In anticipation of The Gruffalo's 15th anniversary, Pan Macmillan partnered with us to revitalize its digital presence.
We developed an immersive, mobile-first online experience - "The Deep Dark Woods" - tailored to engage children aged 3 to 8.
This initiative led to an increase of over 35,000 average monthly visitors, 70% of whom were new visitors, from over 160 countries.
The enhanced digital platform not only captivated young audiences but also provided valuable resources for parents and educators, strengthening The Gruffalo's global brand presence.
The existing Gruffalo website was outdated and failed to meet the expectations of its digitally native young audience. It lacked engaging content and interactive features, resulting in limited user engagement.
Additionally, the site did not effectively serve secondary audiences, such as parents and educators, who sought educational materials and merchandise related to The Gruffalo.
We conducted user research by observing children within the target age group to understand their interactions with digital platforms. Insights revealed that young children are adept at navigating devices and enjoy immersive, autonomous play.
Leveraging these findings, we designed "The Deep Dark Woods," an engaging digital environment featuring interactive games, stories, and singalongs with author Julia Donaldson.
The platform was optimized for mobile devices to align with user behavior. For parents and educators, we provided downloadable teaching materials, activity sheets, and merchandise options, ensuring the site catered to all key audiences.
The launch of "The Deep Dark Woods" resulted in a significant increase in global engagement, with over 35,000 additional average monthly visitors. 70% of whom were new visitors, originating from more than 160 countries.
Children spent over 10 minutes per session exploring the immersive content, indicating high levels of engagement.
The platform's success was further evidenced by positive feedback from both children and adults, reinforcing The Gruffalo's position as a beloved global brand.
