Trend insights into the UK greeting card, stationery and gift retail markets 2014. A presentation given by Jeremy Corner, owner of award winning card publisher Blue Eyed Sun, blogger and Progressive Greetings magazine columnist at the Spring Fair International trade show in Birmingham's NEC February 2014.

1. 2014 Trend Insights:
UK Greeting Card,
Stationery & Gift
Markets
12:15 to12:45 - Monday 3rd February 2014
Spring Fair International, NEC, Trends Theatre
Greeting Card, Stationery & Gift Trends - Spring Fair 2014
Jeremy Corner - Blue Eyed Sun - Stand 4L66

2. Jeremy Corner
Tweet @Blue_Eyed_Sun
www.blueeyedsun.co.uk/blog
Greeting Card, Stationery & Gift Trends - Spring Fair 2014
Jeremy Corner - Blue Eyed Sun - Stand 4L66

3. How you can track trends in these markets
•Trade Magazines
•Trade Fairs
•Trade Awards
•Trade Associations
•Sales Agents
•Blogs & Social Media
Greeting Card, Stationery & Gift Trends - Spring Fair 2014
Jeremy Corner - Blue Eyed Sun - Stand 4L66

4. The UK Greeting Card Market
• £1.38 billion spent on single cards in the last year
• Everyday category worth £1.008bn
• 31 cards being sent on average per person each year
• 85% of all cards are bought by women
• There are approximately 800 card publishers in the UK
• Greeting cards in more types of outlet than any other product
• One in six retailers stocking greeting cards
Greeting Card, Stationery & Gift Trends - Spring Fair 2014
Jeremy Corner - Blue Eyed Sun - Stand 4L66

5. Greeting Card Trends
• The Instagram effect - nostalgia / retro
Tranquillity
UK Greetings
• Crafts and Upcycling
The Art Group
• Modern takes on Vintage
Belle & Boo
1973
Greeting Card, Stationery & Gift Trends - Spring Fair 2014
Jeremy Corner - Blue Eyed Sun - Stand 4L66

6. Greeting Card Trends
• Flights of Fancy - British Wildlife
• Fonts - distressed typeface
• Quirky Cute
Sooshichacha
Urban Graphic
Stripey Cats Cards
Greeting Card, Stationery & Gift Trends - Spring Fair 2014
Jeremy Corner - Blue Eyed Sun - Stand 4L66

7. Greeting Card Trends
• Masculine Geek Chic
Cinnamon Aitch
• 70’s psychedelia and strong colours
• Perfectly Imperfect - recycled feel
Lagom
• Artisans and Artists
Emmeline Webb
Jessica Hogarth
Greeting Card, Stationery & Gift Trends - Spring Fair 2014
Jeremy Corner - Blue Eyed Sun - Stand 4L66

8. Greeting Card Trends
• Personalisation
• Localisation - British and local
• Polarisation - know your customers
• Consumers finding the right card
• Heartfelt in contemporary voice
• Humour still great for connecting
• Wedding & Baby strong
Greeting Card, Stationery & Gift Trends - Spring Fair 2014
Jeremy Corner - Blue Eyed Sun - Stand 4L66

9. Greeting Card Trends
• Conversational Voice
• Quotes & Inspirational Sentiment
• The Right Connection
Wider Economic trends:
• Value for money
• Shoppers smaller trips, more often
• Shoppers desire convenience
• Technology’s positive effect
Greeting Card, Stationery & Gift Trends - Spring Fair 2014
Jeremy Corner - Blue Eyed Sun - Stand 4L66

10. Greeting Card Trends
• Woodland
• Natural textures
• Hand drawn eg. chalk
• Go green
Jade Ho
Carly Davis
Stormy Night
Mike Burgin
Greeting Card, Stationery & Gift Trends - Spring Fair 2014
Jeremy Corner - Blue Eyed Sun - Stand 4L66

11. Greeting Card Trends
• Vintage with a contemporary twist
• Adding value through finishes
• Paper revolution (laser cut)
• Retro - letter press style
• Fun and Fresh
Greeting Card, Stationery & Gift Trends - Spring Fair 2014
Jeremy Corner - Blue Eyed Sun - Stand 4L66

12. Card & Gift Trends
•Text based products still selling well
• Raw deconstructed floral screen prints
• Retro 1950’s colouring circa 1953
• Stripes are back in fashion
Greeting Card, Stationery & Gift Trends - Spring Fair 2014
Jeremy Corner - Blue Eyed Sun - Stand 4L66

13. Card & Gift Trends
• Big Bold Floral Patterns
Rocket 68
• Birds
• Anthropomorphising
welovekaoru
Avant Card Co
Nella
Greeting Card, Stationery & Gift Trends - Spring Fair 2014
Jeremy Corner - Blue Eyed Sun - Stand 4L66

14. The UK Giftware Market
• UK Giftware Market worth £5 billion
• High end holding up well
• Under £10 and children’s gifts strong
• Made in the UK - resurgence in interest
• Functional and personalised gifts
• Creative innovation
Greeting Card, Stationery & Gift Trends - Spring Fair 2014
Jeremy Corner - Blue Eyed Sun - Stand 4L66

15. Gift Trends
GOTY Showcase in Hall 6 Stand T50
and GA stand in Hall 5 F99/G89
•Woodland birds and animals
Sew Heart Felt
Carola Van Dyke
Cubic Products Ltd
Disaster Designs
Greeting Card, Stationery & Gift Trends - Spring Fair 2014
Jeremy Corner - Blue Eyed Sun - Stand 4L66

16. Gift Trends
GOTY Showcase in Hall 6 Stand T50
and GA stand in Hall 5 F99/G89
•Retro / Vintage
Heyland & Whittle
Soap Books
Wild & Woolf
Half Moon Bay
Greeting Card, Stationery & Gift Trends - Spring Fair 2014
Jeremy Corner - Blue Eyed Sun - Stand 4L66

17. Gift Trends
GOTY Showcase in Hall 6 Stand T50
and GA stand in Hall 5 F99/G89
• Made in the UK
Heather Alstead Design
Goldilocks
Ding Studio
London Postcodes
Greeting Card, Stationery & Gift Trends - Spring Fair 2014
Jeremy Corner - Blue Eyed Sun - Stand 4L66

18. Gift Trends
GOTY Showcase in Hall 6 Stand T50
and GA stand in Hall 5 F99/G89
• Innovative licensing of loved brands
Subbuteo Bottle Opener
Thabto
Roses Puzzle
Half Moon Bay
Aga Oven Tins
Elite
Greeting Card, Stationery & Gift Trends - Spring Fair 2014
Jeremy Corner - Blue Eyed Sun - Stand 4L66

19. Gift & Stationery Trends
• Handmade & craft movement
• Woodland & Nature
• Fair trade
• Quotes & sentiment
• Handwriting & Stationery
Two Little Boys
Kirstie Allsopp
Woodmansterne
Junction 18
Greeting Card, Stationery & Gift Trends - Spring Fair 2014
Jeremy Corner - Blue Eyed Sun - Stand 4L66

20. Gift & Stationery Trends
!
• Family & friend titles
• Gifts with a use & sentiment
• Sourcing and origin
• Nostalgia
Greeting Card, Stationery & Gift Trends - Spring Fair 2014
Jeremy Corner - Blue Eyed Sun - Stand 4L66

21. Gift Trends
• Woodland - especially owls, foxes and birds
• Vintage / retro across all categories
Foxes and
Owls
RJB Stone
Junction18
Greeting Card, Stationery & Gift Trends - Spring Fair 2014
Jeremy Corner - Blue Eyed Sun - Stand 4L66

22. Card & Gift Trends
• Pantone - Radiant Orchid 2014
• Typeface and Calligraphy
• Personal sentiment
Pantone
Happy Jackson
Really Good
Greeting Card, Stationery & Gift Trends - Spring Fair 2014
Jeremy Corner - Blue Eyed Sun - Stand 4L66

23. Events for 2014
• World Cup Football in Brazil
• Sochi Winter Olympics
• World War One Centenary
• Shakespeare’s 450th birthday
• Scotland’s independence vote
• 40th Ryder Cup at Gleneagles
• Commonwealth Games in Glasgow
• Tour de France starts in the UK
Greeting Card, Stationery & Gift Trends - Spring Fair 2014
Jeremy Corner - Blue Eyed Sun - Stand 4L66

24. Summary: UK Card, Stationery & Gift Market
• Sentiment is important
• Handmade and craft movement relevant
• Nostalgia - Vintage and retro still strong
• British made and ethically sourced
• Nature and woodland is very popular
• Pay attention to forthcoming events
• Understand your customers and meet their needs
• Keep a close eye on the trade mags, awards, blogs and trade shows
Greeting Card, Stationery & Gift Trends - Spring Fair 2014
Jeremy Corner - Blue Eyed Sun - Stand 4L66

25. Thanks to friends who shared their insights
Greeting Card, Stationery & Gift Trends - Spring Fair 2014
Jeremy Corner - Blue Eyed Sun - Stand 4L66

26. THANK YOU
Tweet: @Blue_Eyed_Sun
Visit Blue Eyed Sun - Hall 4 - Stand 4L66
Greeting Card, Stationery & Gift Trends - Spring Fair 2014
Jeremy Corner - Blue Eyed Sun - Stand 4L66