In a year of isolation and disruption, the market saw a few unifying trends. Many people worked remotely and ordered more online. Some made an effort to support local restaurants and teachers and essential health workers. Most wore masks to prevent the spread of the virus. And almost everyone decided that now was the time to buy games and puzzles.
Toy and game sales saw a 19% increase during the first three quarters of 2020. That paints a positive picture, but it’s not the whole story. Many people lost loved ones, struggled with finances, cancelled vacations, and missed friends and family. Socially-distanced events didn’t quite fill the void. And everyone is sick of “Virtual” anything and could happily go a lifetime without hearing the word “Zoom” again.
Being a completely remote workforce pre-pandemic, Creative Fold was well situated to continue operating without interruption. But we were not overwhelmed with work. We had a slow period in March, April, and May, just like many of our business partners and competitors. During this period we launched a website design promo. As physical retail locations closed or limited customer visits, many businesses saw the need for a strong web presence.
We also launched a packaging design initiative. Our small team is ready to jump into the packaging design process at any point to help with branding, messaging, design, materials sourcing, and production. This will be a focus for us in 2021 and something we’re good at.
It was a year of cancellations and postponements and hard choices. Gathering 4 Gardner, a client of ours, had to postpone their biennial conference honoring the legacy of polymath Martin Gardner. Factory visits and trade shows were cancelled. Luckily, our Senior Graphic Designer Kelly was able to attend New York Toy Fair in February right before everything shut down.
We acquired a handful of new clients this year, including some big names in the toy and game industry. We look forward to continued work with all of our clients on projects ranging from playtesting to graphic design to event management and more.
Our company was nominated for a Toy and Game International Excellence (TAGIE) award in the Most Innovative Supplier of the Year category, presented by People of Play. What an honor to be listed with such great companies!
As we review all that 2020 held, we feel thankful to be doing what we’re doing. We recently heard someone say that instead of resolutions for the new year, they were focusing on hope for 2021. That is what we wish for you, our clients, friends, and business partners—health and recovery of spirit in 2021!
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