FEATURE / CUTE CARDS
The aah factor
Greeting card publishers and retailers have a love/hate relationship with Cute.
To some it’s the most profitable aspect of their offer, for others it’s a throwback to
when card were saccharine sweet and nothing else. Either way, it’s clear, Cute sells.
GT looks at the latest moves in this key category.
Contemporary and
more ‘grown up’
cute from Camden
Graphics includes
(right) the quirky
well loved ‘Swishy
Bishy’ character
in a number of
situations.
Mother Duck (left)
with ducklings
offers a cute,
emotive style
photography.
Cats (far left), a
classic shot of two
cats with backs
turned, which
evokes sense of
relationship
uring these dark times of
D
a growing area, within the Carlton brand.
economic uncertainty we
“Cards are often considered There are also some surprising, sophisticated
are being reassured that
on a barometer of the nation’s
cute looks to be found within Camden
the silver lining is that we
sentiments. The ways in which cute
Graphics. All are included in UK Greetings’
are all going to become a
New Model Line.
lot nicer to each other.
characters are depicted is mainly
This greater sense of sociability and
dependent on the caption itself.”
empathy in the face of a common problem is
Jill Alexander –
Cute focus
clearly a good thing for card retailers if more “A key trend that seems to be appearing
people choose to connect with friends and
UK Greetings
in the cute market is characters becoming
family through the more life like,” says UK Greeting’s Jill
medium of greetings. Alexander. “A perfect example is our new
Whether this new yards of racking to, unless it’s a Me To You Carlton-branded Belle & Beau designs.
age of citizenship or Forever Friends fi xture. Rather, it’s a Established cute characters have also been
results in an upsurge design style that sits well throughout the main developed into different formats such as pop
in demand for cute range and is a proven seller. And if a store out, or 3D effects.
sentiment is another gets its Cute offer right it can also generate “Cute whimsical characters such as Benny
matter. Publishers additional revenues from line extensions into and Wigwam are examples of cute characters
generally take a gifts and plush. that can possibly be seen as more ‘cool’ for
while to respond to For publishers, Cute is one of those card men as they are done in a more whimsical
the public mood, categories that is hard to defi ne. or humorous way. However, cute ‘ahh’
so it will be a while Alice Boston at Alice Palace believes that characters are still a popular and a ‘safe’ male
before we can tell for the term Cute is about something that is not send and can be used to denote the emotional
certain. only aesthetically pleasing but also something relationship between the sender and receiver.
In the meantime, that puts a smile on your face and makes you “The classic cute bear and cuddly
Cute is a staple feel good. “Adding Cute into one’s day is all characters such as Elliot are always popular
seller, albeit in the about adding that bright spot without which a on cute cards and are used successfully in
.co.uk
more traditional day could be decidedly dull and gloomy,” she many captions for all ages.
outlets and perhaps says. “It’s the little things that make grown- “Cards are often considered as
refl ecting the typical up life a bit more fun!” a barometer of the nations sentiments.
buyer profi le of For UK Greetings Cute is a hugely The ways in which the cute characters are
teenage girls and important category, falling into two distinct depicted is mainly dependent on the caption
ladies of a certain types: cute ‘ahh’ and cute whimsical, itself.
eetingstoday
age. Fairy Fun from the former catered for by Gibson, long “Having award-winning ranges as part of
.
gr
Alice Palace adds
For retailers therefore Cute is not
illustrative humour
renowned for excellence in this area, and the our product portfolio means the future of cute
necessarily something to devote yards and
to Cute
more contemporary cute whimsical style, cards is looking bright. From our product and
www
36 www.greetingstoday.co.uk
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