April 2018
Dear GCA Member:
Spring has finally arrived, and with the onset of this season comes a major holiday for our industry, Mother’s Day. As we start to think about the new ways we can help consumers express gratitude toward the important women in their lives, I also think it is important to consider how we can help consumers celebrate and recognize a mother’s strength. In an interview between Oprah Winfrey and Shonda Rhimes, Rhimes pointed out that greeting cards far too often thank moms for all of the sacrifices that they make for their children, but rarely give thanks for the way moms empower their children. How might we broaden our offerings to help consumers express their gratitude for moms as positive role models and inspiration in their lives? That interview was a few years ago, but many would say the sentiment is more relevant today than ever.
The National Stationery Show (NSS), taking place May 20 through May 23, is quickly approaching. For the second year in a row, the GCA, in partnership with the NSS, is excited to offer GCA members the opportunity to exhibit in the GCA Village. This is a great way for GCA members who may not need a full-size exhibit space to participate in the show, establish new business connections, and launch new products. After a successful debut last year, we’re happy to announce that the GCA Village has sold out this year! We are also pleased to bring back the Meet the Experts event to the NSS. Once again, we will provide attendees the opportunity to learn from and interact with some of our industry’s leaders in a small group setting. This year’s experts will cover a broad range of topics including, but not limited to, the role of the sales rep. and the basics of working with fulfillment centers. The Meet the Experts event will take place on the evening of Monday, May 21 at 6pm in the GCA LOUIE lounge. Please be sure to check it out if you are in attendance; the event is complimentary to GCA members. We also encourage you to bring an industry friend or colleague!
As a friendly reminder, the annual LOUIE Awards will be held on Sunday, May 20 at SPiN New York. We are taking a new approach to this year’s annual celebration of industry excellence and would love for you to join us. There will be casual, street-style food, an open bar, awards and honors, live entertainment, and even ping pong. Members and first-time attendees will also benefit from reduced ticket prices, so please purchase your tickets soon! It is sure to be a night to remember. I would also like to extend my thanks to Molly DelMastro, Marc Salkovitz, and the team at Viabella for leading efforts to bring the LOUIE Awards to life this year with a fun, fresh approach.
Finally, I would like to thank everyone who took the time to complete the 2018 Greeting Card Industry Benchmarking survey. We are so pleased to have such a strong response rate. As a reminder, the goal of this survey is to provide rich insights about our industry and the companies that support us. A special thanks to John Brandt and his team from MPI Group for helping to develop and administer this survey. Please stay tuned for results and analysis, which I anticipate will begin to be available at the National Stationery Show.
Wishing you all the best,
Christy Kaprosy