Category Archives: Highlight

Genius Brands and Wolfgang Puck team for new kids’ IP

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World-renowned chef and restauranteur Wolfgang Puck is expanding his global empire by partnering with Genius Brands International to create an all-new children’s brand, Wolfgang Puck’s Secret Chef Academy, for the worldwide marketplace.

Wolfgang Puck’s Secret Chef Academy will feature an animated adventure series (52 x 11 episodes) with Puck voicing his own character. Creatively collaborating with Puck, Genius Brands is also developing a global licensing, merchandising, promotions and retail programme that will feature themed subscription boxes containing fun recipes from all different types of cuisine for kids to create; a line of branded merchandise for children in categories including publishing, cooking tools, apparel and home goods; a new private food label for kids; a dedicated YouTube channel featuring short-form content; a dedicated website and social media channels, and more.

“Wolfgang Puck’s Secret Chef Academy is at its core a celebration of food and culture around the world, and an exploration of how we are all connected through our shared love of eating a delicious meal,” says Wolfgang Puck. “I am extremely passionate about and committed to teaching kids and parents about nutrition and the value of cooking meals with healthy ingredients. Equally important is helping reinforce their understanding of how food goes from farm to table and touching on issues near and dear to my heart such as the elimination of global hunger. Our goal is to deliver these increasingly important messages in an easy to understand and entertaining manner. I look forward to working with my friend Andy Heyward and the Genius Brands team to fulfill a lifelong dream of reaching kids through my life’s work.”

“I have had the privilege of knowing Wolfgang for many years and have been fortunate enough to experience his culinary magic from the beginning,” says Genius Brands Chairman & CEO Andy Heyward. “I have always wanted to collaborate with him on a children’s project. His level of skill, passion, creativity and commitment is truly unparalleled. Our goal for Wolfgang Puck’s Secret Chef Academy is to create an atmosphere of ‘James Bond meets Julia Child’, with a state of the art kitchen and supersonic gadgets, all while highlighting the importance of health, nutrition and sustainability through our storylines and characters’ journeys. We are creating a one-of-a-kind immersive experience through entertainment and merchandise for worldwide distribution.”

Genius Brands Chief Brand Officer Kerry Phelan adds: “Wolfgang Puck’s Secret Chef Academy is inspired by Wolfgang’s global brand recognition, and it is incredibly important to us that we create a brand that honours his vision of delivering an experience that celebrates cuisine around the globe and teaches kids to respect and be inspired by different cultures. We truly believe the next generation will fall in love with food, friendship and family and will learn that there is nothing better than a shared meal to bring people together.”

About Wolfgang Puck’s Secret Chef Academy

World famous chef Wolfgang Puck has a lot on his plate. Besides running an international culinary empire, he is on a mission to create the greatest recipe book of all time, the quintessential cookbook of the most delectable dishes ever prepared on Planet Earth – Wolfgang Puck’s Global Guide to Gastronomy!

Wolfgang has enlisted the help of five talented kid chefs, “Wolf’s Gang,” who attend the famous “4-S”, his Secret Spago School of Scrumptious, in the basement of his flagship restaurant. Wolf sends them on missions around the world to procure iconic recipes that represent the culture and soul of the places they visit.

But each trip quickly becomes a madcap adventure when Wolfgang’s longtime rival, Foxgang Muck, sabotages them at every turn. Wolf’s Gang must outsmart “the Fox”, secure the recipe and key ingredient, and get back to Spago in time for dinner service.

 

Spin Master Entertainment announces new animated series, Vida the Vet

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Spin Master Entertainment has announced the upcoming launch of an all-new animated series, Vida the Vet. The show is the thirteenth series to date from the creators of the preschool powerhouse franchise PAW Patrol and last year’s worldwide box office success PAW Patrol: The Movie.

Season one of the series, comprising 52 x 11-minute episodes, will debut on BBC’s CBeebies and streaming platform BBC iPlayer in the UK and Corus Entertainment’s Treehouse and streaming platform STACKTV in Canada in autumn 2023, expanding to a raft of international broadcasting partners to be announced at a later date.

Vida the Vet follows 10-year-old Vida, an animal doctor who nurtures the charming and silly woodland creatures who live outside her home. Is there a fox with a sprained paw? A turtle with an itchy toe? A tiger with an aching tooth? Then Vida is the vet for the job. With quick thinking, a doctor’s intuition and the help of her closest friends, Vida helps adorable animals and makes sure they get the care they need.

“Spin Master Entertainment has deep experience creating award-winning content and engaging stories for preschoolers that are infused with a sense of play,” says Jennifer Dodge, Spin Master’s President of Entertainment. “Featuring a gorgeous, colourful world with a distinct look and feel, Vida the Vet will enchant preschoolers and their families with curious, courageous and caring stories about a little girl and her animal neighbours who show us how to take care of ourselves and others.”

Executive produced by Jennifer Dodge, along with Spin Master’s Co-Founder, Ronnen Harary, Laura Clunie, Toni Stevens and the Emmy Award winning Jennifer Oxley (Peg + Cat, Wonder Pets) who also acts as showrunner, the series is created by Emmy Award Winner Dustin Ferrer (Esme & Roy, Peg+Cat) and will be animated by Toronto-based Jam Filled Entertainment.

Spin Master Entertainment is orchestrating a strategic global franchise roll-out and will lead consumer products cross-category licensing worldwide, starting with toys in 2024. Corus Entertainment’s Nelvana has been secured as the exclusive licensing and merchandising representative for the brand in Canada and France.

“The classic and familiar world of Vida the Vet, with its beautiful 2D artwork and core theme of nurturing love for all animals, is the perfect property to extend across all facets of children’s lives,” says André Lake Mayer, Spin Master’s SVP, Global Strategic Partnerships & Consumer Products. “We are excited to activate our growing consumer products enterprise with a fresh new property that will resonate within all key categories and regions and through strategic partnerships and promotions worldwide.”

 

Peppa Pig fronts World Oceans Day campaign

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This summer, Hasbro’s Peppa Pig is making waves with a major retail and brand marketing initiative to mark United Nations World Oceans Day, which launched on 8 June. The initiative brings together high-profile ecological, educational and retail partners – including Cleaner Seas Project, Twinkl and George at Asda – to help encourage young families to learn all about our oceans and what they can do to help protect them for future generations.

Educational publisher Twinkl has created free Peppa Pig educational activities and resources to help raise awareness throughout primary schools, early years providers and families at home about the little steps people can take to make a big difference to our seas. Tackling the issue from the shore itself, Cleaner Seas Project has started its mission to complete a total of 11 beach and river cleans, with schools invited to join events across the UK throughout June.

Retail partner George at Asda is building on the success of last year’s Plant with Peppa environmental education initiative with an exclusive range of clothing and homeware featuring ocean-themed designs sourced with more sustainable materials such as Better Cotton and in some products up to 83% recycled materials. The collection is now available in 435 UK Asda stores and displayed alongside dedicated World Oceans Day POS featuring key product and a QR code directing consumers to the Twinkl resources. Utilising its extensive store footprint, George at Asda’s World Oceans Day range includes boys’ and girls’ clothing, footwear and accessories, with prices starting from £4.50.

Cat O’Brien, Retail Director Europe and Asia at Hasbro, says: “We are thrilled to be working with George again on this Peppa Pig World Oceans Day campaign. At Hasbro, everything we do is centered in our purpose: making the world a better place for all children, fans, and families. In October 2021, we launched our first Peppa Pig purpose-driven campaign all about educating young families around the importance of helping our planet by planting trees. We are excited to embark on the next campaign, which aims to help children learn more about our oceans and what we can do to help reduce litter reaching our shores.”

Supporting the campaign and boosting awareness of the initiative amongst families is celebrity ambassador and mum of three, Vogue Williams, who took to the shore of the River Thames armed with a host of young litter pickers from a local nursery to undertake the brand’s very first Peppa Pig shore clean-up under the guidance of Cleaner Seas Project. Vogue also took part in a media press junket and photoshoot to help spread the word of the initiative across national media on World Oceans Day to motivate young families to get involved.

Avril Greenaway, CMO, Cleaner Seas Project, adds: “It’s no secret that Peppa Pig and her friends are heroes to preschoolers across the UK, so we were absolutely thrilled to work with her and Twinkl to provide guidance on the eco-educational activities and resources as well as carry out the all-important beach and river cleans for this campaign. Our goal is to drive positive change, no matter how big or small, so by working collaboratively with Peppa and Twinkl to help kids take their first steps towards being more environmentally aware has been fantastic. We think this collaboration will be hugely successful and, partnered with Twinkl’s wealth of resources, we think it will provide families with a simple and fun way to get involved to support the cause.”

Jade Snart, Sustainability and Compliance Expert at George, says: “We are very proud to have partnered with Peppa Pig again, this time to help celebrate World Oceans Day, raising awareness of cleaner oceans and a more sustainable planet. A number of the products within the George range have a sustainable element to them as here at George we’re committed to doing the right thing by our customers and the planet.”

 

PAC-MAN and Eastpak partner for travel collection

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For the first time, dot-munching, cherry-picking cultural phenomenon PAC-MAN and his fellow maze-dwellers BLINKY, INKY, PINKY and CLYDE have teamed up with yet another icon that went global in the 1980s: Eastpak.

 

The PAC-MAN x Eastpak collection is a playful and colourful range of travel and lifestyle accessories, in three colourways and six styles. The collection comprises the famous Eastpak Padded Pak’r backpack, Springer bum bag, Tranverz S luggage, Out of Office daypack and Benchmark pencil case, and also includes a newly created PAC-MAN Pouch that comes in the shape of the ghosts who pursue PAC-MAN through every level of the world-famous video game.

As an added feature, each item in the PAC-MAN x Eastpak collection comes with a special jacquard keychain embroidered with the iconic phrase: “Game Over”.

The PAC-MAN x Eastpak collection is available now from Eastpak.com.

The Great British Teddy Bear Company comes to PUBG MOBILE

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PUBG MOBILE, one of the world’s most popular mobile games, has launched a partnership with soft toy brand and global IP owner The Great British Teddy Bear Company.

Established in England in 2002, The Great British Teddy Bear Company has developed an international reputation for producing teddy bears that celebrate iconic aspects of British culture and tradition. Now, players of the popular battle-royale game will now be able to get their hands on a specially designed PUBG MOBILE-themed GB Teddy Bear alongside a selection of The Great British Teddy Bear Company’s iconic British characters, including Robin Hood Teddy Bear and Sherlock Holmes Teddy Bear, as in-game buddies.

Alongside the new buddies, players will be able to access new and exclusive GB Teddy Bear items, from a GB Teddy Bear Set and GB Teddy Bear Cover to a GB Teddy Bear Ornament and GB Teddy Bear Parachute.

In a special event running until 22 July, players can obtain cotton by completing tasks to make various GB Teddy Bears and unlock exclusive in-game rewards.

PUBG MOBILE is available to download for free on the App Store and Google Play Store.

Myprotein and Vimto collab back by popular demand

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Myprotein is collaborating with iconic drinks brand Vimto once again this summer, after becoming one of the most in-demand flavours of 2021.

Back by popular demand, the extended Vimto range includes Myprotein Limited Edition Vimto Clear Whey Isolate, a fruitier, lighter alternative to traditional whey protein, and Myvitamins Limited Edition Vimto Multivitamin Gummies, a gummy multivitamin containing real fruit juice and eight key nutrients.  

The Myprotein Vimto Clear Whey Isolate containing real fruit juice powder will be available in two limited-edition flavours: Orange, Strawberry and Lime, and Original Vimto flavour, Grape, Raspberry and Blackcurrant. Myprotein Clear Whey Isolate uses high-quality hydrolysed whey protein isolate, which boasts 20g of protein for just 84 calories. Both flavours can be purchased in full size at £28.99 and sample size at £2.49 on Myprotein.com.

Later this year, Myvitamins will also permanently launch Vimto Multivitamin Gummies in Original Vimto flavour. The eight key nutrients in the limited-edition gummies include vitamin D to support bone health, vitamin C to maintain immune function, vitamin A to maintain a healthy complexion, biotin to support the condition of hair and nails, and vitamin B6 to reduce feelings of tiredness. The gummies will be available for purchase at £13.99 on Myvitamins.com.

Both flavours of the Vimto Clear Whey Isolate will also be available in a taster pack containing sample size portions alongside a limited-edition Vimto collaboration protein shaker at £9.97 on Myprotein.com. 

Macmillan Children’s Books named global master publishing partner for Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget

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Multi-award-winning independent animation studio Aardman has announced a second publishing deal with Macmillan Children’s Books, naming the company the global master publishing partner for Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget.

The new feature length film, directed by Sam Fell and featuring the voices of Thandiwe Newton, Zachary Levi, Jane Horrocks, Romesh Ranganathan, Daniel Mays and more, is currently in production at the Aardman studios in Bristol and is due to launch on Netflix in 2023.

Macmillan Children’s Books has acquired world rights in all languages for three years. The publishing will launch on release of the film with a picture book of the film, a novelisation, a sticker activity book and a handbook.

The new agreement follows a previous publishing programme between the companies for Aardman’s animated musical special Robin Robin, which saw a range of picture books and novelty books published.

Robert Goodchild, Commercial Director at Aardman, says: “We’ve built a great partnership with Macmillan Children’s Books through its brilliant publishing programme for Robin Robin. We’re really pleased to be building on this relationship further by releasing these exciting product lines together for Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget. The books will be the perfect film accompaniment for young fans, and we can’t wait to get started on bringing them to life.”

Belinda Ioni Rasmussen, MD at Macmillan Children’s Books, adds: “Following the success of the Robin Robin range of publishing, we are delighted to be continuing our publishing partnership with creative powerhouse Aardman to bring Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget books to life. The original Chicken Run film was the highest grossing stop-motion animation ever and is one of the jewels in the crown of Aardman’s many achievements; we could not be more excited to be collaborating with them on this range of tie-in books for this much anticipated sequel.”

 

Licensing-X Germany gearing up for successful show

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Event organiser Spielwarenmesse eG has issued an update on preparations for Licensing-X Germany, planned in close cooperation with Licensing International and set to take place from 5 to 7 October at the Nuremberg Exhibition Centre alongside the stationery expo Insights-X. The event aims to offer new programming and networking opportunities for the entire licensing industry, which continues to grow rapidly. 

Rapid growth

According to the Global Sizing Study by Licensing International, the worldwide retail revenue in licensed products and services amounted to 320 billion US dollars in 2021. In the German market alone, the sum adds up to 12.5 billion US dollars, an increase of 4.5% in comparison to the last study in 2019.

The strongest growth was registered by corporate brands, which grew disproportionately in the last year. This is due to the “cocooning” trend during the pandemic, whereby consumers fell back on familiar, trusted brands. The categories with the highest revenue are fashion and accessories, toys, video games, sports, entertainment electronics and foodstuffs.

Promising trends

Licensors, licensees and licensing agents, service providers and specialist retailers will all have the opportunity at the show to exploit the second largest European market, get to know its particularities and conclude new licensing deals. Currently, tried and tested properties dominated by blockbusters and famous characters from the preschool sector as well as innovative licenses from digital worlds are trending. These include NFTs, platforms such as YouTube, and streaming services. At Licensing-X Germany, the possibilities span much more than just the toy industry, offering the opportunity to reach new horizons with exciting business opportunities.

“Licensing-X Germany follows the long tradition of Licensing Market, which we have been organising for the licensing industry in the German-speaking area for over 20 years,” says Peter Hollo, who runs Licensing International in Germany. “After the pandemic continuously threw a spanner into its works, it was high time to replace an outdated hotel trade-fair format with a professional licensing trade fair. That is why Licensing-X Germany is not just a place for licensors alone, but rather the large overarching platform for all who offer services in the German-speaking licensing business.”

Market-oriented speakers

The event will be rounded off with an informative supporting programme. Licensing International will contribute with its own, already established formats such as the Licensing Awards and the Licensing University. Among the first confirmed speakers who will report on current industry topics are Prof Karl Peter Fischer, lecturer for applied management and digital marketing, and patent lawyer Christian Fortmann. Anika Scharlock, Global Relations Manager – Brand Protection at Amazon, is a keynote speaker. In addition, there will be a get-together with all participants of Insights-X on the first evening of the event.

Synergies and services

Parallel event Insights-X is the only independent specialist expo for the international stationery industry in Germany. It offers strong points of contact to the licensing business with its back-to-school category. Visitors will especially profit from the KombiTicket: at a price of 10 euros, it provides access to both expos for the entire duration and can be used as a ticket for local public transport. Opening hours are from 9 am to 6 pm on Wednesday and Thursday, and from 9 am to 5 pm on Friday. Ticket sales will begin on 27 July.

In summary, Spielwarenmesse eG’s Christian Ulrich says: “With Licensing-X Germany, we are expanding our portfolio into a rapidly growing market that is well-known to us and does business across various industries. We are doing everything we can to make the event the ‘place to be’ in the German-speaking area.”

Constantly updated information is available at the two websites www.licensing-x.de and www.insights-x.com.

Former Roblox VP Jon Vlassopulos joins advisory board at metaverse company Dubit

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Dubit, the creator of metaverse experiences, games, and events for brands, has announced the appointment of Jon Vlassopulos – former Roblox VP, Global Head of Music – to its advisory board. 
Vlassopulos joins following almost three years leading music initiatives at Roblox, which reaches over 200 million users a month with games and experiences, and where he remains an advisor. The groundbreaking virtual concerts and experiences that he produced for major artists like Lil Nas X, Twenty One Pilots, KSI, 24KGoldn and Zara Larsson, reached and engaged over 100M people around the world.
Dubit recently created the first virtual experiences for the two biggest music awards shows, the BRITs and the Grammys, featuring standout virtual performances from viral UK artist Pink Pantheress and Latin star Camilo. The company is also behind Samsung’s Superstar Galaxy, which last Friday 17 June) showcased an exclusive concert from British singer-songwriter Charli XCX.
Vlassopulus will work with Dubit in a senior advisory capacity on future metaverse strategies, supporting its partnerships with brands, publishers, artists, and metaverse platforms.
Announcing the appointment, Matthew Warneford, CEO and Co-Founder of Dubit, commented: “We have had the pleasure of working closely with Jon and his team on multiple occasions over the past couple of years, and we’re thrilled he has chosen to join our advisory board. Jon’s relationships, unrivalled experience and creative production expertise will be an invaluable part of our ongoing strategy to help forward-thinking brands, artists and events activate in the metaverse.”
“Dubit became a trusted partner during my time at Roblox delivering entertaining and immersive virtual experiences for our music and brand partners,” says Vlassopulos. “The beauty of the metaverse is its power to reach and engage massive global audiences that are unreachable on other platforms and in the real world. Dubit’s ability to create experiences for this new medium that strengthens bonds between fans, brands and artists is among the best in the business. I’m looking forward to working with them to help conceive and activate many more iconic virtual events and experiences on platforms like Roblox.”
The possibilities are limitless for branded events and musical experiences in the metaverse. As well as Roblox (over 200m monthly active users), Minecraft (170m), and Fortnite (270m), newer platforms such as Core and web3 based platforms including The Sandbox are providing unprecedented choice and depth of experience for audiences.

WB Shop debuts House of the Dragon exclusive merch

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Providing a sneak peek at the aesthetic from the highly anticipated prequel to Game of Thrones, fans can now purchase apparel, home goods and collectibles showcasing the new series, House of the Dragon – which premieres on August 21 on HBO and HBO Max – at digital retail destination WB Shop.

Inspired by the fiery Targaryen family and the quest to claim the Iron Throne, the WB Shop range includes the “Dreams Didn’t Make Us Kings. Dragons Did” Capsule Collection, featuring posters, t-shirts, hoodies, and mugs adorned with the bold statement; the Dragon Eye Capsule Collection of striking new accessories, apparel and housewares adorned with a red dragon eye reflecting the new Iron Throne against a black background, and the Dragon Crown Capsule Collection, showcasing the House of the Dragon crown design on fashion, accessories, collectibles, and more.

Outside the WB Shop, official House of the Dragon products will also debut from a variety of partners including Vintage Wine Estates, Treasury Wine Estates, and Mikkeller Beer. New merchandise will roll out throughout the summer and into the autumn on the WB Shop and at other retailers.