The RNLI… Aces! And what do you do there?
I’m the Senior Partnerships New Business Manager. Catchy, right?! Essentially, I’m responsible for securing strategic partnerships, cause-related marketing and licensing programmes – along with sponsorship opportunities to help drive the charity forward, building a sustainable future.

So am I right in saying that the RNLI remains a charity after all this time?
Yes, the RNLI remains a charity – one that’s been saving lives around our coastline and at sea for 200 years. We do that through our lifeboats, our lifeguards, flood-rescue teams, international teams… And through a huge water-safety education programme. I’m glad you mentioned this, actually, because I think there’s sometimes a misconception. Some people think we’re fully or partly government funded – which isn’t the case. Instead, our charity is powered by over 30,000 volunteers and generous donations from the public.

“The lens must be adjusted when seeking out partnership and licensing opportunities.”

Indeed! I don’t know if I mentioned this, but the RNLI was my mother’s mother’s favourite charity. She was always astonished that you had to fund yourselves. That being the case, how different is the lens through which you see licensing opportunities?
It’s REALLY different. The lens absolutely must be adjusted when seeking out and considering partnership and licensing opportunities. It’s important that we maintain our reputation and ensure there’s an alignment across values, and that our activities feel like a natural fit.

We also have to undertake really careful due diligence with any partnership or licensing programme. We mustn’t compromise our 200 years of heritage, or the trust that our volunteers, supporters and board of trustees has in us. So we won’t enter into any inappropriate or reckless collaborations. It’s a careful balance while also pushing forward and engaging new audiences.

Fantastic answer. That’s exactly what I was looking to understand! So in regard to congruent and appropriate partnerships, the RNLI did a Royal Mint coin recently. Tell me about that; how did it come about?
Oh, yes! Thank you for asking! On March 4th this year, the RNLI will be 200 years old – a huge milestone to reach. We’ll be remembering our remarkable history, celebrating the modern lifesaving service we provide today, and looking forward to inspiring and welcoming a new generation of lifesavers and supporters. For those reasons, it was a real privilege to be recognised by The Royal Mint for inclusion in their commemorative coin designs marking 2024’s most significant anniversaries!

I’ll bet. Stunning looking coin…
Thank you! I do think that – together – we’ve created the most beautiful 50p coin – it’s a real stunner. I’m sure coin collectors and everyone who gets to see one will really appreciate how beautiful it is.

What process did you go through to make it happen?
The process behind it, as all great partnerships and licensing programmes, was a shared vision and desire to see the best finished product. We really wanted to make sure it connects the brand with an audience – specifically, in this instance, serving as a wonderful commemorative keepsake to mark this very special milestone. We wanted a reminder that our ultimate aim is – as it has been for the past two centuries – to save lives at sea.

The 50p coin was designed by experienced coinage artist John Bergdahl. Using the very recognisable RNLI flag asset, and surrounded by a life ring, it highlights the extraordinary lifesaving our charity has achieved.

You said John Bergdahl, there did you?
Yes! As you know, The Royal Mint is the official maker of UK coins. Their expertise in bringing this to life has been invaluable. They ensured John’s original design – created on a plaster model – was translated accurately to appear on the 50p coin, which has a canvas of just 27.30mm. It’s a lot of detail in not a lot of space so it needed to combine traditional engraving techniques with modern minting technology…

What might that entail, Emma?
That includes the use of optical scanners to create a 3D file. The design is then refined, and delicately translated so as not to lose any of the detail or visual impact. And then came the colour! The shade of orange that’s synonymous with the RNLI and our lifeboats was meticulously matched to give the coin its pop and vibrancy. There’s a wide range of 50p coins, and it’s also available in the wider range of Royal Mint Annual Sets.

Terrific! I’ll make sure we include a couple of different images.
Thank you. What’s lovely – and massively important to all our volunteers in recognition of the work we do – is that The Royal Mint also gifted all 238 RNLI lifeboat stations across the UK and Ireland with their own commemorative coins as a lasting memento of our bicentennial anniversary. That’s a wonderful thank you to help recognise our selfless and brave volunteers.

Yes, that’s a kind gesture. And I imagine a coin like this is an excellent way to raise awareness for you, too…
Absolutely. It’s such beautiful work so it not only helps raise awareness of what we do, but also provides the opportunity to continue to raise the funds we need. We have a licensing arrangement in place so that a percentage of the price of each coin sold by The Royal Mint supports the RNLI’s continuous work and commitment to saving lives at sea.

Elsewhere, I recall the RNLI did a cute cardboard construction toy with PlayPress a few years ago…
Yes, the original Inshore Lifeboat playset! PlayPress also have their RNLI People and the RNLI Heritage Lifeboat Station too. The latter is a 2024 Gift of the Year finalist!

Oh! Is that right? I hadn’t heard! Let me ask you this: what values unite the kind of partners you look for?
Selflessness, courageousness, dependability and trustworthiness. They will, of course, manifest themselves differently, but an understanding, appreciation and genuine desire to support our cause is paramount.

Similarly, what qualities should all your products have?
Whether they’re RNLI branded products retailed directly by us, or product that we co-create and develop through licensing programmes, they need to align to those RNLI values too. How does a value become a product quality? The RNLI is trustworthy and dependable so in terms of product qualities, our products should be of good workmanship, durable and have longevity…

The PlayPress toys embody this as well as ensuring that the products align to our sustainability plan. And there’s a huge educational and engagement piece with these toys, allowing imagination and creativity to flow freely – who knows, we may find the next generation of RNLI volunteers was inspired by one of these toys… We’re constantly evolving as an organisation and our product strategy continues to evolve too.

And in regard to that, in what specific areas of licensing would the RNLI like to be more active?
I’d like to see us being more active in and around toys and gifting, taking some of our assets into digital environments and into some of the more unexpected areas – watch this space! Looking to the future, it’s critical for us to be more active in areas where we can resonate more strongly with different generational audiences… So understanding them is key, ensuring we develop programmes to support this.

Like a lot of charities, we need to bridge a gap between our supporter base of today and new ones to ensure a sustainable future. This means we need to look at licensing opportunities and partnership opportunities in areas where we can really get into the fabric of their lives… And like many of our volunteers, this means us being more courageous and braver with those opportunities. It’s a tricky balance to get right.

Fantastic answer. What’s your background, Emma? How did you come to be doing what you do?
I’ve spent many years working in and around the licensing industry on the agency and licensee side. I’ve always been a champion of genuine, authentic and creative partnerships where creativity can really excel. We all know emotional connection is a key driver to creating fandom – and that’s what essentially charities have: our supporters are our fans. In my role today, there’s a real opportunity to support this within the modern-day lifesaving service we operate. It’s a really exciting time.

“I’m also an operational crew volunteer for the RNLI. When the pager goes, I go…”

Great stuff! Thank you. Let’s wrap this up with one final question in two parts… First, what’s the one question I could’ve asked you today but didn’t? Second what’s the answer?
Probably “Why did you leave this interview part way through and run out the door, leaving me hanging on the zoom screen?” And the answer is that I’m also an operational crew volunteer for the RNLI. When the pager goes, I go. I genuinely love what I do – both my day job and my volunteering role.

Well, nothing underlines more certainly the importance of what you do, Emma, so thank you for joining me. Greatly appreciated.

The post Lifesaving and licensing: the RNLI’s Emma Beeson reveals how Royal Mint coins help save lives appeared first on Brands Untapped.

At the recent Brand Licensing Europe tradeshow, there were exhibitors and representatives from organisations such as Battersea Dogs Home, English Heritage and the RSPB. Elsewhere, specialist companies like Blu Goblin are working with charities to develop collectibles programmes in conjunction with IP owners, while events such as BBC Children In Need have a raft of partnerships and products associated with them.

Licensing deals can deliver income, but they can also deliver new audiences, new distribution opportunities and ­– in an increasingly cluttered world – they can also create communication platforms.

There are also some very innovative ways that charities are connecting with the licensing world. Wild In Art were able to showcase a range of Morph art figurines at BLE. These figurines will form part of a public art trail that will run in London next year.

The figurines, designed and decorated by artists, will be auctioned off at the end of the trail period with funds going to the Whizz-Kidz charity. During the trail, Whizz-Kidz will develop and sell specially designed Morph merchandise as an additional fundraising mechanic, while the figures themselves will be sponsored by companies. Aardman – the owners of Morph – are also working with Wild In Art on a number of Shaun the Sheep trails.

With this market development in mind, I found it very interesting to receive my RNLI Christmas Gift catalogue. As a supporter of RNLI, I am on their mailing list and receive updates about their commercial activities. They have a long-standing retail business which seems to blend licensing style deals with their own developments. As well as the catalogue, the RNLI have a number of retail outlets around the country most often adjacent to Lifeboat stations.

The catalogue pulls together a range of products that include licensed ranges but also products developed with some of the RNLI other partners. It’s a very good example of a blended commercial economy and programme.

One partnership that catches the eye in particular is the collaboration between the RNLI and Finisterre. Finisterre is an outdoor clothing company founded in 2003 by Tom Kay, who is also a volunteer at the RNLI ST Agnes Lifeboat Station. This, of course, creates a strong bond and sense of purpose behind the collection. Tom is quoted in the catalogue talking about the partnership: “With our shared love and respect for the sea, I can’t think of a better partner for Finisterre than the RNLI”.

The products developed through the partnership include knitwear such as a Men’s Cromarty jumper, a Women’s Lundy Cable jumper and boot socks. The range dials up traditional styles and materials well. It is presented in the catalogue using lifestyle shots taken at an RNLI station, further cementing the partnership. The RNLI x Finisterre Collection is really well conceived and having the link through Tom Kay makes it feel a very genuine one built on passion, commitment and insight.

Another significant name that the RNLI work with is Helly Hansen. Helly Hansen kit out the RNLI’s crews and lifeguards so there is a real connection with the charity built on functionality ­– the brand is tried and tested in a very authentic way.

The Helly Hansen range includes items such as jackets, bib trousers and t-shirts. They have also developed a children’s two-piece Bergen rain set. This is a nice way of extending the partnership and brand reach to younger consumers.

It would seem this partnership is a strategic one for Helly Hansen. The supply of kit to the RNLI crews helps in positioning the brand as high performance, reliable and dynamic brand. The return that this gives in terms of brand prestige and positioning would outweigh the returns from product sales, but it’s good additional business for the RNLI’s commercial arm. It’s also, of course, an efficient way of them sourcing high quality product from a branded supplier.

Outside of these two apparel deals, the RNLI product ranges also spans Christmas greetings cards – many of these feature specific designs that are tailored to the RNLI including lifeboats, lifeboat stations and icon devices such as the distinctive yellow wellies lifeboat crews wear.

The RNLI also has its own branded calendars which include specially commissioned art from illustrators such as Jackie Gale, Nicky Corker and Claire Henley. Not unexpectedly sea, seaside and coastal themes are to the fore. A key point here is that it is sensible for organisations like the RNLI to seek to ‘own’ themes and styles that are at the centre of their heritage and activities.

The RNLI also have some licensed publishing including a book Saved from the Waves : Animal Rescue of the RNLI. Publishing is an area that should and could be a solid foundation for organisations like RNLI. It opens up new opportunities and is a way of building equity in new IP, such as designs or characters.

Licensing partners showcased in the catalogue include Conker Gin, developers of a Conker Spirit RNLI Navy Strength gin. It’s a further example of how licensing is playing a part in the branded spirits market. A partnership with the RNLI gives Conker access to new distribution, but also helps build PR and marketing stories for them.

RNLI also have licensing partners in areas like toys and games. They work with Playpress on a papercraft kit based on a RNLI Inshore Lifeboat which won a Play Creators Award. Arts and crafts is an area that the RNLI should be able to build on with Playpress and other suppliers. Indeed, the RNLI works with Hornby and Corgi on model kits and die cast ranges as well.

It’s also interesting to see how the RNLI works with artists and illustrators. The RNLI is a charity that has a real community and local feel to it. Supporting local creatives fits well with this ethos and it would be interesting to see if the RNLI could expand its licensing programme with more artist-led collaborations, particularly that support local artists.

The RNLI is a good example of a charity that is seeking to use licensing and partnerships to support its fundraising, but also to give them fresh opportunities to engage with consumers and supporters. Having partners such as Helly Hansen and Finisterre should help them develop a lifestyle lead business in apparel built on a brand that has an authenticity to it.

The connection with Finisterre via their founder Tom Kay is a very impressive one – his 20 years as a RNLI volunteer really underpins the partnership. I imagine there may well be other commercial connections like this among the RNLI family. Likewise, working with brands that are based in coastal communities would seem a good line to follow, particularly those that create local employment opportunities or sourcing opportunities.

The post The Brand Radar: RNLI, Finisterre and how licensing supports fundraising appeared first on Brands Untapped.