Canada’s Nelvana Enterprises has formed a partnership with five-star New York-based Hotel Plaza Athenee to promote the iconic kids character, Babar, as the famous elephant celebrates 80 years as a brand.

As part of the exclusive year-long promotion, guests who book the boutique hotel’s children’s package will receive entertainment and promotional items for young guests, as well as special Babar gift baskets stocked with Babar merchandise and an 80th anniversary Babar plush.

Babar DVDs for in-room entertainment and a Babar-themed festive celebration to mark the 2013 holiday travel season are also highlights of the promotion.

The Babar IP, managed by Nelvana in collaboration with The Clifford Ross Company, has seen a significant amount of presence in the Big Apple recently, including promotional spots in the children’s department and holiday windows at Saks Fifth Avenue, at Books of Wonder, New York City’s largest indie kids bookstore, and at the New York Stock Exchange.

New York-based developer Cupcake Digital is also getting in on the Babar action through a recent partnership with Nelvana and The Clifford Ross Company to develop the first-ever enhanced storybook apps based on the popular animated kids TV series Babar and the Adventures of Badou.