Marketing Dennis the Menace

How has The Beano’s Dennis the Menace survived the rise of television, increased cultural consumption and the digital age? 

Dennis the Menace and Gnasher street art in Cabra, Ireland. William Murphy (CC BY-SA 2.0).

It is 70 years since Dennis the Menace’s first appearance in the Beano. His evolution since 1951 reflects a changing historical landscape, as he has adapted to match the shifts in attitude and preference that have accompanied the comic’s long history. The Beano, an overlooked source of socio-cultural interest, remains Britain’s longest-running and bestselling children’s weekly comic, its success attributable in part to brand marketing techniques, not least the Beano’s history as a powerful retro-marketing tool.  

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