While Boris Johnson and Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s First Minister have been at loggerheads over a number of issues ever since he became Prime Minister, Bojo featured prominently at the SNP leader’s 50thbirthday celebrations this week – with a Twitter post from her husband Peter Murrell, which focused on a birthday card featuring a caricature of the PM, sparking a huge wave of interest in the media.
The birthday card, by Scottish card publisher The Grey Earl, includes the message ‘I’ve hired a first class clown for your birthday’ with the central design being a nod to moment during the 2012 Olympics when Boris, then the Mayor of London, appeared on a zipwire waving Union Jacks.
The card (part of The Grey Earl’s Bojo collection) and the story behind it has now been featured in the Daily Mail, Daily Record, The National, Mail Online, The Scottish Sun, Edinburgh Live, The New European and The World News, the poignancy all the greater with Boris making his much publicised trip to Scotland this week.
The coverage has resulted in a boost in sales for the card publisher, but owner and illustrator of the Stirling-based business, Jon Bishop is not letting the stardom going to his head!
Jon found out about it when one of his stockists, The Pirate and Bluebelle Gallery (in Gourock), got in touch and shared the pic that they’d seen doing the rounds on social media. “A little bit of detective work ensued (a couple of clicks) and I found my way to the Daily Mail article which was posted following all the social media activity around the card and Nicola Sturgeon’s 50th birthday. It was great to see my work getting so much attention and benefitting the Twitterverse… I’m just hoping Nicola’s husband didn’t get into too much trouble! A friend got in touch asking how I was coping with the stardom, I happily informed her that me and my family were going to celebrate with fish and chips… it won’t change me!”
Jon revealed that the coverage has had a positive effect on sales. “There’s been a pleasant little spike and interest from some new stockists. I’ve had requests to launch a four pack of cards which has just gone live, featuring an abseiling, bus riding, cake diving and proroguing Boris Johnson.”
Jon launched the initial BOJO collection of cards back in February, following on from the publisher’s Ask Donald range, based on the US president, but he is now planning on adding new political designs.
“At present I have no plans to do any designs featuring Nicola Sturgeon, but she’s probably due at least a thank you card and a high five from me, what with all this press!” quipped Jon.
Jon has been kept busy during lockdown, not just with his greeting card and illustration work, but also by creating The Toilet Roll Sessions, short arts & craft project films, hosted on YouTube giving ideas for children of what to make from toilet rolls!
Top: Nicola Sturgeon took to Twitter to thank everyone for sending her cards.
