Brand loyalty: Dan Sumption, one of my most regular customers.
To quote this advert for Disneyland Paris from the end of last year, “We all wish the magic of Christmas could start earlier”.
I am sure many parents would disagree, but Disney are not really talking about magic any more than Marks and Spencer are talking about magic and sparkle. Or any more than Sainsbury’s are talking about sharing or any more than John Lewis are talking about real love.
What they really mean is that they wish the income stream of Christmas could start earlier.
High Street X. The same stuff I normally sell, but with added Christmas “magic”.
Anyway, I say if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em and here are a few photos of me, starting the magic of Christmas earlier at the Sheffield Zine Fest on 14th March. I was accompanied by my sister, Catherine, as a Christmas fairy (or Merchandising Operative) and my wife, Stella, as an Elf (or Fulfilment Centre Manager).
Fulfilment Centre Manager and Merchandising Operative.
Some people were clearly non-plussed by the costumes and would not even make eye contact. However, I did get some customers who took it to the next level by revisiting their traumatised childhoods at the hands of shopping-centre Santas.
Stuart Faulkner and the crew from Footprints Co-Operative Print getting favours from Santa.
Big thanks go to Chella Quint and Bettie Walker for organising the Sheffield Zine Fest.
https://sheffieldzinefest.wordpress.com/
https://twitter.com/sheffzinefest
Retrospective: Richard Bolam at 50 