Feb 27, 2013

National Stationery Show Pre-Show Report

An exciting new co-location with Creative & Lifestyle Arts (C&LA), the debut of the Craft & Hobby Association’s (CHA) Creative Conference, and the introduction of three new product-specific pavilions will provide 11,000 National Stationery Show® (NSS) attendees with the most diverse display of social stationery and related products, May 19-22, 2013, at New York City’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. The four-day market will introduce a combined 16,000 attendees to the profit potential of greeting cards, custom invitations, gift wrap, specialty partyware, journals, frames, calendars, writing instruments, decorative desktop and complementary gift at the NSS, and art materials, DIY kits, embellishments, floral supplies, jewelry-making implements, needlecrafts, scrapbooking supplies, stickers and more at C&LA.

THE MARKET
Unique and trend-forward social stationery and related lifestyle products will be presented by nearly 800 exhibiting companies, including both established brands and hundreds of industry newcomers. Featuring full product collections not seen at other markets, the National Stationery Show will present the most comprehensive array of products for the industry. Positioned adjacent to the new Creative & Lifestyle Arts, this year’s event will introduce craft and creative hobby retailers to the concept of incorporating social stationery into their product mix. Conversely, the new co-location aims to demonstrate how social stationery retailers can improve their bottom lines by introducing craft and creative hobby products to their customers.

“A new and energized atmosphere awaits at the upcoming National Stationery Show. From the launch of Creative & Lifestyle Arts and the new CHA Creative Conference, to new pavilions and ‘NSS Live’ theatres for exciting demonstrations and promotions, NSS 2013 offers so much “new” to see. Whether an independent specialty store owner, a major account merchandise executive, a luxury lifestyle chain buyer or craft supply retailer looking to incorporate paper products into your product mix, NSS promises to inspire you.” Patti Stracher, GLM Vice President, NSS Show Director

MARKET HIGHLIGHTS
NEW! Co-Location with Creative & Lifestyle Arts This year marks the debut of Creative & Lifestyle Arts, a new tradeshow serving the east coast’s $18 billion art, crafting and creative hobby marketplace. Located adjacent to the NSS, C&LA will feature leading manufacturers of a broad range of innovative crafting and paper art supplies; embellishments; art materials; design tools; DIY kits for home decor, party, holiday and card making; along with supplies for floral, glass, woodworking, jewelry making, needlecrafts and scrapbooking. Attendees will include owners, buyers, merchandise executives, distributors, sales reps and product developers. NSS attendee registration will offer access to C&LA as well. Additional information is available atwww.creativelifestylearts.com.

NEW! Product-Specific Pavilions
Among the exciting expansion plans for the 2013 National Stationery Show are three market-specific product pavilions for buyers seeking museum, seasonal and office products. Museumix, Seasonalstyle and Officeworks will offer buyers of these product categories distinctive areas on the Show floor to source and buy the latest products. Museumix will feature such products as art books, puzzles, gadgets, jewelry, science kits and more; Seasonalstyle will offer buyers a vast selection of décor, tableware, gifts, Judaica and more for every holiday; while desk accessories, organizers, pen sets, notebooks, calendars and more will be found in Officeworks.

NEW! ‘NSS Live’ Theatres
Grab a front row seat at the new ‘NSS Live” Theatre, where attendees will witness new product launches, demonstrations, and various other exhibitor-hosted events. Held throughout each day – at theatres located on both the NSS and C&LA show floors – these Theatres will be destinations for discovering new products, ideas, inspiration and fun!

Trend Walkway
Ascending to the Show entrances on both sides of the Crystal Palace, the Trend Walkway reveals the latest trend predictions seen through the eyes of leading editors from both trade and consumer publications. Review these signs on your way into the Show and be on the lookout for the trends identified, or take a look on your way out and test your trend-spotting skills!

New Product Display and Best New Product Awards
Without question the most popular destination before buyers hit the Show floor, the New Product Display will showcase hundreds of product launches from nearly 800 exhibiting companies. Located in the Crystal Palace Lobby, product categories are All Things Wedding, Celebrations, Eco-Chic, Lifestyle, Luxury, Paper Love, The Desktop – and new this year is Do-It-Yourself, a category to showcase products in Creative & Lifestyle Arts. The New Product Display also serves as the judging arena for the coveted Best New Product Awards, which will be determined by an esteemed group of editors. Winners will be announced on Sunday, May 19.

25TH Anniversary LOUIE Awards Display
Celebrating its 25th year, the display of LOUIE Finalists and Winners will be featured prominently in the Crystal Palace Lobby of the NSS. Designed and fabricated by Universal Presentation Concepts in Madison, WI, the display will bring to life the theme of “THE ARTIST & THE CARD” with elegance and excitement.

The Supply Side Division
A division of the NSS, The Supply Side returns this year with more than 50 industry suppliers, including finishing specialists, die-cutting, die-making, foil/hot stamping, embossing, holography, lamination, packaging/box specialists, converters, paper manufacturers, specialty printing/thermography, production machinery, envelope manufacturers, custom displays/fixturing systems and others. The division will be located in 3E Hall. To apply for exhibit space, or to register as an attendee, visitwww.nationalstationeryshow.com.

PROGRAMS
NEW! CHA Creative Conference This year, the Craft & Hobby Association will introduce a Creative Conference during the NSS. A series of six educational programs, plus a pre-show certification program, will offer an estimated 16,000 combined attendees with content that will demonstrate the enormous growth potential that incorporating crafting into their stores can produce. Meet the presenters and review complete session descriptions online, atwww.nationalstationeryshow.com. Attendees may select Creative Conference sessions through NSS attendee registration for just $30 each.

NSS Buyer Education
Yet another dynamic seminar program will be offered at NSS 2013, led by notable industry experts and addressing such topics as color trends and directions, growing retail business with Pinterest, visual merchandising that inspires sales, consumer trends and seasonal insights, blogging and social-media secrets, and brick-and-mortar retailers’ tools for success. Meet the presenters and review complete session descriptions online, at www.nationalstationeryshow.com. Seminar purchase is available through NSS attendee registration for just $20 each. For those who have already registered to attend, sessions may be added through the Registration Resource Center.

SPECIAL EVENTS
Greeting Card Association 25th Anniversary LOUIE Awards Gala
Sunday, May 19, 6:30 – 10:30 pm
The Lighthouse at Chelsea Piers, New York City
Celebrating its Silver Anniversary this year, the LOUIE Awards return to celebrate the greatest greeting cards and invitations of the year. Themed “THE ARTIST & THE CARD,” the 2013 Gala will spotlight the artists behind the cards and the tradition of sending greetings through the simple yet broad medium of paper. Tickets may be purchased through the GCA website at www.greetingcard.org beginning in late March. Complimentary shuttle service will be provided from the National Stationery Show.

Party on the Battery
Monday, May 20, 2013, 6:30-9:30 pm
Battery Gardens, New York City
Dubbed “the best ticket in town,” the National Stationery Show hosts Party on the Battery. A fun atmosphere at the end of Day 2 of the NSS, the event sells out to exhibitors and buyers. Party on the Battery is an ideal place to entertain staff and customers. Tickets are $65 per person and can be purchased through attendee registration at www.nationalstationeryshow.com. Complimentary shuttle service from the Javits Center will be provided.

The Supply Side Networking Reception
Tuesday, May 21, 6:00 – 7:30 pm
Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, Level 3, Hall E
Suppliers to the social stationery industry exhibiting within The Supply Side division will have dedicated time to connect with NSS and C&LA exhibitors during The Supply Side Networking Reception, where a casual atmosphere and complimentary refreshments will foster networking among colleagues. Advance registration is not required.

CONNECTED
NSS Mobile App
Navigate the aisles of the National Stationery Show in the palm of your hand with the NSS mobile app. Used by more than 1,000 buyers in its first two years, the app offers efficiency by providing instant search results by company name, keyword, product line or booth number. In addition, learn about NSS seminars, events and shuttle schedules through the app, which is available on Android, iPhone and Blackberry Torch devices.

Online Catalog Gallery
The Online Catalog Gallery, available for viewing throughwww.nationalstationeryshow.com, offers retailers the opportunity to browse exhibitor catalogs before, during and after the National Stationery Show. The page-by-page browse books give retailers a sneak peek at what will be seen on the NSS Show floor. For participating exhibitors, the key benefit of the Online Catalog Gallery is the lead-generating capability, which extends the life of the Show from four days to a full year, including bonus exposure with automatic connection to the Show’s online product search tool. To participate, contact Stephanie Leon-Santiago at ssantiago@glmshows.com.

Show Daily
Start each show day with Stationery Today, the official Show Daily of the NSS. Published by Great American Publishing – publishers of Stationery Trends, Party & Paper Retailer and Museums & More – Stationery Today features breaking exhibitor news, the latest product launches, trend insight, Show news and more. To advertise, contact Brian Virgona 570-223-9190 or email sales@stationerytrendsmag.com.

Paper Clips – NEW and Improved!
With more than 33,000 subscribers and a new easy-to-read format, the official enewsletter of the National Stationery Show offers unique perspectives from industry professionals, trend insight, breaking Show news and more. To subscribe, or access past issues, visit www.nationalstationeryshow.com. Advertising opportunities are available for a nominal fee by contacting Stephanie Leon-Santiago atssantiago@glmshows.com.

STATUS® – Official National Stationery Show and C&LA Directory: NEW FORMAT!
The NEW official printed directory of both shows, STATUS boasts a trend-forward, 9×9 format, designed to help attendees to navigate the shows more efficiently. In addition, the online version offers year-round visibility of exhibitors to a captive audience of stationery retailers. Visit www.nationalstationeryshow.com to access the online directory, or for information regarding STATUS print advertising contact Stephanie Leon-Santiago at ssantiago@glmshows.com.

Social Media
One of the more effective ways to stay in touch with the NSS, as well as thousands of Show participants, is to connect with us through Twitter and Facebook. Become a Facebook fan at www.facebook.com/NationalStationeryShow and follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/stationeryshow. In addition, a complete library of NSS videos is available on our YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/stationeryshow.

CROSS MARKET OPPORTUNITIES
In addition to co-locating with Creative & Lifestyle Arts, co-locations with two more markets will offer increased value to NSS attendees. SURTEX®, the only B2B marketplace in North America for selling and licensing original art and design, will take place in Hall 3A, adjacent to Creative & Lifestyle Arts. The International Contemporary Furniture Fair® (ICFF®), North America’s singular showcase for contemporary design, will take place on Level 1 and Javits North. A NSS attendee badge will provide access to all markets in the building, which combined will attract 40,000 buyers and nearly 2,000 exhibitors, manufacturers and distributors. Additional information for these collocated markets is available online, at www.surtex.com and www.icff.com.

PRODUCTS REPRESENTED
The products showcased at the National Stationery Show includes greeting cards, invitations, imprintables, giftwrap/ribbons, social stationery, specialty party supplies and paper tableware, bridal accessories, customized/personalized products, in-store printing equipment, decorative home office products, luxury leather goods, writing instruments, papercrafting supplies, frames, journals, calendars, lifestyle giftware, scrapbooking and back-to-school.

And, in The Supply Side division, finishing specialists, including die-cutting, die-making, foil/hot stamping, embossing, holography, lamination, packaging/box specialists, converters, paper manufacturers, specialty printing/thermography, production machinery, envelope manufacturers and custom displays/fixturing systems will exhibit.

PROFILE OF ATTENDEES
Retail
The NSS attracts a diverse global attendance of 11,000 buyers from stationery, card, gift and lifestyle stores; bookstores; fashion boutiques; bridal shops; hospital gift shops; party stores; department, chain and specialty stores; museum and gallery shops, large chains and “big box” mass retailers; online retailers and mail order catalogs; as well as importers and distributors.

Non-Retail
Manufacturers, Distributors, Suppliers, Manufacturers’ representatives, Licensing agents, Artists, Designers, Consumer and Trade Press

WEBSITE
www.nationalstationeryshow.com

EXHIBITOR INFORMATION
Kelly P. Bristol, Sales Director
GLM
Telephone: (914) 421-3228
E-mail: kbristol@glmshows.com

ATTENDEE INFORMATION
GLM Customer Relations
(800) 272-SHOW (7469)
Registration for the 2013 National Stationery Show is open atwww.nationalstationeryshow.com. Registration is free for qualified buyers through May 14; onsite the registration fee increases to $60. Non-exhibiting manufacturers will be charged $175 in advance and $200 onsite.

BUYER SERVICES
Shuttle Buses
Complimentary shuttle buses will run on all Show days between the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center and designated hotels. Exact schedules and routes will be posted daily at the Javits Center and are available online, atwww.nationalstationeryshow.com.

Travel & Housing Assistance
Travel Planners, Inc.
(800) 221-3531 or (212) 532-1660
webres@tphousing.com
www.myGLMtravel.com

ENJOY THE BIG APPLE
NYC & Company – the Convention and Visitors Bureau – and GLM have teamed-up to offer discounts on dining, entertainment, transportation and services throughout New York City. General tourist information is available through NYC & Company at 800-NYC-VISIT (800-692-8474) or (212) 397-8222. A complete list of discounts will be available online at www.nationalstationeryshow.com in advance of the Show, and through the Special Events desk in the Javits Centers’ Crystal Palace lobby during all Show days.

SHOW DATES AND HOURS:
Sunday, May 19 9:00am – 6:00pm
Monday, May 20 9:00am – 6:00pm
Tuesday, May 21 9:00am – 6:00pm
Wednesday, May 22 9:00am – Noon