And the show (coverage) goes on.
By Caroline Kennedy and Maria Weiskott -- Gifts and Dec, 5/31/2006 9:45:00 AM
The National Stationery Show is one of the more notable markets for finding fresh faces and fresh ideas. Truly, this is an industry niche that must continually reinvent itself in order to survive in a world gone “tech.” And when we consider that it not only meets the technology challenge head on, but continually draws in new talent as well — we would surely put the stationery category up there with the top contenders on the gift industry’s creative short list.
While it’s true the paper category is a bit easier for a newcomer to enter — it’s not quite as expensive to produce paper and printing samples as, say, ceramics, glassware, or even textiles — we still have to give credit to the ingenuity and creativity brought to the table.
A large majority of those “fresh faces” we met last week might have been new to the show, but in many cases the talent they brought with them had been finely tuned in other industries. If we heard it once, we heard it over and again: “I thought it was time for me to start doing this for myself.” Yes, the entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well in the stationery biz!
Fresh Faces, Well-seasoned Talent
Amy Nelson, owner of Paperlicious, for example, had worked as a publicist for a major record label. A show first-timer — and first-time mom with 11-week old twins at home — she said she was pleased with the traffic and attendee interest in her personally designed products, which ranged from wedding invitations to birth announcements and everything in between.
Graphic design award-winner Debra Valencia also brings years of experience to her newly launched company, Vida Valencia, which is based in Hermosa Beach, CA. Valencia, a branding and packaging expert — her clients included Hard Rock Cafes, Disney and Hasbro among others — specifically brings her packaging experience and expertise to the fore, introducing some innovative and functional gift “wraps.”
The Gift Card Pop Upz — which double as a greeting card and a gift card holder — is definitely a product on the leading edge, with gift cards showing exponential growth as a desired gift for any occasion. (See “Paper or Plastic?” in the May issue of Gifts & Decorative Accessories.) The company’s Wrappa Zappa Gift Wrap Envelope — which comes in several sizes — is inventive as well: no tape or scissors required. It’s so easy even a pre-schooler can wrap (honest)!
We thought the perpetual calendars from another relative newcomer, BooMaa Arts were pretty inventive too. The calendars are “must haves” in Holland, BooMaa’s sales director Esther Maarschalkerweerd — who was born there — told us. Interestingly, the perpetuals are hung in the bathroom back in her home country. More likely, they will go on refrigerators here in the States! BooMaa drew a lot of attention from corporate buyers walking the show, as these calendars can easily be customized.
We heard about the corporate buyers — who were looking for high-end premiums — from a good number of vendors at the show. Unlike mass marketers looking for ideas for their own private label products, the deep-pocketed corporate buyers were more than welcome.
Another show newcomer, Austin, Texas-based VerySuperCool has only been in business six months, but the company’s unique cards already have placement is some 50 stores. The greeting cards feature a rescue dog — there are 30 all told — that company owners Sue Rostvold and Allan Little “know personally.” Little photographs the dogs that are pictured on the cards, which are printed on 100 percent, recycled paper.
Interestingly, many of the outlets that carry the VerySuperCool line are hardware stores; chief among them, Ace Hardware — which speaks volumes about how diverse the industry’s distribution channels have become.
A Class Act
Among the fresh faces…Working Class Studio, which debuted in the Indulgences division of the show. This company is really a business program at the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) in Georgia. The program provides senior and graduate fine art students real world experience in designing and bringing actual products to market. The program is headed by creative directors Andrea Messina and Sari Gunderson, who hand-pick five students each academic quarter to work in the program.
The students are chosen from different disciplines and as a team work on product lines from initial concept and sample-making through production runs and order fulfillment. The products are bright and eye-catching with broad appeal … a little retro influence with a modern edge twist. The collection includes a range of lifestyle accessories from notecards to pillows to dinnerware that all merchandise well together. Introduced at the show: a line of melamine dinnerware with designs based on Savannah ironwork patterns. They also launched a coordinated line of notecards, journals and sketchpads.
And speaking of notecards, EllyAnna and Up with Paper both introduced lines of boxed notes – a new product for each. EllyAnna’s notes feature its signature sewn detailing on the small notes. They come eight to a package for a suggested retail of $11. Up with Paper’s Tres Panache boxed notes also incorporate the line’s dimensional fun detail.
Other companies up to something new: Meri Meri and Cat Seto. In this case, custom albums.
Jeff Schalk, president of Meri Meri told Gifts & Dec it was a natural move for the company and gives some customers the best of both worlds — to provide Meri Meri imprinted designs without having to stock large quantities of the imprintables. Cat Seto’s album features sophisticated designs, many hand-embellished with crystal rhinestones.
Generating Buzz
You know you’re “on to something” when other exhibitors get excited about your product and send customers your way, saying, “You’ve got to take a look at [____]!”
Such was the case with Russell + Hazel’s people-tracker address book. The desk-sized ring binder has pages that not only have regular spaces for names and addresses, but are also cut to hold a business card. And the side margin has space to record a comment or note. Meanwhile, the company’s Audrey File Tote was spotted being carried and used by several attendees.
Legacy Crafters is also bringing color and style into home and office organization. Its Metropolis line of storage and scrapbooking organizers was actually stopping traffic in the aisles. One customer exclaimed, “Glad you are into fashion!” And at suggested retail prices averaging under $5, this collection should turn well. The Chocolat line of Cropper Hanging File Boxes and Cropper Cascade Files drew interest as well.
Knock Knock. Who’s there? Ding Dong. Ding Dong, who? A new division. A new division of who? Knock Knock… the popular and witty content-driven line of cards and home office stationery products has a new brand, Ding Dong, which debuted this market. Ding Dong’s Number 2 line is colorful and plain, yet stylish. This line taps into the continuing trend of bringing color and style into the office with great design in notebooks, pads, journals and other utilitarian office supplies.
Ever wanted to send a hug rather than a card to a loved one? If so, no doubt your customers have wanted to as well. Well now everyone can send a hug in a card. The Hugz greeting card hug won the Best New Product Award for the Take Note division. This clever greeting is designed to not only deliver a personal message but also embrace the recipient.
Note – ations
The Paint Box Project is something that Great Arrow Graphics and its president Alan Friedman are proud of. The project is a collaboration between Great Arrow and young cancer patients who created the original artwork for a line of holiday cards produced by Great Arrow. The proceeds from the sale of the cards will go to cancer research. The designs are fresh, whimsical and inspiring.
Design Design took a new direction and introduced a coordinated line of holiday products that includes for the first time — ceramics. There are ornaments, serving plates, bowls and more to match the invitations, cards and napkins for a fun and easy holiday look.
And speaking of making the holidays easy … expanding on its signature theme “2 go,” mjZoom introduced “Gifting 2 Go,” a merchandiser filler with a coordinated selection of giftwrapping needs including bags, tags, gift card holders, etc.
Talk about competition…agents representing “gift baskets” to the stars (the Hollywood kind) are beating a path to the door of Nancy Gronemeyer, owner of Paper Petals and designer of the official invitation to the 2006 Screen Actors Guild gala. And just how was Gronemeyer “discovered?” Through her website, she told us.
Erica Goldstein, owner of Paper Bride — and now, Paper Mama too — was named as one of the top 25 trendsetters in the bridal industry by Modern Bride magazine, we learned. The company’s Wedding Tip Kit, which includes some invaluable advice, we found to be quite out of the ordinary as far as bridal fare was concerned.
And speaking of wedding paraphernalia, luggage tags for the bridal party (and guests) may be the latest “in” thing. Jillian Macey, owner of New York-based Tres Chic Designs, tells us that one fun tag design for a wedding entourage makes for ease of identifying luggage in busy hotel lobbies. And with “destination” nuptials now all the rage, wedding luggage tags just might be the next big thing!
We would love your feedback!
VIEW ALL GALLERIES
