A Man's View on Stationery

Masculine Stationery

These two words are rarely said together. I don’t understand why it is that most stationery products are created for a primarily female market, but they are. Now don’t get me wrong, I find all kinds of designs, color combinations and artistic styles beautiful. You’re just never going to see me walking the show floor with a bright pink and baby blue notebook. Instead, I’ll be carrying a yellow legal pad or plain spiral notebook; that seems to be my only other option.

That is why I am really excited to see that there are a few new companies out there that are in some way catering to me and my half of the species. “Big Fat Black Cat” is a brand new exhibitor at the Show and I am really looking forward to stopping by their booth to check them out. They registered to exhibit in my first week of working for GLM and I was drawn in by their vibrant colors and fringe style. I think that it also gave me a nostalgic feeling for the CD cover artwork of the Swing revival of the late ‘90s.

Coffin Skull Print from “Big Fat Black Cat”

“ManCards for the Thoughtful Gent” is another company that will be exhibiting at The National Stationery Show. Their products have a decidedly masculine bent. Their basic and elegant style appeals to a desire for simplicity inherent in most men. With mellow, cool colors their note cards lend a feeling of serenity and peace to an occasion. It’s the kind of card that I wouldn’t feel weird displaying on my bookshelf. And, they are packaged in a really cool metal tin.

Green Note Card from “ManCards for the Thoughtful Gent”

So here’s the insider information about how most men shop for greeting cards. We wait until the last second. I consider myself to be a very thoughtful guy and generally I plan ahead, but I will freely admit that I almost always buy greeting cards on my way home from work, on the day of the event.

Since we buy so last minute, we tend not to buy cards online (we don’t plan that far ahead when it comes to these situations). Most of us buy them either at a store in or near our office building, or wherever it is most convenient; the grocery store, drug store, hardware store, etc.

I believe that there is a huge untapped market out there. I know that the common belief is that men do not buy social stationery, but like the famous line from a movie the man in your life is sure to have seen, “If you design it, they will come.” I know I would.

- Aaron

Ringing In the New and Welcoming Back Some Fantastic Favorites!

What a great holiday season it was – full of my favorite things to feed my soul and unfortunately my stomach! Spent the week snowboarding with the kids. Correction: spent a few days watching the kids board while I drank coffee in the lodge. So glad I had that time, so I could finish my holiday cards. It was the New Year’s batch that I needed to tackle and tackle, I did.

As a matter of fact, a man sitting behind me couldn’t resist asking me if I was cramming for a test (the test being am I or am I not “late?”) He then said that by his book, the card-sending season lasts 7 weeks – from Thanksgiving to the second week of January. I loved his point of view; I too, believe this. Before his wife and 7 kids came back to the table for a delicious meal of Catamount Lodge chili, corn dogs, burgers and hot cocoa, he shared his secret that he actually sends New Year’s cards, so his stand out from the crowd. I loved it – a guy planning his card-sending for the family – not the typical demographic. We chatted some more and both claimed that this year we received and sent more cards than last, and that connecting in this personal way with friends and family far and wide was really important to us. I have to believe this was a trend, not just a coincidence.

So, I’m back at the office now and looking ahead at the exciting Show the team and I are planning, I am very optimistic about the 62nd annual event in May and the incredible products buyers will find only here. Stationery encompasses so many glorious products – greeting cards in a variety of media and genre, gift wrapping and packaging concepts, custom invitations and social stationery, fine leather goods, desk accessories and writing instruments, coffee table books, journals, party and paper table wares, scrapbooking and paper crafting supplies. In short, all of the things that reinforce life’s celebrations.

I’m also very excited about several exhibiting companies that are returning to the May 2008 show after a hiatus. Among them? Mrs. Grossman’s Paper Products, Roger La Borde, Hambly Studios, Colorbok, Busquets Gruart. These phenomenal companies will join nearly 1,000 returning companies and 300 new companies making their industry debut. Between the amazing exhibits, outstanding products and fantastic people from all sides of the business who participate plus all of the promotions, seminars, special events and serious schmoozin’ I’d say we have a dynamic, glorious 4 days in store…fun, easy, productive and exciting!

-Patti