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Ripping up the rule book | NFTs could just change video gaming forever – but will the big players allow it?

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This month, Licensing.biz is taking a look at the video games market to uncover and discuss the latest developments and opportunities in licensing around the world’s largest entertainment sector. Here, and in the first of a series of articles exploring the emerging NFTs sector, we explore the potential for non fungible tokens in the video game space.

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It started out by breeding kittens. Like these things often do, it snowballed from there, and today, NFT video gaming is becoming a strand of the global gaming market that’s really worth paying attention to.

In fact, experts in the field predict that NFTs will change the shape of the video gaming market for good and in a manner that will turn convention on its head to place players right at the very centre of the multi-billion dollar industry. Which all sounds very noble, if not just a little bit too far fetched, surely?

Well, maybe not. Let’s return to those kittens. You were hoping we would. And let’s remind ourselves that it was way back in 2017 – when Covid-19 was a mere tickle at the back of a young bat’s throat – that collecting and breeding digital cats through the CryptoKitties platform was at the height of its popularity. 

One of the earliest blockchain games in existence, the title made headlines for congesting the Ethereum network upon which its kittens ‘lived’ due to its overwhelming popularity. Believe it or not, the idea of collecting digital kittens – each one ultimately unique to their owner – to trade, sell, or use to breed completely new kittens, was one that caught the imagination of a rather sizeable chunk of the global gaming audience.

Neither just for Christmas or simply commodities for turning a profit (and daily CryptoKitties sales are still hitting over $30,000 a day, by the way) these kitties were also able to be utilised as characters in the KittyVerse, where they would participate in cat fights or solve puzzles. In essence, they were uniquely individual characters, controlled and owned by individual players, that could be inserted into any gaming scenario on the CryptoKitties platform.

Meanwhile, those who weren’t occupying themselves with the gestation period of a digital cat were getting their NFT kicks through Reality Gaming Group’s mobile combat game, Reality Clash and its own USP, a platform that enabled players to purchase ‘tokenised’, limited edition weapons to be downloaded into its game.

Tony Pearce is the co-founder of Reality Gaming Group, pioneers of NFT video gaming

These were, of course, the days of NFT before the term NFT even existed. The mere cave drawings of a concept that has in recent months been subject of an enlightenment and at the centre of an “explosion” that has witnessed brands – whether from the arts and culture (or even museums) sector or the children’s toy industry – move to get a foot in the digital collectables door.

“Back then, the only way we could talk about what we were doing was that we were ‘wrapping’ these items with a bit of code that tokenised them and made them limited edition,” recalls Tony Pearce, co-founder of Reality Gaming Group. 

“For three years I tried to explain this to people who had no idea what I was talking about. But in the last six months, the NFT world has exploded… people are beginning to know what we mean by it.”

While it’s evident that the loudest noises are being made in the collectable art side to the NFT movement, Pearce remains insistent that the greatest cultural impacts are yet to be felt, and they will be felt across the video games industry.

“Every week that goes by, more and more people are realising the potential for NFT games,” he says. “But it is still a very small market, when you compare it to mobile games revenue in general. And it’s tiny in the whole games industry. But I have been in games for over 20 years, and have always come into new platforms.

“This is a platform that is waiting for a tipping point. It will be the moment that a really big gaming IP comes into it, integrates NFTs seamlessly, and makes it super easy for people to understand. And that is happening.”

It wasn’t too long ago that BBC Studios detailed its first partnership in the space, tapping Reality Gaming Group itself to develop a blockchain-based digital trading card game based on its Doctor Who franchise. 

Titled Doctor Who: Worlds Apart, the licensed game enables fans to collect and trade digital versions of the characters from the iconic TV series. Secured on the blockchain, each NFT is a unique asset that cannot be copied, replicated, or even tampered with. They are in essence, one of a kind. A limited edition of absolute singular rarity. Like little digital snowflakes that will remain frozen. For the rest of time.

But for the kind of cultural impact that Pearce envisions, we need to scale up. 

“It’s going to be Call of Duty having tradeable guns, or FiFA having tokenised players to trade with; it’s going to be one of these mass market games that integrates NFT seamlessly, and suddenly people will realise what that means for games.”

And that’s perhaps, precisely why, so far, it hasn’t been done. After all, what publisher will be the first Triple A video game franchise in the queue to relinquish its power over its players? For the companies currently running the show, the NFT pill is a bitter and tough one to swallow right now. And one that could turn the market on its head. 

“The truth is,” admits Pearce, “the big game companies are worried about this. They are very happy to lock people in to their games, and only their games. The last thing Fortnite wants is you buying an in-app skin, taking it out and using it somewhere else. They want you spending money in the game.

“And that’s where the games industry is wrong in my view, and why I am so happy with the way the blockchain is changing that; because you could spend hundreds of pounds in a game, and actually, you don’t own anything.”

And what happens if that game gets pulled? It’s certainly not an uncommon occurrence, and with a majority of games now opting for in-game purchasing, the impact of closures could potential reach far and wide. According to the statistical website, Statista, in-game purchasing overtook game purchases last year, accounting for the biggest share of the video game market and taking around $54 billion from global audiences last year. By 2025, the market value of in-game purchases is expected to pass $74.4 billion.

This is no small amount that gamers are spending on items that, when it comes down to it, do not – in the physical sense –  belong to them.

Doctor Who: Worlds Apart – an AR and NFT digital card game developed by BBC Studios and Reality Gaming Group

“In the real world, I go into TopShop three months ago and buy a t-shirt. TopShop went bust two months ago, so I’m walking down the street and my shirt disappears? That’s the equivalent of in-game purchasing right now,” says Pearce.

“I spent real money on those items, why don’t I own them? Well, the reason I don’t own them is because they are logged into that game in a centralised database. You don’t even have a wallet, you have an account.”

The idea central to NFTs then – whether that is in the video games space or in the digital collectables and art world – is that it allows for ownership to be changed hands. Its story is that it transfers the power back to the consumer or the player, by decentralising the assets bought by the player. Taking them out of the system composed by the games publishers, and into the ‘wallets’ (they are actually called wallets) of their owners. Even if the game they are from does go bust.

“So imagine that scenario, and the game you play has gone bust. You could say, ‘well what do I use my NFT gun for now’? Well, guess what?” says Pearce. “Someone else will make a game that will allow you to use that gun in it, because there is a community of people that have all of these guns that are waiting for the next game to come out.

“You have instantly got a community of hundreds of thousands of people that are desperate to use their items. What a great user acquisition tool that is.

“And if you have a game like Fortnite, that locks you in and won’t allow for NFTs, or a new game similar to Fortnite where you can use your NFTs, well, guess where the players are going to go.”

And that has to be the crux of the argument. The success or failure of the NFT video game market must therefore rest with the players.

“It is the players, the gamers, and the community that is going to force the big games companies to go blockchain, because independents are building for it. The big players have had it too good for too long but the blockchain has the potential to change all of that.

“It’s not going to be before Christmas, but over the next two to three years, we will see a big brand step in. simply because they have to. NFTs have the potential to turn things on its head, all driven by the global audience of gamers.”

You don’t get much more punk rock than that, and who knew it would all begin by breeding kittens.

UK retailer Mamas & Papas eyes licensing and franchising among global growth plans

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The British nursery and children’s wear retailer, Mamas & Papas is eyeing international growth, having signed a slate of new overseas partnerships across central and eastern Europe.

The move, according to the firm, arrives amid a surge in international demand for British heritage brands like the Yorkshire-based Mamas & Papas, who has now counted the exploration of licensing partners among its wider global ambitions.

The company, who has headquarters in Huddersfield, and designs and manufactures travel systems, nursery furniture, and children’s clothing, said the new agreements were part of the retailer’s long term goal to be the ‘global nursery brand of choice.’ It added that it was exploring multiple routes to market, from “distributors and agents, to franchisees and licensing partners.”

Mamas & Papas has now signed distribution partners in ten countries, including the likes of Russia, Poland, and the Czech Republic, which have been pinpointed as key markets for the brand. It is also close to signing agreements covering five further countries.

With similar partnerships in the Far East and the Middle East now also on the radar, Mamas & Papas expects to double its overseas sales to the region next year.

Johan Meyfroidt, international general manager at Mamas & Papas, said: “There has always been strong overseas demand for British heritage brands like Mamas & Papas and our products have sold successfully in a number of markets for decades. As we step up our global ambitions, we’re exploring multiple routes to market, from distributors and agents to franchisees and licensing partners.

“What works in Poland may not work in Malaysia, so it’s important we have the agility to tailor our approach to suit local market dynamics.”

Mark Saunders, chief executive officer at Mamas & Papas, added: “Our international strategy is about scaling our presence in new and existing overseas markets at pace but also at low cost, helping us meet increasing global appetite for our design-led products, especially in those territories with increasingly affluent populations.

“Post-Brexit, it’s important that UK firms think globally about their growth and take full advantage of the enduring appeal of British brands.”

“We’re also continuing to expand our presence in our core UK market, both through our online business and our standalone stores and Next concessions.”

The company recently reported strong trading across its store portfolio and online business following the re-opening of non-essential retail in April.

Wargaming’s World of Warships commandeers HMS Belfast in groundbreaking Imperial War Museums partnership

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Wargaming, the developer and publisher of the popular combat video game, World of Warships, has commandeered HMS Belfast to open a new gaming room for fans of the franchise, in a new partnership with Imperial War Museums.

The room will be made available for the public when the venues reopens this week (July 8th), inviting visitors to the newly refurbished warship to immerse themselves in the world of naval combat as they get hands-on with World of Warships and World of Warships: Legends on in-situ gaming PCs and video game consoles.

World of Warships and World of Warships: Legends recorded over 50 million player accounts from across the world, giving players the opportunity to helm hundreds of historical vessels, including HMS Belfast itself, in a massively multiplayer video game title that requires a balance of strategy and real-time combat.

Offering the largest digital collection of historically accurate ships available to play, World of Warships is supporting the global community of museums and heritage sites with in-game content based on historical documents and actual blueprints from the first half of the 20th century.

Meanwhile, following an extended closure that started in March 2020, HMS Belfast is reopening in time for summer with new exhibition spaces and an enhanced visitor offer onboard. From July 8th, visitors to the Second World War Royal Navy warship can explore new displays, discover stories from crew members and enjoy interactive experiences such as the World of Warships Command Centre.

John Brown, IWM executive director commercial services and operations, said: “After an extended closure period of sixteen months, we are thrilled to be reopening HMS Belfast this summer and welcome visitors back onboard this magnificent warship.

“The World of Warships Command Centre is a really fantastic addition to the refreshed visitor offer and will enable audiences to interact with HMS Belfast and its history in a completely new way.”

Victor Kislyi, CEO of Wargaming added: “Over the past year we have been privileged to work with naval museums across the world and support them during an immensely difficult time.

“We are delighted to be able to add a new dimension to the already incredible offering onboard HMS Belfast, and can’t wait to see this historic warship ship delight and educate visitors once more.”

Phoebe Waller-Bridge teams with Edinburgh Gin to launch Fleabag inspired tipple

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Acting, writing, and one-woman theatre show sensation, Phoebe Waller-Bridge has unveiled her latest project, having teamed up with Edinburgh Gin to design her own Fleabag-inspired bottle.

The special tipple features a hand-drawn illustration of the show’s creator and star looking into a deep blue Edinburgh night sky. Designed by Waller-Bridge herself, the image features various hidden details all capturing the essence of her hit series, Fleabag.

The imagery also tips its hat in the direction of Edinburgh itself and the role the city played in making it all happen for Waller-Bridge as the location in which she first performed Fleabag at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2013.

To that end, the bottle has been designed with artists and performers in mind, as all profits from the sales of the gin will contribute to the arts’ recovery by creating subsidies that will help the next generation of talent to return to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2022.

“I hope every purchase inspires outrageous and creative conversations over ice while bringing the beloved Fringe festival back to life,” said Waller-Bridge. “It’s important to add that Andrew Scott hand wrote a message on the bottle… if that isn’t incentive enough to hunt one down and hold it against your cheek, I don’t know what is.”

The bottles will go on sale via the Edinburgh Gin website on July 20th priced at £48 each. It is then expected to go on general sale from early August.

Tinderbox brings Tell Me Why video game soundtrack to vinyl in iam8bit deal

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Xbox Game Studios Publishing has partnered with iam8bit and DONTNOD Entertainment to bring the soundtrack of the episodic narrative adventure gaming title, Tell Me Why, to vinyl.

In a deal brokered by the video game licensing specialist and digital media division of Beanstalk, Tinderbox, the new LP will feature 17 songs from the composer and musician Ryan Scott and the ethereal soundtrack to the popular adventure game.

‘The score is as complex as the game’s themes, with sparse passages building into complicated and soaring melodies,’ read a description of the soundtrack.

Packaged inside is a sleeve that faithfully recreates the in-game Book of Goblins. Fiber artist, Theo Randall, was inspired by the game’s handcrafted piece which is seen as an emotional touchstone throughout Tell Me Why. iam8bit used quilting, linotype stamping and applique techniques to create a physical piece that embodies the game’s unique attributes.

“The quilted theme is further underscored by embossing and debossing, which creates the illusion that the soundtrack album has been pulled from the game into this world. It’s a remarkable piece of tactile art that draws inspiration from not only the Book of Goblins but also Tell Me Why’s deeper themes,” said the firm.

Tell Me Why is an episodic narrative that tells the story of twins, Tyler and Alyson Ronan, who return to their childhood home in Alaska to investigate their mother’s death. Their telepathic bond sets them apart and serves to provide the player with insight into DONTNOD’s story about childhood, identity and redemption.

Following its release last year, the game has won several awards, including “Games for Impact” at The Game Awards and “Best Microsoft Xbox Game” at the Best of Gamescom Awards.

DONTNOD’s work in exploring trans identity in mainstream gaming earned Tell Me Why a GLAAD Media Award for “Outstanding Video Game.” Tell Me Why is currently free on Xbox and PC throughout the month of June.

As part of Pride Month, customers can choose to donate a dollar or round up their total at checkout to the nearest dollar in support of Trans Lifeline and The Trevor Project. iam8bit will match those donations. iam8bit is also proudly participating in ohhey.gay, an online initiative designed to support LGBTQ communities The Tell Me Why vinyl soundtrack is available for pre-order on iam8bit today.

The $39.99 album also includes a digital download of the soundtrack. Orders are expected to ship Q1 2022.

Fashion brands Uniqlo and Skechers face investigation over claims of forced labour in China

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Uniqlo and Skechers are among a group of fashion brands being investigated by French prosecutors over accusations that they have ignored China’s alleged abuse of Uighur muslims in the Xinjiang region.

It was confirmed on Friday that the investigation concerned Uniqlo France – owned by Fast Retailing – Inditex, which owns Zara and Bershka, SMCP, the owner of the French fashion labels Sandrop and Maje, and the footwear company Skechers.

The investigation is looking into accusations that the four brands had been concealing and profiting from crimes against humanity in China’s Xingjiang region by sourcing goods produced using the forced labour of Uighur muslims.

According to the investigative website, Mediapart, the investigation follows a complaint filed in early April by campaigners including the anti-corruption group Sherpa, the Uighur Institute of Europe, and a Uighur who was interned in Xinjiang.

Inditex has issued a statement rejecting the claims of the legal complaint and said it would cooperate fully with the investigation. 

“At Inditex, we have zero tolerance for all forms of forced labour and have established policies and procedures to ensure this practice does not take place in our supply chain,” it said.

SMCP also said it would cooperate with French authorities, but would prove the allegations to be false, stating that it “works with suppliers located all over the world and… does not have direct suppliers in the region mentioned in the press.”

Charged Retail writes that major fashion labels like Nike, H&M, and Burberry have been subjected to boycotts in China after denouncing the use of cotton from the controversial region of Xinjiang which makes up around 80 per cent of the country’s cotton output.

The issue of China’s treatment of Xinjiang’s mainly Muslim, Turkic-speaking minority, making up just under half of the western region’s 25 million inhabitants, has become a major source of diplomatic conflric between Beijing and the west, writes The Guardian.

While China denies all allegations of abuse in the region, UN experts and rights groups estimate that over a million people, mainly Uighurs and other Muslim minorities, have been detained in recent years in a system of camps in Xinjiang.

China has stated that these camps are ‘vocational training centres’ aimed at combating extremism, while rights groups say they have been used as a source of low-paid forced labour.

The Tokyo-based Fst Retailing has said it had not yet been contacted by French authorities but would cooperate fully to “reaffirm there is no forced labour in our supply chains,” while Skechers told Reuters it did not comment on pending litigation.

Uniqlo has not yet released a statement regarding the impending investigation.

Nerd is the word | From video gaming to toy collecting, the Insights Family explores the Kidult market

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Jurassic Park and Transformers mash-ups, LEGO sets exploring themes of travel, history, science – and iconic worlds of science fiction, of course – and a healthy gaming scene that simply continues to expand and capture new audiences (and that’s just the news this week); the entertainment space is reaching wider audiences and appealing across the generations. Here, The Insights Family’s founder, Nick Richardson explores the topic of the booming Kidult market

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Nostalgia is a powerful tool when marketing products. The emotional pull of recounting past experiences has enabled brands who ordinarily target children to penetrate an older market, expanding their brand presence.

Recently, the kidult trend has accelerated, as adults have reverted to the familiar nature of reliving childhood memories that have provided comfortable experiences in the wake of the pandemic. Some brands have sought partnerships in order to appeal to older audiences for their products which traditionally appeal to younger demographics.

While in our data, the audience for Pokémon in the UK is five to 13-year-olds, the company sought out collaboration with musician Post Malone for its 25th anniversary this year, perhaps aiming to recapture his older teen audience (14 to 18) to celebrate this event. Additionally, the firm’s remake of the Diamond and Pearl editions in the gaming series, originally released in 2006, is a clear attempt to target an older audience of active gamers.

It’s no secret that more adults than ever now play video games. According to our Parents Insights data, gaming is a top five family hobby, as the younger generation of parents who have grown up as gamers themselves carry their hobby into their adult years.

In the UK, LEGO is the most popular toy among kids of every age bracket we survey, but the company is regularly expanding its product offering to target those beyond the initial demographic of kids. This includes creating building sets of flowers and football stadiums, or those themed around travel and history; all aimed at an older audience.

Meanwhile, the popularity of collectables such as Funko Pop! vinyl figures – a top 10 toy for kids aged 11 to 13 in the UK, and a collection of toys that have representation from a range of different IP and brands across different mediums – among adults is indicative of the very real presence of the kidult trend.

Likewise, the effort from Disney to remake and remaster its library of classic animated films for a new generation is also indicative of the older market of fans. The excitement for these films is not only created by the anticipation from kids, but also their parents who want to relive their childhood experiences.

Brands are currently looking to classic brands and IP to guarantee revenue in the fallout of 2020, targeting adults through nostalgic content in the process. Through the success of these films, Disney not only recaptures the imagination of their long-time fans but creates new brand advocates in the younger generation.

In the TV industry, there is also clear evidence of a conscious effort to appeal to this trend. Tracy Beaker returned to screens in February this year in a series designed to appeal to kids and their parents alike. Meanwhile the Biff and Chip reading books, used in schools for more than 30 years, have been made into a TV series, coming to CBeebies.

The growth in popularity of adult cartoons such as Rick and Morty – the favourite show amongst 16 to 18 year olds boys in the UK – is evident that there is a distinct market for mediums traditionally utilised to appeal to younger audiences. Dragon Ball and SpongeBob SquarePants also appear in the top 20 shows among this demographic.

So what, then, does this mean to you?

Well, quite simply, the kidult trend represents an opportunity for brands to expand their revenue streams beyond their kid audiences. By creating collectables that may be aimed at an older demographic, brands can extend their revenue streams while building advocacy with an audience who may pass on their interests to their kids, creating a new generation of fans in the process.

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The Insights Family, is the global leader in kids, parents, and family market intelligence, providing real-time data on their attitudes, behaviour, and consumption patterns. Every year the company survey more than 362,100 kids and more than 176,800 parents.

A Full English | Golden Goose on putting English Heritage in the product and on the packaging

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With over 400 historical and cultural sites across the country as well as a portfolio that spans the ages, from the mysteries of Stonehenge to the art deco interiors of Eltham Palace, the playground of opportunity for the English Heritage brand to explore through consumer products and licensing is vastly exciting.

Couple all of this with the current spike in demand for cultural IP licensing from consumers the world over, each looking to re-engage with the stories and history channeled through the sector, and it’s an enviable position that the UK licensing agency, Golden Goose finds itself in, representing one of the country’s most revered names in historical and cultural conservation.

Here, Licensing.biz catches up with Golden Goose’s Helen Webster to learn more about the licensing specialist’s plans for the English Heritage brand, and why developing consumer products for a name so rich with history means ensuring that ‘English Heritage is in the licensed products, as well as on the packaging.’

Hello Helen, thanks for talking to us this month. To kick us off, could you give us an overview of the English Heritage brand, its role in maintaining, safeguarding and promoting some of the country’s most historical sites, and the values that the brand brings to the licensing space?

The English Heritage brand is one of the UK’s best known and most respected heritage brands. English Heritage wants people to experience the story of England where it actually happened so their sites and properties offer an imaginative, true to the story, carefully curated experience aimed at inspiring people of all ages. Alongside this, English Heritage works to ensure their sites and properties  – which include Stonehenge, Osborne House, Kenwood House and Dover Castle –  and the thousands of historic artefacts in their care are conserved and expertly cared for such that they can also be enjoyed by future generations.

As such, the values inherent in the English Heritage brand are authenticity, quality, inspiration, responsibility and fun; all of which are values that will flow through the English Heritage licensing programme and connect with today’s consumers and the way they want to blend history into their lives.

Looking over the English Heritage website and shop, the brand has already made headway in the licensing space. How is Golden Goose leveraging the rich heritage of the brand itself to build on the licensing portfolio?

Also, where do you even begin with building out a programme for such a revered name as English Heritage?

While it is clear from past activity that the English Heritage brand has enormous potential, this is really the first time that licensing is receiving the level of internal focus that it needs to achieve significant scale. Because we are working directly with Kingston Myles who is the Head of Commercial Development, we can leverage all of the EH brand assets, from the trademark to the collections archive right and on to the multi channel commercial operation which includes over 100 retail outlets, 35 café’s and a portfolio of  holiday cottages.

Having an expert point of contact with Kingston allows us to target the biggest potential categories and opportunities cohesively. To date we have even been able to start scoping out international markets where the brand has impact, such as South Korea.

“Our approach to licensing English Heritage means ensuring that the English Heritage brand is ‘in’ the licensed products as well as ‘on’ the packaging.”

How has ‘heritage licensing’ changed over recent years, what do consumers expect in terms of brand narrative and story telling in ‘heritage licensing’ today, and how will this be reflected in your approach to licensing English Heritage?

With the lockdowns causing a massive shortfall of visitation and thus creating income gaps for most heritage brands, there are certainly more heritage brands keen to penetrate the market and benefit from quicker wins. Our approach to licensing English Heritage, however, will be to ensure we put in place a long-term strategic licensing programme that is well aligned with the brand’s core values and purpose. This means ensuring that the English Heritage brand is ‘in’ the licensed products as well as ‘on’ the packaging.

English Heritage is not only a well established brand itself, but with over 400 sites across the country, has a portfolio of rich cultural history that spans the ages. The licensing and story telling potential it boasts must be incredibly exciting. What level of creativity does the portfolio afford you? 

Thanks to the more than 400 properties that English Heritage manages and maintains there is a rich treasure of design inspiration available; from the art deco interiors of Eltham Palace, the beautiful prints and patterns inside Audley End House and of course the Victorian splendour of Osborne House.

There are many design eras available to inspire licensees however, in addition to being a rich asset bank, English Heritage is very much a living brand so our licensees will not only be able to draw from a wonderful design heritage and use these assets as is for specific product categories but others will also be able to use the asset bank to inform and inspire beautiful, useful products for today’s consumers and today’s preferences for colour, scale and detail.

How can licensing unlock history for new generations?

There is plenty that EH is already doing to appeal to new generations and we see that more as a core attribute of the brand rather than something that could be used purely to create licensed products. However, we are looking into toys, puzzles, dress up and other categories that will bring the brand to life for new generations while also helping them learn about and appreciate the rich seam of history that English Heritage represents.

How has the consumer’s relationship with ‘heritage licensing’ changed in the last 12 months? Has lockdown and the pandemic changed the way in which people want to experience art and culture? How does this influence your licensing strategy?

The market was already seeing a resurgence in the consumer’s interest in all things heritage and the authenticity and quality this can represent but the last year has accelerated this and also positioned “heritage” alongside other accelerating consumer interests in and around sustainability and our environment, where authenticity and quality also play their part. This is very much playing into our licensing strategy.

Further, I think consumers have tuned into online shopping more than ever before which means that they expect the products that they can imagine to be available. This presents opportunities for print/manufacture on-demand licensees, of course, but now that things are opening up again, EH are hoping to see visitors return to sites and their shops.

Hopefully, our English Heritage licensees, where relevant, will be able to tap into any opportunities that arise through the English Heritage stores, too.

“We’re looking into toys, puzzles, and dress up to bring the brand to life for new generations while helping them learn about the rich seam of history that English Heritage represents.”

What categories or licensing partners will be key to you as you build on the English Heritage portfolio? What will the lifestyle, home, and garden licensing spaces span, and how will you look to tell the story of English Heritage through these?

All things home, home décor and garden are key to the English Heritage brand and it’s no surprise that we will shortly be unveiling our first tentpole licensee who will be working across fabrics, wallpapers and home décor internationally.

The rich English Heritage asset bank, the stories behind the patterns and designs in their properties, their fabulous gardens and the credibility of the English Heritage brand itself will be essential ingredients in telling the story of English Heritage through their licensed products.

What can we expect from English Heritage in the licensing space in the coming year and beyond? What’s the next step for you guys in the sector?

You can expect us to deliver high quality, aspirational products that appeal to the discerning consumer who wants a product that delivers on everything heritage stands for in their own homes, whether that be  in furniture, fabrics, bedding, fragrance or other lifestyle products.

In addition, you can expect some surprises because, as an agency, we are always looking for ways to move the needle and gain momentum that opens the doors to new product categories and markets.

Nickelodeon unveils its new family wearable device NickWatch at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona

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ViacomCBS and Nickelodeon have unveiled the firm’s first connected smart watch, a family-centric wearable device that promotes physical activity, helps kids explore the world around them, and features a cast of popular Nickelodeon characters.

First revealed at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona this week, NickWatch by Nickelodeon features new technology developed with VCNI’s specialised tech partner, offering kids independence as well as access to a ‘robust entertainment offering fueled by Nickelodeon characters’. The device will be available for purchase in 2022.

“ViacomCBS is known for its portfolio of iconic brands that have shaped current events and pop culture for decades. Now, as we look to the future, the NickWatch marks a milestone as the first connected smart watch to harness the power of our consumer brands,” said Raffaele Annecchino, president and chief executive officer of ViacomCBS Networks International.

“This strategic product launch will leverage our IP and content to further strengthen our position as a leading commercial partner with diverse consumer touchpoints creating a new immersive experience.”

The underlying technology platform will provide a ‘direct line of communication to family and friends, promote physical activity, and help kids explore the world with confidence’. Each device will come with the smart watch body, two watch bands (one playful Nickelodeon band and one more adult, premium band) and a fun, character-led charging base.

The NickWatch will promote physical and social play activities, encouraged along the way with stories to aid imaginative play. Wearers will be able to play alone or with friends who have a NickWatch to set off on the same quest together. Entertainment based on Nickelodeon IP will include photo filters, motion sound effects and musical instruments that play out according to hand movements.

Content will be updated regularly with new games, stickers, sound effects, and more.

 The platform will also allow two primary modes of communication through text and voice calls. A child’s parent can text the child from their phone, and kids can respond with pre-written messages, voice to text, or emojis and photos.

The child can also call their parents and contacts within their directory, and they can receive incoming calls from pre-selected contacts. Caregivers can create group threads and can also send sticker messages, timers, reminders, photos, voice messages, and create polls.

There’s even a map feature, allowing caregivers and family members to see the location of everyone in the family via GPS and WiFi, just by downloading the app on their device.

The NickWatch by Nickelodeon has been developed in partnership with Watchinu, an Israeli technology startup, which has built and will be operating the device via a licensee agreement with VCNI.

BBC Studios reshuffles licensing team as Rikesh Desai leaves licensing director role

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BBC Studios has detailed a reorganisation of its licensing team following the departure of Rikesh Desai, the company’s licensing director for the UK and EMEA.

Director of magazines, Mandy Thwaites will take on additional responsibility for the merchandising team, while global director of live entertainment, Mat Way, will now also lead the gaming and interactive team. Both will continue to report to Stephen Davies, BBC Studios’ managing director of consumer products and licensing.

Davies said: “Rikesh has been a driving force behind our merchandise and gaming licensing activity for the last few years and he generated a significant amount of new business and growth for the company, the recent ground-breaking Doctor Who game releases and the tidal wave of Bluey merchandise deals to name a few. It’s fair to say that he has left those businesses in terrific shape.

“I am delighted that Mandy and Mat have agreed to take on additional responsibilities. Mandy has enormous and impressive experience in business leadership, particularly in the field of licensing, and has deep expertise in stakeholder and client relationship management. She also plays a key role in delivering our sustainability agenda, a key consideration for the merchandise team.

“Mat, similarly, has a huge depth of experience. His role managing rights licensing for live entertainment has significant synergy with gaming and interactive markets, as evidenced by recent collaborative projects including the Green Planet 5G project.

“Mandy and Mat both bring passion, energy and commercial nous to carry on the excellent work taking place across the consumer products and licensing division here at BBC Studios.”

Thwaites joined BBC Studios in 2014 and during her time at the company she has managed multiple magazine licensing deals and compliance for over 20 brands, from Gardeners’ World, to Countryfile, to Doctor Who, Top Gear and CBeebies. She is also responsible for the recently relaunched topgear.com.

She said: “It couldn’t be a better time for me to be joining forces with the incredible merchandise team. We’ve the launch of Bluey products about to launch in the UK off the back of the show’s massive success in Australia and the USA. And then Bluey is off to Europe. Hey Duggee will lead the way as we’re soon to roll him out too across European territories. And sustainability is top of my to do list, we’ve made great strides in this area but there is still work to do.”

Meanwhile, Way has worked in the live entertainment team at BBC Studios for 10 years and was promoted to global director of live entertainment in 2018. Following an early career in radio production, he has almost 20 years’ experience working for world-class content studios.

He and his team have delivered landmark projects for the business including, the launch of CBeebies Land and CBeebies Land Hotel at Alton Towers, Blue Planet II in Concert, Planet Earth II in Concert, Doctor Who’s immersive production Time Fracture which has just launched in central London, and the Strictly Come Dancing Live Arena Tour.

He said: “I am thrilled to be joining the gaming and interactive business where there is already a deeply knowledgeable and passionate team in place. Both the live entertainment and gaming & interactive businesses provide really exciting opportunities to bring our brands to life and engage fans in new ways, and given the synergy between the two areas, I am looking forward to exploring new ways of working together too.”