Nordisk Film takes big leap onto giftmarket

The market for gifts is undergoing tremendous changes. The growth on the market is happening as gift cards have become one of the most sought our gifts ad opposed to CDs and DVDs. Gift cards for cafes, restaurants, concerts and cinemas are the most popular ones.

Only a few years ago gift cards were something that the local shop owner would issue. Today the business for gift cards is growing rapidly with a great thanks to the digitalization. The gift card is accountable for 5 percent of the combined Danish gift market but is expected to grow to 10 percent or approximately 3 billion Danish crowns in 2019. Egmont / Nordisk Film became the market leader in the online gift card market with the acquiring of Gavekortet.dk, which has annual sales at around a quarter of a billion Danish crowns.

These days the media corporate is entering the market of physical giftboxes in the shops. Gift boxes with the name "good times" will be available in more than 300 shops before Christmas. Among others it will be available at Bilka, Føtex, Kvickly, Fona, Bog&Idé, Illum, Salling and Arnold Busck.

"This is the next step in a venture to become the biggest player in the market of gifts in Northern Europe. We want to develop a total gift solution online ad through physical shops" says Christian Folden Lund, CEO of Nordisk Film direct.

Gift boxes from good times to be personal
Research shows that gift cards is now the most popular gidt, but there has been an obstacle for the givers of the gift cards to make it personal. We are working on a number of ways to personalize both the online and the physical gift card. For Christmas 2014 it will be possible to print your own front to the gift boxes and include a small message or a photo. It could be a photo of the receiver of the gift box," says Christian Folden Lund.

Dansk Supermarked is thrilled with the boxes
Gift cards is one of the fastest growing items in both Føtex and Bilka. Gift boxes is an item that fits perfectly into the area of the check outs where the customer gets the idea for an easy gift. We wish to offer a large variety of gift cards," says Rene Knudsen, category manager at Dansk Supermarked.

Christian Folden Lund thinks that the consumers are asking for new ways to give gifts.
"If I ask people, when was the last time you gave someone a CD, most people can't remember. We have not stopped giving gifts, we just need new ways of giving each other music, experiences and movie tickets.

Three years ago Nordisk Film started building a new business reaching beyond movies, cinemas and PlayStation. The ambitious goal is to have an annual sale of a billion crowns. Through the acquisition of Gavekortet.dk, Filmweb and Billetlugen and the startup of MinBio, Frontrow and Good times Nordisk Film direct has had sales for 350 million Danish crowns and is currently 100 + employees.