YouTube sensation Booba appoints IMG to launch licensed products

UK animation studio 3D Sparrow Group has appointed IMG to extend Booba, the globally-loved non-dialogue preschool family show following the adventures of a joyful, funny and curious creature called Booba and his friends, through product and brand licensing partnerships.

The agreement will see the licensing agency further expand Booba’s global footprint across wider lifestyle categories for fans of the show to enjoy, including toys, apparel, fast-moving consumer goods, events and promotions.

Booba reached more than 13 billion YouTube views and stands as one of the top-rated kids’ shows on Netflix, since first airing on the digital platform in 2017. The show is also available worldwide on Amazon Prime, as well as through TV broadcasters in more than 45 countries.

Now in its fourth series, the show is loved for the entertaining situations Booba and his friends find themselves in while trying to explore the world around them. In 2021, 3D Sparrow collaborated with Sony Music to premiere the first-ever Booba music video with Avicii.

Oli Bernard, CEO at 3D Sparrow Group, says: “We are really excited to partner with IMG and are confident their expertise will help our digital superstar Booba launch high-quality licensed products with like-minded and best-in-class licensing partners to entertain generations of children. It’s a fantastic time for Booba right now, with season 4 launching in Q4 this year and season 5 planned for a 2023 release. We believe that Booba enables kids to discover the world around them, using their imagination to recreate their own Booba-inspired adventures.”

Sam Barker, Associate Vice President of Licensing at IMG, says: “Booba has become a worldwide phenomenon and is loved by children around the world. We will focus on products that highlight and embody the spirit of the show’s playful and humorous content, which children and other fans of the show enjoy. We can’t wait to bring the Booba world to its millions of followers in engaging new ways.”

Season 4 will be fully available later this year.

For more information on Booba and other licensing opportunities visit https://imglicensing.com/clients/booba/.

 

Visitor registration for Brand Licensing Europe 2022 is now open

Hot on the heels of a triumphant in-person return for Licensing Expo in Las Vegas, Brand Licensing Europe (BLE) opens online visitor registration today. The event brings together thousands of leading retailers and manufacturers to discover the widest range of brands from Europe available for license for three days of deal-making, networking and trend spotting and returns to ExCeL London from 20-22 September.

Over 120 companies from all over the world – with strong representation from France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Denmark, Lithuania, Finland, Netherlands, Norway, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK – are already confirmed to exhibit.

They include some of the world’s leading brand owners including Paramount, Warner Bros, Hasbro, NBCUniversal, Mattel, Aardman Animations, AC Milan, Acamar Films, Banijay Brands, Asmodee, Asterix, BANDAI NAMCO, Beanstalk, Brandgenuity, Bulldog Licensing, Caroline Mickler, Crunchyroll, Cyber Group Studios, Difuzed, FC Barcelona, Gallimard Jeunesse, IMG Licensing, LMI, Magic Light Pictures, Natural History Museum, Penguin Ventures, Perfetti Van Melle, Royal Museums Greenwich, Sanrio, SEGA, Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe, The National Gallery, The Pokémon Company, The Smurfs, V&A, Yale University and many more. Latest names confirmed include Euro Lizenzen, MGA Entertainment, Formula E, Ubisoft, UEFA Club Competitions, Van Gogh Museums, Creative Licensing Corp, KOCCA and more.

Thousands of brands are represented on the show floor, from animation to sports, heritage, arts, gaming and more, offering attendees the opportunity to secure the rights to  leading brands including My Little Pony, MTV, Top Gun, Chupa Chups, Asterix & Obelix, Paw Patrol, the Victoria & Albert Museum, The Batman, Hello Kitty, Assassin’s Creed, Peter Rabbit, Barbie, Masha & the Bear, the Van Gogh Museum, Formula E, le Petit Prince, Kellogg’s, Sonic the Hedgehog, Sophie la Girafe, Far Cry, and many more.

“It was essential to bring BLE back as an in-person event last year – this industry is highly creative and collaborative and relies on  face-to-face networking as well as the ability to experience brands first-hand so we can’t wait to return even stronger this September,” says Anna Knight, Informa Markets SVP of Licensing. “We saw some great quality attendees there – and at Licensing Expo last month – including H&M, Pull & Bear, Primark, Asda, and so many more, which shows the strength and growing appetite for brand collaborations and licensing.

“For 2022, we can’t wait to bring the industry back together again and help to drive the conversations that lead to the creation of innovative new products that consumers love. This year’s fashion theme aims to showcase collaborations first-hand and will let retailers and licensees experience brands and products in a more meaningful, engaging way.”

This year’s BLE theme is fashion, which will be woven throughout the show’s content and spotlight the incredible creativity happening in this sector and its impact on the licensing industry as a whole, from brand collaborations to innovations in the metaverse, retail experiences and sustainability with the continued partnership with Products of Change, will include daily fashion shows on the central catwalk, inspirational product showcases, a high-profile keynote and complementary conference sessions.

Kirsty Schaper, Senior Brand Licensing Manager, Royal Museums Greenwich, says: “We are absolutely delighted to be returning to BLE in 2022 to exhibit our unparalleled collections in astronomy, art and British and maritime history and technology. Visit our stand to discover opportunities and inspiration for working with our exceptional, world-class collections to create unique products in association with our prestigious heritage brand.”

Paddington immersive experience heads to Dalkeith Country Park

This summer, families are invited to take part in an immersive Paddington adventure, Marmalade Messiness, at Dalkeith Country Park, Scotland.  

Created by Histrionic Productions – the team behind acclaimed immersive adventure Autumn Treasure Hunt with Percy The Park Keeper at Chiswick House & Gardens and The Peter Rabbit Garden Adventure – a live immersive experience at Blenheim Palace this summer, Paddington Marmalade Messiness – the immersive adventure opens on July 13 2022, and runs throughout the school summer holidays until Monday 4 September 2022.

Mrs Bird has brought Paddington and his friend Pigeonton to Dalkeith Palace to show them where the best marmalade is made. Her old friend from school is the Palace Cook and has promised to give Mrs Bird a tour of the Palace kitchens. However, things have gone awry. Mrs Bird can’t seem to find Paddington in the Palace grounds and desperately needs help to find him.

On this unique adventure, visitors will explore Dalkeith Country Park locating pawprints, half-eaten marmalade sandwiches and other clues, meeting characters from the famous stories – played by actors and puppeteers – on a mission to help locate Paddington. The Marmalade Messiness immersive adventure takes audiences through the Dalkeith Country Park grounds and into the Palace kitchen exploring the treehouse and river along the way. 

At the end of this 50-minute adventure, free arts and crafts-based activities and a café, serving both marmalade and non-marmalade-based delights, will await explorers in need of a tasty treat. 

Marmalade Messiness has been created by Sean Holmes (Associate Artistic Director of Shakespeare’s Globe, previously Artistic Director of the Lyric Hammersmith) and Jon Bauser (Designer 2012 Paralympic Games opening ceremony, associate artist Royal Shakespeare Company), and is directed by Bethany West (Shakespeare’s Globe, Royal Court London, Bristol Old Vic) with Puppetry by Jimmy Grimes (The Peter Rabbit Garden Adventure, War Horse, The One Hundred and One Dalmatians).

For further information visit www.PaddingtonMarmaladeMessiness.com

Life-size Angry Birds game swoops into Electric Gamebox

Electric Gamebox, the immersive group gaming platform, has announced a partnership with video game developer Rovio Entertainment to launch a lifesize Angry Birds game, in a partnership facilitated by IMG.

The one-of-a-kind gameplay is the first time an Angry Birds game has had multiplayer slingshot enabled. The game will be available to play at all 12 Electric Gamebox locations across the US and UK from June 29, 2022.

Based on the Angry Birds game, the multi-level gameplay will have players competing in teams to destroy digital adversaries with the slingshots on either side of The Gamebox. The hyper-immersive digital experience uses motion tracking sensors worn by players surrounded by touch screens, and offers a collaborative twist on the beloved Angry Birds games and familiar characters with multiplayer action for two to six players in a private Gamebox.

“Rovio’s mission is to craft joy, so being able to bring the iconic Angry Birds game to an in-person, life sized environment is a wonderful opportunity and Electric Gamebox is the perfect partner to do this with,” says Katri Chacona, Director, Brand Licensing at Rovio Entertainment. “Our fans are ready to have yet another way to play a game we all know and love!”

Co-founded by Will Dean, founder of popular obstacle race Tough Mudder, and CFO David Spindler, founder of Tough Mudder Bootcamp, Electric Gamebox delivers hyper-immersive games in interactive digital smart rooms, or ‘Gameboxes’. The Gameboxes can host two to six players for experiences lasting between 15 and 60 minutes. Each gamebox features a range of cutting-edge technologies such as projection mapping, touch screens, patent-pending Lidar and 3D motion tracking as well as surround sound, all without the need for headsets.

Angry Birds joins a growing library of licensed and original IP games created by Electric Gamebox’s in-house studio. Electric Gamebox currently has 12 locations across the US and Europe, with more locations opening in cities around the world by the end of the year.

“We are in the business of using technology to bring people together through shared play. We could not be more excited to revisit the iconic Angry Birds franchise through a totally unique format,” adds Will Dean. “The interactive, competitive yet friendly version of this game will be exciting for long-time and new fans alike.”

For more information on Electric Gamebox, and to purchase tickets to play Angry Birds, visit https://electricgamebox.com/.

Ravensburger debuts Minecraft jigsaw puzzles

Ravensburger, a leading publisher of puzzles, board games and toys, is partnering with Minecraft to translate the much-loved online universe into jigsaw puzzle form for the first time ever. The new line features both adult and kids puzzles and is now available for pre-order in the U.S. on Amazon.

“Ravensburger is proud to have been selected as Minecraft’s global puzzle partner,” says Thomas Kaeppeler, President of Ravensburger North America. “It was important for us to ensure the puzzles had authentic landscapes that capture what people love about Minecraft to help invoke an immersive feeling of being in the game.”

The Minecraft puzzles allow fans to piece together some of their favourite scenes from the Overworld, visiting different biomes, exploring structures and encountering familiar foes such as mobs. The line includes 3 x 49-pc, 100-pc, 300-pc, 1000-pc and 1500-pc counts and will be officially on-sale starting July 1, 2022. (Ages 5 – 14+ / $14.99 – $34.99 MSRP)

Dan Dee partners with Afro Unicorn for plush and décor products

Dan Dee International and its affiliate, Animal Adventure, has announced a multi-year licensing deal with Afro Unicorn – a lifestyle brand representing women and children of colour. Through this agreement, Dan Dee will create plush and décor products based on Afro Unicorn characters and designs, set to launch at retail in 2023.

“Dan Dee is delighted to have been selected as a key licensing partner by Afro Unicorn,” says Mark Matheny, Head of Licensing. “This is an exciting opportunity to help promote the brand’s mission of inspiring children of colour through products that represent their uniqueness. We are proud to be partnering with the team at Afro Unicorn and look forward to playing a pivotal role in delivering their message through our broad retail distribution.”

“I created Afro Unicorn to remind women and children of colour how unique, divine and magical they truly are,” says April Showers, Afro Unicorn’s Founder. “My goal from the beginning was to help normalise black beauty; to give black and brown girls a unicorn that represents them and encourages them to love the skin that they are in and embrace the crown on their heads, [to remind them that] you are unique, you are divine, and you are magical.

“When choosing a company to partner with it’s important for us that they understand the under-representation for children of colour in the market and want to fill that void in a major way to not only change the trajectory on how little brown and black girls see themselves but also how the world views them as well. Dan Dee and Animal Adventure not only understand it, they are committed to carrying out the vision of Afro Unicorn globally. Looking forward to all the unique, divine and magical unicorns that will come out of this partnership.”

LMI to rep The Illuminated Film Company’s The Rubbish World of Dave Spud

Illuminated Films has named LMI as its licensing partner for CITV comedy adventure series The Rubbish World of Dave Spud, a surreal animated kid’s adventure with a most unlikely hero, set in the UK town of Grimsby.

Ratings for the show since the launch of both series 1 and 2 have been strong for ITV, promising great things for the future of the brand and its licensing programme.

The Rubbish World of Dave Spud, produced by Illuminated Films, stars the voice talents of Johnny Vegas, Jane Horrocks, Gina Yashere, Philip Glennister, Lisa Hammond, Akiya Henry and Arthur Smith, and the musical talents of Basement Jaxx.

The new relationship between LMI and Illuminated Films comes from successful Brand Licensing Europe discussions and follows the recent RTS Award for Best Children’s Programme for The Rubbish World of Dave Spud.

Retail Buyers Panel confirmed for the Brands & Retail UK summer conference

Ryan Beaird, event director of Brands & Retail UK, has announced the B&RUK Retail Buyers Q&A Panel discussion, which will close Day One of the conference taking place at the British Library (London) on Wednesday 6 and Thursday 7 July 2022.

The Retail Buyers Panel – sponsored by Fabacus – will be moderated by Julia Redman of Buyers Eye, and will include Ruth Golightly (ASDA), John Carolan (Boots), Helen Riley (ebay) and Karen Hewitt (character.com)

“We held the first B&RUK Retail Buyers panel at the first winter conference in February and I feel they always go down well with the licensees in the audience,” says Ryan Beaird. “I am delighted Julia Redman, who has vast experience of retail, is taking on the moderating from me and I want to thank Helen, Ruth, John and Karen in advance for supporting the summer conference.

“Day Two has now sold out so we have a fantastic line-up and I now have only six unreserved 15-minute pitching slots left for Day One (6 July) for Lifestyle, Commercial, Heritage, Charity and Sports brands.

“TeamGB, Paramount, V&A, Ashmolean Museum (Start Licensing), Mighty Jaxx, Pink Key Licensing, Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, Lucia Heffernan (Lisle Licensing) and the FA have so far confirmed.

“I also have some more news to share with you for Day One very soon, which should go down well with the industry.”

If you are a brand and want to present to the major UK retailers and licensees then please contact Ryan Beaird to reserve a presentation slot; Ryan.Beaird@BrandsRetail.uk

Licensees and retailers can book their FREE tickets for the conference and purchase their ‘Meet the Buyers’ party tickets for £45 each on the conference website – www.BrandsRetail.uk

Licensing International announces 2022 Accelerator Program participants

Licensing International has announced the six companies selected to participate in the 2022 Diversity & Inclusion Accelerator Program. They are:

  • Blmrbl (Baltimore, USA)
    Blmrbl (“Blue Marble”) is a social shopping platform enabling global pop culture fan communities to buy and sell officially licensed merchandise online. Blmrbl provides a wide range of diverse products for minority fan communities and grading authentication services for the preservation of pop culture collectibles.
  • FanBase Africa (Cape Town, South Africa)
    Fanbase Africa is a print-on-demand, direct-to-consumer eCommerce company that sells licensed music and sports merchandise to fans across the world. (fanbaseafrica.co.za)
  • Happy Tottii (Funchal, Portugal)
    HappyTottii is a new emoji focused on love and happiness. Nature and the environment are also of great importance for this little ladybug whose aim is to make people happy while at the same time teaching core values of mindfullness and sustainability. HappyTottii embodies the co-existence of technology and nature, with its synergies and frictions. (http://www.happytottii.com)
  • Katalyst MGMT (Los Angeles, USA)
    Katalyst MGMT is a creative licensing agency based in Los Angeles specializing in art direction, cannabis licensing, and strategic collaborations. Clients include High Times magazine, Snoop Dogg, Marathon OG, Cheech & Chong, and Santa Cruz Shredder. The agency also provides consulting for manufacturing smoking accessories, packaging, and distribution.
  • Knotting Hill Inc. (Fergus, Canada)
    Knotting Hill Inc. was born when consumers were stuck at home. With more time to observe the need for fresh products, founder Tania James decided to take matters into her own hands. Knotting Hill Inc. was established in 2021 with the goal of bringing innovative household products to market through licensing agreements with forward-thinking companies. (knottinghillinc.com)
  • Little River Co. (Toronto, Canada)
    Little River Co. was established in 2020 with the goal of highlighting fashion and anime as a form of artistic expression. Initially offering embroidered apparel, Little River has expanded its product offering to include rugs and collectible plush toys. Little River Co. creates pieces that have gothic and streetwear overtones while embracing anime and manga iconography. (littleriver.company)

“The Accelerator Program is an important part of our work to help our members —and the broader licensing community — build diverse and inclusive workplaces,” says Maura Regan, president of Licensing International. “Licensing International is committed to supporting the global licensing industry as it works to attract, develop, and retain the best and brightest from all backgrounds.”

Each participating company will receive benefits valued at more than $100,000. These benefits include monthly mentoring meetings with industry leaders as well as a one-year Licensing International membership, including consultation services, networking resources, access to exclusive research, and business savings. Additionally, participating companies will be enrolled in Licensing International’s Coursework in Licensing Studies, an in-depth study of the business of licensing and the industry’s only training ground to become a Qualified Licensing Practitioner (QLP).

The Accelerator Program is sponsored by the NBPA, the NFLPA, Peanuts Worldwide LLC, Sony Pictures, and Amazon.

 

HIPPEAS launches Minion-themed snacks

HIPPEAS is spreading The Peas & Love with the launch of its Minions-themed snacks for the summer. The Chickpeas Puffs snacks brand has replaced its iconic chickpea smile graphic on-pack with a Minion character for each flavour.

The new HIPPEAS products, in support of the new Illumination film Minions: The Rise of Gru (in cinemas 1 July), will be available in limited-edition packs of HIPPEAS Chickpea Puffs in three far-out flavours and a variety of sizes – perfect for on-the-go travel and summer entertaining. HIPPEAS limited-edition Minions-themed snacks will be available nationwide at UK.HIPPEAS.com and select e-commerce channels as well as in-store at Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, Whole Foods, Planet Organic, Booths, Ocado, Getir and Gorillas from May through August 2022.

Minions are a global pop-culture phenomenon, and we could not be more thrilled to collaborate with Illumination on this limited-edition release of our HIPPEAS Chickpea Puffs,” says Paul Nardone, HIPPEAS CEO. “The combination of these two iconic and colourful brands – HIPPEAS, known for its bright yellow bag, and Minions, the beloved mischievous yellow scene-stealers – feels so joyful and fun. We can’t wait to share these snacks with consumers of all ages this summer.”

HIPPEAS Chickpea Puffs have an average of 1.3 grams of fibre, 3.5  grams  of plant-protein and only 90 kcals per 22g serving. HIPPEAS Chickpea Puffs are also totally vegan, gluten-free, palm-oil free as well as free from MSG.

Flavour offerings include Take it Cheesy, Salt & Vinegar Vibes and Sweet and Smokin’. The Minions-themed pack sizes include a 78g bag and multipacks containing five 15g packs. For more information, visit UK.HIPPEAS.com.