While The Henries 2018 greeting card awards celebrate the ‘hot hits’ of the current card publishing world, the theme of the awards event (on October 4) will be a blast back to the 1980s.
To get into the spirit of the event, three retailers reveal what they feel were the best things about the 80s and add their picks of what would be good for the industry right now
Kristan Madigan-Miller, director of Cadeaux and Co, Wells and Chipping Sodbury
Your 80s Hot Hits
- Ra-Ra skirts – because if you can’t wear them as a teenager, you never can!
- Michael Jackson – A continuation of loving Jackson 5, ‘Off the Wall’ is possibly the best album of all time.
- Malvern youth centre – for the reasons above!
Industry Boosters?
- An abolition/change of the business rates structure for high streets to create a ‘level playing field’.
- There is so much plastic. Surely outers of cards could be made of a material that is easily recyclable?
Janey Apps, co-owner of Paper Turtle, Lewes
Your 80s Hot Hits
- Taping the charts onto a mix taper and making up dance routines in the garden.
- Morten Harket, the lead singer from A-ha because he was ‘oh so fine’ and is still looking good.
- Neon everything – and just making its comeback.
Industry Boosters?
- Regeneration and investment in the high street.
- Consistent, mediocre weather.
- To introduce a sliding scale of VAT registration making expansion worthwhile.
Katy Sales, buyer of Supersales in Nuxley Village, Belvedere
Your 80s Hot Hits
- Watching Dirty Dancing over and over and over again!!
- Wearing shell suits!!
- Loads of hair scrunchies!!
Industry Boosters?
- Free high street parking.
- Lower postage stamp costs.
- More social media exposure from celebrity endorsements about the joy of sending and receiving cards.
