Madcap duo aim to raise £1m for one of UK’s largest charities

Bulldog Licensing has announced that cartoon cat and dog Roobarb and Custard are set to link up with the PDSA to act as brand ambassadors for the leading animal charity.

Roobarb, the madcap green dog, and his feline adversary Custard were created by Grange Calveley in the early 70s and were the stars of the Bob Godfrey directed BBC cartoon series Roobarb. Narrated by Richard Briers, only one series was originally made, but the trademark wobbly animation, zany storylines and the fiendishly catchy theme tune made the show into a cult sensation and it won a legion of devoted followers of all ages during the 70s and 80s. The dynamic duo returned to UK screens in 2005 with Roobarb and Custard Too, which has since become a top-rating kids’ show on Channel Five, pulling in a whole new generation of fans.

The characters have already appeared on a range of PDSA ‘I Love Dogs’ and ‘I Love Cats’ T-shirts from licensee Poetic Gem and launched with the support of Alesha Dixon and the charity has identified them as a perfect fit for further fundraising efforts – the PDSA provides medical care for over 400,000 pets each year and enjoys considerable public support, recording over a million hits a month to its website. The charity is hoping the much-loved duo will help raise £1m through a range of activities across retail and online, as well as a text campaign that will see mobile users receive a free Roobarb and Custard screensaver in return for donations. Images of Roobarb and Custard are also set to appear on the charity’s fleet of vehicles.
Roobarb and Custard’s considerable appeal has already helped licensing agent Bulldog develop a strong programme, which includes apparel lines from Poetic Gem, greetings cards from Museums and Galleries, amusement plush from PMS, canvas wall art from Riviera, and a range of picture books from Mogzilla.

“We are delighted that the PDSA has chosen Roobarb and Custard to act as its brand ambassadors,” says Bulldog MD Rob Corney, “as Britain’s most famous cat and dog duo they are a perfect fit and the brand’s huge cross-generational appeal means that the new campaign will strike a chord with everyone!”