Kitten Caboodle
Cat's meow, hot line, road show.
By Elaine W. Teague
For get-ahead gift retailers, it may be time to get catty. From
wild and exotic to cute and cuddly, cats are making their paw
prints on the gift industry. Gift & Stationery
magazine's managing editor,Christopher Gigley, says pets are
perennially popular themes. Now cats, arguably America's
number-one pet, are getting their day in the sun, frolicking across
everything from pillows and soap to stained glass.
Bonnie Sewell's Los Angeles gift design company, Bonnie
Sewell Designs, has increased its focus on things feline over the
past several years with a line of dolls that includes kittens
dressed for the holidays (think Santa Paws) and cat-shaped door
stops (below). "People can relate to cats no matter what kind
of cats they are," says Sewell. As gifts go, cat lovers are
among the easier customers to please because they're not as
breed-specific.
"You've got grey cats, calico cats or tabbies,"
says Gigley. "Dogs are tougher because customers won't
just buy a dog mug--they want the French Poodle mug or the
Rottweiler mug. Pet owners are crazy about their pets, so
you've got a solid market to build on."
Content Continues Below
In the gift industry, you're dealing with products people
don't need, so there has to be an emotional draw. "With
cats," says Gigley, "you can be sure you have that
connection."
Page 1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 