British brand Peppa Pig has been recognised as a ‘super brand’ by Alibaba’s b2c e-commerce platform Tmall by having been chosen for the first “Super Brand Day” promotion of 2019, where Tmall offers top placement on its homepage and targeted marketing campaigns. The announcement was marked by a ceremony held at Peppa Pig World to celebrate the occasion. Alibaba’s B2C e-commerce platform Tmall caters to consumers looking for branded products and a premium shopping experience. According to Analysys, Tmall was the largest B2C platform in China in terms of gross merchandise value in 2017. To launch the partnership, a ceremony took place on Monday, December 17 at what is seen as home of the brand, the world’s first and UK exclusive, Peppa Pig World. Tmall executives attended the event along with the platform’s mascot and representatives from Entertainment One (eOne), the licence holder of Peppa Pig. The ceremony included a tour of Peppa Pig World, speeches by key individuals, and the introduction of Peppa Pig to Tmall’s mascot, the Tmall cat. Mike Hu, President FMCG at Tmall said: “Since its launch three years ago in China, Peppa Pig has become a beloved brand for families. To celebrate naming Peppa Pig as one of our super brands, it seemed only fitting to travel to the home of Peppa Pig to commemorate the start of our partnership. We are thrilled to give the more than 600 million annual active consumers on our China marketplaces the opportunity to enjoy special discounts and promotions on Peppa Pig merchandise.” eOne’s Ami Dieckman, SVP Global Licensing, Family & Brands said: “The recognition Peppa Pig has received from Tmall is a huge achievement for the brand, and one we’re very proud of. Peppa Pig has increasingly grown in popularity in China, not least thanks to Tmall’s support of the brand and the launch of Merlin’s first Peppa Pig World of Play, an indoor themed attraction launched earlier this year in Shanghai.” The ceremony was held to celebrate the partnership and to inspire fans of Peppa Pig in China to visit the UK and Peppa Pig World. China is one of the UK’s top most valuable inbound visitor markets, last year spending on average £2,059 during each visit*, more than three times the all-market average. In the first half of 2018, the UK has seen a record number of visitors from Chinese tourists, which is up 19 per cent compared to the same period last year*. In 2019, Peppa Pig will be celebrating its 15th anniversary, the same year that the Chinese New Year welcomes in The Year of the Pig. This will be anchored by the first Peppa Pig theatrical release in Chinese cinemas in February. Patricia Yates, Director at VisitBritain said: “China is the world’s most valuable outbound market and we want the UK to be the destination of choice for Chinese travellers. The popularity and profile of an iconic British brand such as Peppa Pig in China gives us a great opportunity to connect with millions of potential visitors to the UK, as well as to promote associated visitor attractions, local destinations and experiences, inspiring more Chinese visitors to book a trip here right now and to explore more of our nations and regions.”