It’s an exciting time to be creating for this space, and here at Smart Design Studio we’ve been right in the middle of it, bringing some fresh ideas to life.

Pocket-Sized Mayhem: The Bunny vs Monkey Spin-Offs
Graphic novels in the children’s segment are having a serious moment. Sales are through the roof, reluctant readers are getting hooked, and it’s all feeling a little bit like the new golden age of comics.

Some might say Bunny vs Monkey has been a key player in the growth of graphic novels in this age group – introducing younger readers to the format with its chaotic energy, hilarious storytelling and wildly expressive art style.

So, when we had the chance to work with David Fickling Books to extend Jamie Smart’s Bunny vs Monkey universe with a joke book and an activity book, we knew it had to be something fun, fast, and pocket-sized. These aren’t just bonus extras – they’re proper little gems in their own right.

The B-format size – a compact, pocket-sized format – makes them feel collectible and a bit mischievous, like something kids want to carry around in their pockets and swap in the playground. And this format really taps into a wider trend we’re seeing across children’s publishing: books that feel less like traditional reading and more like experiences. Whether it’s puzzles, doodles, or laugh-out-loud jokes, it’s about interaction and quick wins.

We’ve been producing a lot of these types of books lately across different licensed brands, and there’s definitely a growing appetite for them. They’re the perfect gateway into longer-form reading, and they keep kids connected to the characters they love, even when they’re between graphic novel volumes.

Science Meets Social Media: Turning ‘Likes’ into Learning
If you want to get kids engaged in a subject, you go to where they already are – social media. And while science might not traditionally scream “fun scroll”, that’s exactly what we flipped on its head when we worked on a series of books with Wayland and Twitter influencer Science Girl (@gunsnrosesgirl3).

She already had a loyal on-line following thanks to her bite-sized, mind-blowing science facts – and our challenge was to translate that energy into books that felt just as exciting. We created a series that’s visually packed and fast-paced, blending quirky, character-led illustrations with real-life photography and snappy facts that are almost impossible not to share.

This is part of a bigger trend we’re seeing in educational publishing: turning dense, ‘worthy’ topics into fun, accessible content that holds its own in a world of distractions. These books don’t look or feel like textbooks – they look like something you’d proudly leave out on show. They’re bright, visual, and full of personality.

And working with someone who already has an engaged community behind them is another shift worth noting. Kids aren’t just reading books – they’re following creators, watching reels, and sharing stories. Bringing that world into publishing opens up huge opportunities for fresh formats, new voices, and a totally different kind of engagement.

So, What’s Next?
The way kids consume content is changing, and books are evolving with them. We’re seeing more interactive formats and a merging of print and digital influence. Graphic novels aren’t going anywhere and influencers will continue to bring their audiences into the book world.

And honestly? We’re here for it. The more books feel fun, engaging, and fresh, the more kids will actually want to pick them up. Which is exactly why we love working in this space – because at the end of the day, what’s more exciting than making books that kids actually want to read?

The post “It’s about interaction and quick wins”: The evolving world of children’s publishing appeared first on Brands Untapped.

Nic Davies

Scott Ham, Co-Founder and Creative Director, The Zeros
“After being glued to the TV watching cartoons for most of my childhood, I was instantly invested. Sadly, I can’t do that anymore, so I decided to split my days… Now I work with the cartoons I love, then – after a hard day’s work – I go home and watch them! After realising I could work with the characters that I still watch to this day, my mind was blown and I knew I had to pursue a profession within licensing. I’m fairly certain I’ve watched every episode of The Simpsons, up to season 13, around 30 times – and am still going!”

Mar Gili, Design, Co-ordinator, , Perfetti Van Melle
“My first source of inspiration was nature and the amazing creations we find around us. Nature never ceases to fascinate and provoke me. I’m Mediterranean and that’s deeply marked my way of seeing the world. The special Mediterranean light makes things look profoundly colourful and suggestive. The atmosphere surrounds you and invites you to create… It’s just magic! The second major inspiration was art. I’m from Barcelona, a beautiful corner of the world surrounded by the incredible modernism style of the artist and architect Gaudí. We also have the artistic footprint of celebrities such as Picasso, Miró and Dalí – the genius behind the design of the Chupa Chups logo. Art is everywhere and it’s continuously evolving. It continues to inspire me to this day.”

Stephanie Griggs, Creative Director, The Roald Dahl Story Company
“Discovering Tim Burton’s The Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy and Other Stories aged 15, spoke to me – as an emo teenager with a penchant for gothic culture – on a new level. His exaggerated illustrative style was wholly different to the fruit-bowl, still-life painting I’d been doing at school. His macabre yet lovable characters sparked something in me and I wanted to get drawing myself… That early portfolio, inspired by Tim’s work, got me a place at art college after leaving school – and the rest is history!”

Hamish Jenkinson, CEO, The Department
“Leake Street, London. This underpass was used by taxis at the Eurostar Waterloo drop-off before it closed and moved to Kings Cross. It became a cut-through that only the brave would dare walk at night. It was home to street sleepers, drug dealers, pickpockets and thieves: effectively a no-go zone. In 2007, street artist Banksy did a deal with the Mayor of London. He donated one of his artworks in exchange for a whole street becoming a place people could legally create street art or graffiti. My life changed when I saw the opening show. Behind a Network Rail archway, I found a labyrinth of old Victorian tunnels that held trains above ground. The next thing I knew, I’d launched two immersive spaces: The Old Vic Tunnels and The Vaults. Leake Street is now home to various clubs, restaurants, a skate park and much more and the walls change on a daily basis as new artists come to create stunning street art murals. Banksy changed my life the day he donated that artwork, and this little street is now one of the best areas to experience London’s underground immersive scene and street art culture.”

To read more content from the Brands Untapped 100: 2022 edition click here.

The post Why Design? appeared first on Brands Untapped.

This was my first step into the licensing world, and a place I’ve felt right at home in ever since. I worked for some great companies across many product categories, first as Designer and then Art Director – from greeting cards to publishing and almost everything in-between. I now spend my days running my own design business – Smart Design Studio – here in Bristol.

Can you give us an idea of the sort of design work you undertake in the licensing space?
There are two sides to Smart Design Studio. First is me, the graphic designer. I do a lot of work in the publishing world; mainly licensing, mainly kids and young adult.

Also, having worked with character style guides for over 20 years, it was a natural progression for me to also get involved with the creation of style guides too – the most recent one being for the CBeebies smash-hit, Alphablocks.

My clients are recurring, and I’m often looked on as an extension to their business or design team. I work with them on a whole range of projects, from sales pitches and marketing tools to products, gifting, and style guides.

And the second side?
Well, when needed, I expand the Smart Design team and operate as a packager on larger publishing projects, where we take on editorial as well as design. At times we work on big series over short periods of time… We love a good movie tie-in!

How do you keep yourself on trend and in touch with design developments in licensing?
Social media and looking online I’d have to say. I think over the last few years, I’ve got used to doing it this way. I have my morning ritual where I spend the first part catching up on new licensing and pop culture news – sometimes longer if I get side tracked down a design rabbit hole and I’ve had one too many coffees!

I make notes and have a digital scrapbook that’s constantly on the go 24/7 which acts as inspiration for future design projects. I regularly catch up with friends in the licensing world too. It’s good to chat and share and see what everyone is up to.

Given the breadth of the licensing world, how easy is it to design for a range of product categories?
I certainly have my specialised areas, but I do also move around categories quite a lot. I think the key is to take time to understand the brand you’re working with and what its core brand values are. Keeping on top of current trends in pop culture – and having that genuine interest in what’s going on in the licensing industry – means you build that product knowledge naturally on a daily basis.

“Over the past few years, I’m doing more and more projects where we are ‘reinventing’ older brands or ‘retelling’ stories for new audiences.”

When there are time pressures on a project, it’s all too easy to jump in quickly… I’m a big advocate of the work ethic ‘slow down to speed up’ and always make sure projects are approached in this way with clients to ensure they are delivered on brief and often ahead of deadlines.

Over the last five years, what have been the biggest changes you have seen in design work for the licensing industry?
There’s been a few areas I’ve noticed changes. Over the past few years, I’m definitely doing more and more projects where we are ‘reinventing’ older brands or ‘retelling’ stories for new audiences. I’ve recently completed a project looking at new ways to bring the artifacts from the Ashmolean Museum together with the museum itself to visually reach a new audience.

Another area that publishing for sure has worked hard to address is inclusivity and empowerment, especially for the younger audiences. We’ve worked on a lot of Barbie publishing projects over the last 18 months and this brand does so well to empower its audience and be fully inclusive.

There is much more choice and openness now when you look through the bookstores when it comes to topics that weren’t always represented. It’s so good to see mainstream publishers publishing books like ‘Manifesto for Misfits’ by Sink the Pink. Good work Quarto!

Sticking with the publishing category, what are some of the trends within the sector that are influencing your design work?
Designing in the publishing category, and especially thinking about the cover design, you have such a small snippet of time to grab someone’s attention to get them to pick the book up from the shelf…

I’ve seen a trend of very bold cover designs with very direct messages – I have to mention Manifesto for Misfits again! – that have a lot of impact on shelf. It’s something I definitely had in the forefront of my mind while working on Cathy Press’ new book When Love Bites.

The thinking behind the cover design was to speak directly boldly and confidently to the young audience to empower them and with a ‘tone of voice’ visually that they were familiar with. Cathy’s book addresses the sensitive subject matter of teenage relationship abuse, so this bold approach was always going to be a challenge to get the balance and ‘tone of voice’ right for these young adults.

In licensing in general, there’s a real trend to collaborate. It’s been about for a while, but we are seeing more and more of it. Personally, I love a collaboration and find the product that comes out of it very exciting. Maybe it’s because it has that ‘one off’ vibe and I’m a sucker for collecting things!

Are there lessons that licensing could be picking up from other industry sectors design-wise?
The directness, the instant-ness – if that’s a word! – of the publishing world in terms of cover design. I think especially with the young adult audience and the amount of content that’s available to them these days, it can be a challenge to stand out and often you only have that split second to do it.

When you are set design briefs, are there some key points you look for?
Absolutely, and if they are not there then I’m going to ask questions to find out!

‘Tone of Voice and ‘emotive’ are the main things I look for, and the main things I focus on if I’m briefing out. I want to know what emotion we want the person to feel when they pick up the product, and what ‘design voice’ we want to use to make that happen.

Nic, this has been great! Before I let you go, what are your three most recent purchases that feature licensed properties and designs?
Disney Mickey Mouse Happy Socks. Sink The Pink’s Manifest for Misfits – did I mention this book yet! And I’ve just seen the PAC-MAN X Eastpak collaboration… I’m pretty sure the PAC-MAN pouch is going to be my next ‘recent purchase’ by the time you read this!

Yes, that range is great isn’t it. Thanks again Nic!

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