Happy New Year, and we should all make an effort to make it so, irrespective of the news we are bombarded with! Because, there is good news out there, especially in the world of licensing, where Partnerships with Purpose are driving positive environmental action, communication, and education.
Many of our favourite character brands are taking up causes, engaging their fanbase, and using their unique voice to raise awareness, encourage behaviour change, and increase financial support for relevant causes.
Those of you that know me well will easily identify the keyword in the previous sentence. That’s right, relevant! My first mantra, with any partnership, is FIT. To have credibility the “voice must ring true” to effectively engage with the audience and drive change.
A few examples to celebrate this trend spring to mind.
The Sustainability in Licensing Conference 2022 received the support of original eco-activists The Wombles, who were brought out of hibernation in 2022 to spread their positive message of local environmentalism. The appearance followed The Wombles supporting the UK Government’s Together for Our Planet campaign ahead of COP26 in Glasgow in 2021 where they encouraged us all to go #OneStepGreener
The Wombles first appeared in a book published in 1968, and subsequently were on TV between 1973–1975. A new series of 52 episodes was launched in 1996, with three new characters.
For those of you not old enough to remember, The Wombles are creatures that live underground, collecting and recycling human rubbish. We can all agree, they were significantly ahead of their time!
What a great example, credibility of character to message, engaging a multi-generational audience, and clear, practical advice which we can all follow.
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