Progressive Gifts & Home July 2021

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Spotlight On... Mugs

Getting A Handle On

Mugs

If there’s one home essential that we can never have too many of it’s mugs! From those we use every day at home or in the office, to the quirky, humorous ones that we give as gifts, to the ‘posh’ ones we bring out for guests, mugs are a ‘must have’, with shapes, themes and designs catering for everyone. PG&H ‘mugs up’ on what’s new for the coming season. Most people will happily admit to forming an emotional attachment to a favourite mug, be it a much loved Mother’s or Father’s Day mug, a jokey mug given to them by a friend, one that’s themed to a hobby, or a more upmarket mug that’s deemed ‘special’. And then there are the ‘go to’s’ for tea and coffee, the one for hot chocolate, or the oversized mug that’s perfect for soup. And what about children’s mugs that feature their favourite licensed characters? It’s no wonder that most family mug cupboards are full to bursting! “In our experience, mugs really are a staple of most gift collections,” concurs Enesco’s marketing director Helen Cottrill.

“We do extremely well with our limited edition fine bone china Beatrix Potter collectors mugs, and for humour and hobbies, we have our own Our Name Is Mud brand. These are a chunkier ceramic mug, larger in size, with occasion, sentiment and amusing messaging. With a SRP of £9.95, they come in a recyclable gift box and make an ideal gift. There’s no need to unpack them for retail display or to buy a gift box.” At Portmeirion Group, senior brand manager Sara Dickenson says that the company’s perennial, best-selling mug collection is Royal Worcester Wrendale Designs. “Retailers and customers love Hannah Dale’s captivating animal designs because they’re so full of personality,” explains Sara. “This makes them perfect for gift shops. Not only can the customer buy them as a gift, because the recipient has an affection for that particular animal, but also, because that animal might remind them of their loved one, or the design might encapsulate how they feel about someone.” Dunoon’s sales director, Peter Smith, points to some of the company’s high quality, fine bone china mug favourites, with all mugs manufactured in Stone in

Above: Puckator’s quirky Upside Down mugs. Left: Enesco’s Our Name Is Mud mugs come in kraft packaging. Bottom left: Royal Worcester Wrendale Designs Good Hare Day mug. Below: Cairngorm Hairy Highlanders from Dunoon.

Staffordshire. “Best selling mug themes are animals, especially cats and dogs, as well as floral - people love free flowing watercolour patterns - and also abstract, bright colours. Additionally, anything that’s regional-specific, such as Highland cows in Scotland, or coastal designs for tourists visiting the seaside. We have a massive mug range to choose from, it’s just a case of stores tailoring the mug selection to cover a variety of tastes and local demand.”

The most successful mugs that Candlelight sells into gift retailers are boxed mugs that co-ordinate well with other items, says the company’s sales director Emma Yeardley. “This is apparent in our Oriental Heron range, with a co-ordinated display having a great impact in store. And now that we have the opportunity to meet up with others again, this range is ideal for sophisticated afternoon tea.” She also highlights Candlelight’s Wild Garden Progressive Gifts & Home Worldwide

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