Category Archives: Entertainment

British bicycle brand United Wheels lands EMEA-wide partnership with Disney, Marvel, and Lucasfilm

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The British bicycle brand, United Wheels UK Limited has detailed a new multi-territory licensing partnership with Disney, Marvel, and Lucasfilm movie properties as the company eyes further growth across the European markets and beyond.

Its latest agreement will see the property rights extended across the UK, Ireland, France, Iberia, Italy, Germany, Benelux, and Africa, building on a partnership that United Wheels’ affiliate, Huffy Corporation, has had with Disney since 1996.

From this month, United Wheels will begin marketing Huffy-designed Disney, Marvel, and Lucasfilm licensed wheeled products for order. These lines will be ready for shipment from early 2022.

The extension of the partnership to include EMEA distribution follows the firm’s establishment of its new EU office last year. United Wheels believes it is now well placed to help ‘drive continued growth of the Disney licenses’ across the regions.

“Our company has had such a long relationship with Disney,” said Jon Tilley, general manager of United Wheels UK Limited. “It was only natural for us to reach out to Disney when we decided to make a concerted effort in Europe, to find mutually beneficial ways to work together.

“It’s been great working with the Disney EMEA teams to bring this project to life, and we are excited to be presenting this to retailers through our Huffy brand of products in the coming months. Our position as a leading global player in the bicycle and wheeled goods categories gives us confidence that with an excellent supply chain and great innovation, we can bring strong growth over the next three years. We couldn’t be more excited about this new endeavour with Disney.”

The United Wheels team will start product presentations in July with a two-week virtual trade open event in which potential retailer partners can meet the team and preview some of the new Disney products that will be available for sale in January 2022.

The collection will cover all properties and wheel sizes, ranging from balance bikes to 16” wheel sizes.

Super RTL and Gulli Licensing join forces to ‘make a difference to the European licensing industry’

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The European children’s entertainment specialists, Super RTL and Gulli Licensing and Business are to join forces to support and develop ‘strong licensing programmes on each side of the Rhine,’ in a partnership that aims to offer licensors, licensees, and retailers ‘a unique approach to consumer products.’

Dino Ranch will be the first IP to integrate the joint the initiative and will be the focus of a licensed consumer products programme supported by both Super RTL and Gulli, building upon the master toy programme with Jazwares to secure further ‘best in class licensees.’

Super RTL is recognised as the leading content provider for kids in Germany, while Gulli is a leader in the French market.

“Super RTL and Gulli share the same DNA; we are kids and family-centric. We have a unique connection to children and families and know how to address them,” said Hendrik Rinsche, head of merchandising and licensing at Super RTL.

“Both of us have developed an ecosystem of meaningful touchpoints around strong content, smartly linked and absolutely capable of building successful kids’ franchises. The combined Gross domestic product of Germany and France marks 50 per cent of the entire EU.

“This collaboration is clearly a unique offer to our partners on any side of the business: Licensors, Licensees as well as Retailers. Our mission is to create incremental business for our partners and make a difference in the European licensing market.”

Jean-René Aucouturier, Gulli sales and business development director, added: “We are really thrilled to partner with Super RTL whose reputation is so well established in GAS and being an international benchmark for third party franchise building and management.

“In France, we have developed a strong record of accomplishments as brand accelerator. Combining it, with the SUPER RTL Consumer Products program development and experience is the best way for us to bring a strong added value to the French licensing market.”

Sanrio taps European game developer Azerion for slate of Hello Kitty and Friends games

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Sanrio has tapped the pan-European digital gaming company, Azerion to develop a series of casual games based on the globally popular Hello Kitty brand. The three year partnership will see the firm launch five Hello Kitty and Friends branded games.

The games will be web-enabled versions powered by HTML5 and will be accessible to a wider audience on both web and mobile devices.

As part of the deal, Azerion is planning a series of joint marketing initiatives to introduce the new Hello Kitty and Friends games across its diverse platforms to its audiences across the globe. This will span multimedia promotional events and social media audience engagement through video trailers and other assets.

The strategy will enable Azerion to reach new audiences on both the publisher and user sides, and offer new content for Sanrio fans regardless of what device they use.

Silvia Figini, COO of Sanrio, EMEA, India and Oceania, Mr. Men – Worldwide, said: “We are extremely glad to partner with Azerion on this new project. The combination of the global appealing of Hello Kitty and the great experience of Azerion in developing and publishing high quality engaging games will generate the perfect formula to deliver fantastic gaming experience to our worldwide audience.”

Erol Erturk, EVP Games and Strategic Partnerships at Azerion said: “Azerion’s partnership with Sanrio’s Hello Kitty and Friends supports the iconic brand in becoming a fully fledged media franchise. Azerion will give Hello Kitty and Friends cross- and multi-platform reach, specifically with customized concepts for our publishing partners.

“We are honoured to have Sanrio’s trust in this and are thrilled about the possibilities.”

With a series of games to roll out within the coming years, the first games include Hello Kitty Pinball and Hello Kitty and Friends Jumper.

The UK’s Cribstar and Vintage Supply among wave of European partners for Peanuts Worldwide

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The UK’s own baby and kidswear brand, Cribstar and the adult fashion brand Vintage Supply are among a suite of new European partners to sign up with Peanuts, expanding the IP’s activity across fashion, accessories, homewares, and gifts for kids and adults.

The pair make up two new UK additions amid a long list of European partners that include the likes of the Dutch beachwear brand Shiwi, Eastpak who will be delivering a collection of Peanuts backpacks and travel bags, and Leomil who has signed up for a girls and women’s footwear range across the Benelux region.

Meanwhile, WildBrain CPLG’s Germany, Austria, and Switzerland team has extended its PUMA partnership with a second collections of kids’ footwear, apparel, and accessories scheduled for a worldwide launch this month. The premium pet food brand, Platinum has also been signed for a promotional deal, featuring Snoopy as its brand ambassador.

In Spain, Andres Gallardo has launched its second handcrafted Peanuts collection, Dime Que Me Quieres has debuted a handmade artisan jewellery range, and Zara Home has introduced a new line of babywear, towels, homeware, and accessories at its stores. In Greece, meanwhile, Giovas is to launch bags and accessories in a new back-to-school Peanuts collection.

Over in Italy and WildBrain CPLG’s local team has secured a deal with MyBeautyBox which saw the monthly makeup subscription service dedicate its June mystery box to Peanuts, while publishing partner Foto Edizoni is adding Peanuts comic strips to its monthly crossword magazine. It is also launching a bi-monthly Peanuts themed kids and teen crossword magazine.

In France, the Parisian fashion design studio, Sandro has launched a Peanuts men’s capsule collection, while the local fashion brand Cyrillus has unveiled a baby and children’s collection. In Central and Eastern Europe, MPTECH has been signed for stationery and back-to-school items with the first collection launching for back-to-school 2021.

On top of all of this, the licensing agency has also secured the Nordic representation rights for the brand, effective from July 1st this year.

Tara Botwick, senior director, territory management EMEA for Peanuts Worldwide, said: “A key part of our Peanuts brand strategy is ensuring we’re continually innovating and reaching our fans in unique ways. This latest wave of licensees and distinctive new collection launches promises to offer consumers of all ages some really fun and creative ways of engaging with Snoopy and the gang.”

Maarten Weck, EVP and managing director at WildBrain CPLG, added: “The timeless Peanuts brand continues to prove its enduring popularity among a broad range of consumers, retailers and licensees across Europe and beyond, as demonstrated by these latest product ranges from both new and long-term partners.

“With the European licensing programme continuing to diversify and gain further momentum, it’s also fantastic to extend our remit and represent the brand across the Nordic market, which offers significant potential for additional growth.”

Phoebe Waller-Bridge teams with Edinburgh Gin to launch Fleabag inspired tipple

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Acting, writing, and one-woman theatre show sensation, Phoebe Waller-Bridge has unveiled her latest project, having teamed up with Edinburgh Gin to design her own Fleabag-inspired bottle.

The special tipple features a hand-drawn illustration of the show’s creator and star looking into a deep blue Edinburgh night sky. Designed by Waller-Bridge herself, the image features various hidden details all capturing the essence of her hit series, Fleabag.

The imagery also tips its hat in the direction of Edinburgh itself and the role the city played in making it all happen for Waller-Bridge as the location in which she first performed Fleabag at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2013.

To that end, the bottle has been designed with artists and performers in mind, as all profits from the sales of the gin will contribute to the arts’ recovery by creating subsidies that will help the next generation of talent to return to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2022.

“I hope every purchase inspires outrageous and creative conversations over ice while bringing the beloved Fringe festival back to life,” said Waller-Bridge. “It’s important to add that Andrew Scott hand wrote a message on the bottle… if that isn’t incentive enough to hunt one down and hold it against your cheek, I don’t know what is.”

The bottles will go on sale via the Edinburgh Gin website on July 20th priced at £48 each. It is then expected to go on general sale from early August.

LEGO brings Seinfeld back from the ’90s with LEGO Ideas building set

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The classic ’90s sitcom, Seinfeld is to be immortalised in LEGO form thanks to a successful fan-backed project launched via the LEGO Ideas platform. Fans will now be able to recreate some of the most iconic scenes with the LEGO Ideas Seinfeld set, featuring Jerry Seinfeld’s apartment, a buildable stage for the stand-up comic, and a Festivus pole.

The project is the brainchild of LEGO fan Brent Waller from Brisbane, Australia, who submitted the build to the LEGO Ideas platform, a LEGO initiative that takes new ideas that have been imagined and voted for by fans and turns them into reality should they receive the requisite number of votes and official LEGO approval.

Waller, who is the co-founder of a video games company, loved LEGO as a kid but was re-introduced to it as an adult and combined with his skill as a 3D artist he set about designing his own LEGO creations – including creating the Seinfeld set.

He said: “I loved Seinfeld in the ’90s and recently re-watched them all. I thought it was a travesty that a LEGO Seinfeld set didn’t exist so I made an effort to resolve that and make the best rendition of Jerry’s Apartment and the gang that I could.  The biggest challenge was trying to cram as much detail from the show into the kitchen, all the cupboards, items in the cupboard and on the bench-tops. But I am very proud of how it turned out.”

Recognisable features include the kitchen with a buildable counter, fridge, microwave, oven, and more, such as the living room with a sofa, tables, an office, a buildable stage for Jerry and a Festivus pole. The set also features five minifigures inspired by the main characters and one notable postal worker from the show; Jerry Seinfeld, George Costanza, Cosmo Kramer, Elaine Benes and Newman are all included decked out in iconic ’90s outfits.

Federico Begher, VP of global marketing at The LEGO Group, commented: “The LEGO Ideas platform is a great way for fans to share their ideas with us and their passion for a particular theme. Not only did Brent have a personal desire to create this build, other fans agree and he gained the necessary 10,000 community votes needed for us to consider creating it into a product.

“Seinfeld is a classic sit-com and a cultural icon that was huge in the ’90s and still stands the test of time today.  The combination of the quirky characters and the nostalgia of the show is the perfect fit for LEGO and when we saw the concept we just knew we had to make it.

“I am so excited to see how this has been brought this to life in LEGO form and the attention to detail from the furniture to some of the minifigures accessories.”

LEGO Ideas Seinfeld set is available for LEGO VIP members from 21st July and for all from LEGO Stores and Lego.com/Seinfeld from 1st August, 2021 at the recommended retail price of £69.99.

PlayMonster launches Schitt’s Creek version of hit party game THINGS… in ITV Studios deal

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ITV Studios is building on recent licensing developments for its record-setting Emmy award-winning sitcom, Schitt’s Creek thanks to a new partnership with PlayMonster’s popular party game, THINGS…

THINGS… Schitt’s Creek Edition puts a new spin on the best-selling party game that has to date, sold more than four million globally since it launched to the market. The easy-to-play party game challenges players to cover topics such as ‘THINGS… you wouldn’t do for a million dollars’, but through the personalities of the show’s cast of characters.

Players will be challenged to create responses to topics like ‘THINGS… Moira needs to survive’, or ‘THINGS… the Roses whish Twyla served at the Cafe Tropical’, and then take turns guessing who said what.

“The hilarity and sarcasm of the Schitt’s Creek characters invites fans to relate on many different levels,” said Scott Flynn, VP sales and marketing at PlayMonster. “Paired with the game of THINGS…, this special edition gives fans a fun, unique way to engage and play, all while referencing their favorite show.” 

THINGS… Schitt’s Creek Edition includes 200 topic cards, a response pad and sticker sheet, and is for four or more players, between ages 14 to adult. It will be available for purchase for $19.99 exclusively at Target on August 15, 2021, and will be available everywhere else on October 1, 2021.

PlayMonster is an international toy and game company with a diversified portfolio that includes popular brands and products such as Koosh, “TOTY Game of the Year” Yeti in My Spaghetti, plus THINGS…, 5 Second Rule, Relative Insanity, Farkle, SET, Five Crowns, and Spirograph.

This is the latest US deal for the ITV produced and distributed Schitt’s Creek, following a slated of partnerships detailed late last year, and a more recent partnership with Lion Brand Yarn Company who launched a line of Rose Apothecary branded wool to enabling fans of the show to recreate some of their favourite looks at home.

Moonbug Entertainment taps Brand Energy as licensing agent for French market

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Moonbug Entertainment has appointed Brand Energy to represent the licensing rights of its portfolio of children’s entertainment properties across France, spanning CoComelon, Blippi, and Morphle.

Under the deal, the Paris-based agency will be in charge of finding local partners to develop licensed products under Moonbug brands as well as assist Moonbug with the promotion of the studio’s global and pan-European partners in the French market.

Moonbug has already signed on more than 120 licensees worldwide including Jazwares/Bandai, Ravensburger, Crayola, Harper Collins or Mandadori, to name a few, with products distributed at all major retailers such as Walmart and Target in the US, Amazon, and ASDA, Sainsbury’s and Smyths Toys in the UK.

In France, the first CoComelon products will hit the shelves this fall in major supermarket chains and specialty shops.

Moonbug’s top preschool properties, CoComelon, Blippi and Morphle are now distributed on over 100 digital networks internationally including YouTube, Netflix and Prime Video and have reached unprecedented highs in viewership throughout global markets.

CoComelon, Moonbug’s leading property created for kids aged one to four and their parents, has become the
world’s number one kid’s channel on YouTube with over 3.5 billions views per month globally while audiences
continue to grow at impressive rates.

In France, the English version of the series already reaches over 30 million monthly views. The French translation has just launched this June and viewership is expected to grow well beyond current levels.

Recently formed by two brand licensing and consumer goods veterans, Benoit Roque and Alexandre Ardant, Brand Energy is a branding agency specialized in the development of digital properties as well as corporate and food brands. Benoit and Alexandre have been in the business for several decades and formerly worked for companies like Netflix, Disney Consumer Products and CAA-GBG.

“At Brand Energy we believe digital brands will play a major role in the licensing business,” said Benoit Roque. “Our challenge in France is to help retailers and manufacturers understand that it is no longer all about what is on TV. Preschoolers are not waiting for their favorite shows to play on traditional television, they are watching them on demand.”

“In France, 76 per cent of kids ages four to 14 own their own personal screen,” added Alexandre Ardant, “Moonbug has developed a fantastic catalogue of streaming age-specific content that is both very entertaining and geared towards helping children develop their social and emotional skills, knowledge and confidence. Kids love the shows and so do their parents.”

Pets Rock and Mr Time launch new smartwatch faces for Samsung in Korean market move

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The British pop art brand, Pets Rock has partnered with the global smartwatch app company, Mr Time to launch a series of licensed watch faces for Samsung watches. The deal extends the British brand’s presence in Korea where it is represented by BrandKind Workshop.

The deal sees Mr Time launch watch faces with two characters from Pets Rock through the Mr Time app on both iOS and Android for the global market, while at the same time release a case designed for Samsung Galaxy S21, Buds, and Samsung Galaxy Smart Watch straps to the online and brick and mortar stores in Korea.

As part of its first marketing activity, the Pets Rock digital accessories are spreading quickly in the crowdfunding platform Wadiz, and three more of Pets Rock watch faces will be additionally released through the Mr.Time app in July.

The deal has been managed by Brandkind Workshop, a brand management house based in Korea, a licensing representative for global brands including CoComelon, Pilot Instruments Collection, and Alchemy England with the remit of introducing them to the Korean and other Asian markets.

Pets Rock MD, Kate Polyblank, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with Mr Time to bring animated Pets Rock characters to Samsung watches. It’s a fabulous showcase for the characters. This deal extends our presence in Korea where we have lots of exciting collaborations launching soon. Watch this space.”

Emoji renews slate of US licensing partners as Retail Monster continues to grow the brand

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The Emoji Company has renewed a slate of US licensees across apparel, accessories, health and beauty, and fabrics in a sweep of deals brokered by the brand’s North American licensing agent, Retail Monster LLC.

Under the renewed partnerships, Emoji licensed product will continue to be developed and rolled-out by ASO, American Marketing Enterprises and Briefly Stated, David’s Textiles, Decopac, and Isaac Morris Limited, ensuring the brand’s continued presence in sleepwear, fabric, cake decorations, apparel, and more.

Michael Connolly, founder and CEO of Retail Monster, said: “The Emoji brand has proven universal, with Emoji licensed products having become staples at across retail and e-commerce 365 days a year. Even in a year full of uncertainty, Emoji- the Iconic Brand and our partners continue to deliver.”

Marco Huesges, founder and CEO of the Emoji Company, added: “We have the strongest and most collaborative partners in the business. Each of these partners has been committed to ongoing innovation and new product development, and has had best selling SKUs for years across retail. Coupled with our extensive portfolio of Emoji – the Iconic Brand licensees, we remain confident the best is yet to come.”

These renewal partners are part of a stable of licensees, which includes: Alcove (Vitamins); Aristocrat (Gaming); Bentex Group, inc. (Kids apparel); EVZ Inc. (E-commerce); Fast Forward (bags), Handcraft (underwear), and more. In addition to these US licensees, Peter Noonan of NPZ Consulting Inc. works in tandem with Retail Monster to oversee the brand’s Canadian licensees.

Partners in the Canadian market include Brand Partners Group, Centura, Isaac Morris, Regal Confections, and more.