GCA Speed Dating 2023 event announced for 2 March – with early bird booking discount
Get ready to slay the dragons – the latest GCA Dragons Speed Dating event has been announced for Thursday, 2 March, when publishers get to go head-to-head with retailers.
With a maximum of 72 publisher places, it’s essential to get in quick for this extremely popular event and there’s an early-bird booking price of £135 between 12 December and 6 January for GCA members, after which it increases to £150.
Introduced in 2017, the event gives greetings publishers the chance to put their cards in front of 12 individual retailers from a choice of 18 for a 10-minute in-depth discussion with each – Dragons already signed up for 2023 include major retailers Tesco, WHSmith, and Card Factory, with many leading indies also pledging their participation and room for more who’d like to be involved.
Adding to the prep for the event, all publishers booked to attend will be invited to the pre-DSD Zoom meeting at 11am on Tuesday, 31 January, when award-winning independent retailer Sarah Laker, from Stationery Supplies and Giraffe Gifts, will be explaining what she’ll be looking for from card companies on the day, as well as sharing her advice on how to prepare for the event – and get the most out of it.
Then on the big day itself, which will be at the Business Design Centre in London’s Islington, there will also be a panel discussion with Georgina Fihosy from AfroTouch Design, Raspberry Blossom’s Rebecca Green, Sarah Jackson of Stormy Knight, Emotional Rescue’s Brett Smith, and Nick Carey from Abacus Cards.
GCA ceo Amanda Fergusson said: “And we’re also delighted to have a legal expert from intellectual property law firm Briffa joining us to answer questions on copyright and licensing.”
Booking for the event will be through the GCA website, and opens on 12 December at noon when a link will be added to the Dragons Speed Dating 2023 blog.
To find out more about DSD, go to the GCA website where there’s a blog post, plus information for members, and there’s also the PG Buzz story on a previous event.
A free PG Live 2023 exhibitor meeting will also take place in the morning of March 2 at the BDC, starting at 11am.
Top: A thumbs up from the Dragons at the 2022 GCA event – (from left) Sean Austin, Austin and Co; Anita Thorpe, Diverse; Andrea Pinder, Presentation; Tim Reynolds, Medici Gallery; Shelley Sheridan, Heirloom; Shar Grothier, Sainsbury’s; Emma Hawkins, Fortnum & Mason; Holly Whait, Sainsbury’s, Claire Taylor, John Lewis; Abi Wilson, Sainsbury’s; Paul Taylor, Cardzone; Miles Robinson, House of Cards; Dale Boreham, Moonpig; Carlo Marinelli, Paperchase; Tori Heath-Smith, Paperchase; Priya Aurora-Crowe, Lark; Becky Collins, Funky Pigeon; Sandra O’Connell, Mooch; Sam East, Card Factory; Katie Salt, Card Factory; and Mark Janson-Smith, Postmark.
