Paddington’s popularity rises among British adults after new film release

It’s been 65 years since Paddington, the teddy bear first appeared on children’s bookshelves. Since his creation, the beloved British-based bear has traveled on countless adventures while maintaining a timeless, multigenerational and cultural appeal.

“Paddington in Peru,” the latest addition to the bear franchise, debuted at the UK box office November 8 and shared an even closer look at Paddington’s roots. Following this record-breaking release, Paddington seems to have increasingly resonated with adults in the UK.

A new era of adventure

Cultivating iconic British cultural foods like marmalade sandwiches and Wellington boots, Paddington has established himself as more than an obscure companion. The bear embodies the British spirit by representing kindness, etiquette and humour.

While Paddington is seen wearing tokens of British culture, the bear’s story revolves around his immigration from Peru to London. Themes about inclusion, belonging and home appear throughout Paddington’s adventures, especially in this latest film – making the film appeal to several age groups.

According to sales conversion funnel data from QuestBrand by The Harris Poll, UK adults’ awareness (+3.7) of the Paddington brand increased following the film’s release. A sales conversion funnel tracks potential customers through the buying journey, from initial brand awareness to a customer’s decision to buy and recommend the brand to others. In addition, brand awareness (+2.8) and use (+3.2) (engagement with the Paddington brand) saw a significant increase among British adults after the release of “Paddington in Peru.”

Paddington Sales Conversion Funnel Pre Vs. After movie release

QuestBrand. Base: UK adults. Before: 9/1/2024-11/8/2024, n=2,059. Posts: 11/9/2024-18/12/2024, n=1,398.

This may be due to the overall message of the film, which dealt with popular themes such as kindness, diversity and the idea that a home can exist anywhere and in different places. This surge in popularity highlights Paddington’s ability to transcend time and appeal to modern audiences despite his debut several decades ago.

Paddington’s next chapter

Adults in Britain seem to agree that “Paddington in Peru” is not the last journey of the beloved bear. After the third film, adults said they see the Paddington brand moving in a positive direction with an increase in brand momentum (+4.5). Momentum is a component of brand equity and tracks whether consumers believe a brand is gaining or losing market share.

Paddington’s positive brand momentum among UK adults – 12 week trend average

QuestBrand. 1/6/2024-18/12/2024. Base: UK adults, n=6,145.

This significant increase may be due to the recent discussion of a fourth Paddington film and a new TV series from StudioCanal. These new tales would build on Paddington’s already solid line of films, books, series and merchandise. Paddington has even gone beyond the big screen with his own immersive experiences in London continues into 2025.

From stop-motion shorts to tea with Queen Elizabeth II, Paddington has added new adventures and stamps to his passport. It will be interesting to see if Paddington continues to resonate with future generations and if he will rise in popularity among more adults after the US release of “Paddington in Peru” on February 14th.