Obki on Sky Kids is driving the sustainability agenda on a global platform through a series of worldwide licensing deals via a newly signed licensing agency the Radius Group. Launching at Brand Licensing Europe on 17 November, supported by Products of Change, Obki will bring together the most sustainable companies to curate a range of brand lifestyle products. These include children’s apparel, plush, toys, food, drink and publishing.

The cartoon series on Sky Kids features loveable alien Obki on his journey to be a positive force for good on Earth. The show is part of Sky’s campaign to be net zero carbon by 2030. It also reflects Sky’s commitment to encourage its customers to #GoZero by using its content and channels to raise awareness of the climate crisis and inspire viewers with actions they can take to protect the planet.

With growing numbers of shoppers calling on retailers, brands and governments to implement change from Cop26, Obki is working with Sky Zero and Products of Change as part of its strategy.

Commenting is global licensing expert and CEO of the Radius Group, Damian Hopkins. “Obki has a unique ability to command the most sustainable licensing partners and influence what toys, clothes and food consumers buy and how they use their purchases at home. Obki will lead by example, driving change in the character licensing industry, by collaborating with licensees and partners to deliver products with sustainability at their core.”

Amanda Evans, founder of Obki, coins the term “small step sustainability”; the notion that providing customers with a wide range of branded goods that they know and trust as being truly sustainable will make it easier and quicker for them to make multiple sustainable decisions, both in-store and at home.

For 2022, Obki will focus on being the voice of positivity and proactivity in the face of climate change doom and gloom; communicating that small changes make a big difference.

Customers will be able to view Obki on Sky Kids and obtain information about the sustainability credentials of Obki’s food, clothing, toys or homewares they are purchasing. “We want to educate consumers about Obki’s sustainability principles and how they can shop more ethically and reach for the product that they know is better for the planet,” says Evans. “Retailers will then be able to shift ethically-minded consumers towards these products. Obki will become an active ambassador for climate change by inspiring the next generation to be environmentally intuitive in their thinking and decision making.”

Also commenting is Helena Mansell-Stopher, CEO and founder of Products of Change. “Obki is an example of a brand that embeds sustainability into its thinking and operations. To see the ambitions of the team to build a truly sustainable licensed brand from content to product is pretty phenomenal, as well as incorporating a large proportion of the UN 17 Sustainable Development Goals within its sustainability framework. It is a real honour to be working with such a progressive team at Obki to bring this to life. I am really looking forward to watching its success around the world.”

Obki was screened at COP26 at a special event called ‘World Leaders Listen Up’. Obki’s animator, Simone Giampaolo, was also chosen as a UK Government ‘One Step Greener’ Ambassador.