The Rocky films may date back over 30 years, but the franchise is as strong as ever, with sales of merchandise continuing to build and a new style guide on its way.

The Rocky film franchise has generated over $1 billion to date, with the most recent movie - Rocky Balboa - attracting a new generation of fans and helping merchandise sales to grow even further.

A celebratory programme in the US attracted over 40 licensing partners including Everlast, Jakks Pacific, Ubisoft and Marc Echo, with product placement in over 15,000 US retail locations.

Now, the original artwork and key art from the films have inspired a new style guide, which will be used to introduce the next phase of the licensing programme in the UK. Trademark Products, GB Eye, Barcrest and Groovy are already on board in categories covering t-shirts, posters, arcade machines and robes.

"When the first Rocky movie launched all those years ago, few people could have imagined what an iconic brand it would become among males of all ages," said Charlie Donaldson, joint MD of Rocket Licensing, which licences the brand in the UK. "Rocky has proven to be a winner over 30 years later."

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