Progressive Greetings’ physical and digital editions ready to read
Progressive Greetings’ April 2023 edition landed a few days ago, full of gorgeous product newness, news, industry views, retailer perspectives and some cracking articles – and the digital edition is now available to read online too.
From Paperchase’s final goodbye on our High Streets, the uplifting story of how the video of a 90-year old’s infectious laughter at an Emotional Rescue card went viral on social media, the decision to move Ling Design’s warehousing into GBCC’s Gloucester facility, to how Mother’s Day delivered for cardies, these are just a few of the industry happenings that feature in the news pages. To read about all about it, click here.
With April marking the start of the second quarter, Viewpoints checks in to see how juicy the first three months were for retailers, publishers and trade suppliers. Click here to see what they said and what would put a spring in their step right now.
Scottish indie David Robertson has lots of spring in his step, especially as he feels he’s trying to be all things to all people, a phrase that comes from 1st Corinthians 9:22 in the Bible, and relates to the apostle Paul.
Like David, Paul was an interesting chap – he wrote 13 of the 27 books of the New Testament and in his spare time ran a tent-making business! As David embarks on revamping his card displays, he gives consideration to the Attractiveness Principle. Click here to read what he has to say.
Cardsharp starts his column with a riddle – what links an ancient Egyptian statue of a leonine mythical creature, a bubble-blowing under-performing East London football team and Cardsharp’s lovely postie George?
The answer to the question is Daniel Křetínský, one of the richest and most inscrutable businessmen in Europe hence his sobriquet the Czech Sphinx, who is heavily involved in Royal Mail and West Ham United football club, the former interest being of great concern to those in the card sector, the latter, less so! To read Cardsharp’s Forever Blowing Bubbles, click here.
There are a lot of dragons in this edition, including a real one as PG made the most of an opportunity to interview Sara Davies, who has made her entrepreneurial presence count in the BBC’s Dragons’ Den programme, and whose own business has a close affiliation to greeting cards. Read her story by clicking here.
In a variation on the theme, the recent GCA Speed-Dating With Dragons event saw 70 publishers pitch their ranges to greeting card retailer buyer dragons. Read their fiery thoughts by clicking here.
Also included is a deep dive into the testosterone reading on the male card front with publishers and designers reflecting the myriad of hobbies, interests and aspirations of the nation’s menfolk, not to mention a broader reach on the colour palette and design styles. If you want to feel manly, click here.
Meanwhile, ensuring greeting cards remain relevant to the next generation of card senders is of paramount interest to those in the industry – nine-year-old Emma Cooper is reassurance personified.
PG shares her mission to launch Cards With Kindness card company, which came to life thanks to a visit to Woodmansterne, while the GCA’s ambitious Schools Project sees a widespread exchange of cards between primary school children in Ghana and the UK. Click here to read more about this youthful thinking.
You can treat yourself to some product newness on the card and stationery front in the Innovations section, which you can see by clicking here.
And check out what ranges are really strutting their stuff on the sales front for a trio of retailers – Serge Summerling at Nor, Angela Jones at Lily Blue Gifts, and Planters At Bretby’s Karen Shaw – in the What’s Hot section, which can be checked by clicking here.
Ending on a high point of loveliness, Art Source shares the creative story of talented illustrator Jane Sunner. Click here to see her creative delights.
There’s 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 April 2023 edition online you can click here.
