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Transcript of Party Party
Month: Nov/Dec 2014 Issue 4 Volume 15
PARTY
One Direction
My Little Pony
Teenage MutantNinja Turtles
to life...
Bring the
licensed ranges
Frozen
Minions
...with our
TEL: +44 (0)1908 288 500E-MAIL: [email protected]
WEB: www.amscan.co.uk©Amscan 2014, ©Anagram 2014 All rights reserved
1st-5th February 2015, NEC Brimingham, Hall 3 Stand R20-S21 & S20-T21
20th-22nd January 2015, Olympia Kensington, Stand B75
EditorRhys Thomas
Advertisement ManagerPaul Yeomans
Publishing DirectorMark Naish
Production DirectorPaul Naish
Managing Director Malcolm Naish
Circulation ManagerRobert Thomas
Party Party team
November/December 2014 Issue 10 Volume 14
The views of the contributors expressed in this journal are
not necessarily those of the publisher. Comments, letters and
criticism are welcome.
P U B L I S H I N G
Lema Publishing Ltd1 Churchgates,
The Wilderness, Berkhamsted,
Herts, HP4 2UBTelephone: 01442 289930
Regulars7 Leader with Rhys Thomas
8 News – what’s the latest?
9 Party Patter – we check in with independent
retailers
10 Exhibition News – updates from the trade
show calendar
12 Licensing News – the latest from the licensing
world
14 What’s New – unmissable new products
15 Quick fi re round – with Charlotte Cox,
Marketing Executive, Amscan
16 Retail Interview – with Thingimijigs
Features18 Theme Nights – we look at the top
themes driving dress-up sales
28 Foil balloons – this balloon category
is shining bright!
36 Face Paints and Body Art – the
latest from this creative category
Special Report37 Halloween Dream – three premiere
party suppliers told us what sold best this
Halloween, and what to keep an eye out for
next year
Columnist26 Talk to an Angel – what should retailers do
during the quiet, early months of the year?
Emma Angel explains
34 Mark Brett gives us his rather candid lowdown
38 The Word – BAPIA’s John Bowler makes a
special announcement
39 Recipe of the month – boost
sales with this month’s balloon
design
Flip Cover SpecialR H Smith & Sons celebrates its
120th anniversary with a special
fl ip cover this issue. Flip your copy
over to fi nd out how the company is
investing in you, and the bestselling
dress-up you can’t afford to miss!
At the heart of retail
contents
18
28
37
OVER 700 CUT-OUTS & MASKS TO ORDER ONLINE
PACKAGING & DISPLAY SOLUTIONS AVAILABLE
FREE DELIVERY ON ORDERS OVER £200
TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA
TURTLES!
MUTANT NINJA
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NEW!
COLOUR & KEEP MASKS & CUTOUTS
of the industry, and what happened when a
freak fl ood left the offi ce a little damp back
in June!
For any big celebration or party, balloons
are a must. The wow factor of foil balloons
make them a perfect centre-piece and their
well documented popularity on Valentine’s
Day continues. You can check out the
latest foil balloon releases on page 28. As a
bonus, resident balloon design expert, Sue
Bowler, has put together an extra special
‘Valentine’s Guy’ sculpture in this month’s
Balloon Recipe on page 39. Combining
romance and foil balloons, it’s a match
made in heaven.
But you don’t have to be celebrating
a big occasion to get dressed up. Theme
nights are as popular as ever and a big
driver behind the sale of fancy dress. You
can fi nd out what themes have party-
goers getting in character on page 18. Plus,
Hollywood-grade temporary transfers and
role-play face paint kits for kids lead the
charge for body art, which you can fi nd out
more about on page 36.
We also spoke to Thingimijigs, the online
retailer for busy mums, to fi nd out how
party products fi t in with their offering.
It’s certainly an interesting read, which
you can fi nd on page 16. Plus, we spoke
to some independent retailers on page 9
to gauge how 2014 has shaped up, how
they merchandise their shop and more. We
look forward to speaking to more of you
for the full-year report from the shop fl oor
following the Christmas rush.
Party Party will be back in the New Year
with everything you need to plan your visit
to Spring Fair. Next year’s show is shaping
up to be a fantastic one for the party
industry, and the Party Party team can’t
wait to see all the fantastic new products.
It’s full steam ahead now to the end-of-
year celebrations. It’s one of the busiest
times of the year for any retailer, but
certainly an exciting and profi table one for
party shops. Hopefully we can all take a
quick break and enjoy the fantastic party
products ourselves.
Have a great time however you choose
to party through into the New Year, and
we’ll see you all in 2015!
message from the editor...
Rhys Thomas
TableWareINTERNATIONAL
W O R L D W I D E
T O D A Y
licensing
magazine
Also published by Lema Publishing
P U B L I S H I N G
If you would like to subscribe to any of our other market leading titles please call Robert Thomas on01442 289930 or email your request to [email protected]
At Heart of Retail
There’s no better time to join the
party industry than slap-bang
in the middle of Halloween,
Christmas and New Year, three
hugely important dates on the party
calendar. The keen eyed among you will
have seen me crop up from time to time
dressed in some fantastic outfi ts; last
month’s leader saw the return of me in
Opposuits’ eye-catching Testival suit, and
I look forward to continuing my modelling
career in future issues.
It has been a great pleasure to speak to
all the suppliers, manufacturers and retailers
for my fi rst issue of Party Party. There’s lots
of excitement and it’s always promising to
fi nd that, by all accounts, everyone has had
a strong year.
Speaking of Halloween, we caught up
with three of the UK’s top party suppliers to
fi nd out what their bestsellers were during
this year’s spooky celebrations and what to
look out for next year. There’s no excuse for
party-goers not to dress up in 2015, with
Halloween falling on a Saturday, so we can
expect some extra business. You can fi nd
more on that on page 37.
I have to admit that Halloween is a
personal favourite of mine, not just because
I love to slap on the gore, but the 31st is
also my birthday. In a strange way, between
all the Halloween costumes I’ve worn over
the years, and the fact that I’ve marked all
my major age milestones with a Halloween
party, I’ve unwittingly been in training for
this new role my whole life!
I turned 25 this year, but that doesn’t
hold a candle to R H Smith & Sons, which
is celebrating its 120th birthday - an
incredible achievement. The Party Party
team travelled up to the Gainsborough
head offi ce to raise a glass and fi nd out
how the team has been celebrating. You
can read all about that in our very special
fl ip cover. Simply fl ip your magazine over to
fi nd out how the company behind Smiffys
and Fever is investing in the future health
I turned 25 this year,
but that doesn’t hold a
candle to R H Smith &
Sons, which is celebrating
its 120th birthday - an
incredible achievement
www.partypartymag.co.uk8
NEWS
Dubai balloon conference goes off with(out) a bang!Balloon artists from around the world gathered for the fi rst-ever
balloon conference in Dubai in October. The Great Arabian Bal-
loon Adventure, held at the Novotel Al Barsha, also brought six of the world’s top balloon
instructors from Europe and America together to share their knowledge over 24 classes for
retailers, decorators and entertainers. John Preston, the event’s Director, said: “Dubai is a
great place to hold this event. The city aims to produce the biggest and the best, and we
are wanting to create the biggest and the best balloon sculptures the world has ever seen”
GOSH, the party industry is generous!BAPIA is continuing to build its relationship with Great Ormond
Street Hospital Charity (GOSH). The charity recently came to
BAPIA with a request for some balloons to brighten up the
children’s Halloween party and create a real party atmosphere.
Of course, the party industry stepped up, with Amscan and
Qualatex supplying foil balloons and BOC sending across some
helium to show the balloons at their best and give the party a
real lift!
The high profi le of GOSH is a great platform to spread the
positive message of parties. The event made it into The Daily
Star with a two-page spread, and regular volunteers congratu-
lated everyone who contributed to the party, commenting that it was the best they
had seen it.
John Bowler, Chief Executive of BAPIA, said that there hasn’t been a person, com-
pany or organisation that hasn’t wanted to get involved in some way since BAPIA fi rst
became involved with GOSH.
“It is extremely humbling and impressive to see people offering their time, services
and products,” he said. “I really cannot express how grateful I am but more importantly
how grateful GOSH is and what a difference it makes to the children at the hospital.
Thank You!”
Opposuits attract awardThe young, creative team at
OppoSuits are used to receiv-
ing nods of approval, laughter
and raised eyebrows in reac-
tion to their range of irrever-
ent suits. But now the Dutch
company has received some-
thing a little more offi cial: the
award for Best Small/Medium
Enterprise, which they picked
up at the Golden Bridge Trade
& Export Award in London on
Thursday 20 November 2014.
The group of fi nalists
consisted of innovative and
successful Dutch companies
exporting to the UK, and repre-
sented a diverse range of busi-
nesses. This year marked the
awards’ 18th edition, hosted by
the Netherlands-British Cham-
bers of Commerce (NBCC).
OppoSuits was named win-
ner, praised for its creativity,
growth and potential for taking
the international fancy dress
market by storm with a bold
and quality fashion concept.
The NBCC said: “The jury
was impressed by the fact
that in just a couple of years,
the company has grown into a
staggering multi-million pound
business servicing both con-
sumers and retailers in more
than 50 countries around the
world”.
Pictured: OppoSuits co-
founders collect their award,
(L-R): Guus Bakker, Jasper
Castelein and Jelle van der
Zwet
Rubie’s Masquerade acquires Bristol NoveltyRubie’s Masquerade Co. UK Ltd. has acquired Bristol Novelty Ltd. The directors of both fi rms
announced that Bristol Novelty had joined the Rubie’s family of companies on Friday, 28
November 2014.“We are absolutely thrilled to have reached an agreement to bring Bristol
Novelty into the Rubie’s family,” said Rubie’s Vice-President EMEA & Australia, Chris Isitt. “It is a
strong, independent and profi table business with the potential for considerable further growth,
and an ideal complement to our existing licensed business in Europe. “We are also delighted
that both Chris and Kevin Bater have committed to the new structure for the next few years.
Their immense contribution to the Bristol Novelty business over the last 30 years has been the
foundation of the company’s success. We look forward to working with them and their excellent
team to expand the product line and distribution channels for 2015.” Chris and Kevin Bater, joint
Managing Directors, confi rmed that the new Bristol Novelty has exciting expansion plans, and is
looking forward to taking advantage of the many brands available from the Rubie’s group and
the opportunities presented by its European distribution base.
www.partypartymag.co.uk
Party Patter! Regular
Kirsty Hart, The Card and Party Shop, Harleston, Norfolk
Party retailing is in Kirsty’s blood. Her family have run shop for 16
years, and she has recently begun to take a more central role.
How has 2014 been for you?It’s certainly been busier
towards the end, especially
Halloween which is always
a good time of year for
us. Children in Need was
a surprisingly busy event
for us this year. The kids all
dressed up for the super
heroes theme, and that’s
a strong theme for us
anyway.
How was Halloween for you and what was popular?Halloween was great. Face
paints,
blood and
accessories
all sold well.
Werewolves
seemed to
be really popular, but anything spooky really.
What do you predict will be the big themes or trends of 2015? Super heroes will continue to be popular, they always are and the
new movies coming out make them even more so.
How do you merchandise your store and how important is it? Our shop is quite small, so there’s no space for big balloon
displays. We always take advantage of our window displays
though. Star Cutouts’ life-sized super heroes and Disney products
always draw the customers in. We dress up mannequins as well,
depending on the season.
What did you go as at your last fancy dress party? I think I actually went as a Gangster, which was good fun!
Party Party talks to retailers to fi nd out the latest word on the street
Party Patter!P
Party Party loves
to hear your views!
Share your thoughts
with us now!
email:
Becky Lee-Allen, Frog Orange Party, Oxford, Oxfordshire
Becky Lee-Allen and her partner Lucy are party industry veterans.
Their newest store opened three years ago, and they have a
burgeoning corporate and private balloon decorating business.
How has 2014 been for you?Certainly a lot better than 2013, and slightly better than our
opening year. We’ve only had this store open for three years, but
it’s certainly promising looking
to the year ahead.
How was Halloween for you and what was popular?It was our best ever
Halloween, and although
we’ve only had the shop
for three years we broke all
records by a mile. We had
queues out the door and our
accessories did the best. We
ordered in the new Tinsley
Transfers FX tattoos from
Angels and they sold out!
What do you predict will be the big themes or trends of 2015?We always try and look for
things that are a little bit
different, so we’re not really
trend driven. Halloween is the
best time of the year for us and
Witches sold really well this year, so I’d put my money on that.
How do you merchandise your store and how important is it?We always dress up for seasonal events. We got all face-painted
up for Halloween this year; it’s the perfect advert and a great way
to show off the product ‘in the fl esh’ so to speak. Our balloon
business means we can create some fantastic balloon displays
and we have a nice amount of space to show them off.
What did you go as at your last fancy dress party? It was an eighties-themed party, and I went as Adam Ant! Who
else?
9
www.partypartymag.co.uk10
EXHIBITION NEWS
Get ahead for Halloween 2015!The Halloween and Party Expo, which runs from
February 6-9 2015 in New Orleans, will showcase
educational sessions.
Visually appealing party and costume stores
always get the most foot traffi c, and where there
are shoppers, there are sales. At the Expo, Linda
Cahan of Cahan and Associates will offer advice for
maintaining the best store front possible.
At the Expo, Anne M. Obarski, Executive Director
of Merchandise Concepts will offer tips on how to
train a fantastic customer service team and suggest
moves managers can take to create happier, more
productive employees. Small business owners look-
ing to build a strong team and make the most of
networking and technology can also pick up some
tips from Dave Fellman, President of David Fellman
and Associates on how smaller retailers can stay
visible in an expansive marketplace.
Potential attendees can visit halloweenpartyexpo.
com to learn more about these sessions and other
fun and informative events taking place at the
Halloween and Party Expo, as well as register to
attend for free. And with retail sales going up this
Halloween season, so are booth sales and registra-
tion numbers for the 2015 Halloween & Party Expo.
“Sales are always best when Halloween falls on
the weekend,” says Kim Dean, the lead buyer for
Wally’s Party Factory, a large chain of Halloween
and party-supplies stores in Texas and Oklahoma.
The 2015 Expo promises to have an even better
roster of exhibitors, as the space on the show fl oor
has almost reached maximum capacity.
Your weekly slice of ChristmasYou could become the star of the sector thanks to the new Webspecial
for Christmasworld 2015.
To shorten the time to Christmasworld 2015, the sector highlight in
Frankfurt am Main between 30 January and 3 February, the team at
show organisers Messe Frankfurt has put together something special
online. Each week the new Webspecial will offer valuable information
on visiting the fair, impulses, hints and ideas, and advice from the ex-
perts on how to be even more successful in day-to-day business.
There is also an invitation to take part in a competition, with every
twentieth participant who answers correctly winning two admission
tickets for the show! Interested? Then take the plunge and head over to
www.christmasworld-at-its-best.com.
Held annually in Frankfurt, Christmasworld presents the latest
products and trends for all festivities of the year and provides
innovative concept ideas for decorating large-scale and outdoor areas
for the wholesale and retail trades, shopping centres, DIY markets and
the green sector.
Toy Fair TV is back!The British Toy and Hobby Association
today confi rmed Toy Fair TV is to return
for its third year - at Toy Fair 2015.
Hosted by TV presenters Anna William-
son and Gavin Inskip, Toy Fair TV will
fi lm live across the show fl oor and in the
Toy Fair TV studio.
Toy Fair TV will be broadcast live on
24 screens around Olympia throughout
all three days of Toy Fair 2015.
Toy Fair, the UK’s only dedicated toy,
games, and hobby trade exhibition, returns to West London’s Olympia
on Tuesday 20 through to Thursday 22 January 2015. Registration is now
open at www.toyfair.co.uk. Apply now for a free pass and to avoid a £15
entrance charge.
Prod
ucts:
Pre
sent
Tim
e, B
urgo
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Bal
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e, S
uck
UK,
Pre
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Tim
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urgo
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INSPIRING BUYING IN 2015THE NEWEST PRODUCTS, INNOVATIONS AND TRENDS FROM OVER 3,000 EXHIBITORS. REGISTER FOR YOUR COMPLIMENTARY TICKET AT WWW.SPRINGFAIR.COM/PARTYPARTY
www.partypartymag.co.uk12
Licensing News
Frozen dress-up drives Disney growthDisney’s revenues are up,
in part, due to licensed
costumes and dress-
up. The Walt Disney
Company has reported a
7% Q4 revenue increase,
driven largely by the
strong performance of its
releases at the box offi ce
this summer, and the
continued momentum
of Frozen and Marvel
licensed products.
Frozen, a brand that
has snowballed over
the past 12 months, has
given Disney its latest
merchandising hit. The
entertainment giant said last month that its Frozen licensed
dress-up products were particularly popular and counted
for a signifi cant chunk of its consumer product sales. As of
November, Disney had sold three million Frozen princess
costumes.
The Frozen brand helped boost full year consumer
product sales by 7%, leaving the division standing at $1.1b.
These earnings give The Walt Disney Company its fourth
consecutive year of record revenues.
Are you a licensing guru?LIMA is calling on all ideas-people
to come forward. If you have a
session idea for the Licensing
University at Licensing Expo
2015 in Vegas next June, now is
the time to get your proposal
together, because submissions are
due on December 19, 2014.
As always, the sessions that comprise Licensing
University will cover a broad range of topics affecting
everyone who has an interest in licensing. Through
workshops and panels, the sessions will explore key
licensing topics and trends, as well as provide networking
opportunities.
The Licensing University program will run between 8 June
and 11 June. Topics of particular interest for the Licensing
University in 2015 include consumer spending trends, music
and celebrity licensing, sports licensing, fashion licensing,
retail strategies and trends, and more.
For more information contact Marty Brochstein
1D perform centre-desk!Boy band
sensation, One
Direction, is
coming to a
desk near you.
Mask-arade
has revealed a
new line of high
quality desktop
standees
featuring the
famous fi ve-
piece. Fully
licensed, fans
can pick up
their very own
standee of Harry, Zayn, Louis, Niall or Liam – or perhaps all fi ve!
Perfect for Christmas stocking fi llers or as a secret santa
present, the life-like cutouts also come wrapped in fantastic new
packaging. The whole line is available now.
Contact [email protected] or call 01926 814292 to order.
Disney’s Elsa From Frozen Deluxe Costume Dress For Kids
www.partypartymag.co.uk 13
Design for life
Introducing: Rachel Ellen PartywarePioneer is recognised by balloon
professionals worldwide for
its range of leading latex,
Microfoil® balloons and Bubble
balloons. Now, in partnership
with award-winning artist
Rachel Ellen, Pioneer offers a
designer line of partyware at
affordable prices that is sure
to delight and impress your
customers!
Rachel Ellen, formerly a
professional ballet dancer, started
her greetings card and stationery
company by
hand painting
cards literally
from the
kitchen table
in her London
apartment. A
year later her
future husband
Justin, also
a former
ballet dancer
(they met in
Phantom of
the Opera in
the West End),
joined the
company and
together they
have achieved great success.
A multi-award winning
company, Rachel Ellen Designs
recently joined Pioneer Europe
Ltd. to produce partyware. The
Pioneer Qualatex® brand is
associated with the very best
quality balloon products and its
Partyware is no exception. The
Bunting and Party bags are made
of paper as opposed to plastic.
The Paper Cups are suitable to
hold hot drinks, the Napkins are
of 3-ply quality, the Paper Plates
are sturdy with good quality
coating, and the Table Cover can
be reused again and again. All
six products come in popular
children’s themes such as Pirate,
Princess, Knight and Ballerina.
Pioneer Europe Ltd. offers the
Partyware Starter Kit at a very
special price. The Kit includes
the entire range of Partyware
and comes with a FREE Spinner
Stand that displays the entire
product line neatly and takes up
very little shop fl oor space.
This is the perfect product
line for any party, gift or toy
retailer to expand its offering and
increase sales.
Tel: +44 (0)1279 501 090
Web: www.thequalatexevent.com
Pioneer launches an exciting new line of quality design-led partyware
www.rachelellen.co.uk
©2014 PBC SB-PP1410023
Pioneer® Europe Limited, 9 Stortford Hall Industrial Park, Dunmow Road, Bishops Stortford. CM23 5GZ Tel: +44 (0)1279 501 090 Fax: +44(0)1279 501 091 Freephone: 0800 28 12 15 E-mail: [email protected] www.thequalatexevent.com
Rachel Ellen designs licensed by KJG Ltd
Exclusive partyware designed by award-winning
artist, Rachel Ellen. The range includes top quality
Bunting, Party Bags, Paper Cups, Table Covers,
Napkins and Paper Plates–available in four
popular children’s themes–Pirate,
Princess, Knight and
Ballerina.
Partyware from New improved
pricing. Order today!
www.partypartymag.co.uk14
Regular New products
Becoming Batman!Mask-arade01926 814292www.mask-arade.comMask-arade has launched three super masks in association
with Rubie’s Masquerade from the Warner Brother’s Batman
franchise, The Dark Knight Trilogy. Fans can don the mask of
the Dark Knight himself, Catwoman, or even Batman’s arch
nemesis, the Joker.
These brilliant masks are among the most effective that the
midlands fi rm has ever released and the team expects this to
translate into strong sales in 2015. The masks are available to
order now, so don’t delay!
Party Party focuses on some of the hottest items on the market this month
Party splasher!Amscanwww.amscan.co.uk 01908 288500Amscan has
announced
the arrival
of a brand
new range of
SpongeBob
SquarePants
party products,
available to
order now!
The global
appeal of this
humourous
character is
phenomenal,
and what’s
more, he is
set to star in ‘The SpongeBob SquarePants movie: Sponge
Out of Water’ to be released in UK cinemas March 2015.
The new range incorporates vibrant colours with the
instantly recognisable characters and is sure to be a hit
with SpongeBob fans. Products consist of everything your
customers would need to hold a fantastic party – from
tableware to birthday letter banners, invitations and more.
Not forgetting Amscan also have a fantastic selection of
SpongeBob foil balloons!
Get in character!Fun Shackwww.fun-shack.com0113 2001050Just arrived in stock, Fun Shack’s latest range of
fun children’s costumes is ideal for World Book
Day. The latest releases offer something fun for
every girl or boy, so order now!
Animal magicAmscanwww.amscan.co.uk 01908 288500Based on
the popular
animated
TV and toy
collection,
Amscan has
launched a
brand new
party range
featuring
The Littlest
Pet Shop,
The 10-piece
range is fully
coordinated
with designs
incorporating
Blythe, Penny Ling the sweet Panda, Minka Mark the hyper
monkey and Zoe Trent, a purple dog who loves to sing. This
fun, girly range is ideal for young animal lovers who are fans
of the show and the toys. From tableware to letter banners
and loot bags the range has everything to set the scene for
a wild time!
www.partypartymag.co.uk 7
Quick Fire Round
15
Quick Fire Round with…Charlotte Cox – Marketing Executive Amscan International Ltd
Childhood idol?
Cinderella
Present idol?
Karen Brady from the Apprentice
Favourite band?
The 1975
Best beverage?
Disaronno and coke
Favourite food?
Chocolate
Favourite curry?
Chicken Bhuna
Most frequented restaurant?
Las Iguanas
Favourite team?
Liverpool
Most watched fi lm?
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
What occupies most of your spare time?
Spending time with friends and family, and running
Last fancy dress costumer you wore?
Zebra onesie
Motto?
Don’t count the days, make the days count!
www.partypartymag.co.uk16
Retail Thingimijigs
Party Party talks to online retailer Thingimijigs Ltd to learn more about its growing success over the past decade
Successful online retailer,
Thingimijigs Ltd, based
in Burnley, is currently
undergoing a huge
extension to its business
with the help of a 10,000
square foot warehouse. The online retailer
that fi rst started from a kitchen table
over ten years ago now sells more than
2,500 different lines of children’s gifts and
accessories both nationwide and globally
to countries including USA, Australia,
France, Germany and Israel. We talk to
Managing Director Rachael White to learn
more about the company’s unstoppable
success...
How long has your store been running?We established the business in 2004, so
we are celebrating our 10-year anniversary
this year.
Talk us through how the company has grown over the years? We started as a kitchen table company,
with no premises. And now, 10 years later,
we have a turnover of £1.3million per
annum! We are just about to complete
a move to a new purpose built 10,000
square foot warehouse having outgrown
our previous two warehouses.
What have been the highlights since opening the store?For me, it is seeing the staff we have grow as
a team, as we all work together to make sure
the orders are out in time for the customers
and that we offer the best customer service
possible.
In terms of product selection, what guides you?Magazine articles, the ‘vibes’ I get from trade
fairs and the most honest one of all – my
three children! There is no sales patter with
kids – they will tell you if they like a product,
or not, or if their friends would like to play
with it.
How important is fancy dress for you? We have approximately 100 different
fancy dress costumes. Our biggest event
that is most popular is World Book Day.
Unfortunately we do not do as well as we
would like at Halloween when it comes
fancy dress, which I think is due to the
supermarkets’ availability and pricing; we
simply cannot compete on this. I also think
that Halloween can be a last minute thing,
depending if children are trick or treating or
not.
It’s all about the
How do you predict what will sell?With advice from the children and looking
at past trends. There are a lot of different
things that come into this, but sometimes
it can be just as much of a gut feeling for a
licence and/or product
How do you decide on a price point?We have margins that we have to work to
– like many other businesses, we have the
fi xed overhead costs of premises and staff,
and although there is the misconception that
online traders have cheaper overheads, our
postage costs per annum (over 150K), are
something we take seriously (as with Royal
Mail it depends on the size of the item, not
necessarily the weight). This means that
some of the lower price point pocket money
items are not worth us stocking if they have
to go packet rather than large letter.
Which party product is your bestseller? Fancy dress costumes – across the board,
depending on the time of year, depends
on which costume. Frozen Elsa costume
anyone?
What is the strongest category?Again, this depends on the time of year –
www.partypartymag.co.uk 17
March is Costumes for Books Day, August
is Backpacks and Lunchbags for Back to
school, the run-up to Christmas sees the
uplift in all categories.
Do you sell licensed products? Which is the most popular?In the short term and most recently it would
have to be Frozen and Despicable Me 2. But
long-term, it is still Jake and the Neverland
Pirates, as well as Thomas the Tank Engine.
Which is your strongest licensed range?Licensed Backpacks do especially well.
What have been your top sellers in 2014?Frozen costumes, Minions Backpack, Disney
Princess Make-up Set.
How do you see the state of the party industry currently? I think that the lower price items still do
well, but we notice that customers may
not purchase full ranges, and may pick and
choose items for a party, so that the feel of
the party is there, but that some savings
have been made, ie. maybe they purchase
the party plates and tablecloth but miss out
the cups etc. These are usually not noticed,
but can save the customer money.
What do you see for the future of the party industry?I think this will remain fairly static in the
smaller age group, as these parties tend to
stay at home, but in the slightly older age
range, third-party parties (ie. at venues),
are taking away the homegrown party, and
impact on the items that customers purchase,
as they do not need the full range if someone
else is providing food or entertainment.
What is your personal favourite product that you stock? I Love the 20-piece girls’ hair sets as they are
so cute – they make great party bag gifts
and little girls love the pictures on the clips
and bobbles.
www.partypartymag.co.uk6
Feature Theme Nights
18
Hello sailor!
will become more popular, as well
fairytale inspired costumes. Everybody
understands these themes,” Trudi points
out.
“More and more movies are inspired
by comics and fairytales. Evidently more
costumes are inspired by these movies.
People love to escape from reality
by dressing up as someone different,
someone they look up to for a night or
two. It is defi nitely something people
enjoy doing and will enjoy doing for a
long time.”
So with that in mind, make sure your
store is brimming with lots of lovely
dress-up and watch your customers
transform.
If you take your lead from
the great Dolly Parton,
you’re no doubt workin’
9 to 5, Monday to Friday.
Although granted, those
are not exactly the working
hours of a regular party retailer
- your customers, however, are
a different story.
So once the weekend comes,
they want to leave their hair
down and there is nothing
a vast section of the adult
population like doing more
than releasing their inner
sailor, nurse, doctor or ancient
Egyptian.
As a party retailer, it is your
job to supply them with the
most fantastical of dress-up
products, but as with most
things, fashion plays a part in
this sector.
So what is hot and what’s not on the dress-up scene today? Trudi Pijnacker, Operations
Manager with Leg Avenue Europe
says that in terms of popularity,
they are seeing sales in their
military uniforms and pirate
collections.
“But don’t forget the
German Beer Girls for all the
Oktoberfest parties!,” she adds.
Trudi explains that regardless
of the occasion, the dress-up
themes mentioned are always
popular. “They suit every occasion
be it a themed party, a hen night,
Halloween, New Year’s eve and
even Carnival. These costumes can
basically be worn throughout the
whole year and it’s an easy option
when you want to look good and
feel sexy.”
So what is selling?
Alone with the
obvious price-point,
key for any retailer
is knowing what is
going to sell well.
Trudi also points
out that for a
themed party, it is
key that everybody
understands the
theme. So what
are people buying?
“We see that the
accessories and
the ready-to-
wear costumes
like military and
uniform have done
extremely well, like
every year. We still
see big demand in
traditional characters
in a new original and
risqué design. We
believe this was
the combination
people were
looking
for.”
Who doesn’t
love a good theme?!
Like any fashion
store, because in one
sense, party retailers
are fashion-led stores,
trends are important.
So what should you be
stocking up on for 2015?
Look towards the licensing
side of things with
superheros and fairytales.
“We believe the themes
next year won’t change
drastically. However, we
think that superhero-
inspired costumes
Themed party nights are an absolute blast for anyone who attends them. As more and more people get to grips with letting their hair down and dressing up, Party Party takes a look at this dynamic sector which is brimming with fun, frivolity and sales
“These costumes can basically be worn throughout the whole year and it’s an easy option when you want to look good and feel sexy” Trudi Pijnacker, Operations Manager with Legs Avenue
“
”
www.partypartymag.co.uk
www.partypartymag.co.uk6
Feature Theme Nights
20
Panto party night!actingtheparty www.actingtheparty.co.uk
Acting the Party
usually produce party
games for children,
with varying themes.
However, they have one
unusual theme that can
be enjoyed by the whole
family.
And it is very much
a seasonal party – this
is a ‘Pantomime’ party!
So how does it work?
Well, the game comes
in a small plastic case,
similar to those holding
DS games, but inside it
has a USB memory stick.
On it are MP3 fi les and PDFs. The idea is that you
print out the PDFs and play the audio. The audio has
entertainment lasting an hour and a half, with the
puzzles and games played when told to do so by the
narrator.
The narrator for this party is Graham Seed, the actor
who played Nigel Pargetter in The Archers. He gets
everyone up and acting, singing and dancing to a
humourous story, not
unlike Cinderella – the
main character being
Ashley-Ella.
You can play with
four people upwards
more than 10 people
though and some of
the characters need
to be ‘doubled up’.
The story has great
production music and
sound effects to help
the ‘actors’ along.
There are no scripts
to learn or read out,
just simple actions making it akin to charades with
backing vocals!
Within the story are games, puzzles and carols –
with one of the carols having lyrics like no other! All of
these are on the PDFs ready for you to print out and
play. You can bring extra props should you wish, and
if you happen to have a pantomime cow outfi t lying
around, there is a little scene for you to wear it in.
Acting the Party was founded by Claire Hainstock,
who recently received two awards at the British
Invention Show for her new product.
Party the night awayAmscanwww.amscan.co.uk
01908 288500
When it comes to themed
nights Amscan has it covered
with a diverse collection of
party products from the classic
rock ‘n’ roll ‘50s theme to the
neon-coloured totally ‘rad’ ‘80s ensemble. In
addition to ranges on other popular themes
like Western, Casino and Hollywood, Amscan
has everything to completely transform a
setting into something spectacular.
Amscan’s largest themed party collection is the ever-popular
Hawaiian collection including more than 125 products. There
is a huge variety to choose from to create a totally tropical
paradise! New additions to the range this year include nine
vibrant decorations, such as cut-outs, hanging decorations,
centrepieces and garlands with designs highlighting the
hibiscus fl ower; a key symbol of the Hawaiian trend.
What makes this theme so popular is that it is perfectly
suited to all ages, the bright tropical colours are sure to get
everyone into a party mood, party guests can easily dress up
to look the part. The collection includes a wide choice of hula
skirts, leis and accessories in sizes to fi t both children and
adults. The new Hula Girl kits include a full outfi t, so are a great
impulse buy for customers that need to fi nd something to
wear fast!
No masking qualityBristol Novelty0117 972 4012
www.bristolnovelty.co.uk
When it comes to theme nights during
the Christmas and New Year period,
no-one is better placed to offer such
a comprehensive range of costume
accessories than Bristol Novelty.
The company has already seen a few
spikes for our
Masquerade
Eyes Masks
and expects
this to increase as we head into the
winter festival ball season. Bristol
Novelty has over 500 high-quality
eyemasks and continue to
increase their range each year,
maintaining their reputation
as leading supplier for
costume accessories.
30. 1 – 3. 2. 2015
Become the star of your industryMore than 920 top exhibitors from 39 countries will be showcasing the industry’s best ideas at the world’s leading trade fair for seasonal and festive decorations – here you’ll fi nd “Seasonal Decoration at its best”. Make the most of this brilliant trend and ordering platform and forge valuable contacts with the stars of the industry. www.christmasworld.messefrankfurt.com
Seasonal Decoration at its best
[email protected] Tel. +44 (0) 14 83 48 39 83
Get the latest information
www.partypartymag.co.uk6
Feature Theme Nights
Get creativeCreative Partywww.creativepartyltd.com
Tel: 01202 590222
Theme nights are a trend
that never go out of style
and they provide a great
excuse to get dressed up
and celebrate with friends!
Creative Party has theme
party ideas suitable for any
event and for a variety of
ages. With New Year’s Eve
fast approaching, why not
make your party stand out
from the rest by hosting a
theme night?
The Reel Hollywood
Theme will add a touch
of Hollywood glam to any
evening. The easy-stick
room decorating panel
and imitation red carpet
will make guests feel like a
celebrity for the night!
Creative Party’s brilliant
Card Night range enables
any room to be turned into a
fabulous casino. Experienced
poker players and beginners
alike will love the bold red
and black colours of the
theme. The Card Night
Cookie Cutter set can also
be used for savoury snacks
such as sandwiches and
pizzas, making it an ideal
addition to a stylish New
Year’s Eve bash.
Fun times aheadFun Shack0113 200 1050
www.fun-shack.com
Theme nights have always been a popular option for fancy dress parties but they are
becoming increasingly popular as people are more creative and innovative in their approach
to what they class as a theme party – just about every character or costume can be classed
under a theme.
With New Year’s Eve on the horizon, there will be many theme parties to be had, and Fun
Shack can already see which themes will be a popular choice. At Fun Shack, the decades are
proving to be a popular choice, with the ‘20s, ‘50s, ‘60s and ‘80s looking to be the winners.
Fun Shack has a wide range of high-quality costumes at affordable prices, ideal for any
themed party.
Party on me heartiesInCharacter0845 180 6545
www.angelsdistribution.co.uk
Pirate parties are popular all year round and you can make a
statement with the whole family getting in on the action with
InCharacter. For the babies, there is Cap’n Stinker, Tweens
Swashbucklin’ Sass, Teens Pirate Babe and for the adults Pretty Pirate,
Buccaneer Beauty (part of the plus size range) and Dead Man’s Chest.
22
A theme for everyoneLeg Avenue00 31 24 240 3444
www.legavenueeurope.com
Leg Avenue truly has something for everyone with their exciting range. A real hit this year
is the military theme but don’t restrict yourself! Here are some of the highlights from
Leg Avenue: Mix and match your outfi t to create a unique look. This Swat body harness
(pictured right) with garter IPhone holder and walkie talkie cord is ideal for mix and
match. Only for the brave ladies, the set includes a propeller cone bra top with duel
strap detail, high waist skirt with bomb aced, arm cuff and matching hat.
Alternatively, drive your enemy crazy in the sexy “Camo Doll” costume set. The set
includes a romper with net panel detail, belt and matching hat.
Lederhosen were never as pretty as they are in the “Edelweiss Lederhosen” costume
set, which includes an embroidered stretch velveteen lederhosen with authentic bub
suspenders and matching peasant top.
Then there’s the Storybook Cinderella Costume Set with Sequin Corset, Tutu Skirt, Arm
Puffs, Choker And Headband or the Costume Set Psycho Nurse Sally, Garter Dress, Face
Mask, Arm Piece And Headpiece.
www.partypartymag.co.uk6
Feature Theme Nights
24
Join the Party and Increase your sales!QualetexTel: 0800 28 12 15
Web: www.thequalatexevent.com
Mardi Gras is all about music,
parades, food, fl oats and
excitement! It’s a holiday
celebrated annually in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. Clad in
the bright colours of purple, green and gold, and adorned
with long colourful beads, Mardi Gras is celebrated on the
streets of New Orleans and in private celebrations around
the world.
Over the years, Mardi Gras celebrations have taken off in
popularity, and along with this, costumes and decorations
including balloon decor have exploded. Due to popular
demand, Pioneer Europe Ltd. has updated and refreshed its
Qualatex collection of Masquerade balloons to enhance any
party decor. Masquerade designs are now available in a 22”
Bubble Balloon, an 11” latex, and a 3” latex.
Qualetex’s Masquerade themed balloons are perfect for
birthdays, proms and other year-round Mardi Gras-themed
events. Co-ordinating products from Qualatex make it easy
to transform a room with inspiration from just one design for
festive and profi table décor.
The drinks are on meRasta Imposta0845 180 6545
www.angelsdistribution.co.uk
Rasta Imposta’s ever-expanding range of
entertaining costumes will ensure this year’s
celebrations are the best yet! Ladies can enter
into the party spirit by choosing the brand-new
Wine Bottle and Beer Mug fi tted outfi ts -
perfect for toasting the birthday boy or
girl. Men can also get in on the action
with larger-than-life foam cut-outs
of Vodka and Get Real Beer Pint,
available in one-size-fi ts-most. Or,
if you want to dress as a couple,
Beer Girl and Beer Man are
great for a celebration; or you
could always pair the Wine
Bottle and Cheese costumes!
Get Real Pink Cupcake, Ice Cream Sundae
and Sweet Eats Cupcake are all great options
for partygoers who enjoy the sweeter things
in life.
Something for everyoneNevitiTel: 0845 638 1358
www.neviti.com
Neviti’s collections are great for creating a party theme with
a wide selection of designs boasting co-ordinating tableware,
decorations and stationery. Keep Calm And Party On is an
enduringly popular theme for adult celebrations right now with
a generic party collection suitable for all special occasions or
specifi c items to celebrate 30th, 40th, 50th, 60th, 70th and
80th Birthdays. The collection features a fun spin on the Keep
Calm Slogan with text such as ‘Keep Calm You’re Only 50’ on
table confetti, bunting and balloons and ‘Keep Calm and wipe
up’ on the ranges’ vibrant party napkins. The range is great
for creating a theme across all aspects of a celebration and
is especially perfect for those who are fi nding reaching that
landmark birthday a slightly unnerving prospect, offering an
element of humour with its message instructing to ‘Keep Calm
and Party On’. For children’s parties Neviti really do have a
theme for everyone with collections from robots to pirates
and owls to fairies. The Dear Zoo collection is fantastic for
themed celebrations, with the opportunity for every child to
become their favourite character from the bestselling book
with the ranges’ fun party masks. The masks come in packs of
8 and include the books’ popular monkey, frog, elephant and
lion characters. As well as a beautiful selection of tableware,
the collection includes co-ordinating invitations – the perfect
way to get guests excited about a theme before celebrations
begin – and co-ordinating party bags and bubbles (the perfect
parting gift for party guests).
Themed parties are becoming more and more popular
and not just for birthday celebrations, but for other seasonal
occasions and events such as baby showers. Neviti has noticed
an increased demand for extra items that co-ordinate with
the collections such as party games, thank you cards and
invites carrying the party theme across every aspect of your
celebration.
HALL 3 T04
028 9064 7119 028 9064 5655 [email protected] palmeragencies.com @palmeragencies
Renowned for:
www.partypartymag.co.uk26
Regular Talking with an Angel
Spring into 2015!
becoming one of
the biggest fancy
dress events of
the year, Book
Week takes place
between the
3rd and the 7th
of March, and is
defi nitely worth
planning for. Why
not call local
primary schools
in January to fi nd
out what titles
the children will
be reading this
term in order to
anticipate demand
for particular
costumes? Otherwise, there are
classic costumes that are always
hugely popular, and watch out
for any fi lm releases that might
spark interest in the original
books. Paddington Bear, for
example, may well
make a very big appearance
during Book Week in 2015!
March also brings St. Patricks Day and
Purim – both big events in the fancy dress
calendar that need to be planned for in
the early new year. The popularity of St.
Patrick’s Day seems to grow year on year,
and costume retailers have responded
enthusiastically with an increasing range of
outfi ts and accessories.
Meanwhile, come March 4th, the Jewish
community will be donning fancy dress to
celebrate Purim. Many people choose to
dress in costume during the festivities so
make sure you can provide appropriate
products, particularly for children. It’s also
a great idea to advertise in local Jewish
newspapers and magazines, to let people
know what you have, and also about any
special offers you might have planned.
Emma Angel is Director of Angels, the world’s largest and longest-established costume house. Emma has over 20 years experience in Fancy Dress and Angels has two stores, fancy dress website – www.fancydress.com and is the UK distributor of Rasta Imposta, InCharacter and Tinsley Transfers. Emma is the sixth generation of the family to work for the Oscar-winning company and is the fi rst female member to take on a directorial role at Angels.
It may not be the most exciting
month in the calendar, but
January really is a great time
to start that spring clean you
just haven’t had time for until
now, and to fully prepare for the
year ahead. After the excitement
(and stress) of Christmas, any
retail environment isn’t as tidy and
organised as it could be, and it will
be Halloween again befor e you
know it! Even something as simple
as wiping down all costume packets
and making sure shelves are given
an extra thorough clean creates
the sense of a new beginning and
will make things a lot easier in the
upcoming months. It also provides
an excellent opportunity to retrieve
any stock that might have been lost down
the back of shelves or tidied away in the dark
corners of stock rooms: you don’t want to
have to tell a customer you’re out of Easter
bunny outfi ts only to fi nd another fi ve hidden
in the back of a cupboard a week later.
Following a Spring Clean, the logical next
step is to do a clear-out. January, with all its
sales, is a time when most people are thinking
about grabbing a bargain, and if you can set
up a few sales bins with any excess stock you
want to get rid of, you can quite easily attract
the forward-thinking customer who wants to
be ahead of the game for 2015.
It goes without saying that fancy dress is
particularly popular amongst the student
population, but did you know that they also
create a signifi cant demand for costumes
around Valentine’s Day? Check out what you
can do to appeal to the student crowd come
January – perhaps the Union or student
newspapers are a good chance to reach new
customers this year? Students love a bargain,
so why not offer them a special rate or a
loyalty discount?
Another thing that absolutely must be a
consideration in January is Book Week. Fast
Top retailer, Emma Angel, Director of Angels costume house, gives her view on getting set for the big dates in early 2015 and highlights some dates which may unexpectedly result in great sales for you
And, of course, one
last thing that cannot be
stressed enough is the
importance of preparing for
Easter. Firstly, make sure you
have more rabbit ears than
you think you could possibly
need because, believe me,
you will need them! For the
kids, keep it cute and keep it
comfortable. Children adore
fancy dress, but they adore
chocolate even more, and
an outfi t that impedes them
from their Easter egg hunt
will not go down well!
There are countless events
and dates to plan for this
spring, so use the brief
downtime following New
Year to ramp up for the
rest of 2015 – you will thank
yourself later!
Fast becoming one of the biggest fancy dress events of the year, Book Week takes place between 3rd and the 7th of March
“
”
Come see what’s
behind the mask.
New Orleans, LA | Feb 6–9
www.HalloweenPartyExpo.com1,400+ Booths Education Show Specials Networking
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Feature Foil Balloons
identifi es 18, 21,
40, 50 and 60
as birthdays of
particular note.
But romantic
celebrations –
Valentine’s Day
in particular –
drive the most
signifi cant
sales spikes.
“Valentines Day
is still the most
important day of
the year for foil
balloons. This
is true for retailing and also
for the important POS and
promotional opportunities,”
Ivan explained.
Pioneer Europe’s Andrew
Storey agrees, revealing that
the company’s stars and
hearts shape foils are proving
popular. “Hen night has also
been strong, along with
anniversaries,” he added.
The allure of foil is hard to
ignore, however, and they are
steadily making their way onto
the shopping list of seasonal
party-goers. “We have seen
an increase in shapes sales for
seasonal product,” Andrew
explained. “The Wicked Witch
shape foil, for example, and
Santa Head have done well
this year. These seasons are
more suited to big shape
balloons.”
And with the impact
of printed foil balloons –
Pioneer’s big winners this year
– proving popular, licensed
prints and thematic tie-ins are
fi lling the gaps between key
celebrations and holidays to
The balloon is
the international
symbol for a party.
Tethered to the
handle of a door to
signify a kid’s birthday party,
or clustered in an elegant
display to mark a milestone
wedding anniversary, it
wouldn’t be a true party
without some infl atable fun.
And if there’s one thing any
celebratory gathering can
always benefi t from, it’s a
shimmering centrepiece.
Enter the foil balloon, an
impressive addition to any
celebratory display, which,
whether standalone or part
of a creative design, is sure to
give any party a lift.
With their close association
to parties, the consumer
demand for balloons in
increasingly diverse shapes,
sizes, colours and designs
means balloons are a staple
part of any partyware
retailer’s offering. So it is
encouraging then to learn that
in 2014 foil balloon suppliers
have experienced a strong
year of sales.
Andrew Storey, Product
and License Development
Manager at Pioneer Europe
Ltd. told Party Party that the
company’s range of printed
foil balloons has shown “good
growth” throughout 2014.
He also identifi ed certain
celebrations that have given
the category a real boost:
“We have seen an increased
demand for wedding foil
balloons,” he said. “We will
be expanding our wedding
themed foil
balloon range in
2015.”
But it’s not
just established
names enjoying
a strong
year. Relative
newcomer,
Northstar
Balloons, which
is currently
celebrating only
its second full
year in the UK
market, reports
similarly positive results.
“2014 has proved to be
another year of excellent
growth for Northstar in the UK,
the rest of Europe and also the
Middle East,” said Ivan Smith,
VP Sales – UK and Ireland at
Northstar Balloons. “Our 16”
Air Filled Numbers and Letters
range has proved to be a great
success without diluting sales
of our well established 34”
Helium balloon offer.”
Ivan puts this down to the
quality and inherently long
lasting nature of foil balloons.
He believes that consumers
are willing to invest in a
showstopper, despite the fact
these products often sit in the
higher price bracket. “Very
often, the foil balloon is the
key item in the congratulatory
process,” he explains. “Just
check your local press for
that 100th Birthday picture
– usually complete with foil
balloon!”
Naturally, birthdays are
a big driving force for the
sale of foil balloons, and Ivan
Impressive, fun and most importantly, shiny, foil balloons could be just the ticket to infl ate retailers’ margins. Party Party takes a look at why foil balloons are fast becoming the go-to party focal piece, and how staying on trend could yield great results!
28
elevate the category to a full
evergreen.
“Foil balloons are evergreen.
They work well for events
and movies for short-term
success,” explained Andrew.
“For example, our foil shape
snowfl akes have done really
well thanks to the popularity
of Frozen. Next year with
the 2015 Rugby World Cup
coming to England, we are
stocking up on our Rugby
themed balloons.”
So what can retailers do
to evangelise the quality and
fl exibility of foil balloons to
consumers? Use the products
themselves. Visual displays
are paramount, and Party
Party magazine dedicates
a whole page each issue to
the latest balloon recipes
and tips for good reason.
For all the business that
seasonal festivities, traditional
celebrations and pop culture
trends can drum up, if
shoppers can’t see the full
effect with their own eyes,
retailers are losing out on
potential sales.
“Visual impact at retail
level is the most important
sales driver for foil balloons,
especially for the larger sized
numbers, letters and shapes
where customers can actually
see the infl ated balloon in the
fl esh – or, more correctly, in
the foil,” Ivan explained. “A
good display of infl ated Foil
Balloons will always increase
sales, often very signifi cantly.”
So now is the time to stock
up on those shimmering foils
and get them centre-display!
The great infl ate!
Very often, the foil balloon is the key item in the congratulatory process Ivan Smith, VP Sales – UK
and Ireland, Northstar
Balloons
“
”
01226-01 2015 Kit - Silver 16"01225-01 2015 Kit - Gold 16" 01228-01 Happy New Year Kit Silver 16"
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Feature Foil Balloons
30
Shine bright like a Diamondz!Amscan
01908 288500
www.amscan.co.uk
Amscan offer an extensive range of foil balloons
by leading manufacturer Anagram. Combining
the most innovative formats with leading licensed
and unlicensed designs to suit all tastes and
budgets, there really is a balloon to suit
everyone!
Amscan’s bestselling foil balloon range
in 2014 has perhaps unsurprisingly been
Disney Frozen. The collection of ten
designs has been hugely popular
following the high demand for
the licensed franchise and
shows no sign of stopping!
The award-winning
AirWalker balloons have
been a real game changer
in the balloon market,
providing inspiration and
enjoyment to the younger
generation who can
have their favourite
character in life size!
Recently launched
designs include characters
from Monster High, Scooby-Doo
and Minions.
Another recent innovation is the launch
of Orbz, Diamondz and Cubez balloons.
The three new shapes set a whole new
trend, allowing for four different designs
to be included on the balloon.
The Disney AeroPlay foil balloon takes
things quite literally to the next level, as
it can soar to up to 10 feet high then be
lowered again using a remote control. This
fantastic product pushes the boundaries of being a toy just as
much as it is a foil balloon, making it great entertainment at a
party or to be given as a gift.
Foil’s number one!Creative Party01202 590222
www.creativepartyltd.com
From a milestone birthday to the birth of a new baby, foil
balloons make the perfect gift for a range of special occasions.
Creative Party’s stunning sparkle star numeral foil balloons are
available in black, pink and blue, ensuring all tastes and ages
are well catered for. The black and silver design would make a
fabulous accompaniment to any New Year celebration!
www.partypartymag.co.uk6
Feature Foil Balloons
Five-star foils!Northstar Balloonswww.northstarballoons.eu
Northstar Balloons was fi rst established in Minneapolis USA
more than six years ago, but is only just completing its second
full year of trading in the UK and Europe.
Although fairly new to the UK and European markets,
Northstar’s Foil Balloon heritage goes back over 30 years; the
business was set up by Garry Kieves, an original founder and
owner of Anagram Balloons. Northstar initially manufactured
foil balloons for other key balloon and party companies,
together with creating bespoke designs and shapes for the
advertising and promotional industries.
2012 saw the launch of the company’s own Northstar branded
range, with Numbers, Letters and Shapes being key components
of its new offering. The company uses the most advanced design
and manufacturing technologies in the industry, resulting in a
lighter, stronger balloon with a consequent reduction in helium
gas usage, together with fewer bursts and leaks.
2014 saw the rapid expansion of the Northstar line with a
similarly rapid expansion of sales as new and innovative items
were brought to market. These include 3D Spheres and Cubes,
more intricate Shaped Balloons and the extremely successful
range of 16” Air Filled Numbers and Letters complete with
self-sealing valves. This latter line has proved to be a naturally
complementary product alongside the company’s 34” Numbers
and Letters, generating important incremental sales at both
wholesale and retail levels.
Many new and innovative items and ranges are being readied
for introduction in 2015, which retailers can see for the fi rst time
at the Nuremberg and Spring Fair trade shows early next year.
Quality guaranteed!Qualatex0800 28 12 15
www.thequalatexevent.com
Pioneer Balloon Company believes
‘Every Occasion Deserves Qualatex
balloons.’ Always at the leading edge
with its product line, the company
has done its homework to identify the
latest consumer balloon demands and
upcoming trends. In response, with the
combined power of a talented in-house
creative team and state-of-the-art production technology, it is
introducing an expanded line of Microfoil balloons.
And that’s not all! To complement these new foil designs, the
balloon specialist is producing matching latex designs to help
create even more beautiful balloon bouquets and decor. Two
exciting and fun new items in the expanded line include an 18”
Mother’s Day foil balloon featuring a Me to You Tatty Teddy
design, and an 18” Thank You Chalkboard foil.
Pioneer’s new Microfoil range of balloons can be previewed
at the Nuremberg Toy Fair and Spring Fair International in early
2015. Plus, visitors can see the whole new wedding range of
balloons, also being previewed at these events. Whatever the
celebration, Qualatex is the brand you can count on to deliver
quality and innovation.
32
www.partypartymag.co.uk34
be done in two ways. Either, you seek to maximise your volumes, or you sell low volumes at a high margin. Realistically, if you pursue the former, you have to chase the big boys. Or do you? If you court and supply the multiples, it is like the first ice-cold beer – instant gratification. The results are great. More often than not, the benefits become less obvious. Pressure is put on margins, pressure is put on stock holdings, ranges can be reduced, sales reduced, and the heat is on. If a major is lost, or even goes out of business (Woolworths, Clintons etc.) then life isn't so sweet. And suddenly, SmartyParty Pants Plc. is chasing every independent they've offended and ignored because the WonderfulRetail store group is long gone, importing their own, or has lost all interest in the party market.
Can a balanced basket of customers be achievable? Before answering that question, let us examine why the good independent retailer is important to the party market. In a previous article we examined the USPs of the independent: the ability to spend time with a customer; the advantage of product knowledge and local knowledge to work with the customers, alll of which in turn will ensure repeat business, increase customer spend and spread the word.
If you are a good supportive supplier, the good independent is your point-of-contact with your target consumer. This is the person who will sell your brand and product, secure awareness and longevity – not the WonderfulRetail store group, nor cheapaschipsparty.com. Strong supportive brands are very important to the good independent. If they know they are going to earn money, are confident in the product, and know they can get supply, they will work for you before your competitor. They are the outlet that will build your brand. Their shop is your brand shop window.
It is not the purpose of this column to propose marketing plans for the supply industry. Even, if it were, they would be
ignored. However, in answer to, 'is it possible to supply a basket of various customers?' Yes, it is. And there are examples even within our marketplace. But look beyond to other markets. To be honest, a lot of other retail sectors have more independents to work with. But it should not be beyond the wit of a good supplier to develop various routes to market. Unless you are Coca Cola, or you have licensed product, or a very unique (and saleable) product, you ignore the ‘Indiepartyshop’ at your peril. The tumultuous supplier cry of, 'without volume we would not be able to purchase or produce the product at the price we do, even for the independent' – no argument with that, but it should not prevent imaginative supply initiatives.
Just remember, your target consumer’s first and last experience of your product. Is it the anonymous shelf of a large multi-product retail outlet? Is it the image on a website of 16,000 other party products? Or, is it the experienced retailer who has gone to the trouble of telling the consumer how good your product is, how suitable it is for their purpose and why don’t they try this other item as they were produced specifically to match the original item.
If the good professional independent is not supported and encouraged, their future will be threatened. If they fail, then so will many suppliers. We ignore them at our peril.
PARTY NEEDS YOU!
Retailers... We need Retailers... We need them!them!
Back in the day when Ford Cortinas ruled the M1, German Shepherds were the dog of choice, and a personal music system was the
size of a small kitchen extension, Brits enjoyed partying with cardboard hats, a party blower, crepe garlands and a pack of balloons. If you were really lucky, you might find a retailer selling latex balloons in the colour of your choice. We didn't know any better and we felt we were the party capital of the world. Then came the Americans, to rescue us from our poor party prep.
Initially, it involved a combined wave of latex balloon decoration by Qualatex and Anagram (now Amscan) with their strange foil balloon things. At first, we all pooh-poohed these items as American fads... balloon decoration that would never take off here. It was too gaudy, too American, too expensive. Wrong, wrong and wrong again. Most players in the market, myself included, simply did not see it coming. It didn't happen overnight, of course, but both sets of product started to take hold. The second wave came courtesy of Amscan and Unique, introducing us to party decorations, piñatas, themes, a huge range of loot bag toys and, of course, Halloween product – the like of which we had never seen before.
This was soon followed in the costume market by companies like Rubies. The only UK Company that seemed to see this coming was Smiffys. Without the background of a huge home market (USA) it is hard to see how a UK company could have originated similar product ranges.
So for all this, we have our American Brethren to thank. There is no question that without the Americans, the UK Party industry (maybe even European) would not have developed in the way it has.
Apologies to any company left off the list – it's not supposed to be exhaustive, nor an historical transcript, just trying to paint a picture. Now, that’s the praise sorted.
Traditionally, the distribution chain in the UK was supplier, wholesaler, independent retailers and a few multiples. Now, wholesalers are few, independents are few, multiples are more (in terms of volume), and we also have online retailers. Let’s be quite clear about this – suppliers are not charities, they are there to make a profit. They have to chase the dollar and this can
Columnist Mark Brett explores the relationship between suppliers and independent retailers, and why indies make the ultimate brand ambassadors
INFOIn 1977, Mark began working for the family business, manufacturing and marketing Fantasia latex balloon within the UK and the rest of the world up until 2008 when he set up shop on his own and created the Fantasia brand. Since 2011 Mark and his wife are the sole UK agents for Boland Party, a Dutch company who are one of Europe’s largest party distributors of party and dress up. And that’s not all, Mark has been a Director of HITF Ltd since 1996, and in 2002, he was the founder member of European Balloon and Party Council, holding post as chairman from 2002-2012.
With thanks to www.cwl.nsw.gov.au
www.partypartymag.co.uk6
Feature Face Paints
36
About Face
An alternative to masks, face
paint, make-up products
and body art can be an
affordable and creative way
to add to any fancy dress
look, while allowing wearers to eat, drink
and talk freely. And the popularity of
using face paints or body art to complete
a look or outfi t is on the rise, say Amscan,
distributors of leading UK face paint
brand Snazaroo. This isn’t just the case
for seasonal events such as Halloween,
either. Using face paints for children’s
events, such as World Book Day, is also
a quick and easy way to create eye-
catching designs, say Amscan. Book
Week is, in fact, one of, if not the, most
popular time for children’s dress-up, with
only Halloween coming close in terms of
sales.
The scope for creativity is one of the
main reasons why face paints do so
well, in particular, offering children the
chance to express themselves. Florence
Wong, trade marketing manager at
leading UK face paint brand, Snazaroo,
says: “Children love to dress up and face
paint has the power to really fi re their
imaginations and bring creative play to
life. Pirate, princess and jungle themes
are always popular for children’s parties.
These are simple to execute, can be
interpreted in a number of different ways,
and as kids always have an appetite for
these types of characters, they really are
timeless.”
And with lots of consumers looking for
value, face painting can be an affordable
way to create a look. Fran Gore, owner of
Fancy Dress Fanatics in Bristol says that
a lot of her customers are students with
low budgets. “They like to put together
something with bits rather than buying a
packet costume or hiring a whole outfi t,”
she says, highlighting how accessories,
including face paints/make-up products
are popular.
When it comes to face paints, Snazaroo
offers an extensive portfolio of face
painting products and entire role play
kits for the ultimate in creativity. It more
than satisfi es the standards set for such
products in terms of quality and safety
– the latter, an especially important
consumer demand particularly for kids.
“My son loves getting his face painted
but my biggest concern has always been
face paint safety as his skin is sensitive,”
Super-creative and budget-friendly, face painting and body art are dress-up techniques on the rise. Party Party highlights looks at what’s on offer
says mother Juliet Godfrey. “So I did my
research and discovered that Snazaroo
face paints are hypoallergenic and non-
toxic. They can also easily be removed
using soap and water.”
With the most popular area for
application being the face, they are all
water-based, making them both easy to
apply and easy to remove.
“At Snazaroo, we are incredibly
dedicated to quality excellence – the
standards of both our internal and
external testing programmes far surpass
the regulations set out for toys and
cosmetics in Europe, Australiasia and US,”
Florence Wong, trade marketing manager
of Snazaroo told Party Party. “As a result,
the products speak for themselves and
customers buy safe in the knowledge
that our products are high quality, easily
removed, non-toxic and suitable for
sensible skin,” says Florence.
Face painting is not just a hit with
kids, but also increasingly with adults.
Angels’ Tinsley Transfers, a new-to-the-
UK provider of temporary tattoos and
make-up effects, have dressed some of
Hollywood’s biggest stars, from Brad Pitt,
to Gary Oldman in Harry Potter.
Tats magic!TINSLEY TRANSFERS0845 180 6545
www.angelsdistribution.co.uk
Founded in 1999 by
Hollywood make-up and
special effects artist Christien
Tinsley, Tinsley Transfers has solely provided Hollywood’s biggest
fi lm and TV productions with custom temporary tattoo transfers.
New in 2014 to the UK market, Tinsley Transfers offers “the most
realistic tattoos available” in a host of lines, from tattoo sleeves
and costume kit tattoos, to face tattoos and 3D FX tattoos. They
come in a variety of designs, including Candy Skull Face and
Cheetah Face, plus more old-school designs such as Tribal Zebra,
Dragon, Koi and Wings XL.
In characterAMSCAN01908 288500
www.amscan.co.uk
The popularity of using face paints
to complete a look or outfi t is on the
rise, particularly for seasonal events
such as Halloween; fuelled by key
trends such as ‘Day of the Dead’ and
zombies. Amscan supply leading
face paint brand Snazaroo and new
additions include a fantastic range
of face painting booklets. Each set
contains four different colours and
instructions to create spectacular characters. Also new are four
exciting role play kits, choose from Pirates, Princess, Knight and
Egyptian Princess. Not only do the sets come with face paints,
but there is also a ‘make your own’ accessory tailored to each
character which kids can get creative with!
www.partypartymag.co.uk 37
Hang-em high with Amscan Party Party magazine
has spoken to
Amscan International
to reveal its top
selling products from
this year’s fright fest.
Hanging
decorations – the
perfect way to
capture bats ‘in-
fright’ or introduce
some creepy crawlies to any
party – are always a popular
choice. And Amscan’s Bat String
and Spider String decorations,
both measuring 2.1m high,
remained the company’s top
sellers throughout
Halloween.
Costumes and
dress-up are big
business at this time
of year, too. So it’s
no surprise that
Amscan’s spooky
and on-trend range
features here.
Bestsellers include
the black hooded Phantom of
Darkness, Harlequinn Honey
(following the popular jester
theme) for women, and the
neon-coloured Miss Matched
Witch outfi t for girls.
Spooktacular celebration! There was cer-
tainly a call for a
party in the Neviti
offi ce this year,
with fantastic
Halloween
sales and great
feedback from
customers on
the company’s
new collections
for 2014. Neviti
launched two new ranges, including the Graveyard
Gathering collection for adults and teens and Trick Or
Treat for children’s celebrations.
Both collections received positive feedback from
customers with Graveyard Gathering being especially
popular as the fi rst adult Halloween collection created
by the team. Successful items in the collection included
the fantastic bottle labels, offering a great way to dress
up party drinks with text such as ‘bats blood’ and ‘devils
brew’, and the hand-shaped glass decorations.
Bestselling items from the Trick Or Treat collection
included Loot Bags, ideal for collecting Halloween
treats, and the vibrant tableware featuring friendly
Halloween characters.
Cathy Locke, Marketing & Sales Support Co-ordinator
at N eviti commented: “We were absolutely thrilled to
receive such positive feedback to our Halloween
collections. It seems the collections really covered the
whole market.”
The team are already working on Halloween col-
lections for next year, and they say they will have
something just as exciting up their spooky sleeves!
Scared silly!Palmer Agencies has had a great
Halloween, with Sales and Mar-
keting Director, Sergio Battaner,
telling Party Party that anything
scary was top of the pops. “Any-
thing zombie-themed was very
strong, including make-up, blood,
liquid latex and
prosthetics,” he
explained. “We
also noticed a big
boost in popularity
for décor and ani-
mated props, even
those in the higher
price brackets.”
The strong sales
performance was
fortifi ed by the
timing, with Hal-
loween falling on
a weekend and
during a school
half-term, according to Sergio.
Kids and male costumes sold
well, particularly those that were
gimmick-free and gruesome.
“Our sales for sexy Halloween
products weren’t as sexy as past
years, and humorous products
weren’t particularly
funny either. It
seems scary and
gruesome is back
in fashion in a big
way. Our scary ac-
cessories were the
big winners this
year, adding that
extra special touch
when decorating.
You don’t party
at Halloween to
blend in after all.
If you do, you’re
doing it wrong!”
Halloween DreamW
e’re slap bang in the middle of party season,
sandwiched between the frights of Halloween
and the delights of Christmas. But let’s just
take a moment, take stock and take a note.
Halloween might only last for one day
each year, but it’s a core sales period for everyone in the
party industry. Making the most of the autumn spooktacular
can be a haunting task, but fear not, Party Party magazine
has spoken with three premier party suppliers – Amscan,
Neviti and Palmer – to fi nd out what their bestsellers were this
Halloween, and what we should be keepng an eye out for for
fright night 2015. Arm yourself with knowledge now, because
with next year’s Halloween falling on a Saturday, it is set to be
a big one!
www.partypartymag.co.uk38
working with, an organisation
such as EBPC, BAPIA will
become aware of them much
sooner. While EBPC will take any
actions necessary to fight them if
they feel it is necessary - and there
are many occasions when this is
the case - BAPIA can pass the
information back to the retailers
and decorators to ensure that we
work together in the best interests
of our industry.
When we were given the
opportunity to become a member
of EBPC, we immediately agreed.
We believe that by working
together we bring greater
strength and communication to
our industry. It means that any
initiatives or projects can be
handled on a Europe-wide basis
and at all levels, from independent
retailers and decorators
right through to the major
manufacturers and suppliers.
In the same way that EBPC
works for its members and the
industry, BAPIA is working to do
the same for our members and the
industry. We believe that the best
way to support our members is to
bring them benefits such as public,
products and employers liability
insurance as well as legal insurance
as part of the membership fee. We
also feel it’s paramount to promote
the industry as a whole by taking
opportunities to promote the use
of balloons and party products,
such as our involvement
in the Great Ormond
Street Hospital children’s
Christmas party décor,
which this year also
includes Candy Carts
and Face-painters. You
can read more about
that on page 8 of this
issue of Party Party.
We aim to achieve
direct referrals for our
members, such as recent
national store openings
that were passed onto
our members who
have so impressed the
clients that they keep
asking for more referrals.
BAPIA also produces a
regular hard-copy newsletter for its
members. If you would like to see
a copy of the latest issue, we will
be more than happy to send one
out if you let us know your address
Membership of a trade
organisation for your industry
brings many benefits, and at
BAPIA we are constantly striving
to achieve more benefits and
bring more useful information and
opportunities to our members.
If you would like any more
information on BAPIA and what
it can do for you please go to our
website at www.bapiaonline.com
or e-mail us at info@bapiaonline.
com.
THE WORD from
Continental shiftContinental shift
BAPIA has recently
become a member of
the European Balloon &
Party Council. EBPC is a
Europe-wide association currently
made up of 32 key European
players from the balloon and party
industry. As an organization, EBPC
is working hard to represent its
members, and the industry as
a whole, on relevant key issues
that arise within the EU, while
also providing its members with
communication on new directives
and legislation.
As an industry, it is critical that
we have some representation
within Europe; we are a part of the
EU, and as such will be affected
by any decisions taken by the
European authorities.
Many of us would not
necessarily be aware of possible
legislation that may directly affect
us until its too late, and we would
be powerless to do anything about
it anyway. By being a part of, and
Columnist John Bowler explains why a new move from BAPIA will give the UK party industry more infl uence in Europe, strengthen the industry’s international standing, and why now could be the best time to become a BAPIA member
INFOFor more information on BAPIA and the benefi ts of membership go to www.bapiaonline.com or contact John on [email protected]
As an industry, it is critical that we have some representation within Europe; we are a part of the EU, and as such will be affected by any decisions taken by the European authorities.
“
”
www.partypartymag.co.uk 21
Balloon Recipe
Are you ready for Valentines Day? Making quick and easy designs like this Valentines Guy is the perfect thing to attract attention and get the heart racing. You can easily add value by adding a bouquet of beautiful Valentines helium fi lled balloons, or simply add a 4” Air-fi lled heart!
Ingredients:
5” Red x 10
350Q Red x 1
260Q Red x 2
Naughty Smile & Kiss Microfoil® Balloon
Balloon Weight
Method of Construction:
1 Starting from the base, infl ate four-balloon cluster sizing 5” balloons to 4.5”.
2 Create second four-balloon cluster infl ated to 4” and secure to the base cluster.
3 Infl ate 350Q approx. to 12”, secure the knotted end into the base cluster and tie off the 350Q at the point where the balloon has been infl ated to.
4 Create another four-balloon cluster, sizing the balloons to 3.5”, and secure to the 350Q.
5 The fi nal 4-balloon cluster needs to be small - approx. 2”. Secure this to the 3.5” cluster.
6 Infl ate the Microfoil® ‘head’ with air and secure this to the top cluster (I use a small scrap of 160Q to do this).
7 The arms are made from the 260Qs, infl ated to approx. 8”. Add 2 small pinch twists at the knotted ends. Infl ate 2 x 5” to 1.5” and add each of these into the double pinch twists to create the hands. Finally tie the 2 arms together, but leave some stretch between the 2 arms and slip these into position.
Valentines Guy
39
Sue Bowler writes ‘The Very Best Balloon Blog’. To see
more great design recipes and balloon related articles visit
www.theverybestballoonblog.blogspot.com
For more great Valentines Day inspiration, check out The Very Best Balloon Blog: www.theverybestballoonblog.blogspot.co.uk.
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Family FirstFew companies can trace their history back more than a century, but 2014 marks R H Smith & Sons’ 120th anniversary. With its dedication to quality products and outstanding customer service, the fi rm continues to boast some of the party industry’s leading brands. Party Party took a look at the family-run business to learn how the core philosophies of its storied history can still be seen in the business today, and how the company is investing heavily in its future
2014 has been a milestone
year for R H Smith &
Sons, and an eventful
one at that. The company
celebrated its 120th anniversary, an
achievement that few companies
can claim and a testament to
its longstanding dedication
to innovative, high quality
product and great customer
service. This dedication was also
marked with the team picking
up two prestigious awards: the
Gainsborough Business of the Year
Award and the Midlands’ Family
Business of the Year Award in
November.
The company also renovated
its Head Offi ce in Gainsborough,
Lincolnshire top to bottom; a long
but rewarding task that was set
in motion when a freak fl ood left
the building a little worse for wear
back in June.
From hair to hereThe business started out as a
wigmaker in 1894, supplying
Broadway theatres, courts and
the NHS, before being bought
by current owner, Ray Peckett.
Under Ray’s new leadership,
the company continued its
production of handmade wigs
before taking the next natural
step and expanding into the
fancy dress and party markets.
Today, R H Smith & Sons is a
fancy dress expert committed
to delivering their ethos of
‘Serious Fun’ to the world!
The company’s creative
approach to fancy dress has given
life to some of the industry’s
leading brands in dress up and
party. With a dedicated team of
more than 20 creative designers
constantly researching and
planning new products, the
company’s established brands,
Smiffy’s and Fever, are at the
forefront of product design and
innovation. Drawing inspiration
from current trends and pop
culture, the team
always has its fi nger
on the pulse, and
this is refl ected in
the huge selection
of fashion forward
costumes and
accessories
that form the
company’s
product offering.
Inside Man The work ethics that drove Ray
during his early career are still
apparent in the way R H Smith &
Sons operates today. Before buying
the business, Ray worked as a shop
steward (union rep) charged with
representing over 500 people in a
print factory. During his time there,
he witnessed the poor treatment
and negative work conditions for
the employees he represented, but
was unable to intervene.
This made an impact on Ray and
would come to shape his approach
to running a business. He knew
exactly how he wanted his own
company to operate: treating his
staff with respect and esteem, and
cultivating the kind of working
environment he had previously
longed to work in.
Another factor that shaped the
development of the company was
Ray’s experience working as a
salesman. He knew from experience
that by simplifying the entire
process, without losing the core
values of great customer service
R H SMITH &
SONS IS A FANCY
DRESS EXPERT
COMMITTED TO
DELIVERING THEIR
ETHOS OF ‘SERIOUS
FUN’ TO THE
WORLD
“
Sponsored Feature
2
Second generation Directors Elliott and Dominique Peckett collect their award
Business of the Year R H Smith & Sons was crowned Family
Business of the Year at the Midlands
Family Business Awards in November,
a fi tting title for a company
celebrating its 120th anniversary. Held
at Nottingham Trent University, the
awards were attended by 300 guests
including this year’s fi nalists and
panel of judges.
Chief among the panel was lead
judge Alex Polizzi and Chris Taylor,
partner at headline sponsor Smith
and Cooper, who praised R H Smith’s
forward thinking, ambitious approach
to running a family business. Taylor
said: “R H Smith really impressed
us this year for three main reasons:
their incredible ambition to grow
which really shone through during the
presentation on the judging day, their
high level of commitment to their
people and their openness to seek
advice.”
Dominique Peckett, Director at R
H Smith & Sons said it was an honour
to collect the award on behalf of
everyone that makes the company a
success. “We’re thrilled to have won
this prestigious award that recognises
the hard work and dedication of not
only our family and Board members,
but the entire R H Smith team,” she
said. “We’d like to congratulate all
the other fi nalists; we’re told it was an
exceptionally hard fought category.”
The company also added the award
for Gainsborough Business of the Year
to its growing trophy cabinet earlier
this year.
and value for money at the heart
of the operation, he would earn the
respect of his clients. His aim was
always to streamline the purchasing
process for customers, and this
continues to be the essence of R H
Smith’s sales operations today.
Taking the party internationalR H Smith has gone from strength
to strength since Ray took over
almost 40 years ago in 1975. It
employs around 270 people in a
diverse
range of
roles; the
warehouse
and
distribution
team picks
and packs
more than
75,000
items every
day, and the
company delivers
a staggering 26
million products
around the world each year.
As the company continues to
expand and invest in new territories
and markets around the world,
everything the company does feeds
into its ultimate goal of becoming
the premier name in the fancy dress
and party industry. The team have
already brought their vision of
‘Serious Fun’ to 50 countries, and
they continue to work relentlessly to
become the most recognised brand
in the sector around the world.
THE
COMPANY
DELIVERS A
STAGGERING 26
MILLION
PRODUCTS
AROUND THE
WORLD EACH
YEAR
“
www.partypartymag.co.uk 3
www.partypartymag.co.uk4
It’s no coincidence that R H
Smith & Sons has thrived for
more than a century. When Ray
Peckett took ownership in 1975,
the company changed trajectory,
expanding into the greater dress-
up and party market from its core
business of wig production. This
transition was a turning point for the
company, and has seen its prospects
soar ever since.
But a company doesn’t prosper
for such a long time without the
fl exibility to align itself with market
changes. Proactive tackling of the
bigger challenges has always been
at the forefront of the company’s
major developments, and with 2014
marking its 120th anniversary, the
storied company continues to tackle
these issues head on.
Internet retailing – the aggressive
tactics sometimes used on third-
party sites specifi cally – and
counterfeiting are next on the
hit list, a largely unchecked
marketplace that Ray believes is
both anti-consumer in the long
term, and an affront to independent
party and costumer retailers, which
strive to offer quality product and
a superior retail experience for
shoppers.
R H Smith isn’t anti-internet retail.
The company has recently launched
its own online marketplace, a
storefront that offers consumers
a simple way to purchase its top
brands from local and independent
retailers – verifi ed stockists of R H
Sponsored Feature
Smith’s leading brands. Further, the
company supports those retailers
offering consumers the choice to
purchase product through their own
dedicated websites with product
images and other marketing
resources.
The problem then is the wider
issue of product counterfeiting and
a laissez-faire attitude that some
manufacturers and retailers have
to intellectual property (IP) rights.
Simply put, when manufacturers
and retailers produce and sell a
patent copycat product, or product
without a licensing agreement
and proper QA measures in place,
the entire party industry loses
out. Consumers receive an inferior
product under the guise of a
recognised brand – or at the very
least an ersatz approximation - and
this diminishes these
brands’ reputations.
Ray calls it “trashing the
brand.”
Wise investmentsR H Smith has identifi ed
Chinese companies as the
primary counterfeiters
and ‘brand trashers’,
although Ray points out that
in his experience it’s more a
symptom of lack of education
than overtly malicious business
practice. “It’s a cultural issue
more than anything,” Ray
explained. “The way some
Chinese businesses see things, if
Dressed to investR H Smith & Sons are investing big to tackle the issues of counterfeiting and some internet retail practices which threaten the health of the dress-up and party industry. Owner Ray Peckett reveals the company’s plans to counter the counterfeiters, and the steps it is taking to protect and strengthen the position of independent retailers.
they can copy a product well enough
to approximate the original, try and
avoid getting into a position where
legal action is a threat, and offer
it at a lower cost to consumers,
that’s just simple business.”
Third-party retail sites and
the internet in general has
simply made this easier and
more cost-effi cient than ever
before.
The solution then is
investment. It’s a word that
has been used a lot at R
H Smith head offi ce this
year, and the company has
brought in its own team
of IP professionals, and
sought advice from top
city lawyers and advisors.
“The unfortunate reality is,
counterfeit products are eating into
EVERYTHING
WE’RE PUTTING
INTO ACTION HAS
THE OVERALL
HEALTH OF THE
DRESS-UP AND
PARTY INDUSTRY
IN MIND
RAY PECKETT, OWNER
“
www.partypartymag.co.uk 5
almost 10 percent of our business,”
Ray explained. “It’s a problem that
threatens not just us, but the entire
industry. If we continue to allow these
products to piggy back and trash the
brand, the party and dress-up industry
will become unsustainable.”
We’re not quite there yet, of
course, and Ray and his team have no
intention of letting it get that far.
“We currently have a team of
fi ve that scour the internet looking
for counterfeits, buying samples,
and carrying out our own tests on
products we suspect are copies,”
he said. “But it’s not always easy to
tell right away. Sometimes the initial
difference is as small as using a
different number of fastenings on the
packets. They never stand up to our
strict quality tests though.
“It’s an unfortunate situation we
fi nd ourselves in. Even consumers
who want to buy an offi cial Smiffys
or Fever product can’t be certain
that what they receive is in fact the
real deal. That’s a concern for us and
independent retailers, not to mention
the problems that can arise from
product that hasn’t been thoroughly
tested for safety reasons.”
That team of fi ve is set to grow to
20; an investment that illustrates the
importance the company places on
the potential damage counterfeiting
could do if left unchecked. This year
alone, Ray says he and the rest of
the team have collectively spent
hundreds of hours discussing
solutions to this issue. He also
estimates that around £1 million has
so far been invested into tackling
the saturation of the fancy dress
market.
“What we’re saying now is,
that the fancy dress market has
become so cheap for consumers
that it’s unsustainable. We need to
increase the profi t to our customers
and resellers. We don’t take these
investments lightly, but they’re
critical to the continued health of
the party industry at large. If we
don’t clean up online, bricks and
mortar shops are in trouble.”
Independent supportR H Smith’s relationship with
independent retailers is hugely
important, and the company sees
its investments in IP protection and
tackling counterfeiters as a means
to protect them.
“The combination of counterfeiting
and third-party online retail can
severely damage the fancy dress
retail ecosystem if we don’t act now,”
he said. “We’re about to have our
best year ever as a company, but UK
sales have generally plateaued for
the past few years, and that’s due to
counterfeiting.
“We are doing more for our
customers than ever before, offering
price matching and investing more
money into customer services and
support. But even with all that, UK
unit sales haven’t risen, and I’d say
that’s down to the counterfeits
coming onto the market.”
With the company enjoying its
best year ever, and a strategy in
place that the team is confi dent will
do much to help heal the damage
of counterfeiting, R H Smith will
continue to invest.
“By all accounts, the work we
are doing and the project we have
embarked upon can only be good
news for independent bricks and
mortar retailers,” Ray added. “We’re
tackling the devaluation of the
market at the source in a measured
and strategic way which we will
continue to invest in. By bringing in
our own team of IP experts we’re
facing this issue head-on. Everything
we’re putting into action has the
overall health of the dress-up and
party industry in mind.”
One TeamWhen a freak fl ood left
the R H Smith & Sons head
offi ce submerged in water,
the esprit de corps and
family business credentials
of the company were
proved in full. As the offi ce
fi lled with water, and parts
of the roof collapsed, everyone jumped in to
lend a hand. Unfortunately, despite everyone
pitching in, nothing could be done. The
building had to be evacuated, and staff were
relocated to a nearby hot-desking site to
ensure the show carried on.
Still, making the best of a bad situation,
the company took the opportunity to give
the offi ces a complete overhaul. Gone are the
partition walls, instead replaced with thin air
to create an open plan offi ce that brings the
whole team together. Family member Sophie
Peckett headed up the development, putting
her interior design expertise to good use.
The investment transformed everything
from the carpet – now a bright shock of
electric yellow – to the computer systems and
network, all with the aim of streamlining and
nurturing the modern, family culture at the
heart of the company.
One end of the offi ce is adorned with
the words “One Team”, epitomising the
new vision. The redesign is more than a
lick of paint, it’s symbolic of the company’s
core values, with various departments now
interlinking, boosting communication and
allowing everyone to pitch in. It’s a modern
way to work, and Sophie has maximised the
space by adding creative breakout spaces and
dressing the offi ce with pop art and shabby-
chic oddities.
The new offi ces opened in late November,
kick-starting an overhaul of the entire site,
with plans to renovate the show rooms.
www.partypartymag.co.uk6
Sponsored Feature
Fancy that!
Pink Ladies Jacket, For GreaseGrease Lightening! Look instantly
recognisable in the offi cially licensed
Pink Lady Jacket, complete with
an embroided logo. Finish the look
with the Flyaway Style Rock and Roll
Sunglasses.
Baywatch Lifeguard
Costume, with All-In-One Bodysuit, Jacket and FloatLadies can work their beach
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an all-in-one bodysuit,
jacket and fl oat. Ladies will
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wearing this number!
To order or for more information visit trade.smiffys.com or call 0800 590599.
BayLifeg
CostumIn-OneJacketLadies can
body with
Lifeguard
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Whatever the occasion, R H Smith’s
range has party-goers and dress–up
fans covered, literally! With some
of the hottest licenses and creative
designs, the range of fancy dress and
party accessories provide everything
for crafting the perfect look.
Here’s a selection of the company’s
bestsellers, from the old-school
glamour of Baywatch and Grease,
to the action-packed eighties with
Top Gun. And see if you can spot the
fantastic Where’s Wally costume – an
outift so fantastic that party-goers
will want to be found!
T-Birds Jacket, with Embroidered LogoLook instantly recognisable in the
offi cially licensed T-Bird Jacket. This
iconic fancy dress costume from the
legendary fi lm Grease, comes with an
embroided logo on the back. Party-
goers will have no trouble fi nding
their Pink Ladies in this attire!
Top Gun Costume, Jumpsuit, Name Tags and GlassesBe transported back to the
eighties with this offi cially
licensed Top Gun Costume.
This male fancy dress
costume includes a jumpsuit,
nametags and glasses. Any
man will look fl y dressed in
this outfi t!
Where’s Wally? Costume, with Top, Trousers, Glasses and Hat - AdultsThe bespectacled Wally has
become a favourite worldwide!
Fans can try to hide with the
offi cially licensed Where’s Wally?
Costume for adults, complete
with Wally’s classic top, trousers,
glasses and hat.
Free Phone: 0800 590 599 | Free Fax: 0800 783 3882 | Email: [email protected]
for the Smiff ys Experience 2015All Aboard
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We are suppliers of BBS, Talking We are suppliers of BBS, Talking Tables, Amscan, Unique, Gemma, Tables, Amscan, Unique, Gemma, Procos, Colpak, Creative Party and Procos, Colpak, Creative Party and many more.many more.
One of the widest ranges available One of the widest ranges available including Peppa Piig, Hello Kity, including Peppa Piig, Hello Kity, Super Mario, Ben 10, Gruffalo, Super Mario, Ben 10, Gruffalo, Football, Sealife, Princess, High Football, Sealife, Princess, High School Musical, Farmyard, Disney, School Musical, Farmyard, Disney, Jungle, Fire Engine, Spongebob Jungle, Fire Engine, Spongebob Squarepants, Plain Coloured and Squarepants, Plain Coloured and many more.many more.
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Balloon Frames by Saunders We have a wide range of balloon frames in stock ready for immediate delivery- or we can design and manufacture bespoke frames to suit your needs 0208 594 7221 [email protected]