'Barney' leads with responsible brand messaging

Barney will perform live on stage each day and will educate and entertain the young audience through a series of interactive music, song and dance routines.

Shannon Norris, Exhibition Director of Mother Baby & Child Show 2006 said, "Barney reflects the ethos of the show and we are proud to be associated with a brand icon that is really making a difference, reaching out to children of all races and religions throughout the world."

The secret behind Barney's success lies in his appeal to both children and parents, through socially responsible messaging, delivered in an entertaining style. Children see Barney as their trusted friend, one who accompanies them as they learn their ABCs, helps to develop their social skills and helps them to express and manage their feelings. To them he's a fun-loving purple Tyrannosaurus Rex, 200 million years old. Friendly, huggable and lovable they connect with his love for singing and dancing and his penchant for a peanut butter sandwich with a glass of milk.

However upon closer inspection, Barney is a great resource for parents. Through five distinct areas; Sharing, Caring, Imagining, Dancing and Learning, Barney helps children develop the range of skills essential for their personal development. In essence, Barney, adored by children and trusted by parents, delivers a comprehensive skill set with lots of fun, music and laughs.

These areas aim to support cognitive, social, emotional and physical development, which are critical in raising a happy and healthy child. All aspects of the learning curve are carefully researched by a team of early childhood specialists who work with the Barney production team, with a special emphasis on the unique learning styles of young children.

The educational influence of Barney on children is well documented. In the US, studies conducted by Yale University's Family TV Research & Consultation Center, concluded that Barney had a very positive educational impact on young children.

"The constructive brand positioning and brand value of Barney is borne out of his ability to educate and develop young children in a warm, inviting and playful manner that not only excites but inspires," commented Hussein Ftouni CEO of Copyright-Licensing, the regional licensing agent for HIT Entertainment.

Merchandising also supports the Barney brand positioning with new product strategies for developing toys, electronic learning aids, arts and crafts and outdoor play.. Live events are also integral to promoting the wholesome brand, with regular appearances at holiday camps, shopping centres and other special feature shows. Barney is even going on tour, and besides Dubai, he plans to visit South Africa, Malaysia, Singapore, Korea, South America, Australia and Korea. Indeed it is in Korea that Barney opened his own English language school last year for 3-5 year olds with plans to open a further two.

Norris concluded, "With today's enlightened consumers, organisations will have to apply measurable social responsibility or risk putting the credibility of their brands in jeopardy."

The Mother, Baby & Child Show, has also developed healthily since cutting its teeth at the inaugural event in 2004. The show brings brand values to life and key marketing messages are reinforced in a fun and stimulating environment, providing branded products and services with a platform to build new relationships as well as nurturing existing consumers in this dynamic and fast-growing marketplace.

Show organisers, The Main Event, are expecting over 160 brands and up to 25,000 visitors and as such, enjoys solid industry support, echoed by this year's sponsors, which include Wyeth, Mothercare, Avent & Virgin Atlantic.