64 PRE-SCHOOL BABOGBABY Gaelic bred
We take a closer look at a language teaching teddy bear from Ireland. With an animated series set to air on TV next year, does the Bábógbaby brand have the potential to become a pre-school powerhouse? Lewis Tyler investigates
PROGRESS HAS been steady for the Galway-based Bábógbaby so far. The company was created in 2010 after Adrian Devane and his wife couldn’t find a toy to help teach their children Irish. The result was Bábógbaby – a teddy bear which helps kids learn 33 words that has gone on to sell over 44,000 units.
BábógBaby has been most popular in its native Ireland, where more than 35,000 bears have been sold. The product is on shelves in 120 shops. But apart from the Irish bear, Scots Gaelic, Welsh and English versions are also available. Smyths is currently Bábógbaby’s biggest retail partner, and is so far the only toy shop to stock the bear in England.
Looking forward to this Q4, BábógBaby is set to benefit from a PR and TV advertising campaign starting in November. And after that, the plan is to boost Bábógbaby’s profile with an animated series titled BB and Bella.
It has already been signed by Irish kids channel TG4 and is scheduled to debut in summer 2013. The rest of the UK will follow; the show is already being adapted for the English, Scots Gaelic and Welsh markets. “Our mission is to build a brand of global scale in the pre-school children’s market,” explains Bábógbaby creator, Devane.
BB STARS ON JONATHAN ROSS
Last year Bábógbaby shot to fame after appearing on The Jonathan Ross Show. ‘Wossy’ pressed the bear’s buttons to learn some Irish, with the help from BB’s compatriot, comedian Dara O’Brien. “The impact was huge. We got orders from all over the world,” says Devane.
Factfile • Established in 2010
• 44,000 bears sold: 35,000 Irish, 2,000 Scots Gaelic, 5,000 Welsh and 2,000 English. • Price £24.99
• Suitable for 6 months and above • Teaches 33 words – colours, numbers and shapes and objects • App available on iOS and Android devices
• Animated series airing in summer 2013
Our mission at Bábógbaby is to build a brand of global scale within the pre-
school children’s market. Adrian Devane, Bábógbaby
“The animation series is very important in creating the brand value and underpins the sales of the teddies and other products.” He continues: “We’ve developed a branded pre-school children’s toy and TV series, and have prepared a range of revenue streams from the intellectual property: toy sales of teddy bears, app sales and TV rights from the animation series.” BB and Bella merchandise – including fashion accessories and backpacks, as well as stationery and
BB GETS ANIMATED
BB and Bella is part funded by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland and has been snapped up by local broadcaster TG4. Bábógbaby is talking to BBC S4C in Wales, BBC Alba for the Scots Gaelic version and Nick Jr. and Channel 5’s Milkshake for the UK.
NOVEMBER 2012
other back-to-school items – is in production and will be in retail by Christmas 2013. For the bear itself, Western Europe
is next, with Spanish, French, Italian and German bears on the way, while there has also be interest as far afield as China.
“Research points to children who learn a second language in early life having much better educational outcomes in later life,” he explains. And it’s not just Devane who thinks it’s a winner; the toy has
picked up a host of awards, including Gold and Silver from the Practical Pre-school Awards, a Bronze in Toy Shop UK’s Independent Toy Awards, as well as Best Cuddly Toy at the Rainbow Toy Awards 2012. Bábógbaby: +353 872 979
BB APP-LIES HIMSELF Bábógbaby’s
language teaching talents have been converted into app form. Currently available on iOS and Android platforms for around 69p, the bear performs all the same functions that his plush counterpart does. Devane hopes that, once the animation airs, app sales will soar.
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