2014 Trend Insights: UK Greeting Card, Stationery & Gift

Markets

Greeting Card, Stationery & Gift Trends - Spring Fair 2014 Jeremy Corner - Blue Eyed Sun - Stand 4L66

12:15 to12:45 - Monday 3rd February 2014 Spring Fair International, NEC, Trends Theatre

Greeting Card, Stationery & Gift Trends - Spring Fair 2014 Jeremy Corner - Blue Eyed Sun - Stand 4L66

Jeremy Corner Tweet @Blue_Eyed_Sunwww.blueeyedsun.co.uk/blog

How you can track trends in these markets

•Trade Magazines

•Trade Fairs

•Trade Awards

•Trade Associations

•Sales Agents

•Blogs & Social Media

Greeting Card, Stationery & Gift Trends - Spring Fair 2014 Jeremy Corner - Blue Eyed Sun - Stand 4L66

The UK Greeting Card Market

• £1.38 billion spent on single cards in the last year

• Everyday category worth £1.008bn

• 31 cards being sent on average per person each year

• 85% of all cards are bought by women

• There are approximately 800 card publishers in the UK

• Greeting cards in more types of outlet than any other product

• One in six retailers stocking greeting cards

Greeting Card, Stationery & Gift Trends - Spring Fair 2014 Jeremy Corner - Blue Eyed Sun - Stand 4L66

Greeting Card Trends

• The Instagram effect - nostalgia / retro Tranquillity UK Greetings

Greeting Card, Stationery & Gift Trends - Spring Fair 2014 Jeremy Corner - Blue Eyed Sun - Stand 4L66

• Crafts and Upcycling

The Art Group

• Modern takes on VintageBelle & Boo 1973

Greeting Card Trends

• Flights of Fancy - British Wildlife

Sooshichacha

Greeting Card, Stationery & Gift Trends - Spring Fair 2014 Jeremy Corner - Blue Eyed Sun - Stand 4L66

• Fonts - distressed typeface

Urban Graphic• Quirky Cute

Stripey Cats Cards

Greeting Card Trends

• Masculine Geek Chic Cinnamon Aitch

Greeting Card, Stationery & Gift Trends - Spring Fair 2014 Jeremy Corner - Blue Eyed Sun - Stand 4L66

• 70’s psychedelia and strong colours

Lagom

• Perfectly Imperfect - recycled feel

Emmeline Webb

• Artisans and Artists

Jessica Hogarth

Greeting Card Trends

• Personalisation

• Localisation - British and local

• Polarisation - know your customers

• Consumers finding the right card

• Heartfelt in contemporary voice

• Humour still great for connecting

• Wedding & Baby strong

Greeting Card, Stationery & Gift Trends - Spring Fair 2014 Jeremy Corner - Blue Eyed Sun - Stand 4L66

Greeting Card Trends

• Conversational Voice

• Quotes & Inspirational Sentiment

• The Right Connection

Wider Economic trends:

• Value for money

• Shoppers smaller trips, more often

• Shoppers desire convenience

• Technology’s positive effect

Greeting Card, Stationery & Gift Trends - Spring Fair 2014 Jeremy Corner - Blue Eyed Sun - Stand 4L66

Greeting Card Trends

• Woodland

• Natural textures

• Hand drawn eg. chalk

• Go green

Mike Burgin

Greeting Card, Stationery & Gift Trends - Spring Fair 2014 Jeremy Corner - Blue Eyed Sun - Stand 4L66

Jade Ho

Carly Davis

Stormy Night

Greeting Card Trends

• Vintage with a contemporary twist

• Adding value through finishes

• Paper revolution (laser cut)

• Retro - letter press style

• Fun and Fresh

Greeting Card, Stationery & Gift Trends - Spring Fair 2014 Jeremy Corner - Blue Eyed Sun - Stand 4L66

Card & Gift Trends

•Text based products still selling well

• Raw deconstructed floral screen prints

• Retro 1950’s colouring circa 1953

• Stripes are back in fashion

Greeting Card, Stationery & Gift Trends - Spring Fair 2014 Jeremy Corner - Blue Eyed Sun - Stand 4L66

Card & Gift Trends

• Big Bold Floral Patterns

• Birds

• Anthropomorphising

Greeting Card, Stationery & Gift Trends - Spring Fair 2014 Jeremy Corner - Blue Eyed Sun - Stand 4L66

Nella

Rocket 68

welovekaoru Avant Card Co

The UK Giftware Market

• UK Giftware Market worth £5 billion

• High end holding up well

• Under £10 and children’s gifts strong

• Made in the UK - resurgence in interest

• Functional and personalised gifts

• Creative innovation

Greeting Card, Stationery & Gift Trends - Spring Fair 2014 Jeremy Corner - Blue Eyed Sun - Stand 4L66

Gift Trends

•Woodland birds and animals

Greeting Card, Stationery & Gift Trends - Spring Fair 2014 Jeremy Corner - Blue Eyed Sun - Stand 4L66

Disaster DesignsCubic Products Ltd

Carola Van Dyke

Sew Heart Felt

GOTY Showcase in Hall 6 Stand T50 and GA stand in Hall 5 F99/G89

Gift Trends

•Retro / Vintage

Greeting Card, Stationery & Gift Trends - Spring Fair 2014 Jeremy Corner - Blue Eyed Sun - Stand 4L66

Heyland & Whittle Soap BooksWild & Woolf

Half Moon Bay

GOTY Showcase in Hall 6 Stand T50 and GA stand in Hall 5 F99/G89

Gift Trends

• Made in the UK

Greeting Card, Stationery & Gift Trends - Spring Fair 2014 Jeremy Corner - Blue Eyed Sun - Stand 4L66

Ding Studio London Postcodes

Heather Alstead Design Goldilocks

GOTY Showcase in Hall 6 Stand T50 and GA stand in Hall 5 F99/G89

Gift Trends

• Innovative licensing of loved brands

Greeting Card, Stationery & Gift Trends - Spring Fair 2014 Jeremy Corner - Blue Eyed Sun - Stand 4L66

Aga Oven Tins Elite

Subbuteo Bottle Opener Thabto

Roses Puzzle Half Moon Bay

GOTY Showcase in Hall 6 Stand T50 and GA stand in Hall 5 F99/G89

Gift & Stationery Trends

• Handmade & craft movement

• Woodland & Nature

• Fair trade

• Quotes & sentiment

• Handwriting & Stationery

Greeting Card, Stationery & Gift Trends - Spring Fair 2014 Jeremy Corner - Blue Eyed Sun - Stand 4L66

Kirstie Allsopp Woodmansterne

Two Little Boys

Junction 18

Gift & Stationery Trends!

• Family & friend titles

• Gifts with a use & sentiment

• Sourcing and origin

• Nostalgia

Greeting Card, Stationery & Gift Trends - Spring Fair 2014 Jeremy Corner - Blue Eyed Sun - Stand 4L66

Gift Trends

• Woodland - especially owls, foxes and birds

• Vintage / retro across all categories

Foxes and Owls RJB Stone

Greeting Card, Stationery & Gift Trends - Spring Fair 2014 Jeremy Corner - Blue Eyed Sun - Stand 4L66

Junction18

Card & Gift Trends

• Pantone - Radiant Orchid 2014

• Typeface and Calligraphy

• Personal sentiment

Greeting Card, Stationery & Gift Trends - Spring Fair 2014 Jeremy Corner - Blue Eyed Sun - Stand 4L66

Really GoodHappy Jackson

Pantone

• World Cup Football in Brazil

• Sochi Winter Olympics

• World War One Centenary

• Shakespeare’s 450th birthday

• Scotland’s independence vote

• 40th Ryder Cup at Gleneagles

• Commonwealth Games in Glasgow

• Tour de France starts in the UK

Events for 2014

Greeting Card, Stationery & Gift Trends - Spring Fair 2014 Jeremy Corner - Blue Eyed Sun - Stand 4L66

• Sentiment is important

• Handmade and craft movement relevant

• Nostalgia - Vintage and retro still strong

• British made and ethically sourced

• Nature and woodland is very popular

• Pay attention to forthcoming events

• Understand your customers and meet their needs

• Keep a close eye on the trade mags, awards, blogs and trade shows

Summary: UK Card, Stationery & Gift Market

Greeting Card, Stationery & Gift Trends - Spring Fair 2014 Jeremy Corner - Blue Eyed Sun - Stand 4L66

Thanks to friends who shared their insights

Greeting Card, Stationery & Gift Trends - Spring Fair 2014 Jeremy Corner - Blue Eyed Sun - Stand 4L66

THANK YOUTweet: @Blue_Eyed_Sun

Visit Blue Eyed Sun - Hall 4 - Stand 4L66

Greeting Card, Stationery & Gift Trends - Spring Fair 2014 Jeremy Corner - Blue Eyed Sun - Stand 4L66