May 23, 2016

Celebrate we will

Earlier last week, we traveled to the Javits Convention Center in New York for the National Stationery Show. Putting together the official show dailies, we were given a real behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to go into a show of this caliber.

The energy here is different — refreshing. The show was abuzz with hundreds of exhibiters so excited to interact with other exhibiters just as much as with potential and current retailers looking for new and great product offerings.

We kicked off the show by attending our own Sarah Schwartz’s Class of ’70 seminar on Sunday morning, where she talked about the celebratory trading card pack that Stationery Trends, the NSS and The Paper Chronicles put together with the help of Legion Paper and Parse & Parcel. A number of exhibitors created their own baseball-type trading card showcasing their best ‘70s retro styles. Schwartz talked about new market trends and what each company is bringing to the stationery table this year.

We were selected to judge the Best New Product awards, which was no easy feat. Perusing the stunning display in the Crystal Palace, it was nearly impossible to select our top three favorites in each category. Fashion Institute of Technology students and their State University of New York counterparts collaborated to design this year’s display. Students enrolled in the In-Store Design course in the Visual Presentation and Exhibition Design program at FIT brainstormed different concepts, ultimately coming up with a ideal design executed for our viewing pleasure.

The Greeting Card Association held its 75th anniversary gala on Sunday evening, where winners of the 2016 LOUIE Awards were announced. Sunrise Greetings won Card of the Year, $4 and below, and Rifle Paper Company was honored with Card of the Year, $4 and above. Hallmark Cards received the Judge’s Award for Excellence, a new category, and other nominees were crowned winners in 62 other categories.

In addition to the before-the-show seminars and after-show-hours events, NSS put on a stellar Cocktail Crawl, where attendees could stop at specific booths and enjoy a glass of wine, a specialty margarita or Manhattan-style — well — Manhattan. There were also coloring walls strategically placed throughout the center so you could take a break from both the show and from being an adult.

We were able to meticulously browse the seemingly endless aisles of the show, where inspiration struck with the turn of every corner. Not only was every booth excited to showcase their projects, but they were equally as thrilled to meet and catch up with the owners of the booths around them. “People are enjoying this,” said Patti Stracher, vice president and show director. “It’s always like a big reunion. There’s a lot of affection, camaraderie and joy in the context of serious business.”

It’s true, the sense of camaraderie we felt among these very different groups. Ultimately, we’ve all got one goal: to keep paper relevant. The four days we spent here reminded us that we’re all in this together. This 70th celebration truly was a stationer’s dream.