Transport for London Seeking New Licensing Agency

By Gary Symons

TLL Editor in Chief

The world famous Transport for London organization has issued a tender seeking bids for a brand licensing and development contract.

The tender for the TfL contract was posted in late October on the UK government’s Find Tender Service. It calls for a three-year contract with the option to extend for a further two years on a yearly basis.

The selected agency will be charged with helping TfL in raising its global profile and seeking out brand partnerships and licensed product releases in the UK and abroad.

Transport for London is arguably the best recognized transport licensor in the world, famed for its crimson red double decker buses, the London Tube subway system and its serpentine map, and the iconic roundels that identify Tube stations.

The roundel is so well recognized it practically acts as a symbol for the city of London itself, while the Tube map designed by Harry Beck in 1933 was the first in the world for a subway system, and has been copied as a template for metro maps globally.

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TfL’s creative assets also include the colorful moquettes that have decorated seats on buses and trains for many years, as well as the extensive poster and photo archive dating back to the early 20th century. The archive contains posters advertising travel to sporting events, tourist attractions and the much-loved art deco styles of the 1920s and ’30s.

TfL has been involved in a wide variety of high profile brand partnerships, such as the recent collaborations with footwear designer Kurt Geiger, the London Sock Exchange, and Adidas.

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“We have a wealth of designs and history to draw from and we hope to build on the recognition of our iconic assets⁠—bringing London into the homes of people all over the world,” said TfL brand manager Ellen Sankey. “Our licensees to date have created a wide-ranging collection of products and items for people of all ages⁠—from trainers to toys, best-selling books to bedding⁠—and we look forward to working with an agency who can continue the great work achieved so far.”

The tender says Transport for London is seeking an agency that can commercialize its intellectual property and brand across a variety of categories, including but not limited to Apparel & accessories; Gift & stationery; Homewares; Publishing; Food & beverage; Toy & games; and Experiential entertainment.”This is an opportunity to work with the TfL brand which has strong associations with London and is often thought of as ‘the London brand’,” the tender states. “It is a brand which helped shape, develop and mould modern London into a dynamic and world leading city; a centre of art, fashion and design, a buzzing hub of culture which embraces diversity and creativity. It is these attributes that form our brand values, along with our customer promise ‘Every Journey Matters’.

If you’re interested in submitting a bid, see the full details at https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/030247-2022