Company Profile - Cartamundi

Cartamundi - from heritage to the here and now

Cartamundi, a worldwide leader in games production, board and card games, and playing cards, has recently undergone something of a transformation that promises to put the emphasis on building brands and community construction. Rachael Simpson-Jones sat down with Andrew Brown, marketing director for Northern Europe, and Nigel Kay, the company’s recently appointed sales director, to find out more.

Very few companies can claim to have the history and heritage Cartamundi does. It’s been around since the 18th century, with its printing presses first fired up in 1765, and some its leading brands, such as Bicycle, Bee, Copag and Shuffle, can trace their roots back to 1848. That’s an awful lot of knowledge and experience to bring to bear, and this year, that’s exactly what the company has set out to do in earnest.

“Cartamundi has been through a massive period of change, meaning it essentially entered 2023 as a new business group comprising three distinct, core divisions,” explains Andrew. “Our Solutions division is the one we’re predominantly known for, within which we print and produce games for key partners across the industry. Our Digital Ventures division is an exciting and innovative area of the business, focused on blending the physical and digital worlds, and our Entertainment division – where Nigel and I reside - is our retail-facing business, which launched this year. Our focus is on building out our brands, placing play at the heart of everything we do.”

According to Nigel, this new structure allows each division to provide the service and support their respective channels require, while Andrew adds that the demarcation between divisions offers employees the opportunity to hone in on their specialities and unlock their full capabilities. Solutions, for example, can drive best-in-class outcomes for Cartamundi’s manufacturing partners, while Entertainment can leverage the company’s brands in fresh and exciting ways for the retail channel.

A great example of this is Cartamundi’s Hro (pronounced ‘hero’) hybrid trading card brand. Launched in 2022, under a DC Multiverse licensing agreement with Warner Bros., this hybrid platform invites consumers to bring their physical cards to life digitally as they collect, trade and play. Each totally unique card is individually minted, so collectors can see the instant they open their physical pack how rare their cards are (everyone will have their fingers crossed for a Mythic card), before logging online to claim its digital ‘twin’. Cartamundi has taken Hro to a selection of recent consumer events including the London Card Show, which it also sponsored, and London Comic Con. The brand was received with huge excitement at both events.

Nigel says: “From a consumer perspective, the big draw with Hro is the fact it combines physical trading card collecting with a whole digital ecosystem that allows players to carry their collection with them wherever they go, on their smart device. You can trade, you can swap, you can get onto leaderboards by finding rare cards, with top placements winning you prizes. There are so many ways to engage with the brand, from the ‘old school’ collecting people my age remember, to the modern day digital aspect which opens up a whole new realm of possibilities. The reactions at the shows we’ve attended really have demonstrated the huge level of demand there is for a trading card game such as Hro. In fact, I’m not sure where the ceiling is for a brand like this.”

Attendance at consumer events is a new approach for Cartamundi, but one that perfectly aligns with the Entertainment division’s big focus on brand and community building. These events allow Cartamundi to get in front of its end consumers and engage with them face to face as it demonstrates its new releases and gathers real-time feedback. The company has very high expectations for Hro, which Andrew says reflects its capabilities and commitment to evolving with consumers and the changing gaming landscape. It’s also easy to navigate and very consumer friendly, even for those who’ve never dabbled in the world of hybrid trading cards.

Cartamundi’s Bicycle brand lies in sharp contrast to Hro. That’s not a criticism. One of the world’s oldest playing card brands, Bicycle remains, for the time being, in the purely physical realm – though it, too, is benefitting from the company’s new way of thinking and overhauled approach to brand management. Long a go-to brand for professional magicians, especially in the US, where Bicycle is massive, the strategy this side of the pond is to create and nurture communities of Bicycle fans and collectors.

“There’s an old saying about a pack of playing cards being the world’s oldest games console, and whilst we continue to still deliver that great play value, we are also now turning Bicycle decks into collectibles too,” Andrew tells me. “Key highlights for autumn/winter include a new Disney licensed range and a World of Warcraft range, both of which will appeal to fans of both franchises and inspire them to collect multiple packs. Bicycle has plenty of heritage and already counts some of the world's biggest licences in its product portfolio, so all we’re doing is taking that power and using to push Bicycle into a new space.”

Nigel says the Bicycle brand is enjoying strong growth at the moment. Playing cards are a must-have in any home and are widely considered essential to the success of any family trip or holiday: anecdotally, it was amusing to note on a recent camping trip that one of the most in-demand items wasn’t shower gel or dry socks – it was playing cards. Bicycle cards are FSC-certified, feature truly stunning artwork and designs – many of which, such as the Stargazer range, already encourage collectability - and offer a premium playing experience for family card-gamers and professionals alike. Cartamundi sees the brand as one with huge potential for growth in the coming years, growth which will be bolstered by further major new licensing deals, quarterly releases and a communications strategy that will speak to magicians, collectors and amateur card game enthusiasts alike. A new Bicycle app will be part of the mix, which will teach users how to play a wide range of card games.

As part of its overhaul, Cartamundi has taken a hard look at its extensive portfolio of products and assessed what’s working and what fits – and what doesn’t. The Shuffle brand of fun, fast-paced card and board games, in both licensed and generic versions, is one that is performing incredibly well. The range has been rationalised and benefits from a strong portfolio of well supported games for this autumn/winter. Cartamundi is also working with a suite of talented international inventors to ensure the brand and its titles stays on-trend and in demand with an exciting line up of new launches planned. Andrew says: “Our portfolio of games under the Shuffle brand is a key focus for the business. We’re excited to be building on some great results from last year, with more support behind our key titles to drive awareness and at the point of purchase.”

The company’s approach to retail has also shifted. It’s coming back to the market with more ambition, a much clearer strategy and some big goals; Andrew says Cartamundi wants to be a Top 10 Games supplier, and a Top 30 company in the overall marketplace. And this is resonating with customers. Nigel says the company’s retail partners have expressed delight at the upcoming launches during its spring/summer 2024 previews and are keen to support them with their selections.

“In previews, we’ve been demonstrating the step-change the company has undertaken and the reason why each brand remains in the portfolio,” Nigel adds. “Quite a few retailers have told me that they haven’t traded with Cartamundi for however long, which is fine, but that they’re pleased to see we’re making something of a comeback – Cartamundi 2.0, if you will – and are more than willing to trade with us once again. We’ve got a clear evolution pathway in place for our brands. It’s not simply a case of ‘Buy this and we’ll see you in six months’. What we’re doing is far more all-encompassing than that. The timing of our transformation hit mid-year 2023, so spring/summer 2024 is when people are really going to start seeing some big strides forward from Cartamundi and its brands.”

Cartamundi appointed Norton PR in July to drive awareness of its portfolio, its Hro and Bicycle brands in particular. Activities targeted at consumers will run alongside a focused trade campaign designed to highlight Cartamundi Entertainment’s growth and company developments, both here in the UK and across Europe. The company has also recently partnered with the specialist marketing agency Generation Media, further cementing its position as a games company to watch in years to come. While 2024 will be a big year for Cartamundi, Nigel and Andrew actually feel 2025 and 2026 are the years in which growth will accelerate in earnest, and when the industry will see the most major product developments. Andrew also explains that Cartamundi’s specialist Community & Content team, headed up by Imogen Lloyd, will continue to enhance consumer engagement and brand loyalty, while retailers will benefit from flexible support including bespoke, store-specific solutions. They need only get in touch to start these conversations.

Clearly, there’s lots to look forward to, and it easy to see why both Andrew and Nigel, who joined the company one year ago and three months ago respectively, were drawn to Cartamundi. Nigel was familiar with Cartamundi from his Hasbro days and had a good understanding of the business and the quality of its products before he’d even interviewed for the role. At interview, however, he says he came to fully realise and appreciate the breadth of the portfolio, the heritage of Cartamundi and its production capabilities. As a fan of trading card games, it took barely any convincing for him to come on board. He was also impressed with the Cartamundi culture, which is fuelled by a close-knit team of open-minded, supportive, passionate and driven people.

“And it was a great opportunity for you to work with me again, Nigel,” jokes Andrew, who also used to work for Hasbro. “Cartamundi has a fantastic footprint within the category and it’s exciting to consider the longevity of the company and everything that’s still to come. There are very strong foundations here on which to builds some truly world-class brands and I’m delighted Nigel and I, and the wider team, are able to do that. It’s a cliché, but there really is all to play for.”