Penguin Ventures, the consumer products and experiences team at Penguin Random House Children’s UK, has announced their renewed long-term agency agreement with Sony Creative Products (SCP) in Japan for The World of Peter Rabbit, on behalf of brand owner and Beatrix Potter’s original publisher Frederick Warne & Co. Ltd.
The new six-year agreement will see Penguin Ventures and SCP focus on driving consumer products and licensing growth with additional investment in local Peter Rabbit brand activity. The long-term partnership between Penguin Ventures and SCP has seen significant year on year growth, delivering a 142% net increase in 2023 – reinforcing Japan as the largest market outside of the UK for Peter Rabbit.
David Sprei, Commercial Director, Penguin Ventures said: “Our partnership with SCP has been an incredibly successful one and I am delighted that we have both committed to a further six years and are very much aligned on our ambitious growth plans for Peter Rabbit. The mix of traditional product, retail partnerships and a wide experience offering has delivered impressive results which now enables us to move forward confidently to futureproof the brand for this next exciting phase. As the proud brand owner and publisher of The World of Peter Rabbit, working closely with our global partners enables us to continue to honour the extraordinary legacy of Beatrix Potter, reaching new generations and families so that they can discover the mischief and adventure in her wonderful world of characters and stories on and off the page.”
Ken Ohtake, Sony Creative Products Japan said: “I am thrilled to announce that we have been appointed as licensing agent for The World of Peter Rabbit in Japan for another six years. We hope to make this a significant milestone in the long history of Beatrix Potter, and we are committed to honoring the heritage, whilst continuing to embrace new opportunities in the upcoming years.”
Location-based experiences have been a pivotal part of the Japanese licensing program. From The Peter Rabbit English Garden, a permanent attraction which opened at Fuji Motosuko Resort in 2021 and includes a café, shop and museum; to the famous Peter Rabbit Rakeru cafes in Jiyugaoka and in Yokohama – these experiences attract and engage a diverse visitor demographic throughout the year.
During the course of their long-term appointment, SCP have secured high profile, successful brand partnerships for Peter Rabbit. From the Mitsubishi UFJ Trust and Banking & Mitsubishi UFJ Real Estate collaboration – which was established over 30 years ago, to a new partnership with Blanc Neige – to bring touring Peter Rabbit pop-up events to multiple retail destinations across Japan this year – SCP continually draws on Peter Rabbit’s iconic status and trusted appeal to attract new audiences and consumers for the brand.
Hayakawa Publishing Corporation has been the official publishing partner of Frederick Warne & Co. Ltd for The World of Peter Rabbit in Japan. The authorized, translated editions of all 23 Original Tales launched in December 2021 and have ensured that Beatrix Potter’s literary legacy can continue for generations to come. The Tale of Peter Rabbit was first published in 1902 and today has been translated into 50 languages with two million of the original Tales selling globally every year.