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The Cracking Ideas resource was officially launched on June 4th 2007 and was designed to appeal to a new generation of innovative minds.

The resource, in itself a cracking idea – a partnership between Aardman and the Intellectual Property Office (IPO), is an educational resource developed for children aged 4 – 16 and is fronted by Aardman’s Oscar® winning characters Wallace and Gromit of enterprise, innovation and inventing fame.

Cracking Ideas consists of two main components: Firstly the Wallace and Gromit Present a World of Cracking Ideas exhibition – a new interactive and family-oriented experience - and secondly the Cracking Ideas website at www.crackingideas.com
Wallace and Gromit take the lead throughout and help the IPO spell out their messages. They help explain for example: What exactly is a Copyright? How can a Patent protect an idea? How do you tell a registered Trade Mark from a copycat version?

The exhibition’s first venue was the Science Museum, London and arrangements are currently being made for the second tour venue.

The accompanying current Cracking Ideas website compliments the exhibition and features interactive games, monthly challenges, a members’ forum for young innovators and lots of useful information presented in a fun and original way with opportunities for educators to link to the National Curriculum.

Visitors to the website and the exhibition are guided through the world of innovation to discover how simple ideas can transform into life changing products and how intellectual property impacts on every aspect of our daily lives. The IPO wants to generate a wider understanding of the need for creativity and encourages visitors to appreciate everyone has cracking ideas.

With the help of Wallace and Gromit the core concepts visitors have the opportunity to learn are:

• Everyone can innovate

• Creativity has value

• Innovators own their ideas

• Ownership should be respected

• Innovation and creativity can be linked to financial reward

• Ideas can be exploited if protected by intellectual property rights

• Innovation is exciting, being creative is fun, being enterprising is exhilarating

Visitors between the ages of 4 and 16 also have the opportunity to participate in the National Cracking Ideas competition. All they have to do is come up with Wallace and Gromit’s next business venture. Following the ‘Top Bun Bakery’ in their latest film ‘A Matter of Loaf and Death’ participants will be asked to identify Wallace and Gromit’s next successful business and identify how intellectual property can help the innovative duo protect their creativity.

Entry to the competition can be in groups or individually. It’s a great competition to have a go at with the Christmas holidays coming up - It’s good fun, educational and there’s some fantastic prizes to be won.

For more details visit www.crackingideas.com/competition or contact nicola.jenkins@ipo.gov.uk

- A special thank you to Nick Warren, Education and Enterprise Co-ordinator.

Picture: Wallace and Gromit dressed in brown coats with scrolls and a clipboard under their arms. The text on the picture reads: Ideas can be big business. Enter yours into the Cracking Ideas Competition! Time to get cracking!

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Wallace, Gromit and their Cracking Ideas!