Category Archives: Media & PR

Barbour enlists Paddington for new Christmas campaign

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Leading heritage and lifestyle brand Barbour is collaborating for the first time with the much-loved children’s character Paddington Bear for this year’s seasonal campaign, with a seasonal film that includes the original Peggy Fortnum illustration style which has never been animated before.

Barbour’s festive film follows the mishaps and adventures of Paddington Bear as he comes up with an idea for a thoughtful gift. Full of nostalgia, it celebrates the joy of giving a very special present that means so much.

Paul Wilkinson, Group Marketing Director, Barbour, says: “Paddington Bear is a much-loved children’s character who is kind-hearted and full of good intentions, even if he does get into scrapes along the way!  To celebrate our Re-Waxing Centenary, we have centred the story around a thoughtful gift from Paddington as he re-waxes Mr Brown’s beloved Barbour jacket for Christmas. It’s nostalgic, humorous and sentimental and shows just how much our Barbour jackets are loved and become an important part of the family; if re-waxed at least once a year, they can last a long long time.”

Triple Academy-Award-winning production company Passion Pictures produced the animation in hand-painted 2D. Directed by trio againstallodds, the film was created in TV Paint and aftereffects, with painstaking efforts made to faithfully bring Peggy Fortnum’s signature style to life. Every frame of the animation is hand drawn and painted with close to 3000 hours of work since May going into the design, animation and composition of the final film.

Working closely with the production team at Passion Pictures, Barbour’s integrated creative agency, Thinking Juice, were inspired by the Paddington quote “Please look after this bear” from the original story to come up with the narrative and the creative elements of the campaign.

The agreement was brokered by The Copyrights Group, a Vivendi Company which owns the Paddington brand. Rachel Clarke, SVP UK – Licensing & Retail at The Copyrights Group said: “Copyrights are absolutely delighted to be partnering with Barbour for this wonderful heartwarming campaign full of kindness, humour and fun, just like Paddington himself”.

To support the campaign, Barbour is launching a children’s Paddington Bear collection. Soft jersey sweats and hoodies in navy, red, grey and ecru feature alongside nightwear, all with humorous Paddington Bear illustrations by Peggy Fortnum  – some with a Barbour twist. Accessories include hat and scarf sets, beanie hats and cosy wellington socks.

To watch the Barbour Christmas film via the Barbour website, click here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The LEGO Group announces UEFA Women’s Euro 2022 partnership

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Today the LEGO Group announces a new partnership as National sponsor of the UEFA Women’s EURO England 2022. The partnership will see the LEGO Group sponsor the tournament hosted in England next summer and forms part of the company’s ‘Ready for Girls’ campaign that celebrates girls who are rebuilding the world through creative problem solving and challenging outdated gender stereotypes.

As a National sponsor of the tournament, the LEGO Group is planning a series of initiatives in the run-up to the tournament that will provide fun, interactive ways for fans to get involved. More details will be revealed in early 2022.

The tournament is due to be the biggest women’s European sport event in history and takes place from 6 July – 31 July 2022 in 10 stadiums, across nine cities in England. There will be over 700,000 tickets available, with extensive coverage of every game of the tournament on free-to-air television, radio and online. As part of its legacy, the tournament aims to inspire long-term, sustainable positive change in women’s and girls’ football.

A recent study from the LEGO Group and Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media found that girls feel less restrained by typical gender biases than boys when it comes to creative play (74% of boys vs. 62% of girls believe that some activities are just meant for girls, while others are meant for boys), and they are more open towards different types of creative play compared to what their parents and society typically encourage. For example, 82% of girls believe it’s OK for girls to play football and boys to practice ballet, compared to only 71% of boys. However, despite the progress made in girls brushing off prejudice at an early age, general attitudes surrounding play and creative careers remain unequal and restrictive, according to the research.

Parents from this study are almost five times as likely to encourage girls over boys to engage in dance (81% vs. 19%) and dress-up (83% vs. 17%) activities.  Adversely, they are almost four times as likely to encourage boys over girls to engage in program games (80% vs. 20%) and sports (76% vs. 24%) and over twice as likely to do the same when it comes to coding toys (71% vs. 29%).

Speaking ahead of the UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 Finals draw, Isabel Graham, Head of Marketing, the LEGO Group UK and Ireland says: “We know that different types of play are still heavily judged as being gender specific which is why we are committed to championing inclusive play and ensuring that children’s creative ambitions – both now in the future – are not limited by gender stereotypes. It’s fantastic to see the UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 tournament getting more and more prominence and we’re proud to help support this by being a National sponsor for 2022.”

“We are delighted to have the LEGO Group join us as one of the first national partners of UEFA Women’s EURO 2022,” says Guy-Laurent Epstein, Director of Marketing at UEFA. “The addition of this major brand is further proof of the scale of this event and our ambition to make it the biggest women’s European sport event ever. It is important for us to have partners on board who share the same values, working together collectively to deliver what is set to be a record breaking tournament that further grows the women’s game.”

The Final Draw Show for UEFA Women’s EURO England 2022 takes place this Thursday, 28 October Live on BBC One from 16.30 when the groups and resulting fixtures will be drawn.

 

 

Polly Pocket magazine to hit UK shelves on 22 October

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Signature Publishing has teamed up with Mattel to launch the official Polly Pocket magazine, a brand-new magazine dedicated to the iconic toy line and animated TV series.

With over 30 years of legacy and 17m+ compacts sold worldwide, Polly Pocket, the original micro doll, is currently the fastest growing playset doll property, with toy sales up 40 per cent. The animated series by Mattel Television and WildBrain has been a huge success, amassing over 3 billion minutes of watch time, and is available on Netflix, YouTube and Amazon Prime. Two new series are currently planned, along with a feature film due for cinematic release.

Polly Pocket magazine follows the adventures of Polly and her friends and is jam packed full of puzzles, games, colouring and crafts. Every issue will feature adaptations of the mega popular Polly Pocket TV episodes, and will come with bespoke Polly Pocket toys.

“Polly Pocket has proved to be a really enduring toy property with a long legacy – just as you’d expect from Mattel, the creator of Barbie – and is now bigger than ever,” says Amanda Clifford, Signature Publishing’s Editorial Director. “It’s a fabulous brand to create a stand-alone magazine and we know that the magazine is going to be hugely popular with children and parents.”

Polly Pocket magazine will be available to buy nationwide at all good supermarkets and newsagents from 22 October, with the first issue priced at £5.99.

 

Polly Pocket magazine to hit UK shelves on 22 October

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Signature Publishing has teamed up with Mattel to launch the official Polly Pocket magazine, a brand-new magazine dedicated to the iconic toy line and animated TV series.

With over 30 years of legacy and 17m+ compacts sold worldwide, Polly Pocket, the original micro doll, is currently the fastest growing playset doll property, with toy sales up 40 per cent. The animated series by Mattel Television and WildBrain has been a huge success, amassing over 3 billion minutes of watch time, and is available on Netflix, YouTube and Amazon Prime. Two new series are currently planned, along with a feature film due for cinematic release.

Polly Pocket magazine follows the adventures of Polly and her friends and is jam packed full of puzzles, games, colouring and crafts. Every issue will feature adaptations of the mega popular Polly Pocket TV episodes, and will come with bespoke Polly Pocket toys.

“Polly Pocket has proved to be a really enduring toy property with a long legacy – just as you’d expect from Mattel, the creator of Barbie – and is now bigger than ever,” says Amanda Clifford, Signature Publishing’s Editorial Director. “It’s a fabulous brand to create a stand-alone magazine and we know that the magazine is going to be hugely popular with children and parents.”

Polly Pocket magazine will be available to buy nationwide at all good supermarkets and newsagents from 22 October, with the first issue priced at £5.99.

 

TIME celebrates International Day of the Girl by teaming with LEGO and Mattel’s Barbie

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To mark today’s International Day of the Girl, TIME magazine has collaborated with two of the world’s most iconic toy brands, on LEGO-based art and episodes of Barbie You Can Be Anything.

Red Border by TIME (TIME’s branded content studio) partnered with LEGO to highlight inspirational girls and young women who are doing amazing things in the world. As part of the partnership, TIME covers were chosen featuring inspirational young women, and effectively ‘LEGOised’.

The chosen covers feature Gitanjali Rao, 15, who is TIME’s first-ever Kid of the Year; Amanda Gorman (pictured above), a champion of the Black experience who, at 23, is the youngest inaugural poet in US history, and Brit Bennett, a best-selling novelist who creates spellbinding stories about kinship and bonds.

In addition, TIME for Kids has partnered with Mattel’s Barbie on two episodes of Barbie You Can Be Anything, an “inspiring digital series for parents and kids featuring conversations with female role models, fun activities, and exciting performances”.

This series is returning following the debut of four episodes in the spring around International Women’s Day and will feature TIME’s Kid Reporters in episodes 5 and 6. Episode 5 (with Kid Reporter Tabitha Kho) will go live on Saturday 16 October and Episode 6 (with Kid Reporters Lauryn Chew, Gabri Blankson and Via Ryerson) will go live on Saturday 23 October.

 

 

 

 

Four Fanattik products make it into the Pop Insider Holiday Gift Guide

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UK-based Fanattik, the pop culture specialist, has had four of its licensed products included in the prestigious Pop Insider Holiday Gift Guide.

After reviewing thousands of products from companies based all over the world, the magazine, widely seen as a bible for fans of pop culture, selected the 24k gold plated Rocky fight ticket under Collectibles, the Lord of the Rings Elessar Necklace under Accessories and the Harry Potter book cover artwork as well as their Lord of the Rings art print under Home Goods.

“This is a huge honour for us,” says Fanattik MD Anthony Marks. “Only the best in pop culture gifts get a chance to be in this gift guide and for us to have four pieces chosen is amazing.”

These awards come on top of the Fanattik SpongeBob SquarePants bottle opener being nominated for Gift of The Year 2021 by the British Gift Association.

Next year is shaping up to be a busy one for the Fantattik team with the planned launch of their Magic the Gathering collection, as well a range for what could be the biggest film blockbuster of next year: Jurassic World Dominion. Both collections will be unveiled to the European gift trade prior to Christmas 2021.

Fanattik is a licensee for Microsoft, Hasbro, ViacomCBS, Capcom, Universal Studios, Bethesda, Studio Canal, Studio MDHR and more. The company has won numerous awards with the latest being the UK Northwest Business of The Year organised by the Federation of Small Business just prior to the Covid crisis.

 

 

 

 

Character World dreams big with £14.5m Secure Trust Bank finance deal

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Licenced textile product provider Character World has secured a £14.5m refinance package from Secure Trust Bank Commercial Finance, as it plans for growth in 2022.

The business has increased its working capital facility from £8m to £10m after four years of working with the bank, to help meet increased demand for its products. Secure Trust Bank has also provided an additional £4.5m term loan to refinance an outstanding unitranche facility that was put in place when Palatine Private Equity backed the business in 2014.

Cheadle Hulme-based Character World is the leading manufacturer and distributor of licensed bedding for children in the UK and Europe, allowing the best-loved characters from brands like Fortnite, Minecraft, Warner Brothers, Nickelodeon, PlayStation, Lego, and Pokémon to become part of their world.

Founded as a family business in 1998 by Tommy Schweiger and his son Danny, the 52-strong firm has been under the stewardship of Danny and his brother Mark for almost 20 years and has partnerships with some of the biggest names in UK retail including Amazon, Primark, Aldi, Tesco, Asda, Littlewoods and Next.

The firm reported over a 20 per cent increase in turnover following the Covid-19 lockdown, as consumers turned to online shopping. As the business looks ahead to its busiest period of the year, in the run-up to the festive season, the additional £2m working capital facility will allow Character World to invest in new licenses, new revenue streams and meet further increases in demand.

“Business is going really well and we’re pleased to be able to utilise our existing relationship with Secure Trust Bank to further this growth,” says Max Paterson, finance director at Character World. “Their understanding of our business – having worked with us for four years – has made the process much easier for us. We know that we can have proactive discussions with the team and that they are willing to find the right solution to support us where perhaps other lenders may not have been so flexible.

“Moving forward, we want to maintain the positive results we have seen following the increase in online shopping and the backing we’ve received from Secure Trust Bank will help us to do that.”

Paul Johnston, regional managing director at Secure Trust Bank Commercial Finance, said: “Over the last four years working with Character World, we have developed a strong relationship with the team, fostered a deep understanding of its business and used our knowledge of ABL to create flexible facilities that can evolve with the business. Our continuing work with Character World underlines our commitment to forming long-term partnerships with clients and helping them to thrive.”

 

 

 

Surge Brands signs first US licensing partners for Candy Dynamic’s Toxic Waste Slime Licker and Hazardously Sour Candy

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Surge Brands, a leading global licensing agency for Candy Dynamics’ Toxic Waste line of sour candy, has signed a roster of new leading licensees to create branded products based on the popular Toxic Waste Slime Licker and Toxic Waste Hazardously Sour Candy confectionary brands.

Following the success of Candy Dynamics’ first product launch, Toxic Waste Hazardously Sour Candy – a one-of-a-kind, double-action sour treat packaged in an iconic yellow industrial drum – multiple product lines have hit retail shelves. These include Toxic Waste Slime Licker, which recently sparked an internet craze and has become the top-trending candy on TikTok.

Retail sales for both brands have been growing at exponential rates and, riding on the momentum, Surge Brands has signed the first partners to create branded products for the retail market utilising Candy Dynamics’ vibrant and zany characters – including “Mr Toxie Head” – and logos.

The new licensees include H3 Sportgear (master apparel and accessories); License 2 Play (plush figures, plush pillows, fidget toys); Centric Beauty/TASTE Beauty (lip balms); Super Impulse (mini collectible blind box and blind bag toys); Inkology (school supplies, stickers, stampers and chalk), and Rasta Imposta (Halloween costumes and masks).

“Licensing is an important branding initiative for Candy Dynamics, allowing us to leverage our expansive and growing family of candy brands,” says Laura King, President, Candy Dynamics. “The retail marketplace both in the US and abroad is clamouring for Toxic Waste-branded products. We are thrilled to collaborate with our new strategic global licensing agency, Surge Brands, to develop a range of licensed products that will further engage our fans across the globe.”

“Candy Dynamics’ edgy approach appeals to kids in non-traditional ways and has created a massive demand for Toxic Waste, sparking a fervour in the marketplace,” says Mark Freedman, President of Surge Brands. “We look forward to working with our first US partners to create a line of unforgettable products that embody the fun of the brands and to develop a robust consumer products programme at retail. We plan to announce additional licensees in the US and overseas in the coming weeks.”

Based in Carmel, Indiana, Candy Dynamics was established in 2006 as a marketer of sour candy products. Its additional product lines include Sour Smog Balls, Nuclear Fusion, Atomz, Hi Voltage & Short Circuits Bubble Gum and Sour & Chewy Bears and Worms. Toxic Waste is widely available all over the US, while international markets include the United Kingdom, Europe, Australia, South Africa, Canada, Brazil, New Zealand and the UAE.

 

ARTiSTORY to build global licensing programme for the Brooklyn Museum

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The Brooklyn Museum in New York – mission: “To create inspiring encounters with art that expand the ways we see ourselves, the world and its possibilities” – is the latest partner to join the art and cultural licensing specialist ARTiSTORY.

As a Master Licensee, ARTiSTORY will license designs created from the Brooklyn Museum’s internationally-renowned collection of 1.5 million works of art, craft, design and artefacts. With global rights, ARTiSTORY will work with licensees across a wealth of product categories to bring the likes of Claude Monet, John Edward Hicks, John Singer Sargent, Katsushika Hokusai, Charles Sheeler, William Morris, Berthe Morisot, Mary Cassatt, and Utagawa Hiroshige to the global market.

ARTiSTORY has offices in London, Barcelona, Shanghai, Singapore, Beijing and Boston, and is supported with IP protection and business investment from Sinofaith IP Investment Company (SIPIC) – an investment arm focused on art and cultural IP. The company is confident its innovative approach will resonate with Millennial and Gen Z consumers, audiences with growing influence and spending power who are reshaping the way that we shop and consume content.

“At ARTiSTORY we strive to discover and share the stories behind the artefacts, to bring innovation in product manufacturing and licensing collaborations alongside groundbreaking shows, exhibitions and immersive experiences in order to expand the possibilities that the global heritage sector has to offer,” says Yizan He, Co-Founder and CEO of ARTiSTORY and Managing Partner of SIPIC. “By partnering with the Brooklyn Museum, we access incredible collections, reflecting the development of humanity across the world, including many American and Native American artefacts – an exciting new partnership we’re thrilled to begin.”

Sharon Matt Atkins, the Museum’s Deputy Director for Art, adds, “We have been impressed with ARTiSTORY’s commitment to creating dynamic opportunities to engage with art and its histories. Moving beyond traditional licensing programs, ARTiSTORY appealed to us as a partner of choice due to their dedication to providing art historical background and context on source images while also developing new and innovative ways to use art to inspire new audiences.”

The Brooklyn Museum joins a growing list of cultural partners for ARTiSTORY, including the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; the National Gallery, London; the National Palace Museum, Taiwan; and Dunhuang Culture & Tourism Group.

WarnerMedia to donate more than $400,000 in branded face mask proceeds to UNICEF’s Global Education Fund

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WarnerMedia has announced it will donate more than $400,000 in proceeds generated from sales of branded face masks featuring DC, Wizarding World, Looney Tunes and other iconic WarnerMedia properties, to UNICEF’s Global Education Fund. The donation will support UNICEF education programmes to help ensure every child has equitable access to learning opportunities and could help 86,000 children continue their education during times of emergency through the distribution of 2,000 School-in-a-Box kits.

During 2020, as the world grappled with the pandemic, Warner Bros. Consumer Products EMEA joined forces with its licensees to create face masks featuring logos and characters from the DC Universe, the Wizarding World, Looney Tunes and other iconic WarnerMedia properties. The donation from the proceeds of these mask sales will now help UNICEF address the far-reaching impacts of COVID-19 on learning. Last year, more than 1 billion students were affected by school closures. Vulnerable and hard-to-reach children continue to be in danger of dropping out of the education system altogether because of significant inequities in access to remote learning widening the education gap.

“We thank our partners for joining with us to create face masks that provided a bit of inspiration – and added safety – during a very challenging time,” says Julian Moon, Senior Vice President, Warner Bros. Consumer Products EMEA.  “We are humbled by the response to the masks, and are thrilled to fund a donation to UNICEF’s Global Education Fund that will help children whose learning was impacted.”

As part of UNICEF’s Global Education program, the School-in-a-Box kits have become a part of the standard response in emergencies and used in many back-to-school operations around the world. Containing supplies and materials for a teacher and up to 40 students, the kits help ensure the continuation of children’s education by the first 72 hours of an emergency. WarnerMedia’s donation can also enable UNICEF to collect and transfer online and remote learning resources onto a digital learning platform, which allows out-of-school children to access quality learning opportunities.

Warner Bros. Consumer Products, part of WarnerMedia Global Brands and Experiences, extends the Studio’s portfolio of entertainment brands and franchises into the lives of fans around the world. WBCP partners with licensees globally on an award-winning range of toys, fashion, home décor, and publishing inspired by franchises and properties such as DC, Wizarding World, Looney Tunes, Hanna-Barbera, HBO, Cartoon Network and Adult Swim. The division’s successful global themed entertainment business includes experiences such as The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi.

UNICEF does not endorse any company, brand, product or service.