Meera Santoro, co-founder of Santoro greeting card, gift and licensing business made a memorable impression at Buckingham Palace recently as a result of some cheeky remarks she whispered into Prince Charles’ ear!
Meera was invited to the Palace to receive a prestigious Queen’s Award for Enterprise, notably for the company’s international licensing activity for its brands, such as Gorjuss.
The plucky entrepreneur, who started the company with her husband Lucio in 1985 and launched the licensing division a decade later, didn’t waste an opportunity of having the ear of the next in line to the throne, HRH The Prince of Wales.
“I said a good few things to Charles but the most printable was that he “actually looked hotter in real life” than he did on camera,” Meera admitted to PG Buzz. “I also whispered something cheeky in his ear which he roared out loud about, while everyone else were wide-eyed as to what I’d actually said!” added Meera. While she refused to be drawn on to what she had actually said, Meera stresses that “I kept my head” though the reactions from those close by speak louder than words.
Santoro Licensing was delighted to be awarded a Queen’s Award for Enterprise for International Trade 2018, the UK’s most prestigious and highest accolade for international business success.
Its licensing division has welcomed 20 new licensing partners signed since October 2017 and currently works with 65 global licensing partners. Notably, Santoro Licensing has experienced a 40% growth since 2016.
A major factor in the recent growth is the success of its Gorjuss brand. Launched in 2009, Gorjuss is now available at over 35,000 points of sale across 93 countries and has already become a £120m brand.
Of the award, Meera said: “We feel incredibly proud to have received this award. Our licensing division has been responsible for many of the company’s achievements to date. It is a rare honour and one of which we are immensely proud and grateful to accept.”
But the London-based company has not forgotten its greeting card roots. Santoro’s long standing Swing Cards range is in the finals of The Henries 2018 in the Henry Cole Classic category for ranges that have stood the text of time, the winner of which will be announced at The Henries awards event on October 4.
A few days after The Henries, Santoro Licensing will be among the exhibitors at the Brand Licensing Europe exhibition, which takes place next month (October 9-11 at London’s Olympia).
To register for the show, click here
