Art licensing and design company The London Studio has announced the appointment of Jess Brown to the role of Licensing Manager with immediate effect. She will report to founder and Director of The London Studio, Soula Zavacopoulos.
In her new role Jess will be spearheading new licensing opportunities for The London Studio properties, as well as sourcing new licensing deals for The London Studio's Artists Collective – made up of over 100 artists from across the globe and ranging from emerging new talent to established names.
Jess will initially be focussing primarily across two key areas for The London Studio: greetings cards and giftware.
Posted: 24 April 2024
Messe Frankfurt Medien und Service GmbH (MFS) is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. Founded in 1984, MFS is a wholly owned subsidiary of Messe Frankfurt and now consists of two areas: Fairconstruction and Media Services. The lasting success of the Group's very first subsidiary is founded on providing exhibitors with the best possible visibility through stand construction and marketing services.
Posted: 18 April 2024
Wholesale marketplace Faire has facilitated 400,000 product orders from 50,000 retailers across the UK since its launch in the market just three years ago. Since 2021, Faire has helped establish 200,000 new relationships between British brands and retailers. The platform, which connects independent retailers with unique and exciting independent brands, now has a retail customer base that totals four times the number of stores across the UK's four largest supermarket chains combined. Jeff Kolovson, co-founder and COO of Faire, said: "It's been a phenomenal three years for Faire in the UK.
Posted: 9 April 2024
The Somerset Toiletry Co. is celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2024, commemorating a successful quarter-century within the gift industry.
To mark this significant milestone, Sakina Buoy is thrilled to announce its '25 for 25' campaign, a series of charitable initiatives.
Over the course of the year, staff across The Soap Bar Cafe, the head office, warehouse, and factory teams will undertake 25 acts of kindness, ranging from charitable donations to community projects.
Over recent years, the company has given local homeless charity BillyChip space to grow and, recently, has become a corporate friend of SWALLOW Charity, which supports individuals with learning disabilities.
Posted: 4 April 2024
The recently launched SmartMax 'My First Build & Drive' took the top spot in three different categories of the Loved by Parents Awards including Best Stimulative Toy 1-3yrs, Best Construction Toy 1-3yrs, and Best Innovative Toy 2024.
With an age range of 18 months to 5 years, the award-winning toy gives children an early introduction to the amazing world of magnetism.
Engaging little minds for hours on end, it is no surprise it was a hit with both the judging panel and the public during the voting stage.
SmartMax's My First Build & Drive takes children on a creative journey.
A 2-in-1 playset, toddlers as young as 18 months can build and play and pre-schoolers from the age of 2-5 can enhance their skills.
Posted: 21 March 2024
Cardzone Group parent company Pillarbox Designs has acquired Clintons, with the company's 163 stores adding to Cardzone's 180 outlets.
Cardzone Founder Pat Taylor said he was proud to be the nation's "only national specialist chain selling quality cards."
Having been owned by the Weiss family since 2012, the deal to purchase Clintons was originally set to take place before COVID."
Cardzone will retain the Clinton's brand name, according to Taylor: "The name is still synonymous with quality greeting card retailing.
"There will be some changes, but we are very excited to be growing our family business with Clintons joining our portfolio."
Posted: 20 March 2024
Despite a festive spending slowdown, the GCVA, in collaboration with Global Data, reveals a compelling shift in shopping habits during the holiday season.
Their nationally representative survey of 2,000 consumers indicates that over 20 million gift cards were exchanged during Christmas 2023, with nearly a third (31 percent) of respondents receiving one.
Interestingly, almost a quarter (24 percent) of those surveyed received more gift cards than in previous years.
Younger generations emerged as the primary recipients, with an astonishing 50 percent of those aged 16-24 unwrapping the gift of a gift card, compared to 18 percent among the 55-64 age group.
The research also showed diverse reasons why gift cards are a popular choice.
Posted: 18 March 2024
Designs by Emmy Lupin, an exciting and highly original artist represented by art licensing and design company The London Studio, have been licensed for a series of 2025 diaries and calendars to be launched across Europe by Dumont Kalenderverlag, one of the leading calendar publishers in Germany, in late 2024.
In total, Dumont commissioned 14 Emmy Lupin images for its 2025 social stationery collections.
Already available to the trade, the diaries and calendars will be on sale to the public, both online and at physical retail, including kiosks, groceries, card shops and department stores, across Europe from Q4 2024.
Dumont's strong presence in Germany and France means it is likely to see a particularly good response from these markets.
Posted: 13 March 2024
Retail is top for local gift card redemptions in the UK in 2023 says Miconex. Primark, M&S, Boots, Next, Sainsbury's, John Lewis and Aldi are within top national retailers.
Around 50 percent of cards are spent with independent retailers and businesses.
Local gift cards are driving spend in high streets and downtowns around the world, says fintech Miconex as it shares key insights from its local gift card programmes.
The range of independent businesses which accept Miconex's local gift cards – usually alongside a range of national brands – makes the cards unique in the sector. A typical 50 percent, and up to 100 percent, of its local gift cards are redeemed with independent shops, restaurants and venues.
Posted: 11 March 2024
This Easter, Décopatch, the leading UK distributor for creative papier mâché shapes, is thrilled to introduce a trio of enchanting additions, promising to infuse your festive celebrations with creativity and charm.Crafting enthusiasts can now explore the art of decopatching with an exclusive pack containing 6 Cracked Eggshells, each possessing its own unique charm. For those seeking additional delight, the adorable baby lamb and the charming bell are available for individual purchase. Ideal for concealing treats, these delightful papier mâché shapes will add a touch of magic to your Easter decor.
Posted: 7 March 2024
