Tag Archives: Medialink

MAD:BOXX to release the latest officially licensed Popeye NFT series

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Popeye the Sailor Man is partnering with UNDONE, the world’s leading custom watch brand, and MADworld to release an NFT collection across Asia.

The POPEYE METAVERSE MADNESS tells the story of Popeye in different parallels, where the balance of time and space is broken and chaos occurs. The programme will include more than 4,000 Popeye character variations dressed in an assortment of costumes, set against a variety of backgrounds, and released in the form of algorithmically generated NFTs. The deal was brokered by MEDIALINK, Popeye brand owner King Features’ local agent in China.

The first drop of 2000 Popeye NFTs will be sold in the form of MAD:BOXX blind boxes, to help ensure random distribution of the NFTs across all three tiers and create a fair environment for buyers.

The Whitelisted Mint date will be on May 18, 2022. The Public Mint date will be on May 20, 2022. Information regarding the whitelisting campaign, minting link, and scheduling will be released in a later official announcement.

 

 

Sesame Workshop grows licensing plans across China, Japan, and Germany with new agencies

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Sesame Workshop has been an a global escapade this past month, having signed a trio of international licensing agencies with the purpose of strengthening the nonprofit’s licensing programmes across the overseas markets.

The educational organisation behind the iconic Sesame Street brand has been expanding its presence in the European and eastern markets, having tapped the likes of Medialink Group for Greater China, Sony Creative Products for Japan, and Studio 100 Media for Germany and the German speaking market.

Its partnership with Medialink Group will see the outfit act as its licensing agent for Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Macau, managing the brand licensing of Sesame Street’s consumer products, while is will also build retail relationships and work with local licensees to create promotional activations in the respective territories.

Today, Sesame Street in available on Tencent, BesTV, SiTV, Mampod and Ukids in Greater China, and generates $1.4 billion in worldwide retail sales of licensed products.

“Sesame Street is everywhere kids are,” said Alvin Fu, vice president and general manager of Greater China for Sesame Workshop. “We achieve this by making our innovative video content available through TV and on-demand platforms and working with partners like Medialink to invite kids and fans of all ages to engage with our beloved characters through Sesame Street-branded consumer products and merchandise and interactive experiences.”

“We are delighted to represent Sesame Street in Greater China. It is immensely meaningful for us to work with such a strong and trusted pre-school brand that shares a similar mission to ours. It is our great pleasure to work with Sesame Street,” said Ms Noletta Chiu, managing director of Medialink Animation International Limited and Medialink Cultural & Creative (Guangzhou) Limited.

Meanwhile, Sony Creative Products has been secured as Sesame Street’s licensing agent for the Japanese market, building on the brand’s more than 50 year history and expanding on its portfolio of 150 countries in which it is present, a network through which it generates $1.4 billion in worldwide retail sales of licensed products.

Sesame Street was first broadcast in Japan in 1971. Maximising the awareness of Sesame Street’s core values, Sony Creative Products will eye new brand activations and retail events, as well as pursue further business opportunities. SCP will manage licensing and retail activities for a wide range of demographics, from preschoolers to their caregivers, generation Z, and adults.

Finally, the company has strengthened its European presence with the appointment of Studio 100 Media as its German licensing agency. The firm will manage consumer products for Sesame Workshop’s flagship German brand Sesamstrasse as it celebrates the broadcast of its 50th season in 2023.

Studio 100 will manage special brand activations and retail events.

Stefan Kastenmüller, Sesame Workshop’s general manager for Europe, said: “I am incredibly excited about this strategic partnership with Studio 100 and the opportunity to strengthen the brand in Germany. In addition to overseeing licensing activity, Studio 100 will develop new ways for families to enjoy and deepen their connection with their favorite characters. Fans can expect to see more in themed entertainment, live shows, apps, and new content.”

Studio 100’s managing director, Martin Krieger said: “We are very happy to represent Sesame Workshop in Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. Many of us grew up with Sesamstrasse and having it now in our portfolio is amazing.

“It’s a perfect fit as we have similar brand values. I believe that our expertise will sustainably contribute in strengthening and expanding Sesamstrasse’s popularity and success story. We look forward to further developing licensing opportunities in important and new categories.”

Messaging app Rakuten to develop licensing programme with Medialink

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The messaging app service, Rakuten Viber has signed a deal with Medialink Animation International Limited, to transform the popular app’s sticker characters into a merchandising programme for the Philippines. Medialink is regarded as on of Asia’s biggest licensing agents.

Violet, LegCat, Freddie, Lola, and the rest of the Viber gang have been an integral part of the messaging app users’ daily conversations, encouraging them to communicate and express themselves in a more genuine and playful manner. Over 2 billion stickers are sent globally on Viber each month.

A survey conducted by Viber showed that over 90 per cent of Filipino respondents were familiar with the app’s sticker characters, while over 85 per cent said they were interested in owning Viber-character branded products.

Soon, they will be able to find merchandise based on these beloved sticker characters in leading stores in the Philippines.

“Medialink brings solid expertise, knowledge and great passion to help us take our massively successful sticker characters into the real world in the Philippines – a market with an 85 per cent interest in owning Viber-branded products. Just knowing that Viber fans will soon get to extend their love for Violet, LegCat and other characters in more tangible quality ways is truly exciting and a great step into deepening our relationship with our audience of over 1 billion users globally,” said Matan Kaufman, product marketing director at Viber.

“We’re very excited to be working with Viber on this project. With our best effort and experienced team, we are sure that we can create the first successful Viber licensing,” added Noletta Chiu, executive director of Medialink.

“We know that this venture will be a success because Viber’s sticker characters are already so ingrained in the everyday chats of Filipinos. It’s only natural that consumers will embrace them even more fully through official merchandise. It’s an exciting venture for Rakuten Viber and Medialink is incredibly honoured to be part of it.”