Peppa Pig fronts World Oceans Day campaign

This summer, Hasbro’s Peppa Pig is making waves with a major retail and brand marketing initiative to mark United Nations World Oceans Day, which launched on 8 June. The initiative brings together high-profile ecological, educational and retail partners – including Cleaner Seas Project, Twinkl and George at Asda – to help encourage young families to learn all about our oceans and what they can do to help protect them for future generations.

Educational publisher Twinkl has created free Peppa Pig educational activities and resources to help raise awareness throughout primary schools, early years providers and families at home about the little steps people can take to make a big difference to our seas. Tackling the issue from the shore itself, Cleaner Seas Project has started its mission to complete a total of 11 beach and river cleans, with schools invited to join events across the UK throughout June.

Retail partner George at Asda is building on the success of last year’s Plant with Peppa environmental education initiative with an exclusive range of clothing and homeware featuring ocean-themed designs sourced with more sustainable materials such as Better Cotton and in some products up to 83% recycled materials. The collection is now available in 435 UK Asda stores and displayed alongside dedicated World Oceans Day POS featuring key product and a QR code directing consumers to the Twinkl resources. Utilising its extensive store footprint, George at Asda’s World Oceans Day range includes boys’ and girls’ clothing, footwear and accessories, with prices starting from £4.50.

Cat O’Brien, Retail Director Europe and Asia at Hasbro, says: “We are thrilled to be working with George again on this Peppa Pig World Oceans Day campaign. At Hasbro, everything we do is centered in our purpose: making the world a better place for all children, fans, and families. In October 2021, we launched our first Peppa Pig purpose-driven campaign all about educating young families around the importance of helping our planet by planting trees. We are excited to embark on the next campaign, which aims to help children learn more about our oceans and what we can do to help reduce litter reaching our shores.”

Supporting the campaign and boosting awareness of the initiative amongst families is celebrity ambassador and mum of three, Vogue Williams, who took to the shore of the River Thames armed with a host of young litter pickers from a local nursery to undertake the brand’s very first Peppa Pig shore clean-up under the guidance of Cleaner Seas Project. Vogue also took part in a media press junket and photoshoot to help spread the word of the initiative across national media on World Oceans Day to motivate young families to get involved.

Avril Greenaway, CMO, Cleaner Seas Project, adds: “It’s no secret that Peppa Pig and her friends are heroes to preschoolers across the UK, so we were absolutely thrilled to work with her and Twinkl to provide guidance on the eco-educational activities and resources as well as carry out the all-important beach and river cleans for this campaign. Our goal is to drive positive change, no matter how big or small, so by working collaboratively with Peppa and Twinkl to help kids take their first steps towards being more environmentally aware has been fantastic. We think this collaboration will be hugely successful and, partnered with Twinkl’s wealth of resources, we think it will provide families with a simple and fun way to get involved to support the cause.”

Jade Snart, Sustainability and Compliance Expert at George, says: We are very proud to have partnered with Peppa Pig again, this time to help celebrate World Oceans Day, raising awareness of cleaner oceans and a more sustainable planet. A number of the products within the George range have a sustainable element to them as here at George were committed to doing the right thing by our customers and the planet.

 

Web 3.0 platform Reality Gaming Group becomes Reality+

Reality Gaming Group has rebranded as Reality+. The company already has a proven track record in the games and blockchain entertainment space, developing and managing experiences on behalf of the BBC (Doctor Who: Worlds Apart) and ITV Studios (Thunderbirds: International Rescue Club), and as Reality+ (www.realityplus.com), it will offer a full-service Web 3.0 platform enabling brands around the world to utilise blockchain technology and NFTs to engage their most loyal fans.

The company’s UK- and Denmark-based in-house development studio, which has a five-year track record creating engaging experiences, is now focused on helping global brands develop and deliver their go-to-market blockchain strategies.

The development offering is backed up by a powerful technology platform and world-leading expertise in all aspects of Web 3.0, including tokenisation, metaverse integration and construction, NFT marketplace deployment and more.

Reality+ has grouped its operations into four distinct but complementary divisions: Web 3.0, Metaverse, Blockchain Games and NFTs.

Reality+ is currently building out its international reach as it seeks global opportunities, following a significant ramping of its leadership and development teams in 2021 and 2022.

The company has also confirmed the appointment of Katherine Taylor-Jones as CFO. Taylor-Jones is a highly experienced CFO specialising in PE/VC backed, fast pace, high growth companies in the tech sector, leading them through growth. In addition, the company has appointed Mark Hojgaard, CEO of Coinifi, and Hans Henrik, COO of Coinify, to bolster its board and help Reality+ reach new verticals and markets.

Crucially, all Reality+ projects are managed using the company’s own ‘side-chain’ of the Ethereum mainnet. This enables the creation of environmentally friendly Web 3.0, blockchain and NFT experiences that offer substantial reductions in the amount of energy used to produce and trade digital collectibles. Reality+ also ensures ESG (Environmental, Social and corporate Governance) KPIs are tracked and reported for each of its projects, giving brand partners absolute peace of mind across all their Web 3.0 projects.

Reality+ Co-Founder and CEO Morten Rongaard says: “Web 3.0 moves fast, and we’re moving along with it. We’re happy to announce that Reality Gaming Group has rebranded to Reality+. This isn’t just a name change and new corporate colours. Reality+ represents a big step towards our plans for a connected future. We’re no longer just a blockchain gaming company. We’re a full-service Web 3.0 platform where the metaverse, NFTs and online collectible marketplaces combine to give you and your customers access to a new, community-led digital future.”

Reality+ Co-Founder Tony Pearce adds: “We believe that through demonstrating utility, quality, and variety in our projects and partnerships, we can build a more equal and democratic digital economy for everyone. From introducing Doctor Who to the potential of digital ownership to launching a brand-new Web 3.0 Thunderbirds project to a whole new generation of fans, we’re helping worldwide brands find their voice in our new, connected world.”

 

Retail Buyers Panel confirmed for the Brands & Retail UK summer conference

Ryan Beaird, event director of Brands & Retail UK, has announced the B&RUK Retail Buyers Q&A Panel discussion, which will close Day One of the conference taking place at the British Library (London) on Wednesday 6 and Thursday 7 July 2022.

The Retail Buyers Panel – sponsored by Fabacus – will be moderated by Julia Redman of Buyers Eye, and will include Ruth Golightly (ASDA), John Carolan (Boots), Helen Riley (ebay) and Karen Hewitt (character.com)

“We held the first B&RUK Retail Buyers panel at the first winter conference in February and I feel they always go down well with the licensees in the audience,” says Ryan Beaird. “I am delighted Julia Redman, who has vast experience of retail, is taking on the moderating from me and I want to thank Helen, Ruth, John and Karen in advance for supporting the summer conference.

“Day Two has now sold out so we have a fantastic line-up and I now have only six unreserved 15-minute pitching slots left for Day One (6 July) for Lifestyle, Commercial, Heritage, Charity and Sports brands.

“TeamGB, Paramount, V&A, Ashmolean Museum (Start Licensing), Mighty Jaxx, Pink Key Licensing, Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, Lucia Heffernan (Lisle Licensing) and the FA have so far confirmed.

“I also have some more news to share with you for Day One very soon, which should go down well with the industry.”

If you are a brand and want to present to the major UK retailers and licensees then please contact Ryan Beaird to reserve a presentation slot; Ryan.Beaird@BrandsRetail.uk

Licensees and retailers can book their FREE tickets for the conference and purchase their ‘Meet the Buyers’ party tickets for £45 each on the conference website – www.BrandsRetail.uk

Hasbro presents: The Light Fund Channel Relay – the film

The two teams taking on The Light Fund English Channel Relay fundraiser are now to star in a short film – which will be unveiled during the 2022 Licensing Awards, The Great Room at The Grosvenor House Hotel, London, on Tuesday 13 September 2022. The film will be sponsored by Hasbro.

The action-packed short film will include highlights of both the arduous training process and then the gruelling swim itself before rounding off with a triumphant landing for the teams in France and a thank-you to all the sponsors, including, of course, Hasbro. The global play and entertainment company, which delivers immersive brand experiences for global audiences through consumer products, including toys and games, entertainment and gaming, is the sponsor of the film, funding the entire production process from staffing to filming to editing, and adding a generous donation to the Channel Relay effort.

The film will be made by Albus Studios, a company founded in 2014 that specialises in film, photography and art, delivering exciting and effective content for B2B and B2C clients. The award-winning Albus team has worked with top brands across automotive, lifestyle and tourism, technology and current affairs, so is ideally suited to the requirements of a film that focuses on licensing – albeit a very unusual area of the licensing business.

It’s going to be quite a film too, in which two teams – a total of 14 people – endure prolonged physical exertion and try to avoid potential hazards, including hypothermia, seasickness, boats, sewage and oil, in sea temperatures of 16C or lower (without a wetsuit) while trying to race each other to the shores of France.

The big swim is scheduled to start between the 30th of June and the 3rd of July around 2am on a day when conditions for the swim are optimal.

Hasbro’s generous donation has taken the money raised and pledged even closer to the Light Fund target of £250,000 – which will be a record for any single Light Fund challenge. But there’s a lot more money to be raised and there are still many opportunities to sponsor a brave and slightly offbeat fundraising effort as well, of course, as being name-checked in the film at the 2022 Licensing Awards.

You can find out more about corporate sponsorship options here. And of course, individuals are very welcome to donate via the event’s Just Giving page, where you can also follow the teams preparing for the big day. There’s also an Instagram feed and a Facebook page containing team photos and updates.

Sally Carnota, Director Category Licensing at Hasbro, says: “This film will be a record of an inspirational and very brave fundraising effort. It will also be a big thank-you to all the participants and supporters involved in The Light Fund English Channel Relay fundraiser. We are enormously honoured to be sponsoring the official record of this memorable effort.”

Team captain Stephen Gould says: “The toughest Light Fund Challenge yet is nearly with us and, thanks to Hasbro and Albus Studios, our efforts will be professionally recorded for what we hope will be a triumphant record of a successful swim. Our thanks to all our sponsors and donors to date. Don’t forget: there are still many opportunities to support The Light Fund English Channel Relay fundraiser.”

About the Light Fund

The Light (Licensing Industry Giving Help Together) Fund was born when a group of like-minded people from the UK licensing industry came up with the idea to form a committee to help those less fortunate than themselves. The Light Fund is a registered charity, which raises monies to fund worthwhile charity projects that help children, women and men. Since its inception, back in 2004, The Light Fund has raised over £1.7 million and funded hundreds of different charity projects.

https://www.lightfund.org

 

Andersen Press readies for a bumper Elmer Day celebration

Elmer Day is back on 28 May with a return to in-person and bookshop events around the country, a herd of new and exciting partnerships, and a new paperback edition of the latest Elmer picture book, Elmer and the Bedtime Story, by the late, great David McKee. Rounding off the celebrations is the first Elmer title available on Yoto, the interactive kids’ audio platform.

Elmer Day is Andersen Press‘s annual celebration of David McKee’s iconic patchwork elephant, encouraging bookshops, libraries, schools, nurseries and families at home to celebrate Elmer’s message of friendship, inclusivity and embracing everyone’s colours.

A free activity pack, which has already had over 1,500 downloads in the run-up to the day itself, is available here. The pack is a selection of activity sheets and ideas for games, lessons and story times featuring Elmer, with new resources from charity partners The Sleep Charity, with sleep hints and tips based on the latest Elmer book Elmer and the Bedtime Story, activities from LGBT+ charity Just Like Us extending Elmer Pride activity from 2021, and resources from anti-bullying charity partner Kidscape.

In-person events are also back following their temporary suspension during the COVID-19 pandemic, with Elmer costume appearances and story times in Waterstones stores in Kensington, Altrincham, Manchester Deansgate and the Arndale Centre.

Chessington World of Adventures will celebrate Elmer’s Flying Jumbos ride with its special Mardi Grrra! event from 27 May, which will see Elmer and his own ‘Kolour Krewe’ take centre stage in the park with songs, dance and character meet-and-greets. For more information on the event, click here.

In the licensing space, kids’ audio platform Yoto has launched its first-ever Elmer title. The Elmer Collection will be made available for use with the award-winning Yoto Player and new Yoto Mini.

In addition, Dennicci has launched new babywear ranges with Matalan and Tu at Sainsbury’s, and Robert Frederick has launched Elmer storage boxes with The Works. Plush and toy licensee Rainbow Designs and greetings card licensee Danilo are hosting social media competitions.

Elmer Day is on 28 May 2022. To download a FREE activity pack, click on the link here: https://www.elmer.co.uk/elmer-day/

Licensing International releases first findings from annual Global Licensing Industry Study

Licensing International has released a topline preview of its seventh annual Global Licensing Industry Study. Available in full on June 24, the report, conducted by Brandar Consulting, shows some pandemic trends continue to strongly shape the global licensing industry.

The licensing industry has faced significant change over the past two years, both in terms of migration towards the product categories showing growth, and the partnerships built within those categories. The topline report showcases that there was a flight towards stable, evergreen properties with both consumer comfort and staying power being the key drivers behind this switch.

“The study highlights the impressive growth the licensing industry has seen over the past two years,” says Maura Regan, President of Licensing International. “With the constant emergence of new innovations and trends, there are some incredible opportunities to grow even further, some of which will be previewed at next week’s Licensing Expo.”

The global sizing study contains two years’ worth of economic data, country-level data, product market data, royalty rate data, and company-level financials, painting a full picture of what has transpired in the licensing industry. Notable findings from the early release of the study include:

  • Retail – An explosion of e-commerce emerged across the retail landscape, capturing 34% of global licensed sales as businesses fully embraced the move, noting a two-fold benefit of increasing distribution when physical shelf space was so compressed, while also increasing their profit margins.
  • Celebrities – Celebrity licensing saw significant growth (30.1%) because it served as a very close proxy to Entertainment properties, with established Celebrity brands being viewed as more evergreen with longer-term staying power at retail.
  • Sports – With Name, Image & Likeness (NIL) licensing becoming a reality for college athletes, the collegiate sports category was up 18.6%, showing even stronger growth than the overall sports category, which grew 8%.
  • Publishing – With the pandemic leading to a renewed interest in leisure reading, Publishing properties saw a resurgence in the licensing world growing share for a fifth year in a row, now accounting for 8.5% of the global licensing business.

The report dives further into additional categories, touching upon pressing topics within the industry including sustainability, royalties, counterfeiting, and more.

Further results from Licensing International’s 2022 Global Licensing Industry Study will be published in a complete report, including regional and country-by-country breakdowns for major markets.

The full report will be made available for free to Licensing International members on June 24 and will also be available for purchase by non-members.

 

Entry deadline extended for The Licensing Awards 2022

The entry deadline for The Licensing Awards 2022 has now been extended to Wednesday 8 June.

The decision was taken after Max Publishing – which owns and organises The Licensing Awards – was contacted by a large number of companies asking for a deadline extension owing to a very busy week at Licensing Expo.

All of the award categories – including those for licensed products, licensed properties, retail, marketing, honorary achievement, plus the awards for sustainability, international retail and licensed live events – can now be entered, for free, via the website.

The awards event itself will return to The Great Room at The Grosvenor House Hotel, London on Tuesday 13 September 2022.

For sponsorship, entry enquiries or general questions regarding The Licensing Awards, please contact Ian Hyder, Jakki Brown or Rob Willis.

Tickets and tables can be reserved quickly and securely online by visiting Max-Tickets.net or by contacting Clare Hollick at Create Events: clare@createvents.co.uk or phone +44 (0)1183 340085.

Beanstalk marks 30th anniversary with charitable promotion Licensing Labs

To celebrate Beanstalk’s 30th anniversary, its services and expertise, the global brand licensing agency is offering a series of complimentary Licensing Lab workshops to brand owners that either have an existing licensing programme or are seeking to develop one. In exchange for the agency’s consulting work, the winning brand owners will be asked to donate an amount of their choice to UNICEF to aid in Ukraine’s relief efforts.

This is a unique and one-time opportunity to have Beanstalk’s brand extension experts carry out an evaluation of a brand’s licensing programme, provide insights on how to improve its performance and establish new best practices, or recommend how to establish a new licensing programme that is positioned for long-term success. ​Following review of the contestants’ applications, Beanstalk will select up to three winners that meet the criteria to participate in this exclusive opportunity. Each of the Licensing Labs will be led by a Beanstalk senior executive with a team of licensing specialists.

Beanstalk’s President and CEO Allison Ames says: “As part of our 30th anniversary this year, we want to give back to brand owners as well as to a very important cause through the benefit of Licensing Labs. Licensing Labs gives brand owners a unique opportunity to access our best-in-class talent and expertise to evaluate their current programme or to identify how to enter the world of licensing to evolve their business. We are truly proud of what we do every day at Beanstalk, and to be able to support UNICEF makes it all the more meaningful.”

The application process is currently open and will run through June 30, with winners selected in July. To find out more and to apply to participate in Licensing Labs, visit www.beanstalk.com.

Beanstalk marks 30th anniversary with charitable promotion Licensing Labs

To celebrate Beanstalk’s 30th anniversary, its services and expertise, the global brand licensing agency is offering a series of complimentary Licensing Lab workshops to brand owners that either have an existing licensing programme or are seeking to develop one. In exchange for the agency’s consulting work, the winning brand owners will be asked to donate an amount of their choice to UNICEF to aid in Ukraine’s relief efforts.

This is a unique and one-time opportunity to have Beanstalk’s brand extension experts carry out an evaluation of a brand’s licensing programme, provide insights on how to improve its performance and establish new best practices, or recommend how to establish a new licensing programme that is positioned for long-term success. ​Following review of the contestants’ applications, Beanstalk will select up to three winners that meet the criteria to participate in this exclusive opportunity. Each of the Licensing Labs will be led by a Beanstalk senior executive with a team of licensing specialists.

Beanstalk’s President and CEO Allison Ames says: “As part of our 30th anniversary this year, we want to give back to brand owners as well as to a very important cause through the benefit of Licensing Labs. Licensing Labs gives brand owners a unique opportunity to access our best-in-class talent and expertise to evaluate their current programme or to identify how to enter the world of licensing to evolve their business. We are truly proud of what we do every day at Beanstalk, and to be able to support UNICEF makes it all the more meaningful.”

The application process is currently open and will run through June 30, with winners selected in July. To find out more and to apply to participate in Licensing Labs, visit www.beanstalk.com.

Rubies and Disney team for Star Wars campaign

Rubies is once again collaborating with long-term licensors Star Wars and Disney to bring into the spotlight a brand-new media and PR campaign, ‘The Gift of Play’.

The Gift of Play is a new campaign hosted on a dedicated website [disneythegiftofplay.co.uk], which is entrenched in Disney’s nearly 100-year legacy of creative storytelling, to encourage adults and children to have more shared imaginative playtime together.

The campaign, which will see a takeover of Rubies social channels and website, has the aim of getting people inspired through unique and engaging Star Wars content and excited for the upcoming releases on Disney+, as well as encouraging consumers to enjoy gifting toys and costumes as a means to play and bond.

To explore the power of the Force, the campaign will see entirely new media created for Rubies social media as well as a strong influencer and press marketing campaigns and retail takeovers.

Rubies Star Wars range in support of The Gift of Play with specially selected costumes includes The Mandalorian, Boba Fett, Deluxe Darth Vader, Grogu, Poe X-Wing Fighter, Rey and even an inflatable Jabba the Hutt, with the majority available in both children’s and adults’ sizes so the whole family can have some Star Wars-themed fun.

Fran Hales, Head of Content and Marketing, says: “We are thrilled to be part of The Gift of Play, working closely with Lucasfilm and Disney on their innovative and exhilarating marketing campaign. The Gift of Play campaign is an opportunity not just to showcase our products, but also to promote dress-up as a key part of Disney’s legacy for creative storytelling, while immersing both adults and children in the shared world of imaginative playtime together.”

Star Wars-inspired costumes by Rubies are available to order now on rubiesuk.com. Stay tuned on Rubies official social media channels to see the intergalactic takeover soon, at @rubiesuk on Facebook and @rubies_uk on Instagram.