Brand & Lifestyle Licensing Awards 2022 open for entries

The Brand & Lifestyle Licensing Awards are back for 2022, and are now open for entries

The event – now in its seventh year – will take place on Wednesday 27 April, at an afternoon event at the Hilton Park Lane, London.

The deadline for nominations and entries across all categories is Tuesday 8 March, 2022.

The B&LLAs 2022 will look to reward brand and lifestyle licensing activity which has taken place in the UK between 1 January 2021 to 31 December 2021, across Product, Retail and Property categories. In addition, the Brand Ambassador Award will also be presented to a special individual (brand owner, licensor, retailer, licensee or supplier), acknowledging their contribution to the brand licensing sector.

The entry and nomination process for all categories is free and via online submission – all the forms can be accessed from the dedicated B&LLAs website by clicking here.

Brand Licensing Europe returns as the headline sponsor of the Brand & Lifestyle Licensing Awards, while trade body Licensing International will once again be lending its support.

A number of stellar names have also pledged their support as sponsors including MDR Brand Management, The Point.1888, CAA-GBG, WildBrain CPLG, Pink Key Licensing (Pringles), Start Licensing, Golden Goose, Discovery Consumer Products, Erve, Dependable Solutions, Poetic Brands, H&A, Beanstalk, Metrostar, TSBA, Brandgenuity and BrandComply.com.

For ticket and table information for The B&LLAs awards event, please click here.

 

BLE 2021 brings Licensing International’s Licensing U to European audiences for the first time

Brand Licensing Europe (BLE) in partnership with industry trade association Licensing International, is launching Licensing U for Europe, a ‘one-stop-shop’ education programme about the $292bn licensing industry for newcomers and experienced professionals.

Licensing U will take on a fully virtual format with the content being available to view on demand for three months from 22 November 2021 allowing delegates to engage with and return to the content at a time that best suits them. Early bird discounts are available from now until 8 October.

The content, which has proved to be a popular staple of Licensing Expo’s programme over the past few years, will bring the same three tracks to its UK debut in November, offering insight into the topics and trends impacting the brand licensing universe.

Topics range from the ‘Basics of international licensing’ and ‘What you need to know about royalty rates’, to ‘Working with agents and consultants’.

The three content tracks are:

  1. Basics of Licensing: Designed for licensing newcomers and those interested in learning more about the industry, Licensing U’s ‘Basics’ track offers an introduction to how the licensing business works, contracts and other legal basics, royalty rates, style guides, retail development and more.
  2. Spotlights: Licensing professionals are invited to take a deeper dive into key industry segments with Licensing U’s ‘Spotlights’. The sessions will focus on specific areas such as art and design, corporate brands, celebrities and influencers, sports, entertainment, collaborations, and location-based entertainment.
  3. Tactics and Strategies: Aimed at the more seasoned licensing professionals, Licensing U’s ‘Tactics and Strategies’ track features more advanced sessions and will tackle some of the latest topics and trends impacting today’s licensing industry, including eSports, NFTs and more.

Anna Knight, VP of Licensing, Informa Markets, said: “It is always a pleasure to partner with Licensing International and we are thrilled to bring Licensing U to European delegates this November. It is such a distinctive time for our industry when continued education is paramount, providing much-needed refresher courses for practiced professionals and serving as a gateway into the exciting world of licensing for those starting their journey.”

Maura Regan, President, Licensing International, added: “Licensing U has been the content cornerstone of Licensing Expo and we are excited to bring this programming to BLE. Relevant, timely information sessions combined with recognised industry leaders offer resources to help licensing professionals at all levels of their careers. Licensing U is a trusted resource designed to serve the licensing industry.”

Attendees can take advantage of the early bird discount by booking before October 8. Licensing International members benefit from an additional 10 per cent discount.

PlayMonster, LEGO, and Crayola among 2021 Licensing International Excellence Awards winners

PlayMonster, LEGO, Crayola, and Hasbro have all been named among the winners of the 2021 Licensing International Excellence Awards at a ceremony held via a virtual gathering during this week’s Licensing Expo Virtual.

Big name toy companies featured among the 22 award winners from seven different countries, including China, Finland, France, Japan, Singapore, the UK, and the US at the event that brought together nearly 1,000 industry executives.

The winners were whittled down from a total of 152 nominees – itself a shortlist of finalists from more than 650 entries from around the world. An elite judging panel narrowed the entries down to the final ballot, which was then voted on by members of the licensing industry.

PlayMonster secured its win in the Toys, Games, Novelties for ages 0 to 8 category, receiving its accolade for its popular Peppa Pig Grow and Play Peppa Pots, while LEGO secured its Toys, Games, Novelties for ages 8 upwards category win for its Andy Warhol LEGO Art Edition.

Hasbro took home the Entertainment, Character Brand: Animated category win for Peppa Pig, and Crayola was voted Best Licensed Collaboration in its tie up with Adidas and Donovan Mitchell.

The Licensing International Excellence Awards honour innovation and creativity in licensing, as well as how licensees develop and bring to market products, and how retailers creatively spotlight licenses on their shelves. A special award this year – Pandemic Pivot – went to Peanuts Worldwide to honour its work in developing and making available for free in-home educational materials and lesson plans.

“In our 36th year of honoring the best of the global licensing industry, it’s inspiring to see the quality of the work produced by people and companies even as they were adapting to new ways of creating and collaborating amid the effects of the pandemic,” said Maura Regan, president, Licensing International.

“The achievements that we honor today are testament to the power of brands, and the power of licensing as a business to create products and programs with lasting appeal.”

Here are the 2021 Licensing International Excellence Awards winners:

Best Licensed Products

⦁ Apparel / Footwear / Accessories – Dr. Martens for Jean-Michel Basquiat Boots
⦁ Appliance / Automotive / Housewares / Electronics – Beijing Xiaomi Mobile Software Co. for Pokémon Travel
⦁ Toys / Games / Novelties for Ages 0 – 8 – PlayMonster for Peppa Pig Grow & Play Peppa Pots
⦁ Apps / Sofware / Video Games – Top Golf for Angry Birds Interactive Golf Game
⦁ Food / Beverage – Kinnerton Confectionery for Harry Potter Chocolate Range
⦁ Health and Beauty Aids – Mad Beauty for Friends Bath & Body Essentials
⦁ Home Decor – Secret Lab for Batman Gaming Chairs
⦁ Publishing / Back to School – Chronicle Books for LEGO Note Brick
⦁ Toys/ Games/ Novelties for ages 8 upwards – LEGO for Andy Warhol LEGO Art Edition

Best Licensed Brands
⦁ Art/ Design/ Celebrity/ Fashion Brand – The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle Studio
⦁ Digital App/ Video Game Brand – Super Mario by Nintendo
⦁ Corporate Brand – Goodyear by The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company and IMG
⦁ Entertainment/ Character Brand: Animated – Peppa Pig by Hasbro & Hasbro China
⦁ Entertainment/ Character Brand: Live-Action – Harry Potter by Warner Bros. France
⦁ Food/ Beverage/ Restaurant Brand – Coca-Cola, Hi-C & Sprite by The Coca-Cola Company
⦁ Sports/ Collegiate Brand – NFLPA by NFL Players Association

OTHER AWARDS
⦁ BEST LICENSED PROMOTION – Direct Line & Born Licensing for “We’re On It” with Transformers, TMNT & Robocop
⦁ BEST LICENSED COLLABORATION – Crayola x Adidas x Donovan Mitchell
⦁ BEST RETAILER FOR A CHARACTER / ENTERTAINMENT INITIATIVE – BoxLunch for Marvel Eat the Universe
⦁ BEST RETAILER FOR A CORPORATE / LIFESTYLE/ SPORTS INITIATIVE – H&M for Coca-Cola
⦁ BEST LICENSING AGENCY – IMG
⦁ THE PANDEMIC PIVOT AWARD – Peanuts At-Home-Offerings by Peanuts Worldwide

 

Obituary | Licensing International’s Bill Burke, 55

The long time licensing industry executive and SVP Marketing and Communications for Licensing International, Bill Burke, passed away suddenly at his home on August 9th, at the age of 55.

Prior to joining Licensing International, Bill was SVP Marketing for CBS Consumer Products, where he led Global Marketing (including Retail), International Licensing, and Licensing Operations for iconic brands like Star Trek. Before that, he held senior positions with HIT Entertainment, Sesame Workshop and Foot Locker.

“Bill was already a beloved and admired person within the industry when he joined the Licensing International team in February,” said Maura Regan, president of Licensing International.

“In his brief period with us, and for those who hadn’t the pleasure of working with him previously, he quickly became a friend, creative spark and trusted sounding board for everyone on staff. It’s a measure of the man that he particularly enjoyed mentoring our interns, making sure that they got as much out of us as we got out of them.

“We will miss him personally and professionally.”

Bill is survived by his wife Patty, daughter Erin and son Ryan. Visitation and funeral arrangements are to be announced shortly.

The Licensing International Excellence Awards prepare for Licensing Expo Virtual live stream ceremony

The Licensing International Excellence Awards will be returning to Licensing Expo this year, albeit in a virtual format, as the ceremony makes its preparations to live stream on Day One of Licensing Expo Virtual this August 24th to 26th.

The annual award programme will once again honour a list of nominees and reveal the 2021 winners across its 22 categories, whittling down the record-setting number of finalists from the more than 150 nominees across 23 countries. The live broadcast will take place on the Licensing Expo Virtual platform and is available exclusively to event attendees.

Register here for the event and ceremony free of charge.

Scheduled for August 24 at 9:00 a.m. PST/12:00 p.m. EDT, the live ceremony is designed to celebrate a world-class group of licensing professionals, IP owners, agencies, retailers, and more, for their creativity and dedication to the pursuit of advancing the brand licensing industry.

“In a year where stay-at-home restrictions radically disrupted societal behavior, a selection of standout professionals and companies helped the industry navigate these uncharted waters through strategic licensing initiatives – many of which are nominated for this year’s Licensing International Excellence Awards,” said Maura Regan, president of Licensing International.

“Each and every one of this year’s nominees have played a part in reimagining the brand to consumer relationship, changes that will have a positive impact on the outlook of our industry. We look forward to celebrating these successes during the award ceremony during Licensing Expo Virtual.”

Anna Knight, VP of Licensing, Informa Markets, added: “Licensing Expo is about bringing the global licensing community together, a sentiment that really strikes home as we’ve all had to face unique challenges and think outside the box, more so than ever before.

“We are proud to partner with Licensing International and host the Excellence Awards ceremony on the first day of this year’s event to pause and applaud so many individual’s and company’s continued perseverance and inflow of creative ideas that kept our industry’s momentum going.”

The Licensing International Excellence Awards categories include:

BEST LICENSED PRODUCT – Apparel / Footwear / Accessories
Presented by WildBrain CPLG

BEST LICENSED PRODUCT – Appliances/Automotive/Electronics/Housewares/Paint
Presented by ViacomCBS

BEST LICENSED PRODUCT – Digital: Apps / Software / Video Games
Presented by WildBrain – emojitown

BEST LICENSED PRODUCT – Food / Beverage
Presented by LI Accelerator Recipients Bedrock Collectibles, Holy Joe, LIBREX, Park Star Media & Somos Arte

BEST LICENSED PRODUCT – Health & Beauty Aids
Presented by WildBrain – Teletubbies

BEST LICENSED PRODUCT – Home Décor
Presented by InSpirit Designs

BEST LICENSED PRODUCT – Publishing / Social Expression / Back-to-School
Presented by ViacomCBS

BEST LICENSED PRODUCT – Toys / Games / Novelties / Role Play (ages 0-8)
Presented by Alifish

BEST LICENSED PRODUCT – Toys / Games / Novelties / Role Play (ages 8+)
Presented by InSpirit Designs

BEST AGENCY / MANUFACTURER REP
Presented by Bedrock Collectibles, Holy Joe, LIBREX, Park Star Media & Somos Arte

BEST LICENSED BRAND – Corporate
Presented by ViacomCBS

BEST LICENSED BRAND – Digital: Apps & Video Games
Presented by InSpirit Designs

BEST LICENSED BRAND – Entertainment / Character / Toy Brand – Animated
Presented by Alifish

BEST LICENSED BRAND – Entertainment / Character – Live Action
Presented by InSpirit Designs

BEST LICENSED BRAND – Food / Beverage / Restaurant Brand
Presented by WildBrain CPLG Lifestyle

BEST LICENSED BRAND – Lifestyle: Art / Design / Celebrity / Fashion Brand
Presented by Bedrock Collectibles, Holy Joe, LIBREX, Park Star Media & Somos Arte

BEST LICENSED BRAND – Sports / Collegiate
Presented by ViacomCBS

BEST LICENSED COLLABORATION
Presented by Alifish

BEST LICENSED PROMOTION
Presented by WildBrain CPLG – Peanuts Worldwide

BEST RETAILER – Corporate / Lifestyle / Fashion / Sports
Presented by Alifish

BEST RETAILER – Entertainment / Character
Presented by Bedrock Collectibles, Holy Joe, LIBREX, Park Star Media & Somos Arte

THE PANDEMIC PIVOT
Presented by ViacomCBS

 To view the full Licensing International Excellence Awards nominee list, visit here.

Licensing International reveals its 2021 Rising Stars

The six brand licensing professionals to receive the 2021 Rising Star Award from Licensing International this year have been named, marking the ninth annual celebration of the up and coming talent from across the global licensing community.

“We are thrilled to recognize these talented young professionals who will be the future leaders of our global brand licensing community,” said Maura Regan, president of Licensing International. “We would also like to thank the Rising Stars committee members, who have the difficult job in selecting among the best of the best.”

The 2021 Rising Stars Award recipients are:

JAMES CHOI – Senior Associate, Ellalan
Based in Hong Kong

James Choi actively advises on landmark, precedent-setting copyright licensing litigation in Hong Kong regarding recording and karaoke licensing issues as a senior associate with Ellalan since 2016. He holds law degrees from Kings College London and University of Hong Kong as well as a Master of Arts in Sociology from the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

According to a nominator, James’ “ability to handle and advise clients, as well as to lead and nurture juniors to assist him in his licensing matters have made huge positive impact to the firm’s recent growth and expansion.”

ADDIE DORSEY GOOSSENS – Licensing Manager EMEA, Ubisoft
Based in France

Addie Dorsey Goossens began her licensing career with ZAG Entertainment in Los Angeles before joining Ubisoft in June 2019 in Paris. Addie manages the licensing out strategy for all Ubisoft brands across Europe, Middle East, and Africa including Ubisoft’s expansion into esports licensing categories.

One executive said: “She is a very strategic business executive who understands that licensing is a marketing tool to support the core businesses. She has always impressed me with her business savvy and licensing knowledge.”

Dorsey holds a Master’s in Strategy & Management in International Business from ESSEC Business School along with a Bachelor of Arts in Film and Media Studies and a Bachelor of Science in Earth & Atmospheric Sciences from UC Irvine.

RACHEL HAK – Category Manager, Apparel/Accessories/Health & Beauty, Crayola
Based in U.S.

Rachel Hak began her licensing career at Freeze with stops at The Walt Disney Company and Centric Brands before arriving at Crayola as a category manager for outbound licensing in 2019. She launched Crayola’s first-ever children’s apparel program with Haddad Brands at the Macy’s inaugural STORY event and elevated the Crayola brand through collaborations with Adidas, LeSportsac, Shinola, and Isaac Mizrahi.

According to one licensing executive, Hak “believes in the power of brand licensing and is always ideating new ways to partner with prospective companies. Her natural curiosity and creative and positive energy make her a great representative for our company and the industry overall.” She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Pennsylvania.

KEVIN RAMSEY – Founder and CEO, Warren James
Based in U.S.

Kevin Ramsey founded Warren James two years ago, following stints at Jazwares and Roblox, to develop custom merchandise, apparel, and e-commerce solutions for some of the largest content creators on YouTube, Twitch, and TikTok including Aphmau, ItsFunneh, and Annoying Orange. Since its launch, the company has grown to 44 people with offices in Los Angeles, Guangzhou, and Manilla while helping to define standard DTC and DTR deals for content creators.

A graduate of the Savannah College of Art and Design, Ramsey’s “entire career has been focused on leveraging gaming and content creator’s online audiences to drive engagement and product purchases in both retail stores and online. The passion and work Ramsey has put into the creator economy have increased the exposure and opportunities for this genre of content within the licensing industry,” according to one licensing executive.

JYOTI SARDANA – Manager of Licensing Strategy and Operations, OneTeam Partners
Based in U.S.

 Jyoti Sardana began her licensing career with the NFL Players Association before moving to OneTeam Partners as employee number four in 2020. She has developed the licensing program for Women’s National Basketball Players Association, U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team Players Association, and Major League Soccer Players Association as well as the NFL Players Association and Major League Baseball Players Association.

“Jyoti’s efforts have had an outsized influence in establishing a market for officially licensed products for professional women’s athletes. The momentum for these licensed products is now apparent and Jyoti’s work in this regard has been influential,” according to a nominator. Sardana holds a Master of Business Administration and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of Maryland.

CAROLINA VERDUGO – Director of Brand Management, Beanstalk
Based in U.S.

Carolina Verdugo joined Beanstalk in 2018 following stops at Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger. She leads the agency’s efforts in Mexico and Latin America for Diageo and expanded the Bailey’s food licensing program into LATAM markets with industry leaders in key categories. One of Verdugo’s nominators said, “Carolina’s excellent work on prospecting and client service played an integral part in Beanstalk expanding the Diageo business in Latin America. A major strength of Verdugo’s is her ability to see the bigger picture, think strategically, and take initiative.”

Verdugo holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Business/Trade/Commerce from San Diego State University.

The 2021 Rising Stars will be recognized during the 2021 Licensing International Excellence Awards on Tuesday, August 24 at 12:00pm EDT at Licensing Expo Virtual.

Licensing International welcomes seven new members to its Board of Directors

A raft of seven industry executives has been welcomed to the Licensing International Board of Directors, bringing with them diverse experiences that ‘will help foster the growth and expansion’ of the global licensing industry.

Mad Engine Apparel’s Dean Allen, ViacomCBS Consumer Products’ Veronica Hart, and The Brand Liaison’s Steven Heller join Spirit Halloween and Spencer Gifts’ Holly Rawlinson, Isaac Morris’ Milin Shah, OneTeam Partners’ Malaika Underwood, and WildBrain CPLG’s Maarten Weck to take up their positions on the Board of Directors from July 1st this year.

“I’m pleased to welcome the seven new members of our Board, whose invaluable and diverse experiences will help Licensing International foster the growth and expansion of brand licensing around the world,” said Licensing International president, Maura Regan.

“I’d also like to thank the outgoing members of our Board for their time and dedication – Liza Abrams, Naz Amarchi-Cuevas, Sam Ferguson, Bill Patterson, and Jason Sutton.”

Mad Engine Apparel’s Allen is an industry veteran with more than 20 years in the apparel industry. Having been the company’s chief merchandising officer since 2018, Dean served as executive vice president for the company from 2014 to 2018 overseeing and leading the sales, licensing, production and product development teams. 

Meanwhile, ViacomCBS Consumer Products’ EVP global franchise planning, Veronica Hart leads CP strategic planning, brand positioning and trade marketing executions across key markets for ViacomCBS Consumer Products. Veronica came from CBS, where she built the franchise planning team for Star Trek while running the company’s licensing and consumer products division. Previously, Hart handled licensing at a variety of entertainment companies such as HIT Entertainment, Sesame Workshop, and The Jim Henson Company.

Founder of The Brand Liaison, Steven Heller is a trademark and licensing attorney. Throughout his 30-year career, Heller has been active in all aspects of licensing from launching new brands to representing both brand owners and manufacturers in licensing deals with some of the world’s largest brands. Heller is nicknamed “The Professor,” as he is a renowned public speaker and professor of business and law.

Rawlinson – GM business development, Spirit Halloween & Spencer Gifts, has held executive licensing positions at DreamWorks, Paramount Studios, Mattel, and Pokémon. Winner of “Wonder Woman” and “Licensing Executive of the Year” awards from the Women in Toys association, Rawlinson, in her previous leadership position, oversaw the launch of FanShop, the ecommerce site of NBC-Universal’s movie ticketing division, Fandango.

Milin Shah currently serves as senior vice president and general counsel for Isaac Morris and Culture Fly leading sales, licensing, and new business. Prior to IML and CultureFly, he worked for Earthbound Brands and Bradford License India. In 2015, Milin was awarded by Licensing International as a Rising Star. Milin graduated from Seton Hall Law School with a concentration in IP and Entertainment, and is currently admitted to both New York and New Jersey Bar Associations.

Malaika Underwood – SVP Licensing, OneTeam Partners was recently named one of Sports Business Journal’s 40 Under 40. Underwood is Senior Vice President of Licensing at OneTeam Partners where she is tasked with providing oversight for the company’s growing licensing business and positioning the company to deliver value to college athletes as the NCAA landscape changes. Prior to joining OneTeam Partners, Malaika worked for The Brandr Group (TBG), IMG Licensing, and the Collegiate Licensing Company (CLC).

Finally, Maarten Weck, EVP and managing director, WildBrain CPLG brings more than 20 years of licensing industry experience to his role overseeing global operations for WildBrain CPLG. Formerly WildBrain CPLG’s managing director for Northern Europe, the UK, Nordic, Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) and Benelux territories, Weck has been with the agency for over 13 years.

Licensing Expo | Licensing International unveils 2021 Excellence Awards finalists

Licensing International has revealed the list of nominees from across the globe vying for the win at this year’s 2021 Licensing International Excellence Awards, taking place at Licensing Expo Virtual on Tuesday, August 24th.

More than 180 judges from 21 countries narrowed the record-setting number of entries to the more than 150 finalists across the awards’ 22 categories this year.

“Despite the many obstacles last year, the global licensing community created innovative products and programs – including amazing pandemic pivots, that showcase the power of brand licensing,” said Maura Regan, president of Licensing International. “We are thrilled to celebrate these nominees from around the globe for their incredible work and ingenuity, and look forward recognizing ‘the best of the best’ on August 24 at the Licensing International Excellence Awards ceremony.”

Here are the 2021 Licensing International Excellence Awards nominees:

BEST LICENSED PRODUCT – Apparel / Footwear / Accessories
Presented by Wildbrain CPLG

Company                                                                                                              Product

Blackmilk                                                                                           Harry Potter Range

Dr. Martens                                                                          Jean-Michel Basquiat Boots

Modern Works                                                                                            Kodak Range

Morgan Lane                                                                                   Monopoly Sleepwear

Primitive Skate                                                         Sailor Moon Skateboard Collection

BEST LICENSED PRODUCT – Appliances/Automotive/Electronics/Housewares/Paint
Presented by ViacomCBS

Company                                                                                                              Product

Baccarat Australia                                                           Game of Thrones Knife Range

Beijing Xiaomi Mobile Software Co.                                         Pokémon Travel Range

CR Brands                                                                             Arm & Hammer Essentials Disinfecting Wipes

8 Star Energy                                                             Energizer Homepower and Energy Storage System

Honda                                                                                Chupa Chups Scoopy Scooter

Just Funky                                                                     Dragon Ball Z Tableware Range

Master Product Group                                                             Minions Robotic Vacuum

BEST LICENSED PRODUCT – Digital: Apps / Software / Video Games
Presented by Wildbrain – emojitown

Company                                                                                                              Product

Audible                                                                                         Sesame Street Podcast

Complete Control / Acamar Films                                    Bing Watch, Play, Learn App

Frontier Developments                                                             Jurassic World Evolution

Game for Peace                                                 The Metropolitan Museum of Art Game

Oculus                                                                                     Jurassic World Aftermath

Story Toys Ltd                                                            The Very Hungry Caterpillar Play School App

Top Golf                                                                   Angry Birds Interactive Golf Game

Wristworld                                                                                  Hatsune Miku AR Band

BEST LICENSED PRODUCT – Food / Beverage
Presented by LI Accelerator Recipients Bedrock Collectibles, Holy Joe, LIBREX, Park Star Media & Somos Arte

Company                                                                                                              Product

Benvolio 1938                                                           Masha and the Bear Sunflower Oil

Brands for Fans                                                                                       KISS Dark Rum

Cacau Show                                                                           NBA Easter Confectionery

Fizz Creations Limited                                                 SLUSH PUPPiE & ICEE Maker

Guandong Jintian Animation Co.                                               Peppa Pig Baby Snacks

Kinnerton Confectionery Ltd                                           Harry Potter Chocolate Range

Vignobles Bardet                                                                            Peaky Blinders Wine

Yuengling                                                                                              Hershey’s Porter

BEST LICENSED PRODUCT – Health & Beauty Aids
Presented by Wildbrain – Teletubbies

Company                                                                                                              Product

Colour Pop                                                                            Candy Land Make-Up Line

Etude Cosmetics                                                          Hershey’s Kisses Cosmetics Line

Fresh                                                                                       The Met Facial Treatment

H&A                                                                            The Simpsons Novelty Bath Line

HipDot                                                                                          Tapatio Cosmetic Line

Mad Beauty Ltd                                                             Friends Bath & Body Essentials

Morphe                                                                                    Coca-Cola Cosmetic Line

BEST LICENSED PRODUCT – Home Décor
Presented by Inspirit Designs

Company                                                                                                              Product

BeArty Ltd                                                                                            Vizzio Art Range

Design House Stockholm                                      Carl & Karin Larsson Furniture Line

Feribiella S.p.A.                                                         Premoli & Di Bella Dog Furniture Range

Kross Studio                                                                                      Batman Desk Clock

Royal Selangor International Sdn Bhd                         Harry Potter Pewter Collectibles

Secret Lab                                                                                    Batman Gaming Chairs

BEST LICENSED PRODUCT – Publishing / Social Expression / Back-to-School
Presented by ViacomCBS

Company                                                                                                              Product

Blueprint Collections Ltd                                                Van Gogh Museum Stationery

Chronicle Books                                                                                  LEGO Note Brick

Chronicle Books                                                      LEGO Still Life Coffee Table Book

Hachette Collections Japan                                                          Peter Rabbit Partworks

Heroes’ Feast                                                                Dungeons & Dragons Cookbook

Libros MiCuento SL                                            “Little Prince & I” Personalized Book

Montegrappa                                                                              Monopoly Fountain Pen

Penguin Random House                                                                 Tasty Cookbook Line

BEST LICENSED PRODUCT – Toys / Games / Novelties / Role Play (ages 0-8)
Presented by Alifish

Company                                                                                                              Product

Aurora World Inc                                                                                     Dr. Seuss Plush

CreateOn / Magna-Tile                                    The Very Hungry Caterpillar Interactive Storytime

Headstart International                                                 Sesame Street Resoftables Plush

PlayMonster                                                             Peppa Pig Grow & Play Peppa Pots

Jazwares                                                                            The Mandalorian – The Child Squishmallows Plush

Kid Trax / Pacific Cycle                                    The USPS® Mail Delivery Truck Ride-On

Moose Toys                                                                                           Bluey Toy Range

BEST LICENSED PRODUCT – Toys / Games / Novelties / Role Play (ages 8+)
Presented by Inspirit Designs

Company                                                                                                              Product

Hornby Hobbies Ltd                             The Beatles Eurostar Yellow Submarine Model Train Set

LEGO                                                                           Andy Warhol LEGO Art Edition

Playmates                                                                                 Billie Eilish Fashion Doll

Playmobil                                                                           Back to the Future DeLorean

Winning Solutions Game Company                       Monopoly 85th Anniversary Edition

XM Studios                                                                         Batman Collectible Figurine

Zuru                                                                                             5 Surprise Mini Brands

BEST AGENCY / MANUFACTURER REP
Presented by Bedrock Collectibles, Holy Joe, LIBREX, Park Star Media & Somos Arte

Company

Beanstalk

IMG

Pacific Licensing Studio

pocket.watch

Retail Monster

The Joester Loria Group

The Point.1888

Wildbrain CPLG

BEST LICENSED BRAND – Corporate
Presented by ViacomCBS

Company                                                                                                               Agency

American Red Cross                                                                  Seltzer Licensing Group

Braun                                                                                                                 Beanstalk

CosmoLiving                                                                                                             IMG

Craftsman                                                                                                          Beanstalk

Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company                                                                          IMG

Hewlett-Packard                                                                                                    LMCA

Scotts Miracle-Gro Company                                                    Seltzer Licensing Group

BEST LICENSED BRAND – Digital: Apps & Video Games
Presented by Inspirit Designs

Brand                                                                                                                 Company

emoji®                                                                                          emoji company GmbH

Minecraft                                                                                                           Microsoft

Pokémon                                                                                    The Pokémon Company

Sonic the Hedgehog                                                                                                  Sega

Subway Surfers                                                                                          SYBO Games

Super Mario                                                                                                       Nintendo

XBOX                                                                                                               Microsoft

BEST LICENSED BRAND – Entertainment / Character / Toy Brand – Animated
Presented by Alifish

Brand                                                                                                                 Company

Bing                                                                                                            Acamar Films

Bluey                                                                                                             Ludo Studio

Moomin                                                                                             Moomin Characters

Naruto                                                                                                          Shueisha Inc.

Peppa Pig                                                                                                               Hasbro

Pink Panther                                                                                               MGM Studios

Trolls World Tour                                                            Universal Brand Development

BEST LICENSED BRAND – Entertainment / Character – Live Action
Presented by Inspirit Designs

Brand                                                                                                                 Company

Animal Planet                                                                                                   Discovery

Harry Potter                                                                Warner Bros. Consumer Products

Love, Diana                                                                                                 pocket.watch

Peaky Blinders                                                                Caryn Mandabach Productions

Ryan’s World                                                                              Sunlight Entertainment

Street Dance of China                                                 Alibaba Culture & Entertainment Group

BEST LICENSED BRAND – Food / Beverage / Restaurant Brand
Presented by Wildbrain CPLG Lifestyle

Brand                                                                                                                 Company

Baileys                                                                                                                   Diageo

Cinnabon                                                                                             Focus Brands LLC

Coca-Cola / Hi-C / Sprite                                                         The Coca-Cola Company

Corona                                                                                             Constellation Brands

Hershey’s                                                                                     The Hershey Company

Heinz / KoolAid / Oscar Mayer                                             The Kraft Heinz Company

SLUSH PUPPiE                                                                                      ICEE Company

Tasty                                                                                                                  Buzzfeed

BEST LICENSED BRAND – Lifestyle: Art / Design / Celebrity / Fashion Brand
Presented by Bedrock Collectibles, Holy Joe, LIBREX, Park Star Media & Somos Arte

Brand                                                                                                                 Company

Andy Warhol                                                                    The Andy Warhol Foundation

New York Botanical Garden                                               New York Botanical Garden

Paul Frank                                                                                        China Brands Group

Peter Rabbit                                                                                          Penguin Ventures

Smiley                                                                                            The Smiley Company

The Rolling Stones                                                                             The Rolling Stones

The Very Hungry Caterpillar                                                                Eric Carle Studio

V&A                                                                                   Victoria and Albert Museum

BEST LICENSED BRAND – Sports / Collegiate
Presented by ViacomCBS

Brand                                                                                                                 Company

NCAA                                                                                  National Collegiate Athletic Association

NFLPA                                                                                     NFL Players Association

BEST LICENSED COLLABORATION
Presented by Alifish

Collaboration                                                                                                     Company

Allbirds, Baggu, Catbird, J.Crew, Estee Lauder, Mast, The Sill                        The Met

Crayola x Adidas & Donovan Mitchell                                               Crayola & Adidas

Disney x Keith Haring x Coach                                                         Coach IP Holdings

Nerf x Fortnite x Travis Scott                                                    Epic Games & Jazwares

Peanuts x BarkBox                                                         Peanuts Worldwide & BarkBox

Pokémon x Longchamp                                        The Pokémon Company International

The Very Hungry Caterpillar x Fila                                                      Eric Carle Studio

BEST LICENSED PROMOTION
Presented by Wildbrain CPLG – Peanuts Worldwide

Company                                                                                             Company / Agency

Barbie & Tim Hortons Hockey Promotion                                                            Mattel

“We’re On It”: Transformers, TMNT, Robocop                Direct Line / Born Licensing

Monet Afternoon Tea at Pizza Hut                          Museum of Fine Arts Boston, Pizza Hut, Alfilo

SweeTARTS Unleash your Super Self, WW84        Ferrara Candy Co & Warner Bros.

The Smurfs: EU Beach Clean Up                                                                IMPS / Lafig

tokidoki Snow Holiday at Changi Festival Village     Changi Airport, tokidoki, Pacific Licensing

BEST RETAILER – Corporate / Lifestyle / Fashion / Sports
Presented by Alifish

Company                                                                                                             Property

Cotton On                                                                                             Streets (Unilever)

H&M                                                                                        The Coca-Cola Company

Peter Alexander                                                                                    Streets (Unilever)

Riva Fashion and Armada Group                                              Chupa Chups & Mentos

Spirit Halloween                                                                                                  Dunkin’

Stellar Partners, Inc                                                                                                 Wired

BEST RETAILER – Entertainment / Character
Presented by Bedrock Collectibles, Holy Joe, LIBREX, Park Star Media & Somos Arte

Company                                                                                                             Property

Best & Less                                                                       PAC-MAN & Space Invaders

Big W                                                                                                                    Minecraft

Box Lunch                                                                                 Marvel Eat the Universe

Leclerc                                                                                                    Wizarding World

Joué Club                                                                                                      Harry Potter

Peter Alexander                                                                                             Peter Rabbit

Primark                                                                                                        Mickey Mouse

THE PANDEMIC PIVOT
Presented by ViacomCBS

Company                                                                                                            Company

Crayola Wellness Essentials                                                                                Crayola

Mad Engine Million Mask Give Away                                             Mad Engine Global

MaskClub                                                                                                               Trevco

Peanuts At-Home Offerings                                                              Peanuts Worldwide

Peppa Pig: Peppa Loves Doctors & Nurses                                                          Hasbro

Sesame Street: Caring for Each Other                                                Sesame Workshop

Spirit of Children PPE Donations                                                          Spirit Halloween

Trolls World Tour                                                            Universal Brand Development

Licensing International France Awards winners and first French Rising Star revealed

LEGO Super Mario, The Pokemon Company, and Crunchyroll have been named among the winners of this year’s Licensing International France Awards in a live virtual event that brought together nearly 250 industry executives from France and around the world.

Hosted by Christophe Drevet from CDR Strategy and Licensing International France’s own Florence Ayem and Laurent Taieb, the event also named its first French Rising Star as WildBrain CPLG’s Jeanne Baledent.

Meanwhile, 12 Awards winners were named during the event, selected from among the 104 submissions received, an increase of 30 per cent on the number of nomiations last year. 

The 2021 Licensing International France Awards winners are:

BEST LICENSED PRODUCT – LEGO for the Super Mario Construction range

BEST RETAIL or DIGITAL ACTIVATION – PicWicToys for We need to find Santa Claus

BEST PROMOTION or EVENT – Warner Bros. Consumer Products for the LU x DC Comics x Funko activation

BEST LICENSED COLLABORATION– Crunchyroll for the Captain Tsubasa x French Football Federation

BEST DIGITAL BRAND – Super Mario / Nintendo

BEST ENTERTAINMENT BRAND – Harry Potter / Warner Bros. Entertainment

BEST SPORT BRAND – National Basketball Association

BEST LICENSEE – Funko

BEST CELEBRITY, CORPORATE or LIFESTYLE BRAND – Koh-Lanta / TF1 Licences

BEST LICENSOR or LICENSING AGENCY: The Pokémon Company International

FRENCH RISING STAR: Jeanne Balédent / Wildbrain CPLG

In addition to the Award Winners above, Licensing International France has extended a special mention to the following entries that, while not winning an award, still captured our attention.  

LICENSING INTERNATIONAL FRANCE CRUSHES:

  • Barbapapa x Merci collaboration / TF1 Licences
  • The Bureau – The Deep Game / Dama Dreams
  • Label Chaussette x RATP la ligne – socks line
  • Find Me in Paris – launch of the score with Wagram Music

 

Industry veteran Bill Burke joins Licensing International as SVP marketing strategy and comms

The global licensing veteran Bill Burke has joined Licensing International as SVP marketing strategy and communications.

Burke moves over to the premier trade association for the global brand licensing industry having previously held the position of senior vice president marketing for CBS Consumer Products, a role in which he led global marketing, international licensing, and licensing operations for brands like Star Trek.

Before that, he held senior positions with such companies as HIT Entertainment and Sesame Workshop.

“We are excited to have Bill join the team,” said Maura Regan, president of Licensing International. “Bill’s deep industry relationships coupled with his acute marketing savvy will be a huge boost to Licensing International’s mission to advance the business of our members and elevate our industry to the broader business community.”

Licensing International’s mission is to foster the growth and expansion of licensing around the world, raise the level of professionalism for licensing practitioners, and create greater awareness of the benefits of licensing to the business community at large.

Founded in 1985, Licensing International members in over 40 countries enjoy access to an array of benefits including extensive educational programming and worldwide networking events.