Publishing pair launch separate ranges on same theme giving a greeting and fun gift
Coming up with fresh greeting card ideas is something every publisher dreams of and two companies hit the ground running at PG Live with a different take on a similar theme – temporary tattoos.
Both Sooshichacha and newbie Coral & Mint separately launched their tattoo ranges at the specialist show last week having kept them totally under wraps to delight visitors at London’s Business Design Centre.
With bright, colourful traditional-style artwork making the temporary tat an integral part of the card itself, Sooshichacha joint owners Philip and Lucie Chadderton have differentiated their designs by harking back to their childhood memories of Bazooka Joe bubblegum.
“Remember that little pink tablet of gun that you got a transfer with? I used to love them as a kid so went after that memory,” Philip told PG Buzz. “I claim it was my idea, but Lucie claims it was hers!
“We launched them here at PG Live, nobody had even seen them before the show, we just wanted to keep our powder dry and it’s worked because we’ve had a great reaction. We started designing with children’s ages then realised it worked for other occasions too.”
With 32 cards in the initial range, covering children’s ages, occasions, adult ages and everyday, Sooshichacha already has plans for expansion thanks to the positive feedback from PG Live visitors.
Philip added: “We realised there’s no skull tattoo, or unicorn, and we’d like Valentine’s tattoos, Santa tattoos – the opportunities are endless.”
Former Redback Cards director Kate Stanley is now a publisher in her own right having made PG Live 2022 her first trade show with business partner Sarah Gardner under the Coral & Mint label, and they’ve taken a different approach to temporary tattoos with a sheet of around 10 delicate miniature black line drawings that are currently slipped inside the card in the Celebrating You collection.
Kate said: “I’d wanted to develop a range of tattoos that would complement greeting cards for a while but I wanted to steer away from the more childish-style tattoos that often come in party bags.
“Having researched the world of temporary tattoos – and got lost in the Instagram world on more than one occasion – I saw there was a definite trend towards the development of monochrome mini-tattoos.
“Being something I’ve actually always wanted myself, but been too much of a wuss to do properly, I thought they’d be perfect!
“Tattoos by their very nature often promote a message and we felt using the actual temporary tattoos to extend the sentiment on a card would be the ideal approach – they’re a little gift, as well as a reminder that can be worn and carried with you.”
Coral & Mint’s card designs are also minimalist with the sentiment thermographed in neon coral or black and come with a neon coral envelope. On the back of the great response at the show, Kate and Sarah are already planning to develop the range further, along with the Jewellery and Sentiment String card ranges, plus jewellery ranges.
Kate added: “The beauty of mini-tattoos is that the possibilities are endless – but I’m slightly concerned over how much I’ve loved wearing the tattoos and may well be up at PG Live next year with one having been inked on for real. Watch this space!”
Top: Different approach – Sooshichacha independently launched tattoo cards
