Category Archives: Highlight

Milo named Best Children’s Series at the British Animation Awards

Posted on by

Milo, the preschool TV series produced by Fourth Wall in association with DeAPlaneta Entertainment, has won the 2022 Best Children’s Series at the British Animation Awards. 

Since launching in the UK on Channel 5’s Milkshake!, Milo has enjoyed high ratings and is also available on the broadcaster’s on-demand platform My5.

The series has reached 1m kids aged between 4 and 15 and 3.3 million individuals aged 4+ in the UK. Overall, Milo achieved an average audience of 53k and a 17% share. Milo already has more than 4 million views on its official YouTube channel.

The series is also broadcast in Poland (MiniMini+), Italy (DeAJunior), Australia (ABC Kids) and Hungary (MTVA). The show continues to expand across the globe and will launch in China (Senyu) shortly.

Next spring, Milo will land in Latin America (Cartoonito & HBO Max), Finland (YLE), Spain (Clan), Poland (Pulse TV) and the Czech Republic (Česká televise). The series will also receive its free TV launch in Italy (Rai Yoyo) and Sweden (SVT) this summer.

In late March and early April, Milo will be featured alongside other properties at the Bologna Licensing Trade Fair (21-24 March 2022, Bologna), Miptv (4-6 April 2022, Cannes) and Cobrandz (7-8 April 2022, Paris).

Milo (52 x 11′ episodes) is bright, colourful and brings a contemporary graphic style to the small screen. Together with his best friends Lofty and Lark, Milo uses role-play to explore the wonderful world of vocations, from doctors and mechanics to hairdressers, chefs and postal workers, introducing preschoolers to a variety of professions in a positive and entertaining way.

DeAPlaneta Entertainment holds and manages worldwide consumer product rights to the series and is working with Lisle Licensing in the UK to build a strong brand presence and licensing programme.

Tweety’s 80th anniversary celebrations take flight

Posted on by

WarnerMedia Global Brands and Experiences (WMGBE) is reminding the world that Tweety is no ordinary canary by launching an 80th anniversary celebration on a global scale.

As one of Looney Tunes’ most beloved characters, Tweety is known for being unflappable and unapologetically authentic. WMGBE has commissioned a diverse group of artists worldwide to design 80 original murals reflecting Tweety’s rich history and dynamic personality.

The “80 Years of Tweety” campaign kicked off in Austin at SXSW 2022 on March 11, where the first group of murals officially debuted. The anniversary honours will continue throughout the year across the Studio with new Tweety content from HBOMax, WarnerMedia Kids & Family, along with new themed experiences and collections from Warner Bros. Consumer Products. The celebration will culminate on Tweety’s birthday on November 21, 2022.

Free for everyone to enjoy, the Tweety-themed works of art will appear in the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Poland, Spain, Italy, Mexico, Brazil, United Arab Emirates and more. In the United States, Tweety murals will be seen in more than 30 cities. To track where to find Tweety murals, as well as all things Tweety, visit Tweety’s Anniversary website.

“For eighty years, Tweety has marched to the beat of his own drum, inherently representing what it means to be unapologetically yourself. His endearing personality has made him a pop culture favourite and he’s known for making appearances in the most unexpected ways,” says Pam Lifford, President, WarnerMedia Global Brands and Experiences.

“As a key member of the Looney Tunes franchise, we definitely wanted to celebrate Tweety’s 80th in a big way and are excited for the year-long celebration ahead. Keep your eyes out for him to pop up anywhere, from fashion to collectibles and more.”

To complete the murals, WMGBE collaborated with 16 artists, each with a different take on the tiny hero. Tweety’s signature yellow colour runs through the designs, but the artists’ different styles will make each one unique. Artists have been selected through the lens of diversity across different countries, artistic mediums and expressions, ethnicities, genders and sexualities.

In addition to the murals, Tweety’s 80th Anniversary celebration features products, content, experiences and more, including:

  • Warner Bros. Consumer Products (WBCP) will announce new offerings and partnerships across all categories (fashion, collectibles, beauty, and more) throughout the year. Available now only on WBCP’s Looney Tunes Shop is the all-new Tweety’s 80th Mural Collection. The collection is set to feature a number of the 80 Tweety-inspired mural designs on a unique selection of merchandise and apparel. The ultimate fan destination to celebrate Tweety, the Looney Tunes Shop will unveil product drops throughout the year, including merchandise with Tweety mural designs yet to be revealed, leading up to Tweety’s birthday on November 21, 2022.
  • Loungefly has produced a Tweety 80th Anniversary Plush Backpack. The front features Tweety’s unmistakable shape, featuring wings on the front zipped compartment that move back and forth ($80.00). Also available is a Tweety and Sylvester 80th Anniversary Zip Around Wallet ($40.00). Available now, both products feature Tweety 80th Anniversary motif on the inside lining, along with vegan leather.
  • Available now, the Ugly Dukling x Tweety Bird Collection is a limited-edition, box collection of luxury 3D magnetic eyelashes featuring a special-dose of Tweety. The curated collection features four classic statement style lashes named “Tweety Pie,” “Tweety Bird,” “Looney Luxury Lashes” and “I Tawt I Taw a Puddy Tat!” Presented in Tweety-themed keepsake packaging, the collection continues Ugly Dukling Beauty’s tradition of high quality, hand crafted seven-magnet eyelashes.
  • Warner Bros. Themed Entertainment will be joining in on the festivities for Tweety’s birthday with exclusive murals around the world including at Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi, Warner Bros. Movie World in Australia, and Parque Warner Madrid.
  • HBO Max: Tweety continues to star in the hit Looney Tunes Cartoons animated series from Warner Bros. Animation now streaming on HBO Max. New episodes will debut from the Max Original series throughout the year in celebration of the beloved yellow canary.
  • Cartoonito: This summer, Tweety will star alongside fellow Looney Tunes characters in Bugs Bunny Builders, a new preschool animated series produced by Warner Bros. Animation, coming to Cartoonito on HBO Max and Cartoon Network.

 

Marvel teams with The Prince’s Trust to give aspiring designers their first break

Posted on by

Marvel has announced the launch of its first ever Marvel & The Prince’s Trust collection, created in collaboration with the youth charity.

Disney partnered with The Prince’s Trust on a two-week programme to give young aspiring designers the opportunity to break into the world of fashion and product design by pairing each participant with a mentor and hosting a series of exclusive, in-depth workshops.

This culminated in the aspiring designers creating two Marvel-inspired product ranges. The first, which spotlights Marvel’s The Avengers, features products with design influences from American street culture and sports after exploring current trends in the market, taking into consideration the themes of inclusivity as well as being inspired by the teamwork of Marvel’s super heroes. The collection will be available to purchase from The Disney Store and online from today at shopDisney.co.uk in the UK and across Europe.

This gender neutral collection features a range of products including The Prince’s Trust Avengers Hooded Sweatshirt (£45), The Prince’s Trust Marvel Avengers Backpack (£38), The Prince’s Trust Marvel Avengers Beanie (£20), and The Princes Trust Leather Journal and Pen (£40).

This year’s course, Get Started in Product Design with Marvel, was the first in the three-year partnership focused on providing nine young people, aged 16-30, with the change to design two Marvel product ranges with the support and mentorship of Disney’s designers.

The second range, celebrating female super heroes from across the Marvel Cinematic Universe, will go on sale later in the year – also exclusively on shopDisney.

 

 

FuturumKids and Monster Entertainment bring Paddles to Australia

Posted on by

Animation and media company FuturumKids, whose new CGI show for four-to-seven-year-olds, Paddles, has launched in a number of markets, has announced its arrival in its first major market outside Europe with a deal to show Paddles on the Stan streaming service in Australia.

Stan is a video-on-demand subscription service that provides its customers with access to a wide range of movies, television programmes, sports and other audio-visual content. This includes original productions and high-quality acquisitions, notably in children’s programming, where Stan has been building a strong portfolio of quality kids’ content.

With its wide availability on multiple devices, Stan has the fastest subscription growth rate of any streaming service in Australia. The show will launch on the Australian network in the autumn, boosting the fast-growing presence of the lovable polar bear in multiple markets.

The deal was brokered by brand management company Monster Entertainment, which last year signed a global distribution deal for Paddles. Monster Entertainment will focus on bringing Paddles to new territories around the world except Korea, which will be managed by local company Neon.

Paddles, a 52 x 11 series, tells the story of a polar bear cub who accidentally finds himself in Ireland – and is brought up by a pack of Irish wolfhounds.

This deal is the latest stage in the broadcast and merchandising development of Paddles, whose makers include members of the team behind the seven-time Emmy-award-winning children’s series Jakers! FuturumKids also contains senior figures from HIT Entertainment and its global franchises Bob the Builder, Barney and Thomas and Friends.

Paddles has already been sold to Cartoonito UK and launched on Ireland’s RTE with more major broadcast deals imminent. The Futurum team will be building on this success at MIPTV, where it expects to see strong interest in the show, which is also making inroads into the licensing arena.

As well as distribution deals with Monster and Neon, an e-commerce venture for plush is in the works, with a merchandising strategy already in place. This is led by Niall Watters, formerly Head of Brand Partnerships at ChannelSight, a leading e-commerce intelligence and performance optimisation platform. He is now Head of Commercial at Futurum Group and building a merchandising strategy that will start by bringing specially developed Paddles plush and other items to market at the same time as the show launches in a number of countries.

The first range of Paddles licensing and merchandising products is already on the way and a number of other deals are to be announced in the runup to MIPTV.

Brendan Kelly, Head of Sales at FuturumKids, says: “There’s always a very strong demand for preschool entertainment but it takes something special to attract the attention of a streaming service like Stan, which is focusing on building a portfolio of quality kids’ shows. We believe Paddles perfectly fits this aim and are thrilled that Monster Entertainment has brokered this deal with a leading name in Australia’s VoD market.”

River Island and Barbie launch Just Be EXTRA! collection

Posted on by

Barbie – the world’s number-one fashion doll – and high street retailer River Island have teamed up for the second time for another fashionable kidswear collection.

The new collection is inspired by the Barbie EXTRA bold statement fashion dolls, with a range of apparel that includes playful and over-the-top slogan t-shirts, iconic matching lounge sets and more.

The ‘Just Be EXTRA!’ collection marks the second collaboration for the brands, following the sell-out success of their first partnership.

River Island says: “Let your little girl reach for the stars and rock her own unique style with our second RI X Barbie collection. Being a girl has no limits and neither do her clothes. More is always more!”

The collection campaign includes an influencer takeover on River Island’s social channels.

Barbie x River Island is available in 67 stores and online. The range is aimed at girls aged 3-16 years, with prices starting from RRP £15.

 

Winners announced for British Animation Awards

Posted on by

The winners have been announced for the British Animation Awards 2022 at a ceremony held last night at London’s BFI Southbank, presented by comedian Miles Jupp and sponsored by Hanna Barbera Studios Europe. 

Now in their 26th year, the British Animation Awards (BAAs) attract the great and the good from one of the nation’s most successful creative industries to this biennial celebration of their craft.

Gathering momentum ahead of the Academy Awards later this month, Britain’s two Oscar-nominated short films Affairs of the Art and Robin Robin were triumphant in their categories, with Affairs of the Art picking up three awards: Best Short Film, Writers Award and Best Voice Performance (for 86-year-old Little Britain star Menna Trussler as ‘Beryl’).

Created by film-making partners Joanna Quinn and Les Mills, Affairs of the Art continues the story of larger-than-life Welsh housewife Beryl who has artistic ambitions on a grand scale. Meanwhile Robin Robin, Aardman Animations’ Netflix Original film about an optimistic robin raised by a family of mice, won the award for Best Original Music for its score written by The Bookshop Band (Ben Please and Beth Porter).

London-based animation studio Magic Light Pictures was successful in two categories, with BBC One Christmas special Zog and the Flying Doctors winning for Best Use of Sound and Milkshake! and Sky Kids series Pip and Posy picking up the award for Best Children’s Pre-School.  Meanwhile, the Best Children’s category was won by Fourth Wall’s feline-focused series Milo, also shown on Channel 5’s Milkshake!

One of the closest-fought categories of the night was the prestigious Best Long Form category, which saw victory for Locksmith Animation’s debut feature Ron’s Gone Wrong. Directed by Jean-Phillipe Vine, Sarah Smith and Octavio E Rodriguez, the film tells the story of a socially awkward middle-schooler who befriends a defective robot.

Best Animation in a Commercial category was won by Airwick for its Breath of Nature campaign, directed by Peter Szewczyk of Nerd Productions, while animator Ged Haney took home the Best Music Video Award for Rocket Freudental’s ‘Der Stuhlkreis’.

 A hard-hitting film featuring the voices of some of Hollywood’s hottest stars picked up the award for Best Factual award. Save Ralph, an animated short film about the cruelty of testing on animals, produced for the Humane Society International, was written and directed by Spencer Susser and features the voices of Taika Waititi, Ricky Gervais, Zac Efron and Oliver Munn.

Meanwhile, the Social Good category was won by Typically, a film aiming to remove the taboo surrounding periods, produced for period poverty charity Bloody Good Period and directed by Anna Ginsburg and Caitlin McCarthy.

In two of the new categories for 2022, the Best Immersive Animation award was picked up by Grant Berry and Dane Winn’s The Beast, while the Wildcard category was won by Osbert Parker’s Timeline.

Continuing to challenge the status quo, the Cutting-Edge award was won by Jamie Jay Johnson and Asa Movshovitz’s E4 series about a role-playing fantasy game, Dead Pixels. And this year’s Design Award was won by Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey, a Netflix Original directed by Ian Spendloff, with VFX by Lucy Hare.

Some of the leading British animation courses were represented in the Best Undergraduate and Best Postgraduate Student film categories, including nominees from Falmouth University School of Film and Television, University of Creative Arts in Farnham, Arts University Bournemouth, Royal College of Arts London and National Film & Television School. The winners were Renee Zahn’s (NFTS) O Black Hotel! for Best Postgraduate Student Film and Miles Jezuita’s (Arts University Bournemouth) Suburb for Best Undergraduate Student Film.

Introduced in 2020, The Lamb Award bridges the gap between current categories which recognise student achievements and general best-in-class awards, and is open to any young professionals working in the animation and VFX industry. The winner of the 2022 Lamb Award is Production Coordinator Hodan Abdi, who was nominated by Illuminated Films.

Three awards on the night were decided by members of the public, voting for their favourites in a special online poll.  The winners of these audience awards were:  Tony Comley’s Time to Recover for Best Music Video, Uri Lotan’s Black Slide for Best Short Film and Sky Kids’ hit children’s series The Brilliant World of Tom Gates for the Children’s Choice Award.

The awards themselves (the BAAs) are unique artworks, featuring sheep, created especially for the occasion by a range of leading international and UK animation artists. This year’s awards include designs by author/illustrators Liz Pichon and Rachel Bright and legendary film-maker Terry Gilliam.

BAA Director Helen Brunsdon and Producer Kieran Argo said: “We have been amazed at the quality of the entrants for this year’s British Animation Awards and would like to offer our heartfelt congratulations to all the winners and nominees.  After a particularly tough couple of years animation continues to be one of the most productive and creative industries in the UK”.

The BAAs are the only awards to recognise all forms of animation and reward the work of both new and established animators across all aspects of the UK Animation scene, from student work to commercials, children’s entertainment, short and experiential films, music videos and new technologies.

 

Bushmills Irish Whiskey is named the official tipple of Peaky Blinders

Posted on by

Bushmills Irish Whiskey – from the world’s oldest licensed whiskey distillery – has announced its designation as the Official Whiskey of the Peaky Blinders TV show, and preferred sipper of the notorious Shelby Family.

The partnership with Endemol Shine North America (a Banijay company), and Peaky Blinders’ official brand owner and series producer, Caryn Mandabach Productions, launches just in time for St. Patrick’s Day and will extend through 2022.

“The motivations of the Shelbys are those of family, loyalty and perseverance, which are the same qualities that have put Bushmills at the forefront of whiskey making for hundreds of years,” says Lander Otegui, Senior Vice President of Marketing at Proximo Spirits, Bushmills’ brand owner. “Over the course of our partnership, we are excited to connect with a new, dynamic generation of whiskey drinkers through collaborative content and experiences that speak to the history and heart of our brand.”

To kick off the partnership, U.S. fans of Bushmills Irish Whiskey and of the Peaky Blinders TV show can order a Shelby Sour from their local bar between now and 17 March, and Bushmills will cover the cost. The cocktail, inspired by Tommy Shelby, features sweet and fruity flavours, balanced by the smooth, warm finish of Bushmills Original Whiskey. Head to www.Bushmills.com/Shelby for official terms and conditions of the offer, the Shelby Sour recipe and an exclusive sneak peek into Bushmills’ next release.

“What better way to welcome Bushmills as the Official Whiskey of the Peaky Blinders TV series than with a free whiskey cocktail for our loyal fans,” says Scott Shillet, Vice President of Licensing at Endemol Shine North America. “We’re excited to give our extended Shelby family a first taste of the partnership this St. Patrick’s Day as they eagerly await the sixth and final season of the hit show.”

Throughout the year, Bushmills, Endemol Shine North America and Caryn Mandabach Productions will connect with U.S. consumers through a full-scale promotion featuring co-branded content, a national advertising campaign and live experiential moments.

 

 

 

 

Genius Brands appoints Brands with Influence as UK agent

Posted on by

Genius Brands International has appointed award-winning agency Brands with Influence as its exclusive licensing agent in the U.K. for the Company’s portfolio of IP.

Brands with Influence will be responsible for creating licensing, merchandising and retail programmes for Genius Brands’ slate of properties, including the Stan Lee brand, from the legendary Marvel creator, which the global media children’s company manages and controls following a joint venture announced in 2020 with Stan Lee’s POW! Entertainment.

Additional IP from the Genius Brands’ catalogue that Brands with Influence will represent include Stan Lee’s Superhero Kindergarten, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Rainbow Rangers, and more.

Genius Brands’ Chief Brand Officer Kerry Phelan says: “Stan Lee is a global icon who inspirational messages of hope, diversity and inclusivity have resonated globally for decades. It is of vital importance to us to find partners that understand our vision for the Stan Lee brand and can be trusted to deliver on Stan’s values and lasting legacy. We are thrilled to bring Brands with Influence on board to develop programmes across the U.K. for Stan Lee and our entire portfolio of brands and look forward to more exciting developments in the months to come.”

Martin Lowde, MD Brands with Influence, says: “Like millions across the world, we are massive fans of the legendary work of Stan Lee – he is the ‘Godfather of Marvel Comics’. We look forward to working with Kerry and the Genius Brands team to create a consumer products programme that honours his legacy, as well as developing unique programmes for their library of original children’s brands.”

Fender and Mattel collaborate for one-of-a-kind Hot Wheels collection

Posted on by

Fender Musical Instruments Corporation’s Fender Custom Shop has announced the launch of a special collaboration with Mattel and Hot Wheels.

Created by the Shop’s team of 11 master builders and five apprentice builders, the Fender Custom Shop Hot Wheels collection consists of 16 one-of-a-kind, bespoke designs inspired by the die-cast vehicles introduced by Mattel in 1968.

Each guitar in the collection is designed with careful attention to unique designs, graphics and Hot Wheels colour shades that stay true to the 1:64 scale cars. In addition, each model comes with a Hot Wheels strap and pick set as well as a custom Hot Wheels Hardshell case, all adorned in the brand’s signature orange and blue, as well as a Hot Wheels die-cast that its associated guitar is inspired by and a certificate of authenticity.

“We’re honoured to be working with Mattel to bring this Hot Wheels collection to life,” says Mike Lewis, VP Product Development, Fender Custom Shop. “For years, we’ve taken a deep source of inspiration from the automobile industry and with such a unique take on cars, Hot Wheels was always a dream partner. Each builder crafted their own guitar with world-class creativity and we can’t wait for people globally to see these collectible products.”page1image15070912

“The Hot Wheels team is thrilled to create such a special collection of guitars with the global leaders of musical instruments at Fender Custom Shop,” says Ted Wu, Global Head of Hot Wheels Design at Mattel. “Both of our brands trace their roots back to California, with Hot Wheels embodying SoCal car culture and Fender synonymous with Los Angeles rock ’n’ roll. We can’t wait for artists and car enthusiasts alike to see these one-of-a-kind designs.”

The collection features a variety of established models, including the Stratocaster, Precision Bass, Telecaster, Jaguar and Katana.

“Hot Wheels rides have been just as much part of our team’s childhood as classic guitars, so getting the opportunity to create one-of-a-kind instruments inspired by some of our favourite cars has been a dream,” says Dennis Galuszka, FCS Master Builder. “Each builder brought their own unique take to the design process, which was influenced by years of childhood nostalgia and the iconic orange track. The final results are works of art that pay tribute to both Fender and Hot Wheels.”

As the bestselling toy in the world, Hot Wheels has become a worldwide powerhouse franchise with live and virtual events on almost every continent, sought-after consumer products and top-tier collaborations, a number-one-rated content channel on YouTube and more. While 16.5 Hot Wheels are sold every second and over 8 billion cars have been sold to date, the brand continues to expand its presence in new ways such as NFTs and digital gaming, with success across mobile, console and PC platforms.page5image15139584

Hot Wheels Collection guitars will be available for purchase at limited dealers. For more information visit www.fendercustomshop.com.

Cityneon wins Lumiere Award for VR Machu Picchu experience

Posted on by

Cityneon‘s VR experience, Machu Picchu and the Spirit of the Condor, has won the Best Use of VR category at the 12th annual Lumiere Awards.

The company was honoured alongside many top industry names in global film, television, and gaming studios in the awards ceremony, held at the Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles, California.

Cityneon’s Machu Picchu and the Spirit of the Condor features the first-ever virtual showcase of the UNESCO World Heritage Site in Peru. Through the utilisation of patented VR motion chairs fully equipped with multi-sensory stimulation features such as high-resolution six degrees of freedom (6-DOF) VR headsets, haptic feedback on the backseats, scent dispensers and unlimited 360-degree rotation, the VR experience is featured as the highlight of the company’s Original Artefact IP Experience – Machu Picchu and the Golden Empires of Peru.

“We are ecstatic to receive this prestigious award,” says Ron Tan, Executive Chairman & Group CEO of Cityneon Holdings. “This award not only recognises the wonderful potential of virtual reality in capturing the world around us, but it is also a testament to Cityneon’s expertise in innovative technologies that empowers the Group to bring immersive entertainment to a whole new level.”

As a global leader of immersive experiences, Cityneon seeks to capture the imagination of their visitors and deliver compelling experiences that will shape the future of the experience entertainment industry. Their enduring partnerships with global partners such as Disney, Marvel, Hasbro, Universal, Lionsgate, and 20th Century Studios, and the Peruvian and Egyptian governments, drive the company to produce world-class experiences for millions of visitors each year.

Machu Picchu and the Golden Empires of Peru launched last October at the Boca Raton Museum of Art in Florida and the experience will be travelling to Paris at the City of Architecture and Heritage, Palais de Chaillot, on 16 April 2022. The Group also launched the world premiere of Ramses the Great and the Gold of the Pharaohs in Houston, Texas, last November.

Apart from the two artefact IPs, the Group also holds studio IP rights including partnerships with 20th Century Studios for Avatar: The Exhibition, Universal Studios for Jurassic World: The Exhibition, Marvel for Marvel Avengers S.T.A.T.I.O.N. – debuting in Tokyo this April – Lionsgate for The Hunger Games: The Exhibition, and Hasbro for Transformers: The Experience.

Cityneon has also recently announced a partnership with Warner Bros. Themed Entertainment to produce two unique global touring themed art experiences inspired by DC Comics and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, slated to launch in 2023.

To support its global endeavours, Cityneon has announced its expansion into Qatar to cater to markets in the Europe, Middle East, and Africa, and the launch of a new R&D facility in Wuxi, China, to further expand its capabilities in entertainment robotics.