Category Archives: Highlight

Forever 21 x Barbie launches in-store, online and in the metaverse

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On the heels of launching a new brand campaign entitled ‘Forever LA’, leading fashion retailer Forever 21 has announced its latest collaboration with Barbie.

The new limited-edition collection includes a range of on-trend vintage-style apparel items, swim, sleepwear, beauty and accessories as well as home décor, inspired by the Barbie DreamHouse. The collection will be simultaneously available in-store, online, and in the Forever 21 Shop City experience on Roblox.

Forever 21’s experience for Roblox was created in partnership with the Virtual Brand Group (VBG), a web3 fashion designer, game developer and retailer that creates immersive metaverse experiences for global brands’ web3 businesses, and which was recently awarded “Best Digital Product” by Licensing International. The metaverse collection was created by VBG’s global multicultural design team working across five countries.

The Forever 21 x Barbie collection meticulously replicates its real-life inspiration and campaign using Roblox’s latest Layered Clothing technology powering hyper-realistic 3D clothing that fits any avatar body type. The designs feature real-world fabrics and details like intricate stitching on the collection’s Malibu Denim Jacket, embossed art, beadwork, and textured fabrics on jumpsuits, dresses, hoodies, iconic t-shirts, trucker hats, and jelly bags. Fans globally can now follow the “#TwinWithYourAvatar” trend.

“Barbie, a SoCal native, plays in the same inclusive, empowering and fashionable space that our customers love, appreciate and have come to expect from our business,” says Winnie Park, CEO at Forever 21. “We are thrilled to offer shoppers unexpected line extensions that include Barbie in-store and online and virtual fashions in the metaverse. This was the perfect collection to launch first, under our Forever LA umbrella.”

Another in-store and online first for the fashion retailer, Forever 21 will be offering the Barbie Fashionistas, the most diverse doll line on the market, which celebrates an inclusive view of beauty and fashion, representing a range of body types, skin tones, eye colours and unique physical traits.

Available at all Forever 21 locations, the Barbie Summer 2022 Collection celebrates inclusive fashion with sizes ranging from XS up to 3XL and offers an additional assortment for kids. Prices range from $6.99 – to $54.99, and pieces will be available for a limited time only at Forever 21 stores, on the Forever 21 App, and online on www.forever21.com. The new inclusive fashions can also be acquired in the Roblox Avatar Shop and worn by any avatars on the platform.

 

Classic mystery game CLUE sneaks into Hidden Hotel: Miami Master

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Leading free-to-play game publisher Tilting Point has joined forces with Hasbro and WhaleApp, a specialist in story-driven games, to bring some of the classic characters of the mystery board game CLUE to Hidden Hotel: Miami Mystery, during a special month-long event. Hidden Hotel: Miami Mystery is one of the top mobile hidden objects games in the world and is available on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.

Starting today and continuing until July 7, some of the most famous CLUE characters will be checking in to the world of Hidden Hotel: Miami Mystery. Miss Scarlett and Colonel Mustard will join characters in the many mini-events and mysterious detective stories, including mysteries with different endings depending on the player’s choices. Miss Peacock and Professor Plum will offer players daily tasks with very special rewards. Players will be able to test their skills of observation like a real detective while solving challenging puzzles, including a special CLUE event with 20 levels to investigate.

The classic mystery board game, CLUE (known as CLUEDO internationally), from Hasbro, has entertained generations of people for over 70 years with multiple adaptations across film, TV, books, escape rooms, musicals and more.

“CLUE is one of the most iconic games in the world and just what the players of Hidden Hotel: Miami Mystery are looking for,” says Samir Agili, CO-CEO and president of Tilting Point. “It’s fantastic that we could connect this great IP and game for a truly memorable month-long activation.”

In Hidden Hotel: Miami Mystery, players are challenged to test their seek-and-find skills while uncovering secrets, solving puzzles and renovating a mysterious old hotel. The game unfolds like a classic detective story, with the player at the heart of every mystery, gameplay and storyline.

Players can use their detective skills with the characters from CLUE in Hidden Hotel: Miami Mystery beginning today. Hidden Hotel: Miami Mystery is free to download on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.

Spread Group signs up five iconic Paramount properties

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Spread Group has signed a deal with Paramount Consumer Products to produce print-on-demand products for the European market for five iconic properties: Flashdance, Top Gun, Star Trek, Garfield and SpongeBob SquarePants.

Sustainability is at the heart of the partnership. The Spread Group’s print-on-demand offering means an item is only printed after it has been ordered. This limits waste because there’s no over-stocking and leftover sizes.

The first designs will include I Feel the Need for Speed Top Gun t-shirts, Flashdance logo and What a Feeling! hoodies, Garfield LASAGNA lunchboxes and Saturday Night Fever posters. The designs will be a mixture of classic images and newly created designs produced by Spread Group.

Customisation is also made easy with print-on-demand. Fans have the freedom to add a design to a product in a size, colour, and style of their choice.

Sven Burscher, Spread Group’s Head of Licensing, says: “This partnership means Spread Group can offer a huge variety of themes to a wide audience. The Paramount Global brands cover iconic movies and cartoons for a large demographic. There’s a coming-of-age moment for everyone!

“Our print-on-demand offering means the brands and their fans can customise their creations to suit them, whilst retaining brand integrity. It also limits waste, which is better for the planet.”

Fans will be able to add images and quotes to t-shirts, hoodies, caps, bags, aprons, mugs, water bottles, lunchboxes, pillowcases, posters and stickers, depending on the brand. Designs will also be localised – for example, Garfield quotes in German, French and English.

The licence covers Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France and the UK.

 

 

Graham Saltmarsh, MD of Licensing International UK, on building a post-pandemic retail and licensing strategy

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Graham Saltmarsh is managing director of Licensing International UK. He is participating in a leaders’ panel at the next European edition of Brand & Licensing Innovation Summit, taking place 21 June 2022 at the Royal Geographical Society in London.

Graham will appear alongside Hasbro’s Marianne James, Jalil Ramen of Liberty, MDR Brand Management CEO Daniel Avener and Difuzed’s Sara Allwood to discuss the finer details of Building a Post-Pandemic Retail & Licensing Strategy.

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One of the panels you’re moderating focuses on building a post-pandemic licensing strategy. Why do brands and retailers need one? What’s so different now? 

It’s always good to have a plan in place and a plan B just in case! We learned a lot during the pandemic, it makes sense to diversify your manufacturing options in case there are further lockdowns. Have a look at your distribution networks and see how your online offer to your customers compares to your competitors’. Work with your partners and discuss what is needed and when… work back from here and allow plenty of wiggle room!

What are the challenges and opportunities your LI members are talking to you about – where are the pain points, and where can they be driving growth?  

Shipping costs are still a big issue and delays still seem to be quite a common occurrence but working these potential delays in to the schedule will help calm the nerves. We had the highest number of attendees at the Licensing Essentials Course recently with a very high number of retailers keen to get a better understanding of the licensing industry and the processes involved. There was a strong increase across the board in licensed products sold last year so it’s a very positive message to our members.

What do you think licensing will look like in 2-3 years from now? 

Wow, what a very tricky question… I think we are beginning to see an increase in brands rather than “entertainment properties”, particularly from museums and galleries. These teams have amazing portfolios, but you have to be very focused to find the hidden gems and then translate them into desirable products.

What’s the one thing that brands and retailers can’t ignore, if they are to continue being successful? 

Communicate, communicate, communicate – if you are a retailer speak to your licensees about what you need, when you need it and importantly why! Asking “why” will promote discussion and mean that you can make better informed decisions. Costs are also going to come into play hugely over the next few years and it will be impossible not to pass most of this onto the end consumer; this will be a challenging balancing act. Sustainability will also play a bigger part going forwards…. Sorry! I can never do ‘one’ thing!

Why are you looking forward to speaking at B&LIS? 

There are some amazing and talented speakers at B&LIS and it’s always fascinating to meet up and find out what’s going on. These discussions also help direct future panels and sessions.

What are you hoping delegates will take from your panels?

You always learn so much talking and listening to others within the industry, but I hope there will also be a lot of questions for our panel and also some fun along the way.

To order your ticket for B&LIS, click here. 

 

Hello Kitty goes on a global adventure

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Hello Kitty: Super Style, an original 3D animated children’s programme based on Sanrio’s iconic Hello Kitty franchise, has secured its first pre-sales following a raft of deals secured by the producers Watch Next, Monello and Maga Animation Studio, and distributor Kids First.

The 52 x 11-minute 3D animated show is commissioned and co-developed with Amazon Kids+. It has been picked up by Canal+ and M6 in France in an agreement signed by Monello and Watch Next, while Maga Animation Studio has secured a deal with RAI in Italy. Kids First has signed pre-sale deals for the show with Tiny Pop in the UK, Discovery Kids for Latin America, RTS for Switzerland and Hop for Israel.

Hello Kitty: Super Style is produced by Paris-based production companies Watch Next, Monello (Banijay Group) with Monza and Italy-based Maga Animation Studio, and distributed worldwide by Kids First, with Japanese distributor ABC Frontier, Inc. in charge of Asian territories.

In this cheerful, action-packed new series – currently in production and set to launch in late 2022 – Hello Kitty stars as the friendliest face in the tight-knit community of Cherry Town, where she will stop at nothing to help friends in need. In each episode, Hello Kitty uses the power of her magical bow to activate an amazing transformation, changing her outfit to be a brave explorer, a top-notch chef, a sensational pop star and more to help her pals overcome setbacks.

“Hello Kitty is a world famous brand loved by kids and their parents across generations,” says Audrey Brugère, Head of kids and foreign series at CANAL+. “Watch Next Media and Monello Productions have successfully respected the DNA of this pop culture icon while creating modern, creative and fun new graphics and stories. We are very excited to be part of this ambitious show!”

 

The Flava People debut two new Guinness-flavoured sauces

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The Flava People have teamed up with Diageo once again to launch a new range of Guinness sauces – Guinness Smoky Tomato Ketchup and Smoky BBQ Sauce, both available at Tesco stores now. The partnership was brokered by Diageo’s global brand licensing agency, Beanstalk.

Dubbed ‘the beer of taste’ and loved by chefs across the world, Guinness adds a recognisable malty, smoky flavour to everyday cupboard essentials.

Part of a wider partnership with Diageo, the ‘Guinness Kitchen’ portfolio is aimed at targeting foodies and beer lovers. The range targets consumers who enjoy experimenting with home cooking but rely on easy-to-use base ingredients and ready-made add-ons to create intense, delicious meals.

Olivia Parkes, Brand Manager for ‘Guinness Kitchen’ at The Flava People, says: “Guinness is a beer with a unique standing in the world of food and has long been associated with hearty home cooking and delicious flavour. The new sauces are designed to expand shoppers’ relationship with Guinness and food beyond that of the traditional – providing more premium, flavoursome alternatives to household cupboard staples, perfect as we enter the summer BBQ months.

“We’re now building the range with products suited to entry level through to accomplished cook, meaning we can capture consumers and introduce them to the concept of Guinness with food through the comfort food they traditionally associate with the brand, like pies and gravy, before transitioning them to more experimental formats and cooking with the Guinness flavour as an ingredient.”

Guinness Smoky BBQ sauce and Guinness Smoky Tomato Ketchup are a twist on Britain’s much loved classic table sauces. Packed full of flavour, they promise to add a little oomph to the well-loved burger and bacon butty. The two condiments are available at over 300 Tesco stores and are an addition to the Guinness food range that includes six other existing products.

Mondo TV Group announces three major licences for Gorjuss in Italy

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Mondo TV Group, one of the largest European producers and distributors of animated content, and a licensing agent for many major international brands, has announced that it has secured three major licences for the character brand and international phenomenon Gorjuss on behalf of brand owner Santoro Licensing. The categories are Epiphany confectionery and gifting, greeting cards and children’s rainwear and footwear.

Coriex, a leading company in the production and distribution of licensed products for children, teenagers and young people, is planning a number of capsule collections for both winter and summer. The Coriex Gorjuss range will reach retail in Q4 2022.

Cromo N.B. Srl, a leading producer and designer of greeting cards, will produce three categories: folded greeting cards with special finishes; folded greetings cards with added 3D elements; and printed gift-wrap sheets (70 x 100cm). All items will be available at retail in Q4 2022.

Emmeci, which specialises in the marketing of confectionery products for events, will produce Epiphany socks containing branded confectionery and sweet treats sourced from Italian confectionery companies as well as a special surprise toy. All the items will be at retail for the 6 January feast of the Epiphany in both 2024 and 2025.

The news of these signings comes only a few months after Mondo TV Group’s appointment by brand owner Santoro to represent the hit character brand in the Italian market, underlining the enormous potential of the property.

Santoro’s Gorjuss brand is based on imagery featuring sweet, stripey-socked girls with big hearts. With over 400 characters to choose from, Gorjuss fans know there is a Gorjuss girl for every mood. The brand’s enormous emotional appeal, quiet nostalgia and thought-provoking sentiments have made it a retail phenomenon and a brand that girls and young women have embraced in more than 90 countries.

Since March, Mondo has been bringing this brand into its fast-growing portfolio of third-party licensed properties.

The endearing and relatable quality of Gorjuss, along with its established commercial success, underlines its vast licensing potential in the Italian market, where Mondo is particularly targeting such key categories as apparel, toys, publishing, cosmetics, homeware, gifts, food and confectionery.

UK based Santoro is a multi-brand design house creating covetable gifts, stationery and lifestyle products, many of which have inspired noteworthy brands and successful licensing programmes. Santoro’s latest, highest-profile character brand is Gorjuss. Internationally described as a retail phenomenon, Gorjuss is currently in its 13th year and its enormous popularity is still growing.

Jo Campbell, General Manager at Santoro Licensing, says: “We are absolutely delighted to be working with Mondo TV Group for Gorjuss in Italy and are thrilled with these new signings! It’s great to work with an agency who are committed to achieving our brand direction and they have driven through some excellent deals in just a short time frame. The new products in development are already beginning to look really exciting and we’re feeling very positive about the prospects Mondo has in the pipeline.”

 

CAA Brand Management to drive global consumer product programme for McLaren Automotive

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CAA Brand Management has been appointed by British luxury supercar maker McLaren Automotive to support its global consumer product licensing and brand extension programme.

Under the multi-year agreement, CAA Brand Management will support McLaren’s internal team, helping manage McLaren’s licensee roster, in addition to indentifying new business opportunities in key categories, including gaming, jewellery, publishing and apparel. CAA will also help McLaren extend its consumer products programmes into new territories, with an immediate focus on the United States, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.

“Appointing CAA Brand Management as our global consumer product licensing agency will help us continue to realise the full potential of our brand, drive significant growth in extending our licensing roster and continue to acquire new brand fans and admirers,” says Gareth Dunsmore, Chief Marketing Officer, McLaren Automotive. “We look forward to working with CAA Brand Management to drive forward our ambitious licensing strategy.”

“McLaren Automotive has experienced a rapid expansion of its core business globally, cementing itself as a leader in modern automotive luxury,” adds Noah Gelbart, President, CAA Brand Management. “We see this as a significant opportunity to support the business and help create new ways for consumers to engage with the brand.”

Defined by extraordinary innovation, design and engineering, and a commitment to providing best in class experience, McLaren hand-builds some of the world’s most advanced supercars and hypercars at its global headquarters at the iconic McLaren Production Centre in Woking, Surrey, England. Now retailed in more than 40 territories, it traces its history and vision back to founder, racer, engineer and entrerepneur Bruce McLaren who wanted to build the world’s most iconic supercars.

RHS and George at Asda bring second kids’ clothing collection to retail

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Following the success of its initial collaboration with the George at Asda brand, the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has announced the arrival at retail of a second collection, again highlighting children’s apparel and accessories for 1-7-year-olds.

As well as being a hit at retail, the first RHS collection from George at Asda won the Best Brand Licensed Children’s Product or Range at the 2022 Brand & Lifestyle Licensing Awards. This second collection is set to build on that success, and focuses on a carefully selected mix of apparel for wearing out and about, including shirts, t-shirts, hoodies, dresses, shorts and backpacks, as well as sweatshirts, joggers, dungarees, cardigans, clogs and trainers.

As before, the George design team has collaborated with the RHS to create a unique print direction featuring hand-drawn illustrations of colourful plants, vegetables and insects – there’s even a friendly bumble bee-shaped backpack. Slogans encouraging kids to reconnect with nature and grow plants and veg, such as “My hobby is making garden friends”, “Plant some seeds to save the bees” and the collection’s tagline “Let’s go and grow” are highlighted throughout the collection, which can be found in back neck prints, back neck tapes and packaging.

To further underline the joys of gardening, swing tags have again been designed in the shape of flower pots. The RHS branding, highlighting the RHS tree and shield, is clearly visible on the sew-in tags and packaging.

The range is now available in 86 Asda stores and online at George.com, and selling through at an amazing speed, underlining the continuing appeal of the RHS/George collaboration over a year after the first collection hit the shelves.

Launched in 1990, George is now sold in over 580 stores and through George.com with over two million customer transactions per week combined, making George one of the largest fashion retailers in Britain.

Estella Arroyo, Product Design Profession Lead at George, says: “The positive challenge of this latest collaboration was to build on the appeal of our first collection but offering something new and exciting. The response so far has been fantastic! We are thrilled to be collaborating once again with the RHS on this and the clothing and accessories brilliantly combine style, fun and practicality – perfect for getting outside, exploring and growing!”

Cathy Snow, Licensing Manager, RHS, says: “As one of our earliest forays into children’s products – and our very first collaboration on children’s clothing – the RHS collection from George at Asda was an unqualified success, delighting children and parents and brilliantly underlining our key message – to encourage everyone to ’get growing’. We were understandably eager to develop a second collection with the talented George team, and yet again they have excelled themselves.”

Oh, what a show! Record number of retailers attend Licensing Expo

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Licensing Expo, the May event organised in partnership with industry trade association Licensing International, drew thousands of attendees from the world’s most reputable retailers and licensees. The number of retailers in attendance rose 42% from the 2019 event, marking record growth for Licensing Expo.

Notable attending companies included Target, Hot Topic, Walmart, Fanatics, Five Below, Zulily, Centric Brands, Primark, Burlington Stores, CVS, Forever 21, El Corte Ingles, Macy’s, Kohl’s, Hybrid Apparel, Mad Engine, ASOS, Inditex, Hallmark Cards, Jakks Pacific, PacSun, H&M, Crocs, and Bioworld Merchandising, with many bringing large teams to span multiple product categories.

Held live at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas from May 24 through 26, the event’s in-person return was highly anticipated by the $292 billion global licensing industry, indicated by the nearly 5,500 meetings held on the show floor, with many more expected on the online platform, standing room-only keynote sessions, and well-attended educational and networking seminars.

The vibrant show floor hosted more than 250 exhibitors spanning the widest cross selection of categories to date – Characters & Entertainment, Art & Design, Gaming & eSports, Music, Agents, Corporate Brands, Location-Based Entertainment, and more – all benefiting from 10,000+ unique attendees in search of new partners, brands, products, and trends to introduce to consumers.

“We’re still reeling from what was a truly remarkable event – everything from the engagement, education, to the dazzling booths surpassed everyone’s expectations,” says Anna Knight, SVP of the Global Licensing Group, organisers of Licensing Expo. “All we heard for three days was the incredible quality of attendees, underscoring the pent-up demand for an in-person event after three years apart. Thank you to everyone who collectively made the event the astounding success that it was.

“Each year, Licensing Expo serves as a springboard for new trends that will excite consumers that tap into societal behaviors, and this year did not disappoint. From Gary Vaynerchuk and Pam Kaufman addressing the cross selection of entertainment and NFTs on the keynote stage to the many immersive offerings that show the power of location-based experiences, which was our theme for the year, the show was the meeting place to discover how the most recognisable and up-and-coming brands are shaping and bringing new spins to the hottest trends.”

Licensing Expo was held both in-person and online for the first time, opening the digital platform in advance of the live get-together for attendees to discover licensable IPs and schedule meetings for a productive on-site experience. Additionally, the online platform remained open from May 27 to June 3 to facilitate follow-up appointments and enable guests the opportunity to engage with content on-demand at a convenient time.

“It was wonderful to be back in person; the show exceeded all our expectations,” says Warren Schorr, SVP of Business Development & Global Licensing at Crayola, a sought-after exhibitor on the show floor. “While the show is always great for pre-booked meetings with traditional licensing industry partners, first-time attendees in Location-Based Entertainment, interactive, and traditional categories brought a fresh perspective and energy to the show. Decision-makers came looking for opportunities. Based on how our booth and the booths around us were packed, I expect most attendees came away with a robust pipeline for future new business.”

In addition to discovering trend-driven IPs, registered guests had access to three days of expert-led education. Throughout the show, the Licensing U Theater drew thousands of guests for sustainability education, insights on entering the licensing industry, trend predictions, and much more.

Steven Heller, President and Founder of The Brand Liaison, a prominent exhibitor at Licensing Expo, comments: “It was so great to be back live and in-person; the energy at Licensing Expo 2022 was beyond incredible. The show was crowded; everyone was excited about new licensing deals, bringing new products to market, and new brands. Can’t wait till 2023.”

A highlight of the event included the two keynote addresses that brought inspiration and insights to registered guests on May 24 and May 25, attracting the biggest audiences in the show’s history with seats filling up quickly, thus resulting in standing room only that spilled into the expo hallways.

  • May 24: The Power of Possibilities: What’s Ahead for Licensing
    • Pam Kaufman, president, consumer products and experiences, Paramount
    • Gary Vaynerchuk, chairman, VaynerX, chief executive officer, VaynerMedia and creator and chief executive officer, VeeFriends
  • May 25: From Dream to Reality: The Power of Brand Licensing for Location-Based Entertainment
    • Cecil D. Magpuri, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder, Falcon’s Beyond
    • Robert L. Ward, President and Chief Executive Officer, Robert L. Ward, Inc.
    • Susan Vargo, Head of Live Events and Location-based Experiences, Moonbug
    • George Wade, President, Bay Laurel Partners (moderator)

The License This! Competition was another well-attended programme that drew a strong audience for the live finale, where six finalists competed for the grand prize package in front of an expert judging panel. Kieche Meleson O’Connell, designer of Catoms: Atoms with Attitude, was selected as the winner of the Character & Animation category, and Stef “Sharky” Shultz won the Brand & Design category with Hunnie Bumble and Friends. Each winner walked away with the following:

  • Free-of-charge 100 square foot booth at Licensing Expo 2023 worth $2,500
  • One-year Licensing International membership worth $1,000 for a small business
  • One-year Products of Change membership, worth up to $450 for a small business
  • One-to-one consultation with License This! judges

Register here to save the date for next year’s Licensing Expo, returning from May 23-25, 2023, at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas.