Category Archives: Lifestyle

MARKET introduces Guns N’ Roses x Smiley collaboration

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LA-based brand MARKET has announced the release of a unisex capsule collection in collaboration with Guns N’ Roses, The Smiley Company and Bravado. 
As a Los Angeles-based brand, MARKET seized the opportunity to honour Guns N’ Roses nearly 40 years after the band had its debut performance at the storied Troubadour in Los Angeles.
In order to properly pay homage to the heritage of Guns N’ Roses, the MARKET team sourced vintage denim from the 1980s and 1990s for the hero pieces of the collection. The team upcycled denim jeans and jackets of the time with new custom patches and airbrushed-style graphics, referencing the bad boy aesthetic that defines Guns N’ Roses and their music.
In addition to the vintage denim pieces, the collection features five apparel styles and a trucker hat, which draw inspiration from the iconic ‘Appetite for Destruction’ album cover and the electricity that Guns N’ Roses brought to rock ’n’ roll.
“The way in which Guns N’ Roses relentlessly stood for freedom of expression and creativity – at all costs – has always been an inspiration to me and to people around the world,” says creative director and founder of MARKET, Mike Cherman.
“The no-holds-barred attitude of Guns N’ Roses resonates with our approach to collaborations and design, so we were extremely excited to have the opportunity to fuse the rebellious energy of Guns N’ Roses with the irreverent and wacky world of MARKET and the irresistible spirit of our longtime partner SMILEY.”
This limited-edition collection will be available worldwide through MARKET’s website, ranging in price from $45 – $200 USD, in sizing XS-XXL.

New Hot Wheels Munchy Play plate set to take mealtimes up a gear

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Munchy Play is today launching the Hot Wheels Car Plate – the first of its kind to feature a built-in racetrack.

Kids can race their cars around the signature orange Hot Wheels track, dodging obstacles along the way, before taking a pit stop to ‘refuel’. The plate features a 4cm track around its perimeter, which fits all Hot Wheels diecast cars.

Available exclusively in the UK and Ireland, the tableware starts from £15.99 and is available at munchyplay.com, Amazon, and a number of outlets.

Sophia Procter, founder and CEO of Munchy Play, says: “We are thrilled to launch our exciting new Car Plate with Hot Wheels in the driving seat! Designed to bring fun to mealtimes, it’s also a real sanity-saver for parents too. Following the success of our Thomas & Friends train plate collection, it was a natural choice to partner with Mattel again. I know children will love this design as much as we do.”

Munchy Play has received several industry awards for its innovative track plates and was recently named London Start-up Business of the Year by the Federation of Small Business.

Jon Spalding, Mattel Head of UK Consumer Products, says: “Hot Wheels is all about igniting the challenger spirit, and this fun Car Plate certainly promises to rev-up dinner time by tapping into children’s universal love of Hot Wheels and imaginative car play. We are excited to collaborate with Munchy Play again and extend our partnership on this innovative product.”

Suitable from 6+ months, Munchy Play tableware is easy to clean, stack and store. The high sides made it easier for little ones scoop up food, while the sturdy non-slip base helps prevents accidents. Made in Britain using polypropylene, the plates are free of BPA, PVC, and melamine. With zero-single-use plastic, both plate and packaging can be recycled.

For more information, visit munchyplay.com and hotwheels.com.

 

New Hot Wheels Munchy Play plate set to take mealtimes up a gear

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Munchy Play is today launching the Hot Wheels Car Plate – the first of its kind to feature a built-in racetrack.

Kids can race their cars around the signature orange Hot Wheels track, dodging obstacles along the way, before taking a pit stop to ‘refuel’. The plate features a 4cm track around its perimeter, which fits all Hot Wheels diecast cars.

Available exclusively in the UK and Ireland, the tableware starts from £15.99 and is available at munchyplay.com, Amazon, and a number of outlets.

Sophia Procter, founder and CEO of Munchy Play, says: “We are thrilled to launch our exciting new Car Plate with Hot Wheels in the driving seat! Designed to bring fun to mealtimes, it’s also a real sanity-saver for parents too. Following the success of our Thomas & Friends train plate collection, it was a natural choice to partner with Mattel again. I know children will love this design as much as we do.”

Munchy Play has received several industry awards for its innovative track plates and was recently named London Start-up Business of the Year by the Federation of Small Business.

Jon Spalding, Mattel Head of UK Consumer Products, says: “Hot Wheels is all about igniting the challenger spirit, and this fun Car Plate certainly promises to rev-up dinner time by tapping into children’s universal love of Hot Wheels and imaginative car play. We are excited to collaborate with Munchy Play again and extend our partnership on this innovative product.”

Suitable from 6+ months, Munchy Play tableware is easy to clean, stack and store. The high sides made it easier for little ones scoop up food, while the sturdy non-slip base helps prevents accidents. Made in Britain using polypropylene, the plates are free of BPA, PVC, and melamine. With zero-single-use plastic, both plate and packaging can be recycled.

For more information, visit munchyplay.com and hotwheels.com.

 

Ulysses Press to publish cookbooks based on Asmodee board games CATAN and Ticket to Ride

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Asmodee Entertainment has announced a brand partnership with independent publisher Ulysses Press to create and release cookbooks based on the internationally popular and best selling board games CATAN and Ticket to Ride.

Scheduled for publication in spring and summer 2023 respectively, the hardcover cookbooks will each feature original recipes, full-colour photographs and striking layouts. Expanding on the worlds the gamers already know and love, the official CATAN and Ticket to Ride cookbooks will promise to take players on eating expeditions never before experienced.

Boasting a global fanbase, CATAN is available in 40+ languages and has sold more than 40 million units worldwide since it was first published in 1995. Distributed in 40 countries, Ticket to Ride is the world’s best-selling train game.

Ulysses Press Editorial Director Casie Vogel says: “We’re absolutely thrilled to be working with Asmodee Entertainment, CATAN, and Ticket to Ride. With our experience and track record of creating beautiful, pop culture-themed cookbooks, and the huge fandom behind these games (our staff included), we’re excited to create books that families and friends can enjoy all while bringing their favourite games to life through food.”

“This cooperation is something we wanted to do for a long time and I’m very excited that with the Ulysses team we found such a passionate partner,” says Asmodee Entertainment Licensing Manager Alexander Thieme. “Having seen the first ideas for the books I’m absolutely sure that fans of both gaming brands will love them. With tens of millions of active players in North America alone these books will find themselves in a great many kitchens and on a great many coffee tables before too long.”

The official CATAN cookbook (title and cover to be revealed) will be available for pre-order this autumn, and both books will be distributed by Simon & Schuster.

ARTiSTORY signs multiple licensees to its Gathering of the Greats theme

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Art and cultural IP specialist ARTiSTORY has welcomed new licensees Jade City Food, Ruggable, and Fashion UK. The licensees have all chosen designs from ARTiSTORY’s Gathering of the Greats theme and will launch products later this year.

ARTiSTORY researches market trends to create modern and contemporary design assets that are inspired by original artworks and artefacts from its museum partners.  Its Gathering of the Greats theme takes inspiration from some of the greatest artists and eras of our time, from Chinese landscapes to impressionist paintings. These designs are licensed to consumer brands and retailers and assist them to introduce compelling products, engage shoppers via digital marketing and offer immersive shopping experiences.

The deals with Ruggable, the first patented machine-washable rug, and Jade City Foods, a gourmet food and beverage company, were brokered by the ARTiSTORY U.S. office.

Launching in summer 2022, and in partnership with the National Gallery, Ruggable will create unique, artist-themed collections including works by Van Gogh, Monet and Turner. The National Gallery X Ruggable collaboration sees these famous artworks reimagined into bespoke rugs for people’s living rooms.

Jade City Foods will launch a collection of hot sauces and coffees in summer 2022. In partnership with the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and the National Gallery, London, the products will all contain a variety of bespoke flavours and ingredients depending on the artwork that has been its inspiration.

“We are thrilled to be working with Ruggable and Jade City Foods, companies that mirror the ethos of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and the National Gallery, London,” says Anna Stein, Country Manager and Business Development Director ARTiSTORY USA. “Watching historical artworks come to life is like sharing a piece of culture and history with the world. It’s not just about reinterpreting these masterpieces, it’s also about the story behind the design that now sits in your living room.”

Fashion UK will launch range of apparel in French retailer Kiabi in July 2022.  Brokered by ARTiSTORY LTD (EMEA) and inspired by the Gathering of the Greats theme, the range features iconic art from the National Gallery, London, and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

Natasha Dyson, co-founder and licensing director of ARTiSTORY, says: “The Gathering of the Greats theme has been our most popular theme to date. It’s fantastic to see the innovative way licensees are interpreting our designs and the art of our museum partners.”

For more information contact natasha@artistorybrands.net

Marcolin and Timberland extend their licensing agreement until 2026

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Eyewear company Marcolin and TBL Licensing have announced that they have extended their licensing agreement for the design, production and worldwide distribution of Timberland optical frames and sunglasses.

The partnership, originally signed in 2003, has now been early renewed for a further five years until December 2026, consolidating the strong relationship between the two companies.

Timberland is a world leader in the design and marketing of premium quality footwear, clothing and accessories for those who love outdoor life. From design to production, Timberland tackles environmental challenges to minimise impact on the planet, while also delivering on style and performance.

Marcolin embraces the values of the brand, creating eyewear collections that respect its heritage. The range includes responsible styles made by using bio-based materials for a reduced environmental impact. Most of the sunglasses and optical frames contain at least 35% to a maximum of 80% bio-based content and have earned the coveted Earthkeepers designation. Earthkeepers started as a collection in 2007, and has evolved into an overarching philosophy that serves as a pathfinder for the Timberland brand, from its commitment to protect and restore the outdoors, to improve social conditions globally, and find ways to make products more responsibly.

As a signal of their long-lasting partnership, Marcolin and Timberland are also teaming up with the web platform Treedom for the planting of trees and forests worldwide. Within this global initiative, Marcolin has committed to plant over 10,000 trees by 2023, in alignment with Timberland’s longstanding tree planting efforts, with 12,000+ planted to date, and counting.

Marcolin and Timberland extend their licensing agreement until 2026

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Eyewear company Marcolin and TBL Licensing have announced that they have extended their licensing agreement for the design, production and worldwide distribution of Timberland optical frames and sunglasses.

The partnership, originally signed in 2003, has now been early renewed for a further five years until December 2026, consolidating the strong relationship between the two companies.

Timberland is a world leader in the design and marketing of premium quality footwear, clothing and accessories for those who love outdoor life. From design to production, Timberland tackles environmental challenges to minimise impact on the planet, while also delivering on style and performance.

Marcolin embraces the values of the brand, creating eyewear collections that respect its heritage. The range includes responsible styles made by using bio-based materials for a reduced environmental impact. Most of the sunglasses and optical frames contain at least 35% to a maximum of 80% bio-based content and have earned the coveted Earthkeepers designation. Earthkeepers started as a collection in 2007, and has evolved into an overarching philosophy that serves as a pathfinder for the Timberland brand, from its commitment to protect and restore the outdoors, to improve social conditions globally, and find ways to make products more responsibly.

As a signal of their long-lasting partnership, Marcolin and Timberland are also teaming up with the web platform Treedom for the planting of trees and forests worldwide. Within this global initiative, Marcolin has committed to plant over 10,000 trees by 2023, in alignment with Timberland’s longstanding tree planting efforts, with 12,000+ planted to date, and counting.

Castrol taps LMCA for global strategic licensing programme

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Castrol, one of the world’s leading lubricant brands, has appointed LMCA as its global licensing agency. 

Castrol’s new licensing programme will be committed to supporting Castrol’s global brand strategy. The programme’s emphasis is to grow Castrol’s position as a leader in auto care, reinforcing the brand’s reputation in cutting-edge technologies, and building a range of products and services that support Castrol’s focus on innovations in future mobility and renewable energy solutions.

This new programme will see LMCA expand Castrol’s brand presence and consumer reach through licensed products and services in performance care, auto accessories, and e-mobility, creating new brand experiences for customers and fans. These extensions will complement the Castrol core business, helping further the brand’s reach and create relevant new touchpoints with consumers.

As the company’s global agency, LMCA is dedicated to growing Castrol licensed offerings at retail, independent workshops and B2B avenues, led from LMCA’s head office in North America together with its regional offices around the world.

“We believe there is enormous untapped potential for the Castrol brand globally and are excited to be chosen to work with Castrol on the next phase of their strategic brand development initiatives,” says Ciarán Coyle, President and CEO of LMCA. “Castrol has a rich heritage in innovation and performance, global brand popularity, and a best-in-class reputation for delivering pioneering products and services. We look forward to extending the brand into a range of high-quality products and experiences that tap into the brand’s core equities.”

Sumeet Wadhwa, Electric Vehicle & Growth Unit Marketing Director at Castrol, says: “This strategic initiative is a testament to Castrol’s commitment to furthering our global brand strategy, deepening relationships with our consumers and fans, and building our brand value through relevant extensions. We look forward to developing a robust brand licensing programme with LMCA that optimises the brand potential and offers new and innovative product and service solutions for our Castrol customers.”

To find out more about the Castrol licensing programme, contact LMCA or visit www.lmca.net

 

Iconix completes global acquisition of athletic brand PONY

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Brand management company Iconix International Inc has now completed the acquisition of the global rights across all product categories to the PONY brand (excluding China and Taiwan), from Hong Kong based company Symphony Holdings Ltd.

Iconix will leverage its expertise in operating athletic and lifestyle brands to maximise the value of PONY by uniting the global PONY brand rights under one roof. The global brand will be run from Iconix’s New York City office, bringing a united PONY brand back to its roots.

In Asia Pacific, the PONY brand will be managed as a joint venture with Symphony, bringing together the two brand owners to leverage the partners’ respective regional expertise. The timing of the acquisition coincides with a big moment for the heritage athletic brand, as 2022 marks PONY’s 50th anniversary.

Founded in Manhattan in 1972, the PONY brand has a rich history of influencing New York’s culture of cool. PONY stands for “Product of New York,” and has been worn by legendary athletes across multiple sports including basketball, football, baseball, boxing, soccer and tennis.

Bob Galvin, CEO of Iconix, says: “We are proud to announce our global ownership of PONY, which will allow Iconix to control and invest in the brand’s considerable equity, including improved product development and a greater focus on digital and data-based marketing.

“Sports remains a key focal point of our portfolio and PONY, with its strong brand recognition and rich heritage in both sport and fashion, has significant potential for global growth. We look forward to evolving the brand to introduce it to a new generation, while also connecting with consumers that already value its heritage.

“In addition, PONY will be celebrating its 50th anniversary later this year with a very exciting relaunch of the brand with our partners around the world.”

For more information on PONY, visit PONY.com

 

Igloo partners with the Jeep brand for two Playmate coolers

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Igloo and the Jeep brand are releasing the first-ever Jeep Playmate coolers, featuring original artwork geared toward Jeep brand enthusiasts who want to keep their refreshments ice-cold throughout every journey. The special-edition Jeep Stickers Playmate Pal is available now in two colour options at igloocoolers.com/jeep.  

“The Jeep brand embodies the spirit of adventure while Igloo further enhances the good times had on those adventures — it’s a partnership we’re excited to take together,” says Brian Garofalow, Chief Marketing Officer at Igloo. “Thanks to the fun, timeless design and ability to keep road drinks and snacks perfectly fresh, the brand-new Jeep Playmate is going to make Jeep life even cooler.”

Igloo designed the new Jeep Stickers Playmate Pal with custom graphics showcasing the instantly recognisable Jeep Seven-Slot Grille, Jeep Brand Mark and adventure-inspired stickers that adventurers would collect along their travels. This special-edition Playmate comes in two colour options: carbonite and sapphire.

The two Jeep Stickers Playmate Pal coolers — each $44.99 with a 7-quart capacity that fits up to nine 12-ounce cans — can be purchased now, while supplies last, at igloocoolers.com/jeep