Hasbro partners with Rubber Road to launch merchandise range based on its hit global franchises

Hasbro has tapped the pop culture merchandise specialist, Rubber Road and its design arm, Numskull Designs, to develop, manufacture, and distribute a wide range of official merchandise based on some of the toy maker’s biggest franchises.

Rubber Road has made a name for itself as a producer of quality merchandise for movie, toy, gaming, and TV brands. Its portfolio consists of official products for fans and collectors of some of the world’s biggest names in pop culture, including Minions, Harry Potter, DC Comics, Sonic the Hedgehog and more.

In its new partnership with Hasbro, Rubber Road’s Numskull Designs team will introduce a range of products based on some of the global toy maker’s most notable global franchises, including Transformers, Power Rangers, Dungeons & Dragons, NERF, and My Little Pony.

Liam Taylor, commercial director and ‘Dungeons & Dragons fan’ at Rubber Road, said: “We are thrilled to be teaming up with Hasbro to work with some of the world’s best names in toys. With a Transformers movie coming up in 2022 and a resurgence in Dungeons & Dragons, we are excited to be producing some fantastic merchandise that will appeal to fans old and new, big kids and little kids.”

According to a press release issued by the team, ‘fans are going to love celebrating their favourite toys with this eclectic range that is super cool, fun, useful and collectible spanning many of Rubber Road’s categories: *TUBBZ Cosplaying Collectible Figures, wireless charging mats, Nintendo Switch cases, lamps, statues, pin badges, sunglasses and sweaters.’

Rubber Road already works with leading global brands in entertainment including Universal, Warner Bros, Netflix, Xbox, Sony Playstation, SEGA, so Hasbro is in outstanding company and a most welcome addition to this impressive portfolio of partners.

Sony’s Funimation completes $1.175bn acquisition of anime platform Crunchyroll

The Sony owned Funimation Global Group has completed its acquisition of the anime platform, Crunchyroll from AT&T in a deal that closed out at $1.175bn.

Finalising a deal that was first detailed in December 2020, it now sees the Crunchyroll business welcomed into the Funimation fold – a partnership made up of Sony Pictures Entertainment and Sony Music Entertainment Japan.

The deal – valued at $1.175bn – arrives in recognition of the pace at which the popularity of anime is growing among audiences the world over.

“The alignment of Crunchyroll and Funimation will enable us to get even closer to the creators and fans who are the heart of the anime community,” said Kenichiro Yoshida, chairman, president, and chief executive officer, Sony Group Corporation.

“We look forward to delivering even more outstanding entertainment that fills the world with emotion through anime.”

Crunchyroll is an anime direct to consumer service that boasts more than five million SVOD (streaming video on demand) subscribers, offering mobile games, manga, events merchandise and distribution to over 120 million users worldwide.

“Crunchyroll adds tremendous value to SOny’s existing anime business, including Funimation and our terrific partners at Aniplex and Sony Mucis Entertainment Japan,” said Tony Vinciquerra, chairman and chief executive officer, Sony Pictures Entertainment.

“With Crunchyroll and Funimation, we are committed to creating the ultimate anime experience for fans and presenting a unique opportunity for our key partners, publishers, and the immensely talented creators to continue to deliver their masterful content to audiences around the world.

“With the addition of Crunchyroll, we have an unprecedented opportunity to serve anime fans like never before and deliver the anime experience across any platform they choose, from theatrical, events, home entertainment, games, streaming, linear TV – everywhere and every way fans want to experience their anime.

“Our goal is to create a unified anime subscription experience as soon as possible.”

Swedish death metal band Arch Enemy launches merchandise partnership with Bravado

The Swedish death metal band, Arch Enemy has entered into a new deal with Bravado, the merchandise arm of Universal Music Group, to develop and distribute a new collection of band merchandise across Europe.

With 25 years of successful album releases, extensive touring, and a dedicated global fanbase, the brand will now work with the merchandise heavyweight on a range of stylised items and eco-friendly products, spanning its entire merchandise business for Europe, including tour merch, online products, and retail.

Michael Hahn, general manager, Bravado Germany, said: “We are proud to have Arch Enemy on our roster, they have such an extraordinary legacy. We look forward to creating a range that is truly authentic, something they and their fans can cherish.”

Angela Gossow, Kult Management, added: “I am stoked to be working with a company with such focus on customer care, high quality, certified, organic garments and fair-trade standards. It was time to step up the game whilst staying true to our DIY policy of creating artwork designs and picking selected merchandise items ourselves.

“We are control freaks, yet happy to benefit from the large-scale professional infrastructure and support of Bravado Europe. Especially in times like these we appreciate the support and constructive cooperation with the Bravado team. Thank you all for being a part of our journey for 25 years now. We are here to stay!”

Formula 1 extends Fanatics partnership as it eyes global expansion into new markets

With the 2021 FIA Formula One World Championship now in full throttle, Formula 1 has signed off a multi-year extension of its partnership with the licensed sports merchandise specialist, Fanatics.

The extension has been agreed following what the firm billed ‘an outstanding 2020 performance’, and will see Fanatics retain global e-commerce and manufacturing rights fort he F1 brand. The news arrives amid celebrations in the F1 camp, following a year that has sales on the official online F1 Store grow by more than 40 per cent globally.

Official Formula One merchandise is now delivered to fans in 143 different countries across the world. The strong performance has accelerated in the first six months of 2021, with sales on the official online F1 Store growing by triple digits compared to the same period in 2020.

The sport has also enjoyed an increased presence in the US, with the region becoming the most significant market with the most sales for the F1 site.

Fanatics, which partners with more than 300 of the biggest sports clubs and organisations in the world, has worked with Formula 1 to grow sales by almost 200 per cent since 2017 and has changed the way F1 fans purchase their merchandise online through a tech-infused approach to making and selling fan gear in today’s on-demand, mobile-first culture.

The official F1 online store utilizes Fanatics’ vertical commerce model, which combines on-demand manufacturing with an agile supply chain to produce the timeliest assortments of merchandise for Formula 1 fans. A key driver of sales on the official F1 online store in 2020 was the store’s move to Fanatics’ Cloud Commerce technology, which provides rapid navigation for fans across online and mobile sites.

Fanatics partners with many of the largest sporting organisations in the world including Manchester United, Chelsea FC, Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich, Atletico Madrid, NFL, NBA, MLB and the NHL.

Ben Pincus, director of commercial partnerships at Formula 1, said: “We are pleased to extend our ecommerce and licensing partnership with Fanatics on the back of an exceptional 2020 performance, which follows the remarkable growth we have seen over the last few years.

“Our ambition is to serve all our fans no matter where in the world they are located, and our focus in the years to come will be to access new markets and grow strategic territories like China.”

Zohar Ravid, general manager for Fanatics’ International Business, said: “We have worked in partnership with Formula 1 for a number of years now and grown its global merchandise business significantly in that time. The recent transfer of the site onto our innovative cloud commerce platform has delivered some incredible results in recent months; we are committed to building on that growth in the coming years and I am delighted that we will now be able to continue to deliver results and an incredible service to its global fanbase.”

Pop culture retailer The Geek Retreat on track to open 60 of its planned 100 stores this year

Geek Retreat, the geek culture retailer, gaming café and events venue rolled into one, is on track to open 60 of its planned 100 new stores on UK high streets by the end of 2021, creating 360 jobs around the country.

The franchise is on track to meet its previously announced target of a total of 100 new stores in 2022.

The Geek Retreat franchise, which opened its first store in Glasgow in 2013, now has 27 stores, with the newest in Truro, Cornwall, which opened last week. It has stores in town and city-centres such as Glasgow, Newcastle, Leeds, the Wirral, Northampton, Chelmsford and London, which stock geek culture merchandise like comics, posters, clothing, figures and memorabilia as well as games and trading cards.

Fans of everything from Marvel and sci-fi, to Warhammer and Pokémon – and even traditional board games, are welcome at the stores and play their hobbies in the café.

New stores are due to open in a number of locations around the UK, including Blackburn, Hereford, Exeter, Lincoln, Ipswich, Bedford and Exeter, in the next couple of months.

To support the growth of the business, the retailer has also announced a series of new hires, including four franchise development managers who will support the expanding geographical footprint of the brand. A further 25 employees will join the head office team in new roles such as New Store Openings Managers, Event & Gaming Specialist and Head of Digital & Ecommerce.

Following the recent brand relaunch, Geek Retreat has also developed and launched a new menu in consultation with its franchisees. The full menu roll-out in partnership with leading food service firm, Booker, sees the introduction of a high-quality menu with vegetarian, vegan and kid’s options, ensuring there’s something to suit everyone’s taste.

Peter Dobson, chief executive of Geek Retreat, said: “We are pressing ahead with our expansion plans and are on track to meet our target for new stores. Despite the impact the pandemic has had on the high street more generally, the Geek Retreat proposition and unique culture has proved particularly resilient and has shown us how important it is for people to have a safe please to visit and to share their interests with friends as part of a community.”

All stores commit to a COVID-19 secure environment, with strict social distancing and hygiene measures in place, to give customers extra piece of mind that they can visit in confidence.

Radar Licensing named global agent for Nic Cage horror film Willy’s Wonderland

Radar Licensing has been appointed the global licensing agent for the 2021 horror film Willy’s Wonderland, a role in which it will spearhead a worldwide consumer products retail programme spanning apparel, accessories, publishing, electronics, toys, and costumes.

Starring Nicolas Cage alongside Emily Tosta, Ric Reitz, and Chris Warner, Willy’s Wonderland enjoyed a successful PVOD premiere this February. Since then, the t-shirt worn in Willy’s Wonderland by Cage has been consistently selling out of stock.

Radar Licensing has now appointed its first licensee, Changes, as apparel partner to replicate the t-shirt for availability this spring. Radar, in partnership with Landmark Studio Group, anticipate additional products for Willy’s Wonderland to begin hitting retail in Q3 this year.

“We are thrilled with the fan and critic reception of Willy’s Wonderland, which has received great reviews and millions of impressions to date across YouTube and social media platforms,” said David Ozer, CEO, Landmark. “Fans want more engagement with the film, and this is the opportune time to partner with a seasoned licensing agent like Radar to create a line of products that reflect the quirky, fun, and adventurous vibe of the film delivered by the talents of Nic Cage to the marketplace.”

David Imhoff, president, Radar Licensing, added: “With its multi-genre appeal, Willy’s Wonderland has so many fantastical elements from which we can develop a merch program. We look forward to working with Landmark to develop and bring these products to retail.”

Directed by Kevin Lewis from a screenplay written by G.O. Parsons, in Willy’s Wonderland a quiet loner (Cage) finds himself stranded in a remote town when his car breaks down. Unable to pay for the repairs he needs, he agrees to spend the night cleaning Willy’s Wonderland, an abandoned family fun center. But this wonderland has a dark secret that the “Janitor” is about to discover. He soon finds himself trapped inside Willy’s and locked in an epic battle with the possessed animatronic mascots that roam the halls. To survive, he must fight his way through each of them.

View the official trailer below:

GB eye acquired by Abysse Corp as the European fan merchandise specialist positions for global growth

The European fan-focused merchandise specialist, Abysse Corp has acquired the UK posters and fan merchandise specialist, GB eye in a multi-million pound deal.

The move will combine Abysse Corp’s global presence with GB eye’s extensive local production, manufacturing expertise, and market knowledge, while strengthening the goal to create ‘the best fan-focused products.’

GB eye is recognised as one of ther UK’s market leaders in the production of posters and fan based merchandise since its establishment in 1986. The firm currently boasts over 100 licenses as well as significant agreements with key UK retailers.

Meanwhile, Abysse Corp has enjoyed substantial year on year growth since its inception in 2003. The acquisition will now offer Abysse Corp further distribution into the UK, Europe’s largest market for licensed products.

At the same time, GB eye’s range will now have access to a new level of worldwide distribution. The merger will also offer new warehousing and manufacturing capabilities in the UK and across mainland Europe, helping the team circumnavigate the restrictions imposed by Brexit.

The GB eye Board of Directors said in a press release issued this week that “after 35 years in the business, we are delighted to announce the sale of the company to Abysse Corp.

“We are leaving GB eye in good hands. This was incredibly important to us. Abysse Corp is the perfect fit and has a like-minded business strategy with the ability to identify forthcoming trends and create high quality products for any pop culture fans.

“Abysse Corp plans a smooth continuation of the business by adding the highly regarded GB eye brand to its existing global distribution network. The growth potential of the combined group is very exciting and we strongly believe that this is great news for all the GB eye staff as the business continues to go from strength to strength.

“We would also like to take this opportunity to thank licensors, customers, suppliers, and of course our many loyal staff members who have worked tirelessly over the years to make GB eye the successful business it is today. We wish you all the success in the future.”

Xavier Sartoris, Abysse Corp president, said: “The integration of GB eye is a fantastic opportunity to onboard a well-trained and very professional team. The two companies are really complementary and it is a great step to add GB eye’s production facility to ours in France.

“Local production and a strong domestic distribution is certainly the reason why both companies show such an amazing resilience in the covid time.”

Following the acquisition, the group will employ almost 300 staff and expects a consolidated turnover close to €60 million for 2021.

GB eye acquired by Abysse Corp as the European fan merchandise specialist positions for global growth

The European fan-focused merchandise specialist, Abysse Corp has acquired the UK posters and fan merchandise specialist, GB eye in a multi-million pound deal.

The move will combine Abysse Corp’s global presence with GB eye’s extensive local production, manufacturing expertise, and market knowledge, while strengthening the goal to create ‘the best fan-focused products.’

GB eye is recognised as one of ther UK’s market leaders in the production of posters and fan based merchandise since its establishment in 1986. The firm currently boasts over 100 licenses as well as significant agreements with key UK retailers.

Meanwhile, Abysse Corp has enjoyed substantial year on year growth since its inception in 2003. The acquisition will now offer Abysse Corp further distribution into the UK, Europe’s largest market for licensed products.

At the same time, GB eye’s range will now have access to a new level of worldwide distribution. The merger will also offer new warehousing and manufacturing capabilities in the UK and across mainland Europe, helping the team circumnavigate the restrictions imposed by Brexit.

The GB eye Board of Directors said in a press release issued this week that “after 35 years in the business, we are delighted to announce the sale of the company to Abysse Corp.

“We are leaving GB eye in good hands. This was incredibly important to us. Abysse Corp is the perfect fit and has a like-minded business strategy with the ability to identify forthcoming trends and create high quality products for any pop culture fans.

“Abysse Corp plans a smooth continuation of the business by adding the highly regarded GB eye brand to its existing global distribution network. The growth potential of the combined group is very exciting and we strongly believe that this is great news for all the GB eye staff as the business continues to go from strength to strength.

“We would also like to take this opportunity to thank licensors, customers, suppliers, and of course our many loyal staff members who have worked tirelessly over the years to make GB eye the successful business it is today. We wish you all the success in the future.”

Xavier Sartoris, Abysse Corp president, said: “The integration of GB eye is a fantastic opportunity to onboard a well-trained and very professional team. The two companies are really complementary and it is a great step to add GB eye’s production facility to ours in France.

“Local production and a strong domestic distribution is certainly the reason why both companies show such an amazing resilience in the covid time.”

Following the acquisition, the group will employ almost 300 staff and expects a consolidated turnover close to €60 million for 2021.

Culture sculpture: Beer Buddies and the fine art of merchandising

A two-man operation working out of a headquarters in Wheal Vor, in Cornwall, Beer Buddies has started to make its presence known on the pop culture licensing and merchandise scene through its range of best-selling Motorhead, Iron Maiden, and now Original Stormtrooper bottle openers.

Using traditional sculpting methods put to use from its Cornish workshop, this is a company that has not only struck upon a unique angle within the traditional licensing space, but continues to champion an artisan approach within the sector, finding and bridging that gap between today’s demand for pop culture merchandise and the consumer’s desire for artistry.

Here, Licensing.biz grabs a quick five minutes with Beer Buddies co-founder Richard House to talk about the firm’s foray into licensing, its successes, and what’s on the horizon for the UK business.

Hi Richard, good to catch up with you. To start, can you give us a bit of history on the Beer Buddies company? How did this all come about for you guys, and what was the moment that got you into the licensing space?

Beer Buddies is just two people: myself and Seamus Moran. We both did design based degrees and formed Beer Buddies 10 years ago, we’ve worked together ever since moving to Cornwall from the Midlands in 1988.

Buddies started almost by accident when we were asked to design and produce a Green Man wall plaque. Seamus realised that a bottled opener could be incorporated into the mouth and I came up with the name Beer Buddies. We came up with a few more designs, made them in our workshop and began selling, as demand grew and the range increased and we moved the manufacturing to China.

We had never considered doing licensed products until Jens Drinkwater of Global Merch introduced himself to us at a trade show about three years ago. Motorhead bottled beer Road Crew was selling strongly and Jens suggested a bottle opener would be a great addition to Motorhead merchandise line.

The trail went quiet for about 12 months and then out the blue we got the green light from Global and six months later the first Beer Buddies licensed product was on sale. It immediately opened our eyes to the potential of the licensing world. Motorhead sold more than the rest of our range put together.

You pay homage to a real artisan aspect of creating Beer Buddies. How do you guys strike that balance of bringing the artisan to the licensing space? What do you think this brings to the licensing space itself and is it proof that artistry and merchandise can work together?

The artisan element of our working methods probably has much to do with our age. Seamus is a sculptor in his own right and totally at home working with traditional modelling materials such as clay and plaster. Neither of us are of the Cad era. Seamus has a meticulous modelling style and an eye for detail that is unique to him and that translates into the designs and brings a very human element to the work that a computer generated design can’t.

We look for brand icons that will translate into what we do without making too many compromises to the original concept. Also, because this is so new to us having good support from the licensee is very important. Global has been fantastic in this regard and Jens has introduced us to new customers and spread the cost of royalty fees when our cash flow has been tight.

What has reception been like to the Beer Buddies’ licensed roll out to date? 

The response to our licensed roll outs to date has been very positive. Motorhead and Iron Maiden are our biggest sellers. Original Stormtrooper arrived late due to the chaotic situation at UK ports but the initial signs are that it’s going to be very strong .

How has business been for you guys over the course of 2020? With lockdown keeping people in their homes for longer, has Beer Buddies spotted an opportunity here?

Like virtually all businesses this year, Covid-19 has caused us problems. Most of our trade accounts have been closed for 25 per cent of the year and some may have closed for good. We probably won’t know the full extent of the damage until next year. On the plus side our own website sales have more than doubled as lockdown has sent online shopping go off the chart .

What’s the next big move for Beer Buddies, what can we expect from you guys in 2021?

Next year we hope to get some more Heavy Metal under our belts with Metallica, they have the right look and like Motorhead and Iron Maiden already have a licensed beer and a huge loyal fan base.

Moonpig partners with KFC to launch limited edition Christmas cards and merchandise

Moonpig has reignited a partnership with KFC to launch a limited edition range of Christmas cards in its move to ‘spread chicken and cheer’ for the holiday season. The series of six Christmas cards come complete with festive designs while a portion of sales will go to Comic Relief through the KFC Foundation.

Featuring carol Zingers singing, sleigh bells winging and Colonel Sanders slipping a hot wing under the tree, the launch has been manipulated to ‘sprinkle some much needed joy to this year’s festive season. ‘

“So, why not send a lenticular card with a gravy optical illusion to your gravy lovin’ gran, or a personalised ‘Fillet Navidad’ card to your KFC obsessed mate?” says Moonpig via a press release.

The KFC x Moonpig Christmas card range is available online exclusively at Moonpig. Ten per cent of net sales will go directly to KFC Foundation’s charity partner, Comic Relief and its work to support young people across the UK to fulfil their potential.

“But it’s not just cards we’ve launched this Christmas…” added the company. “We recently announced the launch of our first ever line of merch ahead of the festive season, with a clucking good range of streetwear and Christmas jumpers.”

The new range can be viewed here.

“So, whether it’s a Christmas eve filled with a Family Feast or watching Mother Hen take a snooze after one too many egg-nogs on Boxing Day, KFC & Christmas will always have one thing in common, they’re meant for sharing,” Moonpig concluded.