There are two major happenings scheduled for this time next week – one more pleasurable than the other. The good one first…this time next week (Tuesday 4 June), Progressive Greetings Live 2019 will be underway, bringing together retailers, publishers, overseas distributors, agents and trade suppliers for the world’s largest dedicated greeting card trade exhibition.
The two day show (Tuesday 4 June and Wednesday 5 June), held at London’s Business Design Centre in Islington will see thousands and thousands of new designs being unveiled by the 230+ exhibiting publishers as well as a host of fantastic competitions, promotions and incentives.
And the other event? That would be Donald Trump arriving in the UK. However the US President’s card sending habits resulted in some unexpected PR for one of the show’s exhibitors. On the most recent episode of the BBC’s popular political review programme, This Week, one of the first items saw host Andrew Neil produce a birthday card that he had ‘received’ from President Trump that week and show it to political commentators Michael Portillo and Alan Johnson.
Clearly amused by the Really Wild Cards’ sound-alike card, which featured a caricature of ‘the Don’, Andrew Neil opened the card and played the whole message – “It’s going to be huge folks. You have aged so well! Fake news!”. Following this, Alan Johnson quipped: “I can only imagine what Nigel Farage gets.”
As John Wignall, md of Really Wild Cards said “It was a great to see that Andrew clearly enjoyed Mr Trump’s cheery Happy Birthday message. Alan’s mention of a Nigel Farage design was incredibly timely as we are launching him at PG Live along some other cool characters.”
One independent retailer will feel like a celebrity at 11am on the first morning of the show as Second Nature will be announcing which of its indie customers has won an amazing £10,000 dream holiday of their choice – including including flights, hotel and car hire. Some 200 Indies are in with a chance of winning, all of whom placed an order for Second Nature’s new products by the end of January (and paid to terms). All these names have been entered into the holiday prize draw.
As Chris Bryan, general manager of Second Nature told PG Buzz:
“All of our business is important to us, no matter how great or small and with the well-documented struggles in the high streets we just wanted to create the chance for one of our valued independents to have a truly amazing trip. It’s up to them how they spend it – it could be a luxury holiday for two or a week away for a large family!”
Second Nature is launching 90 new designs, across three new ranges and updates to existing ranges at PG Live (Stand 117).
Cherry Orchard is also in the holiday mood. PG Live sees the launch of the Lily Rose Collection, a stunning collection of 15 floral relations and occasions designs. To be in with a chance of winning a £250 holiday voucher all retailers need to do is place a £200 (net minimum) order with Cherry Orchard on Stand 418.
There are a few days left to enter Portfolio’s prize draw that will be made at PG Live. The publisher is giving buyers a few extra incentives to register for its new website. One lucky customer can win a complete carriage paid order of their choice completely free of charge while there are two runners up prizes of 36 free Father’s Day cards.
Retailers just need to register on Portfolio’s website by May 31 to be automatically entered into the draw, which is to be made on the second day (Wednesday 5 June) of PG Live.
Other highlights from Portfolio (Stand 321) include a new collaboration with respected greeting card artist, Emily Hauck. The tie-up spans two initial ranges – Tiger Lily, a rich, lush, colourful range of 28 designs of wild and exotic flora and fauna while Pearl Drops is a quintessentially, simple hand-finished range of sweet line drawings.
With wellbeing one of the key trends reflected on UKG’s cards at PG Live, the publisher (Stand 240) is offering retailers the chance to win a Fortnum & Mason hamper full of ‘me-time treats’ for anyone who visits its stand and completes a postcard.
Meanwhile, there are fortunes to be made for anyone visiting Davora at the show (Stand 530) as the card publisher known for its multi-cultural cards, will be given a fortune cookie!
Second Nature, Cherry Orchard, Portfolio, UKG and Davora are among the 230+ companies who will be exhibiting at PG Live (June 4 and 5 at London’s Business Design Centre). To make sure you are at this amazing celebration of the exciting greeting card industry, register now (and receive your free 2019 Show Preview) https://pgl-2019.reg.buzz/
Online registration works really well, but if you don’t have an easily accessible email address or you would just rather speak to someone in real life, please call the PG Live show team on +44 (0)1635 297070 during office hours.
