Brand values at Guinness World Records: Nadine Causey on fun… And documenting the incredible

Nadine Causey, thanks for joining us. Tell me: what do you do at Guinness World Records?
Thanks for having me! I’m the Senior Vice President at Guinness World Records, or GWR. I’m responsible for the global publishing business and champion of ‘all things kids’ there.

Fantastic! Something I found interesting when I visited you stand at BLE was the clarity of your brand’s purpose, vision, mission and values. Tell me about them… Why are they important?
We believe it’s important to know who you are and what you stand for. Our Purpose, Vision, Mission and Values – or PVMVs – define our place in the world, explain what we aspire to, how we will achieve our aspirations and the rules we live by. Our PVMVs are a consideration in everything we do and guide decision making for products, services and partnerships.

In terms of laying those out, what are the PVMVs?
Our Purpose is to make the world a more interesting, fun and positive place. Guinness World Records always strives to encourage, find and share the incredible… We believe that joy comes from discovery, empowerment comes from giving your all and happiness comes from sharing your passions.
In terms of Vision, we look to inspire a sense of wonder. By sharing our unique take on the world, we want to encourage everyone to always question and seek answers, keep an open mind, and believe that – with dedication – anything is possible.

And your Mission?
To document the incredible! By crowning new generations of record holders and sharing their authentic stories, we aim to break boundaries, and entertain and inform the world. Finally, we have our Values: Integrity, Respect, Passion, Inclusiveness and Fun.

I’m drilling into this, Nadine, because I think it’s important that licensing partners understand your bedrock. So let’s break those down, too… Integrity, you said. In what sense?
First, the integrity of our records, assessing claims with objectivity and enthusiasm and free from prejudice or bias. But this integrity extends to our people, the way we act, the way we do business and the way we make decisions. Similarly, Respect: we demonstrate respect for our record holders and challengers, our brand, our people, our business partners and our owner.

Inclusiveness…
Inclusiveness is central to achieving our vision. We believe in offering record-breaking for everyone, everywhere. And then Passion and Fun! Passion in our enthusiasm about records and record holders, our brand and purpose, our people, and how we demonstrate that in our work and to our customers. And Fun is – of course – part of everything we do. It’s one of the reasons we’re here; fun will always be at the heart of how we behave.

Brilliant. When you’re talking with potential brand partners, then, for what qualities do you look?
As mentioned, a brand that respects our values is an important quality. It’s imperative they have enthusiasm about the brand and an understanding of the impact Guinness World Records has both for record holders and for the people of all ages who are inspired by them.

And how actively, Nadine, does Guinness World Records look to licence new products and events?
We have dedicated teams that look after product licensing and events and attend all key fairs to be up to date with the latest industry trends. As we have a growing portfolio of new products and a program of events ourselves, new business is managed in conjunction with our internal vision and requirements.

One thing that caught my eye recently was a tape measure you created with SUCK UK. How did that come about?
Our sales team visited the Top Drawer Fair at Olympia in September 2022. There they came across the SUCK UK stand… Their range of fun and quirky licensed products caught our sales team’s attention. After chatting with the team, there was mutual interest in finding a way to partner up and use the GWR license on their products. Aside from our book, there aren’t many things more synonymous with GWR than a tape measure!

I hadn’t thought about that! Great point. So when you have a product like that, what – typically – is the process? How do you go from the idea to the shelf?
The first step is a conversation with the customer, who shares their initial idea for the licensed product and the business proposal. We then arrange a brainstorming meeting with our editorial team to discuss the best way to incorporate the Guinness World Records values, licence and content in the product concept or design. Where relevant, we work together on a quick sample that can be shared with the relevant sales teams to get feedback.

You want to review something physical quite quickly?
Ideally, yes. The licensee’s design team can then continue creating the final product, which is then reviewed by our design and editorial teams to ensure that the content is accurate and in line with our brand guidelines. Once approved, the licensee arranges production and sends a couple of samples to the GWR office – a very exciting moment! The distributors then coordinate orders from retailers, after which the licensee send us sell-through reports to process the corresponding royalties. Once we find a successful formula, we start the process again with a new idea!

Terrific. And in that respect, what other products and events do you have under your belt?
We deliver record-breaking content, not just through our books, but via TV shows, social media, and live events. Our in-house consultancy department works closely with brands and businesses around the world to harness the power of record-breaking and deliver award-winning campaigns and business solutions. Through our in-house production arm, GWR Studios, we also create standout content for broadcasters, brand partners, and digital platforms. This includes branded content for partners, TV show formats and unique short-form content and archive material.

Also, our Entertainment Services division brings the best of the GWR brand to life in a diverse range of live experiences where visitors can discover and even attempt official record titles. One of our recent partnerships involved entertainment instillations on cruise liners, with MSC Cruises. Guests could participate in daily activities and audition for a grand evening show where they demonstrated their talents and try to break Guinness World Records titles.

Oh, wow! Sounds great.
Also, in 2025, we celebrate our 70th anniversary. That’s an incredible opportunity for us to look ahead to the future of the brand and will have sponsorship opportunities attached to it which shows the evolution of Guinness World Records since its infancy back in 1955.

Into what areas might Guinness World Records look to expand if they met the right partner?
We’re happy to go where the market takes us, but we’re specifically interested in opportunities that cater to our kids and family audiences.

How did you come to work for Guinness World Records, Nadine? What’s your background?
My background has always been sales and publishing orientated, working in book retailers, for book publishers and book and brand licensors. This made Guinness World Records an ideal place to work – and I’ve been with the company now for 19 years.

Oh, wow! That’s impressive… To wrap things up, Nadine, what’s the one thing I could’ve asked you today but didn’t? What’s the answer?
The question I am most asked is what my favourite or most memorable Guinness World Records title or event. The answer is always any record held by our Young Achievers, or the records we specifically design for kids. This is the entry point to our brand and really inspires everyone to have a go! In terms of a question you’ve not asked, perhaps “What is the future for the brand?”

Terrific! And what’s the answer to that?
Our Guinness Book of World Records is where we started. But as we look to become a leading media and entertainment brand, we’ve recognised the need to diversify our business model to reach and engage consumers through different means… Be it online via our digital and TV offering, offline through our business consultancy and live events or through our much-loved publishing heritage – we’re always looking for innovative ways to connect with people.

By expanding our digital and TV team, we’ve been able to keep up with our fast-paced world, where consumers have a greater need for speed and immediacy. We’re now at a stage where our TV and social-content team is seeing the fastest growth. Between 2019, and we officially launched to 2021, our digital and TV business has grown by 150%, selling new programming for more than 150 countries.

Got it…
Similarly, our business consultancy has grown exponentially. Companies come to us to break records because they recognise that we’re globally recognised as independent, objective arbiters of ‘the best’– and our platform, through the licensing of our brand, can shine a spotlight unlike any other. Our transition to becoming a media and entertainment brand is grounded in exploring the many ways in which we can tell these amazing record-breaking stories and continue to document the incredible achievements and superlative facts from the world.