Paddington to feature at Bluewater this Christmas
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Land Securities has announced a strategic partnership with The Copyrights Group to bring Paddington Bear to Bluewater.
In a first for the industry, Paddington is appearing as a special guest at Bluewater’s new traditional-style Santa’s grotto, which features three distinct and magical experiences, including a toy workshop, within a unique 40 minute journey. Paddington will meet over 20,000 children and their families as they enjoy this enchanting Christmas activity. Paddington will also be switching on Bluewater’s Christmas lights in front of an audience of up to 15,000 guests on November 10.
The partnership was launched on September 1 to coincide with the opening of ticket sales for the grotto and ice rink, and was promoted via a specially-created video shared on Bluewater’s social media channels. The partnership also sees Paddington appearing in marketing collateral, from in-mall advertising to website banners and social media, branded kiddi karts and the soft play area SPLAT promoting Bluewater’s Christmas experience.
Commenting on the news, David Wilkinson, head of marketing at Bluewater, said: “Paddington is one of the best-known characters ever created and is enjoyed by children and adults alike. In line with our focus on delivering a unique guest experience, we are therefore delighted that Paddington is assisting us to deliver a magical Christmas for our guests. Whilst pre-booking is still at an early stage, sales are already over 100% up compared to this time last year.”
Polly Emery, brand and marketing director at Copyrights, added: “We are thrilled to be partnering with Bluewater to offer families a special Christmas experience. The Paddington and Bluewater brands complement one another, not least because they share a focus on delivering quality enjoyment to families and fans of all ages, which is reflected in the success of the partnership following its launch in September.”
Situated in the Village carpark, between John Lewis and House of Fraser, Bluewater’s seasonal offer includes a Santa’s grotto featuring Paddington and a toy workshop, as well as a festive covered outdoor ice rink.
Bluewater’s partnership with Paddington is the latest in a series of strategic initiatives developed by Land Securities, which has also worked with Lego, Dyson and Mercedes-Benz at Bluewater in the last three months.
