Transport for London launches first children’s style guide

Transport for London has launched its first dedicated style guide aimed at creating children’s products that reflect London’s iconic transport network. 

Designed by creative agency Crush Creative, the guide includes a set of colourful, illustrated assets that draw on TfL’s heritage and serve as a toolkit for licensees developing products for young audiences.

The new style guide marks a major step in TfL’s collaboration with its global licensing agency, IMG, to make the brand more accessible and engaging for children and families.

The guide offers existing and prospective TfL partners a range of assets, including six core illustrations of London scenes that highlight the city’s diverse modes of transport – from buses and trains to active travel options like cycling and walking. The new assets take cues from TfL’s historic poster art, blending retro aesthetics with contemporary designs to capture London’s vibrant spirit and deep-rooted transport heritage in a playful new way. All revenue generated through TfL’s licensing programme is reinvested into the transport network.

The key elements of the guide include:

Six signature illustrations: showcasing various London scenes and transport modes in a retro-inspired style that reflects the colours and energy of the city.

Four versatile patterns: designed to appeal to different age groups, featuring elements inspired by the main illustrations.

Nine unique badges: compact graphics designed for smaller design spaces, complementing the other assets.

13 icons: iconography that includes buses, Tube trains, bicycles and more, encouraging exploration across multiple design formats.

The guide also includes sample applications across potential products, supporting licensees as they adapt TfL’s imagery to various formats.

“We know that kids love all things bus, rail and Tube – from singing about the wheels on the bus to ‘driving’ a DLR train,” commented Ellen Sankey, TfL’s brand licensing manager. “As we start to expand the TfL brand into the children’s market, it is so important for us to offer licensees something easy to use and exciting that will engage and delight children and parents alike. We want to make kids aware of the importance of greener options such as public transport, walking and cycling, and invite them to discover our wonderful city. This guide reflects our heritage and style, while also looking to our future.”

Tim Smith, svp of licensing at IMG, continued: “TfL has long captured the imagination of children worldwide, representing not just transport, but the spirit of adventure, curiosity and exploration. This unique appeal, combined with TfL’s rich legacy and extensive archives, creates a strong platform to develop a whole universe of children’s products across a multitude of different product categories.”

Crush’s illustration director, Theo, added: “TfL has a rich history of collaborating with iconic artists and designers. You can spot this in everything from the famous Underground map, to where you park your bum on their iconic moquette. In creating this asset pack for children we had the incredible opportunity to immerse ourselves in that world. It has been a privilege to breathe life into a series of images and patterns that pay homage to some of the great mid-century artists who brought so much joy to the underground in years gone by.”

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