Category Archives: Highlight

DC and Warner Bros celebrate International Women’s Day

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To mark International Women’s Day, Warner Bros. Consumer Products and DC have announced new offerings and experiences dedicated to the women of DC. Featuring Wonder Woman at the helm, DC’s roster of powerful women also includes Batgirl, Catwoman, and more. 

Australian activewear label Active Truth has released a Wonder Woman inspired activewear collection. The 18-piece, size-inclusive collection gives women everywhere the opportunity to put on a 2022s version of a superhero cape and activewear and come together to “Break the Bias” on IWD and beyond. The WONDER WOMAN x Active Truth Collection launched globally on Tuesday 1 March, 2022.

Unique Vintage has produced an empowering collection of vintage-inspired pieces celebrating the Women of DC. Released in tandem with International Women’s Day, the line features strong colours and prints in timeless silhouettes. Product offerings include graphic tees, printed dresses, and Super Hero swimwear, available in sizes XS-5X. The collection launches on March 8.

Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi is introducing a new DC Super Hero ‘Batgirl’ who will be making her first appearance at the theme park on International Women’s Day. Joining Batman’s crusade on March 8, Batgirl will be fighting crime with The Dark Knight in Gotham City, just in time for the highly anticipated ladies-only event, ‘Women of Warner’.

Finally, DC is debuting the first Wonder Woman crossover of its kind in decades, by the writers behind Wonder Woman, Nubia & the Amazons, and Wonder Girl and some of the best and brightest artists in the industry.

The long-awaited Wonder Woman event Trial of the Amazons kicks off with Trial of the Amazons Issue #1 from writers Becky Cloonan, Michael Conrad, Vita Ayala, Stephanie Williams, and Joëlle Jones writing and drawing, with artists Elena Casagrande, Laura Braga, and Skylar Partridge, with Nubia and the Amazons #6 to follow.

Participating comic shops will be celebrating the event with three promotional temporary tattoos, each representing a different Amazonian tribe. The first temporary tattoo, representing the Themyscirans, will arrive alongside Trial of the Amazons #1, the opening chapter of the explosive story. The second, representing the Bana-Mighdall, will arrive alongside Nubia & the Amazons #6, the second installment of the seven-part crossover. The third, representing the Esquecida, will arrive alongside Wonder Woman #785 on March 15, part three of Trial of the Amazons.

 

 

Just Play named as master toy licensee for Sesame Street

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Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit educational organisation behind the iconic Sesame Street, has named preschool toy specialist Just Play as its multi-territory master toy licensee for North America, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.

Under this multi-year partnership, Just Play will manufacture and market an expansive array of products featuring beloved Sesame Street characters including Elmo, Cookie Monster, and Abby Cadabby. The company will also support Sesame Workshop’s mission “to help kids grow smarter, stronger and kinder”.

Starting in 2023, Just Play will take the helm and usher in a new era of engaging educational products that will roll-out throughout the year and beyond. Key preschool play patterns and categories including plush, figures, playsets, vehicles, role play/dress up, bath and learning toys will define the new product portfolio.

Just Play will contribute to Sesame Workshop’s social impact efforts by providing funding for vital initiatives that bring critical early learning and support across a broad variety of challenges to children around the world. These initiatives are fundamental to both organisations’ ongoing efforts to help families everywhere thrive.

“We’re thrilled to partner with Just Play and strengthen the Sesame Street brand globally,” says Ed Wells, EVP and Head of Global Media and Education, Sesame Workshop. “Just Play creates fantastic, best-in-class products that delight the whole family. This, coupled with its exceptional retailer and distribution network, and impressive mix of items across multiple categories, make it a natural partner. We’re also mission-aligned: we both create unique and powerful experiences for kids and families to play and learn with their favorite brands. Those deep connections drive everything we do at Sesame Workshop.”

“It’s a privilege to become a central partner to one of the most beloved and respected franchises in the world,” says Sunny Lauridsen, SVP of Licensing and Brand Strategy, Just Play. “Sesame Street is a brand that connected with each of us in our childhood and continues to provide important educational, social and giggle-inducing content for families today. We’re honoured to bring the next generation of toys to market.”

Just Play’s international reach is essential to supporting the growth of Sesame Street globally with its recently opened UK office serving as the hub to EMEA operations, and strategic partnerships in Latin America.

 

Ryan’s Rescue Squad video game launches today

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Publisher of family-friendly interactive entertainment Outright Games, along with Sunlight Entertainment and p.w Games, the gaming division of kids’ entertainment studio pocket.watch, have today launched Ryan’s Rescue Squad, the newest game from global kids’ phenomenon Ryan’s World.

Developed by Stage Clear Studios, the new rescue adventure is available now on Nintendo Switch, Playstation 4, Playstation 5, XBox One, XBox Series X|S, PC and Stadia.

 

Players must step up and rescue Ryan’s friends, who have been captured and transported across different worlds by the evil Dark Titan and his wicked allies, Robo Combo and Packrat.

Key features:

●       Choose your Character – Be Ryan, Combo Panda, Alpha Lexa, or Gus the Gummy Gator

●       Team up – Play together in local 2-player mode

●       Play minigames – Including Bulls Eye, Spaceship Flight, The Floor is Lava and Fire at Will

●       Power Up! – Eat Moe’s pizza to become invincible and more

●       Collect and Customise – Unlock and buy amazing new costumes for your character

A top creator on YouTube, Ryan’s World channels have generated over 68.6 billion lifetime views, and have amassed over 50 million subscribers across 9 channels. The Ryan’s World universe spans everything from toys to toothbrushes, clothes and now a second console video game following on from the  successful Race with Ryan, which was released with Outright Games in 2019. 

Terry Malham, CEO of Outright Games, says: “It was a wonderful experience to work with pocket.watch, p.w Games, and Sunlight Entertainment for our second game together. We’ve upped the fun, colour and excitement for this title and we feel we’ve created an action packed adventure that the family can enjoy playing together, particularly younger players. We can’t wait to share it with everyone.’’

Kerry Tucker, Chief Marketing and Franchise Officer of pocket.watch, adds: “Ryan’s World continues to grow every day, as we strive to create new exciting experiences that fans will love. Ryan is everywhere kids are – including on their favourite game consoles. We love that this is a game families and friends can play together in co-op mode.”

 

 

Super Wings fan stars in special episode on Tiny Pop

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Alpha Animation and Tiny Pop have partnered for a first-ever initiative which offered a lucky Super Wings fan the chance to star in their very own Super Wings episode.

Finnley Hignett, age 5, from Powys, Wales entered the on-air competition, and won the ultimate “money can’t buy” Super Wings prize. He secured himself a starring role within the popular preschool show, and will make his debut as an animated character alongside Jett and friends in a bespoke episode entitled ‘Super Wings’ Super Sidekick’. The duo travel to Shanghai on a special delivery in an episode which teases new themes from the upcoming Season 6, and features new characters including a high-speed train called Tony.

Leading commercial kids’ channel Tiny Pop will premiere the special episode on Sunday 6 March at 12 noon and 5.30pm before it moves to the Pop Player.

Claudia Dalley, Head of Programming for Pop channels, says: “We are thrilled to partner with Alpha on this innovative and industry-leading initiative. It has been fantastic to offer UK fans a true “money can’t buy” prize opportunity to star alongside their favourite characters and we are looking forward airing this very special episode”.

Super Wings first hit UK screens back in 2017 and is now in its sixth consecutive year with dual broadcast partners Tiny Pop and Cartoonito. The popular animated series follows fun-loving Jett and his friends as they deliver packages around the world. It helps preschoolers learn about different cultures and languages, with every episode highlighting the important values of teamwork, friendship and problem solving.

Antoine Erligmann, Vice President International Media, Alpha Animation, adds: “We are delighted to partner with Tiny Pop on this unique, unprecedented and exciting opportunity to engage fans. It is testament to our global Super Wings animation team in developing such bespoke localised content, and bringing this special episode to life for our prize winner Finnley.”

Super Wings Season 6 launches this year on both Cartoonito and Tiny Pop with 40 new episodes. It features a brand new “World Guardians” theme which tasks the Super Wings crew with protecting the environment.

The master toy range from Alpha includes new transforming characters, updated collector packs and a new World Aircraft that transforms into a huge robot, as seen in the animation.

The Tiny Pop special episode complements a series of promotional activations planned to support the franchise in 2022. Super Wings is supported with significant marketing investment extending across multiple platforms, including linear TV sponsorship, digital pre-roll, parental social media, kids’ press and paid influencer activity.

 

McDonalds teams with charities to give away over 500K books this World Book Day

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Research shows one in eight families do not own a book and as the UK’s largest distributor of free books, this World Book Day (3 March) McDonald’s is working to correct that. The restaurant company is teaming up with footballers, football clubs, community hubs and charities to get as many books as possible into the hands of families.

This includes partnering with The Raheem Sterling Foundation to donate 1,500 books to his Foundation centres in Manchester and London. McDonald’s is also teaming up with the Premier League Primary Stars campaign and BBC Children in Need to ensure groups, refuges, and community centres all over the UK can provide some of the hardest to reach families access to the joy of reading this World Book Day.

Visitors to the centres will be able to choose between Mr Silly: My Book About Me or There’s A Wolf In My Book by Tom Fletcher, which can also be collected exclusively in store at McDonald’s restaurants.

Clive Ellington, Chair of The Raheem Sterling Foundation says: “Through our work at the Foundation we want to give families resources they may not otherwise have access to, and reading is an important place to start.

“Reading and access to reading for enjoyment is so important, and we have great links to young people in Brent and Manchester to help distribute the books to families within these communities. This is a wonderful initiative to kick-start a promising partnership between McDonald’s and the Raheem Sterling Foundation.”

Louise Page, Head of Brand Communications and Partnerships at McDonalds, says: “Throughout the course of World Book Day, our restaurants and community partners will give out over half a million free books to families. We are so proud to partner with so many fantastic organisations to help distribute books to families across the UK.

“Story time is such an integral part of childhood and as children all over the country celebrate World Book Day in schools and nurseries, we want to ensure as many of them as possible have books at home to enjoy beyond today.”

McDonald’s is continuing its ongoing commitment to children’s literacy this year, by giving families and communities across the UK and Ireland access to more free books than ever. This marks the fourth year that McDonald’s has partnered with World Book Day, and the tenth anniversary of the Happy Readers scheme, which has seen over 110 million books given away in the UK.

This year, three is the magic number with up to three free books up for grabs. Families can choose between Mr Silly: My Book About Me, or There’s A Wolf In My Book by Tom Fletcher as well as receiving a free book with every Happy Meal thanks to the existing Book or Toy promotion – meaning families can walk out of restaurants with two books in hand to explore straight away. Plus, there will be a £1 token on every Happy Meal box (from 2–15 March), to help children continue their reading journey beyond World Book Day.

Reading for pleasure is the biggest indicator of a child’s future success – more than their family circumstances, their parents’ educational background or their income. However, it is in decline and at its lowest level since 2005. McDonald’s is on a mission to change this and help bring books to children who need them the most.

The Raheem Sterling Foundation looks to improve social mobility, further education, and empowerment in young people who may face challenges to reach their full potential, with a focus on seven key areas: education, employment, enterprise, creativity, personal development, accountability, and social mobility.

McDonald’s will also be donating thousands of books to 71 football clubs across the country so that wider communities can have invaluable, free access to reading resources. The books will be donated by Club Community Organisations to local schools as part of the Premier League Primary Stars campaign – a national curriculum-linked education programme that works with Premier League and professional football clubs to inspire children to learn, be active and develop important life skills.

New line of Dr Seuss books in development

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Dr. Seuss Enterprises (DSE) and Random House Children’s Books (RHCB) will launch Seuss Studios, a line of books for early readers by new and emerging authors and illustrators who will create original stories inspired by Ted Geisel’s (aka Dr. Seuss) unpublished sketches and illustrations. The news was announced today, Dr. Seuss’s birthday, by DSE and RHCB.

Seuss Studios will carry forward Dr. Seuss’s legacy of inspiring millions of people to learn to love to read by working with an inclusive community of authors and illustrators to create books for all young readers and families that capture Dr. Seuss’s hallmark spirit of creativity and imagination.

The sketches and illustrations that will serve as inspiration pieces for Seuss Studios books have been selected from the Dr. Seuss Collection archives at UC San Diego and curated by Dr. Seuss Enterprises and Random House Children’s Books. The original Dr. Seuss sketch that serves as the inspiration for each of the new Seuss Studios books will be included in the book, along with a note from the creators explaining how they were inspired, and their process.

The launch of Seuss Studios is a tribute to Ted Geisel’s commitment to supporting new writers and artists. In 1957, Ted Geisel co-founded the Beginner Books imprint at Random House, the iconic line that includes enduring classics like The Cat in the Hat and Green Eggs and Ham. With this imprint, Geisel sought not only to create a robust and enriching library for kids, but also to open new doors for creators who were either at the beginning of their publishing careers or who worked in other creative industries.

Continuing the tradition started with Beginner Books, Dr. Seuss Enterprises and Random House Children’s Books will seek out and work with a varied roster of fresh new voices to develop the Seuss Studios line.

Mallory Loehr, EVP and Publisher, Random House Books for Young Readers, and Martha Rago, VP, Executive Creative Director, RHCB, will oversee editorial and art direction at Random House Children’s Books.

Susan Brandt, President and CEO of Dr. Seuss Enterprises, says: “Seuss Studios is a new, exciting step in the continued evolution and growth of Dr. Seuss Enterprises, and one that will help us ensure that Dr. Seuss’s images live on in the best possible way – and in new ways – for future readers. We look forward to putting the spotlight on a new generation of talent who we know will bring their unique voices and style to the page, while also drawing inspiration from the creativity and imagination of Dr. Seuss.”

Mallory Loehr adds: “I can’t wait to see what the Seuss Studios creators come up with! The unique styles and voices of each author and illustrator in the Seuss Studios line will shine through on every page, cover to cover – with a glimmer of Dr. Seuss’s imagination tucked inside each book. I know that these stories will connect to today’s young readers and inspire a joy in reading for years and years to come.”

Seuss Studios books will be geared towards readers ages 4 to 8. Additional details on the inaugural list will be announced later this year.

 

WildBrain CPLG creates Partnerships team led by Meike de Vaere

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Entertainment, sport and brand licensing agency WildBrain CPLG has created a new Partnerships team to offer its multi-territory licensors an increasingly unified and strategic approach to drive growth and success through its expansive global network.

Led by WildBrain CPLG’s Meike de Vaere, who has been promoted to the newly created position of Vice President, Partnerships and Business Development, the Partnerships team will incorporate all operations from the previous Client Services unit, now also including Business Development, and will steer the strategic alignment of processes for partners to maximise opportunities for growth and efficiency. De Vaere, who was previously Business Development Director, joins WildBrain CPLG’s senior leadership team and reports to Maarten Weck, EVP & Managing Director.

Leveraging WildBrain CPLG’s expertise and capabilities across its global network of territory offices, the team will streamline integrated partner solutions in marketing, retail, creative, legal and financial services across the agency’s portfolio, including WildBrain-owned brands such as Teletubbies and Strawberry Shortcake. Business development will continue to be integral to De Vaere’s role and team focus, driving increased integration from the acquisition of new rights and onboarding of partners, through to sustaining and growing partner relationships in the long-term.

Within the new Partnerships structure will be a Key Partnerships team led by WildBrain CPLG’s Brenda Draaisma, who has taken on a global role as Director of Key Partnerships. Previously Managing Director, Benelux, Draaisma will oversee key partners in the business and be responsible for building and maintaining strategic relationships. John Taylor, VP Northern Europe, will continue to lead operations in the Benelux region.

WildBrain CPLG’s portfolio of Lifestyle and Corporate brands will continue to be managed under the agency’s dedicated Lifestyle division.

Maarten Weck, EVP & Managing Director at WildBrain CPLG, says: “As we continue scaling up and significantly expanding our global footprint, we’re committed to ensuring we’re the best strategic partner for all brands and licensors in our portfolio. The launch of our Partnerships team, with the hugely talented Meike at the helm, will offer a unified and seamless approach for partners looking to fully benefit from our comprehensive global capabilities and local expertise.”

Meike de Vaere adds: “We have a fantastic and valued portfolio of brands at WildBrain CPLG, and we’re deeply committed to offering the best possible partnerships. This exciting step will offer partners an unrivalled integrated and proactive approach across all our services globally, and I look forward to continuing to grow and sustain valuable relationships driving success for the long-term.”

Before rejoining WildBrain three years ago as Retail Director of Benelux, De Vaere held several senior global Retail & Marketing positions including at Mattel, Rituals Cosmetics and Parabel Foods.

Disney Junior presents first-ever Fun Fest

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The first-ever Disney Junior Fun Fest, a one-day event celebrating the entertaining and music-filled stories of the number-one preschool TV network’s hit series, will bring the magic straight to fans on Friday April 29. 

Held at Disney California Adventure park in Anaheim, California, the one-day event will include sneak peeks at upcoming Disney Junior series, special announcements, surprise appearances, a “Doc McStuffins” stage show highlighting 10 years of the beloved series, and an “Alice’s Wonderland Bakery Unbirthday Party”, a hands-on cupcake decorating course inspired by the new Disney Junior series that is also being offered for guests throughout Disney California Adventure Food and Wine Festival from March 4 through April 26.

The event will kick off in the morning with a cavalcade of Disney Junior characters welcoming fans and making their way through the park. Throughout the day, there will be main-stage attractions with fun games, trivia and music to keep preschoolers and their families singing and dancing together. Guests can also enjoy regular Disney Junior programming at Disney California Adventure park, including the “Disney Junior Dance Party!” and the “Spidey and his Amazing Friends” photo wall at the Hollywood Backlot.

Additional details, a schedule of events and special appearances will be announced soon.

 

Zavvi celebrates Batman in latest collection

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As Batman returns to the big screen, fans can now show their love for the film franchise thanks to the latest memorabilia range from online retailer Zavvi.   

Launching this March is a limited-edition and fully licensed Batman collection, based on the superhero film franchise’s latest installment that is already captivating audiences worldwide. The collection includes Batman-inspired t-shirts, varsity jackets, Akedo high-top trainers and a selection of homewares.

The range is emblazoned with the distinctive emblem from the superhero films, and celebrates the return of Riddler, a supervillain who has not been seen within the franchise since Batman Forever in 1995. The range also features the cinematography from the 2022 release starring Robert Pattinson as The Batman and limited-edition print and photographic artwork from the new film, a great addition to any fan’s collection.

The new and official Batman merchandise is now available worldwide, exclusive to Zavvi.com. 

Tetris readies for 40th anniversary with merchandising agent network update

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The Tetris Company has announced changes to its global network of merchandise licensing agents for the world-famous Tetris brand, including new agent signings and renewals. These changes come as the company heads towards the iconic video game brand’s 40th anniversary in 2024.

“We’re always looking to bring new partners on board who will help grow the Tetris brand with fresh products and experiences that are innovative, fun and meaningful for our global fan base,” says Megan Buettner, head of consumer products at Tetris. “With the 40th anniversary of Tetris on the horizon, we look forward to working with all our new and existing network of licensing agents to make it the most memorable celebration yet.”

Updates to the Tetris brand’s merchandise licensing agent network include:

  • The Tetris Company has extended its agency agreement with Lisle Licensing for UK, Ireland and Channel Islands, managed by Francesca Lisle.
  • Brand Fresh Management, led by Janice Ross, will continue to manage licensing agreements for the United States and Canada.
  • IMG will continue to manage APAC (Asia-Pacific region), under the guidance of Miki Yamamoto, in addition to Brazil with support from Glenn Migliaccio.
  • CPLG, led by John Taylor, will now represent the Tetris brand in France, Italy and India. In addition, CPLG’s representation will continue in Iberia, CEE (Central Eastern Europe), CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States, including Russia), Benelux, Greece, Turkey, MENA (Middle East and North Africa) and the Nordics (Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway).
  • The Tetris Company has signed Studio 100 to the agency roster for Germany, Switzerland and Austria, under the guidance of Joachim Knödler.
  • KOPA Licensing, with the support of Carlos Carvajal, will expand coverage for the brand in Colombia, Peru, Chile, Ecuador, Mexico, Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama.

Current representation for the Tetris brand also includes WP Brands in New Zealand and Australia, managed by Lim Mi-Kyoung, and Born Licensing for global promotions and advertising under David Born.

Billions of Tetris games are played online every year, and over 590 million Tetris mobile games have been downloaded to date. The Tetris brand’s global licensee network includes major video game publishers, including Nintendo and Sega, as well as many partners in electronics, toys, apparel, lifestyle goods, entertainment and more. For the latest information about the Tetris brand and Tetris products, visit www.tetris.com.