When PG Live opens its doors on Tuesday (5 June), the finalists and winners of the 2017 and 2018 Retas and Greats awards, as well as Cardgains members will have in their possession Gold, Silver and Sunshine tickets as well as special vouchers to spend with exhibitors at the show. These much-coveted tickets can only be spent at the show, with exhibitors who receive any tickets getting reimbursed there and then by the organisers, Max Exhibitions.
The Retas 2017 winners have £150 (Gold ticket) to spend and finalists (from 2017 and 2018) have £75 tickets (Silver and Sunshine tickets). The Greats gift retailer 2017 and 2018 finalists and winners each have tickets worth £50 to spend, Cardgains members also have £30 tickets to spend with Cardgains suppliers.
“What we started as a ‘one off’ in the early years of the show as an extra incentive for retailers to attend PG Live has become part of its DNA,” says Warren Lomax, PG Live show director. “The tickets have been a great success, with both retailers and exhibitors getting so excited about spending and receiving tickets at the show. It adds to the buzz.”
The prestigious Gold, Silver and Sunshine Tickets are kindly produced by digital printer The Imaging Centre with GF Smith donating the board.
One retailer attending PG Live for the first time is Julie Donabie from My Favourite Things in London. She has £75 to spend, being a finalist in The Retas this year. “I’m very excited at being in the finals and very honoured,” says Julie. “My shop represents proof that independent shops can continue to trade and flourish in this on-line and digital age and that greeting cards are ever more popular in our lives. I’m looking forward to the champagne reception (for Retas finalists) and very much looking forward to this event, meeting all the team and spending my voucher.”
For Mark Janson-Smith, co-owner of five Postmark shops in London, PG Live is a trade show he really looks forward to. And he will be there again this year with a Gold, Silver and Sunshine ticket to spend. “Over the past years PG Live has really proven its worth, attracting a very strong selection of publishers and new talent. So when it comes into view on the calendar and the reminder emails are coming thick and fast, I always get excited about what the day will hold.”
One exhibitor who will be back again hoping to make an impact with retailers is Jo Clarke of Toasted Crumpet. Jo made her debut last year and had an amazing show – being presented with six of the coveted special tickets: two Greats Tickets, two Sunshine Retas Tickets and two Silver Retas Tickets. “We had a fantastic debut show at PG Live meeting lots of lovely retailers, agents and exhibitors. It is a lovely size which means retailers can walk around and see everyone. And we really noticed how much all of the retailers enjoyed visiting the show too. The event has opened up so many new doors for us and we are looking forward to this year.”
Any retailers who have not yet registered to attend PG Live this year (Tuesday 5 June – Wednesday 6 June at the Business Design Centre) still have time and can register for free at www.progressivegreetingslive.com.
