The Very Hungry Caterpillar wiggles into Bluewater

BRANDORA Editorial Staff - November 2019

As The Very Hungry Caterpillar continues to celebrate its 50th anniversary, Rocket Licensing, which manages the licensing of the brand in the UK, has formed a partnership with leading shopping destination, Bluewater, for a slate of promotional activity. The collaboration begins with the theming of Bluewater’s Green Flag award-winning nature trail.

Children follow The Very Hungry Caterpillar trail map, along with branded signs, maps and floor stickers, to make their way around the paths. On route they will meet an insta-worthy wooden sculpture of the main character, and learn facts about the flora and fauna surrounding the centre.

Upon completion of the accompanying quiz, children will receive an activity book based on the classic tale, which has sold over 51 million copies worldwide, from one of the brand’s 32-strong licensing partners, Alligator Books, along with a cardboard Very Hungry Caterpillar hat.

Further activity with Bluewater for the two-year deal includes in-mall costume character appearances, a half term story time event, and a photo opportunity at key seasonal times. A Giant Wiggle fundraiser – an event which has so far raised an incredible £301,000 for Action for Children – is also planned for spring 2020 at the prestigious mall.

Retailers stocking The Very Hungry Caterpillar products within Bluewater, including Waterstone’s John Lewis, Mothercare and WHSmith, will also be encouraged to get involved with promotional activations across key dates including VHC Day and World Book Day as part of the collaboration.

The licensing campaign for The World of Eric Carle’s The Very Hungry Caterpillar is managed in the UK by independent licensing company Rocket Licensing through the worldwide agent, The Joester Loria Group.

Melissa Satterly, Brand Manager, Rocket Licensing, says: “The collaboration with Bluewater’s nature trail is perfect for The Very Hungry Caterpillar as the setting has great synergy with the brand’s values of exploration and nature, and it will help to encourage another new generation to love and share the evergreen story. The wider activity with Bluewater will help to support our loyal retailers and licensees in what is a very exciting year for the brand.”

Other key partnerships in place to celebrate the milestone anniversary of the Eric Carle bestseller include tie-ups with The Royal Horticultural Society, The Eden Project and Butterfly Conservation. There’s also an enormously popular theatre show – The Hungry Caterpillar Live – for pre-schoolers.

The family favourite Very Hungry Caterpillar metamorphosises into a consumer products brand incredibly successfully, with over 30 licensees on board including Rainbow Designs, Paul Dennicci, Bloom & Blossom, Amscan, Woodmansterne, and many more.