Agency signs deal with brand to create first range of products for UK’s biggest enthusiast group, birdwatchers.
Move aside football fans, there is now a larger group of enthusiasts in town – the birdwatchers. Enjoying a revival, particularly among Generation X-ers and Millennials, to ‘go birding’ as it is now called is enjoyed by six million people across the country (10% of the population).
Now, The Point.1888 is looking tap into this, securing a brand representation deal with I Like Birds to create the first range of products for this market.
I like Birds has already amassed huge appeal from birdwatchers and the design conscious alike.
Thanks to initiatives from the RSPB, The Wildlife Trusts and The Wildfowl and Wetland Trust, the hobby has become far more accessible to families and young people and sub-divisions of birders have been identified.
These include: Twitchers (10% of the group) which are the traditional stereotype of birdwatchers, are predominantly male and invest in specialist viewing equipment to enjoy the hobby; Enthusiasts (50% of all birders) who are men or women and enjoy birdwatching as part of other cultural or travel activities; and Casuals (30% of the group and the fastest-growing) who enjoy travelling and are interested in other outdoor and nature-based activities such as hiking or wildlife watching.
Casual birders can also be segmented into ‘urban birders’, ‘hipster birders’ and more which presents huge retail opportunities.
Having seen the resurgence of the birdwatching trend, I like Birds wanted to build on the momentum by expanding its product range to appeal to the Enthusiast and Casual birder groups.
New licensing partners are expected to be announced in the coming months with products releasing in spring/summer 2021.
“Our retail-first model ensures that we’re bringing to market products that retailers and their customers want, but this only works as long as we identify the right opportunities,” said Bethan Garton, commercial director at The Point.1888. “With I like Birds, the birding market is ours, and myself and the team cannot wait to get started.”
Stuart Cox, founder of I Like Birds, added: “I’m chuffed to working with them and look forward to a long and extremely pointy future in their capable hands.”
Want to read more news like this? Simply sign up to our daily digest by clicking here. You can also follow @LicensingSource on Twitter and @licensing_source on Instagram.
