Theme parks, music and more… As PEPPA PIG turns 20, Hasbro’s Esra Cafer reveals what’s new…

Esra Cafer, thanks for joining me! The first episode of PEPPA PIG aired on 31st May 2004. How many series and episodes have there been since?
Since its first airing, PEPPA PIG has run for 403 five-minute episodes across 10 series. There have also been four charming 20-minute specials that over the years.

Given that extraordinary number, Esra, what’s the appeal of PEPPA PIG, do you think? Why is it still so enormously popular after 20 years?
One of the key reasons behind PEPPA PIG’s success over the years is that the series has been thoughtfully crafted for preschoolers from the perspective of a curious four-year-old. For 20 years, Peppa has been by the side of preschoolers as they experience many of life’s firsts…

Firsts?
Right! From learning to read, for example, to bravely jumping into their first day of school and more. PEPPA’s confidence is both inspiring and enabling for her fans, and that’s incredibly powerful. PEPPA PIG has remained consistent in delivering engaging, relatable, cute and colourful content that families can connect to.

Beyond relatable storytelling, we’re privileged at Hasbro to have an amazing insights and analytics team that helps us determine how we can bring the world of PEPPA to life. These insights allow us to launch the brand into seemingly endless formats – like podcasts with Audible, construction sets with LEGO DUPLO, and theme parks where families can build memories together.

Is there an example of that? An area of growth informed by insights?
One exciting area of growth informed by insights is music! While it’s been an integral part of the series for years, music helps keep kids coming back to PEPPA and helps them better understand and connect with the content they’re watching. For example, we recently released PEPPA PIG’s cover of Katy Perry’s pop hit ‘Roar’! The song is all about finding your voice, knowing yourself and standing your ground – no matter how small or young you are. It’s a perfect encapsulation of the relatable moments and values the brand holds, which continues to resonate with families and children.

I’ll put a link to that in here; it’s quite addictive…
Thank you! Meanwhile, PEPPA PIG’s enduring popularity goes beyond its purpose and continual surprises for audiences. The children of 2004 are not the same as the children of 2024 in how they communicate, act or how the world around them looks. With that in mind, the brand continuously adapts PEPPA’s communication style, and the topics covered. For example, Hasbro ensures that PEPPA is accessible to anyone from anywhere…

Families can find her on most streaming and online services with content in a variety of lengths. Then, as part of its ongoing legacy and relevance with modern audiences and families, Hasbro has evolved the content of the television series to include diverse family units and characters, while addressing situations kids will face in the modern world. As time goes on, we recognise that our fans’ desires and values can change, and we pride ourselves on being nimble and adaptable so that we can continue to create magic through play.

So there’s no doubt PEPPA PIG is a phenomenal success! At what point did that start to happen, though? How did it really find its feet?
Four years after PEPPA debuted on television, she clocked $75 million in retail sales. By the end of 2022, the brand reached $1.7 billion! PEPPA’s organic growth has been consumer-led. Every year, PEPPA PIG touchpoints have expanded to meet consumer demand… From her first stage show in 2010, and PEPPA PIG World in 2011, to CP launching in Asia, Benelux, Canada and New Zealand in 2013 and our hugely successful YouTube series called Tales launching last year.

And when Hasbro acquired the brand, what did they envision as the future of the brand?
When Hasbro acquired the brand as part of a larger deal involving Entertainment One in 2019, we knew we were adding another amazing, cross-generational brand to an already best-in-class roster. Hasbro saw immense potential in that cheeky little pig and knew we wanted to grow it far beyond what was already a global powerhouse entertainment franchise…

Part of those plans included extending the brand into new verticals, creating more seasons of relatable and beloved entertainment and, most importantly, ensuring that the brand continued to make a positive impact on children’s lives all around the globe. At the top of our priorities was making sure that PEPPA PIG remained the first best friend of children around the world, encouraging them to confidently jump into life’s adventures and explore the world around them.

In what ways are you realising that?
With over 10 seasons of entertainment available in over 180 global territories, along with theme parks, clothing lines, digital games, and more, all inspired by PEPPA, it’s clear that our dreams for the brand are being realised. I’m sure when animation studio Astley Baker Davies first created PEPPA PIG, they didn’t imagine that one day A-list megastars like Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom would guest voice as characters – but that’s exactly what happened when they joined us for the PEPPA PIG Wedding Party Special which aired earlier this year. Then, building on the Katy Perry connection and our goals to build a strong musical future for the brand, we released PEPPA’s cover of Roar which has been such a delight to share with families everywhere.

Additionally, our strong collaboration with LEGO and Merlin Entertainments to create a series of LEGO DUPLO PEPPA PIG sets and PEPPA-themed play areas, has brought PEPPA to brand new areas. Families can now visit PEPPA locations in the real world and ‘jump in’ to all the fun these theme parks have to offer, from character meet-and-greets, to attractions suitable for younger children, themed-food and more!

From your perspective, what’s next for the brand?
PEPPA PIG has come so far in just 20 years, so it’s thrilling to plan what’s next as we look to the future for the Queen of Preschool! There’s so much to look forward to for PEPPA PIG fans – from even more engaging entertainment to fashion and more. Additionally, as we’ve seen with the current PEPPA PIG theme parks, location-based entertainment is certainly a category that the broader Hasbro team is focused on expanding and it wouldn’t be a surprise if more PEPPA Parks are part of that equation as our fans continue to crave in-person experiences.

Other exciting areas that fans can look forward to seeing more of PEPPA PIG in are publishing and music. Storytelling is such an integral part of the brand and with publishing being a strong avenue for us as a company as well, there’s ample opportunities to deliver more PEPPA stories in a diverse array of formats to add depth to the characters and brand experience.

What’s the one question? I could’ve asked you today but didn’t?
What are some examples of success that PEPPA PIG has seen?

Perfect! And what’s the answer?
In 2023 alone, there were more than two-billion hours of PEPPA PIG content on YouTube watched globally, and the brand reigns as the most-watched kids’ TV show across all streaming platforms in the UK. With three BAFTA Awards for preschool animation and a content pipeline greenlit up until mid-2027, PEPPA PIG shows no signs of slowing down. I think the next 20 years will be filled with so much more iconic animation paired with relatable, everyday stories that will continue to resonate with kids and families everywhere.