Summer 2021 - 8

Its On!
'
In-person gatherings are back, and no one
sets the stage quite like Carlson Craft
M
ore Americans become vaccinated each
day, which means all those postponed
festivities can finally materialize,
not to mention celebrating all those
milestones that cropped up in the
meantime. All this pent-up partying requires
planning, and Carlson Craft can support you as you
bring every last element of your customers' visions
to glorious life. Creative Director Lynn Lundberg
shared insights on the new party climate - and
how Carlson Craft supports its retail partners.
Q. Aside from weddings, what events are you
now seeing again?
A. We're seeing graduations and proms ramp
back up. We're so excited to see prom and grand
march invitations coming through again, as well as
graduation announcements and party invitations.
Q. For upcoming Bar and Bat Mitzvahs, are
the same components being ordered as preCOVID-19?
A.
For the most part, yes. We're even seeing
customers add a matching envelope liner to
pull the whole look together. However, we
do see some change in that many people still
send printed response cards, but some handle
responses via email, phone or text.
Q. What kind of styles are young women and
their families gravitating towards?
A. We're definitely seeing luxe looks! High-end is
popular but luxe doesn't always mean expensive.
We're seeing larger invitation sizes, heavier stocks
and plenty of foil stamping. Some young women
go a simple yet casual route with lots of natural
greenery elements. Colors are trending heavily
toward pastels, and one of the biggest trends
we're seeing is the name printed prominently
on the invitation.
Q. How about young men?
A. Young men gravitate toward strong geometric
patterns that really engage the eye, and a heavy
use of bold colors like black, blue and red. Bar
Mitzvah invitations are some of the most creative
and striking invitations we see ordered!
Q. When it comes to circle of life events,
from sip and sees to retirement parties
and everything in between, have
quantities changed?
A. Order quantities decreased a lot last year but are
coming back nicely. We're not seeing pre-COVID
Circle 404
numbers yet, but we are seeing a much shorter
ordering window. Many retail partners are placing
orders for events only one to two months out.
Q. What day-of merchandise is hot?
A. Graduation yard signs have been really popular!
Of course, this trend really took off last year when
the pandemic started, and families sought safe
ways to celebrate their graduates. Yard signs are
a fun way to celebrate, whether you're having a
party or just looking to show off your graduate's
accomplishment. We haven't seen an increase in
yard signs for other events, but we expect to as
the year goes on.
Q. While the celebrations, celebrants and
occasions are diverse, what types of elements,
treatments and embellishments do you see
clients gravitating to?
A. Since customers have had to reduce their guest
count significantly, they seem to be creating more
elaborate invitation suites with those savings. We've
seen more embellishments and accoutrements
come through like invitations wraps, belly bands,
card tabs and ribbons. We have also seen a preCOVID
trend, Digital + Foil products, get even
bigger over the last year, and colored stocks with
white ink have also been doing well.
Q. Are there any ancillary pieces that you
are seeing a consistent desire for?
A. Napkins, plain and simple. Custom napkins are
always a hot item for any event, and they have
increased big-time in the last few months. We offer
both sparkling foil-stamped napkins and full-color,
digitally printed napkins with choice of artwork
or photo. So, you can imagine the possibilities are
endless for any type and style of event. Plus,
they're an affordable way to get that personalized
party feel.
Q. What are your most successful dealers
doing in this revitalized market that
others are not?
A. Flexibility is key. Many retail partners who
relied on in-person meetings had to embrace
technology during the pandemic. Whether they're
having virtual consultations, selling via a website
or promoting on social media, they're listening
to what customers need and responding with
engaging solutions.
Bar and Bat Mitzvah ensembles express the personality
as they provide a glimpse of their big day via elements
like carefully considered color choices, larger sizes,
custom envelope liners, luxe foil touches, white type
and names on prominent display.
Custom napkins
have been
trending up for
graduation and
summer parties
and should
continue to be
in demand for
other events as
2021 unfolds.
ADVERTISEMENT | © 2021 Carlson Craft
Summer 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Summer 2021
