With just three days until the NEC in Birmingham opens its doors to around 60,000 visitors in this year’s Spring Fair (February 4-8). A jam-packed seminar programme includes sessions on social media, google analytics, digital marketing, managing stock and growing retail sales.
The Greetings and Gift sector in hall three continues to be a popular destination with over 300 exhibitors showcasing ranges for all the major sending occasions, including 74 brand new exhibitors. Returning this year is the Debut Area, supported by the Greeting Card Association (GCA) which will see 24 companies who have never exhibited at the show before set out their wares.
Alison Graham, event director at Spring Fair, commented: “The greeting card industry continues to flourish and we’re seeing a huge amount of interest in card products from all types of retailer as they look to increase sales by diversifying their offering. This year’s Greetings and Gift sector will be the largest in the last four years and we’re delighted to bring so many fantastic publishers to the event.”
For the first time ever at Spring Fair is The Atelier – a new interactive feature installation that reveals the trends happening from now through to the year 2020, unveiled through compelling big-screen videos, with visitors invited to walk through stunning gallery-inspired visually merchandised room sets.
Have a sneak peek on what’s on offer in The Atelier below:
* Card publisher and designer, Lucy Ledger has been selected by the Department of International Trade (DIT) to represent the British export industry and the Yorkshire and Humber region at UK Pavilion at Spring Fair. She is the only greeting card publisher to be on the DIT stand. “We are looking to really expand on our export portfolio this year so I was so happy to be selected – it feels like such an honour to be representing the UK and promoting international trade,” says Lucy. “I’m really looking forward to working with the DIT and it will be an excellent opportunity for me to promote the UK greetings industry as a whole – and work with buyers to let them know why they should be importing British products.”
Lucy will be at the DIT stand at the UK Pavilion Hall 9, stand A60 on Monday and Tuesday 5 and 6 February with products and promotional materials displayed throughout the show.
* Fans of Joe Wicks should make sure they head to the Meyer Group stand in Hall 9 (F30-G31) to catch a glimpse of the cooking superstar as he launches a new cookware range using materials such as hard anodized, stainless steel and premium aluminium, as well as tools and gadgets, bakeware, knives and storage items. He will also give a cooking demonstration on the Housewares Live demonstration stand at 2pm on Monday.
