To think Paperchase have lost their minds over cock and anal cards

[Waffles80]

Paperchase have a series of Valentine's cards with such witty captions as "I love your big cock" and "nothing says I love you like anal".

As a high street chain hugely popular with young people, I'd kind of expect them to understand some boundaries about graphic and sexually explicit language.

They're brazening it out on Twitter, claiming their minuscule disclaimer about the cards being rude is absolutely adequate.

Grim.

I don't really care about rude cards in many ways but I wouldn't expect to see them in Paperchase. They look really cheap and very in your face, not at all what I'd expect from that brand.

My was to Paperchase, trying to make the big boys laugh with rude jokes like a naughty Y7. Leave it to Scribbler.

I just actually said "dear oh dear"

Awful. Great

I take it all back I need the one that says "let's be socially awkward wierdos together..."

Grim I meant

There's something especially grim about the anal one - i.e. If you really loved me, you'd take it up the arse. You can imagine some younger women being presented with that thinking perhaps they ought to let their naggy boyfriend have his way, even though they aren't keen.

Nothing says your dumped better than a card saying 'Anal'

Agree with Penelope, they're a knock off of the good ones (layla something?) I've seen advertised on Facebook. I guess they figure there will be more people go in to buy them than people who would have gone in but now won't out of principle. plus all the free 'i am outraged' social media advertising.

Personally I think there will be a lot bought by teenagers in an attempt to be cool and it will backfire ( in much the same way whatever the equivalent shit did in the 90s when I was a teenager). But who cares what I think, corporate decisions are based on revenue streams, not what some jumper wearing accountant on the internet thinks.

It's all a bit cringe, isn't it?

My local Paperchase is always full of young girls from about the age 8 upwards. I am pretty open minded but I really wouldn't want my 10 year old dd to see that!!! Yes, it's just grim. What are they thinking????

Paperchase is just the sort of shop in which I would have spent all of my pocket money as a 12-14 year old. They target this sort of customer with all their inexpensive stationery items appealing to children.

Might they be trying deliberately to move away from the 'pocket money' market and into more lucrative territory?

Their website says:

"Paperchase is the UK’s number 1 shopping spot for exciting and innovative design-led stationery. For over 40 years we’ve inspired with stylish stationery, unique greeting cards, distinctive gifts as well as quality art and craft materials."

Nothing there to indicate they're targeting a child/teen market.

I just cringe at the idea of getting a fucking anal card, even if it was something I was into. I mean, who is it supposed to be from / to? Guilt-trippy prod from partner with penis, or reassuring reminder from partner who takes it up the ass?

Actually, the cards themselves are grim.

The anal one in particular - it's just so crass to jokingly perpetuate a mythology around a potentially harmful sexual act so heavily promoted and normalised by the porn industry.

Just imagine displaying any of them on your mantelpiece / desk.

Wtf?! These are awful

Twitter non-response:

I mean, it's toilet wall stuff, isn't it. Imagine receiving such a Shakespearean accolade on the 14th. You'd be overwhelmed with ardour and passion - not.

I think I might pop down to my local branch tomorrow lunchtime for a word with the manager. But then I'm on the war path tonight...

TheCustomaryMethod - if you go into any of their stores the products in the front of the store are exactly the kind of things that appeal to young pre-teens and teens. All the boring stuff is at the back. So yes, they are very much aimed at teens. They even sell lots of stuff for younger children, like cute lunch bags, etc.

Yuck they are awful.

I've never seen Paperchase as being a shop for young teens. I get notebooks and diaries there and really like them. Those cards are horrible!

No rim job ones?

I don't think they're offensive or anything, I just think they're crass and not funny or clever. The kind of junk I expect to find in Urban Outfitters or that awful Scribbler shop, not Paperchase, which I generally really like.

Completely agree, illegitimateMortificadospawn. I'm not fussed about them being 'unromantic' - I think the whole concept of a commercial Valentine's Day is pretty unromantic - but it's pretty sad to see a high-street chain actively promoting a 'if you loved me you'd do this (potentially painful/dangerous) sex act' message.