The NSPCC partners with Imagine8 for Pantosaurus and Buddy merchandise

Edutainment Licensing has announced that UK children’s charity the NSPCC has partnered with Imagine8 to create ranges of Pantosaurus and Buddy merchandise.

Based in Warrington, Imagine8 develops product ranges from concept to delivery for a one-stop-shop cross-category solution.

The ‘Back to School with Buddy’ range includes a selection of bags, water bottles and stationery featuring strong and bold graphics.

The NSPCCs Buddy is a bright green speech bubble mascot used to communicate the NSPCCs Speak Out. Stay Safe (SOSS) campaign, which has so far reached 90 per cent of primary schools nationwide.

The age-appropriate SOSS assemblies and workshops are delivered to children aged 5 to 11 across the UK and Channel Islands to encourage them to speak out if something is worrying them.

The ‘Pantosaurus Summer’ range of accessories is perfect for taking to the swimming pool as well as the beach.

Pantosaurus helps children learn about the PANTS rules, which aims to help keep them safe. From P through to S, each letter of PANTS provides a simple but valuable rule: that their private parts are private, their body belongs to them, and that they should tell an adult they trust if theyre worried or upset.

Since the launch of PANTS, 1.5 million parents have already had one of these conversations with their children and the NSPCC hopes this amazing range of products will help many more parents and carers talk PANTS with their little ones.

Children’s charity NSPCC is entering the licensing space with Festival of Licensing launch

The National Children’s charity, the NSPCC is entering the commercial licensing market for the first time, with plans to launch itself into the space at next month’s Festival of Licensing Europe.

The brand will be lead by the NSPCC’s Pantosaurus mascot, a bright yellow, friendly dinosaur known by millions that encourages parents, carers, and teachers to #TalkPANTS and help to keep children safe from abuse. The dynamic, pants-wearing dinosaur is on a mission to share the message, and to help support children to recognise what abuse is.

#TalkPANTS is an annual campaign created by the NSPCC that gives parents, carers and teachers the support they need to explain the Underwear Rule to young children aged four to eight in a simple and age-appropriate way, without using any scary words or even mentioning sex. 

Each letter of PANTS provides a simple but valuable rule, highlighting that their body belongs to them, that they have a right to say no, and that they should tell an adult they trust if they’re worried or upset.

The licensing programme for Pantosaurus is launching with the agents for the brand, Edutainment Licensing, at the upcoming Festival Of Licensing.

The NSPCC worked with Aardman, best known for being the team behind the famous Wallace and Gromit films, to create the Pants song and video. Featuring Pantosaurus, his family and friends in animated games and dancing, the two-minute upbeat song and catchy lyrics convey the important message in a fun, engaging way that once heard, is never forgotten.

Through a £3 million total media spend across six annual campaigns, the measured awareness of #TalkPANTS and Pantosaurus has successfully reached 2.7 million parents and carers with more than 8 million video views. The PANTS song and video has been used in mass marketing campaigns, the most recent being in August 2020.

“Our licensing strategy for Pantosaurus is underpinned by the huge awareness of the #TalkPANTS campaign, identifying licensees which share the NSPCC brand values,” said Clive Gardiner, head of digital, NSPCC.

“Since COVID19, demand for the NSPCC’s services have reached an all-time high, and it has become necessary to rapidly adapt to the changed times and find new ways to build awareness, spread important messages and generate income so the NSPCC can continue to still be here for children. Working with exciting specialist partners through commercial licensing for the first time can help achieve this.”

Research has demonstrated that Pantosaurus products will help children learn and remember the PANTS rules at their own pace. Many children are visual learners, and licensed products will give parents and teachers an easy, natural way to bring Pantosaurus and his messages into everyday life without scary words.

“It’s better to have these chats little and often and adapt it as the child gets older,” said Denise Deane, owner at Edutainment Licensing. “It will help to reinforce the messages and make sure they remember them.”