‘There’s one born every 45 seconds’ was the attention-grabbing headline of Clintons’ latest press release, which highlights how this is birthday bonanza week in the UK.
The consumer media lapped up the news, shared by Clintons that September is the month when there is the greatest demand for birthday cards.
Clintons’ latest PR push draws on the data that suggests that a baby is born in the UK on average every 45 seconds during September, peaking on September 26. In quieter months, including January, the figure drops to one born every one minute and six seconds.
Clintons’ VP of marketing Tim Fairs quips: “There are two factors that lead to a boom in births at this time of the year. The first is the romantic cosiness of the Christmas season, with the fragrance of sprouts, the dewy-eyed effects of alcohol and the presence of drooping mistletoe. The second is a slightly more pragmatic attempt to align the birth of offspring with the start of the school year!”
Among those born on September 26 are George Gershwin, TS Eliot, Serena Williams, Will Self, Olivia Newton-John and Bryan Ferry.
However, even more successful at gaining media coverage was Clintons more serious missive about the role of handwriting in modern day society.
Shopping and ‘to do’ lists are top of the list for when handwriting is called for these days, accounting for 23% of reasons to write by hand, according to an omnibus poll commissioned by Clintons.
Writing in a greeting card is the second most likely reason for handwriting, accounting for a fifth of all handwritten notes.
When questioned, 81% of people say they are more likely to trust a message that has been written by hand.
As Clintons’ Tim Fairs points out: “Nobody can deny that thanks to technology, writing and sending messages is easier than ever before. The only problem is that the most important messages between friends and family can easily lose their impact. When it comes to leaving an impression, the physical act of writing – and signing your name, still carries a weight that pixels can’t easily match.”
