Amelia Fang campaign kicks off Rubies’ initiatives for World Book Day, which celebrates its 25th anniversary this year.

Rubies is readying for World Book Day on 3rd March with a host of campaigns, beginning with marketing for its officially licensed Amelia Fang costume.

The dual strategy marketing campaign will combine content on both Rubies UK and author Laura Ellen Anderson’s social channels, so the costumes can be seen by a wider audience. The Amelia Fang costume is the newest licence in Rubies’ portfolio and is projected to be one of the most successful ones of the year.

Rubies, an official partner of World Book Day has already launched the campaign with a virtual ‘Ask Amelia’s Author’ event where fans of Amelia Fang and its creator, illustrator and author Laura Ellen Anderson ask questions about Amelia Fang or about reading, writing or illustrating. The campaign will grow in the run-up to World Book Day and to promote the arrival of the costumes being available to order, Rubies and Laura Ellen Anderson will be cross promoting the giveaway on their social channels with one lucky winner able to win an Amelia Fang costume and exclusive signed original illustration from Laura.

On World Book Day itself, Rubies and Laura will launch another competition where entrants can post a picture of themselves dressed up in Rubies’ Amelia Fang costumes on Instagram to win a series of signed Amelia Fang books.

Fran Hales, head of content and marketing at Rubies UK, said: “We are delighted to have both Laura Ellen Anderson on board for our ambitious plans to promote Amelia Fang on World Book Day. We are so happy to be able to not only provide the costumes for so many aspiring readers (and vampires) but also to be able to bring the magic of Laura’s illustrations to life.”

The Amelia Fang costumes are available in children’s sizes and there is also as an accessory set, featuring finishing touches for an outfit for the Pumpkin Ball. As well as Amelia Fang, Rubies represents many much-loved licensed characters and books including The Beano, Horrid Henry, DC Comics, Marvel and Star Wars. Retailers can also get stocked up with everything Wizarding World and Harry Potter for both the 25th anniversary of the start of the franchise and the release of Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore this year.

A report, commissioned by World Book Day, showed how World Book Day welcomes children into the world of books and reading in two ways: by helping them become book owners, many for the first time, and by supporting many other activities and experiences essential for building life-long readers. The survey found that, on World Book Day, children aged 8 to 11 enjoyed dressing up, new books and reading. As well as finding dressing up fun, children’s comments indicated it had benefits for their imagination and could even inspire wider reading.

Rubies also recognises that some children do not enjoy the thought of dressing up and not all have access to costumes so, as part of its All Dressed Up campaign, the company helps by encouraging more donations of costumes to be re-used after the event.

Mike O’Connell, COO of Rubies UK: “We actively encourage dress-up as it helps association with literature and breaks down walls by making reading accessible for pure enjoyment, which in turn can open doors of opportunity to all children later in life. We endeavour to spread this love of reading through our costumes, which allow children to become part of the stories they love.”