Licensor reveals plans to make The Beano annual No.1 this Christmas as it partners with London’s St Pancras International for a dedicated thirteen week takeover, starting this month

DC Thomson Consumer Products and St Pancras International in London have announced a world first: Dennis the Menace and other characters from The Beano will take over the iconic London station for thirteen weeks before Christmas, bringing pranks and fun to millions of travellers and visitors, helping to propel The Beano 2015 annual to the highly coveted No. 1 spot yet again. The cover of The Beano Annual 2015 shows the star characters Dennis the Menace and Gnasher against a backdrop of St Pancras International. But that’s not all. Commuters will be able to step into the world of The Beano and celebrate the launch of the annual with an extensive experiential marketing campaign that features an exhibition covering the history of the annuals, iconic Beano lettering, character appearances and workshops with artists. Dennis the Menace’s mischief, fun and cheek will be enjoyed by the million people that use the station each week. The station concourse will have new graphics with seasonal decorations and, as Christmas approaches, the Christmas tree will have some of The Beano magic. This innovative partnership between DC Thomson Consumer Products and St Pancras International hopes to ensure that The Beano 2015 annual becomes the No.1 annual for Christmas.

Tim Collins, Head of Brands, DC Thomson comments: “A new Beano annual is always an event and each year we create all new content and have more pages than many other annuals in the market. The 2015 annual looks fantastic and we have every confidence that it will be a massive hit again this Christmas. There is a huge affection for this iconic brand in the UK and after more than a year in the making, we’re really excited to be able to finally unveil this exclusive partnership with St Pancras International to support the nation’s favourite annual. A popular travel and shopping destination, the station sees thousands of children and families visit the station every day, so it’s a real privilege to be able to offer a unique Beano experience for young and new fans of all ages at such a key period.”

Wendy Spinks, Commercial Director, HS1 Ltd comments: “Being the backdrop for this year’s The Beano annual is a great honour for St Pancras International as it highlights the station to a wide audience and also brings together two iconic British institutions. The station takeover by The Beano will definitely cause excitement amongst our visitors, allowing everyone the opportunity to come to St Pancras and experience the mischief of Dennis the Menace and the Bash Street Kids as well as allowing them to take a step back in time with the exclusive The Beano annual cover exhibition.”

Packed full of all new content, stories and activities across 112 pages, The Beano annual is great value for money and a firm family favourite, securing the number 1 spot for seven out of the last 10 years. The brand and its characters are trusted and widely recognised by parents and grandparents, which has allowed the annual to become a hugely popular purchase not only amongst younger fans but also with parents who are looking for stocking fillers or gift ideas in the run up to the Christmas season.

The Beano 2015 Annual is stocked by all leading retailers and DC Thomson Consumer Products will be building on this momentum by supporting the launch and event with a comprehensive marketing and PR campaign.

For licensing opportunities, please visit the DC Thomson Consumer Products team at Stand F040 or contact Ishika Kawiratne on 020 7400 1072 or ikawiratne@dcthomson.co.uk