The Puppet Company has announced that it is a finalist in three categories in the Retail Gazette (RG) Retail Excellence Awards – awards that are designed to recognise the very best in the retail sector.
The company has been shortlisted among the finalists in the Brand Partnership of the Year category, while Co-founder & CEO Sue Lockey appears twice: in the Lifetime Contribution and the Women in Leadership categories.
The brand partnership honour is for The Puppet Company’s massively successful collaboration with Hamleys, the world’s most famous toy shop, which included a summer-long magical Hamleys Window One takeover displaying The Puppet Company’s amazing puppets. The collaboration also inspired a number of wildly popular Hamley weekend sightseeing bus tours on select dates in the summer. It was the first time the bus tours had been co-branded with The Puppet Company.
After enjoying the bus tour, attendees could continue the fun at the free weekend in-store puppet shows in the branded Hamleys & The Puppet Company puppet theatre; these shows are a popular year-round event.
Keane Herman, Business Lead at Hamleys UK, says: “Our iconic Hamleys Sightseeing Bus — which takes families on a magical journey through the heart of London, passing some of the capital’s most famous landmarks — has been transformed into a world of puppetry, storytelling and fun for select summer weekends. The result has been pure magic. The response from our customers has been incredible. Seeing families step onboard, discover the surprises waiting for them and enjoy moments of laughter and wonder together is exactly why we love experience-led partnerships at Hamleys.”
He adds: “The Puppet Company is a fantastic example of a partner who shares our belief that play has the power to create unforgettable memories. We’ve loved working together on this truly immersive experience.”
