As the public appetite for Enid Blyton’s The Famous Five continues, on the back of Quercus’ best-selling Enid Blyton for Grown-Ups series, Bulldog has also seen the expansion of its licensing range, with Danilo on board to create a range of Blyton greeting cards.
This year, Bulldog Licensing, which represents the entire Enid Blyton brand, has lined up a full programme for The Famous Five to coincide with the 75th anniversary of the first book, with stationery, gift and food products all hitting the shelves.
The success of the Enid Blyton for Grown-Ups series demonstrates the enduring popularity of The Famous Five brand, which Enid Blyton Entertainment (EBE) initially licensed to Quercus in 2016. The tongue-in-cheek books have dominated the non-fiction charts since launching in November; Five on Brexit Island was the bestselling book in the UK in the week before Christmas 2016 and remains in the top ten. The latest addition to the series, Five Forget Mother’s Day launched on February 23rd and is now at number 2 in the non-fiction book charts.
Katie Price, Licensing Director, Hachette Children’s Group commented: “The books tap into the nostalgia for Enid Blyton’s work, which also includes Malory Towers and The Secret Seven among others and has delighted successive generations of British children and sold hundreds of millions of copies. Enid Blyton, who still sells a book a minute in the UK, regularly features in the top ten list of the best-selling authors in the UK. As the fourth most translated author in history, after Agatha Christie, Jules Verne and William Shakespeare, Enid Blyton has proven global appeal and is the most translated children’s author in the world, according to UNESCO.”
“The popularity of these books amply demonstrates that Enid Blyton is part of our national fabric,” says Bulldog Licensing Director Vicky Hill. “Her work has massive nostalgic appeal for adults, while kids are as entranced by the stories as they ever were – so there is huge brand awareness out there for licensees to tap into.”
Bulldog will shortly be looking to expand across the Secret Seven and other titles in the estate.