers, it was agreed that these did not properly reflect the full potential of the business and so it is business as usual, but a growing one at that!

Having recently announced its end of year results (for the year to January 31), Paperchase’s total sales were up 7% to £128 million, while its e-commerce sales grew by 42% in the 12 month period.

“We’re pleased with these results," confirmed Paperchase's chief executive Timothy Melgund. "They reflect the hard work we have put into making Paperchase stand out on the high street. The economic environment and retail market remain challenging, but our results prove that Paperchase is very well-positioned as we continue our investment programme.”

Primary Capital, which acquired Paperchase five years ago, is now committed to backing Paperchase's

management team to continue to expand the business, both in the UK and internationally.

Over the past year Paperchase has opened 10 UK standalone stores, ramped up its multi-channel offer and expanded its international presence. In addition, it has continued to push into the US market through its relationship with Staples, which distributes some Paperchase products.

Timothy describes trading so far this year as “encouraging”, with strong like-forlike sales growth both in the UK and overseas, highlighting a positive customer reaction to Paperchase’s new Treat Me reward card programme.

Paperchase’s pre-exceptional EBITDA rose more than 33% to £9.6 million in its last financial year.

Over the last five years, the number of UK Paperchase stores has more than doubled to 125, with a further 30 UK concessions. The company has continued to expand internationally, with new concessions in France, Germany and the Netherlands.

Paperchase products have also been launched in 1,200 Staples stores in the US. In addition, the company is in the process of opening concessions in Hudson’s Bay stores in Canada.

Above: Paperchase's ceo Timothy Melgund.

Left: Paperchase's flagship Glasgow store.

Big Backing For Itty Bittys Having showcased them at PG Live 2015, Hallmark is officially launching its range of Itty Bittys licensed plush collectables, with a strong marketing campaign for the autumn directed at independent retailers. The company will also be working with bloggers, particularly fan and mum bloggers, tie into the launch in September.

"We’ve gone all out in our display options, all of which are free of charge," explains Tamsyn Johnston-Hughes, PR and social media manager. "We know that every indie's store is individual, with different space available and styles to their displays."

Options include compact FSDU shelves and a shelf solution that can be slotted onto existing shelves or used as a counter top unit allowing Itty Bittys to be displayed with matching cards from the same licence.

"We’ve already been receiving direct tweets and Facebook messages requesting Itty Bittys which have done very well in the USA and Australia. I think people are seeing them online, and when they visit the USA and Australia are coming back wanting to build their collection over here," adds Tamsyn.

There's some good news for greeting card publishers and card shops alike this month with Royal Mail helping to promote sales of exam congratulations cards.

As millions of students throughout the UK have a nail-biting wait to find out what their grades are, around 1,000 post offices will be displaying a poster for a three week period - starting on August 9 - encouraging people to send cards.

"With GCSE results in England and Wales coming out on August 13 and 20, it’s good to do something that’s topical," explains John Rowley, channel commercial manager at Royal Mail. This is the second year running that Royal Mail has been instrumental in promoting exam congrats cards. "It was well-received in branches which are always keen for us to promote stamp sales," added John.

Above: The Royal Mail poster that is on display in 1000 post offices.

Cards Galore Gets 'Mobile Friendly' With Website Following Google's decision to prioritise mobile friendly sites in its search index, greeting card multiple Cards Galore has been quick to launch a new, fully functional, mobile friendly website.

The retailer says it expects social media to be instrumental in driving sales forward - in particular Twitter and Pinterest - and will be rolling out the new ‘buy now’ button, making it easier for customers to integrate their buying experience with their social media landscape.

Following customer feedback, the company has also opted for a warmer, friendlier and livelier web design.

“When it came to upgrading the site linking sales with social media - it was important that Card Galore's offline vision was recognised online," comments Lizzie O’Grady from Creatives Inc (and a former card publisher herself, through PQ2), which designed and developed the site with Leicester Web Designers.

Below: Cards Galore has become mobile friendly.

Left: Compact FSDU shelves, among Hallmark's display options for its Itty Bittys autumn launch.

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

11

12_PG_August 2015 24/07/2015 12:44 Page 1

7_11_13_15_17_19_9/11/13/15/19/23/25 29/07/2015 11:20 Page 5

NEWS TOP STORY

Surveying The Land The Henries Service Award Finalists Announced The scores are in for the finalists for the much-coveted Henries Best Service To The Independent Retailer Awards 2015, showing which publishers having been coming up trumps on the service stakes.

“This is the result of the largest survey of independent greeting card retailers we have ever commissioned, involving over 1,750 outlets, who were invited to share their opinion (confidentially) on who they consider have been the best publishers in the last year when it comes to this vital

area. The additional anecdotal comments written on the forms underlines the importance that receiving a good service is to indies today”, commented PG’s coowner Warren Lomax.

The line-up of the top 12 finalists (listed below in alphabetical order) include two new finalists for this year, Ling Design and Pigment. This ‘mighty dozen’ are all contenders for the Gold, Silver and Bronze service awards. l Hallmark Cards l International Cards and Gifts (IC&G) l Jonny Javelin l Ling Design l Nigel Quiney Publications l Noel Tatt l Paperlink l Pigment l Second Nature l UK Greetings l Woodmansterne Above: Are you being served?

Greeting card retailers think so. l Words n Wishes

Last year UKG won the Gold award for the fourth successive year, with Noel Tatt picking up the Silver award and newcomer IC&G being awarded the Bronze trophy.

The winners will be revealed at the glittering Henries Gala Awards evening, which take place at the Lancaster London Hotel on Thursday October 8.

The following publishers polled well this year, but not quite well enough to make the finals - the positions shown below are in order of votes received: 13th. Cherry Orchard Publishing 14th. Grass Roots International 15th. Abacus Cards 16th. Five Dollar Shake 17th. Wendy Jones-Blackett 18th. The Great British Card Company 19th. Paper Rose 20th. Belly Button Designs 21st. Blue Eyed Sun 22nd. Carte Blanche Group 23rd. K2 Greetings 24th. Mint Publishing 25th. Budget Greetings 26th. Tracks Publishing 27th. Peartree Heybridge 28th. CardMix 29th. Cardigan Cards 30th. Country Cards The Best Service To The Independent Retailer Award category is sponsored by Cardgains, but the survey, undertaken by PG, included non-Cardgains members.

Plus nominations could be for any publisher, irrespective of size or allegiance to Cardgains. l The finalists of The Henries product awards will be revealed in all their glory in the September edition of PG and on The Henries website. l To book your tickets to The Henries awards gala ball, which this year is on a 1920s theme, in keeping with the 20th anniversary of the awards, contact Clare Davies on clare@createvents.co.uk or 01183 340085.

Sparkly Investment At Loxleys Greeting card printer Loxleys is ‘all of a sparkle’ having invested $1million on a state of the art B1 flitter machine, the first of its kind in the industry, to complement the existing array of single card flittering facilities at the Sheffield site.

Loxleys’ commercial director, Tony Lorriman explained: “Over the last couple of years flitter has been a bottleneck finish across the greeting card industry therefore we felt that it was strategically important to significantly increase Loxleys capacity in this area in order to both maintain our service levels and give us scope for growth.”

The new machine can produce traditional flitter, encapsulated flitter and off line spot UV on a wide variety of substrates.

Paperworld Says 'Show Us' Creative young talent is being sought by Paperworld for its 13th Greeting Card Design Competition titled Show Us, which takes place during Paperworld 2016. The deadline for entries is October 31. For more information, visit: www.paperworld.de/designcompetition.

The show, which spans, stationery products and the paper sector, takes place from January 30 to February 2, 2016, at Messe Frankfurt, featuring the slogan The Heart of the Business. Paperworld is held concurrently with Creativeworld and Christmasworld.

In 2015, the show played host to over 1,600 international exhibitors and 42,152 international visitors. For more information visit: www.paperworld.messefrankfurt.com Above: The winners of last year's Paperworld Greeting Card Design Competition.

Licensing Turns For Carousel Calendars Carousel Calendars’ licensing programme has seen tremendous growth over the past two years, with the total number of licences rising by 22% between 2013 and 2015.

Recent signings include Beryl Cook, Sooty, Little Else, Matt Sewell, WWF, Katarina Sokolova and the RSPCA. For 2016, the company has also signed a two year licensing deal with the National Trust which has not been licensed for several years.

For 2015, Carousel Calendars saw an increase of 14% in sales revenue and an 11% increase in royalties paid compared to the previous year. Initial sales figures for the 2016 collection shows that all of its new licences have been very well received.

“The strong growth in our licensed revenues, royalties and brand partners is a real endorsement of Carousel Calendars’ approach to licensing," comments Martin Rees-Davies, head of licensing for Carousel Calendars.

The company has also extended its range of titles for 2017, including a range of calendars and diaries for Tottering-by-Gently.

Above: Among the 2016 National Trust licensed calendars from Carousel Calendars.

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

13

14_PG_August 2015 28/07/2015 18:34 Page 70

7_11_13_15_17_19_9/11/13/15/19/23/25 29/07/2015 11:21 Page 7

NEWS TOP STORY

A Moonpig 'First' Company Announces 7pm Postal Option Could a decision by Moonpig to extend its posting hours have a positive knock-on effect for the greeting card industry?

Countering the ‘too busy’ or ‘I forgot at lunchtime’ excuse, the public now have up until 7pm to order a personalised card from Moonpig.com to ensure it catches the post that same day.

With lethargy and forgetfulness being challenges to the card sending habit, the online publisher cum online retailer’s newly launched 7pm cut-off time gives the public three hours longer than previously offered

by Moonpig, and a later time than most post boxes. For a small additional cost, the new 7pm postal option will see cards printed and sent the same day via First Class post.

Moonpig is supporting its improved service with a TV advertising campaign which demonstrates ‘Moonpig to the rescue’.

Below: A snapshot from the Moonpig.com website featuring the actress who also appears on the TV advert that promotes the new cut-off time.

“Customers are at the heart of everything we do and by adapting our services to fit in with their busy lifestyles we can make things a little bit easier for them,” explains Moonpig's managing director James Sturrock. “Extending our order cut-off time helps us to enhance the customer experience and ensure last minute buyers have more time to pick the right card for that special someone. Now if a loved one’s birthday is accidently overlooked, our customers can simply order later in the day without panicking."

Security Issues Investigated Moonpig reacted swiftly to a security issue on its website at the end of last month whereby a number of Moonpig customers’ email addresses, account balance and passwords had been illegally published. As a precautionary measure, the company promptly closed its Moonpig site and apps to investigate and contain this issue.

Following the investigations, Moonpig has stated that it has ‘strong evidence that the customer email addresses and passwords we identified were taken previously from other third party websites, and not directly from Moonpig.com’. This data was then used to access the account balances of some of Moonpig.com’s customers. As Moonpig does not store full credit card information this data was not accessible in any event.

Affected customers were advised to reset their passwords the next time they log into the Moonpig.com site.

Raising The Cardbar After long, drawn out negotiations, M&P Cards, which trades under Occasions Cards & Gifts, has taken over six Cardbar stores.

Initially, Terry Harvey, managing director of M&P, had planned to take on as many as 10 Cardbar stores, but due to some complications, it ended up completing an agreement on the six.

Terry said that the new stores were “trading well” and have been integrated into the M&P Cards’ systems with new fascias being finalised as PG went to press.

“All the staff have been wonderful and we are so pleased to have these branches as part of the M&P group,” added Terry.

Write On In 2016 Building on the huge success of last year, National Stationery Week will be taking place from April 2 to May 1, 2016, with the London Stationery Show taking place on April 26-27, and World Stationery Day on April 27.

“National Stationery Week is driving the debate about the importance and relevance of writing by hand in a digital age, and championing stationery and writing products to the consumer,” says organiser Chris Leonard-Morgan. “It’s where fashion meets function.”

This year’s National Stationery Week, Get Britain Writing and Get Kids Writing campaign, organised by the London Stationery Show, achieved record levels of retailer and consumer engagement. It attracted £millions worth of coverage, and had an OTS figure in excess of 60 million.

The event, now in its fifth year, saw major and independent retailers - including Paperchase, Marks & Spencer, John Lewis, Tesco and The Pen Shop - getting involved in store, online and on social media with many running special promotions. www.nationalstationeryweek.com

Jeremy's Tour De Paris More than doubling his fundraising target, Jeremy Bacon, ceo of printing company the Sherwood Group, raised £2,900 for Action Medical Research, by cycling from London to Paris at the end of last month.

Jeremy was among the riders (for the second year running) in the London to Paris Champion 24 hour charity cycle ride, which took a 235 mile route through Newhaven and Dieppe. He arrived in Paris to coincide with the finish of the Tour de France.

Above: Jeremy Bacon in Paris with his trusty stead!

Fresher Feel At Harrogate Despite a mix of sunshine and showers at Home & Gift in Harrogate last month, show director Cleere Scamell remained buoyant.

"The show felt fresher this year, with visitors confirming that it is increasingly relevant in a complicated retail market," he told PG. "The new circular route also proved popular."

Cleere confirmed that the new DP5 marquee, that was predominantly filled with greeting card publishers, would be expanding next year, with the possibility of a Greetings and Stationery trail leading visitors to greeting card companies exhibiting in halls and marquees elsewhere at the show.

Added Cleere: "An important investment in the show this year was a navigational app giving visitors year round engagement."

Above: Cleere Scamell, show director of Home & Gift, Harrogate.

Below: Every retailer who ordered the stunning new Copperfield range from Belly Button Designs at the Home & Gift fair had the chance to win a framed limited edition print signed by everyone involved in the range’s creation, as held by Rachel Hare (left) and Kerry Mellor.

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

15

16_PG_August 2015 24/07/2015 12:10 Page 72

Quality Bespoke Envelopes!

From 5,000 quantity to many millions we can produce excellent quality envelopes for you.

Plain, printed, coloured & textured finish.

100% recycled & FSC available.

Please call us on 01274 581327 with your enquiry or email us on joanne@ukenvelopecentre.co.uk

www.ukenvelopecentre.co.uk We will be delighted to help!

G R E E T I N G S

C A R D

D I S P L A Y

S P E C I A L I S T S

Axiom are the acknowledged experts in Greetings Cards and Gift displays.Our bespoke designs incorporate a range of patented components to create increased visual impact in-store, optimising available space, bringing your store to life and increasing sales and profitability. Call us now!

Innovative display creates massive sales increases!

Axiom Displays Ltd Mersey Road North, Failsworth, Manchester M35 9LT, UK t: +44 (0)161 681 1371 f: +44 (0)161 683 4641 e: info@axiom-displays.co.uk w: axiom-displays.co.uk

7_11_13_15_17_19_9/11/13/15/19/23/25 29/07/2015 15:14 Page 9

NEWS NEWS IN BRIEF

TOP STORY

More Thinking From Retailers Thinking Of You Week Gains Support From Asda And Morrisons Morrisons and Asda are the latest major retailers to have pledged their support to promote Thinking of You Week (September 21 - 27) this year, while a host of indies are also formulating their plans of how to participate in this feelgood initiative.

This activity is all set to build on the inaugural GCA-instigated Thinking of You Week campaign last year - which sets out to encourage people to send a greeting card to a different person every day.

Buying group Cardgains was quick off the mark in contacting its independent retail members to urge them to join, via its e-newsletter and magazine.

Morrisons is to promote the event in store via specially produced PoS (created

by Hallmark) which will appear as strips on the card racks.

Meanwhile, Asda is currently finalising its plans to promote the card-centric

initiative, which is likely to involve some exciting social media activity in conjunction with Carte Blanche Greetings.

"The activities are really building for Thinking of You Week, which is great. So many publishers, suppliers and retailers are getting behind it - and with the free downloadable toolkit, we have made it as easy as possible for everyone to get involved,” commented Sharon Little, ceo of the GCA. The free online toolkit (available to download from the GCA's website) includes banner branding, a flyer, an event poster, social media cover imagery, a sticker and label templates, together with a template press release and a list of local press contacts.

Throughout August and September, retailers will also be receiving the flyer and a poster in card deliveries from various publishers. Visit: www.greetingcardassociation.org.uk/ news/launch-of-the-thinking-of-youweek-toolkit-2015.

Above: The 2015 Thinking of You Week banner.

Left: Morrisons is the latest major retailer to pledge its support to Thinking of You Week.

Making An Impact Wholesale group, Impact, recently presented its Card & Party Supplier of the Year Award to Simon Elvin, in recognition of the company’s outstanding commitment to service and delivery.

The Supplier of the Year Award was presented to Yorkshire Envelopes.

The winners were announced at an event held at Belfast’s Hilton Templepatrick Golf & Country Club, the venue for Impact Group’s 15th Annual General & Members’ Meetings and Gala Dinner, held for the first time in Northern Ireland.

Impact managing director Peter Grice commented: “Bringing members and suppliers together as a group over a couple of days always pays major dividends, not only in terms of deals done, but also in terms of ideas and initiatives created, which in turn leads to exciting new opportunities going forward".

Above: Impact’s Supplier of the Year Award for 2014 went to Yorkshire Envelopes: From left to right: Gerry Crawford, owner of Cards Galore, Belfast; Peter Rae, md, Yorkshire Envelopes; Peter Grice, md, Impact Group.

Right: The 2014 Card & Party Supplier of the Year Award went to Simon Elvin, accepted by Sarah Weston-Mouse, the company's wholesale group negotiator.

l Kate Guest recently launched a new online wholesale store - trade.kateguest.com. "The store will help stockists by providing a different buying option," comments director David Guest."It will be one of the main focuses of the business as we expand our range this autumn and launch our new colour range in 2016."

Above: The new Kate Guest trade website.

l Laura Sherratt Designs has launched a new website - www.laurasherrattdesigns.co.uk featuring a new trade area with an online shopping facility. The company will be emailing customers with information about offers, new ranges, and future exhibitions. The site was created by Skylight Media.

Below: Making it easier for trade customers, the new Laura Sherratt Designs website.

l Following the company's AGM in June, two new directors have joined the committee at the Impact Group. They are Simon Henaghan of Merseyside Greeting Cards and Daniel Beeby of Archway Cards.

CBG Puts Wishing Into Action Alister Marchant, ceo of Carte Blanche Greetings (CBG), has gone ‘back on the road’, to not just listening to the company’s retail customers, but to also put into action many of their requests for improvements.

“We are aware that for a number of reasons our service to independents has slipped, but we are determined to make it up to them,” Alister told PG. “As part of this we are increasing levels of training for our staff, reviewing the structure of our territories and call cycles, developing exclusive ranges of product for the Independent channel and developing promotional campaigns exclusively for indies,” he added.

Also, in direct response to feedback, the publisher has assessed the pricing of its Wishing Well products and reduced its trade costs to below 2013 levels.

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

17

18_PG_August 2015 24/07/2015 12:14 Page 60

MANUFACTURING ENVELOPES IN THE UK FOR OVER 30 YEARS

Still with the largest range of in-stock colours 8 Sizes Permanently in Stock Over 400 Bespoke Envelope Sizes 100% Recycled Paper Available

RECYCLED

PAPER

Stock & Bespoke Cello Bags Peel & Stick Envelopes Bespoke Service on Request

FOR ALL YOUR ENVELOPE NEEDS! ORDER ON LINE AT: www.regentenvelopes.com 01274 583000 sales@regentenvelopes.com

01924 950500 The perfect solution for all of your Greeting Card Software requirements Enquiry Hotline

CARD manager

Ready-made WEBSHOP for Customer and Salesforce Orders

Salesforce MOBILE Ordering using iPhone, iPad, Tablet, etc. incl. Consignment and Van Sales Email us at enquiries@exponential.co.uk or visit our website at www.card-manager.com UK- 01924 950500 / USA- (617) 8618-517 / Australia- (0432) 846546 Exponential Limited Suite 37 Charles Roberts House Charles Street +RUEXU\ :DNH多HOG :HVW <RUNVKLUH :) )+

7_11_13_15_17_19_9/11/13/15/19/23/25 29/07/2015 11:22 Page 11

NEWS TOP STORY

Trudi Scrumptious

Coffee Latte?

A First For Glebe Cottage Putting a new spin on a request for a 'coffee latte', eco-friendly card publisher Glebe Cottage has become the first greeting card company to create greeting cards using paper from recycled coffee cup waste.

With a passion for reducing its environmental footprint, especially through using waste materials that it can divert from landfill, Glebe's co-founder and sales director Sue Morrish reveals how a trip to the James Cropper paper mill in the Lake District in February added the ‘cream in her coffee’ on the environmental front.

"When we saw this innovative new uncoated paper, we knew it was a perfect fit with our environmental credentials and were thrilled when our print tests showed that it also printed beautifully," Sue explains.

The board, aptly named 'Coffee Latte', contains 50% recycled coffee cup waste and 50% FSC fibres, with Glebe Cottage

Above: Among the designs in Glebe's Becky Bettesworth collection printed on Coffee Latte recycled uncoated paper.

Left: Glebe Cottage's Sue Morrish with a real cafe latte!

now using the coffee board for its Becky Bettesworth collection.

The company is also planning to start using it for other art card ranges over the coming months.

Each year, the UK uses billions of disposable cups for tea, coffee and other drinks. Until recently, used cups, and the laminated paper of which the cups are cut, could only be sent to landfill as there was no facility to separate out the 12-15% of plastic that lined them. However, the new recycling plant at James Cropper paper mill now recycles the equivalent of 2.5 billion coffee cups a year.

The end of July marked the end of an era, as Trudi Marsh, the administrative maestro of The Ladder Club and righthand woman to Lynn Tait of The Lynn Tait Gallery for many years, decided to retire from the card trade to look after her grandson.

“I have thoroughly enjoyed meeting everyone at The Ladder Club seminars that I have done and I’ve been very interested to see how people have progressed. I am sure The Ladder Club seminars will continue to grow - Lynn is very excited about this year’s!” says Trudi. l The dates for this year’s Ladder Club seminars on November 17 and 18 (and will take place at Westcliff-on-Sea. Clare Davies, who works with PG on the ticketing for The Retas and The Henries, is taking over the administration booking role for The Ladder Club, but Lynn Tait and PG’s Jakki Brown will continue to drive the organisation of the events. Clare can be contacted on 01183 340085 or via clare@createvents.co.uk Below: Trudi Marsh (left) at the recent Retas with Lynn Tait (right) and PG’s Jakki Brown.

Forget Glasto - Paperfest Is Where It Was At! Forget Glastonbury, Download, Bestival and Reading Rock, everyone who is anyone wanting to be inspired in the creative paper field bagged a pale pink, beribboned invitation to Paperfest!

This year’s Paperfest, the brainchild of Abigail Warner (the eponymous owner of the designer stationery company), which has grown and grown over the last few years, was a sell-out event and delivered a creatively heavyweight agenda, headed up by Cath Kidston (founder of Cath Kidston Design). Other speakers at the beautiful one day event, which took place in the Music Room in London’s South Molton Lane, included Selfridges’ head of buying Geraldine James, Heal’s design manager Kirsty Whyte, leading bloggers and social media gurus, publisher David Hicks (founder of Really Good and Soul) and illustrator Jakki Doodles.

“Today, forget your inbox. You are in a room of like-minded people… we are not just dreamers, we are doers. Today you are the person you want to be… 2015 feels like a very exciting space to be living in”, said Abigail as she welcomed an enthralled audience from the card, stationery, retail and creative worlds.

There was no time wasted during the day with creative workshops, ‘business surgeries’ and expert demonstrations (in the Wonder Room) even taking place during the breaks and the lunch break. Calligrapher Imogen Owen showed her ‘deft of hand’, while Jane Means shared her knowledge of giftwrapping, foil experts Foilco showed off its shiny products and GF Smith were there to champion on the paper front.

A Wrap On The Knuckles Giftwrappings company Eurowrap has acknowledged and apologised officially that one of its keepsake boxes ‘substantially replicates’ Widdop Bingham’s Button Corner keepsake box.

As a result of receiving a complaint from Widdop Bingham, Eurowrap has withdrawn the item from sale, agreed to pay Widdop Bingham’s legal costs and to make a substantial donation to a charity of Widdop Bingham’s choice.

Stephen Illingworth, business development manager of Widdop Bingham, comments: “Innovative new product development is the life-blood of Widdop Bingham, with thousands of new lines being developed every year by ourselves. We will vigorously contest any infringement on our design copyright and in this instance acknowledge Eurowrap’s apology and the actions it is taking to put this right.”

Below: A Widdop Bingham Button Corner keepsake box.

Top: Cath Kidston (right) shares the story of her brand at Paperfest.

Above: Illustrator Jakki Jones (whose designs are published under her moniker of Jakki Doodles by Really Good) takes to the mic alongside Heals' Kirsty Whyte (right) and retailer/stylist Allison Sadler.

Left: Abigail Warner who organised and hosted Paperfest.

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

19

20-21_Grid 24/07/2015 17:16 Page 20

Over The Counter

Crowded

House Independent card and gift retailer, David Robertson, co-owner of JP Pozzi in Scotland, talks about crowds.

Right now we are in the middle of festival season, with 80,000 people attending T in the Park at Strathallan Castle in Auchterarder, and even more at the Isle of Wight Festival or Glastonbury. Crowds of people have also flocked to Silverstone, Wimbledon, the Tour De France and many other sporting events.

Unfortunately, crowds of people are not as regular a sight on the high street, well there’s not nearly as many as retailers would like.

Issues such as rent, footfall and staff issues continue to kill retailers’ spirits. Sales agents and company representatives are a good barometer, and they all say that there are far fewer new accounts and new businesses opening than there are existing ones closing.

Without doubt then our industry’s presence at retail, along with many others, is shrinking, and I am not quite sure what we do to stop that. This said, the overall industry is not our concern. Your (and my) priority is to ensure that we can pay all our own staff and bills and be left with some profit after that.

So what are the keys to running a good business? I have asked this question many times over the last six years of writing this column, but have the answers changed now?

In my opinion, a tidy clean and inviting store, different well-presented stock and 20

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

excellent attentive staff are all crucial to good trading, but equally, a true grasp of the numbers and costs of your business is far more important than simply chasing sales.

Crowds of ‘new’ people (customers), unless you are in central London or Manchester, simply don’t exist. So nurturing a loyal customer base, combined with marketing and placing your business at the forefront of shoppers’ minds (including through social media), is essential.

We are also still fighting the invisible and intangible internet retailer. While cards, gifts and especially jewellery can be traditionally more difficult to retail through the internet, the websites are getting better and better at it. If you try and compete with the best online stores it is very difficult to justify the cost of set up against the volume of sales you can drive, as quite simply there are too many options for the customer from which to choose. As an indie, website awareness is also very difficult.

Over the last two years I have had to manage my cost base aggressively to allow my business to continue to grow, as I am sure the vast majority of you have had to do too. However, eventually you get to a point that making further savings on your heat and lighting, and other core expenses, becomes impossible.

The government is now putting even more emphasis on businesses to carry the nation out of recession. The worrying introduction of large minimum wage increases (or the Top: With so much competition, online and off, retailers have to fight for selling space – A train full of travellers in India.

Above left: Unlike british festivals, which grow each year, crowds of people are not a regular sight on the high streets anymore.

Right: Retailers can nurture potential new customers through social media.

‘living wage’ as it’s now being called) is, in theory, to stop people requiring welfare to top up their working salary. JP Pozzi doesn’t pay minimum wage anyway, but having done early costing estimates, I believe that the 2% cut in Corporation Tax will not release anything like the money that I will need to be paid out as a result of the other changes.

We are all retail business and ultimately can’t increase productivity by a huge amount.

We can though aim to increase the average spend per customer and that will be crucial.

We can aim to increase our margin, but if we push our prices too high, the online world will swallow us up as an online business’ ongoing costs base is much less than us ‘bricks and mortar’ players once they have made the large initial investment. It will be a very difficult balancing act to maintain our margin and be able to meet all the commitments.

The Business Rates system is also still one that many feel is unfair due to the nature of how it is reviewed and worked out. The general perception is that it is slow to react to current situations and puts pressure on retailers. Again, there are a great number of businesses that will disappear before it changes.

These issues are compounded when you add in compulsory auto enrollment pensions, increased legislation in terms of health and safety and numerous other issues which quite

20-21_Grid 24/07/2015 17:16 Page 21

Over The Counter

simply mean the small to medium business is being attacked from all sides.

So having painted this bleak picture, what simply will drive you to own your own business?

The fairytale of being your own boss and creating jobs is one that may simply not be as easy or even as enticing as it once was. My father 28 years ago was driven to have his own business because he wanted to say he was his own boss. That was the driver, not money or anything else. In the future though it may be better to work hard and simply be a valued worker or member of staff.

While manufacturers, designers and engineers may always want to create and innovate, retail is different as we are in effect a middle-man, but who am I trying to kid?! I get as excited about a project, a product or a shop expansion as I ever did. It is like a drug that courses through you. You want to keep doing more.

I love the ‘behind the scenes’ stuff and at present am looking at a multitude of improvements across my retail businesses. A lot of these improvements will not actually make me any money directly. Do customers actually notice these things? Do cosmetic improvements make a difference to sales

and then in turn the bottom line? These are all searching questions that I am asking myself daily.

Do we implement the plans in a smaller way and not make as dramatic an impact?

And how do we cope with the loss of revenue when we close for a re-fit?

I could literally write a whole column on all the questions I ask myself, and as always with anything different it is a risk. That of course is the fun and the excitement and the reason I do it: Back your judgment and your belief.

All of these things cost a lot of money, not to mention a huge amount of time and research. Getting funding in place is without question a difficult proposition especially using traditional bank methods.

However, what if bank funding is not an option? Remember those crowds...

‘Crowdfunding is a way of raising finance by asking a large number of people each for a small amount of money. Until recently financing a business, project or venture involved asking a few people for large sums of money. Crowdfunding switches this idea around using the internet to talk to thousands - if not millions - of potential funders.’ (www.ukcfa.org.uk) Early stage business start ups and indeed re-inventors find it difficult to get banks to come onboard, and angel investors or venture capital funding can pick and choose what they want so you may simply not be attractive enough. I have been interested to learn about an increasing number of businesses, admittedly not any notable ones in our trade that have been crowdfunded. In essence, crowdfunding can appeal to everyone from the man in the street who is interested in business, to your staff as well as the more seasoned pro who prides himself or herself on spotting the next big thing. They may simply be doing it for a bit of fun.

Crowdfunding in its most basic form can be split into three categories: Donation based crowdfunding entrepreneurs offer goodies rather than a cash return. Owner retains 100% of the company and profits and simply offers sweeteners/freebies and a sense of belonging to a tribe.

Equity based crowdfunding people invest to get a stake in the company and will look for a capital return if things take off. They will not be repaid their initial investment but could make decent returns on company as it grows or if it was to be sold in the future.

Debt-based crowdfunding - investors want their money back usually with interest. You invest and state the return you are looking for.

Once the target is reached the average interest is found and the business has to pay back the initial plus this over an agreed timescale.

Beside the obvious benefit of getting the money, crowdfunding helps launch the company to many new people, as naturally if people invest in a business they will talk about it.

The chatter factor is key and it is one of the most important elements of the whole concept.

As in Dragons’ Den, the pitch which sells your idea is key! - Short, punchy memorable.

It’s like trying to make a great first impression on a date. Get your information, idea, purpose and goals out there.

It can also allow you to rubber stamp or validate your idea, build a support network and a readymade market research group, to name just a few benefits.

Of course, as with everything, there are risks. Your idea could be liable to many unsophisticated investors and it could stop further investment from larger investors or indeed banks. Or you simply might not like the idea of having other people buy into your idea. Sadly, you may simply garner little interest and that may dishearten you from the task at hand.

The key is of course to be comfortable with what you are willing to give away as once you have posted it online you can’t change your mind. You also need to be robust in terms of your own mind and the business, but I guess if you are willing to put yourself out there in the first place that shouldn’t be a problem.

Above: Be less Wally/Waldo and stand out from the crowds.

Left: The 'chatter factor' is a key element to crowd-funding.

You also must reach your full target of capital. So if you are thinking of going down this route then think carefully what you are asking for and why? Be too ambitious and you may fall short. Also you must always seek good legal advice.

When in a large crowd, whether at T in the Park or in business, you have to keep your wits about you and be prepared to adapt, learn and move. It is the only way to survive.

Be flexible, look at different options and above all else stand out for your excellent service, product or whatever you can.

“Today we’re living in an anti-Waldo world, where you don’t want to blend in and have people struggle to find you. You want your personal brand to stand out like you’re wearing a red and white sweater, and everyone else has on black.”

(Jarod Kintz, writer) So let’s all be less Waldo... (*Waldo is Where’s Wally? in the UK) To contact David email: jppozzi@btconnect.com PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

21

22-23 August_Layout 1 28/07/2015 14:23 Page 2

CARDSHARP

The Hundred Years’ War - And Counting Cardsharp, fuelling his passion for history, has recently been digesting a great book on the century long struggle between England and France in the 14th and 15th centuries that became known as The Hundred Years’ War. This titanic bloodbath, that featured the famous battles of Crécy, Poitiers and most famously, Agincourt, swung one way and then another and then back again in favour of each of the combatants. It was also punctuated, despite its name, with periods of peace covered by a truce.

Cardsharp pondered on the similarities being played out in the 100+ Years Card War between Hallmark and AG. While not exactly The Hundred Years’ War, the recent decision of Tesco to replace UKG with Hallmark as its broker supplier set Cardsharp thinking about a long struggle for supremacy that is still continuing to this day, over 100 years since it first started - that of the global struggle between the two giants of the greeting card industry, American Greetings and Hallmark.

And because the rivalry goes back generations (and over a century) Cardsharp thinks it is pretty unique, and he struggles to think of any other industry where two family-owned companies have had such a long dominance of a market as these two monoliths. Nor one where the

22

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

original market makers are still so dominant. Lip service is often paid to the uniqueness of the greeting card industry, but it certainly is when it comes to these card combatants.

Both companies have a lot in common. They were both started in the early years of the 20th century. Both to a greater or lesser extent are still owned by the descendants of the original families that founded them. Both have had their relative ups and downs. But both still bestride the world greeting card market like Colossus.

American Greetings (the parent company of UK Greetings) was started in 1906 by Jacob Sapirstein, a Jewish Polish immigrant who sold greeting cards from a horse-drawn cart. But it was his son Irving (who later changed his name to Stone) who really developed the business, virtually running it as a teenager when his father was taken ill. Irving was a remarkable character who continued to work as founder chairman in the Cleveland based business, almost to his death at the age of 90, in the year 2000. His son-in-law, Morry Weiss, continues this day to be chairman, and after a period where AG went public and was listed on Wall Street, the company returned to the ownership of the Weiss family a couple of years ago.

Hallmark was started a little later, in 1910, by Joyce Hall, who despite the Christian name was a man.

Originally called Hall Brothers, it was in 1944 that Hallmark coined the slogan for which it has become famous: ‘When you care enough to send the very best’. It changed its name to Hallmark in 1954 and in that decade embarked on an extensive television advertising and sponsorship campaign that virtually established the name of Hallmark as a generic in the States.

Hallmark is still run by various members of the Hall family to this day

22-23 August_Layout 1 28/07/2015 14:23 Page 3

CARDSHARP from its headquarters in Kansas City, in the heart of the mid-west in the US. And what a war it has been between these two. An epic conflict that has seen (in the States at least), Hallmark and AG see off all major competition to a point where Cardsharp estimates between them they have at least a 90% market share of the US greeting card market, plus extensive retail portfolios in some shape or form.

They have been ruthless in taking out competition, with AG, for example, acquiring the only significant other publishing player Gibson Greetings in 1999.

Given then that the UK greeting card market is the second largest in the world, it was only to be expected that it would be the second most important ‘battlefield’ in this struggle for global greeting card supremacy.

It was in the late 1970s that both companies started putting serious energies into the UK market. Both got caught up in ill-advised retail ownership in the 1980s and managed to divest themselves of their portfolios by giving them to Don Lewin (founder of Clinton Cards) and therefore contributing to Clintons’ dominance of the UK greeting high street in the 1990s and 2000s. In fact, it could be argued that the Clintons’ empire was largely built on Don shrewdly picking up the pieces of both companies’ ill-advised expansion into retail.

In the 1990s both snapped up smaller UK rivals in a gargantuan spending spree.

Hallmark acquired Andrew Brownsword for a price rumoured to be as high as £200 million and Creative Publishing for around £160 million. But possibly its most effective acquisition long-term was the much smaller amount it paid for Tigerprint, the

own brand publisher for Marks and Spencer. Ironically, this non–branded division of a brand-led company was, for many years, the most successful part of Hallmark’s UK operation.

By contrast, American Greetings spent less heavily, but the trade brands it acquired during its early spending spree have had more longevity. Camden Graphics and Hanson White are still very much alive as brands to this day, while Gibson is still much-loved as the independent’s friend. In recent years, for obvious reasons, AG has renamed its UK operation UK Greetings.

distribution, it reluctantly returned to retail by taking over the failed Clintons chain, immediately appointing the US Schumann Retail management team to run it. AG has hitherto opted for an arm’s length approach to Clintons, but Cardsharp wonders if the loss of the Tesco brokerage business will encourage AG to take a more pro-active approach, helping the present management team’s seeming struggle to find a successful formula for the chain.

So there we have it! After over 100 years of commercial warfare, both Hallmark and American Greetings are still

‘Both companies’ fortunes have ebbed and flowed in the UK over the past decades. Showing his age, Cardsharp recalls that the 1980s were not a glorious time for AG in the UK, while Hallmark had its fair share of problems in the early 2000s.’

Both companies’ fortunes have ebbed and flowed in the UK over the past decades. Showing his age, Cardsharp recalls that the 1980s were not a glorious time for AG in the UK, while Hallmark had its fair share of problems in the early 2000s.

In the 1990s both embraced the brokerage system that has subsequently become the greetings business model for the supermarkets, in the process squeezing out smaller rivals in the grocery channel like Minds Eye, Waterwells (GBCC) and Woodmansterne by flexing their greater financial muscle.

Indeed, this is not the first time Tesco or in fact other major grocers - has changed camps so dramatically. After all, quite recently Asda transferred its greeting card business the other way, moving from Hallmark back to UKG. Similarities aside though, AG was forced back into retail in 2012 when, in order to protect its interests and

battling it out, with no clear victory in sight for either combatant. Cardsharp observed that although in the Hundred Years’ War between the French and the English there were considerable technological developments in warfare, such as the cannon and primitive guns, the battles were still primarily decided by bows, arrows, swords and cavalry knights in armour. Similarly, while in ‘the greeting card war’ there have been huge technological advances, such as the internet, mobile phones and apps, the battle is still being waged with images and words on pieces of board manufactured from trees.

How long will ‘The Hundred Years’ Greeting Card War’ continue? Will it reach 200 years we wonder? Cardsharp’s hunch is this one will run and run as long as there is a greeting card industry to play for. Now where is my big helmet and codpiece? thinks Cardsharp!

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

23

24-25_Grid 28/07/2015 14:56 Page 2

VIEWPOINTS

Relations And Occasions Cards

Premium Bonds The GCA’s Thinking of You Week, encouraging people to send a card a day from 21 - 27 September, has really blossomed this year, with supermarkets Tesco, Morrisons and Asda, as well as consumer magazine Craft Beautiful, among those to be embracing the idea to create a tide of love and caring through the sending of cards.

The essence of the GCA’s initiative is to harness the emotional power of greeting cards, and this spirit of emotional connection is arguably at its strongest in the relations & occasions segment of the market. That personal touch of recognising significant life occurrences or blood ties with a card caption truly reflects an intimacy and bond between card sender and recipient.

PG ‘connects’ with some card retailers’ views on the current relations and occasions cards sector, asking what’s in demand, what ranges are hot sellers and if there is a lack of particular titles.

Gerry Scragg partner of two Hallmark stores in Longton and Leek: Growth In The Market: “We are being asked a lot more for diverse captions, brought on by the personalisation of cards online such as from companies like Moonpig. Customers expect to find these types of cards in bricks and mortar stores.”

In Demand: “Traditionally, the main relations titles are Mum and Daughter, and it will continue to always be as sending and accepting cards is predominantly a female thing, but there are captions within this that are growing, such as Mum and Partner or Step-Daughter.”

Favourite Ranges: “At this moment in time we are very happy with Hallmark, it is giving us 90% of the designs we need, and it keeps refreshing its ranges. I also like IC&G’s cards. It tries hard to understand what this area of the market needs.”

More Please: “As the UK now has same sex marriages and acceptance of gay relationships, and the different aspects of that, I feel the greeting card industry should reflect this. There’s a whole chunk of our population who need cards that mirror their relationships and occasions and publishers should address this.”

24

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

Kelly Dixon and Pauline Scott owners of Daisy May’s, Harrogate: Growth In The Market: “Our customers like a more traditional card and we’ve been working on getting the right mix of relations and occasions designs, among others, in for them through listening to what they are asking for, so generally we have filled any gaps.”

In Demand:“Baby Showers and Naming Day designs are always popular. While we don’t tend to get requests for Bat Mitzvah or Bar Mitzvah cards, although not far away in Leeds these designs would be more popular.

Our suppliers are more traditional card publishers and they tend to focus on the relations and occasions part of the card market, so whatever titles we’ve been asked for by our customers our suppliers have been able to provide.”

Favourite Ranges: “We’ve got very good relations and occasions designs from publisher Words n Wishes, and huge amounts from Jonny Javelin and UKG. We’ve started dealing with Dog’s Paw who offer personalised designs to the area called Up Your Street - ie cards featuring titles such as ‘Harrogate’s Greatest Boyfriend/Girlfriend’, ‘Harrogate’s Cutest Baby’ or ‘Harrogate’s Best Ever Couple’ (as an anniversary card design). They’re a bit cheeky and a bit humorous, but they’ve done brilliantly well for us.”

More Please: “At the moment we seem to be stocking the titles our customers want. We have been asked a lot by our customers for relations cards with ages, but we found these through IC&G who offer older age cards - they’ve really taken off and have been selling really well.

Grass Roots supplies us with the younger ages (1 to 9), with relations titles, such as Daughter, Son, Great Grandson.

We’ve also covered the ‘granny’ caption problem by finding card captions saying Grandma, Nan, Nanny, Granny and even Grandpa.

We listen to what our customers want and if we haven’t got it, as a rule, we try and fulfill their requests.”

Top left: Close connections on an Icon Life Is Sweet design.

Top right: Dog's Paw's Up Your Street range is a personalised card service to the shop's location.

Above left: Hallmark utilises the faded 'instagram' look on this Little Things Big Love design.

Above: IC&G offer a good range of high age cards for relations.

24-25_Grid 28/07/2015 14:56 Page 3

Hazel Newson

Naomi Green partner for Hallmark Celebrate, Chigwell, Essex: Growth In The Market: “Somewhat, we do find customers asking for more specific relations and occasions captions.”

In Demand: “Hot titles that are popular include: Happy Birthday from the Dog/Cat; male friend cards (with nice words); Happy Birthday Friend cards and Thank You for being part of our Wedding/Being my Bridesmaid/Flower girl etc.”

Favourite Ranges:“Beautifully worded Above: Beautiful words on cards from Sensations - the words in its cards are a Sensations Wife design. fantastic, customers love the sentiments.”

More Please: “It's hard to find To my Step-Parent and Step Mother/Father Anniversary cards and also Happy Birthday to my Step Parent designs.”

Julie West partner of The Gift Boutique, Fraserburgh: Growth In The Market: “We are seeing growth in both the relations and occasions market. We are selling a lot more ‘Great’ cards, both in relations - ie Great Grandson - but also occasions - ie On the Birth of your Great Granddaughter.”

In Demand:“Our top sellers are still female relations designs. There is a much greater demand for age specific relations cards - ie 30th Birthday Daughter.

In regards to Wedding designs, we are being asked a lot more for ‘Thank You For...’ and ‘Will You Be...‘ cards.”

Favourite Ranges: “Two top sellers for us at the moment are Five Dollar Shake’s personalised cards, which are ideal for Wedding, Engagement and also at the moment Graduation events, because the card purchaser can say exactly what they want to say, and also Jonny Javelin’s designs as these are new to us and its cards are very different from anything else we offer.”

More Please: “We always struggle to get ‘Granny’ captions, which is the most common name for a grandmother in our area. Also we never seem to get enough selection of the ‘Great’ titled cards as previously mentioned. We are also asked for ‘Dad and Partner’ and ‘Mum and Partner’ a lot more now which we manage to source for Christmas but struggle through the year.”

Top right: Molly Mae cover the New Baby occasion with many unusual card titles.

Above: An adorable Great Granddaughter design from Jonny Javelin.

Above right: White Cotton Cards is one publisher that has Adoption cards.

Right: Five Dollar Shake's personalised card service is popular for those very special life occasions.

owner of Dandelion, Royal Wootton Bassett: Growth In The Market: “Definitely! People seem to want everything written on the card now. From a ‘Congratulations on Getting A New Dog’ card or ‘Welcome To Your New Cat’ design, it does feel like customers are asking for more and more obscure titles.”

In Demand: “We sell far more relations and occasions cards than open. Adoption cards are in demand, and hopefully with a new MOD training school about to open in the area the young trainees will require relations cards, especially to their mum.”

Favourite Ranges:“We offer Five Dollar Shake, whose cards have lovely illustrations, Paperlink’s Lacie range for female sends, and Molly Mae offers a wide variety of unusual relations and occasions captions, especially in the New Baby area.

Blue Mountain Art’s card designs (distributed by Is It Art?) are strong with the Sympathy, Friend and Relations titles, and even though the text can be a bit gushing, the words are beautiful.”

More Please: “Surprisingly, we are asked quite a lot by customers for Adoption card designs. We’ve had to compromise by offering a Welcome, Congratulations or New Mummy and Daddy card. And relations cards with ages are requested more and more, such as Mum 60th Birthday.”

Sue Bunyan owner of Just For You… By Sue, Billericay, Essex: Growth In The Market: “It’s hard for me to tell because I make and personalise my own cards for my customers, so I can cater for most card titles.”

In Demand: “We are frequently asked for 90th Birthday cards, as people are living longer, and 70th Wedding Anniversary designs, especially this year. It makes sense that more and more marriages are in their 70th year as people got married earlier in those days and are also living to 90 years-old or more. Publishers don’t tend to cover the higher ages, and there is definitely a demand for them to fulfill this area, even create cards for 100 year-olds.

The Baby Shower occasion is very big now, as are cards for triplets.”

Favourite Ranges: “We are a small independent store in a village so we have to offer something different from the multiples on the high street. We tend to stick to hand-finished or personalised cards such as those by Five Dollar Shake (its personalised service is very popular), White Cotton Cards, Second Nature and Jonny Javelin. They are those extra special cards for special events, which suit the relations and occasions market very well.”

More Please:“We struggle with finding cards that say ‘Step Mum/Dad’ - ie Thank You Dad and Step-Mum. I have been asked for Step-Nan and Step-Grandmother designs, and I have made personalised cards for them, but I don’t think I’ve seen a design from a publisher. And Adoption cards (although White Cotton does have this title) and same sex marriages aren’t very well catered for.”

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

25

26-27_Grid 28/07/2015 14:57 Page 2

Publisher Face To Face

A Good

Ling To It As one of the most established trade names in the greeting card industry, Ling Design has long commanded a strong position in the sector. While never courting the cutting edge on the product front, it has held its ground especially well on the contemporary traditional turf through the Ling brand. It has also successfully broadened its base, notably through the astute acquisition of Talking Pictures in 2008, which took it into the embellished side, and then into traditional humour through purchasing Rainbow Cards a few years ago.

A strong management team (headed up

by Ian Bant as managing director), one of the industry’s largest sales forces serving the independent sector, plus a meaningful charity division and decent export coverage has seen the company grow its turnover to £8 million to become one of the few sizeable players in the UK greeting card sector.

There is a genuine affection for Ling Design in the card trade. The very thought of

26

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

Reactions to acquisitions within any close-knit industry tend to be met with varying measures of excitement (“Hey, something big has happened”), concern (that the company being acquired will be gobbled up, lose its identity and result in job losses) and intrigue (“I wonder what they are going to do with it now”).

Soon after Swan Mill’s acquisition of Ling Design, PG hotfooted it to check out the reactions of David Byk, ceo of Swan Mill, and Ling’s md Ian Bant and creative director Rebecca McCulloch.

it being absorbed into another company, where it would only exist as one of many brands (and even then, for how long?) would be viewed as such a loss.

So when the rumours started rumbling at the end of last year that Duncan Spence, the industry stalwart who had owned Ling since the mid 1990s, was considering selling it, concerns were voiced about its long-term plight.

Then, after five months of discussions, the news spread like wildfire that Ling had been bought by Swan Mill Paper Company.

Far left: One of the many contemporary traditional designs from Ling.

Left: A revamp of Talking Pictures’ collections has seen More Than Words be treated to some extra ‘sparkle’.

Below: The Ling acquisition was a real ‘cracker’ for Swan Mill! (Right-left) David Byk (Swan Mill), Jakki Brown (PG), Rebecca McCullouch and Ian Bant (both of Ling and Talking PIctures) and Warren Lomax (PG) in Ling Design’s Paddock Wood premises.

“Who is Swan Mill?”,“What does a cracker and napkin company want with Ling?”, “From what I’ve heard they know a lot about rollwrap, but nothing about cards. I wonder what’s brought that on?”, were just some of the knee-jerk reactions as the announcement percolated through the trade.

“I didn’t wake up one morning with the urge to buy a card company, but I am always open to opportunities and very receptive to the right approach – and Ling looked very attractive,” explains David Byk, ceo of Swan Mill. He heads up the family-run group which has made a name for itself especially in own brand wrap and crackers, as well as in the catering field for napkins and paper tableware under the Swantex brand. In addition, it also owns Penny Kennedy, the upmarket gift packaging company.

David sums up Ling’s ‘attractiveness’ to Swan Mill as being a combination of its size, solid management, profitability, geographical location (both have offices in Kent, plus Ling’s Bradford-on-Avon design studio is en route to Swan Mill’s facility in Wales), synergies with Penny Kennedy (there is 40% shared customer base), export connections and growth potential (such as through using Swan Mill’s Hong Kong division).

Giving assurances that Ling will remain as a standalone business, David said: “Why would we want to change a profitable business that works, especially as Ian [Bant] is remaining as managing

26-27_Grid 28/07/2015 14:57 Page 3

Publisher Face To Face

director?” he says rhetorically.“And since the deal was done, we can see more advantages – even down to being able to use Rainbow Cards’ jokes in our crackers, for example!”

Ian Bant’s role, post acquisition, is increasing, as he is also becoming responsible for the running of the Penny Kennedy business. Its current director Sarah Watts, who has been the creative driver behind Penny Kennedy, is to remain with the business for the foreseeable future. Julian Nash, chairman of Ling, is to remain with the business until the end of the year to ensure a smooth handover.

Still giddy from the sale, Ian said of his new enlarged role, “How exciting 2015 has been for me so far. I got married in April, turned 60 in May and now this in June!”

From Ling’s perspective, the change in ownership rubberstamps the ongoing investment on the product side that got underway when Rebecca McCulloch rejoined the company as a creative director in February 2014.

“When I joined, the whole product portfolio needed a spring clean,” admits Rebecca. “We rebuilt the design team, got to grips with the ranges, and started by adding more sparkle to Talking Pictures, which has gone down well,” she says gleefully.

The latest task was to ‘resurrect’ maxandsid, the contemporary brand Ling acquired several years ago. “maxandsid had been ‘left in a corner’ and had been taken too juvenile. It was a very exciting project to work on and the three new ranges we have just launched have gone down well so we are on the right track!” adds Rebecca.

In fact, the maxandsid brand looks set for further elevation, with plans to develop a giftpackaging range using the Penny Kennedy expertise, which will be produced under a ‘maxandsid by Penny Kennedy’ sub brand.

The product traffic is also likely to travel in both directions. While the Emma Bridgewater range of gift-packaging (published under licence) is a bedrock of the Penny Kennedy line-up, the card range based on the same licence (which came as part of its acquisition of Firebrand, a small card company) has never ignited sales in the same way as the gift packaging.

“It makes absolute sense for us at Ling to use our card publishing knowledge to

Left: Some 40% of Ling’s customer base is in common with that of Penny Kennedy. This Alice Scott collection forms part of Penny Kennedy’s licensed portfolio.

Below middle: One of the new Hullaballoo designs (left) and one from the from the Rosalie range, both from the recently over hauled maxandsid collection. The coming year will see some maxandsid designs being translated on gift packaging under a maxandsid by Penny Kennedy sub brand.

Below: The Rainbow Cards’ joke archive could well be plundered for crackers from Swan Mill in the future.

improve the Emma Bridgewater card range,” explains Ian. “Interestingly, at the Ling sales conference, which took place shortly before the deal was done, our reps were asking for better giftwrap. We have no excuse now!” he jokes.

When broached on the subject of sales representation - Ling has a full-time rep force, while Penny Kennedy is sold to independents

via a team of agents - Ian is straight talking.

“Penny Kennedy has some really good agents and where it is working there is no reason to change that. We do have a couple of trial territories in which a Ling rep will also be carrying Penny Kennedy product. There are no hard and fast rules about what we are going to do on this front. Whatever works best for the business and our customers will be our guide for the future,” assured Ian. As to the future, with Ling, Swan Mill Holdings now has a turnover that tops £60 million, making it one of the largest players and one with a quest to grow. Has the Ling acquisition given David Byk the taste for greeting cards? “My door is always open for opportunities. Yes, Ian and I have talked about Ling becoming an ‘incubator’ for additional card brands, so who knows what could happen!” he concludes enigmatically.

The Ling Dynasty Swan Mill’s acquisition of Ling Design means that this long-standing brand will continue in the industry, carrying on the legacy of its founder Brian Ling, who sadly passed away a few years ago.

The Ling family had been involved in the paper industry in the early part of last century. It was in 1957 that Brian Ling, who had grown up working in the family’s paper mill business, visited an exhibition in Switzerland, with the brief of gaining the UK distribution rights to sell some of the European product he saw.

A contact made at the exhibition subsequently sent Brian some samples of giftwrap designs, which he decided to test out on department stores throughout central London.

To his surprise the giftwrap was an instant winner! Spurred on by this success, the next logical step was to add greeting cards to the range, which were sold under the name of Henry Ling (London) Limited. Throughout the 1960s the business continued to grow. At this time WHSmith was looking for an upmarket range of cards to add to its selection and so offered the Henry Ling brand a trial in 20 stores. This stepping-stone was to pave the way for the embryonic card publishing business to grow both in the UK and overseas.

The company was based in London until relocating to Kent in the 1980s.

It was purchased through an MBO led by Ron Corbett (the md at the time) and industry stalwart Derek Sim (the sales director). This dynamic duo made the company very attractive as an acquisition target for Filofax plc in 1994, who was looking to expand beyond its personal organiser portfolio.

Ling did not flourish under Filofax’s reign and was sold three years later to business angel Duncan Spence who appointed William McCracken (who had a wealth of knowledge on card retailing and publishing) as its managing director until he elected to retire. Julian Nash continued as chairman and Ian Bant was appointed as managing director.

Interestingly, a company that was borne out of a paper company, once again became part of another one when it was acquired by Swan Mill Paper Company. The history continues.

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

27

Retas Party pages 2015_Layout 1 28/07/2015 13:18 Page 1

The Retas Awards 2015

Below: All the winners of The Retas 2015 took to the stage of The Dorchester proudly clutching their trophies.

Fairytales Came True Once upon a time… (July 8 to be exact!) The Retas 2015 awards event took place, which saw all the best card retailers in the land be presented with magnificent shiny trophies befitting of their excellence.

PG immersed itself into the fairytale theme of the event at The Dorchester last month at which everyone lived happily ever after.

Below: All smiles from Jane Chandler (M&P Cards) and Han Van Reen (Thorntons).

Above: The Retas Finalists keepsake brochure featured imagery from Ladybird Books’ fairytale books as did the design for the stage set (thanks to Penguin Random House).

Centre: It was a double celebration for the House of Cards’ team. Not only did it win a Retas award (Best Retailer Initiative), but the retailer marked its 25th anniversary that evening with a memorable meal at Hakkasan, one of London’s top restaurants.

28

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

Inset: Jim Bullough (PG) granted the challenge set by Mark Janson-Smith (of Postmark) to dress up as a Gingerbread man in keeping with the theme.

Retas Party pages 2015_Layout 1 28/07/2015 13:18 Page 2

The Retas Awards 2015 Right: Two Goldilocks with two of the bears?! Claire Lewton (second left) and Helen Nixon of Hallmark Widnes with Charles Spencer (right) and Lee Nelson (both of CBG).

Far right: Waitrose’s Sarah Betts (left) and Michelle Klein with the Gingerbread man!

Left: Everyone participated in a fairytale-themed ‘Higher or Lower’ elimination quiz before lunch which was served by raising their twinkly handmade ‘menu wands’, designed and created by Belly Button Design and Windles.

Right: As sponsor of the ‘Higher or Lower’ quiz, Belly Button Designs’ Kerry Mellor (right) presented the winner, Pauline Murray of Tippecanoe from Portree on the Isle of Skye, with the lovely prize of a magnum of champagne and Fortnum & Mason vouchers.

Left:Cheers! (Left-right), Elise Hutchinson (Hallmark), Kerry Johnson (Tesco) and Hallmark's Matt Critchlow, John Rigg, Cheryl Sandbach and Clare Hopkins.

Right:Top comedian Sean Collins shared his funny observations on life with the audience, made up of 400 card retailers, publishers and suppliers.

Below:Hawley Garden Centre’s Jan East (centre) and Kim Foster with agent Gary Prior.

Below: After ‘going to the ball’, every winner of The Retas will receive a Golden Ticket worth £150 to spend at PG Live 2016 and all finalists will receive a Silver Ticket, worth £50!

PG’s Jakki Brown (wearing a one off ‘crown’ created by Belly Button Designs’ Jess Livsey) with ‘magic beans’ examples of a Golden Ticket and Silver Ticket.

Below right: Prince Charming Warren Lomax (PG) with Cherry Orchard’s Jackie Collins (right) and Beverley Fisher in front of the ‘beanstalk’ that had grown in the Champagne Reception.

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

33 29

Retas Party pages 2015_Layout 1 28/07/2015 13:19 Page 3

The Retas Awards 2015 Left: Is it Little Red Riding Hood? No, it’s (far left) Sharon Little (GCA) in a posh frock! With (right-left) Mark Long and Michael McGunnigle (both of GBCC), Clara Sheridan and Joyti Gohil (both of Wyevale) and Chris Houfe (GBCC).

Right: Three princesses! Asda’s Kate Briggs (right) and Emma Dean with (centre) Ceri Stirland (UKG) all wearing the Cinderella tiara that were the placecards for the event (kindly donated by Icon Live).

Right: During dinner guests were treated to a mesmerising handheld laser juggling performance from Feeding the Fish, which culminated in The Retas 2015 name ‘in lights’!

Far right: Lee Hartley (Noel Tatt) with ‘Rapunzel’ Samantha Wilkinson (right) and Sharon Beaton, both of Ruxley Manor Garden Centre.

Left: (Left-right) Gee Tee’s George and Yasmin Twist caught up with CBG’s Alister Marchant.

Below: Klondyke’s Kerri Sorbie with Fiona Douglass (Nigel Quiney).

Below left: You can just tell that this bunch always have Nice Thoughts! (All from Nice Thoughts, Coleshill).

Below left: It looks like a happy ending here as Paperlink’s Buttons (aka Bill Greeno) makes Cardzone’s Jo Hancock (left) and Anita Powley smile.

Above: Oh goody! Love Letters’ Janet and Dudley Stow lifted their goody bags high as well as their Silver Ticket!

Left: Going back to her professional dancer days (right) Alison Baker of Hallmark Jersey suited her Cinderella crown beautifully!

Seen here with her fairytale-themed goody bags (from Glick), which were filled with lots of lovely treats.

32 30

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

RETAS Winners pages 2015 NEW_Layout 1 27/07/2015 16:01 Page 1

Greeting Card Retail Employee of The Year er of 2015 Winner: Kerry Young, manag Thoughtful Expressions, Holt Initial Reaction: “I went to the ball and really and truly got my fairytale ending!”

Kerry Young, manager for Thoughtful Expressions, Holt

Right: Thoughtful Expressions' manager, Kerry Young, receives the Greeting Card Retail Employee of the Year Award from Matt Critchlow, sales director – Nationals of category sponsor Hallmark Cards. Also pictured is the awards' host Sean Collins (right).

Below right: Kerry with Thoughful Expressions’ (left to right) Kim and Barry Bunn, owner Gail Pegg and husband Freddy and Pat Lines at the drinks recption, before she knew she’d won!

Sponsored by

Best Independent Greeting Card Retailer

London (inside the M25) 2015 Winner: Postmark - Balham, Dulwich and Turnham Green Right: Mark and Leona JansonSmith, owners of Postmark, receive their trophy from (left) Alister Marchant, CEO of category sponsor Carte Blanche Group.

Left: Mark and Leona hold on tight to their shiny Retas trophy.

Sponsored by Initial Reaction: "Wow, did they just say Postmark?! Can't believe it, absolutely delighted. Huge thanks to everyone who voted for us and all our customers."

Leona and Mark Janson-Smith, partners of Postmark, Balham, Dulwich and Turnham Green PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

31

RETAS Winners pages 2015 NEW_Layout 1 27/07/2015 16:01 Page 2

Best Independent Greeting Card Retailer

Home Counties ick 2015 Winner: Box of Delights - Flitw Left: Michelle Ellingham and Jan Woods (far left), owners of Box Of Delights, Flitwick, accept their trophy from Peter Goodman, director of sales for Xpressions 4U and Only 4U, sponsor of the category.

Below: Michelle kisses her Retas’ trophy!

Initial Reaction: “Shock and disbelief,

Sponsored by

then quite overwhelmed by the moment.

The walk to the stage seemed a long journey and we were surprised at how heavy The Retas trophy was!”

Michelle Ellingham and Jan Woods, owners of Box Of Delights, Flitwick

Best Independent Greeting Card Retailer

East Anglia 2015 Winner: Just Cards St Ives, Cambs

Initial Reaction: "Well, they've gone and picked little old us!" We were very nervous as the names were read out and when we were named Maureen just said to me "It's us, we've won", and I replied "I know, we'd better get up there".

Tom and Maureen O'Connell, owners of Just Cards, St Ives

Sponsored by Above: Tom and Maureen O'Connell, owners of Just Cards, St Ives, are delighted to receive their Retas award from (left) Fiona Douglas’s, sales director for category sponsor Nigel Quiney and Glick.

Right: Tom and Maureen are doubly pleased to win and receive a Golden Ticket to PG Live 2016.

32

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

RETAS Winners pages 2015 NEW_Layout 1 27/07/2015 16:01 Page 3

Best Independent Greeting Card Retailer

South West ester 2015 Winner: Tidings Cards - Cirenc Sponsored by Right: Kim Ralph, owner of Tidings Cards, Cirencester, accepts the Retas Best Independent Greeting Card Retailer – South-West award from Han Van Reen, Thorntons in your store development manager for Thorntons, the category sponsor.

Below: Kim proudly holds aloft her Retas trophy.

Initial Reaction: "At last! I've been nominated by my fabulous agents and publishers a good few years and I'm sorry to say I was starting to lose hope, which is bonkers because Tidings is truly a great, completely unique and successful business. Now at last, it's gained the top accolade - my lovely shiny Retas."

Kim Ralph, owner of Tidings Cards, Cirencester

Best Independent Greeting Card Retailer

Wales and the Midlands 2015 Winner: Something Special, Prestatyn and Mold Initial Reaction: “Allison says walking up to pick up the award her little heart it did go "BOOM DIDDY BOOM DIDDIY BOOM BOOM BOOM”! She just managed to hold back the tears as the culmination of the last few years blood, sweat, tears, laughter, joy, heartache, personal and team achievements were all part of the award she was picking up.”

Neil and Allison Allum, owners of Something Special, Prestatyn and Mold

Above: Neil and Allison Allum, owners of Something Special, Prestatyn and Mold, accept their Retas trophy from Chris Bryan, national accounts manager for category sponsor, Second Nature.

Right: Big smiles from Neil and Alison.

Sponsored by

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

33

RETAS Winners pages 2015 NEW_Layout 1 27/07/2015 16:01 Page 4

Best Independent Greeting Card Retailer

North and Northern Ireland n 2015 Winner: Unit 7 and Presentatio Manchester, Birmingham and Barrowford Initial Reaction: “Very proud!”

Andrea and David Pinder, directors of Unit 7 and Presentation, Manchester, Birmingham and Barrowford

Sponsored by

Above: Andrea and David Pinder, directors of Unit 7 and Presentation, are delighted to accept their Retas award from (left) Tracey McMinn, regional sales manager eastern region for category sponsor, UK Greetings.

Left: We couldn’t be happier! Big smiles from Andrea and David.

Best Independent Greeting Card Retailer

Scotland 2015 Winner: Clocktower Cards, Lerwick Initial Reaction: “I was actually more nervous than I thought I would be when Sean Collins was announcing the finalists in my category, and when they announced that Clocktower Cards had won I was absolutely delighted! I didn’t actually hear them say my name after that as I was really happy and couldn’t wait to go and collect the award. The

Sponsored by

Above: Shop manager, Leah Jarmson, is thrilled to receive Clocktower Cards' Retas trophy from Andrew Eccott, managing director of Tracks, sponsor of this category.

Left: Leah with her coveted Retas trophy.

34

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

whole day was great and everyone at Clocktower Cards was over the moon when I told them we had won.”

Leah Jarmson, manager of Clocktower Cards, Lerwick in the Shetlands

RETAS Winners pages 2015 NEW_Layout 1 27/07/2015 16:02 Page 5

Best Greeting Card Retailer

Newcomer Or New Branch - South , 2015 Winner: R hymes With Orange Central London Initial Reaction: "As the Retas started I felt tense yet excited. When the finalists for our category were read out my heart was pounding and I thought don’t be disappointed if we don’t win, yet if we don’t today, what do we have to do to win?… and the winner is ..wow!…. thanks to everyone who supported us, we will not sit back and relax."

Brent Milburn, owner of Rhymes With Orange, London

Sponsored by

Above: Brent Milburn, director of Rhymes With Orange, London, is thrilled to receive his award from Nick Davison, portfolio director of i2i Events, organisers of Spring and Autumn Fair International, sponsor of the category.

Right: Brent gives the 'thumbs up' as he weaves his way to the stage to receive his trophy.

Best Greeting Card Retailer

Newcomer Or New Branch - North 2015 Winner: Penny Black, Glasgow Below left: Ryan and Jo Marwaha, managing director and buyer for Penny Black, Glasgow, accept their Retas trophy from Jackie Collins, managing director of Cherry Orchard Publishing, sponsor of this category.

Right: Jo and Ryan are shiny happy people!

Initial Reaction: “YAY!!!!”

Ryan and Jo Marwaha, managing director and buyer for Penny Black, Glasgow

Sponsored by

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

35

RETAS Winners pages 2015 NEW_Layout 1 27/07/2015 16:02 Page 6

Best Independent

Bookstore Retailer of Greeting Cards hton 2015 Winner: The Book Shop, Loug

Left: Tania Blundy, director for The Book Shop, Loughton, receives her trophy from Paul Woodmansterne, managing director of category sponsor Woodmansterne Publications.

Far left: Tania is all smiles as she proudly clasps her Retas trophy.

Initial Reaction: “Thrilled to be at The Retas awards and for our hard work to be recognised!”

Tania Blundy, director for The Book Shop, Loughton

Sponsored by

Best Non-Specialist

Independent Retailer of Greeting Cards - North 2015 Winner: Harriet & Dee, Manchester and Chester

Left: Nola Chesworth, manageress of Harriet & Dee, Manchester and Chester, accepts the Best Non-Specialist Independent Retailer of Greeting Cards – North award from Stephen Baker, sales director of Pigment, sponsor of the category.

Sponsored by

Far left: Nola is delighted at winning not only a Retas trophy but also a Retas Golden Ticket worth £150 to spend at next year's PG Live show.

Initial Reaction: “Absolutely thrilled! I didn't expect to be a princess for the day!"

Nola Chesworth, manageress of Harriet & Dee, Manchester and Chester

36

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

RETAS Winners pages 2015 NEW_Layout 1 27/07/2015 16:02 Page 7

Best Non-Specialist

Independent Retailer of Greeting Cards - South lton 2015 Winner: Calladoodles, Carsha

Initial Reaction: “I do wish all of the team were here and then 'Oh Dear' (polite version), this means photographs!”

Liz Killick, owner of Calladoodles, Carshalton

Above: Calladoodles' owner Liz Killick, is delighted to accept the Best NonSpecialist Independent Retailer of Greeting Cards - South award from Stephen Baker, sales director of Pigment, sponsor of the category.

Sponsored by

Right: Calladoodles princess Liz, is pleased with her Retas award.

Best Greeting Card Small Multiple (4-20 stores)

Sponsored by

2015 Winner: 3 Wishes, Lymington, West Moors, Verwood and Ringwood Initial Reaction: "We were amazed that our name was called out!... and very proud of our team."

Rachel and Debbie Collingwood, managers for 3 Wishes, Lymington, West Moors, Verwood and Ringwood Left: Debbie (right) and Rachel Collingwood, managers for 3 Wishes accept the Best Greeting Card Small Multiple award from Nick Carey, commercial director for Abacus Cards, sponsor of this category.

Right: Debbie and Rachel are delighted with their award.

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

37

RETAS Winners pages 2015 NEW_Layout 1 27/07/2015 16:02 Page 8

Best Department Store Retailer of Greeting Cards n 2015 Winner: Barkers, Northallerto

Left: Buyer for Barkers, Sarah Lishman, receives the Best Department Store Retailer of Greeting Cards award from Chris Houfe, sales director of category sponsor The Great British Card Company Far left: Sarah is absolutely thrilled with her award.

Initial Reaction: "My initial reaction was just absolute shock! So unexpected! A fabulous result to end our

Sponsored by

lovely afternoon at The Dorchester."

Sarah Lishman, buyer for Barkers, Northallerton

Best Supermarket Retailer of Greeting Cards 2015 Winner: Asda

Sponsored by

Above: Asda's card buyer Kate Briggs (centre), trading assistant, Emma Dean (right) and merchandise planner, Alex Wilson, are delighted to accept their Retas award from Simon Boyd, coowner and operations director for category sponsor, Progressive Greetings Live.

Right: A happy Asda trio with their Retas trophy.

38

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

RETAS Winners pages 2015 NEW_Layout 1 27/07/2015 16:03 Page 9

Best Non-Specialist Multiple Retailer of Greeting Cards nationwide es or st 24 , as on B er liv O r: ne in W 2015 Initial Reaction: “So excited to win our first Retas! It’s been a great year and a real team effort” Kate Donkin, junior buyer home & gift for Oliver Bonas

Above: Oliver Bonas' Hannah Tait (left), and Kate Donkin, junior buyers home & gift, are delighted to accept the Retas award for the Best Non-Specialist Multiple Retailer of Greeting Cards from Simon Wright, national accounts director for UK Greetings, home of the Boofle license and category sponsor.

Sponsored by

Left: A Retas bonus for Oliver Bonas' Hannah and Kate.

Best Specialist Multiple Retailer of Greeting Cards 2015 Winner: Scribbler Right: John and Jennie Proctor, directors for Scribbler, receive the Best Specialist Multiple Retailer of Greeting Cards Retas trophy from Tim Porte, sales director of category sponsor, Paperlink.

Below: Jennie and John beam with delight.

Initial Reaction: “On hearing the announcement of our success we both felt elated and very excited, and, of course, utterly deserving!!

Sponsored by

On walking to the stage to collect the award, we both felt very happy and immensely proud of our team. To be recognised by our peers, in this great industry, is the ultimate accolade.”

Jennie Proctor, director for Scribbler

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

39

RETAS Winners pages 2015 NEW_Layout 1 27/07/2015 16:03 Page 10

Best Garden Centre Retailer of Greeting Cards s 2015 Winner: Frosts, Woburn Sand Below right: Leisure buyer for Frosts, Woburn Sands, Pat Barker, accepts the Best Garden Centre Retailer of Greeting Cards award from Lee Hartley, business development manager of category sponsor Noel Tatt.

Below: Pat proudly clasps her Retas trophy.

Sponsored by

Initial Reaction: “OMG we’ve won!... followed by the realisation that I would have to go on stage to collect the award with the fear of falling up those stairs!

I actually felt very honoured to collect the award on behalf of all the teams at Frosts. We’ve had a great year on cards and it’s all down to teamwork and our excellent relationships with suppliers.”

Pat Barker, leisure buyer for Frosts, Woburn Sands

Best Greeting Card Retailer Initiative 2015 Winner: House of Cards for its Ladder Club initiative

Sponsored by

Initial Reaction: “We were delighted to win The Retas award for Best Initiative. It was fantastic for the House of Cards team to be rewarded for all the effort that went into our Ladder Club Promotion.”

Miles Robinson, co-director for House Of Cards, seven stores in the Home Counties

Above right: (Second left) Nigel Williamson and (second right) Miles Robinson, co-directors for House Of Cards, accept the Best Greeting Card Retailer Initiative award from Mike Partridge, managing director of category sponsor Peartree Heybridge.

Right: Nigel and Miles are over the moon with their win.

40

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

RETAS Winners pages 2015 NEW_Layout 1 27/07/2015 16:03 Page 11

Best Greeting Card Wholesaler sall 2015 Winner: Greetings House, Wal

Initial Reaction: “My initial reaction was how proud I was of all the hard work put in by my team at Greetings House and the pleasure I had receiving the award on their behalf.”

Richard Turnbull, managing director of Greetings House, Walsall

Sponsored by

Sensations THE PERFECT CHOICE

TM

Above: Managing director of Greetings House in Walsall, Richard Turnbull, accepts the Best Greeting Card Wholesaler award from Ade Longe, managing director for Sensations/Xpress Yourself, sponsor of this category.

TM

Right: A trophy - and Golden Ticket to boot for Richard and his wife Lynn.

Greeting Card Retailer of the Year Criteria: All the winners of The Retas awards are truly great greeting card retailers. This award goes to the ‘greatest of the great’ of these retailers - a retailer that has truly excelled in all aspects of greeting card retailing.

Winners of all The Retas categories were contenders for this award.

2015 Winner: 3 Wishes, Lymington, West Moors, Verwood and Ringwood Initial Reaction: "It was totally unexpected! We were over the moon with excitement and proud of all of our achievements."

Rachel and Debbie Collingwood, managers for 3 Wishes, Lymington, West Moors, Verwood and Ringwood

Above: Rachel (left) and Debbie Collingwood, managers for 3 Wishes, win the Retas double and accept the Greeting Card Retailer of the Year award from Ged Mace, managing director of category sponsor, The Art File.

Sponsored by

Right: Wishes do come true! Happy duo, Rachel and Debbie.

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

41

42-43.qxd_Grid 28/07/2015 18:39 Page 2

Retailer Face To Face

Wishes Granted Sometimes, just sometimes, you get more than you wish for in life.

At the time when Sarah Henderson and her husband Paul were thinking of a name for their greeting card retailing business, Sarah also had aspirations towards having a third child - hence 3 Wishes. The name stuck, but that third child ending up being twins!

PG caught up with Sarah soon after another ‘twin’ moment, when 3 Wishes (which has shops in West Moors, Verwood, Ringwood and Lymington) won two Retas awards, including Greeting Card Retailer of the Year, at The Retas last month.

Wednesday July 8 was a big day in the Henderson household. Firstly, it was the date of The Retas awards, in which 3 Wishes had reached the finals in Best Small Multiple Greeting Card Retailer. This in itself is a major achievement for the Dorset-based business, which husband and wife duo Paul and Sarah Henderson started against all odds in 2004 with a small shop in West Moors, Dorset.

Through their shared tenacity and flair the ensuing years has seen the business expand to three additional branches in Verwood, Ringwood and Lymington.

In virtually all other situations, Sarah and Paul would have shifted the tight rota (Sarah manages the Ringwood and Lymington stores as well as the buying, while Paul oversees the West Moors and Verwood ones, plus looks after the accounts) to make their way to The Dorchester, but that would mean ignoring something even more important.

The Retas clashed with the School Sports Day at Verwood First School, the last one ever that all four Henderson siblings (aged 9, 7, 5 and 5) would participate.

42

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

Top: Sarah and Paul Henderson, co owners of 3 Wishes at last year’s Henries judging.

Above: Cards and gifts share the stage in 3 Wishes stores, with the large footage in Lymington being used to great effect.

Right: The Henderson children (left-right) Ben, Amelia, Olivia and Isobel took The Retas trophies into their school and took to the stage during Shared Assembly to tell all the other pupils all about 3 Wishes’ double award win.

Below: 3 Wishes flagship store, in Lymington, which is 2,500 sq ft.

The Dorchester Hotel v a school playing field?

“The sacrifices we make for our children!!” exclaimed Sarah about herself and Paul accepting they would be missing The Retas. “I was sorry not to be there, but the children would never have forgiven us if we hadn’t gone to their sports day.”

3 Wishes was well represented with Sarah’s mum Debbie Collingwood, general manager of the business, and sister Rachel Collingwood, who runs the Ringwood store, lapping up the lavishness of The Dorchester coming back with not one, but two shiny Retas trophies, including the prestigious Greeting Card Retailer of the Year award.

Sarah admits she had garnered herself for not winning the award for Best Small Multiple, convincing herself it would go to Funky Pigeon. By the time the awards ceremony was underway, Sarah was back working in the Lymington shop, while Paul was on duty in the Verwood branch.

42-43.qxd_Grid 28/07/2015 18:39 Page 3

Retailer Face To Face

Left: The bright, contemporary interior of the Ringwood store.

Below right: Sarah’s mum Debbie Collingwood (right) and sister Rachel, both of whom work in the business, at The Retas Awards last month.

Bottom: Less than two days after winning The Retas, the good news was being shared with customers on the shop door.

“I was communicating by text to Mum and Rachel when I received a photo of a Retas trophy. ‘Does it say Funky Pigeon on it?’ I texted,” reveals Sarah, who was delighted when she was put in the full picture.

“When we won the overall Retas award they knew they had to phone me. It was a wonderful feeling,” admits Sarah.

The 3 Wishes’ approach encapsulates everything that is good in an independent card retailer (anchored by an extensive product selection), yet Sarah and Paul feel they owe much of their success to date to the retail experience they gained working for the now defunct varietal chain of Woolworths.

“I loved working for Woolworths, it taught me so much. I started there as a Saturday girl 22 years ago. I was never told ‘that’s not your job’ and as I showed an interest the people who often had been working for the store for 40 years explained everything to me. I worked my way up and even came back to the Southampton store every Saturday when I was at university to manage ‘my department’, which was homewares and kitchenware at the time,” recalls Sarah.

Having met a kindred spirit at Woolworths in Paul, they both nurtured ambitions of progressing from store manager status (Sarah was running the Southborne store while Paul was store manager of the Poole store) to director level, before realising that the only way to make all the decisions at retail was to own your shops.

“I was more interested in gifts in those days, and even when Paul alerted me to the improved margins on cards I couldn’t initially see how anyone could sell enough cards to make a living from it. Added to that, I was aware, from my experience in Woolworths, of just how hideous it is to try and keep a busy card rack tidy!” reveals Sarah.

However, it looked for a while that Sarah and Paul’s retailing aspirations would

never be realised. “We were not even in with a chance of securing the shop units that we had our eye on as no landlord or letting agent would give us a chance,” explains Sarah.

The breakthrough came in 2004 when a local builder, who had built a small block of flats with a handful of retail units underneath in West Moors, agreed to let a unit to the by then newly married Hendersons.

“No one thought it would work. And we didn’t help ourselves by initially calling the shop Pawprints, after our dog who put his muddy feet on the shelves when we were kitting it out!

Not surprisingly, the few people that did come in thought we were a pet shop!” says Sarah.

However slowly, but surely, the trade built up, encouraging expansion, followed a few years later year with a second shop opening in Verwood, with one in Ringwood following in 2010, and its large flagship store in Lymington joining the fold in 2013.

Last month, two days after The Retas, the Ringwood re-opened having been refurbished and enlarged, proclaiming the group’s awards win on the door.

Also on the cards is that 3 Wishes is to relocate to a larger store in West Moors.

“And they said nothing works in West Moors!” states Sarah with glee.

In tandem with the store openings, the Henderson brood expanded too, with Amelia, Ben and the twins Isobel and Olivia coming along within four years of each other.

Sarah accepts that running a small growing retailing business with your husband, as well as being hands on parents for four young children, means making sacrifices and takes a lot of juggling. It works, thanks to impeccable planning “and without the support of our team, we really would be nowhere,” says Sarah.

“We feel very fortunate to be able to run our own business, but also be there for our children. I have to confess though that I can’t wait for the day when they are old enough to work in the business and then we can open some more shops, ideally I’d like to have 10, but until then we just need to make the ones we have as good as they possibly can be,” says Sarah with all the passion and diligent practicality that has gained 3 Wishes the respect it deserves.

“We do run 3 Wishes as a business, but we love what we do. We don’t need to make more money than we did last year, but we need to make it better and that is what we intend to do.”

Seeing Double Sarah and Paul came up with a way of granting a retailer’s common wish for ‘elastic walls’ in order to accommodate a wider selection of captioned cards.

Its ‘double pocketing approach’, whereby two different designs sit snuggly together, though still seen, are in each pocket of the integrated displays in 3 Wishes’ shops.

This means that, in its Lymington store, for example, it displays 5,000 different captioned cards on the main rack, where other retailers would be stocking half as many different designs in the same space.

“It does take ages to put together and to oversee, but offering choice is one of the main reasons we have been able to grow. We stock 26 different retirement cards and even that isn’t enough - people come to us for the choice,” says Sarah.

Steadfastly protecting the ‘double pocket’ approach, Sarah has accepted help from UKG to create a plan.

It is through the choice offered by independents especially, that Sarah believes will safeguard the passion that so many consumers have towards greeting cards.

“There are so many people out there that have a real passion for cards; I watch them coming into our shops. They love looking at the cards, want to talk about the ones they have selected, about the finishes, the image, the words. Without the independent card shops they would not be able to get their fix and the nation would be a poorer place because of it.”

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

43

44_PG_August 2015 24/07/2015 12:50 Page 1

Polypropylene & biodegradable bag specialists Over 40 years quality service to the trade Hotfoiling also available

GREETING CARD

FRIENDLY, EXPERT ADVICE DEDICATED AND KNOWLEDGEABLE TEAM FAST AND EFFICIENT SERVICE HIGH QUALITY FILM BAGS

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

45-46-47_38-39/40-41 24/07/2015 17:23 Page 45

Innovations PG Showcases A Collection Of New Product Launches

Floral Story Jonny Javelinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new range, Secret Garden, is a pretty floral range of female relations cards all foiled with a fluted title and finished with flitter and embossing. There are nine cards initially, with a short verse on the leaf insert, with female ages and open birthdays in the pipeline.

The Jonny Javelin Card Company 01423 563740 www.jonnyjavelin.co.uk

Country Life Ryland is adding nine new art cards into its Seasonal Skies range bringing this range to 18 designs. Each of this range of country scenes has the appearance of an oil painting and is designed to have broad appeal. Printed on high quality British made linen textured board, the cards are wrapped with ribbed kraft envelopes.

Ryland 01400 261745 www.rylandstudios.co.uk

Yorkshire Girl Yorkshire publisher, Fiona Plews of Plewsy, has an obsession for bringing little creatures to life, finding inspiration from walks in the countryside and from snippets of conversation. This Holy Moley design is from her Creature of Habit collection, which comprises 12 designs, all from Fionaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s original watercolour or ink-based illustrations. The card are sized A6, blank inside and sold wrapped with 100% recycled kraft envelopes.

Plewsy 07725 530875 www.plewsy.com

Handy Man In a Word, a sophisticated male range, has just been launched by The Handcrafted Card Company. Printed on a smart pearlised pinstripe board and finished with a silver foiled embellishment, this is a fun and quirky textbased range in a manly black font for birthdays, occasions and male relations. The cards are all sized 160mm square and sold wrapped with silver envelopes.

The Handcrafted Card Company 01782 639733 www.thehandcraftedcardcompany.co.uk/

In The Loop

On The Paige

Loops of Life is the latest launch from Molly Mae. There are 20 new designs across everyday and special birthday titles for male and female captions with party scenes for the girls and bicycles for the boys, from stunt bikes to pennyfarthings! All the cards are beautifully handfinished with glitter, sized 165mm square and sold wrapped with Molly Mae branding.

Molly Mae 0844 736 2686 www.mollymae.co.uk

Artist and publisher Paige Cartledge is launching the Exotic Collection 2015, a range of cards, notebooks and screen-prints. The designs, comprising a butterfly, palms, coral and this octopus, are printed on textured board and sold wrapped with fleck kraft envelopes.

Paige Cartledge 07762 936646 https://paigelouiseolivia.carbonmade.com

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

45

45-46-47_38-39/40-41 24/07/2015 17:23 Page 46

Innovations PG Showcases A Collection Of New Product Launches

Amyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Garden A new range collection of floral watercolour cards is being released by Amy Louise Design.

There are 15 designs in this range, printed on textured board and hand-finished with tiny diamantes to enhance the detail. The cards have rounded corners, are sized 145mm square and sold wrapped with complementing coloured envelopes.

Amy Louise Design 07815 573311 www.amlodesign.co.uk

Up Close And Personal Inspired by the form, contours, colours and fragrance of roses, Mine Osman has released a new range called The Rose, photographic designs which immerse themselves within each flower. There are 12 cards in the range, all sized 150mm square, blank inside and sold wrapped with pearlised envelopes.

Mine Osman 07852155077 www.mineosman.co.uk

Up The Scotts Natural Partners has launched a new card range featuring the vibrant paint and collage artwork of popular Scottish artist Nikki Monaghan. The initial collection comprises 15 designs, all sized 155mm square, are blank inside and sold wrapped with a white envelope.

Natural Partners 07714 768956

Made The Cut Cardboard Cutouts is the latest handmade range from GracieGirl Designs. This relations occasions and age range comprises milestone ages 1 to 100 years, sympathy, wedding and anniversary cards featuring delicately placed cut out heart, butterfly or star embellishments.

Christmas designs with delicate snowflake shapes are also available. All the cards are sized 150mm square, supplied wrapped with brown rib tone envelopes for everyday and crimson red envelopes for Christmas.

GracieGirl Designs 07796 687156 www.graciegirldesigns.co.uk

Stand And Deliver Ink Bandit is adding 15 new bold and quirky cards to its general collection. Designed by Claudette Tinsley the cards feature delightful illustrations full of adventure, fun and mischief with a hint of awkward humour. All the cards are printed on textured FSC board with most designs and sold wrapped with complementing envelopes.

Ink Bandit 07909 056100 www.inkbandit.com 46

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

History In The Making Absolutely Historical, a hilarious new range from Roisin Cafferty, features old book illustrations with amusing captions about modern day life.

The unique designs really stand out from the crowd and are perfect if you need fresh new humour cards to get your customers giggling.

There are eight 150mm square cards wrapped with red envelopes and more designs will be added soon.

Roisin Cafferty 07742983044 www.roisincafferty.com

45-46-47_38-39/40-41 24/07/2015 17:23 Page 47

The Flicker Of Tiny Wings Flicker Wing Fairies is a new range created by watercolour artist Sue Coleman of Flicker Wings.

Each card is lovingly handmade with glitter and diamante and its own unique delicate flick out wings. The range comprises 50 blank designs, sized 150mm square and sold wrapped with matching coloured envelopes.

Flicker Wings 01226 728616 www.flickerwings.com

That Perky Feeling

Sweet As Candy

Perkins & Morley is extending its popular Animal Ink range with new 18 designs being added to the card collection as well as new gifts including new melamine tablemats and a new tea towel design. It is also adding melamine tablemats and a new chopping board into its ever-popular Collective Nouns range.

Perkins & Morley 015395 64247 www.perkinsandmorley.com

The latest range from YTR Design is Christmas Candy. These 30 cute and quirky Christmas designs based on original embroidered artwork

by Yasmin, enhanced with little Swarovski crystals and tiny hand-tied bows. Sized 155mm square this range is presented wrapped with red coloured envelopes.

YTR Design 01484 600 460 www.ytrdesign.com

Positive Thinking Aimed at girls aged 5-10 years, Happy Academy’s first range ‘We all have Superpowers’ is an eight card foiled range which includes stickers highlighting positive strengths and qualities. There are six birthday cards, a thank you and an invitation card all sized 150mm x 210mm and sold wrapped with white envelopes.

Happy Academy 01954 710 138 www.happy-academy.com

Giving More We all need a little help from our friends when we are down, struggling or if we want to give thanks, and more often than not we don’t know what to say. More Than Words, A Made Hand’s new range of cards are comforting, selfaffirming and very, very thoughtful. Designed to send to a friend just to let them know they are in your thoughts. There are 40 cards in this range, all sized 150mm square and supplied with a flecked kraft envelope.

A Made Hand 01200 420880 www.amadehand.com

Hand On Heart Simply Special is extending its ever expanding Birthday relations range. All the cards are beautifully handmade on quality linen white board with lots of sparkly attachments. There are now over 60 designs available, all available in any relation/occasion caption. The cards are all sized 144mm square and supplied wrapped with a quality white envelope Simply Special Handmade Cards 028 8166 1066 www.simplyspecial4u.com

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

47

48-49_Grid 24/07/2015 17:30 Page 48

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

Strengthening

Your Core

Jeremy Corner, owner of greeting card publisher Blue Eyed Sun, considers how yoga is benefitting his life and his business.

I have always thought of yoga as a bit of a girly activity and have steered clear of it for many years. I like my sports to be gruelling and manly and love nothing more than running up and down the hills and valleys of the South Downs Way on a weekend.

This September I am taking part in a challenge with the team at Sage to #BeatTheSEO at this year’s Great North Run. Determined to avoid injuries in training, I have had to concede that my body needs more flexibility. Yoga seemed like the obvious supplement to my running and to make it more ‘manly’ I joined a hot yoga class in Brighton.

Dynamic Hot Yoga is an energetic form of Hatha Yoga practiced in a room at 105 degree heat and is based on powerful deep breathing. The heat allows the muscles, ligaments and joints to open without injury and the cardiovascular nature of the class helps to burn fat and develop muscle tone.

I think it has also opened my eyes to new ways of seeing. Here are some of the ways yoga can help the way you see your business:

Focus Whatever you focus on you’ll feel. For example, if you focus on how bad life is for you then you’ll feel depressed. Similarly, if you focus on looking after your body then it will improve. Improving your posture and breathing has an effect on how you hold yourself and in turn on how you feel.

Focusing on flexibility as well as strength, through yoga, has helped reduce the aches and pains from my running. It’s helping to keep injuries in check and prevent others from happening.

What are you focusing on in business at the moment? Are you focusing on where you want to go or are you reacting to (or dwelling on) situations?

Meaning

Discipline In order to practice a discipline well one needs to be disciplined in one’s practice.

Yoga has helped me to be consistent in my approach to my training and business. I run every other day and alternate running days with yoga days. Similarly, if you want to grow your business you need to be disciplined in working on your business and not just in it. I’m not talking about the daily things that need doing. You need to be taking daily action towards your business goals, so figure out what these are and schedule time for you to take regular steps towards them.

48

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

develop and grow. It’s not always easy, but that’s kind of the point. It’s the journey that makes you grow. So if you are feeling stuck in a rut, or not getting where you want to be, then step out of your comfort zone and try something new.

Your Comfort Zone It’s so easy to keep doing what we know. And yet, if we keep doing the same things, what results are we going to get? That’s right - the same results.

Signing up for a yoga class or some business coaching is the beginning of a series of steps that will push you to Top: Focus on flexibility in your business - An Avanti card from The Great British Card Company.

Above: Becky Hassett from card publisher Bexy Boo practicing her yoga technique.

Right: Take the plunge and jump out of your comfort zone.

While yoga is a physical practice it also has profound spiritual connections with the world at large. Most of us spend a lot of our time in our heads and neglect our bodies.

The deep breathing, spine stretching and meditation that occurs during class reconnects me with myself and the world at large. It brings balance and meaning to my life. A space where I can just be. How

48-49_Grid 24/07/2015 17:30 Page 49

JEREMY ’S JOURNA L

often do we create these moments in our business? How often do you give unhelpful meanings to things in your life? Could there be a better way?

leaders that open their minds to new ways of thinking and being. Is there such a group that you can join?

Building Your Base Patience Some of the postures in my yoga class seem impossible to me at the moment and I genuinely can’t imagine ever being able to do them. Our yogi often points out that some of these moves took him between one and three years of practice to be able to accomplish. This reassurance helps me to see that discipline and focus combined with patience will get me to where I want to go.

It’s the same with our business. I never could have imagined that Blue Eyed Sun would sell as many handmade cards per year as we do.

We patiently concentrated on producing lovely cards year after year and the growth followed. Every journey begins with a single step. Once you have decided where to focus your business and have scheduled your discipline you need to be patient in your pursuit of it.

If you are going to grow your business and provide for your loved ones you need to build on solid foundations. Without your body and your health it’s going to be hard, so you need to take good care of yourself.

Through yoga, running and good eating I have shed 1kg a week for the last six weeks as I lower my weight by 1.5 stone in preparation for the Great North Run. Regular yoga has burned lots of fat and made me more considerate of what I am eating and drinking. The results mean work is easier, I am rarely sick and I have more energy for our business and my family and friends. There’s no time like the present, so just do it!

Knock-On Effects My yoga practice has had several unexpected benefits. Firstly it is way more demanding physically than I thought it would be. As a result my body has become more toned and stronger in addition to being more flexible. My breathing and posture have also improved which has helped my running no end. At work I feel calmer and more relaxed.

The knock-on effects of becoming more focused and disciplined with our business are that I have grown so much in terms of knowledge and understanding of the world.

Mindfulness Your Peer Group You don’t always choose your friends and family, but you can choose your peer group. My yoga class is essentially a new peer group. One that is focused on body and mind and is inspiring to be around.

They watch their nutrition, some of them are professional athletes and one of them is a top ultra-distance runner. Spending time with a range of yoga practitioners all moving forward in their development is empowering.

It’s also helpful in business to have a peer group that inspires and pushes you further. Most of the top business people I know spend time with other business Top right: Yoga can have a knock-on-effect on your business.

Above: Open up your mind to new ways of thinking – a stunning design from card publisher and photographer, Mine Osman.

Right: Jeremy Corner with Mo Farrah at the Great North CityGames in 2011.

Mindfulness is a mental state achieved by focusing on one’s awareness in the present moment whilst calmly acknowledging ones feelings, thoughts and bodily sensations. So often our thoughts are in the past or the future and seldom in the present. We mull over regrets or missed opportunities or fantasise over dreams that may never happen.

Yoga centres around breathing and postures that help my mind stay focused on the present moment. This is also helpful in business.

Dealing with situations as they stand (rather than focusing on what might have been or could be) can often be more helpful and practical.

Girliness I have had to completely revise my idea of what being ‘girly’ means. I used to think it meant weaker or lesser. In truth the women in my class are incredibly strong, flexible and powerful. Extending this out to life and business I think phrases that suggest women and girls are less in some way are redundant and so I’ve decided to stop using them.

I have been practicing yoga for two months now and am looking forward to taking part in the Great North Run to help raise £70,000 for Cancer Research in a few weeks. I last ran this half marathon in 2011 and had a great time, which included meeting loads of great athletes like Mo Farrah, Jonathan Edwards, Steve Cram and many more at the Great North CityGames the day before. Hopefully this year will be just as good.

If you’d like to sponsor Jeremy taking part in the Great North Run please visit: www.justgiving.com/JeremyCornerGNR15

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

49

52_PG_July 2015 30/06/2015 13:58 Page 52

Autumn/Winter

Olympia London 13–15 September 2015

THE UK’S LEADING DESIGN-LED GIFT & FASHION ACCESSORIES EVENT

1973 Ltd / Bluebell 33 Ltd / Coles Pen Company / Dean Morris Cards / Nancy & Betty Studio / Noi Publishing / Ohh Deer / POLITE COMPANY / Publishers Group UK / Sloane Stationery / Stone Marketing Limited / YCUK / Phaidon /

FOLLOW US @topdrawerlondon Register for your complimentary ticket

topdrawer.co.uk

GIFT / FASHION / CHILDREN’S / STATIONERY & GREETINGS / WELLBEING

51-52-53_Grid 24/07/2015 17:39 Page 51

Relation & Occasions New Launches

Close Ties

The extra emphasis of notable life achievements, family or friendship bonds or age milestones on a card caption creates an intimacy to the design for the card’s receiver.

PG gets up close and personal with some new Relations and Occasions card range launches. ● Introducing Carousel, Paper Salad’s new neon bright occasions range which is printed on 350gsm FSC board and finished with heaps of sparkly silver flitter. There are currently nine 116mm x 162mm designs in this range and each card comes individually cellowrapped with a Paper Salad kraft brown envelope.

● Abacus Cards has just added to its range of occasions cards with a bumper launch of 67 new designs, covering 37 occasions titles. These latest additions span a variety of card sizes, price points and styles; and include designs from popular ranges, such as Tallulah Rose, Posies & Petals, Rapture and Life & Soul. This month also sees the introduction of 67 new relations cards, covering 25 nearest and dearest captions, to Abacus’ popular ranges. ● Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwyll-llantysiliogogogoch; it’s not Happy Birthday, Congratulations, Good Luck or Ta, it’s actually a place in Wales. But you can say what you want, again…and again… and why not say it in Welsh?

Allihopa’s hugely popular Welsh language range is the perfect card for any Welsh speaking loved ones. These 12.5cm x 12.5cm quality cards are individually wrapped in cello bags. ● Soul’s Soul Eden range of 14 occasions cards (6.5” x 5.5”) have been designed by Lollie Dunbar. The designs are based around a beautiful palette of spring colours, embossed with a foil finish, and the floral elements and classic wording in hand-drawn lettering make these

cards delightfully endearing. Additionally, Soul Town & Country is a quaint and charming new range of 14 occasions cards. Quintessential ink illustrations by artist Mei Fields, with a splash of colour, are complemented with a silver flitter finish.

● Cockadoodle Design is a fledgling greeting card company producing contemporary designs with a quirky twist. All designs are 3D and 100% handmade by the designer/publisher Pauline Swindells. Cockadoodles’ Little Bigs cards are 145mm x 145mm and come individually wrapped in cellophane along with their very own brown ribbed (Caption above: ‘Fantashtic old fogey envelope… how lovely! happy birthday dad’).

● Introducing Hotchpotch’s new cute and contemporary range - Wild Things!

Featuring quirky characters and handdrawn lettering, these 12 154mm x 154 mm bold and stylish designs are cellowrapped and finished with foil.

Other new occasions and relations ranges from Hotchpotch include: Three 60, a new male relations and occasions range; Popsicle, a fun range designed in a screen-printed look; New Age is a trendy range, celebrating milestones and occasions; Cloud 9 is a contemporary range of patterns and geometric shapes, and for female sends Morello uses the finest quality crystals and coloured sequins. ● Brand new from Janie Wilson is its Neon Jewels range. Neon is so on trend at the moment and Janie felt it was a very eyecatching theme for a range of cards. All the cards are hand-finished with lots of brightly coloured neon gems. There are 30 designs in the range covering birthdays and most occasions and relations. The cards are cellophane wrapped with a white envelope and measure 155 square. ● Kirsten Burke has created a range of striking empathy cards to coordinate with others in her range that is published by Portfolio. Filling a niche between the ‘sympathy’ and ‘get well’ categories, the new embossed cards feature a touching yet witty message in Kirsten’s trademark style.

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

51

51-52-53_Grid 24/07/2015 17:39 Page 52

Relation & Occasions New Launches

● Cherry Orchard Publishing has launched a brand new range of minor titles in conjunction with Irish distributor, K Kards. The range of 190 designs will now be available from Cherry Orchard throughout the whole of the mainland UK. The minor titles cover everything from a birthday wish to a Great Niece, 40 Wedding Celebration cards with specialised captions for all friends and family involved, and 21 new baby cards and Christening or Baptism Days. The range even has golfing cards to celebrate Captain’s Day and President’s Day! ● Inspired by a love of surface pattern design and illustration, Pattern is a new Lonetree collection of hand-drawn block pattern illustrations printed in a palette of modern pastels, producing a fresh and design-led range for every occasion; from weddings to birthdays! Lonetree is proud to use a carbon neutral printer, heavy grammage paper that is made with 100% wind power and FSC accredited envelopes. ● Launched at PG Live, The Cookie Jar is a quirky, fun range of occasions cards designed and illustrated by Clare Maddicott Publications’ designer Amy Oakes. Presented in a rectangular format (125mm x 170mm), the cards are printed on textured art board and finished with raised spot UV. Covering major occasions titles, the cards feature front captioning but are left blank inside for the sender’s own message. ● IC&G has launched a beautifully designed and created collection of individual boxed cards. All the cards are embellished to the highest standard with hot foil, embossing and eye-catching flitter.

This luxury collection covers a range of titles including: One I love and Wife Anniversary, to name a few. Each card is lovingly adorned with handcrafted elements… all finished off in a full colour printed box marking that special occasion. ● Arty Krafty is a range of handmade cards for all occasions and relations from Laura Sherratt.

This range is growing rapidly and really does cover everything! All of the designs in the range are printed onto a brown kraft backdrop, include drawn images and come handfinished with wooden buttons and gems. The range is already extremely popular, and most recently now covers special ages.

52

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

● Paperlink is constantly refreshing its occasions and relations collection within its newest ranges. Its recent range styles are: Mimosa; Duck and Dive; Pina Colada; Sunshine (featured).

Mad As Hops; Jam Jar. ● Immature, hilarious and massively sendable, Pigment’s major 2015 new product launch has had a storming start! A comprehensive integrated humour line featuring a walloping 50 relations, occasions and ages designs to ‘wet your whistle’, the Boom Shaka Laka range uses a combination of cool humour, authentic vintage photos, fake vintage photography (who cares!) and hip lettering styles. It's chock full of collage, colour and chutzpah! All designs are foil stamped, size 120mm x 170mm, with a distinct gunpowder grey envelope. ● The Porch Fairies and their cheery friends, the long-suffering woodland folk, live in enchanted places full of sparkle and glitter. Now the Porch Fairies feature on a range of beautiful hand-finished greeting cards which consists of over 60 160mm square greeting cards, covering the popular occasions, children’s ages, female relations, Christmas, open and friends cards. ● Harking back to Blue Eyed Sun’s glass enamel designs, its beautiful new range, Impressed uses luxurious watercolour textured board and includes 33 designs covering all major everyday occasions.

These 97mm x 142mm cards are blank inside, sold in sixes and all come cellowrapped with a white envelope. They are are handmade with love and clay in BES’ Brighton workshops. ● Velvet Olive’s Tessellate range of 16 cards was inspired by a trip to Udaipur in India. Kathryn Fletcher, the designer, felt the tile patterns resonated and made an impression and would work really well with occasions such as Thank You, New Home and Congratulations. The elegant message card has a contemporary twist with an unprinted border revealing the high quality grey recycled board. Some new occasions cards are You’re Amazing, Best Teacher Ever and Graduation.

51-52-53_Grid 24/07/2015 17:39 Page 53

Relation & Occasions New Launches

● Wendy Jones-Blackett’s Quicksilver range has 140 new 130mm x 130mm everyday designs this year, covering occasions, open birthdays, milestone ages and, most recently, relations birthdays. Also brand new from WJB for 2015 is its Happy! large square cards, a luxurious, top-end range of 40 180mm x 180mm designs featuring its trademark fluted hot-foiling alongside hand-finished touches of bows and gems. ● Jonny Javelin has a brand new relations and occasions range called Secret Garden. It’s first floral range for about 10 years, fluted foiling has been added to the caption and other parts of the image and the cards are further enriched with intricate embossing and flitter. They come with a short verse on a leaf insert and are priced to retail with an RRP of £1.99. ● Gypsy is the ‘bohemian’ new collection from Cinnamon Aitch, featuring a beautiful selection of occasions designs, each gorgeously die-cut with unique edges and apertures.

Inspired by the free-spirited and naive imagery of folk art, luxurious finishes of textured printing, foiling and embossing accentuate the exquisite detail and make these cards so special to send and a joy to receive. ● Wise Words is a lovely new range from Paper Rose of occasions designs, featuring a common phrase and beautiful wise words where the phrase came from is on the back of each card design. The designs have all been delicately embossed and foiled to give them that extra special feel.

Wise Words cards all come individually wrapped with a white envelope. ● Brand new for 2015 is the Hand-Finished With Love range from Wishing Well Studios, which makes fabulous use of high quality attachments and finishes, including sparkling coloured gems, hand-tied ribbons and bows, beautifully painted eye-catching tab-ons and stunning multi-fold inserts. Vibrant coloured flitters and foils are used to complement the art styles, while all wording is carefully chosen. Price Code RR - a new reduced price of £3.89 from July 1st.

● Holy Mackerel has launched a gorgeous new range of cards, featuring the fabulous watercolour designs of artist Kate Brazier. The range includes those hard to get numbered anniversaries, currently from 1 to 5, but with more on the way! Beautifully printed on hammered board, and with lots of delicate decoupage, the cards are 150mm square and come individually cellowrapped. ● Following on from the success of the Wisdom of Kids everyday stand alone and coming of age designs, Gemma has launched new range of relations and occasions cards appealing to females and males. The cards are 7” x 5” in size and have a beautiful spot UV finish. They are accompanied by an eye-catching black and white chevron effect envelope. ● The occasions and relations sector is an important part of Nigel Quiney’s product portfolio, with regular updates and additions to the ranges. The latest release of 64 brand new designs has a selection of contemporary female Pizazz designs, funky holographic male designs and exciting new honeycomb male and female first birthday’s, to name a few. ● Ling Design has introduced a gorgeous new set of Milestone Anniversary designs in to its popular At Home range, featuring Silver, Pearl, Ruby, Golden and Diamond Anniversaries along with a Mum and Dad Anniversary. All are 228mm x 121mm, foiled, individually cellowrapped with a pearl envelope, RRP £2.25. ● Berni Parker’s new occasions range From the Heart has been created in her unique delicate soft textured style using handmade papers giving a three dimensional look to the image, which has selective silver foiling and foiled text.

There are 20 designs for a variety of occasions in a square format, printed on a textured board and presented with an oyster white pearlescent envelope. ● Dapper Chap from YTR Design is a collection of 20 bold, colourful and eye-catching designs of masculine focused illustrations, featuring graphic patterns and quirky fonts. And for the girls, YTR’s Pretty Sweet range of 18 150mm square cards are handembellished designs for birthdays and occasions and feature a detachable mini cupcake decoration.

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

53

54_56_PG_August 2015_Art Source 29/07/2015 11:46 Page 54

ARTSOURCE

55_57_49/51 24/07/2015 17:45 Page 55

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

ARTIST IN FOCUS

Isobel Lundie I am a London based illustrator from Kingston University. I am predominately interested in how I can transform something considered mundane or boring into something entertaining. In particular, I am interested in the ways in which I can simplify complex information into something easily digestible for children, such as how information in compulsory subjects is presented.

One of my biggest inspirations is the idea of interactivity within story telling, or as a way to present information. The rise in technology in the present

day has changed the definition of literacy in the 21st century. Children now have more options in the ways in which to learn. Traditional learning techniques such as the written word are no longer the sole portal to information and the digital age has brought about opportunities to present information through image, sound and interactive apps.

WANT TO BE FEATURED?

In my work I try to use this idea of modern age interactivity as a device to display information, or to tell a story.

My work often explores how to condense vast masses of information and make it fluent to a reader via a narrative. By utilising a character-based narrative, it acts as a device to guide learners through information.

I want to encourage children to want to learn via exiting and engaging imagery and re-represent information that an individual may find boring or challenging and re-purpose it into something desirable and exciting.

My working method is very manual and I think that by making my imagery physically I can inject a lot more energy into my characters. I like to use expressive marks to enhance a sense of movement and excitement within my characters - often using a mixture of painted cut-outs and graphite marks to make my imagery. However, my media is often determined by the suitability to the brief.

I often draw with scissors as I find that it adds a chance element to my work often abstracting my characters and rewards my images with a boldness that has an authority.

The purpose of my work is primarily to create something functional but also visually engaging and fun. ● Email: isobellundie@me.com

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

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

55

54_56_PG_August 2015_Art Source 29/07/2015 11:46 Page 56

Keino

Jeannine Rundle

Christine Tappin

Hannah Wood

Pope Twins

Emmeline Pidgen

Paula Doherty

Helen Poole

Andy Rowland

Rachel Green

Chloe Robertson

Jo Parry

Jen Leggett Paul Collis

FFACT: ACT: it’ it’ss w what hat w wee stand fo for or ffairness, airness, ability eativity, tr ust ability,, cr creativity, trust Artist Agency and Image Library Now with more than 100,000 stock images

Ileana Oakley

Pauline Siewert

www w..advocate-art.com +44 (0)20 8879 1166

Sophia Touliatou

Marcello Corti , Barbara Gerardi

Sharon Williams

Mat Edwards

Eva Czapla

ARTSOURCE

TO APPEAR REGULARLY IN THE

ARTSOURCE SECTION OF PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS CONTACT TRACEY ARNAUD ON

01234 740 051

55_57_49/51 24/07/2015 17:45 Page 57

ART SOURCE Emily Collier My name is Emily Collier and I was brought up and live in Chelmsford in Essex, where I am currently working. Although I have worked part-time in other jobs, I knew that I always wanted a career in something I loved, and that has become illustration. I have always had a passion for drawing since I was small, but decided through school that fine art wasn’t the path I wanted to follow. I much preferred artwork that had a funny edge or a use to it, more illustration based I came to realise. What inspires my work is mostly the people around me. A lot of the work I produce features my quirky sense of humour matched with this, and I recently did a whole series of illustrations based on conversations I had over heard whilst living in Essex that I found funny.

I also love dogs, and this has crept into my work wherever it can! I attend Coventry University where I study a mixture of fine art and illustration and am soon to graduate hopefully into an illustrative career. I recently started creating art works that I think would be perfect for greeting cards. Mostly my style consists of using coloured pencils, ink and then digitally touching them up after. I like the design of using one central image and then having a different image repeated in the background. ● Email: collieremily7@gmail.com ● Web: https://emsillustrations.wordpress.com/

Janey Jones My Dad was a cartoonist, and my brother is a sound artist - so I come from a family of creatives.

I was always making something as a child - a solo clay Womble and a collage of the Queen’s Silver Jubilee are the only evidence of this that exist today.

I was a Blue Peter geek - painting, sculpting and making collages have always been part of my life.

I studied Theatre Design and now make theatre props for opera ballet and television. I have worked with some great designers, including Chris Ofili, making some puppet heads from his designs for the Royal Opera House. We used Skype initially - waving a puppet head across cyber space was a little bizarre to say the least.

Alongside my prop work is my paper collage work, created from cut and torn magazine paper - I have files for different colours and textures. I also take a lot of photographs and often use them as a starting point for my pre collage drawings. My collage pieces are intricate with a painterly feel and I try to create pieces for contemplation, with snippets of script referencing today.

My inspiration comes from trees, flowers, birds and the everyday. I like a nice teacup, and the odd rabbit pops up occasionally.

I particularly love the flower paintings of Rachel Ruych and Jan Van Huysum, and pay homage to them in my flower series. I am in the process of making more wild flower pictures. Other artist heroes of mine include Peter Blake, Cragie Aitchison, Peter Doig and Sargent.

I have exhibited in galleries in the South East and at The Affordable Art Fair, Battersea, and at the Cue B Gallery I had a successful solo show.

I am also a member of South London Women Artists and Greenwich Open Studios. ● Email: missjaneyjones@gmail.com ● Web: www.janeyjones.com PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

57

58-59_46-47 28/07/2015 18:46 Page 46

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

Maxine Matthews, owner of Bromley’s, Halsted, Essex A medium shop in a market town with a loyal locals customer base Category

Name of Publisher

Product/Name Range

Comments

Cute

Moongazer Cards

Spellbound

Humour

Beverston Press

Oliver Preston

Art

Mill House Fine Art

Anne Cotterill

Traditional

Noel Tatt

Across The Board

Contemporary

Frillybee

General

Handmade/HandFinished

Ruth Jackson

Pencil Shavings Cards

We’ve only had these for a little while but already they are very popular. The details on the dreamlike illustrations are incredible, and on the back of the card there is a message about the image.

Good inoffensive humour for both men and women, and with such a wide collection of designs there is something for everyone.

Strong oil painted floral images that are available in different card sizes, from large right down to a small size, ideal for gifts.

Fabulous ranges across the board.

Everyone is catered for and the price point is really good.

These cards have done really well. Bright, colourful and cheerful, the cards have great occasions captions that are a little bit different.

So simple but lovely!

Right: A dreamlike Moongazer Card.

Below right: Bright and beautiful, a Frillybee design.

Carol Page, owner of Just For You, Yaxley, Cambridgeshire A small shop in a pretty village with a loyal locals customer base Category

Name of Publisher

Product/Name Range

Comments

Cute

Carlton (UKG)

Boofle

Humour

Hanson White (UKG)

Out Of The Ark

Photography

Nigel Quiney

What A Picture

Art Traditional

The Art Group Gibson (UKG)

General Helen Steiner Rice

Children’s

Jonny Javelin

Twingles

Ancillary

Verity Rose

Mugs, pens and notebooks

The knitted puppy character is now well-known and the designs are fresh and simple.

The range has tame jokes that are not too racy for our customers.

Cute animals Photoshopped to be pulling funny faces or wearing silly clothes.

The sporty themes sell well with their quite unusual illustrations.

The designs tend to have long verses, but the sentiments capture what people want to say.

The designs are not too babyish for the age of the child, especially the older 8, 9, 10 year-old children.

Pretty female gift items with a vintage look at a good price point.

58

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

Above: Howzat! An Art Group design.

58-59_46-47 28/07/2015 18:46 Page 47

Gill Dent, owner of The Card Shop, Collier Row, London A medium shop in a city suburb with a loyal locals customer base Category

Name of Publisher

Product/Name Range

Comments

Cute

Carte Blanche

Me To You

Humour

Hanson White (UKG)

Giggles

Photography

Ling

Follow Your Dreams

Traditional

Cardigan Cards

General

Cherry Orchard

Across The Board

Nigel Quiney Cherry Orchard Second Nature History & Heraldry

Pizazz Lola Champagne Candlelit Names

In cute Tatty out-sells them all! He is kept up to date as the ranges are refreshed.

It just keeps on selling. The humour is so inoffensive and with such a wide offering there is something for everyone.

Covering the ‘thinking of you’ card sending market, the contemporary looking designs have sweet and succinct sentiments.

Very wordy cards that are one of our best sellers overall, especially the large cards. The company’s service is also absolutely brilliant.

The prices, quality of the board, style and illustrations (modern and traditional, for young and old) are very appealing. The company seems to keep an eye on the market.

They’re nice little square cards that just fly out the door.

Fresh looking designs for young female sends.

Beautifully simple designs with lovely imagery and value for money.

We just can’t keep up with sales of these personalised tea-light holders.

Above: Sweet and succinct wording on a Follow Your Dreams card from Ling.

Right: A pretty female card from Cherry Orchard's Lola range.

Contemporary Handmade/Hand-Finished

Ancillary

Denni King, owner of Love 13, Enfield, London A medium shop in a city suburb with a loyal locals customer base Category

Name of Publisher

Product/Name Range

Comments

Cute

Rosie Robbins

General

Humour

Susan O’Hanlon

Text Range

Art

Ruth Jackson

Pencil Shavings Cards

Contemporary

Always Sparkle

General

Handmade/HandFinished

Boobelini

Crotchet Cards

Procreation Design

General

The Square Card Company

Across The Board

Quirky designs in a muted colour palette, which give them a retro edge.

Funny quotes and little sayings in gold and silver foiling on beautiful coloured board.

Really popular! The fact that they are handmade is a big selling point. It’s one of those simple ideas that you wish you’d have thought of yourself.

Using lovely fonts, these are wordy text based cards featuring modern sayings.

Handmade crochet embellishments on handstamped designs. Some of the crochet elements are badges to wear; they are pretty special.

Simple line drawings that are printed on to cards and then an element on each design are hand-painted in colour.

Really cute! I like that the designs are neutral and not gender specific. For a small retailer short on space this is an attractive point.

Above: Gold and silver foiled funny phrases on a Susan O'Hanlon text design.

Right: Ruth Jackson's Pencil Shavings Cards are adorable.

Children

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

59

60_PG_August 2015 24/07/2015 12:18 Page 60

WE LOVE * PRINT & FOIL&EMBOSS&FLITTER&DIE-CUTS &VARNISHING&FOLDING&FINISHING & ALL OF THE OTHER MAGIC WE BRING TO YOUR CREATIONS WWW. THEIMAGING CENTRE.CO.UK

*

61_62_Grid 24/07/2015 17:53 Page 61

LYNN’S LINES

L

L

On the ball comments by retailer and publisher Lynn Tait of The Lynn Tait Gallery.

Service Rules

I am sure nobody out there, either working in greeting card retailing or publishing, will say being in business is an easy cruise! It's great having your own business and belonging to this incredible industry - I feel like the luckiest person in the world to have been able to be part of it for the past 35 years - however, it is NOT easy.

It is very tough running a card publishing or retailing business, I don't think anyone will deny that. This is why I am perpetually mystified why the one thing that doesn't cost any money and which can make such a huge difference to your business is so often dramatically neglected… good service.

I recently posted a series of detailed prompts on our Ladder Club Facebook page for its new card publisher members, all about exhibiting at shows. Each week for the 12 weeks in the run up to the PG Live trade fair, I covered a different aspect.

My last prompt, in a nutshell, was to be sure not to dismantle your trade stand before the allotted time and to be cheerful and upbeat right up until the very last minute of the show, irrespective of what sort of trade fair experience you had had. I stressed the importance of always being on your stand and to smile.

As I wear ‘two hats’ as both a card retailer and card publisher, I am always one of those people who is racing against time at trade fairs, as I am always exhibiting as well as ordering cards. I am at the shows at which I exhibit before 9am, so I will be ordering right from the off until the lights go out at the end of the day. I can order in double

quick time and I do my research before I go as to which companies I want to see and what cards I need to order.

After I had posted this Facebook prompt a flurry of replies came from publishers who had done great deals (including me) after the fair they were showing at had officially closed.

One new publisher said that her trade show next-door neighbour had smirked at 4.45 pm as they exited the hall, saying, "You've got a lot of catching up to do with the packing up." To which she replied, “Yes, I've just had the buyer for John Lewis on my stand.”

Above: Helpful service with a smile from Wallace and Gromit.

Below: Big smiles all round - Sheleen and Simone Estridge, directors of Curious Pencil Cards, with their mum at PG Live last June.

Overall, at the PG Live show in June I ordered from 13 publishers and spent several £thousands. Of the publishers I ordered from, five were existing suppliers that are my core publishers, five were new companies and three were ‘lapsed companies’ that I used to buy from, but haven’t for a while. However, this lapsed quota could have been four companies, had it not been for the reaction I received when I was about to place an order...

Towards the end of day two at the show, and still with companies on my list to order from and as it was reaching closing time, I went onto a stand. The conversation went like this: "Hello I'm a lapsed customer." Owner of the business: "Yes I know, very lapsed," as they carried on packing up! The cards I wanted to order were still up, being displayed. With my speedy ordering at most it would have taken about eight minutes for me to complete the order.

I can understand that people may have had enough, but PG Live is only a two day trade fair. I would have made a several £hundreds order there and then in a matter of minutes and the publisher would have me back on board as a customer. Surely it’s worth delaying packing up for a few minutes?!

Obviously not in this case! Not exactly what I would call good service.

I had another incident recently where what could have been a ’10 out of 10’ PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

61

61_62_Grid 24/07/2015 17:53 Page 62

LYNN’S LINES Left: The Giant’s Head, Mud Maid and Grey Lady all wait to be discovered along the Woodland Walk in The Lost Gardens of Heligan in Saint Austell, Cornwall.

Below: There were many Ladder Club publishers exhibiting at Harrogate Home & Gift in July.

experience was sullied due to bad treatment by the very people who stand to benefit the most.

My family and I recently had a lovely week in Cornwall and we stayed at a spectacular house. I didn't want anything to go wrong as it has not been possible for me to have a holiday for a long time, so we (my daughter-in-law Mary and I) spent ages finding the best property that we possibly could.

My husband Andy and I flew down to Cornwall and my son Paul took us back to the airport early in the morning on our last day after what had been a fantastic holiday.

Satnav took us the ‘pretty’ but long route to the airport which meant that Paul returned back 20 minutes later than expected at the house to discover his wife Mary rather upset.

The owners of the property had been agitatedly banging on the door before 10am (the allotted time to vacate). Even though Mary explained that she was waiting for Paul to return and was due any minute she couldn’t leave as she would have to sit on the pavement with her two very young children.

The owners dismissed this and were exceptionally rude with the result that it really tainted the holiday.

We had written a wonderful comment in the Visitors book and we had done all the clearing up etc the night before. All Mary needed was a few minutes for Paul to return.

We know a lot of people who we could have recommended this property to, and we ourselves would probably have returned, but we never want to stay there again.

Nowadays restaurants, B&Bs and hotels sink or swim by reviews on Trip Advisor. I know some are false reports, but these are easy to spot. I wouldn't dream of booking anywhere unless I had read its reviews. This is because increasingly service is so important.

Publishing and retailing is so competitive and it is so easy to have the edge with good service and actually valuing your customers.

To complete a trio of ‘service stories’ is my recent ‘coaster saga’. As my shop is located in the beautiful tourist area of Old Leigh it is my mission this year to get up to speed with 62

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

stocking souvenirs of the area which suit the shop and our customers.

Our Ladder Club Facebook page has a list of suppliers for all manner of products that members have all shared. So, looking to create a series of photographic coasters, I contacted all six companies on the list who make coasters and I asked for a product sample (showing a photographic design), a price list and catalogue if they had one.

Company One sent me a sample which only featured corporate logos and nothing else, and despite several more emails... no reply.

Companies Two and Three did not reply at all despite more emails from me.

Companies Four and Five sent samples, but were of the most dreadful quality.

Company Six however sent me a lovely sample and demonstrated very good service, but were too expensive.

In fact all the companies seemed a bit too pricey.

I then contacted a friend in the industry who I knew has had lots of coasters produced

and the company they recommended ticked all the boxes and performed on all three elements – quality, service and price.

Company Six, who had also sent a sample, stayed in the game throughout, sending polite emails saying, "I'm still here if you need any assistance". As I need other products I will work with them in the future as I was very impressed with their service and helpful manner and I am sure we will be able to negotiate on price.

So, after a few months of research I placed by £500 initial order for the coasters.

Assuming these sell (and I have no reason to think that they won’t) this will be an ongoing product until I eventually close the shop! I won't be moving from this supplier and will recommend them to others, which will result in more business for them.

So, for those companies that did not bother to reply or read my email properly, it's £thousands in lost orders, plus lost recommendations to 200 members on the Ladder Club Facebook page.

Can you see why I am ‘Perplexed of Leigh-on-Sea’? I just don't get it. It’s such a simple thing to do… good service.

I am impressed by how The Ladder Club members look after their customers. It is so lovely to see the enthusiasm of these new publishers and the standard of service publishing newbies are showing with their wonderful trade stands and original product.

Today I have been checking out local hotels and B&Bs for the next Ladder Club seminar, our next wave of newbies.

One hotel we have used for over ten years, filling the rooms in the large hotel on the two dates we hold the seminar in November. It’s a nice little money making number for a seaside town hotel out of season. We normally negotiate a discount for The Ladder Club delegates, although they pay direct individually.

Two years ago the hotel booked us a room for our speakers that was not fit for use, and when the hotel did not honour some of the agreed discounts, which caused us problems, I said we could not put them on The Ladder Club list as our recommended hotel.

The owner did not apologise, saying “I can easily book those rooms”, so I said “OK then, it won't be a problem for you!” There were no thanks for recommending his hotel every year to delegates. It's not rocket science that he won't fill those rooms in November. So why oh why do people shoot themselves in the foot?! Losing £thousands in the process.

But enough about that. Do enjoy the rest of the summer and remember that old mantra of ‘service with a smile’! ● The dates for this year’s Ladder Club are Tuesday 17 November for newbies and Wednesday 18 November, taking place at Westcliff on Sea. To book your place contact Clare Davies of Createvents who is handling the ticket booking this year on clare@createvents.co.uk or 01183 340085.

63-69_Product Directory_PRODUCT DIRECTORIES 28/07/2015 17:55 Page 63

PRODUCT DIRECTORY

l

PRODUCT DIRECTORY

l

PRODUCT DIRECTORY

k

perfectionists

The specialist buying group in the independent greeting card and gift retail sectorâ&#x20AC;Ś â&#x20AC;ŚCelebrating 25 years of Service to Members.

in the

art

For information: Web: www.cardgains.co.uk Tel: 0845 166 2054 Post: 25 Carbrook Hall Rd Sheffield S9 2EJ

of greeting cards

k

tel 0203 2344011 info@blackolivestudio.co.uk www.blackolivestudio.co.uk

Sales software softwar re solutions iPad catalogue ordering handheld order capture trade/retail eCommerce

# # ! ! ! ! " # ! # " % " #" # ! $ #!" " ! ! % "$ # !

" !"# $ " ! !

SOP/stock control For more information visit aspin.co.uk or call us to arrange a meeting on:

Make every occasion count with greeting cards from Abacus Cards Limited, The Studio, Oaks Drive, Newmarket, Suffolk, CB8 7SX t: 01638 569050 f: 01638 569051 e: info@abacuscards.co.uk w: www.abacuscards.co.uk

01794 500200

Get Ready! Download free POS at

www.gca.cards

# # ! ! # $$$ # # ! ! #

DESIGN LED RETRO CARD & GIFTS TO SUIT ALL OCCASIONS YEAR OF BIRTH GREETING CARDS MUSIC DOWNLOADS â&#x20AC;˘ PREMIUM RETRO GIFTWARE & ACCESSORIES

t: 020 8993 5966 f: 020 8993 1396 w: www.retroco.com e: info@retroco.com

! ! $

#

! ! !

""" ! !

63

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

Sendingg Smiles across the h miles il To get involved this September go to

www.gca.cards www.gca.cards PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

63

63-69_Product Directory_PRODUCT DIRECTORIES 28/07/2015 17:55 Page 64

PRODUCT DIRECTORY

l

PRODUCT DIRECTORY

• Greetings Cards and Gift Wrap • Stationery • Soft Toys • Figurines • Giftware and Accessories

l

PRODUCT DIRECTORY

PO BO BOX OX 2161 Boulevard The Boule vard Watford W atford WD18 1BJ TTel: el: 01923 200633 FFax: ax: 01923 200636 info@cardmix.co.uk inf o@cardmix.co.uk www.cardmix.co.uk www.cardmix.co.uk CARDMIX - a cocktail cocktail of fun, CARDMIX fashionable and humorous humorous fashionable cards, covering Everyday, car ds,, co vering Ev eryday, Spring ing Occasions,, Relations,, Spr Seasons and Christmas.

Christmas.

DADDY Method of Sale: Direct to Retail Carte Blanche Greetings Ltd ® Tel: +44(0)1243 792600

www.cathtatecards.com

cbg.co.uk

@CarteBlancheGrp

BG_PG_Directory Ad_2013.indd 1

Witty, gritty, switched on humour.

Cards and gifts with a real difference.

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

13/2/13 15:05:28

Caspari Ltd

Colneis Marketing

Linden House, John Dane Player Court

East Street, Saffron Walden Essex, CB10 1LR Tel: 01799 513010 Fax: 01799 513101 Email: info@caspari.co.uk www.CaspariOnline.com

York House, 2-4 York Road, Felixstowe, Suffolk IP11 7QQ T: 01394 271668 F: 01394 275114 E: colneiscards@btconnect.com

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

Licenses: Annie Tempest - Tottering by Gently, Kym Bowles - Lollysticks, RHS, Matthew Rice, National Gallery, Alzheimer's Society, Barnardo's, Macmillan Cancer Support.

Method of Sale: Direct to Retail

Online Shop www.colneisgreetingcards.com One of the UK’ UK’ss leading suppliers of Greeting Greeting Cards Cards since since 1995 1995 Products: Products: High quality greeting greeting cards cards with superb finishes. All major and minor titles, covering covering traditional traditional to to the latest latest in innovative innovative design, both Everyday Everyday and Seasonal.

Brands: Petals, Brands: Always Always & Forever, Forever, P etals, Lazy Days, Days, Letters Letters from from the Heart, Precious Precious Times, Times, Street Street Kidz, Thoughts, Thoughts, ‘Have ‘Have a Larff’ Larff ’ and Not So Innocent!

Innocent!

Direct to to retail. retail.

Method of Sale: Direct Designers welcome, welcome, contact contact beverley@cherryorchardpublishing.co.uk beverley@cherryorchardpublishing.co.uk

Cherry Orchard Orchard Publishing LLP Unit 10 Duddage Business Business Park Park Br Brockeridge ockeridge Rd Rd T Twyning wyning Tewkesbury Tewkesbury GL20 6BY 6BY t0 01684 1684 29 295500 5500 e info@cherryorchardpublishing.co.uk info@cherryorchardpublishing.co.uk w www. ww. cherryorchardpublishing.co.uk cherryorchardpublishing.co.uk

Colour House Graphics York House, 2-4 York Road, Felixstowe, Suffolk IP11 7QQ T: 01394 271668 F: 01394 275114 E: colourhousegraphics@hotmail.com Online Shop www.colourhousegraphics.co.uk

Supplier

Sendingg Smiles across the h miles il To get involved this September go to

www.gca.cards www.gca.cards 64

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

64

63-69_Product Directory_PRODUCT DIRECTORIES 28/07/2015 17:55 Page 65

PRODUCT DIRECTORY

l

PRODUCT DIRECTORY

l

PRODUCT DIRECTORY

DIPINGO DESIGN

The T he UK No. No. 1 in Licensed Lic ensed Greetings Greetings etings

Bespoke design service for retail products

Market leaders in Humour, Art, Photographic, Occasions

Ov err 30 licenses licenses nses including: including Over Disney, D Disne y, Peppa Peppa Pig Pig, He Kitty Hello Kitty, Mr Men Men Kitty, Birds and Angry and A Bir dss

and Relations cards offering

t: +44 + (0)1264 388400 e: enquiries@gemma-international.co.uk enquiries@gemma-interna national. ti co.uk w: gemma-international.co.uk gemma-international. ona co.uk

development opportunities.

a full planning service with merchandising and retail

CARDS CARDS • WRAP • P PARTY ARTY • GIFT GIFTS S

Eye catching, luxurious Gift Wraps, Gift Tags, Gift Bags, Roll Wrap, Tissue Papers & Ribbons for all occasions Glick, Unit 1 Allenby House, European Industrial Park, Knowles Lane, Bradford BD4 9AB Tel: 01274 655980 email: sales@glick.co.uk www.glick.co.uk

www.dipingodesign.co.uk

Get involved!

www.gca.cards

TM

GRASS ROOTS

INTERNATIONAL

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

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

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

www.greatbritishcards.co.uk

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

Beautiful greeting cards from contemporary British artwork

www.dryredpress.com

WATERWELLS DRIVE, GLOUCESTER GL2 2PH UK TEL: 01452 888999

M ETHOD OF SALE Direct to Retail

G RASS R OOTS INTERNATIONAL Units 4 - 4A Valentines Buildin g Ra cec our se Bus in ess Par k Aintr ee, Liver poo l, L9 5 AL Tel: 0151 52 3 9600 Fax : 015 1 523 494 9 e-m ail: s ales@ writefr om th ehear t.co.uk

T +44 (0) 1273 241210 E info@dryredpress.com

from the

To appear in the Product Directory From the Flicker Wing Fairy and Flicker Wing Angel range.

Offering a wide variety of lovingly hand finished greetings cards each with their own additional flick out wings, unique to this range.

Contact Sue Coleman on

(01226) 728616 www.flickerwings.com Email: flickerwings@mail.com

please contact Warren Lomax on 020 7700 6740 Prizes for Best Window Display! Go to

www.gca.cards PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

65

63-69_Product Directory_PRODUCT DIRECTORIES 28/07/2015 17:55 Page 66

PRODUCT DIRECTORY

l

l

PRODUCT DIRECTORY

PRODUCT DIRECTORY

)

CHARITY GREETING CARDS One of the UK’s leading publishers of Charity Greeting Cards.

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

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

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

LING DESIGN The UK’s leading privately owned publisher of Greetings Cards and Stationery. ...The home for and

Get Ready! Download free POS at

www.gca.cards

...and the UK home for

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

Bespoke service for charities and other fundraisers.

Ling Design Ltd 14-20 Eldon Way, Paddock Wood, Kent TN12 6BE Tel: 01892 838574 Fax: 01892 838676 Email: enquiries@lingdesign.co.uk Website: www.lingdesign.co.uk

Greetings cards designed to make people smile. We have a card for every occasion plus a few extra ones we made up.

Contact: Sarah Britton on 07833 089 098 or email info@lovefromlemonade.co.uk

Greetings cards designed to make people smile. We have a card for every occasion plus a few extra ones we made up.

Contact: Sarah Britton on 07833 089 098 or email info@lovefromlemonade.co.uk

www.lovefromlemonade.co.uk

150mm x 150mm and packed in 6s

Made in the UK

www.lovefromlemonade.co.uk

environmentally friendly contemporary & vibrant paper products. greeting cards, notebooks paper pens, boxed notes

..Gorgeous, fun & cheeky Greeting Cards, Keyrings, Mirrors, Chocolates, Tattoos, Badges, Mugs, Mints, Luxury Soap & Smashing Stationery!

0844 586 7477 sales@juicylucydesigns.com

60 years

Yo our N Number b O One S Supplier li off Numerals, Name, Relation & Age Labels for Greetings Cards.

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

Listan Labels 3 Isis Court, Wyndyke Furlong, Abingdon Business Park, Oxfordshire Abingdon, Oxfor dshire OX1 5JN T el e 01235 465489 Fax 01235 532118 Tel www.listanpublications.co.uk www .listanpublications.co.uk sales@listanpublications.co.uk

66

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

t. 01243 780501 e. info@jonesy.ca

jonesy.ca agents wanted

150mm x 150mm and packed in 6s

Made in the UK

63-69_Product Directory_PRODUCT DIRECTORIES 28/07/2015 17:55 Page 67

PRODUCT DIRECTORY

l

PRODUCT DIRECTORY

l

PRODUCT DIRECTORY

originalposter.com

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

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

We replace slow sellers and damaged stock free of charge.

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

THAT’S WHY WE’RE ORIGINAL!

01932 267 300

Cards made with love...

Three great publishers, all under one roof, contemporary, graphic, humour, cute and photographic ranges with a fantastic range of occasions and relations cards.

Key brands: V&A, Portobello, Spirit, Daisy Patch, Sugar Pips, Marzipan Toybox, Born to Stitch, Idols, Life, Sweet Tooth, Brights.

Method of sale: Direct to retail, Export and Licensing.

Riverside House, Centurion Way, Riverside Business Park, Nottingham NG2 1RW Tel: 0115 986 0115 Fax: 0115 986 0116 Email: sales@paperrose.co.uk Web: www.paperrose.co.uk www.artgroupcards.co.uk

Products An exciting and innovative range of quality Birthday, relations, special occasions, art and humorous greeting cards. Full range of Christmas and Spring Seasons merchandise. Comprehensive collection of handmade cards.

Pizazz gifts.

Brand Names Pizazz, Pizazz Gallery, Say the Word, Carousel, Meadow Sweet, R&R for Men, What a Picture!

To appear in the

Cloudesley House • Shire Hill Saffron Walden • CB11 3FB T: 01799 520200 F: 01799 520100 www.nigelquiney.com

Product Directory please contact Warren Lomax on 020 7700 6740

Get involved!

www.gca.cards

paperlink... pap erlink... the home of fa fabulous bulous cards!

356 56 Kennington Rd London SE11 4LD T 020 7582 8244 info@paperlink.co.uk @paperlink.co.uk www.paperlink.co.uk

Suppliers of humorous & contemporary Birthday, Christmas, Spring Seasons, Occasions & Relations cards Brands include: Bottomline, Bestie, Wrinklies, Hat Trick, Route 69, Bangers & Flash, Humdingers, Lacie, Sassy, Stay Wonky, Patisserie, Tinklers, Made With Love, and many many more!

Method of Sale: Direct P Paperlinkcards aperlinkcards @paperlinkcards @ paperlinkcards

Sendingg Smiles across the h miles il To get involved this September go to

www.gca.cards www.gca.cards PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

67

63-69_Product Directory_PRODUCT DIRECTORIES 28/07/2015 17:55 Page 68

PRODUCT DIRECTORY

l

PRODUCT DIRECTORY

l

PRODUCT DIRECTORY

Design-led Stationery, Gifts, Calendars, Diaries and Cards Brands Laura Ashley, Roald Dahl, Lily & Val, Vintage Ladybird, Caroline Gardner, Monsoon, Born to Shop, Flash Gordon, Boofle and many more.

Our In-house design studio and established supply chain enables us to offer bespoke services. tel: +44 (0) 1225 329494 email: sales@porticodesigns.com website: www.porticodesigns.com

The Playful Indian cards are a unique fusion of the east and west. Simple and quirky, they have made many people smile...so what are you waiting forr, put a smile on someone’s face today!

ADVENT CALENDARS

TM

holy y cow! it’ss your birthd it hda ay y

RICHARD SELLMER VERLAG Greeting Cards that are unique & special with creative wit.

Looking for top-notch agents to join our expanding team.

rosierobins.com 01992 536461

Freepost RRZH-KLSL-HYBY Richard Sellmer Verlag KG Stourbridge Tel/Fax: 01384877755 Email: uksales@sellmer-verlag.de Products: Richard Sellmer Verlag is producing Advent Calendars for more than 60 years.

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

LING DESIGN

Sensations International Ltd

Mr Figgis, when we say parents invited, we usually mean to sit and watch!

Our Brands: The Crazy Side of Life, Laughter with Animals, Sporting Fun The Funny Side of Life, Twiddly Winks.

Prizes for Best Window Display! Go to

www.gca.cards

68

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

68

Dad - I thought you said I could be the, one to tell him you re out

Me th od of sa le : Direct to Retail 14-20 Eldon Way, Paddock Wood, Kent TN12 6BE Tel: 01892 838574 Fax: 01892 838676 Email: enquiries@lingdesign.co.uk Website: www.lingdesign.co.uk

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

Unit 6, Quad Road,East Lane Business Park,East lane, Wembley,MIDDLESEX HA9 7NE Tel. 0208 3854470 Fax: 0208 385 4471 Email: sales@sensationsinternational.com PRODUCTS: World’s leading publisher of high quality plastic greeting cards. Also an extensive range of quality greeting cards covering Everyday, Occasions, Christmas and Spring seasons.

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

METHOD OF SALE: Direct to retail.

63-69_Product Directory_PRODUCT DIRECTORIES 28/07/2015 17:55 Page 69

PRODUCT DIRECTORY

l

PRODUCT DIRECTORY

l

PRODUCT DIRECTORY

Sendingg Smiles across the h miles il To get involved this September go to

www.gca.cards www.gca.cards

w: www.tomcatcards.co.uk www.tomcatcards.co.uk e: tomcat@tomcatcards.co.uk t: 01243 837300

The UK’s leading publishers of highest quality handmade Greetings Cards.

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

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

To appear in the Product Directories Products: Greetings Cards, Gift Wrap, Social Stationery, Gift Bags, Keepsakes, Partyware.

Brands: Designer Collection, Feelings, Impressions, Inspirations, In Touch, Isabel’s Garden, Paper Wishes, Planet Happy.

TEL: 01480 435562 FAX: 01480 450599

Method of sale: Wholesale Distributors

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

www.tracksltd.com UNIT 2, 12 BLACKSTONE RD, STUKELEY MEADOWS IND EST, HUNTINGDON, CAMBS, PE29 6EF

simply contact Warren Lomax on: 020 7700 6740 or email on warren@maxpublishing.co.uk or contact Tracey Arnaud on: 07957 212 062 or email on tarnaud@btinternet.com

01923 200600 | www.woodmansterne.co.uk

DIRECT TO RETAIL & EXPORT

Top-notch British Greeting Cards for Thoughts that Count

Tel: 0845 450 1815 Fax: 0845 450 1816 Email: enquiries@talkingpics.co.uk Website: www.talking-pictures.co.uk

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

69

70_Directory of Wholesalers_whole sale dirSeptember 2004 29/07/2015 09:38 Page 70

Directory of wholesalers Directory of wholesalers DIRECTORY OF WHOLESALERS l

LONDON & THE SOUTH

MERSEYSIDE

WALES

Merseyside Greeting Cards Ltd

Merseyside’s Largest Greeting Card Distributor Due to our massive buyer power, we are able to offer you the best prices and also take a pride in our friendly service.

SCOTLAND

DORSET

Clapperton Agencies 30 McDonald Place Edinburgh EH7 4NH Tel: 01315 579009

Sunrise Business Park Higher Shaftsbury Road Blandford, Dorset DT11 8ST Tel: 01258 452125 Fax: 01258 486109

Greeting cards * Gift ranges * Pocket money toys * Balloons * Badges * Banners * Soft toys * Stationery * Collectables , including dolls * Photo frames Always something different Check us out now!!!

Mon-Fri 9.30 to 5.30 Sunday 10 to 1 Late night Thursday till 8pm Freephone 0800 0279072770 Fax: 0151 207 1564

NATIONWIDE

Unit 7 & 8 Devon Street, Liverpool, L3 8HA

R J’s Greeting Cards Ltd

HERTS & LONDON

Greeting Cards from 5p Contact R J Walkden on 0753- 9679-700

SUMAN BROS Stationery and greeting card wholesaler

Crown House Otterspool Way Watford WD25 8HL

magnus RUPERT

T: 01923 200 900 F: 01923 200 909 Great deals Great location Plentiful parking Just off the M1 Junction 5

WEST MIDLANDS

TRADING

LONDON’S NO 1 GREETING CARDS STATIONERY PARTY AND BALLOON CASH & CARRY

Trading Hours Our Opening Hours are: MON, TUES,WED & FRI 9.00 - 5.30pm THURSDAY 9.00 - 8.30pm SAT CLOSED SUN 10.00 - 4.00pm UNIT 4, THE ARGENT CENTRE, SILVERDALE ROAD, HAYES, MIDDLESEX, UB3 3BS TEL: 020 8573 2975 / 1768 FAX: 020 8561 2349 Email: info@abbeycards.com

As of Monday 27th July our new address will be: Crown House Otterspool Way Watford WD25 8HL

www.rupertmagnus.co.uk

NORTH WEST

C A P S Card & Party Store Ltd

Mon/Wed/Fri: 8.00 - 5.00 Tues/Thurs: 8.00 - 8.30 Sat: 8.00 - 12.00 Sun: 8.00 - 2.00

The North West s Largest Supplier to the Independent Specialist Card & Gift Shop

Massive range of Cards, Partyware, Gifts, Gift Bags, Gift Boxes & Gift Dressings

574 Manchester Road, Bury, BL9 9SW

0161 796 7353

Order online at www.card-party.co.uk 70

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

To appear in the Wholesale Directory simply call WarrenLomax on 020 77006740 PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

70

71-75_Classifieds_Layout 1 28/07/2015 17:38 Page 71

CLASSIFIED

l

CLASSIFIED

l

CLASSIFIED

l

l

CLASSIFIED

BAGS

CLASSIFIED

BAGS

Polypropylene & biodegradable bag specialists

GREETING CARD

Over 40 years quality service to the trade Hotfoiling also available

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

ENVELOPES

GIVE Y YOUR OUR

FOR FOR ALL A LL Y YOUR OU R E ENVELOPE N V ELOPE N NEEDS! EEDS! Largest L argest rrange ange of iin-stock n- stock ccolours olours Over 400 Bespoke Envelope Sizes 8 Sizes Permanently in Stock RECYCLED

100% Recycled Paper A vailable v Available

PAPER

Stock & Bespoke Cello Bags

VIP

TREATMENT TREA ATMENT T

Peel & Stick Envelopes Bespoke Service on Request

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

HIGH CLARITY BAGS FOR GREETING CARDS, CALENDARS AND ARTWORK ŏ ŏđŏ ŏ ŏ ŏ ŏ ŏ FOIL BLOCKING EXTENSIVE RANGE OF STOCK SIZES AND BESPOKE MANUFACTURE WRAPPING SERVICE AUTOMA AT TED WRA PPING SER VICE NEW AUTOMATED

CALL US TODAY

01228 560526 www.fulcrumfilms.co.uk

Quality Bespoke Envelopes!

From 5,000 quantity to many millions we can produce excellent quality envelopes for you.

Plain, printed, coloured & textured finish.

100% recycled & FSC available.

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

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

Please call us on 0843 5066684 with your enquiry or visit our website

www.ukenvelopecentre.co.uk We will be delighted to help!

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

71

71-75_Classifieds_Layout 1 28/07/2015 17:38 Page 72

CLASSIFIED

l

CLASSIFIED

l

CLASSIFIED

l

l

CLASSIFIED

CLASSIFIED

FLITTERING

DISPLAY

FOR ALL YOUR FLITTER REQUIREMENTS

UNIVERSAL

ABL Foil Ltd

SHOP EQUIPMENT GREETING CARD DISPLAYS

â&#x20AC;˘ Manufacturers of

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

quality Display Units for over 25 years

â&#x20AC;˘ PVC Interlocking Tiers â&#x20AC;˘ High Impact 2mm

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

Edging

â&#x20AC;˘ Vast range of colours

PRINTERS

available

â&#x20AC;˘ From one unit through to full shop reďŹ ts

INNOVATIVE DISPLAYS TO MEET YOUR NEEDS www.universalshopequipment.co.uk Tel: 0151 546 4525 (Showroom) EXPORT

specialist greeting card printer We print using the UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ďŹ rst Carbon Neutral Heidelberg press and offer a wide range of specialist ďŹ nishes all in-house, including: Flittering, Flittering, F Foiling, oiling, UV V Varnishing, arnishing, Embos Embossing, sing, Debos Debossing, sing, Die cutting, T Tippin ippin Inserting, A Automated utomated individual c cello ello bagging, A Automated utomated labelling and wr wrapping apping in units.

Full packing and distribution services.

Waterwells Drive Waterwells Business Park Quedgeley Gloucester GL2 2AA T 01452 887000 E sales@alphacolour.com W alphacolour r.c . om By buying prroduc o ts with the FSC label you o arre supporting the grrow o th of re esponsible forest management worldwide.

Pro roduct ct pririnte ted on a Carbon Neutra ral Press www.heidelberg rg.co com/CO2 . 210504

TT T--C COC-002429

BMT-PEFC-0401

Š 1996 FSC A.C.

License No.155071

print green with us

O F F S E T PRODUCTIONS

Op

Printing Greeting Cards for over 30 years

EXCESS STOCK

â&#x20AC;˘ Litho printing â&#x20AC;˘ Digital printing â&#x20AC;˘ Embossing â&#x20AC;˘ Die-cutting â&#x20AC;˘ Flittering â&#x20AC;˘ Foiling

We specialise in purchasing excess inventory in GREETING CARDS, GIFT-WRAP and allied products.

â&#x20AC;˘ Folding

Small or large quantities considered.

â&#x20AC;˘ ISO 9001 & 14001

â&#x20AC;˘ Packing

All restrictions honoured.

For an immediate and confidential response please send samples and information to:

N.E WHOLESALE 92 Station Road, Willingham, Cambridge, CB24 5HG T: 01954 260728 E: cardworkstrading@btconnect.com 72

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

PRODUCTIONS

t 01622 710 759

www.offsetproductions.co.uk

188 Forstal Road, Aylesford, Kent ME20 7DB

!"

71-75_Classifieds_Layout 1 28/07/2015 17:38 Page 73

CLASSIFIED

l

CLASSIFIED

l

CLASSIFIED

l

CLASSIFIED

l

CLASSIFIED

PRINTERS

(London) The Capitals only Greetings card printer

at PJ Print we pride ourselves on great customer care,

Specialist UK and Global manufacturer for the greeting card industry

and the greeting cards we make

To discuss how we could work with you contact Simon King

are pretty smart too.

For Award winning Print look no further than

PJ - PRINT

Tel: 0115 928 7766 Email: sales@sherwoodgroupuk.com

www.sherwoodgroupuk.com

E-mail: sales@pj-print.co.uk The Print Works Colville Road, Acton London W3 8BL tel 020 8993 5160 fax 020 8992 8421 www.pj-print.co.uk

Hadden Court, Glaisdale Parkway, Glaisdale Drive West, Nottingham, NG8 4GP

The home of greeting cards t ependen ding ind a le r ’s e r K u The U n ufa c t card ma greeting Y j_ed

Do you find you need to quickly top up your popular stock lines, or would like to trial a few designs before committing to longer runs? Then the Windles Group FlexiSheet is perfect for you. With a turnaround time of just 5 days and 1,000 cards at litho rates, the Windles Group once again delivers useful solutions to you.

In order to support our other production methods, we are also now offering the FlexiSheet with our integrated ColdFoil, allowing you to develop a highly creative range of greetings cards.

hZ fheZk [j_d] YW ki ed ]h[ Y \e b _W Y [i If[ i[ i[hl_Y \ _d#^ek e [ ] d W h <kbb [Z ]kWhWdj[ GkWb_jo [i Y h_ f j_j_l[ 9ecf[ h[b_WXb[ Z d W _edWb Fhe\[ii Wbb [h jee ic Y j_ed$ De ehZ ij fheZk h W Z < ;W d W A K 8ej^ services, ur unique 1150 ation on o rm 14 fo in 01 250 For more s team on le sa e th ntact please co eys.co.uk sales@loxl or email:

PEFC / 16-33-794

Benb[oi" A_bd Ijh[[j" I^[\Å[bZ I. &OI

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

73

71-75_Classifieds_Layout 1 28/07/2015 17:39 Page 74

CLASSIFIED

l

CLASSIFIED

l

CLASSIFIED

l

CLASSIFIED

l

CLASSIFIED

PRINTERS

The Specialist Greetings Card Printer

Digital Di it l Print P i tS Specialist i li t for the greeting card industry

Litho Print

What we offer:

Digital Print Foiling

• Greeting cards • Artworking and design • Short-run print

Embossing

• Pick, pack and distribution

Die-cutting Flittering Packing Distribution

• Promotional items • Bespoke gifts • Marketing literature

Tel: 01274 531828 Email: chriss@herbertwalkers.co.uk

• Exhibition graphics • Stationery • Brochures • and more...

www.herbertwalkers.co.uk

TM

Packaging

BRC

07974 133735 paul.watson@sherwoodgroupuk.com

Certificated

HW

YOUR MANUFACTURING PARTNER FOR VALUE ADDED PRODUCTS English speaking production team, prices quoted in sterling... and only 3 days delivery to THE UK...

Really... and there s no VAT to pay or customs procedures either...that's a great deal!

• Hand made and hand finished greeting cards • Boxed sets and acetate packs of cards / envelopes • Giftwrap and tag packs • Individually open and closed wrapped cards • 'Pop up' and cardboard engineered products • Notelets and social stationery • Specialised printing on plastics & lenticular

Herbert Walkers Ltd The one stop shop for publishers large and small

WAREHOUSING & DISTRIBUTION

The Professional and Caring Approach..

... to 3rd Party Warehouse, Distribution and Hand Finishing needs.

With over 25 years experience in the Greeting Card and Gift Industry, we specialise in providing a very fast yet efficient and friendly service to all of our customers.

Our close links to the port of Felixstowe allowing excellent access for both UK and overseas business.

For production enquiries, estimates etc., please contact our UK Agent:

Rob Pearson 07710 132 232 rob@solutions-polska.com FSC accredited (BV-COC-002485). Audited member of SMETA. Printing to ISO12674-2 standard.

We would be happy to talk to you and provide further information please contact either: James Smithies on 01449 778360 e: james@setinhand.com Tracy Davies on 01449 778363 e: tracy@setinhand.com Please visit our website at www.setinhand.com for further information.

Your Success Is Our Success 74

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

71-75_Classifieds_Layout 1 28/07/2015 17:39 Page 75

CLASSIFIED

l

CLASSIFIED

l

CLASSIFIED

WAREHOUSING & DISTRIBUTION

LB Warehousing (Women in Transport & Logistics Finalist)

S AME DAY order turnaround A CCURATE fulfilment and same day turn round V ALUE ADDED only as you sell the product E XCLUSIVELY Greeting Cards D EDICATED Account Managers With an excellent reputation we work as an integral part of your TEAM bringing much more than fulfilment.

Our costing structure is SIMPLE and TRANSPARENT. We carry out ALL aspects of hand finishing and assembly and provide whatever ADDITIONAL services YOU need Our select team of outworkers carefully hand wrap any size or format of cards urgently, OVERNIGHT! We CARE about your product as much as you do. Attention to detail, QC Issues and IT supported by a comprehensive paper trail for all stock movements are our hallmarks.

Our CAN DO approach means that WE solve your problems.

l

CLASSIFIED

l

CLASSIFIED

APPOINTMENTS

AGENTS W WANTED A ANTED COLOUR

C Colneis olneis M Marketing arketing H O U S E

Good Agents are wanted for both of the above independent publishers in several areas Paying top rates of commission promptly plus BONUS! Card designs can be viewed on the following websites

Outsourcing your warehousing operation releases your time to CREATE/MARKET/SELL/ MANAGE/GROW THE BUSINESS YOUR BUSINESS IS OUR BUSINESS, please visit our web site and see what OUR customers say, then to find out more call Lynda Raymond and perhaps we can

www.colneisgreetingscards.com www.colourhousegraphics.co.uk

arrange to meet and discuss your needs I am sure that we can help.

LB Warehousing, Units 1, 2 &3 Wayside Warehouses, Toseland, Near St. Neots, Cambridgeshire. PE19 6RX Tel 01480 880800 Fax 01480880900 Mobile 07889 399341 lynda@lb-warehousing.co.uk

WIRE SPINNERS Tel: 01929 550085 Email: sales@westminsterwire.com Web: www.westminsterwire.com

Apply to either of the following email addresses: colneiscards@btconnect.com colourhousegraphics@hotmail.com

Home of the Wire Spinner Stand

AGENTS WANTED The Wire Spinner is proven to be the most cost effective method to display and enhance products.

We also offer sheet metal, wood, acrylic and cardboard solutions or a combination of materials.

To appear in Progressive Greetings simply call Warren Lomax on: 0207 700 6740 or alternatively email him on warren@max-publishing.co.uk

We are back as Odey Designs and need new agents to help put Odey back out there.

If you would like to see more designs please visit our website www.odeydesigns.co.uk If you want to join our team please contact Beccy 07730195587 or beccy@odeydesigns.co.uk

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

75

OBC_PG_August 2015 28/07/2015 19:14 Page 1