Notes on Paper
Caroline Kennedy, Editor-in-Chief -- Gifts and Dec, 5/1/2010 12:00:00 AM
This month we look to the National Stationery Show, taking place at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in NYC. In this day and age of electronic communication, many may regard the NSS as a dinosaur of the industry — and the written word as no longer holding sway in this era of cell phones, email, texting, e-cards and evites. Who sends an invitation or greeting card by snail mail anymore, not to mention a letter of all things?! Well, lo and behold, many people still do and teach their children to do so as well. And stationery vendors and brick-and-mortar stores are not dinosaurs either, being made extinct by online resources. They are adapting to the changing times and still providing customers with unique, relatable and viable designs and messages. In “Pushing the Envelope,” we offer retailers ideas on how to continue to stay relevant and attract customers in this world of encroaching online competition.
But there is more about the NSS that is pertinent to this month’s editorial focus. We often define ourselves as the “gift and home industry” and gifting and home are all about occasions, family and friends. Many special occasions are the celebration of life’s events: births, graduations, marriages, birthdays and much more, and that celebration begins with an invitation issued to others — family and friends — to join in the festivities. Whether or not the occasion calls for a gift, a card is often a part of it, but more to the point, the gathering is a party, which calls for appropriate accessories to enhance the atmosphere: plates, napkins, cups, decorations and of course food. The down economy forced consumers to pare back on their entertaining budgets but not their entertaining. Instead of going out to celebrate, they are returning to the traditional venue — home — and looking to add accessories that not only enhance the occasion but take some of the fuss out of it. “Where’s the Party” presents a look at this burgeoning category.
Speaking of the National Stationery Show, a much asked question is, “Do we still need it? Why not merge it into a gift show?” I believe the NSS is a necessary separate marketplace. There are many retailers who look to the National Stationery Show as their primary sourcing venue; and there are many exhibitors who show only at the NSS. The show also serves another very important purpose. Believe it or not, the National Stationery Show, along with the co-located Surtex surface design show, is a launchpad for industry talent, a place where many young companies, artists and designers get their start and are nurtured to grow and become tomorrow’s names in licensing, stationery, gifts and even home. It is the place to discover the Anna Griffins, Anne Taintors and MikWrights of the future.
See you in the aisles!
We would love your feedback!
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