Category Archives: Highlight

LICENSING EXPO PREVIEW I Perfetti Van Melle

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Italian Perfetti Van Melle is a global confectionery manufacturer and owner of power brands Mentos, Airheads, Chupa Chups and Fruit-tella, among many others. Licensing.biz caught up with them ahead of exhibiting at Licensing Expo in Vegas this May.

 

For those who don’t already know Perfetti Van Melle, who are you and how do you fit into the licensing industry?

Our company, Perfetti Van Melle, is one of the world’s global confectionery manufacturers and owner of many power brands such as Mentos, Airheads, Chupa Chups and Fruit-tella. We have been building international licensing programmes with these brands for many years. The Chupa Chups licensing programme started 25 years ago as a lifestyle programme. Today we diversify with our brands in both lifestyle and food and beverage extensions.

Do you have any recent news you can share with us?

We have just opened a spectacular Chupa Chups event at the Changhi airport in Singapore, where fans of the brand can be transported into a world of interactive and yummy-looking backdrops such as a carousel ride made of lollipops, a Ferris wheel or pose with moving larger-than-life lollipop daisies! The true eyecatcher of the event is the gigantic mega sized lollipop installation that has been proclaimed Singapore’s largest Chupa Chups lollipop by Singapore’s Book of Records, and which is already going viral.

We are thrilled about the ongoing success of the Chupa Chups sparkling drink range. The newly launched Chupa Chups Zero Sugar drinks in Strawberry and Lemon & Lime flavour have been awarded the 2022 Superior Taste Award by the prestigious International Taste Institute in Belgium. Seeing how these sparkling drinks are taking the world by storm, we are now exploring opportunities for Mentos drinks as well.

For Airheads, we are preparing the launch of a Market and Airheads drop this autumn, that will include limited-edition clothing and accessories as well as the first Airheads co-branded limited-edition Market flavour. Later this year, we have exciting launches coming up of mini figurines and toys by MGA L.O.L., Moose and Super Impulse with our brands Mentos, Chupa Chups and Airheads.

What are the biggest trends – challenges or opportunities – facing licensing and retail?

Our licensing business is very much global, so we are still affected by the consequences of the pandemic and also challenged by the uncertainty and impact that is provoked by the geopolitical situation. Trend-wise, the talk of the licensing town is all about the NFT/Metaverse business opportunities and sustainability policies. We are dedicating resources to understanding the business model, the trademark protection issues and how we can best fit in with our brands.

And what are the biggest trends across the food and beverage category?

We are seeing a huge appetite in the F&B aisles for innovative collaborations. Teaming up with trusted brands from adjacent food categories is an excellent way to offer novelty to the market.

On the other hand, there is an increasing need to pursue wellness and offer products that can cater to the need to indulge in a healthier way, which is why we advocate to develop better-for-you treats in the combined R&D efforts of our licensed products.

An area where we see a big growth potential is the protein category, in which we are exploring opportunities with leading companies for several brands at the moment.

Are you exhibiting at Licensing Expo for the first time? If so, what are you hoping to achieve from being on the show floor?

We have been visiting Licensing Expo for many years and have always had a presence through the first-in-class agencies who represent us in the USA: Seltzer Licensing for Airheads and Lisa Marks for Mentos and Chupa Chups. As it has become such a global showcase, we have started to exhibit with a corporate Perfetti Van Melle booth, too.

What excites you about returning to an in-person Licensing Expo?

There’s nothing like walking the aisles of the Expo to get a feel for what’s relevant in the ever-changing licensing scene. We also adore the opportunity to offer our business partners a sneak peek at our latest artwork developments, which we are renowned for. And we will admit, we do love to discuss business face to face with a smile!

What can visitors expect to see on your stand?

This year the star of the show will be Mentos, our most global and well-known brand. Visitors will be able to check out the colourful and trendy art assets we can offer with Mentos and examples of successful international launches, such as the one with Mentos & Sally Hansen. And as usual, there will be a splash of colour that transmits the fun of our brands and a treat for all is guaranteed!

Perfetti Van Melle will be at Bayside Exhibit Hall – Level 1 — D136 at Licensing Expo 2022, 24–26 May, Mandalay Bay Convention Center, Las Vegas.

 

Honda Motor Europe signs with Faster Brands

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Automotive and entertainment specialist Faster Brands has signed an agreement to represent Honda Motor Europe for the UK and Europe. The agency will source new licensed partnerships and collaborations for Honda across all major categories.

Faster Brands MD Chris Parkes says: “The Honda name is recognised the world over and I am proud to welcome such a prestigious brand to our client list. Work has already started on developing a strategic licensing plan and we will shortly be welcoming interest from potential partners in high-end lifestyle and fashion apparel.

“Faster Brands is excited about helping Honda celebrate its amazing heritage as well as on its journey towards becoming net-zero.”

 

The Point.1888 to represent YouTube hit Super Sema in the UK and Eire

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Retail-first licensing agent The Point.1888 has been appointed as the UK & Eire licensing agency for the YouTube Originals series Super Sema.

The animated children’s series, produced by Lupita Nyong’o, is the world’s first series focused on an African kid superhero. The Point.1888 has been brought on by edutainment company Kukua to manage the property’s licensing programme for UK & Eire and to focus on retail initiatives across all categories.

This follows the announcement that UTA will be representing the brand in the North America. Early response to the brand from potential partners across toy, apparel and publishing has reportedly been phenomenal, with retailers very excited about showcasing the property.

This announcement follows The Point.1888’s successful work in building and delivering licensing programmes with other YouTube hits such as Cocomelon, Blippi and Morphle as EMEA Master Agent.

The Super Sema animated series features the world-changing, STEAM-fuelled adventures of a 10-year-old African girl, Sema, and her twin brother MB on a mission to protect their village from a heartless A.I. robot villain. The series is produced by Kukua, with a female-led team that includes chief executive officer Lucrezia Bisignani and actress and children’s author Lupita Nyong’o.

Super Sema‘s first season of 20 five-minute episodes premiered as a YouTube Originals series in March 2021. Its second season will debut this summer, accompanied by a series of educational videos that help kids further explore the STEAM themes and topics from the animated series.

Bethan Garton, CCO at The Point.1888, says: “Super Sema is an incredibly powerful series which embodies strength, curiosity, innovation and confidence. We’re thrilled to be able to play a part in delivering an inspiring role model to kids throughout the UK via product. The team at Kukua have worked to deliver an outstanding property and we can’t wait for more kids to discover Sema and her world.”

Lucrezia Bisignani, CEO of Kukua, adds: “We’re committed to build a franchise that is fuelled by diversity, kid-power, STEAM skills and creativity. One that encourages children to think outside the box, to ask WHY, to care for others and their planet, to celebrate diversity and to become tomorrow’s change makers. A franchise that allows children to bring what they learn on screen into the real world, and the other way around – and to make, create and technovate inventions and solutions for problems that matter and for which we believe this generation of children is uniquely equipped to help solve.

“We look forward to partnering with like-minded and best-in-class licensing and publishing partners to continue to entertain and empower a generation of children.”

 

McLaren Racing signs memorabilia licence agreement with The Memento Group

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The Memento Group (TMG), the UK-based sports licensing, retail and memorabilia business, has confirmed a new multi-year licence agreement with Formula 1  team McLaren Racing allowing authentic, race-used memorabilia to be sold through www.f1authentics.com – F1’s official memorabilia platform.

The multi-year licence agreement will extend the relationship between McLaren Racing and The Memento Group until the end of the 2024 F1 season and is the largest commitment the F1 team has made to date to the F1 Authentics ecommerce platform.

Under the terms of the agreement, McLaren Racing will release official components and bodywork for the first time alongside heritage items and racewear pieces that have been available on F1 Authentics since 2019.

Barry Gough, CEO of The Memento Group (TMG), owners of F1 Authentics, says: “McLaren is a name steeped in F1 history. It is the second most successful Formula One team having won 12 Drivers’ Championships, eight Constructors’ Championships, and 183 races – one of which was claimed as part of a fantastic 1-2 at last season’s Italian Grand Prix.

“As a team on the rise, and one with an extremely loyal fan base, this is a great time to enhance our partnership. It marks an important step in giving those fans exclusive access to authentic merchandise, the latest memorabilia and for the first time ever, race-used McLaren car parts and bodywork.”

Lindsey Eckhouse, Director of Licensing, eCommerce & esports at McLaren Racing, adds: “We are delighted to be extending our relationship with the Memento Group and F1 Authentics. The addition of official components and bodywork, which will be available for fans to purchase for the first time, allows us to give components a new lease of life and supports our mission to provide positive solutions to sustainability, through our people, technology, processes, operations and partners.”

F1 Authentics launched in 2019 and includes an online shop and auction featuring past and present F1 memorabilia, such as used race wear as well as bespoke show cars and restored ex-race cars. Each item of memorabilia features an authentic hologram that can be digitally registered.

Working directly with F1 teams and drivers, F1 Authentics also presents official licensed products. The Memento Group holds licence agreements with the following F1 teams: Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team, McLaren Racing, Alpine F1 Team, Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One Team, Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN & Haas F1 Team.

For official McLaren Racing memorabilia and more visit www.f1authentics.com.

 

Licensing International and Spielwarenmesse to launch joint licensing fair

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Spielwarenmesse eG and Licensing International have announced a co-branded event that combines their skillsets to provide the German-speaking region with a licensing event of its own. Licensing-X Germany will offer the licensing sector across Germany, Austria and Switzerland a new platform and will coincide with Insights-X, the established stationery event, from 5 to 7 October 2022 at the Nuremberg Exhibition Centre. 

“With Licensing-X Germany, we are building our portfolio in a market that shows strong growth, that we are very familiar with, and that is active in many different sectors,” says Christian Ulrich, Spokesperson of the Executive Board, about the new launch by Spielwarenmesse eG. According to Licensing International, global sales of licensed goods and services amount to some US$ 293 billion, of which about US$ 11 billion are accounted for by the German market. This diverse spectrum includes product categories such as clothing, toys, fashion accessories, video games, home decoration, foods, footwear, cosmetics, sports and gifts.

Founded in 1985, Licensing International has had an active presence in Germany since 2001 through its LicenseMarket event. “Our primary mission is to grow awareness of the licensing industry worldwide, along with its many benefits,” says Maura J. Regan, President of Licensing International. “Licensing-X Germany will foster growth and expansion in Germany as we continue to align with key practitioners across the licensing community at large.”

Through this new licensing event, Spielwarenmesse eG is expanding its existing partnership with Licensing International. “Our shared objective is to be the leading platform for the licensing business in the German-speaking region,” says Peter Hollo, who is responsible for Licensing International’s activities in Germany.

Licensing-X Germany will build on the success of LicenseMarket and introduce new programming and networking opportunities across categories for the entire licensing industry. New trends in the market, including streaming services and NFTs, will be a focus as the event highlights licensing opportunities on the horizon.

UNIQLO and Blue Note Records team for t-shirt collection

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Blue Note Records and UNIQLO have teamed up once again for a new UT t-shirt collection featuring five new designs based on iconic Blue Note album covers that were selected by Blue Note President and GRAMMY-winning producer Don Was.

Brokered by Universal Music Group’s merchandising division, Bravado, via their team in Japan, the new UT collection is on sale today in UNIQLO stores worldwide and online at bluenote.lnk.to/uniqlo.

“We’re thrilled to team up with UNIQLO on this new UT collection that lets fans adorn themselves in the visionary designs of Reid Miles,” says Was. “In the 1950s and 60s Reid created an enduringly hip Blue Note aesthetic with album covers that were themselves works of art, and we hope new generations will discover his genius through UT.”

This is Blue Note’s fourth collaboration with UNIQLO and the second volume of the popular UT collection that was launched last year. UT asked Was to select 30 “Essential” Blue Note album covers from which the UT designers carefully selected the seven designs released in 2021 and the five additional designs featured in this new collection: Lee Morgan’s Cornbread and The Rumproller, Freddie Hubbard’s Hub-Tones, Andrew Hill’s Judgment, and Eric Dolphy’s Out To Lunch.

To celebrate the collaboration Blue Note has updated the official playlist BLUE NOTE MEETS UT, which was specially curated by Was for this collaboration.

Sesame Street Educational Play Centers come to Korea

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Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit media and education organisation, is launching its first in a series of Sesame Street-themed Educational Play Centers (EPCs), interactive location-based experiences for young children that foster playful learning. Partnering with AVECS Creative Group, a Seoul-based agency, the first EPC will open in the new LOTTE Department Store Dongtan in Gyeonggi Province on 18 March.

“Sesame Street Learn & Play” is the first of five EPCs that Sesame Workshop and AVECS Creative Group will launch across Korea over the next five years. Research has shown that children learn best through play as they are cognitively, physically and socially engaged in activities that they’re interested in, and play provides opportunities to try new things.

Classes include Cooking, Science, Art, Music & Dance, and Messy Sensory Play. Décor features Sesame Street’s much-loved colourful characters and iconic scenery, making for a welcoming and immersive experience.

“We are thrilled to be launching Sesame Workshop’s first Educational Play Center in South Korea, where Sesame Street has been a beloved and recognised brand for many years,” says Will DePippo, Senior Director of Asia Pacific, Sesame Workshop. “We know that playful learning boosts academic skills, as well as physical and social-emotional development. Combining our 50+ years of producing world-renowned educational content and themed attractions with AVECS’ industry-leading expertise in building best-in-class experiential offerings locally, we are expanding our efforts to help South Korean children become creative and engaged learners for life.”

Sesame Street is available in South Korea on free-to-air public broadcaster EBS and via Pay-TV on CJ E&M. Sesame Street content can also be seen through the LG Smart TV app as well as on Coupang Play, a major Korean streaming platform.

“We are excited to partner with Sesame Workshop to present the world’s first Educational Play Center in South Korea,” says Park Hong-bin, CEO of AVECS Creative Group. “Sesame Street Learn & Play Center is a unique multi-educational play facility for children of all ages – offering fun-filled activities, recreation and play in an environment based on the philosophy of the household education brand that all Koreans love and trust – Sesame Street.”

As location-based entertainment and demand for in-person experiences continue to grow globally, Sesame Workshop is creating a variety of in-person engagement opportunities for kids and their families. The Sesame Street EPC offers a “Learn through Play” model with activities such as skills classes, interactive play experiences, and Sesame Street character interactions, in addition to food and beverage, and merchandising possibilities.

“Our goal at Sesame Street Learn & Play is for kids to have a positive, playful learning experience, inspiring them to become lifelong learners and helping them thrive in all aspects of their growth,” comments Choi Soung-ah, Executive Vice President, AVECS Creative Group. “We want all kids to leave the center feeling like they were successful.”

 

The Insights Family voted number one MarTech50 company outside of London

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The Insights Family has been named the number one MarTech50 company outside of London, as well as fourth in the whole of the UK. The shortlist was made up of 115 firms.

Following a combination of a 1,500-strong reader vote and judgement by a series of industry experts, The Insights Family placed at number 4 in the BusinessCloud MarTech50 list, which celebrates the UK’s most innovative technology for marketing.

Nick Richardson, CEO of The Insights Family, says: “This is a fantastic achievement for every member of the team who have worked so hard to create such an incredible suite of products. Given the innovative and disruptive approach that our team have had since we launched in 2017, our ranking is timely as we prepare to launch our fifth iteration of our ground-breaking and award-winning portal in April.”

Jonathan Symcox, editor at BusinessCloud, commented: “The Insights Family is an impressive business we have watched grow for some time now. Its status as the most innovative UK MarTech50 business outside of London is well deserved.”

The Insights Family has also been selected by the DIT to become an Export Champion and has been shortlisted for a number of other prestigious awards in recognition for its company culture and graduate scheme.

The Insights Family, which is based in Manchester city centre, continues to expand, now operating in 22 countries across six continents. The company has achieved consecutive triple-digit growth and is actively recruiting for a number of roles across business development, account management, marketing, development and data science. For more information on these roles visit: https://theinsightsfamily.com/about/careers

See the full rankings here: https://businesscloud.co.uk/martech-50-uks-most-innovative-marketing-technology-creators-for-2022/

The Insights Family expands into new markets

Merlin Entertainments to bring Jumanji brand to life

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Merlin Entertainments, a global leader in location-based entertainment with brands including LEGOLAND, Madame Tussauds and SEA LIFE, has entered into a formal multi-territory exclusivity agreement with Sony Pictures Entertainment to develop and operate attractions, rides, lands, retail outlets and themed hotel rooms based on the studio’s box office hit Jumanji film franchise across Merlin’s Resort Theme Parks and Waterparks in Europe (including the UK) and North America.

The first Jumanji experience to be launched as part of the agreement will be the world’s first Jumanji ride, which will open in April this year at Merlin’s Gardaland Resort in Italy, with a second activation already in development at a different theme park for a 2023 launch.

Merlin is teaming up with Oceaneering and Framestore for the development of the Jumanji ride at Gardaland. The attraction will be called “Jumanji – the Adventure” and will transport guests to the fantastic world of Jumanji, where an exhilarating adventure awaits them: a journey full of pitfalls, surprises and dangers through the wild jungle. The new “Jumanji – the Adventure” attraction will be a dark ride for adventure lovers of all ages, designed to appeal to a wide audience of families, teenagers and young adults. “Jumanji – the Adventure” will open in April 2022, and will be complemented by the simultaneous launch of fully themed Jumanji hotel bedrooms.

The deal supports Merlin’s broader global strategy to engage and work with leading IP and brands across its global estate, with existing successful partnerships including LEGO, Marvel, Peppa Pig and CBeebies. The agreement is also a pivotal step in Sony Pictures’ larger global strategy to grow and expand location-based entertainment by utilising its strong global film and TV brands to create opportunities for audiences around the world to immerse themselves deeper into the studio’s stories.

The collaboration further builds on Merlin’s successful relationship with Sony Pictures Entertainment, which has already seen the previous roll out of two “in-attraction” themed experiences including the Ghostbusters 5D ride at Heide Park in Germany and the Ghostbusters experience at Madame Tussauds New York.

Chief Development Officer for Merlin Entertainments, Mark Fisher, says: “We are excited to be taking our relationship with Sony Pictures Entertainment to the next level with this strategic partnership. Sony are one of the top movie companies on the planet and Jumanji is a multi-billion-dollar brand which has appealed to guests of all ages for over two decades. Our Merlin team are already hard at work developing brilliant creative concepts, which will bring to life the blockbuster-famous Jumanji film across our Theme Parks and Waterparks. We can’t wait to deliver thrilling rides and experiences for guests and film fans alike. The game is certainly on!”

Jeffrey Godsick, EVP of Global Partnerships and Brand Management and Head of Location Based Entertainment at Sony Pictures Entertainment, adds: “Merlin is the ideal company to bring the world of Jumanji to life.  Their commitment to strong storytelling, quality of craftsmanship and fantastic guest experiences ensure that fans of Jumanji will be fully immersed into the worlds of our films and have an unforgettable experience. I am very pleased to expand our relationship with the great team at Merlin.”

Ranked Europe’s top and the world’s second-largest tourist attraction operator, Merlin runs more than 135 tourist attractions in 24 countries across Europe, America, Asia and Oceania.

Following on from the original Robin Williams film in 1995, the adventure continues in the brand-new film Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017) and Jumanji: The Next Level (2019), starring Dwayne Johnson, Jack Black, Kevin Hart and Karen Gillan. The film franchise’s continued success has made it Sony’s biggest wholly owned film franchise of all time. Taking over $2.1bn at the global box office, the Jumanji film franchises are popular with both family and teenage audiences globally.

SEGA and Hype. announce Sonic the Hedgehog collection

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SEGA Europe and UK lifestyle brand HYPE. have announced an all-new line of licensed clothing and accessories celebrating SEGA’s entertainment icon, Sonic the Hedgehog. Featuring designs inspired by the high-octane speedster himself, the HYPE. x Sonic the Hedgehog capsule collection includes adult and children’s apparel and accessories for Sonic fans of all ages.

The 30-piece range celebrates the globally-recognised traditional Sonic the Hedgehog colour palette, with a monochrome theme and neon accents, fusing HYPE.’s signature contemporary silhouette shapes with Sonic’s Japanese-inspired roots to create everyday statement looks.

The line features fan-favourite Sonic the Hedgehog characters including Sonic, Super Sonic, Knuckles, Tails, Shadow and Amy, entwined in HYPE.’s iconic tie-dye, gradient fade, galaxy and graffiti-spray-inspired prints.

With a diverse range of clothing items including hoodies, joggers, t-shirts and leggings, as well as a uniquely designed bowling shirt featuring a soon-to-be-iconic print in a monochrome theme with a contrasting collar (wear it oversized to get creative this layering season), Sonic fans can easily create a speedy statement look.

Additionally, fans of the Blue Blur can level up their on-the-go gear with the HYPE. x Sonic accessories, transporting their essentials in a standout backpack matching the apparel’s core prints and designs. Also available are two pencil cases boasting enlarged graphics and character placements.

The collection launches exclusively at HYPE.’s Carnaby London store, via justHYPE.com and selected retailers worldwide on the 31 March 2022.