Category Archives: Lifestyle

Joe Boxer readies for US re-launch with Iconix Brand Group and PPI Apparel

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Iconix Brand Group has signed a new five-year licensing agreement with PPI Apparel Group to be the new exclusive underwear and sleepwear licensee for a re-launch of the Joe Boxer brand across the US. PPI Apparel will design and manufacture Joe Boxer underwear, intimates, loungewear, and sleepwear for men, women, and children.

The first Joe Boxer collection from PPl Apparel Group will make its exciting debut for the Spring 2021 season. The new line will reflect the Joe Boxer brand’s goal to make everyday fun and everyone smile.

Made to embody the energy and quirkiness that the Joe Boxer brand is well known for, the new underwear assortment includes well priced basics in an array of solids, prints and patterns with imaginative concepts.

“We chose to partner Joe Boxer with PPl Apparel Group because of their deep expertise and capabilities in the underwear and sleepwear category,” said Bob Galvin, chief executive officer and president at Iconix Brand Group, Inc. “We look forward to collaborating with Panties Plus Inc. on developing and growing Joe Boxer’s offering.”

The new collection of Joe Boxer underwear for the family will be the first category to launch at Department Stores and Online Specialty destinations, with planned expanded distribution in Q3 of 2021. PPl Apparel Group will continue to roll out Kids sleepwear and loungewear assortments for the 2021 back to school and holiday seasons.

Abe Hanan CEO of PPI Apparel Group, added: “As a company that manufactures over a dozen different licensed brands we are honored and excited to partner with Iconix in the relaunch of this consumer brand.

“It is not often in licensing that you have the opportunity to work with a brand that’s DNA is our product category expertise. When you think of the world and heritage of Joe Boxer you think of Underwear and Loungewear.”

Joe Boxer is one of almost 30 consumer brands owned by Iconix Brand Group, Inc. The brand management company owns, licenses and markets its brands through a network of leading retailers and manufacturers that touch every major segment of retail distribution in both the U.S. and worldwide.

Asembl strikes up Unilever Australia and Cotton On partnership for Streets ice cream apparel

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A selection of Unilever Australia’s best-loved ice cream brands, including Golden Gaytime, Bubble O’ Bill, Paddle Pop, and Splice, are entering the fashion aisles thanks to a new partnership with Australia’s largest global retailer, Cotton On.

Under the deal, Cotton On will launch a collection of summer fashion items for men and women. The partnership was forged by Asembl, the brand extension agency for Unilever Australia.

The Cotton On x Streets collection includes t-shirts and singlets for him and her, summer accessories including towels and flip flops, and sleepwear.

“We can’t wait to see the Streets brand come to fashion life in Cotton On stores across Australia. Nothing says summer more than Golden Gaytime, Bubble O’ Bill, Paddle Pop and Splice so what better way to enjoy your favourite ice-cream brands than with tees, singlets and accessories from Cotton On,” said Unilever Australia brand manager, Samantha Jarmul.

“We are thrilled with this deal Asembl has brokered for us and can’t wait for further new category product roll-outs throughout this year to continue to deliver what our fans have asked for.”

Asembl managing director, Justin Watson, added: “The Streets ice-cream brand is synonymous with an Australian summer, so we are thrilled to be partnering this much-loved Unilever Australia brand with local retailer favourite, Cotton On.

With Golden Gaytime, Bubble O’ Bill, Paddle Pop and Splice branded apparel and accessories for him and her, this range is guaranteed to be incredibly popular with Australians of all ages.”

Shop the range from January 4 2021 in Cotton On Australia stores or online at cottonon.com

Disney and Keith Haring partner to celebrate Mickey Mouse with new product roll-out

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Disney has embarked on a collaborative project with the globally revered artist Keith Haring to launch a new range of apparel and accessories featuring the artist’s own take on Disney’s iconic Mickey Mouse. The range will be hitting the global retail scene throughout 2021.

In 1980, Haring created original works of art featuring Mickey Mouse in a new style unique to New York City street culture, taking inspiration from both Pop Art and urban graffiti. His love for Mickey Mouse was rooted in his childhood experiences.

Deeply influenced by Walt Disney and the incredible skill and mastery of American cartoonists of the 50’s and 60’s, Haring even aspired to be a cartoonist himself.

“I always wanted to work for Walt Disney when I was growing up, when I was a kid and in some ways I think he is one of the three most important artists of the 20th century along with Warhol and Picasso,” said Haring.

This collaboration is a continuation of Disney’s celebration of Keith Haring’s inspired artistic interpretations of Mickey Mouse which was commemorated in 2018 as part of the Mickey: The True Original Exhibition celebrating the 90th anniversary of Mickey Mouse.

Haring’s artwork featuring Mickey Mouse will be featured on an assortment of products across multiple brands, with Coach unveiling a new collection highlighting two artworks that will be exclusively launched with their collection.

“Keith Haring’s respect and admiration for Walt Disney, especially the beloved Mickey Mouse, served as an inspiration for some of his iconic pieces,” added the Haring Studio. “By collaborating with Disney, we are able to bring his artwork to life through a new medium and continue to celebrate his enduring influence on the art community and future generations to come.”

Emoji Company partners with Vistaprint to launch new face masks range and support businesses in the US and Canada

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The Emoji Company has partnered with Vistaprint to produce a new line of face masks featuring some of the most recognisable Emoji brand icons. Ten per cent of the total sales made by the masks will be donated to help empower small businesses across the US and Canada.

To date, Vistaprint has raised more than $5million in cash and in-kind product donations to support small businesses through its mask sales.

Available in the United States and Canada, the Emoji collection features a variety of designs including some of the most popular Emoji brand icons giving consumers plenty of options to choose from.

“We are excited to be launching this playful collection of masks in collaboration with Emoji- The Iconic Brand that will bring some light and fun to people’s everyday attire,” said Vistaprint’s North America market director, Erin Shea.

“We use digital icons every day to express ourselves on social media, in text conversations, and emails. Self-expression is important and we believe that a mask should not limit a person’s ability to express themselves. Our mask design partnership with the emoji® brand is one way we’re helping people do just that.”

Vistaprint’s RFS masks have a three-dimensional chin structure, a bendable nose bridge, and adjustable straps to give your reusable face mask the perfect fit all day long. Designed with wearability in mind, the masks are available in a wide range of colors and prints for both adults and children. Sold separately in packs of ten, filters can be inserted into the RFS masks. Each filter can be used for up to 12 hours.

“With face masks such an important part of daily life, we welcomed the opportunity to partner with Vistaprint for high quality face masks that empower consumers of all ages to express themselves in unique and fun ways,” said Marco Hüsges, CEO and founder, the emoji company.

Culture sculpture: Beer Buddies and the fine art of merchandising

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A two-man operation working out of a headquarters in Wheal Vor, in Cornwall, Beer Buddies has started to make its presence known on the pop culture licensing and merchandise scene through its range of best-selling Motorhead, Iron Maiden, and now Original Stormtrooper bottle openers.

Using traditional sculpting methods put to use from its Cornish workshop, this is a company that has not only struck upon a unique angle within the traditional licensing space, but continues to champion an artisan approach within the sector, finding and bridging that gap between today’s demand for pop culture merchandise and the consumer’s desire for artistry.

Here, Licensing.biz grabs a quick five minutes with Beer Buddies co-founder Richard House to talk about the firm’s foray into licensing, its successes, and what’s on the horizon for the UK business.

Hi Richard, good to catch up with you. To start, can you give us a bit of history on the Beer Buddies company? How did this all come about for you guys, and what was the moment that got you into the licensing space?

Beer Buddies is just two people: myself and Seamus Moran. We both did design based degrees and formed Beer Buddies 10 years ago, we’ve worked together ever since moving to Cornwall from the Midlands in 1988.

Buddies started almost by accident when we were asked to design and produce a Green Man wall plaque. Seamus realised that a bottled opener could be incorporated into the mouth and I came up with the name Beer Buddies. We came up with a few more designs, made them in our workshop and began selling, as demand grew and the range increased and we moved the manufacturing to China.

We had never considered doing licensed products until Jens Drinkwater of Global Merch introduced himself to us at a trade show about three years ago. Motorhead bottled beer Road Crew was selling strongly and Jens suggested a bottle opener would be a great addition to Motorhead merchandise line.

The trail went quiet for about 12 months and then out the blue we got the green light from Global and six months later the first Beer Buddies licensed product was on sale. It immediately opened our eyes to the potential of the licensing world. Motorhead sold more than the rest of our range put together.

You pay homage to a real artisan aspect of creating Beer Buddies. How do you guys strike that balance of bringing the artisan to the licensing space? What do you think this brings to the licensing space itself and is it proof that artistry and merchandise can work together?

The artisan element of our working methods probably has much to do with our age. Seamus is a sculptor in his own right and totally at home working with traditional modelling materials such as clay and plaster. Neither of us are of the Cad era. Seamus has a meticulous modelling style and an eye for detail that is unique to him and that translates into the designs and brings a very human element to the work that a computer generated design can’t.

We look for brand icons that will translate into what we do without making too many compromises to the original concept. Also, because this is so new to us having good support from the licensee is very important. Global has been fantastic in this regard and Jens has introduced us to new customers and spread the cost of royalty fees when our cash flow has been tight.

What has reception been like to the Beer Buddies’ licensed roll out to date? 

The response to our licensed roll outs to date has been very positive. Motorhead and Iron Maiden are our biggest sellers. Original Stormtrooper arrived late due to the chaotic situation at UK ports but the initial signs are that it’s going to be very strong .

How has business been for you guys over the course of 2020? With lockdown keeping people in their homes for longer, has Beer Buddies spotted an opportunity here?

Like virtually all businesses this year, Covid-19 has caused us problems. Most of our trade accounts have been closed for 25 per cent of the year and some may have closed for good. We probably won’t know the full extent of the damage until next year. On the plus side our own website sales have more than doubled as lockdown has sent online shopping go off the chart .

What’s the next big move for Beer Buddies, what can we expect from you guys in 2021?

Next year we hope to get some more Heavy Metal under our belts with Metallica, they have the right look and like Motorhead and Iron Maiden already have a licensed beer and a huge loyal fan base.

Finsbury Food Group extends its partnership with Thorntons, and we can all be happy about that

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Finsbury Food Group has detailed a three-year extension to its long-term partnership with the chocolatier Thorntons, a collaboration that has driven the celebration cake market for the past 20 years.

Finsbury has developed a range of premium products through a licensing arrangement with the Thorntons business. Thorntons full cake range with Finsbury includes celebration cakes, including classic flavours such as sticky toffee and triple layer chocolate, cupcake platters, FTG Bars and the much-loved Bites, designed to make bitesize moments special, with flavours ranging from chocolate fudge brownie to caramel shortcake made with Thorntons’ traditional recipe toffee sauce.

The businesses will continue to work together until 2023, with future developments including the launch of treat bars, and further updates to the bites ranges, including seasonal, and cupcake platters.

 Jack Cook-Broussine, brand manager at Finsbury Food Group, said: “Our relationship with Thorntons is one of the longest in the industry, a true testament to the partnership we have built and the team’s ability to monitor changing consumer trends and develop products that capture the imagination of the consumer.

“We have seen huge success throughout the years of working together, particularly with our scrumptious bites products which are perfect for making bitesize moments special.

“With 20 successful years under our belt, it’s brilliant to be able to extend our partnership by another three years, particularly after what has been a challenging year for the cake industry overall. We are looking forward to seeing what 2021 brings for the brand.”

Fiona Morgan, head of Foodservice Ferrero UK & Ireland, at Ferrero UK Ltd, added: “It is through our strong partnership with Finsbury that we continue to drive the celebration cake market. There’s no denying it has been a challenging year for all, but we hope to bring some joy to consumers with our cakes this Christmas. Thorntons is also a strong player in the cake bites market, and we are excited to refresh our delicious bites ranges in the near future.”

Cannabis brand Old Pal moves into beer brewing with the launch of Old Pal Ale

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One of the top-selling names in the cannabis lifestyle space, Old Pal, has detailed the launch of Old Pal Ale, a new beverage extension that aims to celebrate the message of ‘sharing’ that has become synonymous with the Old Pal name.

Brewed in small batches, Old Pal Ale takes its ethos from the core lifestyle message of Old Pal’s shareable cannabis products developed under the Old Pal Provisions name that ‘encourage community and connection.’

Old Pal is joining a growing number of cross-pollination projects between the cannabis and brewing industry, something that has recently been heightened via the global cannabis market leader Aphria and its acquisition of Sweetwater Brewing.

Old Pal Ale is a traditional ale that does not include THC or CBD, it’s simply brewed to be beer.

“If 2020 has shown us anything, it’s that we all need to find ways to create shareable experiences with our friends and community, so we worked to create OPA to give our community another way to come together,” said Charlie Cangialosi, Old Pal’s COO and former Anheuser-Busch InBev executive.

‘The Old Pal community has come to enjoy relatable, consistent strains and enjoyable smokable products so in a similar spirit, Old Pal Ale is a light and refreshing ale with a soft malt sweetness and a touch of hops,’ read a statement from the company.

‘It’s light and drinkable but boasts a complex taste with notes of sweet citrus, honey, floral and ripe berry.’

The can itself has been designed by Old Pal’s creative partner, LAND who has defined a look for other recognizable brands in the beverage space like Stumptown Coffee and Madre Mezcal.

The announcement comes shortly after news of the growth of the Old Pal Brand into Oklahoma marking the fourth state where Old Pal cannabis products can be found.

“With this and the further recognition of the Old Pal look nationwide, Old Pal Ale ditches gimmicks seen in the beverage industry and instead expands on the idea that like cannabis, beer brings people together to bond over a beverage, especially at a time when we’re sticking to small groups of friends and family to weather the pandemic,” concluded the company.

Poetic Brands to launch Brambly Hedge baby clothing and accessories range

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The apparel licensee Poetic Brands has signed on to create a range of baby clothing and accessories based on the heritage children’s publishing property, Brambly Hedge.

The new collection will include layette and fashion daywear along with nightwear, snow suits, sleeping bags, accessories, and changing mats each inspired by the adventure of the community of Brambly Hedge’s resident mice.

Brambly Hedge joins a number of prestigious new children’s partners for Poetic Brands, as the licensee establishes its new Baby, Children’s Wear and Accessories division.

Brambly Hedge began life in 1980 as a series of intricately illustrated books following a family of mice in the English countryside. Written by Jill Barklem, the brand is now celebrating 40 years since its first book was published.

Rockpool Licensing, which manages the property worldwide, recently announced a deal with Lupus Films, which will see the production company adapt the classic stories for screen, initially as a Christmas special, with further episodes to follow, bringing new exposure to the brand and introducing it to a fresh generation of fans.

Licensing activity for Brambly Hedge begins to pick up following a period of heightened consumer awareness and interest in nature and our natural surrounding, a trend facilitated by the coronavirus pandemic and the subsequent social restrictions that have been taken.

The detail of the illustrations, along with the strong representation of the seasons throughout the stories, lend themselves particularly well to licensed products. The brand already has an army of fans, with 22,000 Instagram followers and 57,000 Facebook fans, and is already a firm favourite with all adults; parents, grandparents and gift-givers alike.

Anne Bradford, director, Poetic Brands, said: “Brambly Hedge is a stunning heritage baby brand with timeless illustrations. With the success of many other evergreen collections before it we are looking forward to creating some exquisite ranges. The nature of the illustrations allows us to literally work through the seasons giving a unique product offering.”

Vickie O’Malley, managing director, Rockpool Licensing, added: “We’re thrilled to have the talented team at Poetic Brands on board to develop babywear ranges for Brambly Hedge. The exquisite artwork that so beautifully portrays the changing seasons, nature, family and celebration is so perfect for babywear.

“At a time when consumers are craving these things in their lives, I wonder if the world has ever needed Brambly Hedge more?!”

WildBrain CPLG secures Line Friends partnership with Brighton’s Artbox Cafe

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WildBrain CPLG has secured a new deal for the global character brand Line Friends that will see it open a new, branded activation at the Artbox Cafe in Brighton.

Following its launch on December 12 this year, the Line Friends at Artbox Cafe partnership is now underway and sees Artbox Cafe bring Line Friends’ Brown and Friends, as well as BT21 characters across its take-away and sit-down cafe.

 Danielle Brosnan, brand and retail manager at WildBrain CPLG, said: “During these times, consumers are seeking out fun experiences, which are also executed in a Covid-safe way.

“This exciting new partnership with Artbox Cafe delivers exactly that, as fans of Line Friends’ beloved Brown and Friends and BT21 brands now have a destination to immerse themselves in the world of their favourite characters, and also purchase merchandise to continue the experience at home.”

As part of the partnership, the café has been renamed Line Friends and BT21 Tasty Universe and a branded eat-in menu has been introduced with a range of savoury dishes, desserts and drinks. Themed ice creams are also available from its takeaway parlour.

The cafe’s shop is selling products from UK licensees including GB Eye, Paladone and Aurora, alongside its own exclusive collection of pins, tote bags, mugs, face masks and notebooks.

Freedom Confectionery teams with Pusheen the Cat to launch the first chocolate vegan gummy bar

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Freedom Confectionery, the UK-based allergen-free, vegan mallow specialist, is to launch the first chocolate coated vegan gummy bar to the market as part of a brand licensing partnership with Pusheen The Cat.

The partnership will be the first confectionery licensing agreement globally recognised brand, Pusheen, has made since its inception in 2010.

As the first European manufacturer of gelatine-free marshmallows, Freedom Confectionery, along with its partnership with Pusheen, is hoping to build on its allergy-free credentials offering vegan, vegetarian, plant-based and non-allergy customers worldwide a sweet treat that is completely gelatine-free.

The 54g strawberry flavoured vegan gummy bar, aptly named, Vegumi, will be coated in dairy-free chocolate and wrapped in a designed film featuring Pusheen The Cat.

The partnership now allows the Lancashire-based Freedom Confectionery the opportunity to reach a new audience and cement its position within the allergy-free, vegan, vegetarian, and plant-based market.

Elvin Willgrass, sales director at Freedom Confectionery, said: “After being in the business for five years, this is by far the most exciting launch Freedom Confectionery has been a part of. To have a brand licensing partnership with Pusheen is an amazing opportunity and I can’t wait to hear what our customers think of it.

“Not only does Vegumi taste amazing, but it’s also approved by The Vegan Society and is free from the top allergens. As a business, we believe in 100 per cent allergy-free, no product leaves our factory without being thoroughly tested and packaged accordingly and we’re delighted that Pusheen want to be part of our business journey.”

Cate D’Allessandro, director of licensing at Pusheen Corp, added: “Our team is excited to partner with Freedom Confectionery to bring our fans a delicious new sweet treat to enjoy.”

The new Vegumi bar will be available to purchase initially from the Freedom Confectionery online shop https://freedommallows.com/our-shop/ from £1.99 per bar.

Freedom Confectionery also have plans to roll the new product offering out to retailers through its national distributors, Bravura Foods.

Approved by The Vegan Society, the Freedom Confectionery Pusheen Vegumi bar is gelatine, gluten, egg, dairy, and soy free with no artificial colours or flavourings.