Platinum Jubilee Merchandise – 20 companies doing it right
Top 20 companies with great Jubilee merch
Businesses large and small celebrating the Queen’s 2022 Jubilee
The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee will be celebrated in just a few weeks, and many companies are already gearing up for the grand occasion with the creation of some wonderful Platinum Jubilee merchandise.
On 6th February, the Queen became the first British monarch to celebrate 70 years of service to the country. In her honour, many events are being organised to celebrate this amazing achievement up and down the country, culminating in a four day Bank Holiday at the beginning of June.
We’ve scoured around to discover who is doing what, and who is doing it well. We have not only found some great merch but have also discovered some interesting-looking events as well. Some of these are huge brands, as you’d expect, but a number are smaller, more independent companies.
We’re not saying that if your name’s not on the list, you can’t get in – if you have some brilliant Jubilee offering that we don’t know about, then get in touch and let us know about it! There’s always room for one more!
So here, in our opinion, are 20 companies (plus one), each with a brief business profile, who are doing Platinum Jubilee merchandise and promotions right.
Boomf
We’re going to put ourselves on the list, obviously, so let’s get it over with. We’re chuffed to bits with Lillibet, our very own Queen of Pop. She’s a delightful pop-up Royal who will make any Jubilee celebration an event, popping out of a card or gift box in a shower of confetti!
Click the link to find out more about HRH the Pop-Up Queen.
Boomf is a greeting and gifting company that knocks it out of the park when it comes to surprises. Best known for both our exploding cards and personalised marshmallow gifts, Boomf began life back in 2013 but has since grown from strength to strength. Recently acquired by Roman Grigoriev and Stepan Galaev, exciting things are happening with us in 2022. We are thrilled to be involved in the Jubilee in our own small way – and take it as a good omen for the day we reach our own Platinum Jubilee (sometime in 2083).
We are the ‘plus one’, by the way – so you still have 20 more companies below:
Biscuiteers
With a range of different biscuit collections to suit every budget, we really think that Biscuiteers have nailed the Jubilee vibe with all of them, but we especially love this Buckingham Palace x Biscuiteers Platinum Jubilee set. They look royal, they look divine and they look too good to eat! Just what you want on your Jubilee party plate this summer. For a Jubilee biscuit – as with everything else they do – Biscuiteers communicate quality and yumminess – and they look fabulous.
Started by Harriet Hastings, Biscuiteers are an award-winning, original hand-made biscuit company, being one of the first companies in the UK to offer luxurious collections of hand-iced biscuits to send as gifts. They have been around since 2007, in London, and have two locations, in Belgravia and Notting Hill. Their designs (and recipes) are always brilliant, and their Jubilee offerings are no exception.
The British Museum
Perhaps unexpected on this list, but The British Museum is a private company and is taking a different angle on the Platinum Jubilee, so it is definitely worth a mention. Starting in June, it is hosting an exhibition of the work of the sculptor Mary Gillick. In 1952, Gillick's effigy of the new Queen Elizabeth II was selected to be used on general-circulation coinage, first issued in 1953. The design was notable for portraying the Queen uncrowned and was the last to be used on the UK’s pre-decimal coinage. Hosting this exhibition is a fresh take on the Jubilee, and we think it’s a great idea that will draw the crowds.
Surprisingly, perhaps, The British Museum is not even the second oldest company on our list (you’ll need to keep reading to discover the older ones). Established back in 1753 would you believe, in London, it strives to bring together a diversity of human cultures, forms and expressions through beauty & significance from around the world.
Belmond
For a once-in-a-lifetime experience, they don’t come much better than this! The Luminary Jubilee Afternoon Tea is an opportunity to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee in style, onboard a British Pullman train carriage. As the train travels on a tour through London and Surrey, you will be treated to the finest afternoon tea experience imaginable, created by the Luminary Bakery. You will never feel so royal as this day – and you can’t offer much better than that.
Acquired by LVMH in 2018, Belmond is a hotel and leisure company that operates luxury hotels, train services and river cruises. Founded in 1976 and centred in London, they are an international brand offering first-class, luxury accommodations and services.
DC Thomson
This special collector’s edition magazine is a unique celebration of the Queen’s 70 years as monarch. Royal fans can enjoy a fascinating overview of her life, little known facts and insider interviews with Royal experts, including royal expert co-chief curator of Historic Royal Palaces, Tracy Borman. Memorabilia of special events are treasured keepsakes, and with this publication, DC Thomson has created something that will prove to be very popular and a real collector’s item.
Founded in 1905 in Dundee, by David Couper Thomson, DC Thomson is today one of the leading media organisations in the UK. Headquartered in Dundee still, it also has London offices in Fleet Street, and publishes not only traditional magazines and newspapers, but has also developed into the fields of new media, digital tech, television and radio.
Emma Bridgewater
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again – you can’t have a good Jubilee without a commemorative tea towel (or two). As you’d expect, there are quite a few to choose from, but we like this striking design from Emma Bridgewater. Celebrate 70 glorious years with this gloriously bold tea towel – and use it on the tea mug you doubtless bought to go with it. Celebratory tea towels will be everywhere come the summer, but none will get the attention quite like this one. A great design for a great event. A marketing masterstroke.
Emma Bridgewater was founded in 1984 in Stoke-on-Trent, by (wait for it…) Emma Bridgewater, after she was unable to find a decent birthday present for her mum. The company designs and manufactures a range of hand-decorated pottery and also carries a wide range of other home products.
Fenwick
Speaking of tea mugs, there are also several china mug options when it comes to Jubilee commemoratives, but we fancy one of these two designs by Dunoon Ceramics – available from Fenwick. One is a more traditional design, but we really do like the corgi and throne one – it’s a lovely bit of fun and makes for great memorabilia. Mugs are incredibly popular as commemorative collectables – everyone will buy at least one – so getting the design right is crucial. We think these are just the ticket – two contrasting designs to appeal to different tastes.
Fenwick began in Newcastle upon Tyne, back in 1882 and was founded by John James Fenwick, as a retailer catering to clientele with an eye for quality. Today, they still maintain their high standards (and the original premises in Newcastle).
Fortnum & Mason
Fortnum & Mason are world-renowned for many things – and their name is synonymous with quality. Of all the many Jubilee memorabilia they have, we’ve plumped for this Platinum Jubilee Mini Musical Biscuit Tin. First of all, you get to enjoy the tasty biscuits (never a bad thing), and then you have the tin as a beautiful keepsake. The limited-edition tin features an exclusive crown design, to reflect the Queen’s 70-year reign, including racing pigeons and champion horses, and the lily of the valley that graced her wedding day bouquet. It’s a winner in our book and a perfect present for mums and grandmums everywhere.
Fortnum & Mason is the ultimate destination for unique, high-quality gifts. Founded in 1707 by William Fortnum and Hugh Mason, even the roots of the company are embedded in royal history – William Fortnum was a footman to Queen Anne before co-founding the business.
Historic Royal Palaces
There are so many events taking place this summer that it would take a book to write about them all. Even these guys are running 10 events, so rather than list them all, we’ve picked one of them – and it’s a good’un. The Jubilee Joust is at Hampton Court Palace and runs for 5 days, commencing 1st June. Jousting is the sport of kings (and queens), so hosting such an event makes for perfect Platinum Jubilee entertainment. Who doesn’t love a good joust? And with an extra-long Bank Holiday, running amazing events will be sure to draw the crowds. Marketing palaces has never been done so well (and there’s a sentence we never imagined we’d write one day).
Historic Royal Palaces was established by the government in 1989 to care for five royal palaces, later becoming an independent charity. They maintain the sites under their care and run programs and exhibitions to both educate and entertain.
Merrythought
Everyone has a soft spot for teddy bears, and we are no exception. This Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Commemorative Teddy Bear is one of the cutest Jubilee bears we have seen and has been created as the ultimate, enduring tribute to Her Majesty. The crowning glory is, of course, the silver-plated replica of the Queen’s coronation crown. And, in a stroke of genius, Merrythought has produced not one, but two different designs – the traditional teddy as seen here, and an even cuter version (bigger ears and a cheeky expression) that will melt the hearts of even those who don’t usually do the ‘teddy thing’.
Merrythought has been making the finest teddy bears since 1930, out of Ironbridge in Shropshire and was originally the idea of William Gordon Holmes, owner of a spinning mill in Yorkshire.
RedBubble
This totally amazing tote bag will carry all your Jubilee party essentials and looks great. It’s even available in different sizes! This is just one of many awesome Jubilee products sold through Red Bubble, which has created an online market for artists to sell through. This gives artists and buyers a great opportunity to discover each other; Red Bubble has cleverly created a market for buyers and sellers who otherwise would never discover one another.
Redbubble is an online art community, and acts as a hub for artists and designers, to feature their stationery, apparel, wall art, cases and skins, housewares, bags, and more. Founded in Melbourne, Australia, in 2006 by Martin Hosking, Paul Vanzella, and Peter Styles, they have an impressive range of quality Jubilee items available worldwide, providing an important platform for the artists who showcase on it.
The Royal Collection Trust
The Royal Collection Trust, as you might expect, have produced a large range of Jubilee merchandise this year – from pocket-size gifts such as keyrings right up to cups, plates and limited-edition teapots. We’ve plumped for these socks simply because they are a bit different – and we want some! You may think that being the Queen’s merchandisers (just one small part of their responsibilities) is simply a case of putting it out there because “everybody will want it – especially in a Jubilee year”. But commerce doesn’t work that way – and like all businesses, the Royal Collection Trust has had to build a reputation of fine quality and product design fit for a Queen (or King). In many ways, that’s a bigger challenge than most companies have – with great power comes great responsibility – so they fully deserve a mention on this list.
Incorporated in 1992, The Royal Collection Trust looks after the Royal Collection, one of the most important art collections in the world, and manages the public opening of the official residences of Her Majesty The Queen. And they also sell the royal merch.
The Royal Mint
The Royal Mint has produced several limited-edition coins for collectors to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee – but our eye was particularly taken by the two-coin set produced in collaboration with the Royal Canadian Mint. It features both a $20 coin and a £2 coin struck in silver and both are made to Proof standard.
The Royal Mint is the world's leading export mint, making coins and medals for around 60 countries. Founded around 880AD, they are without doubt the oldest company on our list – so they deserve a mention just for that. Any company that is over 1,140 years old is getting something right – but in reality, they deserve a marketing mention because of their dedication to producing a wide range of merchandise that is sought by collectors all over the world, in addition to their regular coin duties.
Sophie Allport
Sophie Allport has designed this beautiful fine bone china mug to celebrate the Queen's Platinum Jubilee. The commemorative mug features Sophie's beautiful illustration of the Queen on her Accession Day. Surrounded by a laurel wreath, the Union Jack and Royal Standard flags, and crowns are dotted around the outer rim. And aside from beautiful products, the company runs a beautiful online presence that matches the product style perfectly.
Established in 2007, Sophie Allport is both an online marketplace and has a physical high street presence in two locations, selling quality clothing and homeware products. It is based in Bourne, Lincolnshire, and with all designs created by Sophie herself.
Stupid Tuesday
This gorgeous cushion, boasting the official colours and logo of the Platinum Jubilee, got our attention straight away. Although the company is marketing several different Jubilee items, it was this that jumped off the page (computer screen) at us. And also their name. A great company name is always an attention-getter, so well played, Stupid Tuesday. We can only hope to imagine the inspiration behind that.
Stupid Tuesday (as we have already said, great name, well done, guys) is a branded product supplier – adding your name and logo to a host of items, helping you promote to your business. Founded in 2007, they have a huge range of promotional products ready to be emblazoned with your logo, company message or colours. Brilliant for in-house gifting as well as marketing outreach.
Swatch
Swatch has always been known for its fun, creative designs for watches, and this Jubilee special – How Majestic – is no exception. Telling the time has never been so regal. As with all things Swatch, the design appeals in so many ways, but what is most impressive about Swatch is that they have marketed their watches as collectables – which means a never-ending market.
Swatch was founded in 1983 in Bern, Switzerland, by Nicolas G Hayek, and has grown to become an international brand, with stores worldwide. They are known for not only their highly original designs but also for mechanism innovation, which makes many of their designs possible.
Tracklement
A Jubilee party meal will not be complete without some of Tracklement’s Right Royal Pickle, Boasting a sweet tang and a sharp bite, we can’t think of a better way to add a touch of royalty to your party food this summer. We love this pickle just because of the name – so congratulations to the marketing genius who came up with that one.
Tracklement, based in Malmesbury in Wiltshire, has been producing fine quality fare since 1970. They offer authentic recipes, made by hand in small batches, and with only the best quality natural ingredients.
Ulster Weavers
This beautiful limited-edition Platinum Jubilee linen tea towel from Ulster Weavers celebrates Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth’s 70th anniversary of her coronation in June 1952. It is made from 100% machine washable linen. Building a reputation for quality does not happen overnight, but takes hard work and dedication – which Ulster Weavers have done. But as everyone knows, the real challenge is keeping your reputation once you have built it. Simply put, Ulster Weavers are doing it right.
Ulster Weavers is a home textiles company based in Holywood (no – not that one, it’s spelt differently. We mean the one in Northern Ireland). Founded in 1880, they produce a range of high-quality linen and textile products.
Victoria Eggs
Victoria Eggs is another brand that has pitched the Jubilee market perfectly. They have produced a small range of delightful commemorative items for the home, aiming for quality over quantity, but for today, we’ve chosen the Platinum Jubilee bauble. Decorated with an intricate hand-drawn design inspired by the Queen’s Coronation dress, they are made from Cornish clay and we think they are simply beautiful. And we encourage you to take a look at their website, as the quality of their products has been carried over to every aspect of that as well. It’s a great example of perfect branding.
Founded by its namesake in 2010, in London, the company works with manufacturers and family-run businesses throughout the UK who skilfully produce her heartfelt gifts. She is keen to pursue environmentally friendly processes, recyclable packaging and sourcing from local manufacturers.
Virginia Hayward
If you’re looking for a hamper treat, you’ll find everything you want in the Joyous Jubilee Bag from Virginia Hayward Hampers. Filled to the brim with scrumptious British treats including all-butter shortbread, strawberries & cream fudge, gourmet popcorn, slab cake, chocolate, tea bags and more. Perfect for afternoon tea, it all comes in a memorabilia tote bag. Marketing-wise, everything included in the set screams of Britishness and afternoon tea. Putting this together, Virginia Hayward has met the brief perfectly.
Virginia Hayward, based in Shaftsbury (Dorset) was established in 1984 by Virginia & Geoff Hayward, and can now describe itself as “a leader in the luxury wine and food hamper industry”, employing over 70 staff.
Wholesale Clearance
Last but oh-so-not least, our list wouldn’t be complete without perhaps the most famous of all the Platinum Jubilee merchandise. Thanks to a typo error at a factory in China, a job-lot of mugs and plates were produced that would do Del Boy Trotter proud. The comedy character’s customary catch-phrase “Lovely Jubbly” couldn’t be better suited to the spelling error of the word ‘Jubilee’ on this collectable crockery. And so an unexpected marketing opportunity was born – in the guise of the chance to pick up a cup and plate to celebrate the Queen’s “Platinum Jubbly”.
Of all the items we have looked at, one could argue that this is merchandising done just right. Taking a tragedy and transforming it into a sales opportunity – marketing the mistake as a collectable.
Seeing an opportunity where others don’t is the hallmark of this company.
Wholesale Clearance is a supplier of bankrupt and clearance stock items. Based in Poole, they began life in 2005, the brainchild of Karl Baxter. The idea for the business was borne out of a lack of wholesalers able to sell smaller quantities of stock to the general public. Karl saw an opportunity and plugged the gap in the market. If you can think of any item you need, there’s a good chance that Wholesale Clearance will have a stock of it.
So there you have it – who have we missed? Did we miss you?
Contact us and let us know!
Data source: crunchbase.com