Special edition brought to you by Licensing Source Book
Welcome to the wonderful World of Peter Rabbit. For nearly 125 years, Beatrix Potter’s tale of a mischievous rabbit in a blue jacket has brought joy to generations of families around the world.
With exquisite artwork, compelling stories and a gentle, natural charm, The World of Peter Rabbit is a unique and iconic brand with an incredible literary and licensing legacy, providing a wealth of creative opportunities for partners on a global scale.
Penguin Ventures, on behalf of Frederick Warne, is the proud guardian of The World of Peter Rabbit consumer products and experiences programme.
We are fortunate to work with best-in-class partners across a multitude of touchpoints. From fashion collaborations to art exhibitions, new baby gifting to stage shows, and with publishing, movie and television content we continuously find new ways to delight families and fans of all ages.
As we head towards two major milestones for the brand – 160 years of Beatrix Potter in 2026 and 125 years of Peter Rabbit in 2027 – we will be celebrating the heritage of the brand, as well as exciting new developments for The World of Peter Rabbit. We have a responsibility to continue honouring Beatrix’s legacy for generations to come.
I hope this supplement inspires both our existing partners and those who would like to join The World of Peter Rabbit programme. If we aren’t currently working with you, then we’d love to connect to see how together we can harness the power of Peter Rabbit to make the next chapter the most exciting one yet.
Happy reading.
David Sprei Commercial Director Penguin Ventures
Random House Children’s UK
Trusted by 120 for over families years
Instagram followers The star of two #1 blockbuster movies +100k global brand awareness among parents of 0-6s %9O +£150m and an Emmy Award-winning TV series global annual +350 global licensees and partners
consumer product retail sales
+260m
Beatrix Potter books sold worldwide
+142k
Facebook followers
“ I shall tell you
a story about four little rabbits...”
PSo begins Beatrix Potter’s The Tale of Peter Rabbit, one of the most iconic children’s books of all time. Since 1902 when he first appeared in print, the adventurous rabbit in a blue jacket has hopped his way into the hearts of successive generations of children, becoming one of the most widely recognised and best loved children’s characters of all time.
ublished over 120 years ago, The Tale of Peter Rabbit was the first of Beatrix Potter’s series of 23 Tales – charming illustrated stories featuring beautifully observed animal characters, inspired by Beatrix’s love of the natural world. Over two million copies of her ‘little books’, still published in the small format Beatrix declared perfect for the tiny hands of ‘little rabbits’, are sold globally every year, while the characters she created have inspired movies, TV series, theatre productions and an awardwinning consumer products programme.
Peter Rabbit has appeared on books and merchandise in more than 110 countries throughout the world – a licensing drive that was spearheaded by Beatrix Potter herself. Quickly realising the business potential, she pioneered a merchandise programme, designing and patenting a Peter Rabbit doll in 1903 – making Peter the very first licensed children’s literary character in the world. She wrote to a friend: “I am cutting out calico patterns of Peter, I have not got it right yet, but the
Left & right: Early Beatrix Potter licensed products included slippers, a soft toy, a board game and handkerchiefs (opposite page).
Inset: Detail from an 1893 picture letter Beatrix Potter wrote to a friend’s son.
Peter’s first adventure
Peter first sprang to life in a ‘picture letter’ that Beatrix sent to a friend’s little boy in 1893, in which she detailed the adventures of a naughty ‘Peter Rabbit’ – inspired by her own real-life pet rabbits Peter Piper and Benjamin Bouncer – and his better-behaved siblings, complete with sketches.
Some years later, she turned one of Peter Rabbit’s adventures into a black and white picture book and selfpublished 250 copies, inspiring publisher Frederick Warne & Co. (today an imprint of Penguin Random House) to print an official edition, illustrated in colour, in 1902; all 8,000 copies sold in advance of publication, and by the end of that year there were 28,000 copies in print.
expression is going to be lovely; especially the whiskers.”
A range of licensed products followed, including a tea set, handkerchiefs, slippers and a board game.
A woman ahead of her time
Defying many of the conventions of her day, Beatrix Potter was a passionate conservationist as well as a successful children’s illustrator, author and businesswoman. “Beatrix Potter was a visionary,” says Francesca Dow, md, Penguin Random House Children’s. “She broke boundaries – in writing, illustrating and selfpublishing her books to great success, before Warne became her publisher; in insisting on the distinctive format for her books, and in
creating a world of characters that were both of the real world as realistic animals, but also existing very much in the world of the imagination.
“As custodians of The World of Peter Rabbit, we take great care in continuing Beatrix Potter’s storytelling legacy. We publish new and exciting adventures for Peter and his friends every year and our brilliant licensing partners ensure that Peter Rabbit can continue to connect with families, beyond the book, in a myriad of exciting new ways.”
If I have done anything, even a little, to help small children enjoy honest, simple pleasures, I have done a bit of good. “ ”
Right: The 1903 patent for Beatrix Potter’s Peter Rabbit doll design.
Left: Beatrix Potter in 1892, aged 26.
My first Peter Rabbit
Evoking powerful feelings of nostalgia, Peter Rabbit has been trusted as a nursery brand for generations, and remains the go-to choice for parents and gift givers looking for baby’s first toys, beautiful apparel and nursery décor, and special keepsakes that will last a lifetime.
With an incredible 90% awareness globally among families with kids aged 0-6, Peter Rabbit has been a beloved childhood companion for almost 125 years. “Because of that heritage, he embodies a genuine sense of nostalgia,” says Penguin Random House’s brand director Alex Moyet. “Peter Rabbit is a brand that parents and grandparents can’t wait to share with the next generation. Purchasing a Peter Rabbit gift or product can evoke the magic of our own childhoods, sparking memories of reading the Beatrix Potter book or playing with our first Peter Rabbit toy, but it’s also about buying into what Peter represents. There’s an idea that you can somehow gift the child you’re purchasing for
“The gentle, timeless quality of Beatrix Potter’s illustrations perfectly complements MORI’s focus on softness and our mission to empower families to enjoy better sleep. The Penguin Ventures team have been great to collaborate with – professional, supportive, and always open to ideas.”
AMIE FLYNN, HEAD OF PRODUCT, MORI
everything that Peter personifies – his spirit of adventure, his bravery, his independence, his sense of mischief, and the fact that after getting into all kinds of scrapes, he loves coming home to the burrow to his mother and sisters.
“Beatrix Potter often spoke about how she hoped that the worlds she created would allow children to notice and enjoy the smaller things in life, and that’s possibly more important today than ever. We all want the children in our lives to grow up confident and happy, but also to appreciate simple pleasures like the ones Beatrix encapsulated so beautifully in The World of Peter Rabbit. The sense of innocent wonder he represents, along with the authentic, tried-and-tested nature of the brand and the fact that he is so well loved by adults as well as children, makes Peter an attractive proposition in the nursery space and enables us to attract the fantastic bestin-class partners that we do.”
Inset: Having enjoyed success with its Peter Rabbit apparel, accessories and home products, retailer Mori has recently renewed its licence for the brand.
“We all adore The World of Peter Rabbit! It has been part of our Rainbow family for over 30 years and forms an integral part of our bestselling plush portfolio. Peter appeals to children of all ages and is sought after by parents, grandparents and gift givers for all occasions.”
Left: Rainbow Designs’ wide-ranging Peter Rabbit offering includes the bestselling Once Upon a Time range and the Signature collection of
ZARA GRINDROD, SALES AND BRAND DIRECTOR, RAINBOW DESIGNS
Treasured forever
Above: Online retail partner My 1st Years has added sensory toys, home and Christmas products to its Peter Rabbit licence after seeing strong sell-through on its debut range.
Penguin Ventures’ Nursery Keepsake Campaign, launching in September 2025, will reinforce Peter’s special position in the nursery space as a brand that cuts through transient parenting paraphernalia and overwhelm with meaningful gifts that are cherished for a lifetime. A range of influencers with newborns will celebrate the special Peter Rabbit items they’ll treasure forever, with content shared expected to reach +1m across digital channels including Instagram and TikTok.
“The World of Peter Rabbit is a natural choice for My 1st Years. Its heritage and charm align perfectly with our vision of helping families celebrate childhood milestones with products that are as special as the memories they create.”
ELICIA HICKS, BUYER (SOFTLINES AND LICENCE), MY 1ST YEARS
“The World of Peter Rabbit continues to appeal to consumers today because of its timeless charm and collectable, giftable proposition. The Penguin team have been extremely helpful and open to collaborative work, such as the creative concept of our SS24 store window displays featuring an oversized book cover and pages telling the story of the JoJo and Peter Rabbit collaboration.”
Inset: JoJo Maman Bébé’s broad range of product categories for The World of Peter Rabbit extends from apparel to hooded towels, changing mats, toy ranges and gifting keepsakes.
‘forever’ heirloom toys.
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theme parks and nature trails to touring shows and exhibitions, live experiences that kids, parents and grandparents can enjoy together are natural brand extensions for Peter Rabbit, a property with
BEs form a central part of our strategy for Peter Rabbit’s global growth,” says Penguin Ventures’ creative director Thomas Merrington. “The live space offers a brilliant opportunity for us to create something that will capture the imagination of everyone in the family, from small children to their older siblings, their parents and grandparents. We want to make sure that families are building happy memories when they interact with the brand, as this builds on and solidifies the intrinsic love that people tend to already have for Peter Rabbit.”
Penguin Ventures ensures there are opportunities for families to interact with Peter Rabbit in the live space all year round, through experiences ranging from pop-up Christmas grottos to permanent theme parks and attractions.
“Stage shows are also important, because they can tour the country – and it’s important for us that we reach every region,” Thomas says. “The same goes for our Storytime Trail, an interactive exhibition that toured libraries and museums around the UK through to 2024, and immersive outdoor events like
Top: Lake District attraction
The World of Beatrix Potter has been delighting a family audience since 1991.
Inset: Histrionic Productions’ live immersive experience the Peter Rabbit Garden Adventure toured UK outdoor locations from 2022–24.
Histrionic Productions’ The Peter Rabbit Garden Adventure, which launched in the walled garden at Blenheim Palace in 2022 and toured heritage sites throughout 2023 and 2024. Events like these not only extend our reach but they also help drive additional traffic to local attractions and local areas, which can really benefit those places.”
Thomas and the team are currently finalising the details for The World of Peter Rabbit’s first ever art trail, in partnership with Wild in Art, which will debut in 2026.
“It will be the first time we’ve celebrated Peter in an art sculpture format, and one of the aims is to help raise money for a hospice charity,” explains Thomas. “Again, it will hopefully get people out into their local community. It’s going to involve lots of fun and discovery, and we’ll be including a steps tracker, so families can count how many steps they’ve taken to find all the sculptures.”
While some Peter Rabbit LBE deals are global in scope, such as Penguin Ventures’ partnership with
“Peter Rabbit has an enduring charm – his cuteness, his mischievousness, and his innocence capture hearts across generations. It is wonderful to work with Penguin Ventures, a longstanding and appealing brand guardian, who have been so supportive of our work from day one. ”
Stacey McShane, chief operating officer, Lakes Story/The World of Beatrix Potter Attraction
The Peninsula hotel group, others are localised. “In Japan, for example, The World of Peter Rabbit’s core audience is adults, and those fans tend to be interested in Beatrix as an artist and a scientist.
Experiences in that region tend to lean into that,” says Thomas. “In 2022, for instance, we transported Beatrix’s original watercolours to Japan for a Happy Birthday Peter Rabbit exhibition, the largest ever held outside the UK and the first time the illustrations had left the country. That said, we are also keen to increase our engagement with younger Japanese fans, and have been exploring experiential activities based around food and beverage, such as branded Peter Rabbit cafés.”
Above: Penguin Ventures partnered with international hotel chain The Peninsula in 2024 for a raft of Peter Rabbit experiences, including a ‘quintessentially English’ afternoon tea.
Inset: At Willows Activity Farm in Hertfordshire, visitors can enjoy live shows and experiences based on the Peter Rabbit animated TV series.
Asupporter of the National Trust, a farmer and a conservationist, Beatrix Potter had an affinity with the natural world that remains unsurpassed. Her passion for the great outdoors shines through in The Tale of Peter Rabbit, with Mr McGregor’s garden presented as a world of adventure and discovery.
Peter Rabbit is always ready for an adventure and the great outdoors is his playground – making him the perfect choice for products and activations that champion the natural world, exploration and outside play.
Easter 2025 campaign
The World of Peter Rabbit Easter 2025 brand campaign Grow their Curiosity will celebrate how the great outdoors can encourage children’s sense of discovery through the joy of an outdoor Easter Egg Hunt. Targeted at 1.75 million families, the campaign will also see Peter Rabbit gardens popping up in unexpected urban locations.
“Peter Rabbit is such a natural fit for anything to do with gardening, growing food and exploring,” says Penguin Random House Children’s brand director Alex Moyet.
“Those categories allow for truly authentic extensions of the brand, which link back to Beatrix Potter’s love of nature. Outside is where she came alive, where she felt happiest, and where she was inspired to create magical worlds for Peter and his friends – making Peter the perfect companion to unlock in children their own passion for the great outdoors.”
Honouring Beatrix’s legacy as a protector of green spaces, Penguin Random House Children’s has been building Peter Rabbit’s profile as an ambassador for a greener childhood,
with garden centres and various organisations – such as the
partnering
Top: To mark National Children’s Gardening Week in 2022, garden centre chain
Dobbies ran Grow with Peter Rabbit workshops in 65 of its UK stores.
Inset: In 2022, The World of Peter Rabbit partnered with charity Grow2Know to open a Peter Rabbit community garden in North Kensington.
“Peter Rabbit appeals to multiple generations, which perfectly matched the Seed Pantry brand and our customer audience of young families and their grandparents. We had a fantastic response to our Peter Rabbit Vegetable Patch Grow Kit – our first ever licensed Peter Rabbit product.”
PANTRY
National Trust and National Children’s Gardening Week – to encourage youngsters to discover the wonders of the countryside, gardens, and growing their own food.
“The other key Peter Rabbit characteristic that informs our brand partnerships in the outdoor and gardening sector is his playful and inquisitive nature,” Alex says. “His natural curiosity – even though it gets him into trouble – is an important part of his character, and it’s inherent in all children; the way he tests the boundaries by going into Mr McGregor’s garden when he shouldn’t, and then runs home to his mum, is something they can identify with. That’s something we can tap into effortlessly when it comes to creating nature trails and immersive experiences for the brand.”
Back to nature
In 2023 and 2024, Peter Rabbit was the official partner for National Children's Gardening Week, an annual initiative launched by the Horticultural Trade Association that aims to bring the fun of gardening to families, schools and community groups. In 2024, over 230 garden centres nationwide signed up for free promotional materials and over 40,000 Peter Rabbit activity books were distributed.
The National Trust partnered with The World of Peter Rabbit during the winter lockdown of 2020. 90 Peter Rabbit Nature Trails were installed at participating properties across the UK, attracting an incredible 1.7 million visitors. Storytelling, activity packs and audio samples were all part of the experience for visiting families, with licensed products available in gift shops.
NEIL WHITEHEAD, FOUNDER, SEED
A classic gifting brand with charm and nostalgia built in, Peter Rabbit comes into his own on special occasions, bringing a meaningful touch to birthdays, baby showers and seasonal festivities and helping families make happy memories.
Celebrate with Peter
We take an all-year-round, always-on approach with Peter Rabbit, ensuring there’s always a touchpoint where families can engage with the brand,” explains Penguin Ventures’ commercial director David Sprei. “However, there are also key moments in the calendar and certain gifting opportunities that we lean into, and which are key to our growth and success.”
Spring sees Peter hopping ahead of the competition, when his role as “the ultimate Easter Bunny” sees him perform particularly well in the gifting category and also in apparel. “Peter has become synonymous with Easter,” says David. “We started with Easter eggs and baskets, and more recently we’ve noticed a celebrity-driven
tablescaping trend, and worked hard with our partners to ensure we have product in the market in that category. Our Easter growth is down to our insight-led approach, strategic thinking and ensuring we select like-minded partners to collaborate with, so that every Peter Rabbit product is as authentic as it can possibly be.”
Christmas, meanwhile, offers the most volume for Peter Rabbit and is an increasingly important time for the brand. In addition to Christmasthemed publishing and licensed giftware, festive decorations, apparel and more, targeted digital activations like 2024’s ’Tis the Season to be Snuggly campaign (see box) help keep Peter front of mind during the winter months.
Birthdays and baby showers, of course, happen all year round, and Peter Rabbit’s strong crossgenerational appeal makes him a natural choice for consumers looking for presents – as well as cards, gift wrap and party products – that come with nostalgia and emotional resonance baked in.
Gifting made easy
Stocking a stunning range of seasonally refreshed product from its licensee partners, including partyware and Christmas, Easter and baby shower gifts, Penguin Ventures’ own World of Peter Rabbit DTC site also offers a print-on-demand service, allowing customers to personalise selected items such as babygros, cushions and aprons.
Inset: Since the launch of its first range of Peter Rabbit greetings cards, Hallmark has launched a print-on-demand range on its website and introduced Peter into all its seasonal collections.
Inset: Peter Rabbit partyware by US retailer Pottery Barn.
“Enesco has been a proud Peter Rabbit licensee for almost 40 years. My personal highlight is having been part of the success of the Beatrix Potter Baby Collection, winner of the Best Branded Gift category at the Gift of the Year 2020 awards – a fantastic achievement for all involved.”
AYLISH ELLWOOD, TRADE MARKETING MANAGER, ENESCO
“Whether you’re a grandparent buying for a newborn or you’re celebrating a child’s birthday, what you’re buying into with Peter is a rich heritage that stretches back over 120 years,” says David, “but you’re also buying into the playfulness and sense of adventure that he personifies. That spirit runs right the way through everything we do, from nursery products to outdoor and gardening toys for older children, and it’s that authenticity, combined with the trust people have in the brand, that makes Peter Rabbit a sure bet for retailers all year round.”
Christmas cuddles
Reaching 4 million parents of 0–2s, 2024 festive campaign ’Tis the Season to be Snuggly (see right) demonstrated that Peter Rabbit is the perfect cosy choice for cuddles at Christmas. Heart-melting videos of babies snuggled up with Peter Rabbit went live across Meta channels in October, with content bolstered by advertising across Google Search and Amazon ahead of the key shopping period.
Above: Inspired by Beatrix Potter’s beloved Lake District, Enesco offers a selection of beautifully designed Peter Rabbit giftware, from plush to baby blankets, tableware and figurines.
Above: The Jenner-Kardashian family shared images of their Peter Rabbit-themed Easter table with their millions of Instagram followers in 2023.
Peter’s globaladventures
WHe may be a quintessentially British brand, but Peter Rabbit is enjoying exponential growth across the globe thanks to innovative territory-specific collaborations and partnerships that resonate with local fans.
e’re experiencing huge demand for Peter in our key overseas markets,” says Penguin Ventures’ commercial director David Sprei. “Our success internationally is driven by the longevity of the brand – The World of Peter Rabbit is tried and tested, and has a rich heritage.”
Peter Rabbit resonates differently from territory to territory, David explains. In Japan, his devotees skew older. “Many of
today’s adults were taught English at school by reading Beatrix Potter books, so activity in Japan, led by our agent SCP, is focused on beautiful, high-end retail partnerships and collaborations that appeal to an older demographic. However, we are also introducing concepts for a younger audience, like Peter Rabbit cafés.”
In China, where Peter enjoys a mixed-age audience, there is a strong focus on baby products; adult and children’s apparel partnerships also perform strongly. “We take pride in delivering local executions for a local audience, like the Year of the Rabbit partnerships and social activations we worked on with CAA in China in 2023,” David explains.
Penguin Ventures is paying “close attention” to expanding in South Korea, a largely untapped
“The Peter Rabbit programme in Asia continues to grow year on year through the support of a strong and engaged fanbase across the region, catering to both children and young adults. Peter Rabbit celebrates nature through its timeless and sophisticated artworks, without ever feeling stuffy or old-fashioned.”
ROMEL MARANON,VP BRAND MANAGEMENT, CAA
Inset: Long-term US partner Pottery Barn’s Peter Rabbit offering includes dress-up for toddlers.
Inset: Peninsula hotels in Shanghai and Beijing were among six sites worldwide to offer Peter Rabbit afternoon teas in 2023.
“Peter Rabbit is beloved by generations of fans in Japan. We believe that love comes from the Japanese affinity with British literature and culture, and the fact that as a heritage and evergreen brand, Peter Rabbit also offers important aspects of nature and comfort – both of which are needed in today’s world.”
KEN OHTAKE, PRESIDENT, SONY CREATIVE PRODUCTS
market, and has just signed CLM as its agency partner in South Africa. “Haven, our agent for Peter Rabbit in Australia and New Zealand, has seen incredible success in that market, with apparel lines performing particularly strongly across all retail sectors,” David says. “However, one of our main areas of focus in 2025 will be capitalising on the years of success we’ve enjoyed to date in North America. We’ll be supercharging our programme there to service the real appetite that exists for Peter Rabbit in the market.
“We’re lucky to have some wonderful long-standing global partners and international agents who work closely with us to bring The World of Peter Rabbit to life in ways that appeal to local audiences.
We’re looking forward to building on everything that we’ve achieved to date.”
“Haven is proud to have represented the Peter Rabbit brand in Australia and New Zealand for nearly two decades. The creative and gentle reimagining of the art assets has enabled us to keep our ranges fresh and on-trend, allowing us to continually delight our consumer.”
YVONNE KING, DIRECTOR, HAVEN GLOBAL
Right: Released in 2016, Peter Alexander’s second Peter Rabbit sleepwear collection generated stellar sales in the brand’s 100 stores across Australia and New Zealand.
Right: Chevignon released an apparel collection for children and adults across China in 2024.
Left: Peter Rabbit's English Garden at Fuji Motosuko Resort, Japan. Bottom left: Twinings joined the Peter Rabbit programme in 2020, with the partnership winning a China Licensing Award in 2023.
FGettingcreative Getting creative
Offering an extensive library of stunning imagery and style guides from the classic to the trend-led, the Peter Rabbit creative team works collaboratively with licensing partners to design products that stand out on-shelf.
ew book illustrations are as evocative as Beatrix Potter’s beautiful Peter Rabbit watercolours, says Thomas Merrington, creative director at Penguin Ventures. “I think they’re so appealing because of her fascination with natural science,” he says. “She painted for accuracy as well as pleasure.”
The illustrations from all 23 of Beatrix Potter’s original Tales, along with her original sketches and notebooks owned by her first publisher Frederick Warne & Co (an imprint of Random House Children’s), are all available to licensees via Penguin Ventures’ extensive library of creative assets, as are specially commissioned artworks drawn in Beatrix’s distinctive style.
This abundance of creative is disseminated through a wide range of style guides, including seasonal and pattern guides, and annual trend-led core guides that offer “fresh and directional” ideas, making them an ideal jumping-off point for new partners. Penguin Ventures is not averse to partners creating their own ancillary patterns or designs, Thomas says, if it results in a better all-round product. “Creative is a collaborative process. We work with best-inclass partners so there’s already a level of trust there, and when it comes to commerciality, we respect that our partners are the experts in their fields.
“A good example is our 2023 Gucci partnership. It involved two established brands coming together to create something unique that still honours the heritage and values of the individual IP. This approach has helped us to drive continued success for Peter and maintained his appeal with global audiences.”
Inset: Global licensee New English Teas’ packaging enhances Peter Rabbit with pattern.
Left: JoJo Maman Bébé put a playful spin on Peter Rabbit for its DTR collection.
“Peter Rabbit is an evergreen for all our customers. He appeals to all generations, which makes this one of our most successful properties across all our divisions.”
ALLIE WILSON, SALES DIRECTOR, BLUES GROUP
Thomas is already looking towards 2027, and Peter’s 125th birthday. Thomas says: “The creative for that milestone will be based around the black and white sketches Beatrix Potter made in the ‘picture letters’ she wrote to the children of friends and family. They have a looser, slightly different handwriting to the book illustrations, and they’re full of life and charm.”
Peter Rabbit x Orchard Toys
Orchard Toys’ 2023 Peter Rabbit range of games and puzzles was the company’s first ever licensed collection. “Orchard Toys’ products are well known for their distinctive style,” Thomas says. “We felt that there was real value in combining the two brands. Bringing our characters and stories together with their art style – and their expertise in creating educational games and puzzles – has resulted in the best of both worlds.”
A bespoke approach
While the Peter Rabbit movies, the TV series and publishing all use different visual representations of Peter, the main licensing programme is based on the ‘Classic Peter’ of Beatrix Potter’s original books. “However, within those parameters, we can play around with different illustration techniques,” says Thomas. “We have a selection of more loosely composed and vector images that we created for apparel, so retailers can give their ranges their own handwriting. Our apparel partner Blues Group has done some really fantastic work in this space, designing truly distinctive ranges for Tesco [above] and our other grocery partners.”
“The World of Peter Rabbit and Orchard Toys are a perfect match, as both are beloved heritage brands that share a commitment to quality, creativity and family values.”
Peter Rabbit collection honours the heritage and values of both IPs, says Thomas Merrington.
The next chapter
Peter Rabbit is a global phenomenon.
The key to the brand’s success lies in the considered, creative reimagining of Peter’s world, ensuring he’s able to resonate with tomorrow’s fans, today, without ever losing sight of Beatrix Potter’s legacy and the timeless charm with which she imbued Peter and the other characters from her beloved Tales.
This carefully curated and gentle evolution of a heritage brand has delivered consistent global growth for Peter Rabbit. By tapping into current trends and responding to deep consumer insights, Penguin Ventures, together with an enviable range of partners, has created an award-winning consumer products and experiences programme that shows no sign of slowing down.
Looking ahead, Penguin Ventures and colleagues from across Penguin Random House Children’s will be celebrating two key milestone anniversaries for the brand. 2026 marks 160 years of Beatrix Potter, highlighting the storytelling legacy of this incredible author and illustrator, and 2027 will focus on a big birthday celebration for Peter Rabbit, with the 125th anniversary of the first commercial publication of The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Frederick Warne & Co.
With new immersive experiences, retail activations, collaborations and special-edition style guides, Peter Rabbit will be unmissable over the next three years. A high-profile marketing, PR and social media campaign will bring Peter Rabbit and Beatrix Potter to an even wider audience. Physical and digital touchpoints will enable families to come together to experience The World of Peter Rabbit in exciting new ways.
To discuss how you can be part of the next chapter for Peter Rabbit, please get in touch with the Penguin Ventures team.
DAVID SPREI, COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR dsprei@penguinrandomhouse.co.uk
“It has to be Peter Rabbit. He was a big part of my childhood, and I love his mischievous behaviour and energy. He also got me into vegetables, so I have a lot to thank him for.”
THOMAS MERRINGTON, CREATIVE DIRECTOR tmerrington@penguinrandomhouse.co.uk
“I like how Beatrix drew Mr Tod and the clothes he wore.We meet him a few times in the Tales – he seems to have the most interaction with the characters in the World of Peter Rabbit.”
SOPHIE NUTTALL, CREATIVE MANAGER snuttall@penguinrandomhouse.co.uk
We asked the Penguin Ventures team about their favourite Beatrix Potter characters.
“I love how Mrs Tittlemouse was always trying to keep guests out in order to keep her house tidy!”
“The Tale of Two Bad Mice and The Tailor of Gloucester are inspired stories of the imagined lives of mice in the home, with textiles captured with such beauty in Beatrix’s watercolours.”
MARY LEWIS, UK RETAIL MANAGER mlewis@penguinrandomhouse.co.uk
“I can identify with Flopsy, Mopsy and Cotton-tail. Finishing the day with bread, milk and blackberries is more appealing than tearing through Mr McGregor’s garden!”
“I like The Tale of Samuel Whiskers, which is quite scary, but has so much comedy in it.The kittens are adorable, just as curious and mischievous as kittens really are!”
“Squirrel Nutkin is cheeky and a bit annoying, but brave in the face of tyrannical Old Mr Brown, teaching us that creativity and play are as worthwhile as conformity.”
SARA GLENN, COMMERCIAL CURATOR sglenn@penguinrandomhouse.co.uk
“I’ve always loved the illustrations in The Tale of Mr Jeremy Fisher, especially how Beatrix captures the movement of the water and the reflections on the pond.”
CELESTE PO WING CHU, CREATIVE ASSISTANT cpowingchu@penguinrandomhouse.co.uk
“My favourite character is Mrs Tiggy-Winkle, as she looks so cute, and is so kindhearted, calm and friendly.”
