Today (February 26) is a significant date in the UK GCA’s history as its new look branding is unveiled, in preparation for the greeting card trade association kicking off its programme of centenary celebrations and initiatives.
“Greeting cards are all about celebrating and marking life’s events and moments, so it is wholly appropriate that we celebrate the GCA’s own significant 100 year milestone,” said Amanda Fergusson, who took over as chief executive of the GCA at the end of last year. “The new updated logo is just the start, we are working on a whole programme of initiatives and activities that we will be sharing in the coming weeks and months – and we will be encouraging publishers, retailers and suppliers to embrace the opportunity to get involved in celebrating our wonderful industry’s ongoing evolution,” Amanda added.
She explained that the centenary was deemed ideal timing to give the GCA’s branding a makeover. “Being a pre-eminent creative industry, the Council felt it was important that we update our 20 year old branding, while retaining the heritage and having some continuity with our existing logo,” she added.
The new logo was arrived at following a design brief being issued to all Council members’ teams as well as GCA hub’s creative resource. Some 30+ submissions were made, which then went to a vote among Council members and the GCA hub team.
The design that received the highest number of votes, and has therefore been adopted as the new livery, remains largely true to the colours of GCA’s existing logo, and the association’s three letters are depicted in a contemporary lower case font format.
While for the duration of this year, the logo will feature wording that acknowledges the GCA’s centenary, from the start of 2020 this will be dropped and the branding will make no reference to the heritage.
“As we are holding the Speed-dating with Dragons 3 event today [26 February], we felt it was a great opportunity to share our new branding with attending publishers and retailers,” said Amanda, who elaborated that a branding ‘toolkit’ was being developed that members and associate members will be encouraged to use. “The new logo will be uploaded onto the GCA website for members to download easily.”
* The GCA is in good company. Among other events that happened in 1919, it was the year that Alcock and Brown completed the first ever non-stop flight across the Atlantic; that Nancy Astor became the first female MP; when the Treaty of Versailles was signed; when the first Two Minute Silence on Armistice Day was recognised and Bentley Motors was formed.
Top: GCA’s ceo, Amanda Fergusson holding the new GCA logo.
