Category Archives: Highlight

LEGO brings pop culture to the home with LEGO Art launch featuring Marilyn Monroe, the Beatles, Marvel and Star Wars

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What have Marilyn Monroe, The Beatles, the Marvel Universe, and the cast of iconic characters from Star Wars all got in common? Answer, they’re all the subject of a new pop-culture focused LEGO Art launch aimed directly at the adult fans.

The LEGO Group has launches a new canvas for creative expression, aimed at adult fans of LEGO and offering them ‘a different way to transform their passion into art,’ in the form of a series of new building sets that once complete become their own LEGO artwork portrait to display.

The LEGO Art sets offer adults a new creative experience to help them relax and recharge as they transform a blank canvas (or in this case, small interlinking base plates) using LEGO tiles. Each set can be reimagined in a number of different ways to express the personality of each different builder, and to make it easy and simple for pop culture lovers to refresh the LEGO Art piece on display in their house.

All four new sets come with a signature tile unique to the set that is worthy of any true work of art, and a new hanging element to make them easy to hang up and switch around.

The launch comes following research from The LEGO Group that found that 73 per cent of adults often research new ways to help them relax. Each LEGO Art set comes with a bespoke soundtrack to aid the construction, each featuring anecdotes from the creators of Iron Man and Star Wars, or those closest to the stories of Andy Warhol and the Beatles; the soundtracks dive into the inspiration behind each design.

The LEGO Marvel Studios Iron Man set will be available exclusively from LEGO Retail Stores and LEGO.com while the other three sets will be available from retailers from 1st August 2020, or from 1st September in the US.

LEGO Andy Warhol’s Marilyn Monroe set will allow pop art admirers to recreate Andy Warhol’s famous bright pink screenprint of Marilyn Monroe from 1967, or reimagine it in three different colours using LEGO tiles.

With LEGO The Beatles, music lovers can bring Beatle-fandom into the home with a LEGO portrait of their favorite band member, whether it’s John Lennon, Sir Paul McCartney, George Harrison or Sir Ringo Starr. Each set can be used to create four unique portraits or collect four and display the full band side-by-side. Fans can get by with a little help from friends of the Beatles as they switch their headphones over to accompanying soundtrack to listen to music and stories about the band as they build.

LEGO Marvel Studios Iron Man challenges super hero fans to decide between powering their hero up with the Mark III, the Hulkbuster Mark I or the Mark LXXXV with this three-in-one set. After the tough decision is made, builders can recharge by listening to cool details about the set and stories from Marvel Experts as part of the accompanying soundtrack.

Fans who want to channel Tony Stark and ‘run before you walk’ can combine three of the same sets into one to create the ultimate Iron Man artwork.

Finally, LEGO Star Wars The Sith celebrates iconic villains from a galaxy far, far away with this three-in-one portrait set. Choose between portraits that pay tribute to the Sith, with Darth Vader, Darth Maul or Kylo Ren, or take the artwork to the next level by combining three sets into an ultimate Darth Vader wall piece.

The soundtrack means the Force will be with fans as they create their very own piece of wall art while listing to music from the films and fun stories from Star Wars creators.

Louise Elizabeth Bontoft, senior design director at the LEGO Group, commented: “We know adults are always trying to destress after a day at work, and we thought, what better way to help them switch off than by encouraging them to explore their favourite passion in a new creative way?

“With these wider ranging designs, we believe that we can inspire film fans, music lovers and art and design aficionados to immerse themselves in a world of art and creativity linked to their idols. Through this new experience, we believe adults can unwind, engage in a mindful building activity and ultimately create a beautiful piece of wall art that perfectly reflects their personality.”

These new wall art sets are the second 2D tile creative concept to be announced by the LEGO Group this year, following the launch of LEGO DOTS, a new theme that offers children a new way to express themselves inspired by arts and crafts.

The LEGO Art range will be available to pre-order from Zavvi.com and lego.com from 2nd July.

Downton Abbey grows global appeal with US games company Rather Dashing Games

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Downton Abbey has added a rather dashing new licensee in the form of the Spokane-based game maker Rather Dashing Games, who will be creating a new card game geared at capturing the majesty and excitement of the Downton Abbey movie.

“My wife and I have been fans since the very first season so I’m thrilled at the prospect of adding my game design to the amazing world of Downton Abbey,” said game designer and Rather Dashing Games c0-founder, Mike Richie.

Rather Dashing’s card game interweaves moments from the hit feature film in which both the upstairs family and downstairs staff work to get Downton Abbey ready for the imminent arrival of the King and Queen, and defend the honour of Downton.

“The Downton Abbey movie featured some of Downton’s grandest, wittiest, and most dramatic moments and we love the idea of Rather Dashing using that as inspiration for a fun and engaging game which fans will enjoy playing with family and friends,” said Spotlight Licensing president, Carole Postal.

Rather Dashing has designed its Downton Abbey game to be easy-to-learn and approachable enough for gamers aged 12 years old  and upwards, while also offering enough competition, player interaction and mechanics to keep card game enthusiasts fully engaged.

To win, players compete to capture cards depicting key moments of resolution, revelation and emotional closure from the movie. Players receive points according to the moments collected but, as Richie warns, players must beware the powers of the Royal entourage and keep in mind the game-changing potential of the Dowager herself.

Rather Dashing’s Downton Abbey card game will launch in time for Holiday 2020 with a $29.99 MSRP.

Licensing International helps small businesses impacted by COVID-19 with Small Business Global Grants Fund launch

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Licensing International is looking to lend a helping hand to the industry’s small business employers that are struggling during the COVID-19 outbreak with the launch of its Small Business Global Grants Fund.

With small businesses making up 59 per cent of its membership, Licensing International recognises them as the ‘foundation of the industry’s communities, economy, and its lifeblood.’ The new Licensing International Small Business Global Grants Fund will therefore provide $5,000 grants to as many small employers across the globe as possible.

The aim is to create and maintain safe, healthy, and sustainable work environments in response to the global pandemic.

The grants program is being funded by donations made to Licensing International’s foundation (operating under the name LIMA Foundation). Companies wishing to contribute to the cause can do so either by purchasing an ad in the programme for the 2020 Licensing International Excellence Awards (taking place virtually on August 13th), or by making a direct donation to the Global Grants fund for any amount.

“If recent events have taught us anything, it’s how absolutely vital community is,” said Maura Regan, president, Licensing International. “The central idea behind the Licensing International Small Business Global Grants fund is industry supporting industry – our hope is that these supplemental funds will give businesses in need a boost to get through the next days and weeks so that the licensing community as a whole emerges from this global crisis stronger and even more united.”

Funds will be available to small businesses in the brand licensing industry that employ between three and 20 people and have been harmed financially by the COVID-19 pandemic. Applicants will be asked to submit a short narrative explaining the impact of COVID-19 on their business and the steps they have taken, or plan to take, to mitigate that impact, as well as financial statements from 2019 and the corresponding months in 2020 that show year-over-year impact on your business.

Applications for grants are now being accepted at www.LicensingInternational.org.

Deadline to apply is September 15, 2020.

Kraft Heinz taps Metrostar and Brand Central to licensing roll out of Heinz, HP Sauce and Lea & Perrins

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Kraft Heinz has tapped Metrostar and Brand Central LLC to manage the brand licensing programme for its flagship brands in the UK and Ireland. The campaign will exploring product extensions such as new food categories and merchandise partnerships with leading names in the lifestyle sector for the likes of Heinz, HP Sauce, Lea & Perrins, Amoy, and Bull’s-Eye.

The programme will build upon Brand Central’s representation of Kraft Heinz brands in the United States and Canada.

Kraft Heinz boasts a strength in brands spanning across categories with over £800M in UK and Ireland sales. The firm has more than 200 brands sold in nearly 200 countries, including eight $1bn + brands.

Metrostar and Brand Central will jointly manage the programme with Metrostar taking the lead in prospecting and licensee management.

“After discussions with several licensing agencies, we are excited to select Metrostar and Brand Central to represent Kraft Heinz in the UK and Ireland,” said Olivia Hibbert, marketing director, Northern Europe at Kraft Heinz. “We feel that Metrostar and Brand Central have the right innovative approach to take our iconic and much loved brands in to new and exciting directions for the future.”

Ross Misher, CEO of Brand Central, added: “Working with the global licensing team at Kraft Heinz, we are looking forward to expanding our program beyond the US and Canada and into Europe. There is an enormous global opportunity for Kraft Heinz across territories with its portfolio of strong brands.

“Metrostar is the perfect partner to launch into this new market with their expertise in food licensing and strong retail relationships. Kraft Heinz brands have a huge emotional connection with consumers in the UK who grew up eating these products and continue to enjoy them today.”

Metrostar MD, Claire Potter, concluded: “These brands are legends in British food and we see great potential in a number of product areas. We’re thrilled to be representing Kraft Heinz and to be working, once again, with Ross and the team at Brand Central.”

Brand Central and Metrostar partnered previously on the UK licensing campaign for Krispy Kreme doughnuts. The campaign was nominated for Best Food & Drink Licence at the Brand & Lifestyle Licensing Awards and Krispy Kreme won the Best Health & Beauty Range in 2018.

Learning Resources partners with Numberblocks for new MathLink Cubes range

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Learning Resources has partnered with the BAFTA award-winning animated children’s TV series Numberblocks to launch a new Activity Set based on the firm’s top-selling MathLink Cubes brand. The new MathLink Cubes Numberblocks Activity Set will be available through major retailers later this year.

MathLink Cubes is a linkable construction toy developed for hands-on maths learning through play. The new licensed Numberblocks Activity Set will allow children to play along with episodes and engage in further learning opportunities.

“Many parents and teachers use our MathLink cubes to make Numberblocks activities for their children,” said Learning Resources’ MD, Dennis Blackmore. “This partnership means that we can bring together the imaginative power of Numberblocks with MathLink Cubes’ tried and tested quality to create exciting new products.

“Our new Activity Set is designed for use in the home or classroom, and with the power of the Numberblocks brand behind it, will be a popular product in all retail environments.”

Series creator Joe Elliot added: “It’s an absolute delight to be partnering with Learning Resources. MathLink Cubes have been an integral part of Numberblocks right from the beginning – we’ve used them to discover what every Numberblock character can do, plan stories and design intricate animation sequences.

“We have a large and dedicated following of young number fans, and the number one thing they ask for is real Numberblocks blocks so they can get hands-on and play with Numberblocks themselves. It’s been a whole new level of fun to work with the like-minded creative team at Learning Resources and we can’t wait to bring Numberblocks full circle and into the hands of our fans.”

Cityneon picks up multi-year licensing rights for James Cameron’s Avatar touring exhibition

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Victory Hill Exhibitions, a subsidiary of Cityneon Holdings, has picked up the multi-year licensing rights for a global touring exhibition based on James Cameron’s blockbuster film Avatar. Cityneon will work closely with Disney Location-Based Experiences and James Cameron and Jon Landau’s Lightstorm Entertainment on the venture.

With Avatar set to release the first of four sequels next year, Cityneon will look to curate an engaging experience for audiences to visit worldwide. The state-of-the-art touring exhibition will feature numerous interactive, multi-sensory segments where guests can explore the wonders of Pandora, the distant moon which is the setting for the films.

Ron Tan, executive chairman and chief executive officer of Cityneon, said: “We are honoured to work with Disney and Lightstorm Entertainment. All of us share the same vision of bringing these experiences alive with artistry and inventiveness. We are thrilled to be part of this collaboration. There’s a lot of anticipation for the film’s first sequel, and we’re excited to be part of the global effort to complement the film’s release with a truly immersive experience for fans in various markets.”

Lightstorm Entertainment’s president of franchise development, Kathy Franklin, added: “Our powerful new relationship with Cityneon for this global touring exhibition will play a key role in our continuing expansion of the reach and impact of the Avatar franchise around the world.”

Released in 2009, James Cameron’s Avatar was the highest-grossing film in motion picture history with a box office gross of nearly $2.8 billion, a record held for ten years. Captivating audiences across the globe with its otherworldly visuals and groundbreaking special effects, the film quickly became a worldwide phenomenon. Avatar is set to be followed by four sequels, with the first sequel scheduled for release in December 2021.

A new Judge Dredd immersive experience is coming from the team that brought us Crystal Maze Live

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Little Lion Entertainment, the team that set a new tone for the immersive experiential concept when it launched the Crystal Maze Live Experiences is back with a sci-fi adventure based on the iconic Judge Dredd IP.

Four years on from the debut of the Crystal Maze project, Little Lion is teleporting urban adventurers into the surreal, high-action future with Judge Dredd Uprising: The Live Experience, a new multi-level team attraction based on the satirical world of the British comic book character, Judge Dredd himself.

The new experience takes Little Lion’s mix of immersive live theatre, mental and physical challenges, multi-level problem-solving, and world building to the next level, boasting ground breaking interactive technology and a real life cast of crooks, robots, and convicts set to a backdrop of immersive set design.

‘In the sprawling megalopolis Brit-Cit, the post-nuclear London of the future, all manner of characters roam the streets. But Judge Dredd, has discovered a terrible plot and you and your merry gang of chancers are the city’s only hope,’ reads a description of the upcoming immersive experience.

“This new show is insanely exciting,” said Tom Lionetti-Maguire, founder and CEO of Little Lion. “The experience is part comic book, part sci-fi film, part immersive theatre, part escape room, part action adventure and part indoor theme park… all wrapped into one.

“This is our second show and I really wanted us to push the boundaries of what audiences can expect, to explore the space between theatre, film and reality. With Uprising we have really achieved that. Judge Dredd’s mega-cities are a wild, prophetic and very funny world of future crime, surreal action and crazed citizens… and now you can experience that world for yourself.  It’s time to choose your side.”

CEO of Rebellion Entertainment, Jason Kingsley OBE, owners of Judge Dredd intellectual property, added: “The world of Judge Dredd is the greatest imaginative universe to come out of British comics and we’re proud to bring it to ever wider audiences. Every reader has dreamed of setting foot in a Mega-City, and with Judge Dredd Uprising: The Live Experience, they can do just that…”

Of the first 50,000 fans who register an email address for updates at www.judgedredduprising.com, 100 will be selected at random to have their name inscribed into the attraction and be immortalized in Judge Dredd forever.

Everyone who’s subscribed will then also be the first to hear when tickets go on sale later this year.

Shane the Chef backs Too Good To Go’s #EasyRecipeeasy Children’s Challenge this summer

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HoHo Entertainment’s animated series Shane the Chef has thrown its support behind the world’s largest food waste fighting app, Too Good To Go and its launch of a new children’s recipe competition ahead of the summer holidays.

The #EasyRecipeasy Children’s Challenge will encourage children to learn about the topic of food waste in a fun, creative and interactive way. It follows the app’s first children’s poetry competition, which received over 1,000 entries from school kids across the UK, and Too Good To Go’s #EasyRecipeasy chef collaboration in April 2020.

Open for UK children aged 12 and under, the #EasyRecipeasy Children’s Challenge invites children to write and design their own recipe cards, utilising one or more of the country’s most wasted foods: bread, potatoes, milk, eggs, and bananas. From terrific toasties to mouthwatering milkshakes, over-the-top omelettes to banging banana pancakes, anything goes. Recipe cards will be judged on recipe resourcefulness, creativity of the design, food waste fighting flair.

The #EasyRecipeasy Children’s Challenge has the support of the popular children’s animated character, Shane the Chef, whose series airs on Channel 5’s preschool strand Milkshake. Each of the five most wasted foods has been matched with an episode of Shane The Chef to provide recipe inspiration for children taking part in the challenge.

Shane the Chef is the first British animation series to focus on healthy eating for kids and aims to enthuse young children and families with a passion for fresh, healthy food and cooking.

Too Good To Go will serve up even more recipe inspiration over the course of the summer months on its social media channels from notable chefs and influencers.

Jamie Crummie, co-founder of Too Good To Go, said: “At Too Good To go we are passionate about getting young minds engaged in the food waste movement. The number of children who took part in our poetry competition the last few months showed just how powerful creating fun initiatives can be.

“With the summer holidays approaching, we wanted to give children an interactive way to learn about food waste and there’s no better place than in the kitchen! I can’t wait to see the recipes that they come up with.”

Helen Howells, joint managing director, Hoho Entertainment, the producers of Shane the Chef, added: “Shane the Chef is thrilled to support this hugely important waste food initiative. And encouraging kids to come up with their own recipes is just the sort of thing Shane likes to do in his own kitchen. Let’s get cooking.”

To enter, children with the help of their parents or guardians should send a photo or PDF of the designed recipe card to easyrecipeasy@toogoodtogo.co.uk. Entries are open from 29 June 2020 and will close at midnight on 18 September 2020.

Entries will be split into two age categories (0 to six years and seven to 12 years) and the winning recipe card from each category will win a special food waste fighting cooking kit that includes an apron, children’s cooking utensils and a Shane The Chef recipe book.

For full details, visit www.toogoodtogo.co.uk/en-gb/blog/childrens-challenge.

Cloudco Entertainment and Irregular Choice launch 34-piece Care Bears accessories collection

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Cloudco Entertainment, the owner of the iconic entertainment brand Care Bears, has teamed with the online retailer Irregular Choice to launch a collection of Care Bears-inspired accessories. The collection features new styles that showcase each of the Care Bears’ individual personality.

The 34-piece collection highlights the Care Bears’ belly badge powers and spreads messages of sharing, caring, friendship and courage to all. Each style is filled with intricate details featuring the vintage art style, including rainbows, plushie stars, sparkling gems and memorable colour combinations.

“Irregular Choice has always been about spreading joy, playing with colour and having fun, so skipping through Care-A-Lot – a world filled with rainbows, fluffy clouds and cute, cuddly bears -was a perfect fit for the brand. We had so much fun creating this Care Bears collection and can’t wait to share it with the world,” said Sally Glover, international brand and marketing manager at Irregular Choice.

Roubina Tchoboian, vice president of international licensing at Cloudco Entertainment, added: “We are thrilled to be launching another accessories collaboration with Irregular Choice. Their creative approach brings the Care Bears to life in such a fun and unique way that we know our fans will love.”

Cloudco Entertainment, formerly American Greetings Entertainment, is the owner for iconic entertainment brands such as Care Bears, Holly Hobbie, Madballs, Packages from Planet X, Twisted Whiskers, Buddy Thunderstruck, Tinpo and its newest IP, Boy Girl Dog Cat Mouse Cheese.

Cloudco Entertainment develops multi-platform entertainment franchises across all media channels and extensive consumer merchandising programs that immerse children and adults in brands they love. The brand is represented by Bulldog Licensing here in the UK.

Chefclub teams with DoohYouLike to create the Culinary Advertising Agency in France

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Foodie brand, Chefclub has teamed up with DoohYouLike to offer customers a new omnichannel experience that mixes videos of creative recipes with synchronised multi-broadcasting on social media as well as on screen in store. The partnership is to roll out across France under the name the Culinary Advertising Agency.

This new joint venture combines the talent of the Chefclub unit and its expertise in culinary videos, and the might of DoohYouLike, a team that has a media presence in more than 550 grocery stores in France.

The new culinary advertising service offers food and beverage brands an ‘innovative, turnkey solution’ that includes the creation, production, and broadcast of cooking videos by Chefclub on social media featuring the advertiser’s product, as well as simultaneous broadcast in small-size grocery stores via DoohYouLike screens.

Chefclub is the world’s leading producer of cooking videos broadcasted on social media with over one billion views and 80 million followers worldwide. In France, Chefclub has a community of 8.6 million people and generates more than 200 million views per month.

Meanwhile, DoohYouLike offers a network of more than 550 DOOH screens displayed in more than 350 small size grocery stores located mostly in city centres in France.

This new offering comes at the right time to provide advertisers an authentic voice during the customer’s shopping journey, in line with consumers’ new lifestyles.

Marie-Laure Marchand, director of licensing and business development, Chefclub, said: “Conviviality, fun, and creativity are at the origin of Chefclub, it seemed natural for us to join forces with DoohYouLike to create an original and ad-hoc media proposal for brands looking for closeness and authenticity.

“We are excited about this partnership that will allow advertisers to explore new ways to reach out to consumers directly in-store and on social media.”

Fabrice Guez, co-founder, DoohYouLike, added: “We are very proud of this alliance because our respective media shares common values, to bring useful and entertaining content to everyday life, always in a complicit and authentic approach to cultivate a close relationship.

“The recipe video format takes on its full meaning in the world of grocery stores, allowing food brands to become part of consumers’ daily lives in a native and entertaining way.

“The synergy of our universes provides an all-inclusive strategic lever, designed for both the branding and the performance of food brands, because in addition to the highly qualitative and viral dimension provided by the Chefclub expertise, the DoohYouLike solution allows brands to maximize sales and optimize in-store referencing. We are very excited to support the new habits of the French people, for whom cooking has become second nature.”