Following a record breaking 10th PG Live this June, Max Exhibitions has announced the launch of a second annual PG Live exhibition. The new sibling show will take place Tuesday 7 January and Wednesday 8 January 2020, at the Business Design Centre in Islington.
Explaining the rationale behind the new additional show, PG Live’s co-owner Warren Lomax said: “We have been urged for some time by publishers and retailers to launch a second PG Live at the start of the year – and so we are!”
As Warren pointed out, “We all know that very start of the year is a hugely important buying time for greeting cards and ancillary product launches. So, when an early January opportunity came up at PG Live’s ‘home’ of Islington’s Business Design Centre, we just had to go for it!”
Giving his unequivocal thumbs up for PG Live 2020, Mark Janson-Smith, md of the Postmark group said: “We will be there with bells on! What great news to hear of a show so soon after Christmas when the minds are fresh and raring to go for the New Year. Nothing quite beats filling the shelves after Christmas with fresh new products and giving your lovely customers an exciting new offering, the sooner the better if you ask me!“
Being an early January show, as well as new everyday collections, it will be ideally timed for Christmas cards, calendars and giftwrap launches too, hence its tagline of ‘Cards. Wrap. Calendars’ for the show. ”
“It’s great Christmas ranges will be featured too at the show,” commented Mark. “As bizarre as it sounds, buying the following year’s straight after it’s finished can lead to much better results as it is all still so fresh in the mind. You remember what you ran out of first and should be buying more of. Congratulations to the PG team.”
PG Live January 2020 will have all the features that have made the PG Live June show so successful and popular, such as delicious free lunches, free hot drinks, a free on-site first night party and special Golden and Silver tickets given free to Retas finalists and winners, as well as monetary vouchers for Greats winners and finalists, to spend at PG Live January 2020.
Like the June show, there will also be an exciting Springboard section for new and emerging publishers.
With news of the show having leaked out, retailers and publishers have been keen to share their views.
As Hazel Walker, Paperchase’s senior buyer commented: “This is such exciting news! I can’t think of a better way to start the new year, especially as it will coincide perfectly with the timing of our buys for the new season!”
Wendy Jones-Blackett, co-owner of the eponymous card company, didn’t hold back on her enthusiastic response: “Ooh that’s exciting… how fab!! We’ve been looking for a suitable January show for ages. There are lots of gift fairs at that time of year, but nothing that really fits our company profile. We love PG Live as a concept anyway, and so marrying in that successful formula at a time of year when the major refreshes and range launches are happening is going to be brilliant! Count us in!”
Another publisher keen to voice their endorsement to PG Live 2020 is Paper Salad. As Claire Williams, co-founder of the company, commented: “From its inception, PG Live has always been our favourite show at which to exhibit. Undoubtedly, the relaxed party atmosphere has helped to form this opinion with the location and duration of the show also being plus points. Most importantly though, we have always seen the buyers and customers that we have needed or wanted to see, plus a few more besides. With plans for the winter version PG Live to be successfully recreated in January we are more than happy to participate!”
Meanwhile, with the January date better suiting calendar releases, Daniel Prince, md of Danilo was also full of praise: “We at Danilo are delighted to support the event. We recognise the importance of trade shows and showcasing our products to our key customers, and we know the organisers will ensure the retail buyers also attend. PG Live has become our most successful trade show over the past few years, and this new event is ideal timing to showcase our calendar and diary ranges alongside our greeting cards.”
Operations director of Max Exhibitions, Simon Boyd, added: “The greeting card industry has really embraced PG Live over the last decade, and we believe that PG Live January 2020 can really do the greeting industry proud.”
A dedicated PG Live January 2020 website is in the throes of being built as PG Buzz went live with the news.
For more details regarding PG Live January 2020 contact Warren Lomax on warren@max-publishing.co.uk or call him on 0207 700 6740.
The new show does not affect PG Live’s summer exhibition, the 2019 show will take place June 4-5.
Top: A second PG Live has been announced for 2020.
