“From retailer promotions, activities in schools and hospitals, millions of stamp cancellation messages and a social media frenzy, there has clearly been a lot of more than just thinking going on this Thinking of You Week,” highlighted Amanda Fergusson, ceo of the GCA of the card sending initiative which runs until this Sunday (28 September) to highlight the positive power sending unexpected cards can have.
Royal Mail, Paperchase, Moonpig and Funky Pigeon are among those who have got behind raising awareness of the GCA-instigated initiative this year. While Royal Mail has branded millions of pieces of franked mail to highlight the Week (as well as some inventive social media activity https://www.pgbuzz.net/royal-mail-video-gets-to-the-heart-of-thinking-of-you-week/), Paperchase embarked designated email campaign to its impressive fanbase, Funky Pigeon has run daily competitions on its Facebook page while Moonpig partnered with Samaritans to create a special collection of cards for Thinking of You Week (created in-house) featuring words submitted from the public that are real examples of messages that have helped individuals through a difficult time.
Meanwhile on the publisher front, members of the Belly Button Design team have had a busy week with a dedicated Thinking of Week activity happening every day. This has included going into Manchester primary schools, in the publisher’s vicinity, carrying armfuls of greeting cards, working with the teachers on a series of card writing sessions with youngsters.
“We thought it would be great for the next generation to write and send cards to people who are special to them,” said Michelle Hindle, Belly Button’s sales manager. “We were privy to so many happy, and some sad, stories from the children as they wrote their cards. Encouragingly, not content to write just one card many wanted to send several, which was really lovely.”
UK Greetings’ week-long programme of Thinking of You Week engagement has reached far and wide, as well as close to home. As part of its social media activity it ran a consumer competition furnishing the winners with plenty of cards appropriate for Thinking of You Week. In addition the publisher created a Thinking of You Week display in its Dewsbury HQ, encouraging staff to select and send cards.
The Art File, another longtime supporter of Thinking of You Week, has built on its relationship with Nottingham Children’s Hospital at the Queen’s Medical Centre (QMC) as well as charity, CLIC Sargent.
James Mace, sales and marketing manager of The Art File and other members of the publisher’s team visited both locations well stocked up with cards.
Nurses and doctors on the QMC wards encouraged parents, friends and visitors to write the cards to the children they were visiting, creating a wave of positivity and thoughtfulness at difficult times.
James and his team also received a warm welcome at Billy’s House in Nottingham, run by CLIC Sargent home (where families stay while visiting children undergoing cancer treatment in hospital) when they dropped by with cards that were sent during Thinking of You Week.
As James commented: “Now more than ever, it’s essential to realise the importance of sending cards. This week highlights just how a small gesture – such as sending a card to someone to let them know you’re thinking about them can make such a huge difference to that person’s life. Every year we like to make sure that even the most vulnerable of people in Nottingham can send and receive cards on this special week.”
Top: Belly Button’s Michelle Hindle (second left) and Emma Maclean with some of the pupils of St Agnes School, Manchester during the Thinking of You Week visit.
