The company that pretty much invented the idea of keeping cold things cold and hot things hot still has plenty of innovation left. The 117-year-old brand that is every kid’s lunchtime companion has announced a new licensing partnership for children’s products with the award-winning greeting card and stationery designer Rachel Ellen.
In a deal brokered by licensing agent The Point.1888, Rachel Ellen will apply its designs to Thermos’ already popular children’s products, including insulated bottles, food containers and lunch bags.
The agency says this is the first partnership The Point.1888 has secured for its client Rachel Ellen since starting with the brand in late 2020. The agency says, having developed an in-depth retail and category strategy aligned to Rachel Ellen’s brand vision, The Point.1888 has now embarked on a search for licensee partners who would make a good fit, produce high quality products and also wouldn’t conflict with the brand’s own award-winning ranges.
It is hoped the partnership will bring a lot of benefits to both partners: strengthening the affiliation Rachel Ellen’s fans have with the brand and also helping Thermos to develop its kids range in the UK, explains Janine Richmond, Senior Commercial Manager for Home at The Point.1888. Thermos was one of the first contacts we presented to Rachel Ellen,” Richmond said. “Having first met the Thermos team when I joined The Point.1888 in 2018, I understood which licenses were most likely to appeal and so could envisage a Rachel Ellen range being a fantastic addition to its collection.
“We know there is demand from Rachel Ellen’s existing customer base for kids lunch products and with the conversations with retailers already in full swing, we can see a great opportunity to broaden the offering and open new doors.”
Rachel Church, the creator and lead designer for Rachel Ellen, said the company instantly saw the benefits of the partnership with Thermos, a long-standing and trusted brand throughout the UK and the world.
“Thermos is such an iconic brand, and its products are fantastic quality, so useful and we feel it’s perfect for our demographic,” Church said. “Seeing my designs on new products is always exciting, especially on great products and ones that I would buy myself. The initial concepts are looking vibrant and colorful and I can’t wait to see the finished product.
“I’m also so grateful to The Point.1888 for making it happen. It has been very refreshing and uplifting to start working with them—they are all so positive, informative and thorough which is wonderful, and it’s nice to feel valued.”
Thermos UK also said they’re looking forward to working with Rachel Ellen and are thrilled with the designs. “We are delighted to be working with Rachel Ellen,” said James Sheldon, Trading Manager for Thermos UK. “We were looking for opportunities to expand our kids range and instantly saw the synergies between the two brands. The designs are colourful, fun and exciting and we’re really looking forward to seeing them on our products. ThePoint.1888 saw the potential in linking Thermos UK and Rachel Ellen together and have been fantastic to work with, enabling the development of the relationship and making the entire process seamless.”
The Point.1888 is a relatively new agency, but has made great strides since its founding in 2014. The agency’s area of expertise is in retail focused brand extension programs through partnership licensing agreements. The company has grown exponentially in the last 36 months, building strategic licensing programs for Yvonne Ellen, Team GB, Battersea, and more recently Moonbug Entertainment.
Product development on the Rachel Ellen is already underway with the range expected to launch later this year.