What does the name PICKMOTION stand for and can you tell us more about the creation of the first postcard "Life is Confetti"?
Lorenz: PICKMOTION was originally called PICK POSTS - like postcards that you can "pick" or choose - but I realised that there was much more to the products. We want to work with Instagrammers all over the world and to this day it's all about this co-creative process. This means that the photos come from the Instagrammers, but we develop them into products with typography and illustrations. We quickly realised that we might make other products in the distant future. So, we needed another name. In the end, it's all about picking emotions, and that's how the name PICKMOTION came about.
Marius: The photo of the first postcard was taken at the May Festival 2011 in Kreuzberg, Berlin. I was just in the right place at the right time. Shortly after that I had a chat with Lorenz, who wanted to redesign city postcards not only with the main sights, but also with cool spots, street festivals and new perspectives. We sat down and created the first series. It consisted of ten postcards with two or three motifs by me and a few other photographers we quickly found on Instagram. That's how the first Berlin collection was created.
Lorenz: My favourite motif is also the first postcard "Life is Confetti" card by Marius. It simply combines everything: the celebration, but also the awareness of the individual moment. It's a typical "just linger, you're so beautiful-moment” and simply has the basic ingredients of PICKMOTION.
What was it like to hold the first PICKMOTION card in your hand? What other PICKMOTION moments do you look back on with fondness?
Marius: That was really cool! Lorenz had made a test print with the first card and showed me this box full of them. That was a very special "wow" feeling. Especially because photography was making such a transition from analogue to digital at the time. Up until that point, photographers were extremely underrepresented and Instagram created a huge wave where everyone could share photos. You realised that everyone could have a portfolio, everyone had the same opportunity and could go out and show themselves. The thought and the idea that the photographers behind it could actually earn money with that was still unknown at the time and thus, really innovative.
Lorenz: I also have fond memories of the very first trade show where we didn't even realise it was an order fair. We took orders on our own products, our postcards, because we didn't have any paper, let alone a notepad. It was still a bit of a mad dash, but also a charming and really nice moment. Other great moments are always the team events. I have fond memories of our second win at the Golden Greeting Card Award 2022. That was after the pandemic, and we really got to celebrate together as a team. I think it was well deserved and also important for the team to see that success. It was a cool highlight for me.
The PICKMOTION Team celebrates their success at the Golden Greeting Card Award 2022
What were the most difficult hurdles and how did the company overcome them?
Lorenz: The biggest hurdle for us, and of course for many companies, was the lockdown. The pandemic had a massive impact on the retail sector, i.e. our retailers and direct customers. For us as a company, it presented major challenges, such as short-time working or having to put many projects on hold. It wasn't until 2022 that we were able to slowly return to the goals and dreams we had developed in 2019.
Of course, the team doesn't always stay the same, it changes and it's a shame to have to say goodbye to some people. It is definitely a challenge to develop a company so that the right people are in charge. But that makes it all the more fun to develop those people. That is also one of the greatest pleasures: to make people - hopefully yourself included - better. I think that's also a great spirit that drives me.
What makes PICKMOTION special in your opinion? What makes it different from other companies?
Marius: At the time, I was extremely impressed that it was even possible to do something like that. Lorenz had these ten postcard motifs and went to shops on his own and asked if they wanted to place them. There was this vision and seriousness right from the start. People were also very impressed, especially at the beginning at the trade shows. The competitors didn't understand it at first and didn't even know what Instagram was. It's incredible to see how the company, the team and the products have grown is now. And the fact that they work with so many photographers. This collaboration is still very valuable to me. I think it will continue for a long time to come. The way I understand social media, collaboration is what works best, and this is also a core value of PICKMOTION.
Lorenz: The unique selling point of our products is the co-creative process and the fact that we work with over 1,000 people worldwide. We share inspiration and bring things to retail that would otherwise be lost in digital nirvana. That was one of the basic ideas: Things that we find digitally and think are beautiful should be on great printed products and get the recognition they deserve. It's also always a great pleasure to see how people are excited to see their pictures on real print products. On top of that, we also have such a strong creative team that shares inspiration and grows together. I think people also realise that it is not just one designer but many creative minds that have tried to make a really good greeting card. We do a lot of things ourselves - from product development to the entire presentation and logistics processes. We always look at the whole life cycle. That curiosity is what sets us apart and is very important.
The first Pickmotion postcard "Life is Konfetti"
What are your hopes for the future of PICKMOTION?
Lorenz: I think we're going to grow even more as a company and be present at even more points of sale. We want to sweep away some of the heaviness that can come with political issues or anything else in life with our spirit of joy. The products should remind people to cherish the day and celebrate life and their loved ones. My vision is to make this idea even more present in different product forms in retail and online. I believe that in the future we will be able to dream more and make more dreams come true, where we had to be very selective at the moment. There are still many ideas, the drawer is full.
