10 Minutes With … London Zoo on How Licensing Can Help Tell a Brand’s Story

License Global: How would you describe London Zoo to the licensing industry and what are your main areas of focus as you begin your brand licensing journey?  

Abbie Taylor: That’s a great question. Lots of people know that London Zoo is a hugely popular family brand, attracting over 1.4 million visitors annually – but we are so much more than just a zoo. We see licensing as a new way of helping us to communicate that.

For example, London Zoo is also the world’s oldest scientific zoo and is part of ZSL (Zoological Society of London), one of the world’s leading wildlife conservation charities. So, our licensing program is all about celebrating wildlife and inspiring the next generation of conservationists. Our style guide features many species that we have been directly involved in protecting, such as the pangolin, Asiatic lion and Western lowland gorilla.

Given that our largest audience is families, our main focus is on children’s products across all categories. This is a superb time to join the program, as ZSL celebrates its 200-year anniversary in 2026.

Abbie Taylor, London Zoo

How important is your licensing program to not only allow consumers to engage with the zoo globally, but also to raise awareness about your conservation work and the importance of zoos generally? 

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This is incredibly important. We want to educate people about London Zoo’s critical role in wildlife conservation.

Our Institute of Zoology supports conservation programs in over 70 countries, and our zoos contribute to the breeding and care of critically endangered animals, such as the Sumatran tiger and the reintroduction of species extinct in the wild. Half of the world’s extinct-in-the-wild species are cared for at ZSL zoos. We also act as a sanctuary for illegally trafficked animals, having provided a home for over 3,370 animals confiscated by the U.K.’s border force since 2000, including Egyptian tortoises, red rain frogs, green tree pythons and hundreds of corals.

By partnering with London Zoo and ZSL, companies directly contribute to our global conservation work and make a difference in helping us in the fight to protect our natural world.

As a living, breathing conservation brand, what can licensing partners expect from working with London Zoo?

What makes London Zoo unique in licensing is our iconic historical site in central London, where people can get up close to and be truly inspired by animals and nature. It’s a huge opportunity for our partners.

This could mean using our venue to support product launches, joint activations on site, such as pop-up shops and branded trails, sponsorships or even overnight stays in our London Zoo lodges and animal experiences. Companies can leverage our site, social media presence and press relationships to create exciting experiences, allowing licensees and retailers to reach their audiences in novel ways.

Sustainability is obviously another focus for you. How do you work with licensees to ensure they share your ethos?

We have been leading on sustainability for almost 10 years. London Zoo was the first U.K. business to remove single-use plastic water bottles from our shelves in 2016, spearheading our #OneLess Campaign, which aims to eliminate single-use plastic and create new drinking fountains around London. So, you can imagine that we have a clear set of guidelines that we require all partners and suppliers to adhere to.

We focus on product quality and circularity, ensuring that as much product as possible is reused, repurposed or recyclable. That said, we understand the challenges and costs businesses face in moving to more sustainable products and materials, and we are willing to work with companies committed to making improvements. We recognize that this takes time.

ZSL conservationist surveys coral reef in Indian Ocean

What will you be highlighting and showcasing at your booth at BLE this year?

First and foremost, we will be using Brand Licensing Europe to educate people about London Zoo, ZSL, our incredible animals and our conservation work both in the U.K. and internationally. We want to create meaningful and lasting relationships with retailers and licensees who truly support our vision of a world where wildlife thrives.

We’ll be showcasing our fantastic children’s style guide with three compelling design directions, featuring animals at the heart of our conservation programs. The guides include intriguing animal facts that captivate young children, playing into their natural curiosity and fascination with animals. These graphics, patterns and fun facts can be applied across a variety of product categories.

We also want to highlight our plans for ZSL’s 200th anniversary. There is so much happening at London Zoo in celebration of this milestone.

Finally, we are developing a Heritage Style Guide using our incredible zoological library resources and archives; we envisage this guide translating beautifully across adult product categories, such as fashion, stationery, gifts and homeware.

This year BLE celebrates its 25th anniversary. What is your first memory of the show? Do you have any particular highlights from over the years?

I first attended and exhibited at BLE in 2021, following the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. We were looking to launch our licensing program and wanted to get a feel for the industry’s appetite for our brand. The response was fantastic – we were fully booked up and received tremendous feedback.

It was a fantastic experience and what stood out to us was the strong sense of community within the licensing industry. From the guidance provided by Informa to the advice we received from other exhibitors, licensees and brand owners, it was refreshing to see such a welcoming and inclusive environment.

Now that we have officially launched our brand licensing program with our licensing agency, Metrostar, we are excited to fully participate in this amazing event. Please do come and see us at stand B273 or book an appointment with London Zoo or Metrostar on the Brand Licensing Europe Event Planner.

Register for your free place at Brand Licensing Europe 2024.