By Allison Watkinson
TLL Reporter
Transport for London, IMG and Crush Creative have launched a TfL children’s style guide to serve as a toolkit for current and future licensing partners.
“TfL has long captured the imagination of children worldwide, representing not just transport, but the spirit of adventure, curiosity, and exploration,” said IMG SVP, Tim Smith. “This unique appeal, combined with TfL’s rich legacy and extensive archives, creates a strong platform to develop a whole universe of children’s products across a multitude of different product categories.”
Designed by the Crush Creative agency, the new Transport for London childrens’ style guide includes a range of colorful, illustrated assets inspired by TfL’s heritage, aesthetics and transportation modes.
“TfL has a rich history of collaborating with iconic artists and designers,” said Crush Creative head, Theo Bain. “You can spot this in everything from the famous Underground map, to where you park your bum on their iconic moquette! (Editor’s note: Moquette is a thick pile fabric used for carpets and upholstery)
“In creating this asset pack for children we had the incredible opportunity to immerse ourselves in that world,” added Bain. “It has been a privilege to breathe life into a series of images and patterns that pay homage to some of the great mid-century artists who brought so much joy to the underground in years gone by.”
The assets featured in the guide include six core illustrations, four patterns, nine badge types and thirteen distinct icons that highlight the city and transportation modes such as buses, trains, bicycles and foot travel.
“We know that kids love all things bus, rail and Tube, from singing about the wheels on the bus to driving a DLR train,” said Transport for London brand licensing manager Ellen Sankey. “As we start to expand the TfL brand into the children’s market, it is so important for us to offer licensees something easy to use and exciting that will engage and delight children and parents alike.”
Sankey says the program is not just about driving new sources of revenue, as driving greener choices is also a vital part of the organization’s core goals.
“We want to make kids aware of the importance of greener options such as public transport, walking and cycling, and invite them to discover our wonderful city,” noted Sankey. “This guide reflects our heritage and style, whilst also looking to our future.”
Developed to make the brand more accessible and engaging for children and families, the new style guide is a major step forward in TfL’s ongoing collaborative partnership with its licensing representative, IMG.
Transport for London is the integrated transport authority responsible for delivering public transport to visitors and residents of the city. It runs the day-to-day operation of the capital’s public transport network which includes London Underground, London Overground, Docklands Light Railway, London Trams, London Buses, Elizabeth line services and more.
All revenue generated through Transport for London’s licensing programme, fares and commercial revenue is reinvested into the city’s transport network .