The physical and digital editions are all ready to read
The days are getting longer, daffodils are on sale and Progressive Greetings’ February 2024 edition has landed, with the digital version of the magazine having been uploaded too!
Bursting with industry news and views, retailer perspectives, cracking articles and tons of product newness, it makes for a damn good read as 2024 gets properly underway.
The news pages are crammed with industry happenings, from Cardfactory’s latest impressive results to how indie Jerry Brown, of First Class Greetings, has hit the media to campaign for fairer remuneration for sub-postmasters, and from how publisher Nicole Elders’ grandfather inspired a Morse code greeting card range to how Belly Button Designs is treating Treat Boutique in Nottingham, to a £1,000 prize, click here to read all about it.
There was so much riding on Christmas 2023, with a full-on #Cardmitment campaign swinging into action to encourage members of the general public to reboot their Christmas card sending.
To read some festive reports from all manner of retailers, click here, while columnist Cardsharp confesses to feeling dazed and confused over how our sector appears to have bucked the trend on the festive trading front, click here to read what he has to say.
Meanwhile, as Sir Dave Brailsford prepares to put his marginal gains strategy into play with Man U, columnist David Robertson muses on how this approach can work for our businesses. Click here to see how he’s bringing it into play.
As ever there are insights galore in the findings of the latest PG Retail Barometer, the only annual research into the health and wealth of the independent greeting card retailer.
To find out how 2023 panned out for indies, how they’re feeling about trade in the coming year, what greeting card genres really scored in the last year and what are the areas primed for diversification, click here.
Taking an even broader perspective, Steady As She Goes is a state of the nation piece about the sector as a whole.
Despite the ongoing cost-of-living crisis and global turmoil, the greeting card sector is in pretty good shape, with signs of retailer expansion, no major casualties and the public continuing to show its love for greeting cards, to the tune of £1.5 billion a year. Click here to read the overview.
Adding more context to the above, following on from the January edition of PG, more members of the GCA Council share their views on what they acknowledge as the major challenges for the sector as well as the opportunities for the year ahead. Click here to see what they have to say.
With tv game shows enjoying something of a renaissance, as evidenced by the warm welcome back Deal Or No Deal received by the general public, independent sales agents were asked to put their fingers on the buzzers as to what points mean prizes on their respective scoreboards. To join the fun and see the scores on the doors for these agents, click here.
With Spring Fair kicking off on Sunday, 4 February, exhibiting publishers are full of anticipation for retailer reactions to their new launches. To get just a taster of some of the treats that will be on offer, head to Innovations by clicking here.
In prime position in the greeting card sector in Hall 3 at the show is the Ling Design/GBCC and Penny Kennedy stand, which will be heaving with new products, including new licensing collaborations with Paper Salad on stationery and Raspberry Blossom on gift wrappings.
PG caught up with the publisher’s head honcho David Byk about the latest developments as well as his take on industrywide matters. To read The Byk’s In Gear, click here.
Greeting cards maintain their appeal as they reflect societal tastes and nuances of the current day. On the design front, with Peach Fuzz being Pantone’s 2024 colour of the year, click here to see the sharing from publishers as to how this cheerful tone has made its way onto their latest ranges.
While staying on the trend front, following on from part one in the last issue, another trio of leading artists’ agents reveal what they believe will be the key drivers for our aesthetic tastes in 2024. Click here to get trendy.
It’s been said that we see the present through a veil of the past which certainly has some relevance when it comes to heritage licensing. PG caught up with some publishers who re-present all manner of licensed treasures which raise awareness of these venerable institutions and brands. Delve into this rich treasure trove by clicking here.
The Moments In Time article also looks back, into the past of several companies who are celebrating a notable milestone in 2024, namely Raspberry Blossom, Tache, TMS, Paperworld Malta and Cards ’N’ Things, with more to follow in the next edition. Click here to look both back and forwards with these anniversary celebrations.
Staying in the timeline zone, we may be living in the digital age but there are certain aspects of the analogue world that simply can’t be beaten – and calendars are a prime example.
The Focus On Calendars article makes a date with the world of writing appointments on these paper wonders that keeps us on plan. Click here to keep track of calendar developments and open the doors on advents by clicking here.
As ever, PG ends on a high note, with the always popular What’s Hot? section. To see what ranges are flying off the shelves for some leading retailers, click here.
All this and more in the pages of our lovely magazine. Wouldn’t you like to hold it in your hands so you can flick through and read it wherever it takes your fancy? To SUBSCRIBE NOW go to www.max-subscriptions.net
However, if you can’t wait, to read the whole PG February 2024 edition online you can click here.
