Category Archives: Highlight

Gibsons partners with Rebel Girls to launch new puzzle range inspired by the best selling book title

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The family-owned jigsaw puzzle and board game specialist, Gibsons, has teamed with Rebel Girls, the award-winning brand behind the book series Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls to launch a new puzzle line.

Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls is a globally popular book that has sold over 4.5 million and has been translated into nearly 50 languages.

Known for its innovative puzzle designs and best-selling games, Gibsons will release two jigsaw puzzles in spring this year, as well as a card game in the summer, and a board game to follow in 2021.

The jigsaw puzzles will be available in two piece counts, 100 piece and 500 piece, appealing to girls, teens and young women alike. Each product will make full use of the rich Rebel Girls style guide, which focuses on positive, empowering messaging and bold designs.

The partnership was brokered by the UK licensing agent for the Rebel Girls brand, Rocket Licensing.

“We are delighted that Gibsons has joined us on our Rebel Girls mission, encouraging girls to explore, learn and dream without limits,” said Louisa Skevington, licensing executive at Rocket Licensing.

“Gibsons has really reflected the core values of Rebel Girls in their game development and the puzzle designs look absolutely fantastic – we cannot wait to see them in store.”

Emily Charles, product development manager at Gibsons, added: “Rebel Girls is a fantastic brand that we are thrilled to be working with.

“It’s been fascinating and inspiring learning the stories of the amazing women featured in these games and puzzles through the product development process. We heard about the Goodnight Stories for Rebel Girls books from our own gang of Gibsons Rebel Girls (the daughters of some of the team).

“As a company, we have a very strong female presence, 60 per cent of the team are women, including two of the directors, and so we felt straight away it would be a great fit.”

Moomin Characters whips up tasty partnership with Lola’s Cupcakes

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Finland’s Moomin Characters has teamed with Lola’s Cupcakes to launch a new, ultimately delectable, range of Moomin themed cupcakes across the UK.

The range will include six different cupcake designs featuring the inhabitants of Moominvalley. Moomintroll, Snorkmaiden, Little My, and a cast of others will jump from the page straight to the icing paper to adorn Lola’s Cupcakes’ signature treats.

There will also be limited edition Moomin cakeboxes to protect the cupcakes on their travels.

On top of this, and as the range focuses on the love and friendship between the series’ characters, there will be a special giveaway of the cupcakes at the Moomin shops, in Covent Garden and Camden Stables Market, on Valentine’s Day. 

The first 50 customers to visit each of the Moomin shops on 14th February will receive a free cupcake. 

Sophia Jansson, creative director of Moomin Characters and niece of Tove Jansson, said: “Moominmamma says that all good things are good for the stomach. She is known throughout Moominvalley to always welcome you with something delicious when you visit.

“That is why Lola’s Cupcakes, famous all over London, match so well with the values of the Moomins for whom food is also a source of joy and togetherness.

“Just like the Moomins, we long to be snug and cosy and feel a sense of togetherness which makes February the perfect time to launch this range, with Valentine’s Day bringing those we love to the forefront of our minds. We hope Moomin fans will find joy from this delicious collaboration with Lola’s Cupcakes.”

Asher Budwig, managing director of Lola’s Cupcakes, added: “Respect for nature, one of Moomin Characters’ core brand values, complemented our core mission at Lola’s Cupcakes, which is to create delicious cakes from the finest natural ingredients. 

“We also believe that our cupcakes should look as good as they taste, which has been easy to achieve using the beautiful images from the Moomin archive.” 

The Moomin x Lola’s range of cupcakes will be available from 1st February. The cupcakes will cost £4 each.

My Gifts Trade and I Like Birds partner with Marie Curie for exclusive new design for charity

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The British home and giftware manufacturer, My Gifts Trade has found itself at the centre of a new collaboration between Marie Curie and the British brand, i like birds.

Launching at Spring Fair this week, the new licensed collection will feature a daffodil and Blue Tit design created by i like birds founder, Stuart Cox, exclusively for Marie Curie. Under the collaboration, ten per cent of the proceeds from every piece sold will be donated to the charity.

The charity was chosen by Cox as one that is close to the company founder’s heart.

“Years ago I was made homeless after leading a bit of a reckless life and falling out of touch with my family in Brighton for years,” he explained. “When I started to find my feet again I got back in touch by sending my mum some illustrations, to somehow let her know that everything was alright.

“Two weeks later she was diagnosed with a super rare cancer of the spine and we were told she did not have long left to live. She managed a year, the last part of which was in a hospice, where they managed to turn what should have been the worst days of my life into a beautiful celebration of her life.

The hospice let her go out in a gentle and graceful way, with views of the birds from her window, so it’s a cause close to my heart and not a charity collaboration that’s been plucked out of thin air.

“Within a year I also lost one of my brothers and my dad and the illustrations were stuffed into a drawer because I was unable to look at them. Years later they were found there by a friend who suggested I get some printed as cards so they could sell them in their local café. I went along with his idea and they went through over 1000 in the first month. Paperchase soon got wind of this and approached me.”

According to Cox, the rest is history and today the artist’s recognisable illustrations of much-loved British birds and flowers now appear on an array of licensed products, including the highly successful gift and homeware collection developed in partnership with My Gifts Trade.

The new collection for Marie Curie will include home textiles and accessories, ceramic products and a lovely decorative pin.

Joanna Mazzotta, product development and creative at Marie Curie, said: “I was very attracted to Stuart’s designs. They are simple yet beautiful and the bold fun graphic added a design style we’d not explored before.

“I thought they’d marry well with incorporating the daffodil – our emblem – and tell a story about how important and joyful nature at the Marie Curie hospices are for the patients.”

McDonald’s taps into growing appetite for licensing with Joester Loria Group

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The Joester Loria Group has partnered with McDonald’s Corporation to develop a portfolio of collaborations and collections of licensed products aimed of the McDonald’s brand lover across the globe.

The fast food restaurant brand has a long history of partnering with leading fashion brands and retailers which dates back to the 1980s. Last month, the corporation introduced its Golden Arches Unlimited online store, offering a selection of items and seasonal products.

“McDonald’s has been ingrained in the fabric of culture for years, and there’s a long history of fans wearing our brand with pride,” said Jen Landolt, senior director, global marketing at McDonald’s Corporation.

“We look forward to collaborating with great brands to deliver product that celebrates McDonald’s heritage and deep emotional connection with our customers.”

Joester Loria Group will work closely with the McDonald’s global marketing team to tap into the brand’s unique cache, popular characters, and iconic brand campaigns, with a focus on fashion, accessories and collectibles for adults. 

Look for episodic campaigns, pop up events, unexpected mash-ups and great product to launch in 2020.

Magic Light Pictures and Merlin Entertainments are bringing Zog to Warwick Castle

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Magic Light Pictures has teamed up with Merlin Entertainments to bring a new 3D interactive Zog trail to Warwick Castle.

Due to launch at the historic venue this Easter, the trail brings to life the world of Zog the lovable dragon – first created by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler – with a host of activities for kids that mirror Zog’s own lessons at dragon school.

From soaring over the top of the Castle mound without actually leaving the ground, to testing out the Roar-o-meter at Bear Tower and helping kids to capture a princess, children will collect a stamp at every task. A final challenge will see them join in with Sir Gadabout’s school for ambitious knights and will be followed with a meet-and-greet with Zog himself.

Based on the million-selling book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, Zog premiered on BBC One on Christmas Day 2018. It follows the tale of a keen but accident-prone dragon who gets into all sorts of mischief while at Dragon School, and was the fourth-highest rated programme on the day, achieving 8.8m viewers (including repeat).

The sequel, Zog and the Flying Doctors, has recently been announced as the Christmas 2020 collaboration between Magic Light and BBC One.

Daryl Shute, brand director, Magic Light Pictures, said: “We are delighted to partner with Merlin Entertainment to bring Zog to their fantastic venue. Warwick Castle is the perfect setting for dragons, princesses and heroic deeds. Our close collaboration is creating a truly special experience for kids that allows them to step into the magical world of Zog and live the story for themselves.”

Liam Bartlett, operations director for Warwick Castle, added: “We’re thrilled that Zog is flying in to Warwick Castle – it’s going to be roar-some. The interactive trail is great for kids of all ages, and supports the key messaging from the storybook itself around tenacity, persistence and rising to the challenge.

“It’s a fantastic addition to the Warwick Castle experience and shows once again why we’re a leading attraction for families from across the UK and beyond.”

Book series that educates children through classic literature BabyLit jumps into licensing with ThinkTank Emporium

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The US book publishing house Gibbs Smith has partnered with The ThinkTank Emporium to begin development on an animated series and licensing programme for its bestselling babyLit and Little Leonardo book series.

Written by Jennifer Adams and illustrated by Alison Oliver, the BabyLit classics series consists of 30 board books aimed at kids from birth to three years old. It aims to teach developmental concepts through the lens of classic literature.

Take, for example, Pride and Prejudice. The book helps children count to ten through plot developments of the novel, beginning with One English Village, Four Marriage Proposals, Nine Ballgowns, and Ten Thousand Pounds.

Throughout the series, quotes from the original classics are often included next to the concepts. The BabyLit classic series extends to gift merchandise as well with totes, buttons, dolls, puzzles, and a memory matching game.

The BabyLit series currently has more than 50 titles in print, and over 2 million copies in sales. The books have been extremely popular at all levels of retail, including Costco, Target, Barnes & Noble, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and many independent bookstores and gift shops.

Meanwhile, the Little Leonardo Series teaches STEAM concepts to kids aged four to eight, focusing on how STEAM affects every day life and introducing real life examples of STEAM heroes from history.

“People are realising that it’s never too young to start putting things in front of toddlers that are a little more meaningful, that have more levels,” said Suzanne Gibbs Taylor, creator of the BabyLit series and publisher/chief creative officer at Gibbs Smith.

“After the success of our books, the natural extension of the brand is to explore television opportunities. We are very excited to see what can be developed for BabyLit.”

Announcement of the partnership was made jointly by David Wollos and Joan Luks for The ThinkTank Emporium and Gibbs Smith, Publisher.

“We are pleased to be working with Gibbs Smith to bring the BabyLit and Little Leonardo series to a global audience via media platforms and licensed product opportunities. The sheer potential in all these areas for these properties is a wonderful asset for ThinkTank and its strategic relationship with Gibbs Smith,” said Wollos.

Rolling Stone joins forces with Elysian Brewing Co to launch Elysian Rolling Stone Lager

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Rolling Stone, the famed music industry publisher has joined forces with Elysian Brewing Company, a brewery that is rooted in music and art, to produce Elysian Rolling Stone lager, a high-end beer that embraces the spirit of music.

The new lager will debut this Saturday, February 1, at the Rolling Stone Live: Miami Big Game Experience, and will roll out to beer-lovers across the US in April this year.

The Rolling Stone collaboration is a milestone in craft brewing, and the first time the music publisher has put its iconic name on a craft beer. Both companies are rooted in their respective histories and constantly push to change and reinvent with the times.

“This one’s for the rebels. Those with wandering souls who aren’t afraid to be their truest selves while pushing boundaries in search of authentic art and discovery,” said Elysian Brewing co-founder, Joe Bisacca. ​

“​The Elysian brand was built on music and that gritty, unapologetic form of expression which is in our blood. It fuels us to keep experimenting and spread love back to those that inspired us. And what better way to do that than with our friends over at Rolling Stone?”

The Seattle-based brewery built its brand on music and wanted a beer that ‘expressed the sensation that sparked fire in its soul.’

“The fact that Elysian has supported and been inspired by music and musicians since their beginnings makes this partnership a natural fit for Rolling Stone,” said Gus Wenner, president and COO, Rolling Stone. “We’re excited and proud to share our first venture into craft beer with our readers – we put a lot of passion into this project and we know they’re going to love it.”

Elysian’s approach to making beer is based on experimentation, collaboration and boundary-pushing, a brewing approach, the company has said, aligns with Rolling Stone’s editorial bent.

The brewery is proud of its culture of broad acceptance, and has long sponsored, supported, and actively participated in community events and celebrations that bring people together.

The Elysian Rolling Stone Lager will be the exclusive beer for the Rolling Stone Live: Miami event. It will be integrated throughout the event at all bars, displays and bottle service tables.

The Emoji Company: “Yes, we are looking at making a move on the toy category”

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The globally renowned and literally iconic Emoji brand is formulating a move into the children’s sector through toys and a variety of animated content concepts that are still in discussion.

Until now, Emoji has carved out a hugely successful licensing portfolio across the teenage and young adult market through lifestyle licensing partnerships that span the globe, and last year, took home a Licensing Award in the Best Teen or Adult Licensed Property category.

The win seemed to top off a year that The Emoji Company founder, Marco Huesges, marks as “another great success story for the Emoji brand,” throughout what was considered by many as a ‘Disney year.’

And as that success story goes, Emoji is now looking at a new chapter for its licensing efforts, laying out its plans to move in on the children’s market over the coming months, be that through toys, publishing, animated content, or – in fact – a culmination of all three.

“The answer here is yes. While Emoji is established globally and targets primarily teenagers and young adults, we believe that there is an angle to address the kids’ market which is mostly connected to the toy space, in particular to collectable toys and plush,” Huesges told ToyNews.

“We are carefully analysing this market to ensure we make the right move, we are discussing several animation concepts with development studios and potential partners from the toy and the publishing space. It is a time-consuming process but we hope to have clarity within the next eight to 12 months on which direction to go.”

For Huesges, diversifying the portfolio in such a way is nothing out of the ordinary. It’s fair to say that the CEO has successfully managed to juggle, and maintain prominence within, an ever-widening number of categories for the Emoji brand, and interestingly, it is through the company’s burgeoning loyalty programme category that much of its success has been born.

“We launched a variety of campaigns with partners such as Aldi, Penny or Co-Op,” continued Huesges, “and we have been very successful with Emoji collectable toys within loyalty programmes, which opened up discussions with other partners about Emoji collectable toys in general.”

It kicked off with Burger King when the company ran a global programme that offered 30 different Emoji brand plush collectables. This, in turn, led to multiple discussions with other potential partners in the space, all of which proved “to be successful above the average.”

Not only this, but it was a planned move into the Chinese market that cemented the success of the brand over the course of 2019, when Emoji managed to open three Emoji branded stores across its mainland.

Huesges is now thrashing out plans to open another ten over the course of this year, and only recently successfully launched the official Emoji brand store on TMall.

“This development in China is a great way to demonstrate the variety and the depth of our brand and how to bring new designs and messages to life,” said Huesges. “We want the consumer to permanently engage with our brand and we will launch a variety of new projects such as Emoji tea shops to offer exactly that possibility to the customer.”

The potential for the Emoji brand in the collectables space can’t be denied. A category that wholly depends on the introduction of new characters or themes within each wave of launches, Emoji is pretty much tailor made for the market. Emoji is after all a compendium of thousands of character icons, that are not only recognised globally, but used by millions each day.

That said, simply because the brand enjoys a universality in its translation, doesn’t mean Emoji will be in the habit of using a broad brush approach for all of its territories.

“We know that markets have different demands and tastes,” said Huesges. “China for example is a very specific market, but one of our key territories. We analyse what is needed and give the brand a local look and feel, making it adaptable and suitable for the Chinese market.

“In fact, the demand for customisation of the Emoji brand is constantly growing and gives partnerships a personal taste. In a fast-moving consumer goods market you cannot stand still and need to permanently reinvent yourself and invest. We take this approach with all of our key markets across Europe, the US, China, Brazil, and Mexico.”

For Emoji, 2020 will start with some big noise and some ‘highly recognisable partnerships’ across Europe including a large scale direct to retail programme, multiple loyalty programmes, and some high level brand collaborations in the fashion space.

“In the US, we have built an incredible licensee roster and look forward to launching great programmes at retail. We have successfully added lots of different new categories, from shaped vitamins, entertainment services to exciting new food and beverage deals,” said Huesges.

“We have already had some great results and are perfectly prepared for the year ahead to come. We do expect another great year ahead of us, and have already secured noteworthy partnerships all around the globe, which will be launched in 2020,” he concluded.

Entertainment One partners with VisitEngland for Peppa Pig promotional campaign

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Entertainment One has secured a new partnership with the national tourism agency, VisitEngland, that will see Peppa Pig become part of a promotional campaign encouraging families to holiday in England.

Launching this week, the campaign drives visitors to a specially created Peppa Pig online hub on VisitEngland’s website. The microsite features 25 experiences for pre-schoolers and their families, all inspired by Peppa’s adventures in the show.

Young fans can view clips from the show by clicking on a Peppa Pig style map on the site. A children’s activity sheet and tick list will be available to download to inspire them to follow in Peppa’s footsteps as they take short breaks in England.

Working with Global, owners of Heart FM radio, VisitEngland is also promoting the campaign through a national radio competition voiced by Peppa Pig and her family. The campaign will be boosted from mid-February with paid for digital advertising.

“Peppa Pig celebrates the simple pleasures of family life and that theme is central to our campaign with VisitEngland. We’re absolutely delighted to be partnering with them on an initiative that will harness the brand’s popularity to boost tourism in England,” said Rebecca Harvey, eOne’s EVP of global marketing, family and brands.

“With a content pipeline of 381 episodes all focused on family life, there’s plenty of inspiration and we look forward to seeing families enjoying days at the beach, visiting castles, flying kites and, of course, jumping in muddy puddles just like Peppa and her family.”

Clare Mullin, director at VisitEngland, added: “We want to inspire young families to follow in the footsteps of their favourite character and go on fun filled year-round adventures across England.

“From getting outdoors to jumping in muddy puddles in thousand-year-old forests and camping under the stars at their first music festival; there are amazing family-friendly experiences right across the country. Capturing the imagination of Peppa Pig loving pre-school families can create long lasting memories that help boost regional tourism and build an emotional connection that will encourage them to explore their own backyard both now and in the future.”

The £650,000 campaign is expected to generate more than 225,000 additional overnight stays in England from families in 2020, adding a £16.5 million boost to the economy.

The family market represents around a third of the potential domestic tourism market in England. In 2018, British families took 15.3 million domestic breaks in England, spending £3.4 billion. VisitEngland is hoping that targeting the family segment can spread tourism’s economic benefits across more of the year, including off-peak periods.

 

 

Flossy and Jim’s Horace & Co storybooks land partnership with AR specialist Bookful

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Flossy and Jim has embarked on a new partnership with the award-winning AR app Bookful to bring the Horace & Co storybooks to its mobile library.

Bookful is the brainchild of Inception XR, a content platform that delivers extended reality (XR) to readers. It boasts a library of over 100 books and games for children, creating a universe where books are brought to life in augmented reality.

Under the new deal, the Horace & Co titles will be available for download via the app and will include Horace the Disgusted Hamster, Custard the Wibbly-Wobbly Dinosaur and Where are you Mr Blue?

Each book featured in the app – available on the App Store and Google Play – will allow children to read the story with 3D animations that can be projected in the user’s environment using AR technology. This is supported by a suite of assistive reading functions including narration, subtitles, and interactive activities to engage the reader.

“We are so excited to be bringing books to life through augmented reality, the titles are sure to entertain, educate and delight both children and parents alike,” said Denise Deane, owner of Edutainment Licensing who brokered the deal.

“Bookful is about creating meaningful screen time,” said Benny Arbel, CEO, Inception. “We are on an educational mission to get kids excited about reading, and through 3D and AR reclaim some of the digital screen time for our favourite books and stories.”

The titles are to be marketed to English Language territories worldwide and will also be available in Mandarin, Japanese and Korean for a growing number of distribution partners in Asia and beyond.