Young Entrepreneur Receives the PM’s Seal of Approval
Added: (Thu Sep 29 2005)
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Young Entrepreneur Receives the PM’s Seal of Approval
Sheffield, South Yorkshire – Thursday 29th September 2005 -- IC Innovations – Young Entrepreneur Tristan Cowell is celebrating after his innovative product design has won him two national contracts and Tony Blair’s seal of approval.
After watching his mother struggle to make a Christmas card display, 24 year old Tristan came up with Card Hang Ups™ (www.cardhangups.com), which solves the problem that each household faces on how to display their greeting cards without marking walls or the need for a hook. In the UK last year 1.6 billion Christmas cards were received, yet until now there has not been a truly flexible, attractive and effective product available.
Nominated for the 2005 Design and Decoration Awards and used in Number 10 Downing Street last year, the product is causing a stir with retailers. Although It has not been an easy journey, as Tristan explained “When I initially approached some of the large national retailers in 2003, I found buyers were apathetic, hard to get hold of and unwilling to critique the product. This only made me more determined.”
Without prior experience, Tristan began by launching the product at a regional level and even turned down an initial deal from Boots as he felt that their price points were not right. His decision was the right one as he has now secured a contract to supply 422 Boots stores and the product is now available in 260 Asda supermarkets across the UK. Louise Mills from Boots Contract Manufacturing commented, “This is an interesting product that sits very well on the periphery of our core Christmas product. It offers our customers a novel solution to the annual dilemma of displaying Christmas cards."
All the hard work has finally come to fruition, but there is still a long way to go. Tristan has a similar product for photos, Photo Hang Ups™ which is being launched in the New Year, and he also plans to launch the products outside of the UK.
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About IC Innovations
IC Innovations, established by Tristan Cowell in 2003, specialises in nurturing product ideas from conception, production and marketing to point of sale. Its operations include China, Taiwan and India, with further expansion anticipated in 2006.
Contacts
IC Innovations
Tristan Cowell
T: 0845 257 0387
M: 07814892856
E: info@ic-innovations.com
W: www.ic-innovations.co.uk
Tall Poppy
Kobi Thompson
T: 0114 272 7077
M: 0791 700 3450
E:kobi.thompson@tallpoppyconsulting.co.uk
W: www.tallpoppyconsulting.co.uk