Category Archives: Live

A new Judge Dredd immersive experience is coming from the team that brought us Crystal Maze Live

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Little Lion Entertainment, the team that set a new tone for the immersive experiential concept when it launched the Crystal Maze Live Experiences is back with a sci-fi adventure based on the iconic Judge Dredd IP.

Four years on from the debut of the Crystal Maze project, Little Lion is teleporting urban adventurers into the surreal, high-action future with Judge Dredd Uprising: The Live Experience, a new multi-level team attraction based on the satirical world of the British comic book character, Judge Dredd himself.

The new experience takes Little Lion’s mix of immersive live theatre, mental and physical challenges, multi-level problem-solving, and world building to the next level, boasting ground breaking interactive technology and a real life cast of crooks, robots, and convicts set to a backdrop of immersive set design.

‘In the sprawling megalopolis Brit-Cit, the post-nuclear London of the future, all manner of characters roam the streets. But Judge Dredd, has discovered a terrible plot and you and your merry gang of chancers are the city’s only hope,’ reads a description of the upcoming immersive experience.

“This new show is insanely exciting,” said Tom Lionetti-Maguire, founder and CEO of Little Lion. “The experience is part comic book, part sci-fi film, part immersive theatre, part escape room, part action adventure and part indoor theme park… all wrapped into one.

“This is our second show and I really wanted us to push the boundaries of what audiences can expect, to explore the space between theatre, film and reality. With Uprising we have really achieved that. Judge Dredd’s mega-cities are a wild, prophetic and very funny world of future crime, surreal action and crazed citizens… and now you can experience that world for yourself.  It’s time to choose your side.”

CEO of Rebellion Entertainment, Jason Kingsley OBE, owners of Judge Dredd intellectual property, added: “The world of Judge Dredd is the greatest imaginative universe to come out of British comics and we’re proud to bring it to ever wider audiences. Every reader has dreamed of setting foot in a Mega-City, and with Judge Dredd Uprising: The Live Experience, they can do just that…”

Of the first 50,000 fans who register an email address for updates at www.judgedredduprising.com, 100 will be selected at random to have their name inscribed into the attraction and be immortalized in Judge Dredd forever.

Everyone who’s subscribed will then also be the first to hear when tickets go on sale later this year.

Riverside Brands scores Rugby League World Cup ahead of 2021 tournament

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The Rugby League World Cup has tapped Riverside Brands to lead its third party collaborations and licensing agreements in time for its much anticipated 2021 World Cup event. Under the deal, Riverside Brands’ remit will be secure partnerships across consumer products, drive brand exposure, and deepen engagement with the tournament.

Founded last year by Ashley Holman – formerly a senior director at Nickelodeon with 15 years sector experience – Riverside Brands will engage the global marketplace for RLWC2021 via the company’s industry network covering leading licensees and retailers.

The Rugby League World Cup is the pinnacle major event of Rugby League, globally contested every four years. England 2021 will be a breakthrough moment in the tournament’s history with the men’s, women’s and wheelchair competitions being staged together for the first-time during October and November next year.

RLWC2021 has also confirmed the appointment of Skew Studio to develop an insight led style guide for consumer products which will support the tournament’s values and brand story, and be used across retail and licensees. This follows the announcement last month of Kappa as the Official Apparel Partner of RLWC2021.

Jonathan Neill, commercial director at RLWC2021, said: “Our licensing strategy and delivery is a crucial part of our commercial programme. We need to transcend the sport of Rugby League and positively engage a new audience, and we feel that Riverside Brands and licensing will play a hugely important role in helping to achieve that.

“With 13 million people in the UK following Rugby League, 750,000 fans expected at the 61 matches at the tournament, coverage of all matches across the BBC, and international TV reach in over 100 territories, we have a significant platform and are excited about collaborating with brands on consumer products.”

Ashley Holman, managing director at Riverside Brands, added: “We’re really delighted to be working with the RLWC2021 team. After a tough year for sport, the prospect of extending the life of a much revered and eagerly anticipated tournament is really exciting to us. We’re looking forward to solidifying partnerships that champions the brand’s effervescent spirit, delights its loyal fans, as well as introducing it to new audiences.”

Acamar Films grows live events for Bing with new Trend Media partnership for the Netherlands

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Acamar Films has teamed up with leading Dutch theatre production company Trend Media to bring its hit pre-school series Bing to life on stage across the Netherlands and Belgium for the first time. The partnership is the latest move in Acamar’s ongoing plans to expand its international live events footprint.

The four-year deal will see a new live theatre show launch in autumn 2021. The first season will run through to spring 2022, with two further seasons to follow. Co-produced by Acamar Films and Trend Media, the hour-long, interactive musical adventure is designed to appeal to children aged two to five, immersing them in the world of Bing.

Specialists in TV and theatre productions for children, Utrecht-based Trend Media has a track record of delivering successful shows in the Benelux region, including the creation of its own leading children’s programme, Ernst Bobbie en de Rest.

Meanwhile, Emmy Award-winning Bing has seen extraordinary success since its launch in the UK in 2014. Its stories of everyday pre-school dramas have struck a chord with young children and grown-ups across the globe, acquiring a growing fanbase of Bingsters in 130 territories worldwide.

Kirsty Southgate, director promotions and partnerships at Acamar Films, said: “Bing is going from strength to strength in the Netherlands and Belgium, both in consumer products and in building an established loyal audience, so it’s the perfect time to deepen viewers’ engagement through an enthralling live experience.

“We are delighted to team up with Trend Media, who are real experts in designing joyful performances for children, and look forward to creating something truly special for Bingsters and their families to enjoy.”

Erik van Trommel, CEO of Trend Media, added: “We have long been a fan of Bing and we saw very good opportunities for a Bing theatre show in the Netherlands and Belgium. In recent months we have had many conversations with Acamar Films about how a collaboration and a theatre tour would look in these two countries.

“We are very happy with the result and it is wonderful that both companies share a love for children’s entertainment. We look forward to working with Acamar Films to produce a successful theatre tour in the Netherlands and Belgium.”

In Benelux, Bing is a rating hit on Dutch and Flemish linear channels Zappelin and Ketnet. Bing’s Dutch YouTube channel has amassed more than 143 million channel views and 20 million-plus watch time hours since its launch in October 2018.

Confirmed dates and venues for the new live Bing show across the Netherlands and Belgium will be announced later in the year

The Licensing Awards 2020 are now open for entry

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All award categories for this year’s Licensing Awards are now open for entry via the website www.thelicensingawards.co.uk, with returning categories including those for licensed products and properties, retailers, marketing, and honorary achievement.

This year will also see accolades awarded out for sustainable licensed products, international retailers, and licensed live events.

In a change from previous years, all entries for the licensed product categories will be online only, rather than physical products needing to be submitted.

Ian Hyder, joint managing director, Max Publishing – the team behind the awards, explained: “Having consulted with the industry, in light of the uncertainty and disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, we wanted a failsafe method for people to be able to enter their licensed products. With the majority of offices and warehouses currently closed and with many people working from home, submitting imagery and accompanying information online seems an ideal solution.”

Judging for licensed product categories will also be undertaken online, in line with social distancing guidelines, by an extensive judging panel, made up of retailers from across the board.

The 2020 awards cover licensed product launches, licensing activity and licensed retailing execution in the 12 months up to the end of May 2020. Entries will be open until 29 May, 2020, and are, as always, free to enter, via a quick and easy process.

The three new categories are The Sustainability Product Award, The Best Licensed Live Event Award, and The Best International Retailer of Licensed Product Award.

Jakki Brown, joint managing director, Max Publishing, added: “It has always been our core belief that to maintain their respected status, The Licensing Awards categories would need to evolve in order to reflect the developments with the industry. The addition of a dedicated Licensed Sustainability Product Award is a perfect example of this.

“The changing UK retail landscape has seen the proliferation of international retailing brands who are engaging in licensing also needed to be recognised, hence the new Best Overseas Retailer of Licensed Products category.”

The new Best Licensed Live Event Award will be open to all paid for theatrical shows and events, fairground rides, or events within paid for experiences.

“While the current situation precludes these events from taking place right now, as the period for entry goes back to the start of last June, all the great licensed live events activity over last summer, right up to the middle of March, can be entered,” added Hyder.

The Licensing Awards 2020’s headline sponsor is Brand Licensing Europe, while Licensing International is also an official supporter.

The finalists of The Licensing Awards will be announced in July, and the winners will be unveiled on Wednesday 9 September in The Great Room at The Grosvenor House Hotel, set to welcome 1,400 licensors, retailers and licensees.

Children’s Media Conference rebrands as Children’s Media Community for 2020 as it moves its content online

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The Children’s Media Conference, now in its 17th year, is temporarily becoming The Children’s Media Community for 2020, in response to the cancellation of its planned conference in Sheffield from July 7th to 9th due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

With a revised theme of ‘Still Here Right Now’, CMC will provide an ongoing service to all involved in the children’s media industry, offering a programme of webinars over the next few months, culminating in a virtual conference taking place this July.

The first online event is a focus on China supported by the Department of Trade and Industry.

On Tuesday April, 21st there will be a webinar open to all looking at how the Chinese market is reviving itself with a focus on opportunities for international companies looking to work in China. The webinar will be free of charge, and details on how to join will be on the CMC website.

On Wednesday, April 22nd there will be limited slots available to join virtual meetings with key Chinese platforms and co-producers who are looking to work with British companies. Delegates will need to register interest with CMC and pay a fee of £50.00 + VAT.

CMC is planning a regular weekly roll out of webinars and content, offering the children’s community a wide range of discussions on the topics that matter and a chance to hear from commissioners, funders, research companies and master-practitioners.

The webinars will culminate in a limited virtual conference from Tuesday 7th to Thursday 9th July including the International Exchange which will run via virtual one-to-one meetings.

All registration details and information on the webinars (including Zoom log-in details) will be available on the CMC website https://www.thechildrensmediaconference.com/.

Greg Childs, editorial director at CMC said: “The Children’s Media Community always steps up in a crisis. Maybe it’s because we’re conscious of our responsibility to help the children’s audience handle difficult situations, understand their changing world, and still have some fun along the way.

“In the last few weeks the children’s content community has been nothing short of brilliant in pulling together a new way of looking at the conference they help create every year. As a result we’re pleased to say that CMC 2020 is rebranding ‘for the duration’ as the Children’s Media Community and refocusing its theme from ‘Right Here Right Now’ to ‘STILL Here Right Now’.

“What that means is that volunteer producers will still work on great sessions, helped by the CMC Advisory Committee, and they’ll be delivered to people’s desktops on a regular basis right up to and including a virtual conference in July. We can come together as a community to share the learning, insights and inspiration, challenge, argue and discuss – just as we do in Sheffield – but you’ll need to make your own tea.”

Postponed Olympic and Paralympic Games to keep Tokyo 2020 trademark for merchandise and licensing partners

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The postponed Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 are to maintain their trademarked names in a bid to alleviate concerns around merchandise and licensing partnerships, despite the event being moved to 2021 amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The International Olympic Committee and the 2020 Games’ host nation, Tokyo, reached the decision last week to postpone the global events scheduled to take place this summer as the world continued to deal with the ongoing issue of the coronavirus.

The weighty decision was the subject of much speculation in the weeks leading up to the announcement, as it faced major reluctance to not hold the Olympics and Paralympic Games in Tokyo this year. The move has marked an unprecedented course of action as this is the first time in its 124 year modern history that the Olympic Games has been delayed.

The games have before been cancelled altogether in 1916, 1940 and 1944 during World War One and World War Two.

Among the many elements surrounding the Olympic and Paralympic Games to be affected by the decision, of course, are its many merchandise and licensing partners now in various stages of development, production, and distribution of the official Tokyo 2020 consumer products.

A spokesperson from the IOC told Licensing.biz that while conversations with licensees have only just started, what is known is that the Games “will keep the name Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020, so that the trademarks are not changed.”

“We are, of course, working in close collaboration with all of our licensees to ensure the success of their respective collections launch,” they said.

“As you certainly know this is an unprecedented situation and the first time in Olympic history that the Games will be postponed.”

The IOC intends to keep the industry updated on developments.

Sagoo scoops big win at the Licensing International France Awards

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The independent agency, Sagoo received the Best Lifestyle, Corporate or Celebrity Brand award at the Licensing International France Awards where it was recognised for its work with the renowned artist, Keith Haring.

The firm triumphed to take the award earlier this month, fighting off competition in the category from finalists including Mattel and Barbie, Textiss and Freegun, and Sanrio with Hello Kitty.

The bright colours, bold lines and simple subject matters of Keith Haring’s art has made it instantly recognisable and unique as a brand. Haring covers relatable concepts with his work, such as birth, death, love and war, which he conveys using iconic symbols, embodied in everyday figures such as hearts, babies, dogs, waves and more.

Sagoo manages the licensing rights for Keith Haring in France and has built a popular consumer products range across a number of categories and age groups, including apparel, accessories, footwear, sports equipment and more with key licensees throughout the territory.

Veronique Pichon, owner of Sagoo, said: “We are proud that a small agency has been recognised for its work on one of the leading contemporary artists. We are also thrilled to have been able to conclude deals on a global basis for the property with major partners such as Lacoste.”

Licensing International’s Young Professionals Network 2020 breakfast cancelled over coronavirus outbreak

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Licensing International has announced the cancellation of this week’s Young Professionals Network 2020 breakfast event in London due to the escalating coronavirus outbreak and the latest Government advice.

The event was due to be held at the Club at the Ivy on Covent Garden this Friday, March 20th, but has since been cancelled in accordance to the latest Government advice concerning travel, public gathering and social distancing issued in an attempt to flatten the curve of the outbreak of Covid-19.

The breakfast event was organised to help young professionals in the licensing industry network and learn more about the popular and ever-growing video game licensing sector. The event has since been postponed indefinitely, with no word of a new date.

Kelvyn Gardner, managing director a Licensing International, said: “We had been very much looking forward to kicking off our Young Professionals Network 2020 programme at the Club at the Ivy this coming Friday. Very sadly, the latest advice from the Government concerning travel and public gatherings during the continuing pandemic have left us with no choice but to postpone the event indefinitely.

“All those who have booked to attend will receive refunds of their ticket prices, and I would like to place on record my thanks to all who planned to attend, our splendid line up of speakers, and the LI UK YPN committee for their work and dedication in the planning of this event.”

Opinion: Is the Wild West about to be tamed? – Anthony Marks

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Anthony Marks is MD of Fanattik a pop culture specialist, a gifts and collectibles licensee for 20th Century Fox, Universal Studios, and Paramount Pictures. He talks us through why the days of the Comic Con counterfeiter may just be numbered

As a self-confessed geek I have no problem admitting that I have been visiting Comic Cons for more than 25 years, and many a time I remember queuing up for hours in the rain to get into an event and spend my money on product that mainstream retailers were ignoring.

Although visitor numbers have reduced from their heyday, a big London show can attract well over 100,000 visitors over a weekend and regional shows more than 30,000.

I still visit the shows, but this time with my commercial hat on to see product from all over Europe under one roof. The shows have never ceased to amaze me with regards to how much unlicensed poor quality product is freely available to buy, so I read with interest that a representative from Marvel was seen attending this month’s Liverpool Comic Con, it definitely had the exhibitors at the show in a tizz from the reports I received.

My company started off selling licensed limited edition art prints and many years ago we went through a phase of exhibiting at shows all over Europe, we found ourselves placed next to stands selling prints featuring images downloaded from the internet and run off on a home printer. We complained to show organisers and they just didn’t care, they had to sell the space and they didn’t care who they sold it to.

The most faked brands that we noticed always seemed to be Nintendo, Star Trek and Pokemon. I couldn’t understand why the brands weren’t sending representatives to these shows which were mostly in major cities, easily commutable from their or their agents offices.

A colleague used to take pictures of stands selling fake keyrings, pin badges, glassware etc but after being threatened by stall holders numerous times he decided it wasn’t worth doing anymore, especially as the show organisers and the brands we were sending the pictures to wouldn’t act on them anyway.

Licensees invest a lot of money in testing, especially on items such as jewellery as it comes into contact with the skin, the last thing the industry needs is a red top to report how a child’s neck turned green because they were wearing a necklace bought at a show. The press won’t care that the item was unlicensed they will just report the brand featured.

These stands are not always run by someone who just wants to make a little bit of extra money by selling product they produced at home, there is one large organised group which has multiple stands not just at the London shows but I have seen them at Frankfurt, Amsterdam as well as many of the regional UK shows, blatantly selling unlicensed product imported direct from China (I saw the packing boxes behind their stands). The show organisers know who they are but don’t want to get rid of them because of the number of stands they book all in one go.

A few years ago I offered my services to one event, I would travel down to their show at my own expense and walk the halls with one of their team to try and clean things up, they wouldn’t even have to buy me a sandwich for lunch, but they turned me down.

Things are changing though.

Newham Council – which covers Excel where a lot of the London events are held – sends a team to each event, they are very good at shutting down stands selling plush if they don’t have the CE mark on them, but when it comes to other product they are a little lost and they could do with brand representatives alongside to point out what shouldn’t be for sale.

An example of a pro-active brand is Bethesda. I saw its head of European licensing at an event last year visiting existing licensee’s and the smaller stands. When he saw unlicensed product, he showed the stall holder his card and stated calmly that his legal team were at the show and would be along in half an hour, so the offending product had to be taken down.

Sure, it helped that this man was built like he could go ten rounds with a professional boxer but the fact that he could prove he was an official representative of the brand was enough to persuade the exhibitor to co-operate.

With the bigger shows wanting to form more commercial relationships in the form of sponsorship deals with the brands, things are going in the right direction. In the future the Wild West may not be totally tamed, but it will at least be a safer place for fans and licensee’s to visit.

The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh celebrates 350th anniversary with new licensing programme

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The Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh is celebrating its 350th anniversary this year with the unveiling of two new licensing partners in Caithness Glass and Flame Tree Publishing.

RBGE was established in 1670 as a physic garden near the Palace of Holyroodhouse. The purpose of the garden was to supply fresh plants for medical prescriptions and to help teach medical botany to students. Almost 20 years later, in 1699, it received a royal warrant.

Over the years many intrepid botanists introduced exotic plants from all over the world and innovative techniques into the gardens. Moving to its present site in Inverleith in 1823, RGBE  is one of the world’s leading botanical gardens and today delivers world-leading plant science and conservation programmes and cares for large archives of botanical art as well four gardens in Scotland.

In this anniversary year, RGBE is hosting a programme of exhibitions and events, and has kickstarted an ambitious plan to rebuild its existing glasshouses and create a new one under its Edingburgh Biomes project – one which aims to secure the Garden’s work for future generations.

RGBE’s licensing programme is focused on using its archive and environmental message to work with companies that reflect its brand values. Royalties from products sold help to directly fund and support the work RGBE does to develop its collections to maximise their value as a research, education, conservation and heritage resource.

Inspired by the 350th anniversary, Caithness Glass will produce a range of collectable artglass  featuring a ‘Water lily – Nymphaea’, ‘Blue Poppy – Meconopsis’ ‘Rhodoendron Ferrugineum’ and ‘Ferns’. 

All of these plants have a special connection to the gardens.

Caithness Glass was founded in 1961 and is now a world leading producer of  paperweights and artglass. Each piece is a unique work of art and hand crafted to the highest standards by skilled makers.

Jacqueline McCulloch, area sales manager of Caithness Glass, said: “Caithness is delighted to be working with RGBE in its anniversary year. The first in a series of planned items launched at Spring Fair were received very well with many orders taken – we are confident that this will be an excellent collaboration for years to come.”

Meanwhile, Flame Tree Publishing works with many prestigious museums and galleries creating published content under license including books calendars and greetings cards. For its RGBE 2021 calendar – which is on sale now – Flame Tree is publishing botanical imagery by the victorian artist Charlotte Cowan, discovered in the RGBE archives.

Frances Bodiam, managing director of Flame Tree Publishing, said: “Looking through the archives at the RGBE was a revelation and we were thrilled to unearth the work of Charlotte Cowan. There are many other wonderful images to discover and we look forward to working with RGBE in the future.”

Helena Lawrence, head of retail and brand licensing at RGBE, added: “In our anniversary year, signing these two licenses emphasises how much our brand values resonate with licensees. We are very pleased to be working with Caithness and Flame Tree and also to launch our new style guide which will show how our wonderful collections can inspire new product.

“Further licenses are already in the pipeline which will showcase our collections.”