party party

Month: Nov/Dec 2014 Issue 4 Volume 15

PARTY

One Direction

My Little Pony

Teenage MutantNinja Turtles

to life...

Bring the

licensed ranges

Frozen

Minions

...with our

TEL: +44 (0)1908 288 500E-MAIL: [email protected]

WEB: www.amscan.co.uk©Amscan 2014, ©Anagram 2014 All rights reserved

1st-5th February 2015, NEC Brimingham, Hall 3 Stand R20-S21 & S20-T21

20th-22nd January 2015, Olympia Kensington, Stand B75

EditorRhys Thomas

[email protected]

Advertisement ManagerPaul Yeomans

[email protected]

Publishing DirectorMark Naish

[email protected]

Production DirectorPaul Naish

[email protected]

Managing Director Malcolm Naish

[email protected]

Circulation ManagerRobert Thomas

[email protected]

Party Party team

November/December 2014 Issue 10 Volume 14

The views of the contributors expressed in this journal are

not necessarily those of the publisher. Comments, letters and

criticism are welcome.

P U B L I S H I N G

Lema Publishing Ltd1 Churchgates,

The Wilderness, Berkhamsted,

Herts, HP4 2UBTelephone: 01442 289930

Regulars7 Leader with Rhys Thomas

8 News – what’s the latest?

9 Party Patter – we check in with independent

retailers

10 Exhibition News – updates from the trade

show calendar

12 Licensing News – the latest from the licensing

world

14 What’s New – unmissable new products

15 Quick fi re round – with Charlotte Cox,

Marketing Executive, Amscan

16 Retail Interview – with Thingimijigs

Features18 Theme Nights – we look at the top

themes driving dress-up sales

28 Foil balloons – this balloon category

is shining bright!

36 Face Paints and Body Art – the

latest from this creative category

Special Report37 Halloween Dream – three premiere

party suppliers told us what sold best this

Halloween, and what to keep an eye out for

next year

Columnist26 Talk to an Angel – what should retailers do

during the quiet, early months of the year?

Emma Angel explains

34 Mark Brett gives us his rather candid lowdown

38 The Word – BAPIA’s John Bowler makes a

special announcement

39 Recipe of the month – boost

sales with this month’s balloon

design

Flip Cover SpecialR H Smith & Sons celebrates its

120th anniversary with a special

fl ip cover this issue. Flip your copy

over to fi nd out how the company is

investing in you, and the bestselling

dress-up you can’t afford to miss!

At the heart of retail

contents

18

28

37

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COLOUR & KEEP MASKS & CUTOUTS

of the industry, and what happened when a

freak fl ood left the offi ce a little damp back

in June!

For any big celebration or party, balloons

are a must. The wow factor of foil balloons

make them a perfect centre-piece and their

well documented popularity on Valentine’s

Day continues. You can check out the

latest foil balloon releases on page 28. As a

bonus, resident balloon design expert, Sue

Bowler, has put together an extra special

‘Valentine’s Guy’ sculpture in this month’s

Balloon Recipe on page 39. Combining

romance and foil balloons, it’s a match

made in heaven.

But you don’t have to be celebrating

a big occasion to get dressed up. Theme

nights are as popular as ever and a big

driver behind the sale of fancy dress. You

can fi nd out what themes have party-

goers getting in character on page 18. Plus,

Hollywood-grade temporary transfers and

role-play face paint kits for kids lead the

charge for body art, which you can fi nd out

more about on page 36.

We also spoke to Thingimijigs, the online

retailer for busy mums, to fi nd out how

party products fi t in with their offering.

It’s certainly an interesting read, which

you can fi nd on page 16. Plus, we spoke

to some independent retailers on page 9

to gauge how 2014 has shaped up, how

they merchandise their shop and more. We

look forward to speaking to more of you

for the full-year report from the shop fl oor

following the Christmas rush.

Party Party will be back in the New Year

with everything you need to plan your visit

to Spring Fair. Next year’s show is shaping

up to be a fantastic one for the party

industry, and the Party Party team can’t

wait to see all the fantastic new products.

It’s full steam ahead now to the end-of-

year celebrations. It’s one of the busiest

times of the year for any retailer, but

certainly an exciting and profi table one for

party shops. Hopefully we can all take a

quick break and enjoy the fantastic party

products ourselves.

Have a great time however you choose

to party through into the New Year, and

we’ll see you all in 2015!

message from the editor...

Rhys Thomas

TableWareINTERNATIONAL

W O R L D W I D E

T O D A Y

licensing

magazine

Also published by Lema Publishing

P U B L I S H I N G

If you would like to subscribe to any of our other market leading titles please call Robert Thomas on01442 289930 or email your request to [email protected]

At Heart of Retail

There’s no better time to join the

party industry than slap-bang

in the middle of Halloween,

Christmas and New Year, three

hugely important dates on the party

calendar. The keen eyed among you will

have seen me crop up from time to time

dressed in some fantastic outfi ts; last

month’s leader saw the return of me in

Opposuits’ eye-catching Testival suit, and

I look forward to continuing my modelling

career in future issues.

It has been a great pleasure to speak to

all the suppliers, manufacturers and retailers

for my fi rst issue of Party Party. There’s lots

of excitement and it’s always promising to

fi nd that, by all accounts, everyone has had

a strong year.

Speaking of Halloween, we caught up

with three of the UK’s top party suppliers to

fi nd out what their bestsellers were during

this year’s spooky celebrations and what to

look out for next year. There’s no excuse for

party-goers not to dress up in 2015, with

Halloween falling on a Saturday, so we can

expect some extra business. You can fi nd

more on that on page 37.

I have to admit that Halloween is a

personal favourite of mine, not just because

I love to slap on the gore, but the 31st is

also my birthday. In a strange way, between

all the Halloween costumes I’ve worn over

the years, and the fact that I’ve marked all

my major age milestones with a Halloween

party, I’ve unwittingly been in training for

this new role my whole life!

I turned 25 this year, but that doesn’t

hold a candle to R H Smith & Sons, which

is celebrating its 120th birthday - an

incredible achievement. The Party Party

team travelled up to the Gainsborough

head offi ce to raise a glass and fi nd out

how the team has been celebrating. You

can read all about that in our very special

fl ip cover. Simply fl ip your magazine over to

fi nd out how the company behind Smiffys

and Fever is investing in the future health

I turned 25 this year,

but that doesn’t hold a

candle to R H Smith &

Sons, which is celebrating

its 120th birthday - an

incredible achievement

www.partypartymag.co.uk8

NEWS

Dubai balloon conference goes off with(out) a bang!Balloon artists from around the world gathered for the fi rst-ever

balloon conference in Dubai in October. The Great Arabian Bal-

loon Adventure, held at the Novotel Al Barsha, also brought six of the world’s top balloon

instructors from Europe and America together to share their knowledge over 24 classes for

retailers, decorators and entertainers. John Preston, the event’s Director, said: “Dubai is a

great place to hold this event. The city aims to produce the biggest and the best, and we

are wanting to create the biggest and the best balloon sculptures the world has ever seen”

GOSH, the party industry is generous!BAPIA is continuing to build its relationship with Great Ormond

Street Hospital Charity (GOSH). The charity recently came to

BAPIA with a request for some balloons to brighten up the

children’s Halloween party and create a real party atmosphere.

Of course, the party industry stepped up, with Amscan and

Qualatex supplying foil balloons and BOC sending across some

helium to show the balloons at their best and give the party a

real lift!

The high profi le of GOSH is a great platform to spread the

positive message of parties. The event made it into The Daily

Star with a two-page spread, and regular volunteers congratu-

lated everyone who contributed to the party, commenting that it was the best they

had seen it.

John Bowler, Chief Executive of BAPIA, said that there hasn’t been a person, com-

pany or organisation that hasn’t wanted to get involved in some way since BAPIA fi rst

became involved with GOSH.

“It is extremely humbling and impressive to see people offering their time, services

and products,” he said. “I really cannot express how grateful I am but more importantly

how grateful GOSH is and what a difference it makes to the children at the hospital.

Thank You!”

Opposuits attract awardThe young, creative team at

OppoSuits are used to receiv-

ing nods of approval, laughter

and raised eyebrows in reac-

tion to their range of irrever-

ent suits. But now the Dutch

company has received some-

thing a little more offi cial: the

award for Best Small/Medium

Enterprise, which they picked

up at the Golden Bridge Trade

& Export Award in London on

Thursday 20 November 2014.

The group of fi nalists

consisted of innovative and

successful Dutch companies

exporting to the UK, and repre-

sented a diverse range of busi-

nesses. This year marked the

awards’ 18th edition, hosted by

the Netherlands-British Cham-

bers of Commerce (NBCC).

OppoSuits was named win-

ner, praised for its creativity,

growth and potential for taking

the international fancy dress

market by storm with a bold

and quality fashion concept.

The NBCC said: “The jury

was impressed by the fact

that in just a couple of years,

the company has grown into a

staggering multi-million pound

business servicing both con-

sumers and retailers in more

than 50 countries around the

world”.

Pictured: OppoSuits co-

founders collect their award,

(L-R): Guus Bakker, Jasper

Castelein and Jelle van der

Zwet

Rubie’s Masquerade acquires Bristol NoveltyRubie’s Masquerade Co. UK Ltd. has acquired Bristol Novelty Ltd. The directors of both fi rms

announced that Bristol Novelty had joined the Rubie’s family of companies on Friday, 28

November 2014.“We are absolutely thrilled to have reached an agreement to bring Bristol

Novelty into the Rubie’s family,” said Rubie’s Vice-President EMEA & Australia, Chris Isitt. “It is a

strong, independent and profi table business with the potential for considerable further growth,

and an ideal complement to our existing licensed business in Europe. “We are also delighted

that both Chris and Kevin Bater have committed to the new structure for the next few years.

Their immense contribution to the Bristol Novelty business over the last 30 years has been the

foundation of the company’s success. We look forward to working with them and their excellent

team to expand the product line and distribution channels for 2015.” Chris and Kevin Bater, joint

Managing Directors, confi rmed that the new Bristol Novelty has exciting expansion plans, and is

looking forward to taking advantage of the many brands available from the Rubie’s group and

the opportunities presented by its European distribution base.

www.partypartymag.co.uk

Party Patter! Regular

Kirsty Hart, The Card and Party Shop, Harleston, Norfolk

Party retailing is in Kirsty’s blood. Her family have run shop for 16

years, and she has recently begun to take a more central role.

How has 2014 been for you?It’s certainly been busier

towards the end, especially

Halloween which is always

a good time of year for

us. Children in Need was

a surprisingly busy event

for us this year. The kids all

dressed up for the super

heroes theme, and that’s

a strong theme for us

anyway.

How was Halloween for you and what was popular?Halloween was great. Face

paints,

blood and

accessories

all sold well.

Werewolves

seemed to

be really popular, but anything spooky really.

What do you predict will be the big themes or trends of 2015? Super heroes will continue to be popular, they always are and the

new movies coming out make them even more so.

How do you merchandise your store and how important is it? Our shop is quite small, so there’s no space for big balloon

displays. We always take advantage of our window displays

though. Star Cutouts’ life-sized super heroes and Disney products

always draw the customers in. We dress up mannequins as well,

depending on the season.

What did you go as at your last fancy dress party? I think I actually went as a Gangster, which was good fun!

Party Party talks to retailers to fi nd out the latest word on the street

Party Patter!P

[email protected]

Party Party loves

to hear your views!

Share your thoughts

with us now!

email:

Becky Lee-Allen, Frog Orange Party, Oxford, Oxfordshire

Becky Lee-Allen and her partner Lucy are party industry veterans.

Their newest store opened three years ago, and they have a

burgeoning corporate and private balloon decorating business.

How has 2014 been for you?Certainly a lot better than 2013, and slightly better than our

opening year. We’ve only had this store open for three years, but

it’s certainly promising looking

to the year ahead.

How was Halloween for you and what was popular?It was our best ever

Halloween, and although

we’ve only had the shop

for three years we broke all

records by a mile. We had

queues out the door and our

accessories did the best. We

ordered in the new Tinsley

Transfers FX tattoos from

Angels and they sold out!

What do you predict will be the big themes or trends of 2015?We always try and look for

things that are a little bit

different, so we’re not really

trend driven. Halloween is the

best time of the year for us and

Witches sold really well this year, so I’d put my money on that.

How do you merchandise your store and how important is it?We always dress up for seasonal events. We got all face-painted

up for Halloween this year; it’s the perfect advert and a great way

to show off the product ‘in the fl esh’ so to speak. Our balloon

business means we can create some fantastic balloon displays

and we have a nice amount of space to show them off.

What did you go as at your last fancy dress party? It was an eighties-themed party, and I went as Adam Ant! Who

else?

9


EXHIBITION NEWS

Get ahead for Halloween 2015!The Halloween and Party Expo, which runs from

February 6-9 2015 in New Orleans, will showcase

educational sessions.

Visually appealing party and costume stores

always get the most foot traffi c, and where there

are shoppers, there are sales. At the Expo, Linda

Cahan of Cahan and Associates will offer advice for

maintaining the best store front possible.

At the Expo, Anne M. Obarski, Executive Director

of Merchandise Concepts will offer tips on how to

train a fantastic customer service team and suggest

moves managers can take to create happier, more

productive employees. Small business owners look-

ing to build a strong team and make the most of

networking and technology can also pick up some

tips from Dave Fellman, President of David Fellman

and Associates on how smaller retailers can stay

visible in an expansive marketplace.

Potential attendees can visit halloweenpartyexpo.

com to learn more about these sessions and other

fun and informative events taking place at the

Halloween and Party Expo, as well as register to

attend for free. And with retail sales going up this

Halloween season, so are booth sales and registra-

tion numbers for the 2015 Halloween & Party Expo.

“Sales are always best when Halloween falls on

the weekend,” says Kim Dean, the lead buyer for

Wally’s Party Factory, a large chain of Halloween

and party-supplies stores in Texas and Oklahoma.

The 2015 Expo promises to have an even better

roster of exhibitors, as the space on the show fl oor

has almost reached maximum capacity.

Your weekly slice of ChristmasYou could become the star of the sector thanks to the new Webspecial

for Christmasworld 2015.

To shorten the time to Christmasworld 2015, the sector highlight in

Frankfurt am Main between 30 January and 3 February, the team at

show organisers Messe Frankfurt has put together something special

online. Each week the new Webspecial will offer valuable information

on visiting the fair, impulses, hints and ideas, and advice from the ex-

perts on how to be even more successful in day-to-day business.

There is also an invitation to take part in a competition, with every

twentieth participant who answers correctly winning two admission

tickets for the show! Interested? Then take the plunge and head over to

www.christmasworld-at-its-best.com.

Held annually in Frankfurt, Christmasworld presents the latest

products and trends for all festivities of the year and provides

innovative concept ideas for decorating large-scale and outdoor areas

for the wholesale and retail trades, shopping centres, DIY markets and

the green sector.

Toy Fair TV is back!The British Toy and Hobby Association

today confi rmed Toy Fair TV is to return

for its third year - at Toy Fair 2015.

Hosted by TV presenters Anna William-

son and Gavin Inskip, Toy Fair TV will

fi lm live across the show fl oor and in the

Toy Fair TV studio.

Toy Fair TV will be broadcast live on

24 screens around Olympia throughout

all three days of Toy Fair 2015.

Toy Fair, the UK’s only dedicated toy,

games, and hobby trade exhibition, returns to West London’s Olympia

on Tuesday 20 through to Thursday 22 January 2015. Registration is now

open at www.toyfair.co.uk. Apply now for a free pass and to avoid a £15

entrance charge.

Prod

ucts:

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Tim

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urgo

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INSPIRING BUYING IN 2015THE NEWEST PRODUCTS, INNOVATIONS AND TRENDS FROM OVER 3,000 EXHIBITORS. REGISTER FOR YOUR COMPLIMENTARY TICKET AT WWW.SPRINGFAIR.COM/PARTYPARTY


Licensing News

Frozen dress-up drives Disney growthDisney’s revenues are up,

in part, due to licensed

costumes and dress-

up. The Walt Disney

Company has reported a

7% Q4 revenue increase,

driven largely by the

strong performance of its

releases at the box offi ce

this summer, and the

continued momentum

of Frozen and Marvel

licensed products.

Frozen, a brand that

has snowballed over

the past 12 months, has

given Disney its latest

merchandising hit. The

entertainment giant said last month that its Frozen licensed

dress-up products were particularly popular and counted

for a signifi cant chunk of its consumer product sales. As of

November, Disney had sold three million Frozen princess

costumes.

The Frozen brand helped boost full year consumer

product sales by 7%, leaving the division standing at $1.1b.

These earnings give The Walt Disney Company its fourth

consecutive year of record revenues.

Are you a licensing guru?LIMA is calling on all ideas-people

to come forward. If you have a

session idea for the Licensing

University at Licensing Expo

2015 in Vegas next June, now is

the time to get your proposal

together, because submissions are

due on December 19, 2014.

As always, the sessions that comprise Licensing

University will cover a broad range of topics affecting

everyone who has an interest in licensing. Through

workshops and panels, the sessions will explore key

licensing topics and trends, as well as provide networking

opportunities.

The Licensing University program will run between 8 June

and 11 June. Topics of particular interest for the Licensing

University in 2015 include consumer spending trends, music

and celebrity licensing, sports licensing, fashion licensing,

retail strategies and trends, and more.

For more information contact Marty Brochstein

at [email protected].

1D perform centre-desk!Boy band

sensation, One

Direction, is

coming to a

desk near you.

Mask-arade

has revealed a

new line of high

quality desktop

standees

featuring the

famous fi ve-

piece. Fully

licensed, fans

can pick up

their very own

standee of Harry, Zayn, Louis, Niall or Liam – or perhaps all fi ve!

Perfect for Christmas stocking fi llers or as a secret santa

present, the life-like cutouts also come wrapped in fantastic new

packaging. The whole line is available now.

Contact [email protected] or call 01926 814292 to order.

Disney’s Elsa From Frozen Deluxe Costume Dress For Kids

www.partypartymag.co.uk 13

Design for life

Introducing: Rachel Ellen PartywarePioneer is recognised by balloon

professionals worldwide for

its range of leading latex,

Microfoil® balloons and Bubble

balloons. Now, in partnership

with award-winning artist

Rachel Ellen, Pioneer offers a

designer line of partyware at

affordable prices that is sure

to delight and impress your

customers!

Rachel Ellen, formerly a

professional ballet dancer, started

her greetings card and stationery

company by

hand painting

cards literally

from the

kitchen table

in her London

apartment. A

year later her

future husband

Justin, also

a former

ballet dancer

(they met in

Phantom of

the Opera in

the West End),

joined the

company and

together they

have achieved great success.

A multi-award winning

company, Rachel Ellen Designs

recently joined Pioneer Europe

Ltd. to produce partyware. The

Pioneer Qualatex® brand is

associated with the very best

quality balloon products and its

Partyware is no exception. The

Bunting and Party bags are made

of paper as opposed to plastic.

The Paper Cups are suitable to

hold hot drinks, the Napkins are

of 3-ply quality, the Paper Plates

are sturdy with good quality

coating, and the Table Cover can

be reused again and again. All

six products come in popular

children’s themes such as Pirate,

Princess, Knight and Ballerina.

Pioneer Europe Ltd. offers the

Partyware Starter Kit at a very

special price. The Kit includes

the entire range of Partyware

and comes with a FREE Spinner

Stand that displays the entire

product line neatly and takes up

very little shop fl oor space.

This is the perfect product

line for any party, gift or toy

retailer to expand its offering and

increase sales.

Tel: +44 (0)1279 501 090

Web: www.thequalatexevent.com

Pioneer launches an exciting new line of quality design-led partyware

www.rachelellen.co.uk

©2014 PBC SB-PP1410023

Pioneer® Europe Limited, 9 Stortford Hall Industrial Park, Dunmow Road, Bishops Stortford. CM23 5GZ Tel: +44 (0)1279 501 090 Fax: +44(0)1279 501 091 Freephone: 0800 28 12 15 E-mail: [email protected] www.thequalatexevent.com

Rachel Ellen designs licensed by KJG Ltd

Exclusive partyware designed by award-winning

artist, Rachel Ellen. The range includes top quality

Bunting, Party Bags, Paper Cups, Table Covers,

Napkins and Paper Plates–available in four

popular children’s themes–Pirate,

Princess, Knight and

Ballerina.

Partyware from New improved

pricing. Order today!


Regular New products

Becoming Batman!Mask-arade01926 814292www.mask-arade.comMask-arade has launched three super masks in association

with Rubie’s Masquerade from the Warner Brother’s Batman

franchise, The Dark Knight Trilogy. Fans can don the mask of

the Dark Knight himself, Catwoman, or even Batman’s arch

nemesis, the Joker.

These brilliant masks are among the most effective that the

midlands fi rm has ever released and the team expects this to

translate into strong sales in 2015. The masks are available to

order now, so don’t delay!

Party Party focuses on some of the hottest items on the market this month

Party splasher!Amscanwww.amscan.co.uk 01908 288500Amscan has

announced

the arrival

of a brand

new range of

SpongeBob

SquarePants

party products,

available to

order now!

The global

appeal of this

humourous

character is

phenomenal,

and what’s

more, he is

set to star in ‘The SpongeBob SquarePants movie: Sponge

Out of Water’ to be released in UK cinemas March 2015.

The new range incorporates vibrant colours with the

instantly recognisable characters and is sure to be a hit

with SpongeBob fans. Products consist of everything your

customers would need to hold a fantastic party – from

tableware to birthday letter banners, invitations and more.

Not forgetting Amscan also have a fantastic selection of

SpongeBob foil balloons!

Get in character!Fun Shackwww.fun-shack.com0113 2001050Just arrived in stock, Fun Shack’s latest range of

fun children’s costumes is ideal for World Book

Day. The latest releases offer something fun for

every girl or boy, so order now!

Animal magicAmscanwww.amscan.co.uk 01908 288500Based on

the popular

animated

TV and toy

collection,

Amscan has

launched a

brand new

party range

featuring

The Littlest

Pet Shop,

The 10-piece

range is fully

coordinated

with designs

incorporating

Blythe, Penny Ling the sweet Panda, Minka Mark the hyper

monkey and Zoe Trent, a purple dog who loves to sing. This

fun, girly range is ideal for young animal lovers who are fans

of the show and the toys. From tableware to letter banners

and loot bags the range has everything to set the scene for

a wild time!


Quick Fire Round

15

Quick Fire Round with…Charlotte Cox – Marketing Executive Amscan International Ltd

Childhood idol?

Cinderella

Present idol?

Karen Brady from the Apprentice

Favourite band?

The 1975

Best beverage?

Disaronno and coke

Favourite food?

Chocolate

Favourite curry?

Chicken Bhuna

Most frequented restaurant?

Las Iguanas

Favourite team?

Liverpool

Most watched fi lm?

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

What occupies most of your spare time?

Spending time with friends and family, and running

Last fancy dress costumer you wore?

Zebra onesie

Motto?

Don’t count the days, make the days count!


Retail Thingimijigs

Party Party talks to online retailer Thingimijigs Ltd to learn more about its growing success over the past decade

Successful online retailer,

Thingimijigs Ltd, based

in Burnley, is currently

undergoing a huge

extension to its business

with the help of a 10,000

square foot warehouse. The online retailer

that fi rst started from a kitchen table

over ten years ago now sells more than

2,500 different lines of children’s gifts and

accessories both nationwide and globally

to countries including USA, Australia,

France, Germany and Israel. We talk to

Managing Director Rachael White to learn

more about the company’s unstoppable

success...

How long has your store been running?We established the business in 2004, so

we are celebrating our 10-year anniversary

this year.

Talk us through how the company has grown over the years? We started as a kitchen table company,

with no premises. And now, 10 years later,

we have a turnover of £1.3million per

annum! We are just about to complete

a move to a new purpose built 10,000

square foot warehouse having outgrown

our previous two warehouses.

What have been the highlights since opening the store?For me, it is seeing the staff we have grow as

a team, as we all work together to make sure

the orders are out in time for the customers

and that we offer the best customer service

possible.

In terms of product selection, what guides you?Magazine articles, the ‘vibes’ I get from trade

fairs and the most honest one of all – my

three children! There is no sales patter with

kids – they will tell you if they like a product,

or not, or if their friends would like to play

with it.

How important is fancy dress for you? We have approximately 100 different

fancy dress costumes. Our biggest event

that is most popular is World Book Day.

Unfortunately we do not do as well as we

would like at Halloween when it comes

fancy dress, which I think is due to the

supermarkets’ availability and pricing; we

simply cannot compete on this. I also think

that Halloween can be a last minute thing,

depending if children are trick or treating or

not.

It’s all about the

How do you predict what will sell?With advice from the children and looking

at past trends. There are a lot of different

things that come into this, but sometimes

it can be just as much of a gut feeling for a

licence and/or product

How do you decide on a price point?We have margins that we have to work to

– like many other businesses, we have the

fi xed overhead costs of premises and staff,

and although there is the misconception that

online traders have cheaper overheads, our

postage costs per annum (over 150K), are

something we take seriously (as with Royal

Mail it depends on the size of the item, not

necessarily the weight). This means that

some of the lower price point pocket money

items are not worth us stocking if they have

to go packet rather than large letter.

Which party product is your bestseller? Fancy dress costumes – across the board,

depending on the time of year, depends

on which costume. Frozen Elsa costume

anyone?

What is the strongest category?Again, this depends on the time of year –


March is Costumes for Books Day, August

is Backpacks and Lunchbags for Back to

school, the run-up to Christmas sees the

uplift in all categories.

Do you sell licensed products? Which is the most popular?In the short term and most recently it would

have to be Frozen and Despicable Me 2. But

long-term, it is still Jake and the Neverland

Pirates, as well as Thomas the Tank Engine.

Which is your strongest licensed range?Licensed Backpacks do especially well.

What have been your top sellers in 2014?Frozen costumes, Minions Backpack, Disney

Princess Make-up Set.

How do you see the state of the party industry currently? I think that the lower price items still do

well, but we notice that customers may

not purchase full ranges, and may pick and

choose items for a party, so that the feel of

the party is there, but that some savings

have been made, ie. maybe they purchase

the party plates and tablecloth but miss out

the cups etc. These are usually not noticed,

but can save the customer money.

What do you see for the future of the party industry?I think this will remain fairly static in the

smaller age group, as these parties tend to

stay at home, but in the slightly older age

range, third-party parties (ie. at venues),

are taking away the homegrown party, and

impact on the items that customers purchase,

as they do not need the full range if someone

else is providing food or entertainment.

What is your personal favourite product that you stock? I Love the 20-piece girls’ hair sets as they are

so cute – they make great party bag gifts

and little girls love the pictures on the clips

and bobbles.


Feature Theme Nights

18

Hello sailor!

will become more popular, as well

fairytale inspired costumes. Everybody

understands these themes,” Trudi points

out.

“More and more movies are inspired

by comics and fairytales. Evidently more

costumes are inspired by these movies.

People love to escape from reality

by dressing up as someone different,

someone they look up to for a night or

two. It is defi nitely something people

enjoy doing and will enjoy doing for a

long time.”

So with that in mind, make sure your

store is brimming with lots of lovely

dress-up and watch your customers

transform.

If you take your lead from

the great Dolly Parton,

you’re no doubt workin’

9 to 5, Monday to Friday.

Although granted, those

are not exactly the working

hours of a regular party retailer

- your customers, however, are

a different story.

So once the weekend comes,

they want to leave their hair

down and there is nothing

a vast section of the adult

population like doing more

than releasing their inner

sailor, nurse, doctor or ancient

Egyptian.

As a party retailer, it is your

job to supply them with the

most fantastical of dress-up

products, but as with most

things, fashion plays a part in

this sector.

So what is hot and what’s not on the dress-up scene today? Trudi Pijnacker, Operations

Manager with Leg Avenue Europe

says that in terms of popularity,

they are seeing sales in their

military uniforms and pirate

collections.

“But don’t forget the

German Beer Girls for all the

Oktoberfest parties!,” she adds.

Trudi explains that regardless

of the occasion, the dress-up

themes mentioned are always

popular. “They suit every occasion

be it a themed party, a hen night,

Halloween, New Year’s eve and

even Carnival. These costumes can

basically be worn throughout the

whole year and it’s an easy option

when you want to look good and

feel sexy.”

So what is selling?

Alone with the

obvious price-point,

key for any retailer

is knowing what is

going to sell well.

Trudi also points

out that for a

themed party, it is

key that everybody

understands the

theme. So what

are people buying?

“We see that the

accessories and

the ready-to-

wear costumes

like military and

uniform have done

extremely well, like

every year. We still

see big demand in

traditional characters

in a new original and

risqué design. We

believe this was

the combination

people were

looking

for.”

Who doesn’t

love a good theme?!

Like any fashion

store, because in one

sense, party retailers

are fashion-led stores,

trends are important.

So what should you be

stocking up on for 2015?

Look towards the licensing

side of things with

superheros and fairytales.

“We believe the themes

next year won’t change

drastically. However, we

think that superhero-

inspired costumes

Themed party nights are an absolute blast for anyone who attends them. As more and more people get to grips with letting their hair down and dressing up, Party Party takes a look at this dynamic sector which is brimming with fun, frivolity and sales

“These costumes can basically be worn throughout the whole year and it’s an easy option when you want to look good and feel sexy” Trudi Pijnacker, Operations Manager with Legs Avenue

“

”




20

Panto party night!actingtheparty www.actingtheparty.co.uk

[email protected]

Acting the Party

usually produce party

games for children,

with varying themes.

However, they have one

unusual theme that can

be enjoyed by the whole

family.

And it is very much

a seasonal party – this

is a ‘Pantomime’ party!

So how does it work?

Well, the game comes

in a small plastic case,

similar to those holding

DS games, but inside it

has a USB memory stick.

On it are MP3 fi les and PDFs. The idea is that you

print out the PDFs and play the audio. The audio has

entertainment lasting an hour and a half, with the

puzzles and games played when told to do so by the

narrator.

The narrator for this party is Graham Seed, the actor

who played Nigel Pargetter in The Archers. He gets

everyone up and acting, singing and dancing to a

humourous story, not

unlike Cinderella – the

main character being

Ashley-Ella.

You can play with

four people upwards

more than 10 people

though and some of

the characters need

to be ‘doubled up’.

The story has great

production music and

sound effects to help

the ‘actors’ along.

There are no scripts

to learn or read out,

just simple actions making it akin to charades with

backing vocals!

Within the story are games, puzzles and carols –

with one of the carols having lyrics like no other! All of

these are on the PDFs ready for you to print out and

play. You can bring extra props should you wish, and

if you happen to have a pantomime cow outfi t lying

around, there is a little scene for you to wear it in.

Acting the Party was founded by Claire Hainstock,

who recently received two awards at the British

Invention Show for her new product.

Party the night awayAmscanwww.amscan.co.uk

01908 288500

When it comes to themed

nights Amscan has it covered

with a diverse collection of

party products from the classic

rock ‘n’ roll ‘50s theme to the

neon-coloured totally ‘rad’ ‘80s ensemble. In

addition to ranges on other popular themes

like Western, Casino and Hollywood, Amscan

has everything to completely transform a

setting into something spectacular.

Amscan’s largest themed party collection is the ever-popular

Hawaiian collection including more than 125 products. There

is a huge variety to choose from to create a totally tropical

paradise! New additions to the range this year include nine

vibrant decorations, such as cut-outs, hanging decorations,

centrepieces and garlands with designs highlighting the

hibiscus fl ower; a key symbol of the Hawaiian trend.

What makes this theme so popular is that it is perfectly

suited to all ages, the bright tropical colours are sure to get

everyone into a party mood, party guests can easily dress up

to look the part. The collection includes a wide choice of hula

skirts, leis and accessories in sizes to fi t both children and

adults. The new Hula Girl kits include a full outfi t, so are a great

impulse buy for customers that need to fi nd something to

wear fast!

No masking qualityBristol Novelty0117 972 4012

www.bristolnovelty.co.uk

When it comes to theme nights during

the Christmas and New Year period,

no-one is better placed to offer such

a comprehensive range of costume

accessories than Bristol Novelty.

The company has already seen a few

spikes for our

Masquerade

Eyes Masks

and expects

this to increase as we head into the

winter festival ball season. Bristol

Novelty has over 500 high-quality

eyemasks and continue to

increase their range each year,

maintaining their reputation

as leading supplier for

costume accessories.

30. 1 – 3. 2. 2015

Become the star of your industryMore than 920 top exhibitors from 39 countries will be showcasing the industry’s best ideas at the world’s leading trade fair for seasonal and festive decorations – here you’ll fi nd “Seasonal Decoration at its best”. Make the most of this brilliant trend and ordering platform and forge valuable contacts with the stars of the industry. www.christmasworld.messefrankfurt.com

Seasonal Decoration at its best

[email protected] Tel. +44 (0) 14 83 48 39 83

Get the latest information



Get creativeCreative Partywww.creativepartyltd.com

Tel: 01202 590222

Theme nights are a trend

that never go out of style

and they provide a great

excuse to get dressed up

and celebrate with friends!

Creative Party has theme

party ideas suitable for any

event and for a variety of

ages. With New Year’s Eve

fast approaching, why not

make your party stand out

from the rest by hosting a

theme night?

The Reel Hollywood

Theme will add a touch

of Hollywood glam to any

evening. The easy-stick

room decorating panel

and imitation red carpet

will make guests feel like a

celebrity for the night!

Creative Party’s brilliant

Card Night range enables

any room to be turned into a

fabulous casino. Experienced

poker players and beginners

alike will love the bold red

and black colours of the

theme. The Card Night

Cookie Cutter set can also

be used for savoury snacks

such as sandwiches and

pizzas, making it an ideal

addition to a stylish New

Year’s Eve bash.

Fun times aheadFun Shack0113 200 1050

www.fun-shack.com

Theme nights have always been a popular option for fancy dress parties but they are

becoming increasingly popular as people are more creative and innovative in their approach

to what they class as a theme party – just about every character or costume can be classed

under a theme.

With New Year’s Eve on the horizon, there will be many theme parties to be had, and Fun

Shack can already see which themes will be a popular choice. At Fun Shack, the decades are

proving to be a popular choice, with the ‘20s, ‘50s, ‘60s and ‘80s looking to be the winners.

Fun Shack has a wide range of high-quality costumes at affordable prices, ideal for any

themed party.

Party on me heartiesInCharacter0845 180 6545

[email protected]

www.angelsdistribution.co.uk

Pirate parties are popular all year round and you can make a

statement with the whole family getting in on the action with

InCharacter. For the babies, there is Cap’n Stinker, Tweens

Swashbucklin’ Sass, Teens Pirate Babe and for the adults Pretty Pirate,

Buccaneer Beauty (part of the plus size range) and Dead Man’s Chest.

22

A theme for everyoneLeg Avenue00 31 24 240 3444

www.legavenueeurope.com

Leg Avenue truly has something for everyone with their exciting range. A real hit this year

is the military theme but don’t restrict yourself! Here are some of the highlights from

Leg Avenue: Mix and match your outfi t to create a unique look. This Swat body harness

(pictured right) with garter IPhone holder and walkie talkie cord is ideal for mix and

match. Only for the brave ladies, the set includes a propeller cone bra top with duel

strap detail, high waist skirt with bomb aced, arm cuff and matching hat.

Alternatively, drive your enemy crazy in the sexy “Camo Doll” costume set. The set

includes a romper with net panel detail, belt and matching hat.

Lederhosen were never as pretty as they are in the “Edelweiss Lederhosen” costume

set, which includes an embroidered stretch velveteen lederhosen with authentic bub

suspenders and matching peasant top.

Then there’s the Storybook Cinderella Costume Set with Sequin Corset, Tutu Skirt, Arm

Puffs, Choker And Headband or the Costume Set Psycho Nurse Sally, Garter Dress, Face

Mask, Arm Piece And Headpiece.



24

Join the Party and Increase your sales!QualetexTel: 0800 28 12 15

Web: www.thequalatexevent.com

Mardi Gras is all about music,

parades, food, fl oats and

excitement! It’s a holiday

celebrated annually in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. Clad in

the bright colours of purple, green and gold, and adorned

with long colourful beads, Mardi Gras is celebrated on the

streets of New Orleans and in private celebrations around

the world.

Over the years, Mardi Gras celebrations have taken off in

popularity, and along with this, costumes and decorations

including balloon decor have exploded. Due to popular

demand, Pioneer Europe Ltd. has updated and refreshed its

Qualatex collection of Masquerade balloons to enhance any

party decor. Masquerade designs are now available in a 22”

Bubble Balloon, an 11” latex, and a 3” latex.

Qualetex’s Masquerade themed balloons are perfect for

birthdays, proms and other year-round Mardi Gras-themed

events. Co-ordinating products from Qualatex make it easy

to transform a room with inspiration from just one design for

festive and profi table décor.

The drinks are on meRasta Imposta0845 180 6545

[email protected]


Rasta Imposta’s ever-expanding range of

entertaining costumes will ensure this year’s

celebrations are the best yet! Ladies can enter

into the party spirit by choosing the brand-new

Wine Bottle and Beer Mug fi tted outfi ts -

perfect for toasting the birthday boy or

girl. Men can also get in on the action

with larger-than-life foam cut-outs

of Vodka and Get Real Beer Pint,

available in one-size-fi ts-most. Or,

if you want to dress as a couple,

Beer Girl and Beer Man are

great for a celebration; or you

could always pair the Wine

Bottle and Cheese costumes!

Get Real Pink Cupcake, Ice Cream Sundae

and Sweet Eats Cupcake are all great options

for partygoers who enjoy the sweeter things

in life.

Something for everyoneNevitiTel: 0845 638 1358

www.neviti.com

Neviti’s collections are great for creating a party theme with

a wide selection of designs boasting co-ordinating tableware,

decorations and stationery. Keep Calm And Party On is an

enduringly popular theme for adult celebrations right now with

a generic party collection suitable for all special occasions or

specifi c items to celebrate 30th, 40th, 50th, 60th, 70th and

80th Birthdays. The collection features a fun spin on the Keep

Calm Slogan with text such as ‘Keep Calm You’re Only 50’ on

table confetti, bunting and balloons and ‘Keep Calm and wipe

up’ on the ranges’ vibrant party napkins. The range is great

for creating a theme across all aspects of a celebration and

is especially perfect for those who are fi nding reaching that

landmark birthday a slightly unnerving prospect, offering an

element of humour with its message instructing to ‘Keep Calm

and Party On’. For children’s parties Neviti really do have a

theme for everyone with collections from robots to pirates

and owls to fairies. The Dear Zoo collection is fantastic for

themed celebrations, with the opportunity for every child to

become their favourite character from the bestselling book

with the ranges’ fun party masks. The masks come in packs of

8 and include the books’ popular monkey, frog, elephant and

lion characters. As well as a beautiful selection of tableware,

the collection includes co-ordinating invitations – the perfect

way to get guests excited about a theme before celebrations

begin – and co-ordinating party bags and bubbles (the perfect

parting gift for party guests).

Themed parties are becoming more and more popular

and not just for birthday celebrations, but for other seasonal

occasions and events such as baby showers. Neviti has noticed

an increased demand for extra items that co-ordinate with

the collections such as party games, thank you cards and

invites carrying the party theme across every aspect of your

celebration.

HALL 3 T04

028 9064 7119 028 9064 5655 [email protected] palmeragencies.com @palmeragencies

Renowned for:


Regular Talking with an Angel

Spring into 2015!

becoming one of

the biggest fancy

dress events of

the year, Book

Week takes place

between the

3rd and the 7th

of March, and is

defi nitely worth

planning for. Why

not call local

primary schools

in January to fi nd

out what titles

the children will

be reading this

term in order to

anticipate demand

for particular

costumes? Otherwise, there are

classic costumes that are always

hugely popular, and watch out

for any fi lm releases that might

spark interest in the original

books. Paddington Bear, for

example, may well

make a very big appearance

during Book Week in 2015!

March also brings St. Patricks Day and

Purim – both big events in the fancy dress

calendar that need to be planned for in

the early new year. The popularity of St.

Patrick’s Day seems to grow year on year,

and costume retailers have responded

enthusiastically with an increasing range of

outfi ts and accessories.

Meanwhile, come March 4th, the Jewish

community will be donning fancy dress to

celebrate Purim. Many people choose to

dress in costume during the festivities so

make sure you can provide appropriate

products, particularly for children. It’s also

a great idea to advertise in local Jewish

newspapers and magazines, to let people

know what you have, and also about any

special offers you might have planned.

Emma Angel is Director of Angels, the world’s largest and longest-established costume house. Emma has over 20 years experience in Fancy Dress and Angels has two stores, fancy dress website – www.fancydress.com and is the UK distributor of Rasta Imposta, InCharacter and Tinsley Transfers. Emma is the sixth generation of the family to work for the Oscar-winning company and is the fi rst female member to take on a directorial role at Angels.

It may not be the most exciting

month in the calendar, but

January really is a great time

to start that spring clean you

just haven’t had time for until

now, and to fully prepare for the

year ahead. After the excitement

(and stress) of Christmas, any

retail environment isn’t as tidy and

organised as it could be, and it will

be Halloween again befor e you

know it! Even something as simple

as wiping down all costume packets

and making sure shelves are given

an extra thorough clean creates

the sense of a new beginning and

will make things a lot easier in the

upcoming months. It also provides

an excellent opportunity to retrieve

any stock that might have been lost down

the back of shelves or tidied away in the dark

corners of stock rooms: you don’t want to

have to tell a customer you’re out of Easter

bunny outfi ts only to fi nd another fi ve hidden

in the back of a cupboard a week later.

Following a Spring Clean, the logical next

step is to do a clear-out. January, with all its

sales, is a time when most people are thinking

about grabbing a bargain, and if you can set

up a few sales bins with any excess stock you

want to get rid of, you can quite easily attract

the forward-thinking customer who wants to

be ahead of the game for 2015.

It goes without saying that fancy dress is

particularly popular amongst the student

population, but did you know that they also

create a signifi cant demand for costumes

around Valentine’s Day? Check out what you

can do to appeal to the student crowd come

January – perhaps the Union or student

newspapers are a good chance to reach new

customers this year? Students love a bargain,

so why not offer them a special rate or a

loyalty discount?

Another thing that absolutely must be a

consideration in January is Book Week. Fast

Top retailer, Emma Angel, Director of Angels costume house, gives her view on getting set for the big dates in early 2015 and highlights some dates which may unexpectedly result in great sales for you

And, of course, one

last thing that cannot be

stressed enough is the

importance of preparing for

Easter. Firstly, make sure you

have more rabbit ears than

you think you could possibly

need because, believe me,

you will need them! For the

kids, keep it cute and keep it

comfortable. Children adore

fancy dress, but they adore

chocolate even more, and

an outfi t that impedes them

from their Easter egg hunt

will not go down well!

There are countless events

and dates to plan for this

spring, so use the brief

downtime following New

Year to ramp up for the

rest of 2015 – you will thank

yourself later!

Fast becoming one of the biggest fancy dress events of the year, Book Week takes place between 3rd and the 7th of March

“

”

Come see what’s

behind the mask.

New Orleans, LA | Feb 6–9

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Feature Foil Balloons

identifi es 18, 21,

40, 50 and 60

as birthdays of

particular note.

But romantic

celebrations –

Valentine’s Day

in particular –

drive the most

signifi cant

sales spikes.

“Valentines Day

is still the most

important day of

the year for foil

balloons. This

is true for retailing and also

for the important POS and

promotional opportunities,”

Ivan explained.

Pioneer Europe’s Andrew

Storey agrees, revealing that

the company’s stars and

hearts shape foils are proving

popular. “Hen night has also

been strong, along with

anniversaries,” he added.

The allure of foil is hard to

ignore, however, and they are

steadily making their way onto

the shopping list of seasonal

party-goers. “We have seen

an increase in shapes sales for

seasonal product,” Andrew

explained. “The Wicked Witch

shape foil, for example, and

Santa Head have done well

this year. These seasons are

more suited to big shape

balloons.”

And with the impact

of printed foil balloons –

Pioneer’s big winners this year

– proving popular, licensed

prints and thematic tie-ins are

fi lling the gaps between key

celebrations and holidays to

The balloon is

the international

symbol for a party.

Tethered to the

handle of a door to

signify a kid’s birthday party,

or clustered in an elegant

display to mark a milestone

wedding anniversary, it

wouldn’t be a true party

without some infl atable fun.

And if there’s one thing any

celebratory gathering can

always benefi t from, it’s a

shimmering centrepiece.

Enter the foil balloon, an

impressive addition to any

celebratory display, which,

whether standalone or part

of a creative design, is sure to

give any party a lift.

With their close association

to parties, the consumer

demand for balloons in

increasingly diverse shapes,

sizes, colours and designs

means balloons are a staple

part of any partyware

retailer’s offering. So it is

encouraging then to learn that

in 2014 foil balloon suppliers

have experienced a strong

year of sales.

Andrew Storey, Product

and License Development

Manager at Pioneer Europe

Ltd. told Party Party that the

company’s range of printed

foil balloons has shown “good

growth” throughout 2014.

He also identifi ed certain

celebrations that have given

the category a real boost:

“We have seen an increased

demand for wedding foil

balloons,” he said. “We will

be expanding our wedding

themed foil

balloon range in

2015.”

But it’s not

just established

names enjoying

a strong

year. Relative

newcomer,

Northstar

Balloons, which

is currently

celebrating only

its second full

year in the UK

market, reports

similarly positive results.

“2014 has proved to be

another year of excellent

growth for Northstar in the UK,

the rest of Europe and also the

Middle East,” said Ivan Smith,

VP Sales – UK and Ireland at

Northstar Balloons. “Our 16”

Air Filled Numbers and Letters

range has proved to be a great

success without diluting sales

of our well established 34”

Helium balloon offer.”

Ivan puts this down to the

quality and inherently long

lasting nature of foil balloons.

He believes that consumers

are willing to invest in a

showstopper, despite the fact

these products often sit in the

higher price bracket. “Very

often, the foil balloon is the

key item in the congratulatory

process,” he explains. “Just

check your local press for

that 100th Birthday picture

– usually complete with foil

balloon!”

Naturally, birthdays are

a big driving force for the

sale of foil balloons, and Ivan

Impressive, fun and most importantly, shiny, foil balloons could be just the ticket to infl ate retailers’ margins. Party Party takes a look at why foil balloons are fast becoming the go-to party focal piece, and how staying on trend could yield great results!

28

elevate the category to a full

evergreen.

“Foil balloons are evergreen.

They work well for events

and movies for short-term

success,” explained Andrew.

“For example, our foil shape

snowfl akes have done really

well thanks to the popularity

of Frozen. Next year with

the 2015 Rugby World Cup

coming to England, we are

stocking up on our Rugby

themed balloons.”

So what can retailers do

to evangelise the quality and

fl exibility of foil balloons to

consumers? Use the products

themselves. Visual displays

are paramount, and Party

Party magazine dedicates

a whole page each issue to

the latest balloon recipes

and tips for good reason.

For all the business that

seasonal festivities, traditional

celebrations and pop culture

trends can drum up, if

shoppers can’t see the full

effect with their own eyes,

retailers are losing out on

potential sales.

“Visual impact at retail

level is the most important

sales driver for foil balloons,

especially for the larger sized

numbers, letters and shapes

where customers can actually

see the infl ated balloon in the

fl esh – or, more correctly, in

the foil,” Ivan explained. “A

good display of infl ated Foil

Balloons will always increase

sales, often very signifi cantly.”

So now is the time to stock

up on those shimmering foils

and get them centre-display!

The great infl ate!

Very often, the foil balloon is the key item in the congratulatory process Ivan Smith, VP Sales – UK

and Ireland, Northstar

Balloons

“

”

[email protected]

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30

Shine bright like a Diamondz!Amscan

01908 288500

www.amscan.co.uk

Amscan offer an extensive range of foil balloons

by leading manufacturer Anagram. Combining

the most innovative formats with leading licensed

and unlicensed designs to suit all tastes and

budgets, there really is a balloon to suit

everyone!

Amscan’s bestselling foil balloon range

in 2014 has perhaps unsurprisingly been

Disney Frozen. The collection of ten

designs has been hugely popular

following the high demand for

the licensed franchise and

shows no sign of stopping!

The award-winning

AirWalker balloons have

been a real game changer

in the balloon market,

providing inspiration and

enjoyment to the younger

generation who can

have their favourite

character in life size!

Recently launched

designs include characters

from Monster High, Scooby-Doo

and Minions.

Another recent innovation is the launch

of Orbz, Diamondz and Cubez balloons.

The three new shapes set a whole new

trend, allowing for four different designs

to be included on the balloon.

The Disney AeroPlay foil balloon takes

things quite literally to the next level, as

it can soar to up to 10 feet high then be

lowered again using a remote control. This

fantastic product pushes the boundaries of being a toy just as

much as it is a foil balloon, making it great entertainment at a

party or to be given as a gift.

Foil’s number one!Creative Party01202 590222

www.creativepartyltd.com

From a milestone birthday to the birth of a new baby, foil

balloons make the perfect gift for a range of special occasions.

Creative Party’s stunning sparkle star numeral foil balloons are

available in black, pink and blue, ensuring all tastes and ages

are well catered for. The black and silver design would make a

fabulous accompaniment to any New Year celebration!



Five-star foils!Northstar Balloonswww.northstarballoons.eu

Northstar Balloons was fi rst established in Minneapolis USA

more than six years ago, but is only just completing its second

full year of trading in the UK and Europe.

Although fairly new to the UK and European markets,

Northstar’s Foil Balloon heritage goes back over 30 years; the

business was set up by Garry Kieves, an original founder and

owner of Anagram Balloons. Northstar initially manufactured

foil balloons for other key balloon and party companies,

together with creating bespoke designs and shapes for the

advertising and promotional industries.

2012 saw the launch of the company’s own Northstar branded

range, with Numbers, Letters and Shapes being key components

of its new offering. The company uses the most advanced design

and manufacturing technologies in the industry, resulting in a

lighter, stronger balloon with a consequent reduction in helium

gas usage, together with fewer bursts and leaks.

2014 saw the rapid expansion of the Northstar line with a

similarly rapid expansion of sales as new and innovative items

were brought to market. These include 3D Spheres and Cubes,

more intricate Shaped Balloons and the extremely successful

range of 16” Air Filled Numbers and Letters complete with

self-sealing valves. This latter line has proved to be a naturally

complementary product alongside the company’s 34” Numbers

and Letters, generating important incremental sales at both

wholesale and retail levels.

Many new and innovative items and ranges are being readied

for introduction in 2015, which retailers can see for the fi rst time

at the Nuremberg and Spring Fair trade shows early next year.

Quality guaranteed!Qualatex0800 28 12 15

www.thequalatexevent.com

Pioneer Balloon Company believes

‘Every Occasion Deserves Qualatex

balloons.’ Always at the leading edge

with its product line, the company

has done its homework to identify the

latest consumer balloon demands and

upcoming trends. In response, with the

combined power of a talented in-house

creative team and state-of-the-art production technology, it is

introducing an expanded line of Microfoil balloons.

And that’s not all! To complement these new foil designs, the

balloon specialist is producing matching latex designs to help

create even more beautiful balloon bouquets and decor. Two

exciting and fun new items in the expanded line include an 18”

Mother’s Day foil balloon featuring a Me to You Tatty Teddy

design, and an 18” Thank You Chalkboard foil.

Pioneer’s new Microfoil range of balloons can be previewed

at the Nuremberg Toy Fair and Spring Fair International in early

2015. Plus, visitors can see the whole new wedding range of

balloons, also being previewed at these events. Whatever the

celebration, Qualatex is the brand you can count on to deliver

quality and innovation.

32


be done in two ways. Either, you seek to maximise your volumes, or you sell low volumes at a high margin. Realistically, if you pursue the former, you have to chase the big boys. Or do you? If you court and supply the multiples, it is like the first ice-cold beer – instant gratification. The results are great. More often than not, the benefits become less obvious. Pressure is put on margins, pressure is put on stock holdings, ranges can be reduced, sales reduced, and the heat is on. If a major is lost, or even goes out of business (Woolworths, Clintons etc.) then life isn't so sweet. And suddenly, SmartyParty Pants Plc. is chasing every independent they've offended and ignored because the WonderfulRetail store group is long gone, importing their own, or has lost all interest in the party market.

Can a balanced basket of customers be achievable? Before answering that question, let us examine why the good independent retailer is important to the party market. In a previous article we examined the USPs of the independent: the ability to spend time with a customer; the advantage of product knowledge and local knowledge to work with the customers, alll of which in turn will ensure repeat business, increase customer spend and spread the word.

If you are a good supportive supplier, the good independent is your point-of-contact with your target consumer. This is the person who will sell your brand and product, secure awareness and longevity – not the WonderfulRetail store group, nor cheapaschipsparty.com. Strong supportive brands are very important to the good independent. If they know they are going to earn money, are confident in the product, and know they can get supply, they will work for you before your competitor. They are the outlet that will build your brand. Their shop is your brand shop window.

It is not the purpose of this column to propose marketing plans for the supply industry. Even, if it were, they would be

ignored. However, in answer to, 'is it possible to supply a basket of various customers?' Yes, it is. And there are examples even within our marketplace. But look beyond to other markets. To be honest, a lot of other retail sectors have more independents to work with. But it should not be beyond the wit of a good supplier to develop various routes to market. Unless you are Coca Cola, or you have licensed product, or a very unique (and saleable) product, you ignore the ‘Indiepartyshop’ at your peril. The tumultuous supplier cry of, 'without volume we would not be able to purchase or produce the product at the price we do, even for the independent' – no argument with that, but it should not prevent imaginative supply initiatives.

Just remember, your target consumer’s first and last experience of your product. Is it the anonymous shelf of a large multi-product retail outlet? Is it the image on a website of 16,000 other party products? Or, is it the experienced retailer who has gone to the trouble of telling the consumer how good your product is, how suitable it is for their purpose and why don’t they try this other item as they were produced specifically to match the original item.

If the good professional independent is not supported and encouraged, their future will be threatened. If they fail, then so will many suppliers. We ignore them at our peril.

PARTY NEEDS YOU!

Retailers... We need Retailers... We need them!them!

Back in the day when Ford Cortinas ruled the M1, German Shepherds were the dog of choice, and a personal music system was the

size of a small kitchen extension, Brits enjoyed partying with cardboard hats, a party blower, crepe garlands and a pack of balloons. If you were really lucky, you might find a retailer selling latex balloons in the colour of your choice. We didn't know any better and we felt we were the party capital of the world. Then came the Americans, to rescue us from our poor party prep.

Initially, it involved a combined wave of latex balloon decoration by Qualatex and Anagram (now Amscan) with their strange foil balloon things. At first, we all pooh-poohed these items as American fads... balloon decoration that would never take off here. It was too gaudy, too American, too expensive. Wrong, wrong and wrong again. Most players in the market, myself included, simply did not see it coming. It didn't happen overnight, of course, but both sets of product started to take hold. The second wave came courtesy of Amscan and Unique, introducing us to party decorations, piñatas, themes, a huge range of loot bag toys and, of course, Halloween product – the like of which we had never seen before.

This was soon followed in the costume market by companies like Rubies. The only UK Company that seemed to see this coming was Smiffys. Without the background of a huge home market (USA) it is hard to see how a UK company could have originated similar product ranges.

So for all this, we have our American Brethren to thank. There is no question that without the Americans, the UK Party industry (maybe even European) would not have developed in the way it has.

Apologies to any company left off the list – it's not supposed to be exhaustive, nor an historical transcript, just trying to paint a picture. Now, that’s the praise sorted.

Traditionally, the distribution chain in the UK was supplier, wholesaler, independent retailers and a few multiples. Now, wholesalers are few, independents are few, multiples are more (in terms of volume), and we also have online retailers. Let’s be quite clear about this – suppliers are not charities, they are there to make a profit. They have to chase the dollar and this can

Columnist Mark Brett explores the relationship between suppliers and independent retailers, and why indies make the ultimate brand ambassadors

INFOIn 1977, Mark began working for the family business, manufacturing and marketing Fantasia latex balloon within the UK and the rest of the world up until 2008 when he set up shop on his own and created the Fantasia brand. Since 2011 Mark and his wife are the sole UK agents for Boland Party, a Dutch company who are one of Europe’s largest party distributors of party and dress up. And that’s not all, Mark has been a Director of HITF Ltd since 1996, and in 2002, he was the founder member of European Balloon and Party Council, holding post as chairman from 2002-2012.

With thanks to www.cwl.nsw.gov.au


Feature Face Paints

36

About Face

An alternative to masks, face

paint, make-up products

and body art can be an

affordable and creative way

to add to any fancy dress

look, while allowing wearers to eat, drink

and talk freely. And the popularity of

using face paints or body art to complete

a look or outfi t is on the rise, say Amscan,

distributors of leading UK face paint

brand Snazaroo. This isn’t just the case

for seasonal events such as Halloween,

either. Using face paints for children’s

events, such as World Book Day, is also

a quick and easy way to create eye-

catching designs, say Amscan. Book

Week is, in fact, one of, if not the, most

popular time for children’s dress-up, with

only Halloween coming close in terms of

sales.

The scope for creativity is one of the

main reasons why face paints do so

well, in particular, offering children the

chance to express themselves. Florence

Wong, trade marketing manager at

leading UK face paint brand, Snazaroo,

says: “Children love to dress up and face

paint has the power to really fi re their

imaginations and bring creative play to

life. Pirate, princess and jungle themes

are always popular for children’s parties.

These are simple to execute, can be

interpreted in a number of different ways,

and as kids always have an appetite for

these types of characters, they really are

timeless.”

And with lots of consumers looking for

value, face painting can be an affordable

way to create a look. Fran Gore, owner of

Fancy Dress Fanatics in Bristol says that

a lot of her customers are students with

low budgets. “They like to put together

something with bits rather than buying a

packet costume or hiring a whole outfi t,”

she says, highlighting how accessories,

including face paints/make-up products

are popular.

When it comes to face paints, Snazaroo

offers an extensive portfolio of face

painting products and entire role play

kits for the ultimate in creativity. It more

than satisfi es the standards set for such

products in terms of quality and safety

– the latter, an especially important

consumer demand particularly for kids.

“My son loves getting his face painted

but my biggest concern has always been

face paint safety as his skin is sensitive,”

Super-creative and budget-friendly, face painting and body art are dress-up techniques on the rise. Party Party highlights looks at what’s on offer

says mother Juliet Godfrey. “So I did my

research and discovered that Snazaroo

face paints are hypoallergenic and non-

toxic. They can also easily be removed

using soap and water.”

With the most popular area for

application being the face, they are all

water-based, making them both easy to

apply and easy to remove.

“At Snazaroo, we are incredibly

dedicated to quality excellence – the

standards of both our internal and

external testing programmes far surpass

the regulations set out for toys and

cosmetics in Europe, Australiasia and US,”

Florence Wong, trade marketing manager

of Snazaroo told Party Party. “As a result,

the products speak for themselves and

customers buy safe in the knowledge

that our products are high quality, easily

removed, non-toxic and suitable for

sensible skin,” says Florence.

Face painting is not just a hit with

kids, but also increasingly with adults.

Angels’ Tinsley Transfers, a new-to-the-

UK provider of temporary tattoos and

make-up effects, have dressed some of

Hollywood’s biggest stars, from Brad Pitt,

to Gary Oldman in Harry Potter.

Tats magic!TINSLEY TRANSFERS0845 180 6545


Founded in 1999 by

Hollywood make-up and

special effects artist Christien

Tinsley, Tinsley Transfers has solely provided Hollywood’s biggest

fi lm and TV productions with custom temporary tattoo transfers.

New in 2014 to the UK market, Tinsley Transfers offers “the most

realistic tattoos available” in a host of lines, from tattoo sleeves

and costume kit tattoos, to face tattoos and 3D FX tattoos. They

come in a variety of designs, including Candy Skull Face and

Cheetah Face, plus more old-school designs such as Tribal Zebra,

Dragon, Koi and Wings XL.

In characterAMSCAN01908 288500

www.amscan.co.uk

The popularity of using face paints

to complete a look or outfi t is on the

rise, particularly for seasonal events

such as Halloween; fuelled by key

trends such as ‘Day of the Dead’ and

zombies. Amscan supply leading

face paint brand Snazaroo and new

additions include a fantastic range

of face painting booklets. Each set

contains four different colours and

instructions to create spectacular characters. Also new are four

exciting role play kits, choose from Pirates, Princess, Knight and

Egyptian Princess. Not only do the sets come with face paints,

but there is also a ‘make your own’ accessory tailored to each

character which kids can get creative with!


Hang-em high with Amscan Party Party magazine

has spoken to

Amscan International

to reveal its top

selling products from

this year’s fright fest.

Hanging

decorations – the

perfect way to

capture bats ‘in-

fright’ or introduce

some creepy crawlies to any

party – are always a popular

choice. And Amscan’s Bat String

and Spider String decorations,

both measuring 2.1m high,

remained the company’s top

sellers throughout

Halloween.

Costumes and

dress-up are big

business at this time

of year, too. So it’s

no surprise that

Amscan’s spooky

and on-trend range

features here.

Bestsellers include

the black hooded Phantom of

Darkness, Harlequinn Honey

(following the popular jester

theme) for women, and the

neon-coloured Miss Matched

Witch outfi t for girls.

Spooktacular celebration! There was cer-

tainly a call for a

party in the Neviti

offi ce this year,

with fantastic

Halloween

sales and great

feedback from

customers on

the company’s

new collections

for 2014. Neviti

launched two new ranges, including the Graveyard

Gathering collection for adults and teens and Trick Or

Treat for children’s celebrations.

Both collections received positive feedback from

customers with Graveyard Gathering being especially

popular as the fi rst adult Halloween collection created

by the team. Successful items in the collection included

the fantastic bottle labels, offering a great way to dress

up party drinks with text such as ‘bats blood’ and ‘devils

brew’, and the hand-shaped glass decorations.

Bestselling items from the Trick Or Treat collection

included Loot Bags, ideal for collecting Halloween

treats, and the vibrant tableware featuring friendly

Halloween characters.

Cathy Locke, Marketing & Sales Support Co-ordinator

at N eviti commented: “We were absolutely thrilled to

receive such positive feedback to our Halloween

collections. It seems the collections really covered the

whole market.”

The team are already working on Halloween col-

lections for next year, and they say they will have

something just as exciting up their spooky sleeves!

Scared silly!Palmer Agencies has had a great

Halloween, with Sales and Mar-

keting Director, Sergio Battaner,

telling Party Party that anything

scary was top of the pops. “Any-

thing zombie-themed was very

strong, including make-up, blood,

liquid latex and

prosthetics,” he

explained. “We

also noticed a big

boost in popularity

for décor and ani-

mated props, even

those in the higher

price brackets.”

The strong sales

performance was

fortifi ed by the

timing, with Hal-

loween falling on

a weekend and

during a school

half-term, according to Sergio.

Kids and male costumes sold

well, particularly those that were

gimmick-free and gruesome.

“Our sales for sexy Halloween

products weren’t as sexy as past

years, and humorous products

weren’t particularly

funny either. It

seems scary and

gruesome is back

in fashion in a big

way. Our scary ac-

cessories were the

big winners this

year, adding that

extra special touch

when decorating.

You don’t party

at Halloween to

blend in after all.

If you do, you’re

doing it wrong!”

Halloween DreamW

e’re slap bang in the middle of party season,

sandwiched between the frights of Halloween

and the delights of Christmas. But let’s just

take a moment, take stock and take a note.

Halloween might only last for one day

each year, but it’s a core sales period for everyone in the

party industry. Making the most of the autumn spooktacular

can be a haunting task, but fear not, Party Party magazine

has spoken with three premier party suppliers – Amscan,

Neviti and Palmer – to fi nd out what their bestsellers were this

Halloween, and what we should be keepng an eye out for for

fright night 2015. Arm yourself with knowledge now, because

with next year’s Halloween falling on a Saturday, it is set to be

a big one!


working with, an organisation

such as EBPC, BAPIA will

become aware of them much

sooner. While EBPC will take any

actions necessary to fight them if

they feel it is necessary - and there

are many occasions when this is

the case - BAPIA can pass the

information back to the retailers

and decorators to ensure that we

work together in the best interests

of our industry.

When we were given the

opportunity to become a member

of EBPC, we immediately agreed.

We believe that by working

together we bring greater

strength and communication to

our industry. It means that any

initiatives or projects can be

handled on a Europe-wide basis

and at all levels, from independent

retailers and decorators

right through to the major

manufacturers and suppliers.

In the same way that EBPC

works for its members and the

industry, BAPIA is working to do

the same for our members and the

industry. We believe that the best

way to support our members is to

bring them benefits such as public,

products and employers liability

insurance as well as legal insurance

as part of the membership fee. We

also feel it’s paramount to promote

the industry as a whole by taking

opportunities to promote the use

of balloons and party products,

such as our involvement

in the Great Ormond

Street Hospital children’s

Christmas party décor,

which this year also

includes Candy Carts

and Face-painters. You

can read more about

that on page 8 of this

issue of Party Party.

We aim to achieve

direct referrals for our

members, such as recent

national store openings

that were passed onto

our members who

have so impressed the

clients that they keep

asking for more referrals.

BAPIA also produces a

regular hard-copy newsletter for its

members. If you would like to see

a copy of the latest issue, we will

be more than happy to send one

out if you let us know your address

at [email protected].

Membership of a trade

organisation for your industry

brings many benefits, and at

BAPIA we are constantly striving

to achieve more benefits and

bring more useful information and

opportunities to our members.

If you would like any more

information on BAPIA and what

it can do for you please go to our

website at www.bapiaonline.com

or e-mail us at info@bapiaonline.

com.

THE WORD from

Continental shiftContinental shift

BAPIA has recently

become a member of

the European Balloon &

Party Council. EBPC is a

Europe-wide association currently

made up of 32 key European

players from the balloon and party

industry. As an organization, EBPC

is working hard to represent its

members, and the industry as

a whole, on relevant key issues

that arise within the EU, while

also providing its members with

communication on new directives

and legislation.

As an industry, it is critical that

we have some representation

within Europe; we are a part of the

EU, and as such will be affected

by any decisions taken by the

European authorities.

Many of us would not

necessarily be aware of possible

legislation that may directly affect

us until its too late, and we would

be powerless to do anything about

it anyway. By being a part of, and

Columnist John Bowler explains why a new move from BAPIA will give the UK party industry more infl uence in Europe, strengthen the industry’s international standing, and why now could be the best time to become a BAPIA member

INFOFor more information on BAPIA and the benefi ts of membership go to www.bapiaonline.com or contact John on [email protected]

As an industry, it is critical that we have some representation within Europe; we are a part of the EU, and as such will be affected by any decisions taken by the European authorities.

“

”


Balloon Recipe

Are you ready for Valentines Day? Making quick and easy designs like this Valentines Guy is the perfect thing to attract attention and get the heart racing. You can easily add value by adding a bouquet of beautiful Valentines helium fi lled balloons, or simply add a 4” Air-fi lled heart!

Ingredients:

5” Red x 10

350Q Red x 1

260Q Red x 2

Naughty Smile & Kiss Microfoil® Balloon

Balloon Weight

Method of Construction:

1 Starting from the base, infl ate four-balloon cluster sizing 5” balloons to 4.5”.

2 Create second four-balloon cluster infl ated to 4” and secure to the base cluster.

3 Infl ate 350Q approx. to 12”, secure the knotted end into the base cluster and tie off the 350Q at the point where the balloon has been infl ated to.

4 Create another four-balloon cluster, sizing the balloons to 3.5”, and secure to the 350Q.

5 The fi nal 4-balloon cluster needs to be small - approx. 2”. Secure this to the 3.5” cluster.

6 Infl ate the Microfoil® ‘head’ with air and secure this to the top cluster (I use a small scrap of 160Q to do this).

7 The arms are made from the 260Qs, infl ated to approx. 8”. Add 2 small pinch twists at the knotted ends. Infl ate 2 x 5” to 1.5” and add each of these into the double pinch twists to create the hands. Finally tie the 2 arms together, but leave some stretch between the 2 arms and slip these into position.

Valentines Guy

39

Sue Bowler writes ‘The Very Best Balloon Blog’. To see

more great design recipes and balloon related articles visit

www.theverybestballoonblog.blogspot.com

For more great Valentines Day inspiration, check out The Very Best Balloon Blog: www.theverybestballoonblog.blogspot.co.uk.

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both potential licensees and retail-ers.

To find out more please contact Paul Yeomans on +44 (0) 1442 289930 or email her at [email protected]

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Month: September 14 Issue 10 Volume 17 www.nursery-today.co.uk Independently auditedABC circulation of 4514 1 July 2013 to 30 June 2014

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January 2012 • Issue 6

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Month: September 2014 Issue: 8 Volume: 25

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FeaturesLicensed Gifts

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Month: Nov/Dec 2014 Issue 4 Volume 15


Family FirstFew companies can trace their history back more than a century, but 2014 marks R H Smith & Sons’ 120th anniversary. With its dedication to quality products and outstanding customer service, the fi rm continues to boast some of the party industry’s leading brands. Party Party took a look at the family-run business to learn how the core philosophies of its storied history can still be seen in the business today, and how the company is investing heavily in its future

2014 has been a milestone

year for R H Smith &

Sons, and an eventful

one at that. The company

celebrated its 120th anniversary, an

achievement that few companies

can claim and a testament to

its longstanding dedication

to innovative, high quality

product and great customer

service. This dedication was also

marked with the team picking

up two prestigious awards: the

Gainsborough Business of the Year

Award and the Midlands’ Family

Business of the Year Award in

November.

The company also renovated

its Head Offi ce in Gainsborough,

Lincolnshire top to bottom; a long

but rewarding task that was set

in motion when a freak fl ood left

the building a little worse for wear

back in June.

From hair to hereThe business started out as a

wigmaker in 1894, supplying

Broadway theatres, courts and

the NHS, before being bought

by current owner, Ray Peckett.

Under Ray’s new leadership,

the company continued its

production of handmade wigs

before taking the next natural

step and expanding into the

fancy dress and party markets.

Today, R H Smith & Sons is a

fancy dress expert committed

to delivering their ethos of

‘Serious Fun’ to the world!

The company’s creative

approach to fancy dress has given

life to some of the industry’s

leading brands in dress up and

party. With a dedicated team of

more than 20 creative designers

constantly researching and

planning new products, the

company’s established brands,

Smiffy’s and Fever, are at the

forefront of product design and

innovation. Drawing inspiration

from current trends and pop

culture, the team

always has its fi nger

on the pulse, and

this is refl ected in

the huge selection

of fashion forward

costumes and

accessories

that form the

company’s

product offering.

Inside Man The work ethics that drove Ray

during his early career are still

apparent in the way R H Smith &

Sons operates today. Before buying

the business, Ray worked as a shop

steward (union rep) charged with

representing over 500 people in a

print factory. During his time there,

he witnessed the poor treatment

and negative work conditions for

the employees he represented, but

was unable to intervene.

This made an impact on Ray and

would come to shape his approach

to running a business. He knew

exactly how he wanted his own

company to operate: treating his

staff with respect and esteem, and

cultivating the kind of working

environment he had previously

longed to work in.

Another factor that shaped the

development of the company was

Ray’s experience working as a

salesman. He knew from experience

that by simplifying the entire

process, without losing the core

values of great customer service

R H SMITH &

SONS IS A FANCY

DRESS EXPERT

COMMITTED TO

DELIVERING THEIR

ETHOS OF ‘SERIOUS

FUN’ TO THE

WORLD

“

Sponsored Feature

2

Second generation Directors Elliott and Dominique Peckett collect their award

Business of the Year R H Smith & Sons was crowned Family

Business of the Year at the Midlands

Family Business Awards in November,

a fi tting title for a company

celebrating its 120th anniversary. Held

at Nottingham Trent University, the

awards were attended by 300 guests

including this year’s fi nalists and

panel of judges.

Chief among the panel was lead

judge Alex Polizzi and Chris Taylor,

partner at headline sponsor Smith

and Cooper, who praised R H Smith’s

forward thinking, ambitious approach

to running a family business. Taylor

said: “R H Smith really impressed

us this year for three main reasons:

their incredible ambition to grow

which really shone through during the

presentation on the judging day, their

high level of commitment to their

people and their openness to seek

advice.”

Dominique Peckett, Director at R

H Smith & Sons said it was an honour

to collect the award on behalf of

everyone that makes the company a

success. “We’re thrilled to have won

this prestigious award that recognises

the hard work and dedication of not

only our family and Board members,

but the entire R H Smith team,” she

said. “We’d like to congratulate all

the other fi nalists; we’re told it was an

exceptionally hard fought category.”

The company also added the award

for Gainsborough Business of the Year

to its growing trophy cabinet earlier

this year.

and value for money at the heart

of the operation, he would earn the

respect of his clients. His aim was

always to streamline the purchasing

process for customers, and this

continues to be the essence of R H

Smith’s sales operations today.

Taking the party internationalR H Smith has gone from strength

to strength since Ray took over

almost 40 years ago in 1975. It

employs around 270 people in a

diverse

range of

roles; the

warehouse

and

distribution

team picks

and packs

more than

75,000

items every

day, and the

company delivers

a staggering 26

million products

around the world each year.

As the company continues to

expand and invest in new territories

and markets around the world,

everything the company does feeds

into its ultimate goal of becoming

the premier name in the fancy dress

and party industry. The team have

already brought their vision of

‘Serious Fun’ to 50 countries, and

they continue to work relentlessly to

become the most recognised brand

in the sector around the world.

THE

COMPANY

DELIVERS A

STAGGERING 26

MILLION

PRODUCTS

AROUND THE

WORLD EACH

YEAR

“



It’s no coincidence that R H

Smith & Sons has thrived for

more than a century. When Ray

Peckett took ownership in 1975,

the company changed trajectory,

expanding into the greater dress-

up and party market from its core

business of wig production. This

transition was a turning point for the

company, and has seen its prospects

soar ever since.

But a company doesn’t prosper

for such a long time without the

fl exibility to align itself with market

changes. Proactive tackling of the

bigger challenges has always been

at the forefront of the company’s

major developments, and with 2014

marking its 120th anniversary, the

storied company continues to tackle

these issues head on.

Internet retailing – the aggressive

tactics sometimes used on third-

party sites specifi cally – and

counterfeiting are next on the

hit list, a largely unchecked

marketplace that Ray believes is

both anti-consumer in the long

term, and an affront to independent

party and costumer retailers, which

strive to offer quality product and

a superior retail experience for

shoppers.

R H Smith isn’t anti-internet retail.

The company has recently launched

its own online marketplace, a

storefront that offers consumers

a simple way to purchase its top

brands from local and independent

retailers – verifi ed stockists of R H

Sponsored Feature

Smith’s leading brands. Further, the

company supports those retailers

offering consumers the choice to

purchase product through their own

dedicated websites with product

images and other marketing

resources.

The problem then is the wider

issue of product counterfeiting and

a laissez-faire attitude that some

manufacturers and retailers have

to intellectual property (IP) rights.

Simply put, when manufacturers

and retailers produce and sell a

patent copycat product, or product

without a licensing agreement

and proper QA measures in place,

the entire party industry loses

out. Consumers receive an inferior

product under the guise of a

recognised brand – or at the very

least an ersatz approximation - and

this diminishes these

brands’ reputations.

Ray calls it “trashing the

brand.”

Wise investmentsR H Smith has identifi ed

Chinese companies as the

primary counterfeiters

and ‘brand trashers’,

although Ray points out that

in his experience it’s more a

symptom of lack of education

than overtly malicious business

practice. “It’s a cultural issue

more than anything,” Ray

explained. “The way some

Chinese businesses see things, if

Dressed to investR H Smith & Sons are investing big to tackle the issues of counterfeiting and some internet retail practices which threaten the health of the dress-up and party industry. Owner Ray Peckett reveals the company’s plans to counter the counterfeiters, and the steps it is taking to protect and strengthen the position of independent retailers.

they can copy a product well enough

to approximate the original, try and

avoid getting into a position where

legal action is a threat, and offer

it at a lower cost to consumers,

that’s just simple business.”

Third-party retail sites and

the internet in general has

simply made this easier and

more cost-effi cient than ever

before.

The solution then is

investment. It’s a word that

has been used a lot at R

H Smith head offi ce this

year, and the company has

brought in its own team

of IP professionals, and

sought advice from top

city lawyers and advisors.

“The unfortunate reality is,

counterfeit products are eating into

EVERYTHING

WE’RE PUTTING

INTO ACTION HAS

THE OVERALL

HEALTH OF THE

DRESS-UP AND

PARTY INDUSTRY

IN MIND

RAY PECKETT, OWNER

“


almost 10 percent of our business,”

Ray explained. “It’s a problem that

threatens not just us, but the entire

industry. If we continue to allow these

products to piggy back and trash the

brand, the party and dress-up industry

will become unsustainable.”

We’re not quite there yet, of

course, and Ray and his team have no

intention of letting it get that far.

“We currently have a team of

fi ve that scour the internet looking

for counterfeits, buying samples,

and carrying out our own tests on

products we suspect are copies,”

he said. “But it’s not always easy to

tell right away. Sometimes the initial

difference is as small as using a

different number of fastenings on the

packets. They never stand up to our

strict quality tests though.

“It’s an unfortunate situation we

fi nd ourselves in. Even consumers

who want to buy an offi cial Smiffys

or Fever product can’t be certain

that what they receive is in fact the

real deal. That’s a concern for us and

independent retailers, not to mention

the problems that can arise from

product that hasn’t been thoroughly

tested for safety reasons.”

That team of fi ve is set to grow to

20; an investment that illustrates the

importance the company places on

the potential damage counterfeiting

could do if left unchecked. This year

alone, Ray says he and the rest of

the team have collectively spent

hundreds of hours discussing

solutions to this issue. He also

estimates that around £1 million has

so far been invested into tackling

the saturation of the fancy dress

market.

“What we’re saying now is,

that the fancy dress market has

become so cheap for consumers

that it’s unsustainable. We need to

increase the profi t to our customers

and resellers. We don’t take these

investments lightly, but they’re

critical to the continued health of

the party industry at large. If we

don’t clean up online, bricks and

mortar shops are in trouble.”

Independent supportR H Smith’s relationship with

independent retailers is hugely

important, and the company sees

its investments in IP protection and

tackling counterfeiters as a means

to protect them.

“The combination of counterfeiting

and third-party online retail can

severely damage the fancy dress

retail ecosystem if we don’t act now,”

he said. “We’re about to have our

best year ever as a company, but UK

sales have generally plateaued for

the past few years, and that’s due to

counterfeiting.

“We are doing more for our

customers than ever before, offering

price matching and investing more

money into customer services and

support. But even with all that, UK

unit sales haven’t risen, and I’d say

that’s down to the counterfeits

coming onto the market.”

With the company enjoying its

best year ever, and a strategy in

place that the team is confi dent will

do much to help heal the damage

of counterfeiting, R H Smith will

continue to invest.

“By all accounts, the work we

are doing and the project we have

embarked upon can only be good

news for independent bricks and

mortar retailers,” Ray added. “We’re

tackling the devaluation of the

market at the source in a measured

and strategic way which we will

continue to invest in. By bringing in

our own team of IP experts we’re

facing this issue head-on. Everything

we’re putting into action has the

overall health of the dress-up and

party industry in mind.”

One TeamWhen a freak fl ood left

the R H Smith & Sons head

offi ce submerged in water,

the esprit de corps and

family business credentials

of the company were

proved in full. As the offi ce

fi lled with water, and parts

of the roof collapsed, everyone jumped in to

lend a hand. Unfortunately, despite everyone

pitching in, nothing could be done. The

building had to be evacuated, and staff were

relocated to a nearby hot-desking site to

ensure the show carried on.

Still, making the best of a bad situation,

the company took the opportunity to give

the offi ces a complete overhaul. Gone are the

partition walls, instead replaced with thin air

to create an open plan offi ce that brings the

whole team together. Family member Sophie

Peckett headed up the development, putting

her interior design expertise to good use.

The investment transformed everything

from the carpet – now a bright shock of

electric yellow – to the computer systems and

network, all with the aim of streamlining and

nurturing the modern, family culture at the

heart of the company.

One end of the offi ce is adorned with

the words “One Team”, epitomising the

new vision. The redesign is more than a

lick of paint, it’s symbolic of the company’s

core values, with various departments now

interlinking, boosting communication and

allowing everyone to pitch in. It’s a modern

way to work, and Sophie has maximised the

space by adding creative breakout spaces and

dressing the offi ce with pop art and shabby-

chic oddities.

The new offi ces opened in late November,

kick-starting an overhaul of the entire site,

with plans to renovate the show rooms.


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Whatever the occasion, R H Smith’s

range has party-goers and dress–up

fans covered, literally! With some

of the hottest licenses and creative

designs, the range of fancy dress and

party accessories provide everything

for crafting the perfect look.

Here’s a selection of the company’s

bestsellers, from the old-school

glamour of Baywatch and Grease,

to the action-packed eighties with

Top Gun. And see if you can spot the

fantastic Where’s Wally costume – an

outift so fantastic that party-goers

will want to be found!

T-Birds Jacket, with Embroidered LogoLook instantly recognisable in the

offi cially licensed T-Bird Jacket. This

iconic fancy dress costume from the

legendary fi lm Grease, comes with an

embroided logo on the back. Party-

goers will have no trouble fi nding

their Pink Ladies in this attire!

Top Gun Costume, Jumpsuit, Name Tags and GlassesBe transported back to the

eighties with this offi cially

licensed Top Gun Costume.

This male fancy dress

costume includes a jumpsuit,

nametags and glasses. Any

man will look fl y dressed in

this outfi t!

Where’s Wally? Costume, with Top, Trousers, Glasses and Hat - AdultsThe bespectacled Wally has

become a favourite worldwide!

Fans can try to hide with the

offi cially licensed Where’s Wally?

Costume for adults, complete

with Wally’s classic top, trousers,

glasses and hat.

Free Phone: 0800 590 599 | Free Fax: 0800 783 3882 | Email: [email protected]

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We are suppliers of BBS, Talking We are suppliers of BBS, Talking Tables, Amscan, Unique, Gemma, Tables, Amscan, Unique, Gemma, Procos, Colpak, Creative Party and Procos, Colpak, Creative Party and many more.many more.

One of the widest ranges available One of the widest ranges available including Peppa Piig, Hello Kity, including Peppa Piig, Hello Kity, Super Mario, Ben 10, Gruffalo, Super Mario, Ben 10, Gruffalo, Football, Sealife, Princess, High Football, Sealife, Princess, High School Musical, Farmyard, Disney, School Musical, Farmyard, Disney, Jungle, Fire Engine, Spongebob Jungle, Fire Engine, Spongebob Squarepants, Plain Coloured and Squarepants, Plain Coloured and many more.many more.

tel: 020 8811 2898tel: 020 8811 [email protected]@partyplus.co.uk

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Balloon Frames by Saunders We have a wide range of balloon frames in stock ready for immediate delivery- or we can design and manufacture bespoke frames to suit your needs 0208 594 7221 [email protected]

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