Feature - Stationery

Back to school cool

Stationery has written its way into the books of many a retailer as an essential product category, providing much needed impulse and bolt-on sales as well as strong opportunities for cross-category merchandising in-store. Toy World speaks to a number of leaders in the Stationery space to find out where they draw their inspiration from and which of their ranges will rule this year.

Stationery might not be the most glamorous category we focus on throughout the year, or the most exciting or high tech, but pens, pencils, colouring pads, erasers and more are undeniably staples in homes, playgroups and schools up and down the country. For toy retailers, this makes Stationery a vital part of a well-rounded store offering, and one that enjoys a huge peak in late summer, as attentions turn to the all-important Back to School season.

According to Lianne Fletcher, head of Marketing at Maped Helix, the company has become a household name in Stationery thanks to its innovative and functional designs, whether they be the trusty Oxford maths tin, the Maped rotating eraser or the Helix bendy ruler. These products - which take knowledge about how children learn and combine it with creative design flair - have injected a sense of fun into classrooms nationwide. This, in turn, inspires children to participate in their learning on a more profound level, which greatly improves the quality of their education in the process.”

Maped Helix has extended its popular Maped Color’Peps range this summer with new products such as the Maped Infinity Colouring Pencils, winner of Children’s Stationery Product of the Year at the recent Stationery Matters Awards 2023, and Lianne says she’s excited about the launch this year. “These coloured pencils offer a twist on the traditional colouring pencil and are already creating a stir in the market. The innovative design means that they last 10 times longer than standard colouring pencils, don’t ever need sharpening and produce zero waste.”

Stabilo, meanwhile, says it’s known for producing ‘pens with cult status’. Vanya Hunter, UK marketing manager, tells us that the company is a ‘pioneer of innovation’ with a huge range of products spanning writing to colouring (and everything in between) in an extraordinary variety of colours. She adds: “Stabilo champions creativity and this is reflected in the breadth of its offering, which is highly sought-after throughout the world and makes the life of millions of people a bit more colourful each and every day.”

Staying true to this ethos, Stabilo is launching six new colours for the iconic Stabilo Boss highlighter. “It is exciting for us to see such a longstanding and wellloved product stay fresh and relevant while continuing to lead the marketplace,” Vanya enthuses.

Relative newcomer Haico leans into colour when it comes to its packaging, which is designed by the company’s in-house team to ensure it really stands out at retail. Haico’s two stationery brands, KIWI and Mindful, cover everything from classic Back to School collections to specialist sensory stationery. All the company’s stationery sets are made from high-quality materials, and the team works hard to maximise the content of every product, making the KIWI and Mindful ranges great value for money. In vibrant shades of pastel and neon, the KIWI range include stackable highlighters, erasers and lockable pencil cases with built in calculators that are ideal for the classroom.

While Maped Helix, Stabilo and Haico offer generic stationery ranges, our next contributors specialise in licensed stationery. Blue Sky has a very broad portfolio of licensed goods that offers something to a variety of demographics. So, broad, in fact, commercial director Gavin Holden tells us there are too many items to list: “We offer everything from early years properties such as Peppa Pig to core, evergreen Back to School licences including SpongeBob and Harry Potter. And older, Back to College groups are catered to with properties such as South Park, Beetlejuice and Emily in Paris.”

Gavin explains that when working with licences, Blue Sky aims to cater to both older and younger consumers at the same time. For example, the company has designed what he describes as a very bold, energetic and colourful new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles kids’ range for the new Mutant Mayhem movie - and has also developed a retro 16bit gaming range, perfect for older fans of the franchise.

“We have a reputation for product innovation, design and quality,” says Gavin, when asked what makes Blue Sky’s products stand out in the marketplace. “With every licensed range we bring to market, we strive to design unique, exciting product formats that specifically fit the brand. We invest a lot of time and resources into the early stages of product development when we sign a licence and really dive deep into the brand to make sure we extract all the best assets and make them work. Retailers come to us for that bit of magic, and consumers have come to rely on Blue Sky for innovative and interesting licensed products. It’s vital to have that point of difference in a competitive marketplace. Of course, it also helps to have a talented design team which really immerses itself into our licences and tries to get into the head of the end consumer. We’re all about figuring out what stationery a tween Wednesday fan, or a kid who aspires to be Batman, would want.”

RMS International counts properties such as Barbie and Harry Potter among its own extensive licensed stationery portfolio, while the company’s knowledgeable product development and design teams work closely to develop highly giftable stationery sets. Options range from mini stationery collections to innovative diary sets and scrapbook bundles. RMS’ Joanne Cunliffe says the company’s range of licensed stationery stands out for its creativity, tremendous value for money and rapid market availability. The latter is a key benefit of working with RMS, according to Jo, who adds: “We consistently deliver trendsetting product, developed in collaboration with leading licensors, with remarkable speed, year after year. Our efficient supply chain and streamlined processes minimise lead times and ensure timely delivery of products, something that is vital for retailers today.”

IG Designs, meanwhile, has a licensed stationery line-up that connects across all consumer segments, with ranges carefully curated to offer age-appropriate activities: the younger the target audience, the more likely it is the stationery will lend itself well to art, for example. The company has a dedicated licensing design team that will help create unique ranges as and when required. It also places a very strong emphasis on sustainability, as Carl Franks, Licensing and Sales manager, explains.

“We design all our products with the environment in mind,” he tells us. “We continuously research and implement ways to reduce the amount of single-use plastic used in our products to reduce the waste and pollution that our business is responsible for. We’re also leading the way in tackling unsustainable packaging: we’re committed to reducing the amount of packaging used, enhancing the recyclability of it and increasing the amount of recycled material used to make it.”

Maped Helix is likewise sensitive to the impact of its products. While it already supplies an Eco Range of stationery, the company has also implemented additional methods to reduce its environmental footprint and is working diligently to reduce emissions and develop new, more sustainable ways of creating its products. According to Lianne Fletcher, this stems from a passion for preserving the natural world for future generations. “This passion carries over into the one-of-a-kind products that Maped Helix has created since its inception,” she adds.

Stationery might not be the primary reason kids visit a toy shop, but the category offers huge opportunities for cross-category promotions and impulse sales. Generic stationery ranges can be tied into key periods within the year, such as Back to School/College/Uni, while licensed lines can be timed to coincide with movie releases.

Gavin Holden at Blue Sky recommends that retailers create in-store theatre to drive sales. His tips include stocking a healthy range of at least 6-8 products that together form a strong visual display for the brand in question, and being aware of key dates in the licensing calendar. “The upcoming TMNT movie, Mutant Mayhem, is out this summer, while a strong ‘Back to Hogwarts’ message always works really well for our Wizarding World range,” he suggests.

“We supply the majority of our stationery ranges in fully branded counter display units, making it easy for retailers to build their displays but also ensuring the product is displayed as best it can,” he adds. “It’s always a good idea to position licensed stationery in key selling positions during the Back to School period. Blue Sky is happy to discuss with retailers how we can support them in terms of Point of Sale material, from window posters to Floor Standing Display Units.”

When building ranges with its retail buyers, RMS International’s account managers identify complementary product lines that can be cross-promoted to build upon the licensing presence in-store. The company also works hard to create cross licensed products for assortments, which in turn build a strong message in-store that consumers are more than willing to buy into. Jo Cunliffe also says that RMS works closely with each of its key retailers to provide bespoke support based upon the ranges they’re purchasing. The team collaborates with the retailer on in-store activations, offering products that perfectly meet marketing demands.

Haico’s advice is to offer a good variety of products at a range of price points, so retailers can hit two key benchmarks: value for money and a good quality offering. Ravelle Leacock, creative director, notes that knowing the pricing expectations of their target audience helps retailers set price points that align with market realities and meet customer expectations at the same time, and says a dedicated POS display with themed and interactive elements will engage shoppers of all ages and drive engagement.

“This year, our products will benefit from the generous partnership support of the National Autistic Society (NAS), in association with Mindful, our sensory stationery range,” Ravelle tells Toy World. “Our collaborative partnership with NAS enables us to cross-promote the Mindful range through joint marketing initiatives, reaching wider audiences and new customer bases. We will also be working with various influencers across Manchester using social media platforms such as TikTok, Instagram and YouTube shorts. Establishing a strong presence on social media, and sharing visually appealing content showing our ranges, will enhance our products’ visibility, brand awareness and engagement. Some retailers will be working with us across their socials too, so that we can collaborate for content creation, which can then be shared on both of our platforms. We also plan to get more involved in interacting with the public and engaging with them in-store to help the promotion of our products.”

Stabilo is also hitting the campaign trail to raise awareness of its Stabilo Boss highlighters. Kicking off in time for the Back to School season, the ‘Highlight What Matters’ campaign is centred around Stabilo Boss Original, which celebrated its 50th anniversary two years ago and continues to be a firm favourite around the world. Stabilo has used the iconic Boss highlighter to draw attention to important personal and emotional views shared on social media. The campaign seeks to highlight five heartfelt, relevant topics that people feel strongly about, from fighting for tolerance to living sustainably.