WarnerMedia unveils Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore merchandise

WarnerMedia Global Brands and Experiences will launch a spellbinding collection of products to help fans celebrate the magic of the highly anticipated Warner Bros Pictures film Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore, debuting in cinemas in the UK on 8 April and in the USA on 15 April.

As fans get ready for the new film, they can look forward to the following Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore merchandise and experiences:

Publishing:

  • The Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore: Movie Magic book from Insight Edition hits stores and online marketplaces on April 15. Available on Amazon.com for pre-order.

Fashion:

  • LeSportSac will launch a summer collection on 18 April featuring various creatures from the Fantastic Beasts movies and offering a magical assortment of bags and unique items.
  • Hot Topic FB3 has unveiled an exclusive fashion collection inspired by the magic and mischief of Fantastic Beasts, available now in select Hot Topic stores nationwide and at hottopic.com.
  • EB Games/Zing Pop Culture launched a collection in Australia on 5 April offering women’s and men’s apparel, accessories, stationery and home products, including a Niffler T-shirt and matching backpack and Niffler hooded blanket.

Toy:

  • Build-A-Bear introduces its new Fantastic Beasts collection in April, allowing fans to make Nifflers in all colours and sizes, a plush of Newt’s beloved Bowtruckle, and more. The new collection will be available in stores and online.
  • Running Press will release a collectible figure of Niffler, mounted on a base, which plays its mischievous sound at the push of a button. The Niffler collectible is available for pre-order now on Amazon.
  • Funko will be releasing later this year a range of Pop! vinyl figures based on the fan-favourite characters, brought to life in Funko’s iconic signature style.

Art:

  • Award-winning design studio MinaLima recently debuted new graphic art prints celebrating the latest film in the Fantastic Beast series in Soho, London.  The curated collection of Graphic Art of Fantastic Beasts is on display and available for sale now at House of MinaLima in London and will be unveiled in House of MinaLima New York, House of MinaLima Osaka and House of MinaLima Paju on Friday, 8 April.

Themed Entertainment:

  • Harry Potter: The Exhibition. The all-new behind-the-scenes exhibition celebrates the iconic moments, characters, settings, and beasts as seen in the films and stories of Harry Potter, Fantastic Beasts, and the expanded Wizarding World, including Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. Visitors can get an up-close look at everything from original costumes to authentic props as they embark on a journey through magical environments using  immersive design and technology. The exhibition is currently at the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia.
  • Fantastic Beasts: The Wonder of Nature will be coming to the Royal Ontario Museum summer 2022. This new exhibition explores the links between the magical creatures of the Wizarding World and the remarkable animals in our natural world, encouraging a greater connection to our planet.

“The Wizarding World franchise is full of rich detail, beautiful settings and fascinating creatures and we have collaborated with top partners globally to curate a Fantastic Beasts programme that will allow fans of all ages to engage with their favorite on screen characters in their everyday lives,” says Pam Lifford, President, WarnerMedia Global Brands and Experiences.

To learn more about the upcoming film, visit www.fantasticbeasts.com.

WarnerMedia unveils Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore merchandise

WarnerMedia Global Brands and Experiences will launch a spellbinding collection of products to help fans celebrate the magic of the highly anticipated Warner Bros Pictures film Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore, debuting in cinemas in the UK on 8 April and in the USA on 15 April.

As fans get ready for the new film, they can look forward to the following Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore merchandise and experiences:

Publishing:

  • The Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore: Movie Magic book from Insight Edition hits stores and online marketplaces on April 15. Available on Amazon.com for pre-order.

Fashion:

  • LeSportSac will launch a summer collection on 18 April featuring various creatures from the Fantastic Beasts movies and offering a magical assortment of bags and unique items.
  • Hot Topic FB3 has unveiled an exclusive fashion collection inspired by the magic and mischief of Fantastic Beasts, available now in select Hot Topic stores nationwide and at hottopic.com.
  • EB Games/Zing Pop Culture launched a collection in Australia on 5 April offering women’s and men’s apparel, accessories, stationery and home products, including a Niffler T-shirt and matching backpack and Niffler hooded blanket.

Toy:

  • Build-A-Bear introduces its new Fantastic Beasts collection in April, allowing fans to make Nifflers in all colours and sizes, a plush of Newt’s beloved Bowtruckle, and more. The new collection will be available in stores and online.
  • Running Press will release a collectible figure of Niffler, mounted on a base, which plays its mischievous sound at the push of a button. The Niffler collectible is available for pre-order now on Amazon.
  • Funko will be releasing later this year a range of Pop! vinyl figures based on the fan-favourite characters, brought to life in Funko’s iconic signature style.

Art:

  • Award-winning design studio MinaLima recently debuted new graphic art prints celebrating the latest film in the Fantastic Beast series in Soho, London.  The curated collection of Graphic Art of Fantastic Beasts is on display and available for sale now at House of MinaLima in London and will be unveiled in House of MinaLima New York, House of MinaLima Osaka and House of MinaLima Paju on Friday, 8 April.

Themed Entertainment:

  • Harry Potter: The Exhibition. The all-new behind-the-scenes exhibition celebrates the iconic moments, characters, settings, and beasts as seen in the films and stories of Harry Potter, Fantastic Beasts, and the expanded Wizarding World, including Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. Visitors can get an up-close look at everything from original costumes to authentic props as they embark on a journey through magical environments using  immersive design and technology. The exhibition is currently at the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia.
  • Fantastic Beasts: The Wonder of Nature will be coming to the Royal Ontario Museum summer 2022. This new exhibition explores the links between the magical creatures of the Wizarding World and the remarkable animals in our natural world, encouraging a greater connection to our planet.

“The Wizarding World franchise is full of rich detail, beautiful settings and fascinating creatures and we have collaborated with top partners globally to curate a Fantastic Beasts programme that will allow fans of all ages to engage with their favorite on screen characters in their everyday lives,” says Pam Lifford, President, WarnerMedia Global Brands and Experiences.

To learn more about the upcoming film, visit www.fantasticbeasts.com.

ARTiSTORY partners with the Benaki Museum, Greece

ARTiSTORY has signed global licensing rights with the Benaki Museum in Greece, adding to its growing portfolio of international cultural partners.

The Benaki Museum opened its doors in 1931 in Athens and is among the most extensive and innovative museums in Europe. Arranged across ten buildings, it welcomes over 450,000 visitors a year to its galleries and exhibitions, performing arts hub, manufacturing and research facilities and pioneering shop.

ARTiSTORY will be creating designs inspired by the Museum’s extensive collections, which include over 120,000 works of art, 200,000 books, 1 million photographs, and thousands of rare documents covering Greek and Roman Archaeology, Byzantine and Post-Byzantine Art, Early Modern Greek Material Culture, Modern and Contemporary Greek Photography, Architecture and Design, Music and Performing Arts but also Islamic, Chinese, Pre-Columbian American, African and Korean Art, as well as an extensive collection of toys and games from around the world.

The Benaki Museum joins ARTiSTORY’s prestigious group of other cultural partners: the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; the National Gallery, London; Brooklyn Museum, New York; the National Palace Museum, Taipei; Dunhuang Culture & Tourism Group, China; and the Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum, Madrid.

With offices in London, Barcelona, Boston, Singapore, Beijing and Shanghai, ARTiSTORY, with support from its investment partner Sinofaith IP Investment Company (SIPIC), is well placed to bring this world-class museum brand to the global marketplace.

“I am excited about the Benaki Museum joining ARTiSTORY’s growing art and cultural IP portfolio.  This is a significant milestone for ARTiSTORY as we expand our portfolio to include more world’s leading cultural organisations from various countries” comments Yizan He, founder & CEO of ARTiSTORY.

“The Benaki Museum, a depository of trust for the Greek and world cultural heritage, enters with enthusiasm into this partnership with ARTiSTORY”, comments Haris Siampanis, CEO of the Benaki Museum in Athens. “For over 90 years now, the Benaki has been safeguarding and disseminating culture, heritage and education while acting as a leading agent of innovation and sustainability endeavours”.

ARTiSTORY secures global licensing rights for the Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum, Spain

 

 

ARTiSTORY partners with the Benaki Museum, Greece

ARTiSTORY has signed global licensing rights with the Benaki Museum in Greece, adding to its growing portfolio of international cultural partners.

The Benaki Museum opened its doors in 1931 in Athens and is among the most extensive and innovative museums in Europe. Arranged across ten buildings, it welcomes over 450,000 visitors a year to its galleries and exhibitions, performing arts hub, manufacturing and research facilities and pioneering shop.

ARTiSTORY will be creating designs inspired by the Museum’s extensive collections, which include over 120,000 works of art, 200,000 books, 1 million photographs, and thousands of rare documents covering Greek and Roman Archaeology, Byzantine and Post-Byzantine Art, Early Modern Greek Material Culture, Modern and Contemporary Greek Photography, Architecture and Design, Music and Performing Arts but also Islamic, Chinese, Pre-Columbian American, African and Korean Art, as well as an extensive collection of toys and games from around the world.

The Benaki Museum joins ARTiSTORY’s prestigious group of other cultural partners: the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; the National Gallery, London; Brooklyn Museum, New York; the National Palace Museum, Taipei; Dunhuang Culture & Tourism Group, China; and the Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum, Madrid.

With offices in London, Barcelona, Boston, Singapore, Beijing and Shanghai, ARTiSTORY, with support from its investment partner Sinofaith IP Investment Company (SIPIC), is well placed to bring this world-class museum brand to the global marketplace.

“I am excited about the Benaki Museum joining ARTiSTORY’s growing art and cultural IP portfolio.  This is a significant milestone for ARTiSTORY as we expand our portfolio to include more world’s leading cultural organisations from various countries” comments Yizan He, founder & CEO of ARTiSTORY.

“The Benaki Museum, a depository of trust for the Greek and world cultural heritage, enters with enthusiasm into this partnership with ARTiSTORY”, comments Haris Siampanis, CEO of the Benaki Museum in Athens. “For over 90 years now, the Benaki has been safeguarding and disseminating culture, heritage and education while acting as a leading agent of innovation and sustainability endeavours”.

ARTiSTORY secures global licensing rights for the Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum, Spain

 

 

Kate Smith Company celebrating bumper first year in business

Kate Smith Company, which launched its greeting cards and calendar UK business in spring 2021, is celebrating a successful first year in business, having achieved in less than 12 months what many small businesses dream of achieving over the course of several years.

Kate Smith Company stands for positivity and creating joyful moments with happy faces, simple phrases and uplifting tones. Having appointed Lisle Licensing as their exclusive UK agent in 2020, owners Kate and Ryan Smith entrusted MD Francesca and her team to find best-in-class partners for their business, leaving them time to work their creative magic generating content for categories including greetings, stationery, gift and dated products. It was important to re-design the existing Kate Smith Company ranges as UK v USA humour, style, sentiment and even wording in the greetings sector is vastly different.

Lisle appointed Hallmark Cards for greetings cards, Moonpig for print-on-demand and greetings, plus Carousel Calendars for wall calendars and the diaries, all of which launched in 2021. The numbers speak for themselves:

  • In three Quarters of 2021 Moonpig sold more than 166,000 in cards alone, with sales surpassing forecasts by more than 250%
  • Hallmark sold more than 99,000 cards between June and December
  • Carousel Calendars sold more than 30,000 pieces of the three SKU’s they listed. The wall calendar sold 18,000 pieces alone.

Looking ahead to 2022, Kate Smith Company and Lisle Licensing will together focus on expanding the distribution of existing licenses and broaden the seasonal collections, including Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and Christmas. Lisle will also turn its attention to expansion of the Kate Smith Company brand into secondary categories and hopes to schedule meetings at upcoming industry trade shows.

Commenting on the success, brand owner Kate Smith says: “We’re so excited about the launch of our brand in the UK with the help of Lisle Licensing. Bringing on three spectacular licensees in the first year has really helped us spread lots of hugs, high fives and LOLs. We look forward to making humans smile every day through our growing UK product offering.”

Kate Smith Company celebrating bumper first year in business

Kate Smith Company, which launched its greeting cards and calendar UK business in spring 2021, is celebrating a successful first year in business, having achieved in less than 12 months what many small businesses dream of achieving over the course of several years.

Kate Smith Company stands for positivity and creating joyful moments with happy faces, simple phrases and uplifting tones. Having appointed Lisle Licensing as their exclusive UK agent in 2020, owners Kate and Ryan Smith entrusted MD Francesca and her team to find best-in-class partners for their business, leaving them time to work their creative magic generating content for categories including greetings, stationery, gift and dated products. It was important to re-design the existing Kate Smith Company ranges as UK v USA humour, style, sentiment and even wording in the greetings sector is vastly different.

Lisle appointed Hallmark Cards for greetings cards, Moonpig for print-on-demand and greetings, plus Carousel Calendars for wall calendars and the diaries, all of which launched in 2021. The numbers speak for themselves:

  • In three Quarters of 2021 Moonpig sold more than 166,000 in cards alone, with sales surpassing forecasts by more than 250%
  • Hallmark sold more than 99,000 cards between June and December
  • Carousel Calendars sold more than 30,000 pieces of the three SKU’s they listed. The wall calendar sold 18,000 pieces alone.

Looking ahead to 2022, Kate Smith Company and Lisle Licensing will together focus on expanding the distribution of existing licenses and broaden the seasonal collections, including Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and Christmas. Lisle will also turn its attention to expansion of the Kate Smith Company brand into secondary categories and hopes to schedule meetings at upcoming industry trade shows.

Commenting on the success, brand owner Kate Smith says: “We’re so excited about the launch of our brand in the UK with the help of Lisle Licensing. Bringing on three spectacular licensees in the first year has really helped us spread lots of hugs, high fives and LOLs. We look forward to making humans smile every day through our growing UK product offering.”

San Diego Comic Convention appoints IMG as first-ever licensing agency

San Diego Comic Convention (SDCC), organisers of the annual Comic-Con event, the iconic brand known for celebrating all things comics and related aspects of popular arts and culture, has announced that it has appointed global licensing leader IMG as its first ever exclusive licensing representative. Through this affiliation, IMG will work in partnership with SDCC to extend the reach of the non-profit’s mission of promoting comics and related popular art forms and engaging with their respective fan communities.

Bruno Maglione, President of Licensing at IMG, says: “Over 50 years ago, the Comic-Con founders simply wanted to draw attention and recognition to the comics and other art forms they loved. In doing so, they discovered a shared interest in this and related Sci-Fi, fantasy, and genre content wider than they could have possibly imagined. Today, that comic culture is mainstream entertainment culture thanks in large part to Comic-Con’s championing of this art form and its brilliant creators, and Comic-Con is the leading curator brand and guide in this space, allowing it to secure consumer attention and deliver consumer value in more ways.”

While originally focused primarily on comic books, film, and science fiction, Comic-Con has since come to encompass and celebrate related art and fantasy content, as well as anime, interactive multimedia, costuming and so much more in all its formats, with an ever-increasing menu of forums, screenings, exhibits, and workshops at the San Diego Convention Center. More than 135,000 people attend its annual convention, along with countless thousands who trek to San Diego each summer to take part in the many outside activations and activities.

IMG will be working with SDCC to identify partners who can develop products, retail destinations and experiences for the millions of fans not able to partake in the annual Comic-Con convention experience.

David Glanzer, Chief Communications and Strategy Officer for SDCC, says: “We began talking to IMG around six months ago and in the course of those discussions, it hit home to us that we could use our expertise to serve the ever-growing fan community in more ways, places and times than ever before. In 2021, we embarked on the new Comic-Con Museum and now, with IMG’s expertise working with specialist partners to deliver authentic brand experiences, we can pursue an exciting new phase for the Comic-Con brand.” 

Ricardo Yoselevitz, Senior Vice President of Licensing, IMG, adds: “Through its annual conventions, it’s clear that Comic-Con has become a powerful consumer brand without even trying. We are honoured to now be working with them to identify products and destinations that create new ways and avenues to engage this passionate community, while further reinforcing Comic-Con’s position as the leading curator of this form of popular art and culture.”

Comic-Con returns this year to the San Diego Convention Center July 21 – 24.

The RHS and The Posh Shed Company partner for The RHS Garden Retreat

The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) and The Posh Shed Company have extended their highly successful partnership, which began nearly four years ago, with the RHS endorsement of a new shed designed to enhance and support the changing lifestyles of gardeners and non-gardeners alike: The RHS Garden Retreat.

Following the first lockdown in 2020, a survey commissioned by the RHS revealed that seven out of ten people considered that having a garden boosted their mental health. Many people have continued to work from home part-time and have kept up leisure pursuits established during lockdown. The RHS Garden Retreat has been designed to help balance this new way of life with the benefits of spending time in the garden.

The RHS Garden Retreat is on permanent display within Battleston Hill at RHS Garden Wisley in Surrey, and is available to order at www.theposhshedcompany.co.uk.

The Posh Shed Company’s products are hand-made by skilled craftspeople in Herefordshire – and can be made to order to meet the exact requirements of each customer.

Richard Frost, Chairman and Co-Founder of The Posh Shed Company says: “The ‘garden shed’ can and should be so much more than merely functional: it should also be a space to enjoy the garden, a place to relax or work and a destination within your own outside world to sit and watch nature at work – somewhere that is great for your wellbeing. It is with this in mind that we have partnered with the RHS to create The RHS Garden Retreat. We are delighted to be involved with this project.”

Cathy Snow, Licensing Manager, RHS, says: “More than ever, the mental and physical health benefits of gardens and gardening are being recognised and appreciated, and the way that people use their gardens is changing as a result. We are very pleased to have worked with The Posh Shed Company to develop The RHS Garden Retreat, which can provide a stylish, comfortable sanctuary in your garden to pursue hobbies or work from home while connecting with nature.”

For information on how gardening and looking at nature can help manage stress and mental health problems, please visit: https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/health-and-wellbeing

 

 

TBA Group announces exclusive partnership with metaverse specialist Virtual Brand Group

Experiential events expert TBA Group has announced its partnership with global metaverse specialist Virtual Brand Group (VBG) to launch brands, leagues, entertainment IP and personalities in the metaverse.

Focused on establishing connections between iconic brands such as Formula 1, Take That and Doc Martens to their fans and customers, TBA Group consists of TBA plc, Top Banana, Velocity, VHE, Zest, LGA, and Optimum. The differentiated group of creative agencies aims to deliver outstanding experiential events using creativity, insight-led ideas and technology, and proved its ability throughout the pandemic, leveraging the opportunity of virtual events.

Guy Horner, CEO of TBA Group, says: “Brands  are racing to figure out their virtual strategy and navigate the vast and unpredictable metaverse technologies, communities and revenue opportunities that are rapidly evolving. The partnership with VBG will enable TBA Group to push the boundaries of creativity with full-service offering for brands to capitalise on this once in a generation growth opportunity.”

VBG transforms brands by building and operating their metaverse business and communities across billions of consumers and all web 3.0 technologies, from social gaming to blockchain to NFTs and beyond.

Most recently, VBG successfully built and launched global fashion brand Forever 21’s immersive Roblox experience and avatar merchandise programme, partnering with over 30 of the world’s top digital designers. Roblox has over 202 million players per month and over 50 million per day. In addition, VBG pioneered “Infinite Loop Marketing”, which connects virtual commerce to e-commerce.

The two companies will collaborate on placing TBA’s clients across music, sports and entertainment brands into the metaverse. The partnership aims to offer the world’s first end-to-end “phygital” (physical to digital) experiential platform that delivers a seamless journey for consumers and brands that happen simultaneously in both worlds.

“We are always seeking innovative ways to enhance the experiences that we create for our clients and their customers,” says Guy Horner. “Due to the impacts of Covid, interaction in the virtual world has accelerated, offering brands the opportunity to co-exist, and co-create, in the virtual and physical world. It unlocks the opportunity for consumers to interact with products and experiences in a creative way that does not exist in a physical world.

“We are very excited about this opportunity with VBG and are already working with clients to put them in the metaverse, creating more immersive engaging experiences with greater scale and reach.”

Justin Hochberg, VBG’s CEO, adds: “No matter what type of brand, no matter what sector, all consumer-facing brands need to seize this opportunity to experience first-hand the biggest shift in a generation to leapfrog their competitors. Put another way, ‘47% of Gen Z say they’ll discover brands through the metaverse’. TBA and VBG have the tools to make that happen.”

The partnership will launch with TBA and VBG co-hosting an exclusive event for select brand clients featuring industry luminaries, set to take place next month.

David Coulthard, Co-Founder of Velocity, part of TBA Group, says: “Our business is about creating experiences for our partners and it’s a logical next step for us to put brands into the metaverse. There is huge appetite right now to exploit metaverse opportunities as it expands the audience as well as extending the experience beyond a physical event.”

Cityneon brings Avatar experience to Gardens by the Bay, Singapore

An immersive walk-through event based on the global blockbuster film AVATAR, Avatar: The Experience will debut at Cloud Forest at Gardens by the Bay in Singapore later this year. The new attraction is a collaboration between Cityneon Holdings, Disney Location-Based Experiences, and James Cameron and Jon Landau’s Lightstorm Entertainment.

Ron Tan, Cityneon’s Executive Chairman and Group CEO, says: “It’s an honour to present Avatar: The Experience with the support of the Singapore Tourism Board and Gardens by the Bay. We are excited to contribute to the inspiring creative culture of Singapore. The iconic Cloud Forest at Gardens by the Bay, one of Asia’s most popular horticultural attractions, becomes the perfect scenic location. We look forward to welcoming guests to this carefully curated event.”

“The opening of Avatar: The Experience in Singapore is a unique opportunity to continue expanding the global reach and impact of AVATAR, the highest-grossing film of all time,” says Lightstorm Entertainment’s President of Franchise Development, Kathy Franklin. “As the first of our four AVATAR sequels comes to theatres this December, this is the perfect time – and the perfect place – to explore and celebrate the wonders of Pandora in an all-new way.”

Set at Cloud Forest with its iconic waterfalls, spiralling walkways and a unique architectural glass greenhouse, Avatar: The Experience invites guests to connect with the alien world of Pandora, its bioluminescent environments, mystical creatures, flora, and the captivating culture of its indigenous people, the Na’vi.

Additional details will be announced soon. Sign up to be the first to know by visiting www.AvatarTheExperience.com