The Greeting Card Association’s annual conference brought together retailers, publishers, designers and industry figures for a packed day of insight, debate, ideas and plenty of humour – with everything from consumer trends and retail buying to the changing language of greeting cards and some memorable stories from across the industry
Opening the conference, GCA CEO Amanda Fergusson highlighted some of the key campaigns and initiatives the association has been championing across the industry.
These included the GCA’s continued work around protecting intellectual property, its Diversity & Inclusion activity and the development of Pride cards, as well as its work with Government and Royal Mail around the price of postage.
Amanda also looked ahead to an important change for the association, with David Falkner set to take over as GCA CEO in January.
The GCA’s Card Club initiative was also highlighted, with the campaign aiming to inspire the next generation to discover the joy of sending and receiving greeting cards. Meanwhile, the Retail Forum continues to encourage earlier card sending in the run-up to Christmas, with the #CardmitmentChallenge forming part of the campaign.
What are retailers looking for?
One of the day’s key sessions came from Cydney Ball, Buying Manager at John Lewis, who shared an insight into the department store’s greeting card operation and how the category is evolving.
Cydney explored what today’s retailers are looking for from greeting card publishers and suppliers, offering a valuable perspective on the pressures and opportunities facing the category and the factors influencing buying decisions.
The theme of changing consumer expectations continued with Sarah-Jane Porter of Moonpig, who examined how greeting card messages are evolving alongside a society that is becoming increasingly diverse, inclusive and emotionally aware.
Her presentation offered a timely look at how the words we put on cards are changing – and what that means for the future of the category.
75 years of lessons – and a few colossal cock-ups
Seth Woodmansterne of Woodmansterne brought a particularly entertaining format to the conference, presenting his own take on the Generation Game as he looked back at 75 years of the Woodmansterne business.
The audience got involved by choosing the top three topics for Seth to explore, including “colossal cock-ups” and some of the surprises encountered along the way.
It was a reminder that behind the brands and businesses that have become established names in the greeting card industry are decades of experimentation, risk-taking, mistakes and plenty of lessons learned along the way.
Consumer Insights 2026 and beyond
Understanding what consumers are buying – and how their habits are changing – was another major theme of the day.
Jon Hendy of Kantar shared the latest consumer insights across cards, party and gifting, looking at current behaviour and what it could mean for the industry as it moves towards 2026 and beyond.
The data provided plenty of food for thought for publishers and retailers alike, particularly as changing shopping habits continue to influence how consumers discover, buy and send greeting cards.
Retailers have their say
The GCA’s retail panel brought together a broad mix of businesses to discuss the current retail landscape, product selection, trends and what retailers want from publishers and suppliers.
The panel featured Tanya Rounding and Ross Lasseter from Tesco, Hazel Walker from Waterstones, Louise Cambridge from Stamp and Sally Matson from Red Card & Little Red.
Chaired by Mark Callaby of Ohh Deer, the session offered perspectives from both multiple and independent retail, highlighting the different considerations that influence product selection and the ongoing importance of understanding individual retail audiences.
From the 1990s to Dean Morris Cards
Dean Morris took delegates on a hilarious rollercoaster ride through the story of how he created Dean Morris Cards.
Tracing his journey from the 1990s to building a distinctive greeting card brand rooted in humour and creative freedom, Dean shared the highs, lows and experiences behind the business.
It was another session that demonstrated the very personal stories behind the industry’s businesses – and the different routes that can lead to a successful greeting card brand.
A fitting farewell
The conference ended on an emotional note as Amanda Fergusson reflected on four decades in the greeting card industry.
Looking back over her career, Amanda shared experiences, memories and lessons from her time in the sector, providing a fitting conclusion to a day that had celebrated both where the greeting card industry is now and where it is heading next.
From consumer data and retailer expectations to creativity, inclusion, humour and the changing role of the greeting card itself, the conference provided plenty of discussion and inspiration – while reinforcing the importance of an industry that continues to evolve without losing sight of what makes greeting cards so special.
