About Us
The Greeting Card Association is the trade body for the greeting card industry. The voice of the British card industry, our mission is to represent, protect and promote our wonderfully innovative sector.
The Voice of the UK’s greeting card industry
The GCA is an independent not for profit trade organisation operating for the benefit of its’ members, who are greeting card publishers, retailers, individuals and suppliers to the card industry.
The GCA supports its members to build their businesses, by providing a forum for them to promote their business, providing specialist information, access to specialist suppliers and organising events that provide opportunities to build business relationships and keep up to date with key industry issues.
The GCA represents the industry with organisations that impact greeting card sales, such as the media and Royal Mail, and promotes and encourages greeting card sending. It also develops initiatives, such as Thinking of You Week and Festive Friday, to highlight the benefits of card sending.
The GCA also compiles the only comprehensive annual market report, available to most members free of charge.
The GCA is governed by its Council of elected members and managed by Amanda Fergusson, GCA CEO.
Our Values
We’ve championed the greeting card industry for over 100 years. We’ve seen the value greeting cards add to individual lives, businesses and communities.
Greeting cards build relationships; sending and receiving a greeting card creates a strong connection.
Our industry facilitates and celebrates positive communication between people of all backgrounds in Britain. We lead the world in greeting card design and innovation, exporting our designs across the globe.
The GCA are committed to equality, diversity and inclusiveness in the greeting card industry, both in the workplace and across the range of cards available.
Our card sending initiatives
The GCA organises annual card sending initiatives on behalf of the industry, including Thinking of You Week, Cardmitment and Festive Friday.
Thinking of You Week
Launched in 2014, Thinking of You Week takes place during the last week in September. This consumer-sending occasion is designed to harness the emotional power of cards to create a wave of love, caring and happiness around the world, by encouraging the public to send a card a day to different people during the week.
The initiative has spread to the USA and Australia too!
Cardmitment
Our Cardmitment campaign is about protecting and promoting greeting card sending. The simple act of sending a card can have a positive impact on individuals, communities and society, spreading joy and creating connections.
Festive Friday
Festive Friday is four weeks before Christmas, the day when card lovers everywhere post their Christmas cards to friends and family to start a wave of card sending to launch the festive sending season with bang.
Launched in 2013, Festive Friday creates a great first wave of beautiful cards arriving in early December to get the nation in the Christmas card-sending mood!
Championing greeting cards for over 100 years
The Greeting Card Association was established in 1919 by leading greeting card publishers to bring together all parties with an interest in the healthy continuation of our industry. Today it embraces publishers, retailers, suppliers and individuals working in our community.
The GCA is their representative to government, the Royal Mail, the media and anyone who impacts our industry. The GCA provides information and material to schools and colleges, promoting the habit of card sending among the young and encouraging design innovation.
Making connections
We understand the struggle new publishers go through when they are trying to get established. Featuring in the GCA members’ directory promotes your business to retailers and others. The GCA community support each other, sharing ideas and building understanding supporting industry growth.
Making the right connections and building relationships is key to successful business growth. The GCA facilities this though it’s website and member networking events.
Dragons Speed Dating
This annual event allows publishers and retailers from across our membership to come together in a speed-dating / Dragon’s Den style environment, making new connections that may otherwise not have happened. This annual lively and fun event has helped bring new cards to market, bringing more smiles to consumers and recipients.
Supporting our members
The GCA’s mission is to support the Greeting Card Industry across the supply chain. Our members include paper and board manufacturers, envelope suppliers, publishers, fulfilment centres and of course retailers.
We help new entrants to the market to find their feet, providing help, advice and creating regular forums for discussion and learning, facilitating business development.
Industry voice
The GCA represents the industry with organisations that impact greeting card sales, such as the media, government and Royal Mail.
Knowledge base
The GCA website is a key trade source for retailers and others working, or interested, in the industry. Maintaining a comprehensive website and members’ library, providing specialist advice to inform and support industry growth.
Promoting card sending
Promotes and encourages greeting card sending by media contact, and developing initiatives, such as Thinking of You Week, highlighting the benefits of card sending.
Networking
The GCA organises member-only networking events that provide opportunities to build business relationships and keep up to date with pressing industry issues.
Member benefits
The GCA negotiates discounts and other benefits from specialist suppliers on behalf of members. Promote your business to buyers in the Members’ Directory. Check and register new ranges on the GCA Range Names Register, before going to print to avoid duplication.
Market Report
The GCA compiles the only industry annual greeting card market research report. Available free to most members or for a fee to non-members.
