Helping Bring Thinking of You Week to More Independent Shops

I was really pleased to be featured on the Greeting Card Association’s official Thinking of You Week blog, talking about the ideas and campaigns we created around this year’s event.

Thinking of You Week is already a genuinely brilliant campaign. At its heart is something very simple but very powerful: encouraging people to reach out, connect and remind others that they matter.

What interested me most was how we could help independent retailers feel confident and excited about getting involved, while also making the campaign feel more visible and relevant to customers walking through the door.

One thing I’ve learned over many years in retail is that even the best ideas need translating into something simple, visual and easy to act upon in a busy shop environment. Independent retailers are juggling a thousand things every day. The easier we can make participation, the more likely a campaign is to spread and genuinely gain momentum.

So my focus became creating eye-catching, customer-facing messaging and practical ideas that shops could implement quickly and naturally in their own spaces. The goal was never to overcomplicate things. Quite the opposite, really. I wanted retailers to feel that they could join in immediately, in a way that still felt authentic to their own business and customers.

What I loved most was seeing how warmly customers responded once the message was made visible. People genuinely want opportunities to connect with one another. Often they simply need reminding, prompting or permission to pause for a moment and send a card they may otherwise have forgotten.

That’s one of the reasons I care so much about greeting cards and independent retail more broadly. Small shops are often places where these tiny but meaningful moments begin. A customer comes in “just for a card” and leaves having reflected on a relationship, a memory or someone they care about.

I’m incredibly grateful to the Greeting Card Association for featuring my work and for continuing to champion campaigns that not only support the card industry, but also encourage more thoughtfulness and connection in everyday life.

And honestly, I think independent retailers are uniquely placed to help carry those messages further than anyone else.