UKG’s loveable pup marks 15th birthday with extension into nursery and pre-school
The loveable pup from UK Greetings is celebrating his 15th birthday with a first – Boofle’s inaugural appearance at the Brand Licensing Europe show in his own right to promote the cutie to the nursery and preschool sector.
The cute brand, whose greeting card range is one of the finalists in The Henry Cole Classic Award in The Henries 2023 awards for ranges that have stood the test of time, will be showcased on a dedicated stand at the trade show that takes place at London’s Excel over October 4-6, bringing together retailers, licensees and manufacturers for three days of deal-making, networking and trend spotting.
Here, UK Greetings’ brand development manager Susan Jones explains what’s going on with Boofle – with the brand having sold over 100million greeting cards – and BLE…
You’re new to BLE, why are you exhibiting and what can licensees and retailers expect to see on your stand?
“We’re exhibiting to shout about our brand extension into the nursery and preschool sectors. We’ll have a beautiful stand which will show how Boofle can translate creatively across a variety of categories, including bedding, apparel, feeding and publishing.”
Tell us about Boofle – he’s been on the scene for a while and is so lovely. With what looks like a pretty mature licensing programme already, what are you hoping to achieve by exhibiting at BLE?
“So glad you like Boofle! Yes, Boofle is now a well-established character brand and we’re celebrating the 15th anniversary this year.
“The majority of licensed products are currently in the adult gifting, stationery and nightwear sectors but we have always felt that the warmth and gender neutrality of the brand would also be perfect for nursery and preschool categories.
“Recent discussions with retail buyers echoed this and consumer research highlighted that 72% of consumers would buy the brand for baby/child. We are therefore very keen to talk to potential new licensees for this sector.”
Are you launching anything new?
“We’ll be showcasing our brand-new nursery and preschool style guides, featuring some really lovely product executions.”
Tell us about the gifts/greetings and preschool licensing categories – are they performing well? Are there lots of opportunities for you?
“Greetings was the launch category for Boofle and continues to be phenomenally successful. Circa 15m Boofle greeting cards are sent each year, so the brand reach is huge.
“And 2023 has been fantastic for gifts too with new everyday and seasonal gift ranges launching in a number of major retailers. Pre-school is a huge opportunity for us and very much part of the reason for exhibiting at BLE.”
Do you think a branded product is more attractive to customers in these sectors?
“Customers are extra careful about their choices in the greetings/gift sectors as they can be seen as not just a reflection on them as an individual but, also, on how well they know the recipient, so a lot is at stake!
“Buying a brand which they know the recipient aligns with is therefore definitely an attractive option. A brand’s core values – whether those values be play/educational or, in the case of Boofle, uplifting, inclusive and sustainable – can help cement relationships.
“Incidentally, Boofle’s backstory is that Grandad’s old woolly cardie had seen better days and was re-purposed to make the original Boofle. So, sustainability is at the very heart of the brand. In the preschool sector, a brand with positive messaging/values can be a really attractive choice as we all strive to make the world a better and happier place for our children. “
Is there anything else you’d like to tell us about Boofle?
“Boofle has been helping to make people feel loved through cards and gifts for the last 15 years and, in so many cases, has been there to celebrate key milestones in people’s journeys from dating, through moving in together/settling down and then on to starting a family. Adding nursery and pre-school collections is an obvious next step for the brand.”
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