Bluey’s House listed on Airbnb - Interview

BLUEY’S HOME LISTED ON AIRBNB

Bluey is a phenomenon around the world – what makes her and the rest of the Heeler family so appealing?

Kate O’Connor: Bluey certainly is a phenomenon. The show is televised in over 60 countries. We’re the number one kids show on broadcast TV in Australia, and were the number one ratings driver on Disney Junior with pre-schoolers in 2021.

The magic of Bluey is its simplicity and relatability, but I also think Bluey is special because it doesn’t fit the mould of a normal kids’ show. Despite being about two sisters, it doesn’t fixate on gender — and it’s watched equally by boys and girls.

There’s no denying that it is also genuinely funny — funny enough for Rolling Stone to include it in its list of “Top 100 Sitcoms Of All Time” — which means both kids and adults love to watch it together.

Bluey is 90% co-viewed which means you’ll find the whole family sitting down to watch it together. That’s what sets Bluey apart from a lot of other kids’ shows — it’s a series for the whole family, not just a particular age group.

Kids love how Bluey is all about games and play, and the fact that it’s quintessentially and unapologetically Australian really adds to its global appeal.

What lead to the exciting partnership with Bluey and AirBnB?

BBC Studios partnered with Airbnb to lovingly recreate the Heeler’s house as part of Airbnb’s wildly successful “Only On Airbnb” program. Airbnb has created some amazing activations around the world to bring

The iconic Heeler family home from hit Australian kids’ show, Bluey, is being listed on Airbnb in Brisbane, Queensland, offering one lucky family the opportunity to live like the Heelers for the ultimate Bluey fan weekend.

Bluey is a global phenomenon that screens in over 60 countries and is beloved by both parents and kids for its heart, humour and relatable family moments.

Airbnb has partnered with BBC Studios, co-commissioner and global distributor of Bluey, on this one-of-akind experience.

Total Licensing Australia, caught up with Kate O’Connor, Head of Brands & Licensing, BBC Studios ANZ to find out more.

key scenes from pop culture to life. The Heeler home is one of only a couple of “Only On” campaigns they’ve done in Australia, and the response has been incredible.

From our perspective, it was a way to celebrate the brand and give something back to the fans, who had the chance to book a one-of-a-kind weekend getaway; which also included an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of the Ludo Studio where Bluey is created, a Chinese takeaway feast and an afternoon decorating Bandit’s famous duck cake.

Have the first guests booked in yet, and what can they expect?

Yes, they sure have! Bluey fans could book the stay on a first come, first served basis on Tuesday 15th February via the Airbnb website. From 18th to 20th February the guests then enjoyed an action-packed schedule of Bluey experiences, as well as plenty of downtime in the Heeler home, which was customised to bring the cartoon experience to life.

They were welcomed by special touches like the red letterbox, garden gnomes, bone-shaped chimney and charming bay window.

After walking through a custom-made front door, almost identical to the Heelers’, they got to enjoy Bluey and Bingo’s fabulous playroom with its signature rainbow canopy, kiwi rug, spotty couches and numerous toys such as Chattermax and Polly Puppy. Tiny details from the show also came to life in Bluey and Bingo’s bedroom; from matching bed linen, to a handmade stained-glass window feature, to the glowing moon and star stickers on the walls. It was absolutely perfect.

Do you find it is becoming more and more important to grow in the area of interactive installations?

I love interactive installations, and I can’t understate their importance for us as a company.

In this post-Covid world, everyone is looking for better ways to serve and connect with their fan base. At the BBC, we are privileged to be able to work with our partners on incredible interactive installations, such as Van Gogh Alive, as well as specific brand-focused ones, such as Blue Planet in Concert.

And, of course, our engaged Bluey fan-base is incredible; we are always trying to find ways to surprise and delight them.

We have collaborated with a number of big brands to create a combination of brand collaborations with names like Peter Alexander, Crayola, Bonds and Adairs; activations, such as Only On Airbnb; and even theatrical productions with our partner Andrew Kay, who we just wrapped Bluey’s Big Play in Australia with and with whom we have more great plans.

Do you see similar partnerships in the near-future?

We have so many exciting things on the horizon and are always looking for ways to bring the show to life for our fans.

I’m pleased to announce our next big partnership is with Colgate, who will be bringing our favourite Heeler family onto toothpaste and toothbrushes later this month. It is very exciting for us to get to work with leading brands like Colgate, and even more exciting that this is the first time in Colgate’s history that they’ve put an Australian brand on their products. We’re thrilled to bring Bluey to our fans in this way.

We’ve also announced other amazing global partnerships with the likes of Crayola and Hasbro; who will be releasing Bluey Trouble and Bluey Monopoly Junior. Towards the middle of the year there will be some more exciting announcements, so stay tuned!

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