PZ Cussons’ antibacterial hand wash brand, Carex, has partnered with Magic Light Pictures, the license owner of the much-loved picture book The Gruffalo, to help combat the spread of germs amongst children.
The launch of The Gruffalo Deep Dark Forest Fruits hand wash comes as new research commissioned by PZ Cussons finds that almost half of UK parents (42%) think making handwashing more fun will encourage children to improve their hand hygiene.
In the survey of 151 parents, conducted by Toluna, more than 60% of parents also said they remind their children at least three times a day to wash their hands.
The hand wash uses artwork from the popular children’s book on its packaging, featuring a bright purple colour, a nod to the iconic ‘purple prickles’ from the Gruffalo’s back. The fragrance is also inspired by the story – a distinctive ‘deep dark forest fruits’. Stocked in 4,000 stores across the UK, including the major multiple retailers including Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Boots, it’s available in both 250ML and 500ML sizes.
To mark the launch, PZ Cussons plans to work with another Gruffalo partner, Forestry England, to raise awareness of and educate parents and children on the importance of hand washing through their various Gruffalo themed trails. PZ Cussons also plans to launch an influencer engagement programme to drive engagement via social media.
This partnership supports Carex’s ongoing commitment to increasing awareness of the importance of hand hygiene in the UK. Carex has been the UK’s number one antibacterial handwash for over 30 years and has washed approximately 30 million hands in the last year.
Paul Yocum, chief growth and marketing officer at PZ Cussons, said: “Our research shows that parents are in a constant battle with their children to get them to wash their hands, but this new collaboration is making the handwashing experience more enjoyable. We’re delighted to be partnering with such an iconic children’s brand like The Gruffalo; and as the UK’s number one antibacterial hand wash brand, we’re excited to be injecting a bit more fun into the handwashing experience for parents and children across the UK”.
Aidan Taylor-Gooby, head of licensing at Magic Light Pictures, said: “We are delighted to be partnering The Gruffalo with PZ Cussons on the new Carex Deep Dark Forest Fruits hand wash. Carex is trusted by families nationwide to combat the spread of germs and we are proud to help parents communicate the importance of good hand hygiene to children.”
