The legacy
If children continue to read my stories and if these stories continue to make them dream, to make them laugh, then I won’t have lived in vain…
Peyo
Pierre Culliford was born in Brussels (Belgium) on June 25, 1928.
He started his working life at the age of 15. He began as a cinema projectionist, and then went to work in an animation studio. The studio closed down and Peyo decided to focus on cartoon comic strips. These were published in various daily newspapers, but the early days were difficult.
It was not until he joined the magazine Spirou that he found success with Johan & Peewit. And it was as part of this series that he created the Smurfs.
Following their appearance, Peyo continued working on the adventures of Johan & Peewit and of Pussy the cat. He also created Benoît Brisefer (later Benny Breakiron), an extraordinarily strong little boy. But eventually the worldwide success of the Smurfs consumed all his energy. And he dedicated himself fully to their epic story, in all its aspects, until his death in 1992.
Peyo said: “As a boy, I loved to draw... But in fact, all children draw; some of them decide to become adults, serious people, and then there are others who refuse to make the transition and who create cartoon characters.”
The qualities he possessed and that contributed to his art, his success and timeless work were: clear narration, humour full of poetry, a strong graphic style and constant creativity... Not forgetting values that transcend generations such as tolerance, faith in the future and respect for others.
Today, Peyo’s family and staff continue his work in the same spirit.
The Company
Peyo Company is the trading name of IMPS srl, Lafig Belgium and Peyo Productions. It was created by Peyo’s daughter, Véronique Culliford, to ensure the preservation and the perpetuation of Peyo’s creations. The Peyo Company operates from its headquarters located near Brussels (Belgium) through four units:
Peyo Licensing is the global licensor of Peyo’s brands for Consumer Products, Book Publishing and Location-Based Entertainment.
Peyo Distribution manages the global distribution of the audiovisual content and music catalogues.
Peyo Productions oversees the productions of new audiovisual content.
Peyo Creations is the creative entity making new artworks and comics.
The Family
Keepers of the legend
The daughter of Peyo, Véronique Culliford, founded IMPS (International Merchandising, Promotion & Services) in 1984. She later created Lafig Belgium and Peyo Productions. All three entities are operating under the name of Peyo Company since 2024. Véronique is the President of the Peyo Company. In 2023, she was joined by her son, Nicolas Tytgat, to help her perpetuating the legacy of Peyo.
The studio
Peyo Creations is the studio behind the creation of all new artworks, stories and comic books.
Art directors, cartoonists, illustrators, graphic artists and scriptwriters are working together to perpetuate the creations of Peyo.
The Partnerships
The Smurfs are partnering with the United Nations to promote the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The campaign "Small Smurfs Big Goals" was launched in 2017 to inform and educate younger people about the SDGs and encourage their support. The Smurfs live in a sustainable world and their global popularity makes them sympathetic and trusted message carriers to engage children and families in understanding and contributing to a more peaceful, equitable, and healthy world.
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015, provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future. At its heart are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are an urgent call for action by all countries in a global partnership. They recognize that ending poverty and other deprivations must go hand-in-hand with strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality, and spur economic growth – all while tackling climate change and working to preserve our oceans and forests.
Let's achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.
Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.
Each year since 2019, the Smurfs join forces with the European Union and the United Nations for the #EUBeachCleanup campaign across the globe. The campaign encourages people to continue cleaning beaches, lakes, rivers and other areas in their neighbourhood, to prevent litter from getting into the ocean, and protect our fascinating marine life from being destroyed.