Lancashire Cricket has today unveiled an original animated cartoon series aimed at attracting younger fans to the sport and educating them on key elements of the game with support from strategic marketing communications agency MC2.
Lanky & Friends is a three-part short series featuring the club’s mascot, Lanky the Giraffe, and his companions Zippy, Willow and Stumps. Throughout the series the key characters learn about the history of Lancashire Cricket, the Roses rivalry, the rules of T20 cricket, and the stars of the modern game in a fun and engaging way.
The series – believed to be the first-of-its-kind to be produced by a professional cricket team – features some familiar voices with David ‘Bumble’ Lloyd, a Lancashire legend as a player and coach, before becoming an iconic commentator, and Ben Cajee, a main presenter on CBeebies since 2015 who also works with BBC Sport, providing the narration.
The series has been launched as Lancashire’s men and women’s teams embark on their respective T20 campaigns, which typically attract younger fans to Emirates Old Trafford. The animated programmes feature relatable characters that the county hopes will capture the imagination of young people and ignite a passion for the sport, whilst teaching the fundamentals of the game.
The launch of Lanky & Friends, which has been produced by strategic marketing communications agency MC2, forms a key pillar of Lancashire Cricket’s Red Rose Together initiative which launched earlier this year to celebrate the club’s 160th anniversary and champion activities undertaken that drive a love of the game and make cricket more accessible, inclusive, and enjoyable for everyone.
“This is a really important project for Lancashire Cricket, one focused firmly on engaging the next generation of players, participants, and fans of the sport. Lanky & Friends provides a fun and engaging introduction to cricket with the aim of fostering lifelong connections between the Club and children of all ages and backgrounds,” said Lancashire Cricket CEO, Daniel Gidney.
David Lloyd added: “Lanky & Friends is a brilliant way to get kids to care about the game of cricket and create more fans of this fantastic sport. I’m proud my county has commissioned this brilliant animated series and honoured to play a part in its production.
“I’ve been involved in kids television for almost a decade and, as a massive cricket fan, this has been a project that I’ve absolutely loved being part of. I don’t remember anything like Lanky & Friends when I was growing up but by creating this original animated series, Lancashire Cricket is paving the way to engage a whole new generation with the game,” said CBeebies’ and BBC Sport’s, Ben Cajee.
From design and storyboarding, to scripting, and character animation to editing, MC2 managed the delivery of the Lanky & Friends from start to finish.
Ellie Matthews, director at MC2 said: “It’s been a real honour to collaborate with our home club to produce this groundbreaking series within the sport of cricket. Lanky & Friends offers a unique combination of entertainment, education, and emotional connection that appeals to children of all ages. We are excited to see the reaction of young people in Lancashire and beyond as they follow the adventures of Lanky and his friends.”
All episodes of Lanky & Friends are available to watch now on the Lancashire Cricket website and via LancsTV on YouTube.
