We chat to eOne’s Rebecca Harvey to find out more about the successful partnership.
Launching back in July, the partnership between eOne’s Peppa Pig and Hunter is one which makes perfect sense. We all know how much the preschool character loves jumping in muddy puddles, while the creative director of Hunter – Alasdhair Willis – has said “at the core of a great Hunter experience is fun, adventure and preferably a muddy puddle”.
“There is real synergy between Hunter and Peppa Pig,” Rebecca Harvey, evp global marketing, eOne Family & Brands, says. “The Britishness of both brands is something that was really appealing for both of us. Hunter also shares the commitment to quality and product solutions that add value to everyday life of children, families and parents.”
Rebecca continues: “One of the great things about the partnership for me is the fact the brand, marketing, licensing and partnership teams at eOne came together to make it happen. It was a massive team effort.”
The four pieces in the collection – the Original Kids and First Classic Pull On boots, kids’ backpack and Bubble Umbrella – feature Peppa Pig and her little brother George in a distinctive muddy puddle camo pattern in three colourways. Ranging from £30 to £45, the collection is aimed at 2-6 and is available in the UK, US, Japan, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Scandinavia, France and Italy.
Hunter celebrated the launch of the limited edition collection with a series of special in-store events held across its key flagship sites in London’s Regent Street and Yorkdale Mall in Toronto, in addition to Saks Fifth Avenue in New York.
A day festival and Peppa Pig-themed entertainment for families included costumer character appearances, photo opportunities, face painting and balloon modellers. Anchoring the launch in-store, Hunter x Peppa Pig branding included window takeovers, backdrops and prominent product displays (which remained throughout the summer). Online and social media support also backed the launch of the range, while it also generated several national news stories.
Moving forward, Rebecca explains that these kind of collaborations are hugely important to the brand. “Peppa is often referenced as an evergreen and these partnerships are really important as continuing evidence that she is a true evergreen,” she says. “Peppa is a massive part of the national consciousness and I believe we can continue to reach higher critical mass than we have done even so far. Peppa needs to continue to stay relevant and these partnerships are part of that.”
Rebecca continues: “These collaborations will be a huge focus more and more for us for Peppa… we’re already talking about the next five years to the 20th anniversary and then the five after that.
“That long range plan will definitely be looking for more of these kinds of collaborations and partnerships.”
This feature originally appeared in the autumn 2019 edition of Licensing Source Book. Click here to read the full publication.
