Tag Archives: Lisle Licensing

Milo celebrates ratings success on Milkshake! as preschool series goes from ‘strength to strengthg

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Milo, the new preschool series from Fourth Wall and Planeta Junior, is celebrating high ratings across Channel 5’s Milkshake, the channel’s preschool segment upon which it made its UK debut in mid-May this year.

Within one month of launching on May 10th in its prime time 8am weekday slot, the series has, according to the firm, ‘achieved great ratings on Milkshake!’ with expectations abound that the series will ‘continue to go from strength to strength.

The series is also available for viewers on the broadcaster’s on-demand platform, My5.

Milo follows the adventures of its titular hero, a five year old cat who, together with his friends Lofty and Lark, uses role-play to explore the world of vocations, be that a doctor or mechanic, a hairdresser or chef, or a postal worker. The aim of the series is to introduce preschoolers to a variety of professions in a positive and entertaining way.

Milo is already a successful children’s book character with over 30 titles published and sold in more than 20 territories worldwide.

The production of the preschool series has been supported by the UK Government’s Young Audiences Content Fund. Managed by the BFI, the fund supports the creation of distinctive, quality content for young audiences. The fund is intended for providing content that informs our understanding of the world, stimulates knowledge and learning, as well as representing diversity and alternative viewpoints.

Planeta Junior holds and manages the series’ worldwide consumer products rights and is working with Lisle Licensing in the UK to build a strong brand presence and licensing programme.

Lisle Licensing seals Hallmark, Moonpig, and Carousel Calendars for US brand Kate Smith Company

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The UK licensing agent, Lisle Licensing has sealed three early deals for the US brand, Kate Smith Company in the greetings card, online greetings, and calendar categories, tapping Hallmark, Moonpig, and Carousel Calendars.

Kate Smith Company is a brand on a mission to make humans smile. Its origins started several years ago in the greetings card sector with its own ‘From Frank’ brand. Lisle Licensing has secured an agreement with Hallmark as master greetings partner which will see a comprehensive range of cards launch later this year.   

Moonpig has also been appointed as the online greeting card partner and will offer a variety of the Kate Smith Company lines which have become so popular across the USA and Canada, but are particularly renowned for sending uplifting, happy, positive vibes blended with its vibrant art design house-style.

The range will also be extended in the coming months with designs that can be personalised to add that extra personal touch and make an even bigger impact.

Lastly, Carousel Calendars will launch 2022 dated calendars and diaries.   

All three licensees were brokered by Lisle Licensing who has already seen strong interest in Kate Smith Company’s brands, demonstrating its potential to expand into further categories. Discussions are already taking place with gifting, stationery, and additional categories.. 

Francesca lisle, managing director at Lisle Licensing, said: “When we first set eyes upon Kate Smith Company and saw their success in the USA and Canada, we instinctively knew they had a fantastic future in the UK quite simply because of their humorous, cheeky and happy brand which will aspire to consumers here. 

“We are thrilled that licensees agree with us, and to have got them off to a fantastic start in key categories and strong partners.”

Jen Stephenson, UK head of licensing, Hallmark added: “We’re delighted to be working with Kate Smith Company and so excited about our partnership. Kate is a wonderful designer and we absolutely love her fun, funny, quirky and playful style. As soon as we saw her card designs they made us smile and we knew straight away her brand would be a perfect fit for Hallmark.”

Martin Rees-Davies, product, licensing lead, at Carousel Calendars, said: “We are delighted to be working with Kate and her amazing designs and captions. With the year that we have all had I have no hesitation that the vibrant colours and designs will bring a much- needed smile to everyone’s face.”

Lisle Licensing lands slate of new partners for video gaming’s iconic Tetris brand

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Lisle Licensing has detailed a slate of new partners and product launches for the iconic puzzle game Tetris, as the nearly 40 year old brand continues to celebrate an expanding fan-base driven by global consumer success.

Kicking off the year like so many of us did, Tetris got straight into the fitness scene through an athleisure apparel collaboration with the tikiboo.co.uk. More recently, Trademark Productions has signed to develop an apparel daywear range that will land on shelves this autumn/winter.

In line with the brand’s bold colours, Trademark Products will focus on soft lines which appeal to the Tetris fanbase who want to embrace their support for the brand beyond traditional gameplay. Meanwhile, Fizz Creations will launch a Tetris AW 21 giftware range that will include a Tetris Tetrimino waffle maker that creates waffles in the game’s iconic shapes. 

In the gaming space, John Adams – a long-standing UK board game licensee of the Tetris brand – has renewed its agreement with the brand for a further three years.

Francesca Lisle, MD at Lisle Licensing, said: “As the video gaming industry continues to surge, and particularly retro gaming, so does the popularity of Tetris which will celebrate its 40th year in 2024. We are delighted to kick-off 2021 with two new licensees in categories which will further strengthen the brand’s position in the UK, as well as continue the Tetris partnership with John Adams.”

Zoe Ryan, marketing manager at Fizz Creations, added: “We’re all about fun and novelty at Fizz Creations, so are excited to partner with Tetris to launch the waffle maker – Tetrimino shaped waffles… what’s not to love?”

The Tetris brand is recognised as one of the leading and most distinctive video game brands and franchises in the world. Now after more than 35 years, the brand continues to be enjoyed by audiences of all ages and all cultures. Billions of Tetris games are played online every year, and over 500 million Tetris mobile games have been downloaded to date.

The Tetris brand’s global licensee network includes major video game publishers, including Nintendo and SEGA, as well as many partners in electronics, toys, apparel, lifestyle goods, entertainment and more. 

Lisle Licensing named UK and Ireland licensing agent for Planeta Junior’s pre-school IP Milo

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Lisle Licensing has signed a new deal with Planeta Junior to promote and represent the pre-school property, Milo across the UK and Ireland. The deal will see Lisle’s initial focus land on toys, publishing, apparel, and dress up ranges.

A co-production between Planeta Junior and the indie family producer, Fourth Wall Animation, Milo will launch to UK screens this spring via Channel 5’s Milkshake.

Through this new partnership Milo now joins Lisle Licensing’s exclusive portfolio, which includes major kids brands like Gormiti, 44 Cats, Masha and the Bear, and Superzings.

Milo is described as a warm, funny pre-school series made up of 52 11 minute episodes about an adventurous five-year old cat who, together with his best friends Lofty and Lark, uses role-play to explore the world of vocations, introducing little ones to a variety of professions.

Milo’s world celebrates vocations such as Delivery Workers, Explorers; Nurses as well as Astronauts – every vocation is shown in a positive light so kids feel they can grow up to be anything they want to be. 

Lisle Licensing lands aspirational lifestyle duo Style Sisters

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Lisle Licensing has secured the UK licensing rights to one of the country’s most sought-after aspirational lifestyle duo’s, Style Sisters.  

In just two years the two long-term friends have shot to stardom and celebrity status with their fashion and interiors ‘know-how’, giving both interior and wardrobe advice that can transform the lives of their follower fan base and celebrities. 

The appointment of Lisle Licensing will enable the Style Sisters to engage with consumers who are not only inspired by their style, but also aspire to their way of life by being able to purchase the duo’s own portfolio of home and lifestyle products.

Collectively, Gemma Lilly and Charlotte Reddington have more than 15 years’ experience in the fashion and interiors space, and since forming Style Sisters have notched up a social audience thanks to lifestyle and fashion images in collaboration with UK celebrities including Amanda Holden, Rochelle Humes, Stacy Solomon, and Billie Faiers.  

With more than 204,000 Instagram followers, and garnering an average 2,000 more week on week, the pair reach 14.4 million page impressions per week.  Affiliate product promotions with the likes of Swyft Home and Attic Self Storage have been integral to growth and procuring their own brand awareness as a result of follower and hyperlink interactions.

Licensing has now been earmarked as the natural next step for the two friends. The team at Lisle Licensing will focus on building a Style Sisters’ lifestyle product range across furniture, home accessories, storage solutions, wallpaper/paints, candles and fragrance plus kitchenware and home textiles. 

Francesca Lisle, MD at Lisle Licensing said: “2020 has meant we’ve spent more time than ever in our homes which has reignited the home styling and DIY sector. The Style Sisters appeal to a broad range of ages with their enthusiastic passion for home styling and have a natural ability to engage with consumer tastes; we can’t wait to build a broad range of products that solidify their position as experts in their field.”

Gemma Lilly and Charlotte Reddington, added: “We couldn’t be more excited about the next chapter of our journey, creating our own brand and products has always been the long-term vision and we couldn’t be happier to be working with Lisle so that they can help bring that vision to life.”

Smiffys lands Masha and the Bear costumes and tableware through Lisle Licensing deal

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The party and fancy dress specialist, Smiffys has been named the costume and tableware partner for the popular children’s animated IP, Masha and the Bear. The partnership arrives via a deal brokered by Lisle Licensing, the UK licensing agency for Masha and the Bear.

The popular animated series has become a firm favourite with children across the world, and now, thanks to Smiffys latest signing, will be able to delight in a range of officially licensed costumes, scheduled to launch at the start of 2021.

This will be followed by the roll-out of a range of Masha and the Bear tableware. Both will be made available across the UK and Europe.

Smiffys has long been recognised as a leading supplier of fancy-dress costumes, wigs, accessories and make up. The company, originally founded as R H Smith & Sons (Wigmakers) but now more commonly known as Smiffys, is a family-run company and has been in business since 1894.

The firm is proud to design all of its costumes and accessories “in-house” in the UK.

Masha and the Bear secures host of UK licensees as Season Four lands on Tiny Pop

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The international animation studio and name behind the popular kids’ show Masha and the Bear, has secured a host of new UK licensees to coincide with the arrival of season four of the animated series on Tiny Pop this month.

In a swathe of deals brokered by the UK licensing agency, Lisle Licensing Masha and the Bear is now moving into licensed backpacks, school bags and fashion bags with William Lamb Group, as well as branded costumes and accessories, tableware, paper decorations, party bags and balloons courtesy of Smiffys.

On top of this, a partnership with The Entertainer will see the UK toy retailer stock Masha and the Bear – Masha’s Songs branded caps in over 170 of its stores nationwide.

The local licensing activity all gets under way as the popular animated series lands on Tiny Pop with its season four debut this month. Called Masha’s Songs, the 13 episode season is dedicated to exploring different countries and their music, values, and culture. The season will see Masha travel the world with her friends.

Tiny Pop is supporting the Season Four launch with a series of marketing activities including a nationwide on-air and digital musical competition, asking viewers to go to the Tiny Pop Artpad and design a picture of the Masha Musical Band.

The competition will run for three weeks from November 9 to November 30 2020 and will raffle prizes from Animaccord’s retail and toy partners, Smyths and Simba Dickie Group. There will also be a separate schedule of Tiny Pop online and social competitions in conjunction with Masha and the Bear toy manufacturers Simba Dickie Group and Tactic. 

Lisle Licensing named exclusive UK agent for art and lifestyle’s Kate Smith Company

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Lisle Licensing has been appointed as the exclusive UK licensing agent for the humorous art and lifestyle brand, Kate Smith Company. Based in the USA, the company behind the hugely popular brand ‘From Frank’ has briefed the team at Lisle to replicate its North America and Canadian success in the UK.

Lisle Licensing will work to establish Kate Smith Company as a recognised uplifting, entertaining, and positive brand with retailers and consumers.

Kate Smith Company specialises in social connections, with the objective of creating art and product to ‘make humans smile’. Established in 2018 following the success of ‘From Frank’, it has amassed a broad collection of art that spans its jokes, original character brands, phrases and art design that lend themselves to a variety of categories including publishing, greetings, stationery, home accessories, gifting and novelty.

The breadth of styles provides licensees with the opportunity to deliver a continuous flow of product and flexibility to tailor any number of bespoke collections, large or small.

Over the last two years, Kate Smith Company has been listed in Target, Barnes & Noble, Whole Foods, Paper Source, Wal-Mart and more. It has partnered its designs with US greetings cards heavy-weight, American Greetings, and in Summer 2020 launched an everyday collection in Target stores nationwide through Recycled Paper Greetings.

Francesca Lisle of Lisle Licensing, said: “We are thrilled to have been chosen by Kate & Ryan to exclusively represent their brand in the UK. It’s bold, fun, fresh, and already defined by its success in the USA. If the world needs anything right now it’s the Kate Smith Company’s wicked sense of humour and bright bold art design to make people smile.”

Lisle Licensing welcomes Becky Sherwood to the role of commercial and retail manager

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Lisle Licensing has welcomed the FMCG and fashion and accessories expert, Becky Sherwood to the firm’s newly created role of commercial and retail manager. Sherwood took up the position with the company in August this year.

With over ten years’ experience across multiple sectors, ranging from FMCG to fashion and accessories, Sherwood boasts a breadth of insight across a number of disciplines, including product development and key client management, skills that are transferable to the licensing industry.

Over the past ten years, Sherwood has worked with the likes of Swatch Group as the UK and Eire wholesale manager, to account managing the influencer fashion brand The Couture Club, supplying key online retailer ASOS. She will now focus on two new licenses which Lisle will be announcing in the coming weeks, as well as developing the UK retail cross category relationships across the Lisle portfolio

Francesca Lisle, said: “Becky has an all-encompassing approach and instinct as to what’s needed to make a successful brand; her joining the team makes for  perfect timing as we celebrate our 10th anniversary and look forward to making some key business announcements in the coming weeks.”