Following its introduction at the London Stationery Show earlier this year, new sister show Manchester is also running a ‘LaunchPad’ competition to find fledgling stationery suppliers looking to break into the booming design-led stationery market.

The competition aims to find six winners to showcase at the Manchester Stationery Show, which runs on 31 October and 1 November at the Victoria Warehouse in the Old Trafford area of Manchester.

The competition will be judged by three leading names from the stationery sector in September.  Their task will be to find six products or services they think are of true interest to the stationery industry and their huge number of stationery loving consumers.

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Each entrant needs to complete an entry form (found online at the Manchester Stationery Show website www.stationeryshow.co.uk) and send a sample of their product or designs for the judges to consider.  The closing date for entries is Friday 8 September 2017, with samples and supporting material to arrive no later than Tuesday, 12 September.

Judges will be looking for a product or service that shows clear thought and execution when it comes to the branding and offer, and a value commensurate with the suggested retail price which they think will be of true interest to the UK stationery industry and its huge number of stationery loving consumers.

The competition is open to talented individual designers or inventors with a mainstream stationery product or a complementary product to offer, and established companies and individuals from other sectors who have developed a new stationery product or range which they would like to test in the stationery sector.

“We were delighted with the response to our first LaunchPad competition and we’re keen to make it a regular part of both our stationery shows.  We want to encourage and support new companies and products to come forward and showcase their ideas to the industry,” said Vanessa Fortnam, who is responsible for the marketing of the Manchester and London Stationery Shows.

LaunchPad participants will get their products in front of a team of influential judges, and the winners will have their own display area in the new Manchester Stationery Show at which to present their ideas and designs and meet leading retailers and suppliers.  They will also benefit from extensive PR and marketing support from the Stationery Show.

The six deserving winners will also have the possibility of being awarded a free 6sqm stand for the 2018 Show if the show team feels their product or service merits further support from the industry.

The LaunchPad competition is open to any company which, or individual who:

• Has not exhibited at sister show, the London Stationery Show, previously
• Has the rights to sell the featured product
• Does not currently sell the featured product through any UK national retail accounts or distributors in the stationery retail sector

 

“Most importantly they will be seen and get plenty of feedback from fellow exhibitors and our show visitors,” comments Vanessa, “all of which is invaluable for those starting out or testing a new market.”

For more information, or show photos please contact:

Vanessa Fortnam

Marketing & PR, London & Manchester Stationery Shows

The Press Office Ltd

T: +44 (0)1666 824624

E: vanessafortnam@thepressofficeltd.com