in the news
Hallmark Cards Signs Consumer
Exclusive Deal with OK! confidence
Magazine ‘dented’ by
Hallmark has further extended its print on demand offer with a new range of
greetings cards in partnership with OK! Magazine. national news
The new range allows customers to personalise cards online with options
available for Birthdays (including party invites, birthday occasion cards and general
birthday cards), Thank You, Wedding, New Home, Engagement, Anniversary, New
media
Baby, Leaving and general cards that can be customised for any occasion at all.
Downbeat stories in national
Cards can be designed and personalised via Hallmark’s online personalised card
newspapers and on radio and
service, with the option to include pictures and captions on the front of the card and
television about the economy and
personalised messages inside.
swine fl u are denting consumer
Hallmark plans to roll out consumer PR, affi liate marketing, advertising and
confi dence, according to retailers
celebrity-inspired competitions to support the launch. Advertising will also be appearing within OK! during
who attended a meeting arranged
September and October 2009.
by The Giftware Association at
Tamsyn Johnston-Hughes, Communications Manager at Hallmark Cards said: “This is an exciting
Home & Gift in Harrogate.
partnership for us and a great addition to our online personalised card service.”
Isabel Martinson, the
“With the ever growing popularity of celebrity magazines, this innovative card design allows customers
association’s chief executive,
to create something totally different for friends and family as well as giving them something completely
reports: “Our members felt that
personal.”
negative reporting was causing
Robert Avery, from OK! Magazine, added: “This is a fantastic concept which will really engage with our
them problems. They had some
readers. So many people dream of being on the cover of OK! and this is a really fun way of making that
respite when MPs and their expenses were centre-stage, but
wish come true.”
now the national consumer media has returned to its old –
and, some may think, tired – agenda.
“Some fantastic ‘good news’ stories about retailing are
never covered. There are certainly areas – particularly tourist
Danilo sees Jackson
spots – where our members are doing really well. The general
picture being painted is, in many cases, not typical of what is
calendar sales soar
happening on the ground.”
Retailers are concerned that ongoing media negativity is
Danilo Promotions, Europe’s biggest offi cial calendar
unhelpful and leads to shoppers being more refl ective when
and card maker has launched The Offi cial 2010
considering their purchases.
Michael Jackson Calendar and its already on the way
However, this has not prevented buyers from being
to being number one in the Danilo 2010 Calendar
positive. “Retailers seem to be ordering more frequently to
charts with advance sales approaching 40k.
manage their cash fl ow,” says Isabel. “Many suppliers at
The deal was signed with the executors of the
Home & Gift said how well they had done at the show, which
Michael Jackson Estate and Bravado Licensing New
illustrates that there were some serious buyers in Harrogate.”
York, although the negotiations started in February
Isabel says that the focus group meeting enabled retailers
2009, the executors also told Danilo that they will
to share their retailing experiences.
be actively pursuing any company making or selling
“Although they would not be so keen to discuss things
unoffi cial merchandise.
with a competitor a few doors away or another gift shop in
A recent double page co promotion with The Sun
the same town, they are prepared to talk openly and honestly
already achieved sales of over 1500 in just fi ve days.
with retailers from other parts of the country who they do not
The Jackson title joins new subjects for 2010 that
perceive to be a threat.
include Andy Murray, Zac Ephron, Robert Pattinson
“These meetings also enable them to exchange contact
and Lady Gaga, as well as annual favourites like The
details so that they can pick up the phone and discuss
Premier League titles and huge 2009 sellers such as
concerns. Being a retailer can sometimes be a lonely
Top Gear and High School Musical.
business!”
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