The Australian Women’s Weekly has teamed up with the Royal Australian Mint and newsXpress to celebrate the 45th anniversary of its iconic Children’s Birthday Cake Book with a limited-edition coin collection.
Walking into the press conference yesterday, B&T felt more like we were walking into a children’s birthday party from our past than a media launch, complete with balloons, laughter, and some of the book’s most iconic cakes, including the jelly-filled pool, the unforgettable choo-choo train and the infamous duck.
Speaking to B&T, The Australian Women’s Weekly editor Sophie Tedmanson said the book’s staying power is all about emotion.
“It connects people through celebration, through food. Everyone says the way to someone’s heart is through food and I think that is because it resonates in a really nostalgic way,” she said. “The childhood memories that it evokes from anyone born from 1980 onwards, or even before, is really special… it connects you with celebrations. It connects you with nostalgia”.
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And what better way to preserve that legacy than by turning it into currency?
“Coins are forever and our brand is forever” Tedmanson said with a smile. “So for us, having our brand associated with coins, and literally, our currency, means that we are forever embedded in Australian culture and Australian history.”
The campaign runs from May to August and features a TikTok influencer series with Edwina Bartholomew, Jessica Rowe and Julie Goodwin, alongside a national vote for Australia’s favourite birthday cake.
“The digital campaign associated with this was extremely important as a wider brand awareness piece, it’s about bringing new audiences in,” Tedmanson explained. “These cakes are going viral on TikTok… we’re just embracing the fun and getting more people to enjoy it”.
For Tedmanson, who admits she has trouble picking a favourite (“I like that I’ve answered about four different cakes!”), the whole campaign has her reflecting on birthday cake choices of birthdays past and future. “I’m turning a big age next year… maybe I should actually see which one’s my favourite,” she joked.
And the nostalgia goes beyond borders, the book has sold over a million copies and been published in 38 countries. “Not even a best seller is often sold in 38 countries,” Tedmanson noted. “For us, this is a best seller”.
That international success is now being reimagined for a new generation. As Are Media’s general manager, lifestyle and homes, Jocelin Abbey, put it: “Few books have such a lasting emotional connection to Australians as The Australian Women’s Weekly Children’s Birthday Cake Book. This partnership brings to life its cultural impact, reimagining how these beloved stories can live on in new and creative ways. It is a fabulous demonstration of our mission at Are Media: to engage, inform and inspire women”.
Royal Australian Mint Acting CEO Emily Martin agreed: “This coin collection is a tribute that spans generations. Whether you’re a child of the 1980s or beyond, or a collector, you’ll really get the sense of fun this coin collection brings to mind”.
The coin series includes 11 $1 coins and a $2 coloured coin, available in formats ranging from a commemorative proof coin in a special hardcover reprint of the cookbook, to a 12-coin recipe card pack.
Tedmanson said it best: the real magic of the book lies in its ability to bring people together and spark joy, a legacy that the brand hope will continue to make Australians of all ages smile via this new partnership.
