On 30 March 2016, Story House Egmont launched the first-ever issue of PAW Patrol Magazine. A decade on, the title stands not only as the UK’s No.1 preschool magazine, but as one of the most consistent performers in the wider children’s publishing category, with more than 230 issues created and 12 million copies sold across 27 markets – generating over €57 million at retail.
LicensingSource.net caught up with Siobhan Galvin, the publishing house’s UK commercial director, to find out what keeps PAW Patrol ahead of the publishing pack.
What do you think has been the key to PAW Patrol Magazine’s staying power in such a competitive preschool publishing market?
“Every issue of the magazine is a fun-filled celebration of the world of PAW Patrol, perfectly targeted at the core audience of 3-5 year old fans.
The constant care, attention and evolution of the brand from Paramount (such as tentpole moments and new thematic stories with new characters and locations) means the brand and the fans have never got tired. They just want more!
In terms of the magazine format specifically, the combination of fun, familiar and accessible content with a branded and bespoke covermount that encourages purposeful play and extends the magazine enjoyment off the page, has meant that we have been able to maintain our market-leading position for the last decade.
At this moment in time, with the literacy crisis and the importance of promoting a love of reading from an early age, the magazine format is a great gateway to reading for pleasure for a generation of young fans.”
How will you be celebrating the title’s milestone anniversary?
“We will be celebrating by reminding ourselves of all the great successes we have had with this ‘pawsome’ magazine, and by eating lots of cake! Many of our current team worked on the very first issue of PAW Patrol, so it’s quite a trip down memory lane. It’s nice to think that young fans who bought the first issue of PAW Patrol magazine are now teenagers. We’ve also arranged treats for our Paramount colleagues too (in London and NY).”
Across all the markets you operate in, where are you seeing the biggest success or strongest growth for PAW Patrol?
“PAW Patrol is highly successful across all our markets, but the biggest successes are from the UK, Poland, Sweden, Croatia and Australia.”
Can you share how your retail partnerships and shelf strategy have evolved over the past decade, particularly in response to shifting footfall and the wider challenges facing print?
“As consumers have evolved their shopping behaviours and habits, we have evolved with them. We invest in premium mass-market listings. We know that grocery is dominant for magazines, and we ensure we invest in the right places. Our strategy is to be seen first and wanted most.
Our annual agreements deliver the best prominence in convenience and secondary retailers, and we ensure breadth and depth of distribution in independent outlets.
As ranges are contracting, we still find that we are in a strong and secure position with our portfolio of market-leading magazines. And for PAW Patrol, the number one preschool title in the market, that is especially true.”
With new movie tie-ins like PAW Patrol: The Dino Movie and refreshed content already rolling out in 2026, what can fans and retailers expect from the next decade of PAW Patrol publishing? Will we see more brand extensions along the lines of PAW Patrol Extra?
“Brand extensions are a great way of breathing new energy into a publishing plan. Where appropriate, we will focus on that approach, as well as exciting new magazine formats and executions. We like to innovate and challenge ourselves to come up with new ways to appeal to our consumers.
In the short- term, we have three dedicated issues for The Dino Movie going on sale from August 2026, which we will publish across all our markets. We have an NPD working group developing new ideas which we will be applying to our portfolio as we move through the year. We’re confident retailers and consumers will love them.”
A decade of pawsome publishing
- 2016: PAW Patrol magazine makes its debut.
- 2021: The title is ranked No.1 preschool magazine in the UK. Sister title Paw Patrol Extra launches.
- 2022: PAW Patrol Magazine’s 100th issue hits the shelves.
- 2023: Both PAW Patrol titles make the preschool magazine top 10. In the same year, Storyhouse Egmont generates the highest value and volume in the children’s market for its PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie special issue.
- 2024: PAW Patrol licensor Paramount names Storyhouse Egmont Outstanding Collaborator of the Year.
- 2025: In July, a special Chase-themed issue of PAW Patrol Magazine delivers the highest RSV for the preschool sector (£400K). PAW Patrol Extra’s Jungle Pups and Spy Pups issues are standout successes, selling +38% in volume vs. the average sale and generating £300k in combined RSV.
- 2026: PAW Patrol magazine is given a content refresh, bringing new concepts and even more fun to young fans.
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