As full of fibre and goodness as a giant orange pumpkin, Progressive Greetings’ October edition delivers a bountiful harvest festival of news, views, retailer insights, product launches – and The Henries’ 2020 finalists in all their glory.
The industry’s ‘ecology’ sees those in the industry looking at new ways of doing things. Nothing stays the same forever, as the current circumstances show all too well. There were ‘ooh, that’s interesting’ when the news broke that Emotional Rescue has signed a deal with Paper Design Group for 220+ of its designs to be distributed to indies by the Nigel Quiney/Paper Rose sales force from December 1. (Click to pages 14-15)
Meanwhile, while sad that Ilona Benjamin, founder of The Alternative Image Company is now turning her personal attentions to working in the public sector, it’s great that her card company has a new home with Holy Mackerel. (Click to pages 20-21)
Certainly, we are on for a Christmas like no other as the fluctuating lockdown restrictions puts paid to anyone’s grand plans for big get togethers. That said, with us now being in the so-called Golden Quarter, retailers in our sector have generally been pleasantly surprised by the early buying patterns, as evidenced in the comments in the Viewpoints section. (Click to pages 30-31)
It will also be a Henries awards event, like no other, but taking place virtually this year (on December 10), it is set to be the biggest ever, with everyone invited to the California Dreamin’ themed celebration – it’s free!
The absence of trade shows means that the 60 retailers who formed the judging panel not only spent their many hours deciding on the finalists, but also used it to source of new ranges for their shops.
To read about the judging process (Click to pages 34-35) and to see the young designers who are up for a gong; which card ranges and giftwrappings collections have reached the finals as well as the companies who are making the grade on the service to the independent retailer (Click to pages 36-37)
While lockdown has posed a challenge for us all it has also provided inspiration too for publishers, as the finalists in The Henries’ Best Lockdown Range, a new category for this year, exemplifies,
It not being a ‘normal’ period has promoted greeting card printer Loxleys to celebrate its 166th birthday. The Sheffield-based company has seen through the Second World War, two devastating fires and technological changes galore. You still have until the end of October to be in with a chance of winning one of its surprise prizes in its Willy Wonka Golden Ticket extravaganza. (Click to pages 82-83)
The super busy David Robertson, of JP Pozzi had the best of intentions to send his Thinking of You Week cards during the official Week, but life kept getting in the way. That said, he’s been doing a lot of thinking about mental health and shares his tips on managing the unusual stresses many are feeling. (Click to pages 26-27).
Meanwhile, Cardsharp acknowledges that it wasn’t just the school kids and college grads that have missed out on their ‘passing out parades’ this year, but highlights that newbie publishers who would normally have been fanfared in The Ladder Club and Springboard at PG Live have not have their moments in the spotlight too. (Click to pages 28-29)
Shining their spotlight on some of their best sellers, a quad of leading independent retailers reveal what products are attaining the high grades in their respective stores in the popular What’s Hot? feature (Click to pages 86-87) while the Innovations section sees a raft of publishers dish up a smorgasbord of new ranges and designs that are bursting to hit the card racks. (Click to pages 78-79)
And Art Source this month, gives the opportunity to meet the talented, musically-inclined Rosie Brooks, whose artwork is hitting the high notes in Holy Mackerel portfolio. (Click to pages 84-85)
All this and more in the pages of a lovely glossy magazine and supplement. Wouldn’t you like to hold them in your hands so you can flick through and read them wherever takes your fancy.
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