Beano Studios marks 70 years of Dennis with Royal Mail stamp collection

Beano Studios is celebrating the 70th year of the iconic British comic character, Dennis the Menace, with the launch of a new stamp collection in partnership with Royal Mail.

The new series of six stamps will look back at Dennis through the ages, from the character’s first black and white comic strip in 1951, through important events in his life, including meeting his baby sister, Bea, adopting Gnasher, and finding out that his dad is a grown-up version of Dennis from the 1980s.

A further four stamps, exclusively illustrated by the current Dennis artist, Nigel Parkinson, show the culmination of an exclusive comic strip. The strip, written especially for Royal Mail, is featured in the Presentation Pack as it tells a story focused on Dennis’ birthday celebrations and includes a brief ‘history of Menaces.’

Vanessa Andre is, franchise planning and partnerships director, Beano Studios said: “Dennis has stamped his spirit on generations of kids for the last 70 years and continues to spread smiles and laughs between kids, parents and grandparents. Having Royal Mail join our licensing programme to mark this incredible year is very special and we can’t wait for fans to get their hands on this latest piece of Dennis history.”

Charlie Donaldson, joint managing director, Rocket Licensing, added: “We are delighted to be celebrating the birthday of this national treasure in partnership with this quintessentially British institution, Royal Mail. The bespoke artwork is so fun and eye-catching, it’s a very special collection for Beano that we are excited to see shared.”

For more than 50 years, Royal Mail’s Special Stamp programme has commemorated anniversaries and celebrated events relevant to UK heritage and life. Today, there are an estimated 2.5 million stamp collectors and gift givers in the UK and millions worldwide.

Natasha Ayivor, Royal Mail, said: “For seven decades Dennis has been entertaining children by getting into all manner of mischief fand mayhem. Generations have experienced the excitement and anticipation of reading about Dennis’s latest prank. Royal Mail is delighted to be honouring Dennis and Gnasher with a set of stamps as the ultimate birthday present.”

The full set of 10 stamps, available in a Presentation Pack, retails at £13.65. The stamps and range of collectible products are available today (1 July) from www.royalmail.com/dennisandgnasher.

Beano Studios celebrates 70 years since Dennis’ debut with extensive licensing roster

Beano Studios has detailed a raft of new licensing partnerships signed to celebrate 70 years since the first appearance of Dennis in the iconic Beano comic and what the firm has billed as a ‘momentous year for the brand.’

Leading the charge, Beano has partnered with its first global game developer and distributor, GameBake, which will develop a suite of Dennis & Gnasher: Unleashed gaming titles for worldwide social, web, and mobile platforms.

Meanwhile, fans will be able to get their own piece of Dennis history as Tower Mint releases a commemorative 50 pence coin before Royal Mail puts its own stamp on the celebration this July with the roll-out of a collaborative collection.

The latest announcements follow recent partnerships secured with the likes of the Scottish mill Prickly Thistle, which has developed  bespoke Dennis tartan for a birthday collection of scareves, braces, and jumpers, and Rubies, who has renewed its deal with Beano for the next three years.

In food and drink, Harrogate Water will be launching a special, branded pack created for kids and featuring Dennis and Gnasher as well as educational information for kids on recycling. Meanwhile, Gulliver’s Theme Parks Limited will be running Beano and Dennis themed activities across all four of Gulliver’s attractions. Visitors will be able to enjoy storytelling, trails, character costume appearances in branded areas and experience specific Beano activities and rides.

Fans will also be able to visit Kew Gardens this Easter to enjoy a bespoke Beano trail across the Royal Botanical gardens full of Dennis fun and mischief.

In publishing,Bonnier Books is continuing its non-fiction and gifting publishing programme with two new titles launching this year: Beano Colouring Book in July 2021 and Beano Five-a-Day Joke Book in September 2021, these follow on the heels of the recently published Beanopedia: Ultimate guide to Beanotown and its inhabitants and The Dennis Collection a celebration of comic strips to mark the 70th anniversary. 

Egmont Books recently announced its new publishing deal, joining Beano Studios’ licensee programme with an illustrated fiction series from the writers and illustrators of Beano with The Battle for Bash Street School published in July 2021 followed by a Christmas themed, There’s Snow Place Like Beanotown in September 2021.

The Ultimate Dennis and Gnasher Collection of the best recent comic strips, will also publish in autumn 2021.

Vanessa Andreis, franchise planning and partnerships director, Beano Studios, said: “Over the last 12 months we have added 21 new partners to our licensee programme and 2021 is going to our greatest year yet, as everyone joins to celebrate 70 years of Dennis. Fans will be able to find Dennis everywhere this year from retail to gaming, lunchboxes to theme parks and we are excited to continue growing and expanding the franchise with its unique mix of loveable mischief.”

Licensed home décor specialist Arthouse Ltd is developing a range of kids’ décor products, playfully designed for Dennis’ 70th anniversary year. Beano has also joined forces with award winning board game designer, Rachel Lowe, to produce a collection of Beano licensed puzzles, board games, and card games for Dennis and his Beanotown friends.

Rob Wijeratna, joint managing director, Rocket Licensing – Beano Studios’ licensing agent, said: “2021 and the birthday of the nation’s favourite mischief-maker is set to be a major celebration, with new partner offerings ranging from homewares to commemorative coins and theme-park activities to bespoke tartan.

“We are seeing this classic British brand go from strength to strength and are excited to see it grow further in this next decade of Dennis.”

Existing perennial Beano licensees Aykroyds for nightwear, Park Agencies for daywear and H&A for health and beauty will have products in retail to add to the birthday celebrations.

There will be a full year of brand activity with a national marketing campaign and a special-edition comic which will celebrate the role Dennis has played in generations of kids’ lives. The campaign will launch on Dennis’s birthday, Wednesday 17th March and run across the rest of 2021.

Scotland’s Prickly Thistle celebrates 70th anniversary of Beano’s Dennis with official tartan design

Beano Studios has unveiled a special partnership with the traditional Scottish company, Prickly Thistle to create a birthday tartan in celebration of the fan-favourite rebel, Dennis, in the colours of his iconic black and red jumper.

The Highland born and based company has brought the design to life with intricacy, saluting the character’s 70th birthday within the thread count of the design, with its block pattern of 70 threads. To make it even more official, the design has also been accepted and recorded into The Scottish Register of Tartans, which form part of Scotland’s national archives.

More than this, not only does the tartan celebrate 70 years of the Scottish born character himself, it also puts a message of sustainability at the heart of the product, through the use of its own green energy supplied by the company’s mill, and the use of local labour and supply chain.

In fact, Prickly Thistle prides itself on its transparency in the production process which it believes gives it output the authenticity of a product of Scotland. The products themselves use natural fibres, while the packaging is recyclable.

Dennis’s Birthday Tartan will launch on March 17th this year. 

Clare Campbell, founder and director of Prickly Thistle, said: “We have always prided ourselves with a mission statement we formed a few years ago, changing the future, by disrupting the past. This became so important to us to challenge the long associated negative and or limiting stereotypes attached to what is Scotland’s national fabric, tartan. 

“Now, to have our very first tartan project that can be directly shared with children really is a massively proud moment for us.  Children can see it for what it is, a symbolic colourful fabric that championed and can champion again sustainable living. 

“We have been so lucky to work with many people over our early years, but there is something special about this one. I am sure you can sense the rebel in us now to challenge for what we care about, so to partner with a character like Dennis and a brand liked Beano on this message is nothing short of perfect.”

Rob Wijeratna, joint managing director, Rocket Licensing, the UK licensing agency for Beano Studios and brokers of the deal, added: “We are absolutely delighted to be working with Prickly Thistle and Beano Studios on these wonderful tartan designs for Dennis’ birthday and to support the mission of authentic and locally produced product.

“The very special Beano tartan is being used for jumpers, scarves and braces which we know Beano fans will love.”

Vanessa Andreis, franchise planning and partnerships director, Beano Studios, said: “As the tartan rebels we couldn’t imagine a better partner than Prickly Thistle to create a birthday tartan for Dennis. For 70 years kids have read and laughed along with Dennis and now fans big and small can celebrate their inner rebel for the next 70 years in style.”

A small artisan collection of products in Dennis’s Birthday tartan will be available on the 17th March via Prickly Thistle’s online shop. The tartan will be woven by them, in the only mill based in the mainland Highland region of Scotland and all products will be made in-house, living up to a truly made in Scotland (by rebels) label. 

The collection will comprise of three sustainable staple products for everyday living and all the family.