Beano HQ teamed up with House PR to bring the kids’ comic into the 21st century. They launched the Beano Studios and the Beano Experience, and the big unveiling event was at Beano’s Fleet Street HQ. The objective was to create an environment bursting with a cheeky character to match the 80-year-old comic’s irreverent humour. Aimed at the comic’s key 7-10-year-old audience, kids would also be central to the launch, which would be attended by a host of media guests, fans and celebrities including Kate Fleetwood, Kate Garraway and Donna Air.Working closely with our clients and using 3D computer graphics, seven Area 51 crew took a week to create a fully immersive environment in the style of the comic’s cartoons.
Separate areas represented familiar scenes from the comic, such as Dennis the Menace’s bedroom. Kids were able to run riot safely throughout the interactive experience, which featured a giant computer terminal to mark the Beano website launch. The event also boasted giant catapults and a ‘Splatty Zone’ where kids could pump slime through a network of plastic plumbing to then gunge a willing guest. Celebrities were gunged for photo opportunities and the event enjoyed major national media coverage.
