Friends, This is bit different kind of post. When I first dreamed up W.E.Kiwi, I just wanted to create something that helped kids around the world know what a Kiwi bird is, and celebrate that friends come in all shapes, sizes, and species.
I never imagined it would lead to Kiwucky, a Kiwi-inspired take on the classic rubber duck!
Seeing Kiwucky make waves internationally, from the INTA Conference in San Diego, added to a little collection in the UK and to Jeep dashboards in the US, has been surreal.
None of it would’ve been possible without a strong foundation of brand protection and good people behind the scenes.
Big thanks again to AJ Park for believing in our vision and helping keep the Kiwi spirit flying high.
Jon.
Now - here is W.E.Kiwi Client Story, written by Honor Lock, Marketing Manager at AJ Park.
When the idea for W.E.Kiwi first took flight, it was born from a simple yet powerful observation: many children around the world didn’t know what a Kiwi bird was. While living abroad, Jon Stubbs, founder of W.E.Kiwi, envisioned relatable Kiwi characters highlighting that “friends come in all sizes, shapes and species”.
What began as a series of audiobooks quickly blossomed into a vibrant brand ecosystem, including picture books, bath books, plush toys, and the now-iconic Kiwucky - a Kiwi-inspired twist on the classic rubber duck.
“Kiwucky was inspired after seeing the variety of rubber duck bath toys and not seeing one which represented us – Kiwis,” says Jon Stubbs.
“We invested in R&D to get the design functional, which was fun but also came with its challenges: the first prototype didn’t want to stay upright due to its big belly and bum. We also had to ensure the design met safety standards, for example, the beak of the Kiwi couldn’t be past a certain length,” he adds.
From the outset, Jon and his team understood that protecting their creative assets was essential. “IP is important when you want to grow your brand locally or globally. It’s not just legal security - it’s brand security,” he shares. Jon has secured trade mark protection for the W.E.Kiwi brand in key markets, including China and Japan. In addition, he has also protected the unique Kiwucky design.
The journey wasn’t without its challenges. A notable hurdle came in the form of an objection over the use of the word “Kiwi.” But with strong IP guidance, a co-existence agreement was reached, clearing the path for global expansion.
The collaboration with AJ Park has supported W.E.Kiwi’s success. “AJ Park was excellent from the start - advising and presenting different options. They made the legal side of IP simple and reassuring, even though it was very daunting at first,” Jon says.
We could focus on growing W.E.Kiwi and creating products like Kiwucky without worrying about our original work being compromised.
Flying further: From San Diego to the dashboard
Kiwucky’s international appeal was on full display at the INTA Conference in San Diego this year, where AJ Park’s trade mark team took over 100 Kiwuckys to share with their international colleagues.
“At these conferences, you meet with so many people, so it was great to share a piece of Kiwi innovation with our international associates. As a team, we also had lots of fun taking iconic photos with the Kiwucky around San Diego”, said David Harper, Trade Mark Principal and Practice Group Leader.
“We were delighted with the response and enthusiasm for Kiwucky, with many of our clients sharing their own iconic photos of the Kiwucky in their hometown long after the conference”, he adds.
Kiwucky even made its way into the Jeepducking community in the US and Canada - a quirky trend where rubber ducks (and now Kiwuckys!) are gifted and displayed on the dashboards of Jeeps.
With strong brand protection in place, Jon continues to expand with new characters, books, and product lines. His advice for others looking to start a business:
Research what’s out there, protect your ideas early,
and get a good IP lawyer on speed dial.
