Case study
Jelly Armchair - Puntastic
The brand’s ‘puntastic’ style spans themes including art, literature, celebrities, animals, and food & drink—blending visual jokes, cultural references, and bold, eye-catching design.
Founded in 2015 by sisters Cat and Liz Faulkner, Jelly Armchair is a family-run business known for its colourful illustrations and love of silly puns.
Cat first began exploring puns during her time at university, enjoying the immediate reaction and communication they sparked. This inspiration led her to begin creating greeting cards, which she initially sold at craft fairs and through her Etsy shop, later expanding into Almond Kitchen pop-up shops alongside Liz.
Cat illustrates all Jelly Armchair designs herself—now numbering more than 400. Each piece begins as a doodle or sketch in her sketchbook before being hand-drawn in pencil or ink, most often directly in ink.
Jelly Armchair’s colourful greeting cards are stocked by independent retailers, online stores, and bookshops, while their pun-filled calendars regularly sell out soon after release. To date, the company has sold more than 1.5 million units, demonstrating a strong and growing audience for its playful and vibrant products.
The brand has also built a loyal online following through its daily “Guess the Pun” game on Instagram, which has attracted more than 90,000 followers and continues to grow.
Expanding the Brand
When Jelly Armchair first approached Larkshead Licensing, their goal was to expand the brand beyond paper products and explore new opportunities through licensing partnerships. Larkshead worked closely with the team to identify their priorities and develop a strategy to grow the brand while staying true to its distinctive humour and visual identity.
New Licensing Deals
With Larkshead’s support, Jelly Armchair has recently secured several licensing partnerships, with new products rolling out over the coming months.
Woodmansterne has launched a new range of greeting cards, expanding Jelly Armchair’s presence across a variety of sentiments and occasions. The Silly Art and Literature collection debuted in mid-February, with the Silly Smile range scheduled for release on 1 April.
Carousel Calendars has also signed on to develop a range of calendars for fans in both the UK and the US, with the first formats set to launch in 2027.
Following a successful showcase at the UK Toy Fair earlier this year, University Games will introduce two new card games and two 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzles featuring Jelly Armchair’s signature humour.
The latest partner, Bothy Threads, will release a collection of cross-stitch kits this October.
Summary
Larkshead’s work with Jelly Armchair demonstrates the value of a personalized licensing strategy. By helping the brand clarify its priorities and identifying partners that align with its creative vision, Larkshead has successfully expanded Jelly Armchair’s presence into new product categories. With multiple launches on the horizon and additional deals in discussion, Jelly Armchair continues to grow while staying true to their original messaging.
