SUPERBRANDS ANNUAL 2012 Superbrands.uk.com

Founded by , who made his fi rst train set for the British market in 1920, Hornby has a vision to be the most successful model, hobby and collectable toy company in the world. Hornby products, originally intended for children, have fostered lifelong enthusiasm, creating a unique brand that transcends all ages and delivers to an exceptionally passionate audience.

Brand History

X 1972: The company is established.

X 2001: Express, the Harry Potter licensed locomotive, launches to great sales success. Market cherishing the products that offer hours of From its headquarters in Margate, Kent, Hornby engagement and no limitations on how much X 2003: Hornby launches Live Steam – and its associated brands are market leaders they can build. a working miniature steam locomotive. in model railways (Hornby), slot car racing sets (Scalextric), plastic model kits (Airfi x), modelling Product X 2004: Hornby acquires Lima and materials (Humbrol), and die-cast collectable From steam and diesel engines to aircraft and Electrotren, which leads to the formation vehicles (Corgi). Its products are sold in 60 vehicles, Hornby products are engineered to of Hornby Italia and Spain. countries across the globe. replicate real life vehicles on a miniature scale. X 2006: Hornby acquires Airfi x The brand’s 00 scale – which represents a size and Humbrol. A rapid acquisition programme over the past ratio of 1:76 – enables intricate details to be decade has bolstered sales, with Hornby now reproduced precisely, adding to the desirability X 2008: Hornby acquires Corgi Classics. owning the leading European model railways of the products. brands: Lima (Italy), Jouef (France), Electrotren X 2009: The most anticipated model (Spain), Arnold (Germany) and Rivarossi (Italy). Such miniature masterpieces require kit for a decade, 1:24 Mosquito from Total sales, including those of the fi ve European considerable time to develop; each new Airfi x launches. subsidiaries, exceeded £60 million for the year product takes up to 18 months to perfect 2010: The Hornby Visitor Centre opens ending March 2011. through a process that emulates the X in Margate, Kent; it goes on to welcome experience of its original engineers. More 50,000 visitors in its fi rst 18 months. Hornby’s sales are driven by an avid fan base than 35 in-house designers work in product of children who grow up with the company, development, with the exact process for each X 2011: Hornby introduces a major new model determined by the age of the marketing campaign, ‘A passion for every subject. To recreate a modern car, for example, generation and the next’. designers refer to the vehicle’s original computer aided design (CAD) drawings. X 2012: The Hornby Railways company A historical subject, however – such as a steam celebrates its 40th year, and Hornby locomotive that is no longer in existence – marks the London 2012 Olympic and sees the development team relying on the Paralympic Games with a limited edition original draftsman’s drawings alongside any range of offi cial merchandise. historical illustrations and early photographs.

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Achievements encompasses limited edition train packs, Hornby sells more than 165,000 locomotives, a Scalextric Velodrome, and a selection of die- 290,000 coaches and wagons, and cast vehicles, key rings and fi gurines. Thanks to approximately 3,000 scale kilometres of track its established reputation as a collectable brand every year. In addition, the company sells – indeed, many of its products appreciate in more than 1,400,000 Airfi x model kits, and value over time – Hornby brings signifi cant over 850,000 cars through its Scalextric and added value to the London 2012 merchandise. Corgi brands. Such consistently high sales are achieved by a continuous focus on consumer Promotion demands and interests. Hornby has utilised a plethora of promotional methods over its lifetime, from TV and print to Hornby’s dedication to its product range, and product placement and social media. Notable to its customers, is recognised regularly by adverts in the brand’s earlier years include the awards from a range of consumer publications humour-led billboard campaign of the mid 1970s and has resulted in a decade of growth and the miniaturised Bernard Cribbins TV for the company. From sales of ad towards the end of the decade, £24.6 million in 2001, Hornby while the 1980s saw Hornby take Did You Know? has experienced growth on a starring role in a Yellow of 158 per cent to reach Over the past 40 years Pages TV slot. £63.4 million in 2011. Hornby has produced at least 24 variants of the In 2011 Hornby launched Recent Flying Scotsman locomotive. a major new campaign: Developments ‘A passion for every Hornby’s online newsletters and its consumer In 2012 Hornby will More than 25 million Scalextric generation and the next.’ shows achieved record attendance across the unveil the latest models have been sold since 1957 The campaign highlights UK in 2011. Thousands keep in touch with the product developments and over fi ve million kilometres of the enduring enjoyment brand via Facebook and Twitter, while rumours across its portfolio. New track have been produced since of its products and for the of Hornby’s product development are often products will include a its inception – enough to fi rst time, focuses on the hotly debated on forums and at model clubs circle the world limited edition locomotive, family of brands under the across the world. 125 times. Evening Star, to celebrate the Hornby name. The campaign 40th year of the Hornby Railways began on TV, running across Sky Brand Values company, while Corgi will see a range Sports and ESPN to target men of Founded by Frank Hornby, the inventor of of small pocket-money vehicles added to its all ages, before airing in cinemas before key and , the Hornby brand line-up for the fi rst time in almost 30 years. family fi lms in the run-up to Christmas. has a proud heritage – and like its founder, is guided by a belief in quality, passion and As a licensee of the London 2012 Olympic and Hornby’s biggest promotional channel, a commitment to the detail of the subject. Paralympic Games, Hornby will also introduce however, is its passionate customer base. Without the passion of its consumers, however, a range of offi cial Games merchandise that More than 100,000 people subscribe to as well as the dedication of its employees, the Hornby brand would not be what it is today.

X www.hornby.com

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