“Calendars are the gift that goes on giving,” David Pike, group director of Calendar Club and Carousel Calendars, told attendees in his pre-Award speech at The Calies 2018 awards event, which took place at London’s historic Stationers’ Hall earlier this week.
“Calendars are great value and like the old Liquorice Allsorts advertisement said, ‘everyone is someone’s favourite’,” he continued. “I would urge retailers to get off the drug of discounts, rebuild their calendar ranges and celebrate calendars as a fantastic gift product. It’s a gift that lasts all year long.”
Also sharing his insights at the Awards event was BrownTrout’s managing director Jack Straw – who was subsequently delighted to be presented with the last award of the night, the prestigious Calendar Ambassador Award 2018- who looked forwards and backwards at the calendar and diary industry, pointing out: “our market is tricky, demanding and, at times, overwhelming. The upside however, is that the inherent obsolescence does mean that each year, everyone needs to go out and buy a new one which is a great concept.”
Welcoming guests, Warren Lomax, joint managing director of Max Publishing, organisers of The Calies, explained: “The Calies not only celebrate the excellence and innovation that exude on the product front, but also serve to champion the product area to retailers of all shapes and sizes as well as corporate clients on the B2B front.”
Award categories recognised and rewarded excellence across the spectrum – from retail calendar titles to B2B bespoke creations – along with diaries and Advents.
Among the winners were Alison Gardiner Designs, BrownTrout Publishers, Carousel Calendars, Danilo, English Graphics, Pomegranate Europe and Pyramid International.
The Calies were judged by a panel comprising retail buyers, and production experts.
Top: Comedian Henry Paker compered The Calies 2018.
