Celebrating the 35th anniversary of David McKee’s Elmer, Andersen Press has engaged in a number of charitable campaigns which have contributed to a huge amount of money raised.
Elmer’s Big Art Parade Blackpool raised over £143,000 in its charity auction, which saw more than 30 Elmer sculptures designed and painted by various artists auctioned off in aid of Brian House Children’s Hospice.
This is the seventh collaboration between Andersen Press and public art specialist Wild in Art since 2019, with each event raising money for a different charity. In total the events have now raised more than £1.5 million for charities, including hospices in England and Northern Ireland, and Laura Ferguson Brain Injury Trust in New Zealand.
Further Elmer events are planned with Wild in Art, while a free mini trail is now open to the public in Lincoln for the summer consisting of 12 Elmer sculptures on the streets of the historic town designed and painted in tribute to some of the most recognisable artists throughout history.
Meanwhile, continuing the Elmer Pride campaign – which was launched in 2021 – Andersen Press expanded its partnership with LGBTQ+ charity Just Like Us, with new resources based on David McKee’s books as part of the Schools Diversity Week activity, and a major fundraising push in June for Pride month.
Andersen Press pledged £1 for each Elmer paperback sold through TCM in June, plus donated the royalty for the exclusive Pride t-shirt sold via online nostalgia and culture retailer TruffleShuffle, while licensee The Puppet Company pledged £1 per Elmer puppet sold through June.
Collectively these endeavours have raised over £4,200, which includes over £1,000 raised via TruffleShuffle’s product; the Elmer Pride t-shirt was the fastest seller in its range, beating the likes of Care Bears and Moomins.
Currently, sales of David McKee’s original paperback are up 27% year-on-year through Nielsen Bookscan. Andersen Press has seen consistent growth for the title and the brand since 2016.
Further charitable campaigns are ongoing and planned for the brand – continuing the partnership with Alzheimer’s Research UK, a collaboration with OddBalls has seen the release of a range of adult and children’s underwear based on the cover of Elmer and the Gift. The first drop were released last month and has almost sold out, with money from each pair going to the charity.
In addition, a special charity edition of Elmer’s Walk is on sale now in over 1,000 One Stop stores around the UK, brokered and produced by Louis Kennedy in aid of Living Streets, the charity dedicated to getting more people walking every day.
“Not only do these campaigns and collaborations raise money for these well-deserving charities, it also allows us to engage with consumers and our audiences in an unusual and surprising way,” commented Paul Black, PR and brand director at Andersen Press. “This is especially important as we celebrate Elmer’s 35th anniversary with a message of inclusivity and acceptance, something that runs through each of our charity partners.”
Further activity and partnerships are planned for the rest of 2024 and beyond, with new publishing releases coming in the autumn including an Elmer Book and Toy set releasing in the UK in September with foreign rights deals already confirmed in six territories, including France, Germany and Italy.
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