Tag Archives: news

WildBrain unveils sweet new Strawberry Shortcake deals

Posted on by

WildBrain, a global leader in kids’ and family entertainment, will be serving up Strawberry Shortcake at Vegas Licensing Expo, May 24-26, as the beloved kids’ brand continues to gain momentum around the world with new distribution, licensing and promotional partnerships.

Following the global success of Season 1 of its new Strawberry Shortcake series, Berry in the Big City, WildBrain is also set to drop Season 2 this summer on the official Strawberry Shortcake channel on WildBrain Spark, the Company’s leading AVOD network on YouTube and YouTube Kids.

Michael Riley, Chief Brands Officer at WildBrain, says: “Since launching this fresh version of our treasured Strawberry Shortcake brand and the new Berry in the Big City series, the response from kids, families and industry partners alike has been amazing. As we prepare to launch forty more episodes, we’re seeing the new brand gathering significant momentum, as demonstrated by another round of international partners, and we know this is only just the beginning for our all-new Strawberry Shortcake.”

Licensees attending Vegas Licensing Expo are invited to visit WildBrain’s dedicated licensing agency, WildBrain CPLG, at stand E154 to learn more about exciting licensing opportunities for Strawberry Shortcake.

The new Berry in the Big City 2D-animated series (80 x 4’), plus four brand-new premium CG-animated seasonal specials (4 x 44’), are produced by WildBrain’s Vancouver animation studio with renowned showrunner Michael Vogel (My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic). The series celebrates stories of diversity, creativity and friendship as Strawberry Shortcake heads to Big Apple City to find her big break and “bake the world a better place.” The series and specials are part of the global rollout of WildBrain’s new Strawberry Shortcake brand across animated content, gaming, music, toys, food, apparel, events and more.

A new wave of distribution partners for Berry in the Big City has been signed following the previously announced worldwide deal with Netflix, which saw the series launch on the platform April 15 and which will see four original CG specials follow in 2023.

Peacock (US) has signed on for seasons one and two of Berry in the Big City, as has Brazilian broadcaster globoplay. The Roku Channel (US) has launched a Strawberry Shortcake channel featuring new and classic content, including seasons one and two of Berry in the Big City. WildBrain’s Family Channel is currently airing the series and will be the exclusive home for the new specials in Canada. Tiny Pop (UK) has taken both seasons plus the specials – seasons one and two episodes will also be available on Tiny Pop’s VOD app, the POP Player. HOP! (Israel) has picked up season one and the four CG specials. Also, TelevisaUnivision’s Prende TV free streaming service has launched a Strawberry Shortcake channel featuring both new and classic content in Spanish for the US.

Other new distribution partners for season one include Amazon Prime Video (LatAm, France, Germany, Austria, UK, Ireland, Australia), Crave (Canada), FilmRise (US), Future Today (US, UK, Canada), Kartoon Channel! (US, Canada, UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore), Kids Street (US), Magenta-TV (Germany), Tubi (US), TVNZ (New Zealand) and XUMO (US).

Additionally, multiple new consumer products partnerships have been inked for the Strawberry Shortcake brand by WildBrain’s dedicated licensing agency, WildBrain CPLG. Several new deals for both New and Vintage Strawberry Shortcake highlight the evergreen appeal of the brand amongst girls and mothers, including Bentex, for girls’ apparel and swimwear in the US; Jay Franco, for home & bath in the US and Canada; Centric Brands, for ladies’, girls’ and toddler sleepwear, plus mommy-and-me sets for the US; and Cotton On, for ladies and girls’ sleepwear, home and stationery, and girls’ apparel, for global.

Also for Vintage Strawberry Shortcake, Boss Fight has signed on to make fully articulated and scented action figures of Strawberry Shortcake and her friends for the US, while Spirit Halloween is on board for costumes and dress-up for the US and Canada.

These deals add to the list of previously announced licensees for the new Strawberry Shortcake, including Moose Toys (Master Toy/global) and Penguin Random House (publishing/North America), plus a number of capsule fashion collections for Vintage Strawberry Shortcake that launched this winter/spring, including a Unique Vintage collection for Valentine’s Day 2022; a co-branded collection from By Samii Ryan (BSR) featuring matching sets, shorts, baby tees, chinos and a bucket hat; and a Dolls Kill collection of apparel, footwear, accessories and a strawberry shortcake picnic basket.

WildBrain’s Strawberry Shortcake kicks off “Fruitastic” produce promotion

Entry deadline extended for The Licensing Awards 2022

Posted on by

The entry deadline for The Licensing Awards 2022 has now been extended to Wednesday 8 June.

The decision was taken after Max Publishing – which owns and organises The Licensing Awards – was contacted by a large number of companies asking for a deadline extension owing to a very busy week at Licensing Expo.

All of the award categories – including those for licensed products, licensed properties, retail, marketing, honorary achievement, plus the awards for sustainability, international retail and licensed live events – can now be entered, for free, via the website.

The awards event itself will return to The Great Room at The Grosvenor House Hotel, London on Tuesday 13 September 2022.

For sponsorship, entry enquiries or general questions regarding The Licensing Awards, please contact Ian Hyder, Jakki Brown or Rob Willis.

Tickets and tables can be reserved quickly and securely online by visiting Max-Tickets.net or by contacting Clare Hollick at Create Events: clare@createvents.co.uk or phone +44 (0)1183 340085.

Genius Brands signs 20-year deal with Marvel for Stan Lee

Posted on by

Stan Lee Universe LLC, Genius Brands International’s Genius Brands-controlled venture with POW! Entertainment, has signed a 20-year deal to license the name and likeness of Stan Lee to Marvel Studios for future feature films and television productions, as well as use in Disney theme parks and experiences worldwide.

 “We are proud to be the stewards of the incredibly valuable rights to Stan Lee’s name, likeness, merchandise, and intellectual property brand,” says Andy Heyward, Chairman & CEO of Genius Brands. “And there is no better place than Marvel and Disney, where Stan should be, for his movies and theme park experiences. As we enter the centennial year of Stan’s birthday, December 28, 2022, we are thrilled to see his memory and legacy will continue to delight fans through this new long-term agreement with Marvel.”

Under the terms of the deal, Marvel Studios has acquired rights to use Stan Lee’s name, voice, likeness and signature in movies and television projects, as well as use images, existing footage and existing audio recordings featuring Stan. Exclusive rights to use Stan Lee’s name, voice, likeness and signature in theme parks, water parks, cruise lines and in-park merchandise were included for Disney Parks, Experiences and Products as part of the deal.

“As Stan’s longtime business partner and friend, I’m looking forward to commemorating his work in this new way,” says Gill Champion, President of POW! Entertainment. “Building a connection with his fans is important to us and it’s a privilege to get to do that on his behalf.”

Stan is one of the most prolific and legendary comic creators of all time. As Marvel’s editor-in-chief, Stan “The Man” Lee helped build a universe of interlocking continuity, one where fans felt as if they could turn a street corner and run into a super hero, from Spider-Man to the Fantastic Four, Thor, Iron Man, the Hulk, the X-Men, and more. Stan went on to become Marvel’s editorial director and publisher in 1972, and was eventually named chairman emeritus.

Stan also appeared in some of the most popular films of all time. His well-known cameos in Marvel films began in the 1989 telefilm The Trial of the Incredible Hulk. After the release of X-Men in 2000, he appeared in nearly every Marvel film and television project until his passing in 2018.

Among Stan’s many awards is the National Medal of Arts, awarded by President Bush in 2008, and the Disney Legends Award, received in 2017. He was also inducted into the comic industry’s Will Eisner Award Hall of Fame and Jack Kirby Hall of Fame.

Black Angus appoints Evolution USA for global licensing and brand management

Posted on by

Black Angus Steakhouse, the original American steakhouse since 1964, has appointed Evolution USA as its global licensing and brand management agency in key categories. Evolution is tapped with developing and managing a retail, direct to consumer and online licensed consumer products programme for the Black Angus Steakhouse brand.

Heritage is a key component of the Black Angus’ licensing initiative, which maps it and other core values including family, quality, value, consistency, loyalty, and trust as essential parts of the company’s brand messaging. The core brand DNA will carry forward into all licensed products. Natural category extensions that preserve the integrity and quality of the Black Angus brand will include: Home Delivery Box Services, Tableware, Cutlery, Skillets, Branding Irons, BBQ Grills and Smokers, Smoking Chips, Grilling Planks, Charcoal, BBQ Tools, Sets and Accessories, Timers and Meat Thermometers, Drinkware, Barware, Camping Products, Tail Gating Products, Aprons, Chefs Shirts and Accessories, Cookbooks, Headwear and Apparel.

Several of the new licensed categories will also be adopted and utilised in the 32 restaurant locations across California, Washington, Arizona, New Mexico, and Hawaii and sold via the company’s online e-commerce store, as well as being distributed via national big box, specialty and grocery retailers.

“As we come close to celebrating our 60th anniversary in 2024, we felt it was now time to take the brand into new product categories that can extend the core dining experience,” says VP of Growth, Deborah Shapiro. “Our signature steak sauce has already proven that the consumer is hungry for additional products to use and consume at home.

“We chose Evolution because of their shared passion for our brand’s DNA and their entrepreneurial team. They have a vast history of building brand extensions on both the retail and wholesale sides of the industry.”

“The Black Angus brand is the original American steakhouse and one of the most revered and trusted brands in the U.S food and beverage business,” says Travis J. Rutherford, founder and chief revenue officer of Evolution. “Serving over four million guests annually and having over 450,000 monthly website visits, we see incredible market opportunity for high-quality branded licensed products. The entire team at Evolution is excited to work with the Black Angus team to extend the brand across these new channels.”

 

BBC Studios expands Bluey global licensing programme

Posted on by

Bluey, the Emmy Award-winning sensation that has been winning over preschoolers and families worldwide, is expanding its licensing programme with new partners. The new agreements include:

  • Ten new partners and renewal US & Canada licensing deals
  • New Latin America licensing agents appointed for Brazil, South and Central America
  • Five new UK licensing deals announced
  • Licensing agents appointed for Israel as 13 new EMEA licensing deals unveiled, including Ravensburger (France, Italy and Nordics) and a pan-European deal with HTI Toys (inc. UK)

These licensing agreements follow closely on the heels of the announcement of BBC Studios’ new global partnership with Hasbro for co-branded Monopoly Jr. and Trouble games along with Play-Doh. VTech has also announced details of its Bluey products which are set to go on sale this year in the US, Canada, Australia and the UK, with New Zealand and France to follow.

Widely lauded by parents and press alike for its heartfelt and funny portrayal of family life and celebration of play, the series follows Bluey, a 6-year-old Blue Heeler dog, who loves to play and turns everyday family life into extraordinary adventures that unfold in unpredictable and hilarious ways, bringing her family – including younger sister Bingo and parents Bandit and Chilli – as well as friends and community into her world of fun and discovery.

Season three of Bluey debuted on ABC TV in Australia in November 2021 and is set to be released globally on Disney platforms later this year.

U.S. and Canada

BBC Studios has shared new details on deals with Ball Bounce & Sport inc. dba Hedstrom, Berkshire Fashions, Centric Beauty, Daytime Enterprises, Disguise, Fathead, Heys International, Horizon Group, Mad Engine and Party City Holdings inc. for a range of new products spanning multiple key categories. From apparel and arts and crafts to party supplies, and more, the Bluey introductions will begin rolling out to major retailers across the US and Canada this spring.

Suzy Raia, SVP Consumer Products and Business Development, BBC Studios Americas, says: “Love for Bluey continues to soar all across the globe, and we’re excited to be teaming up with each of these category-leading companies to provide many new ways for preschoolers and their families to experience the fun and imaginative adventures that make the series such a standout.

“Consumer demand for Bluey products is very strong and we look forward to working with these partners to develop offerings that will enhance fans’ connection to the brand every day.”

New Bluey partners to introduce product this year include:

  • Ball, Bounce & Sport inc. dba Hedstrom – playballs, hoppers, sport ball, over the door hoop and bowling sets (US)
  • Berkshire Fashions – headwear, cold weather and rain accessories etc. (US)
  • Centric Beauty – bath and cosmetics (US)
  • Daytime Enterprises ­– costume character appearances to be led by Nelvana (Canada)
  • Disguise – new costumes and accessories following multi-year renewal agreement (US)
  • Fathead – wall graphics, standees, peel & stick wallpaper and decals etc. (US)
  • Heys International – bags & luggage, backpacks and lunch bags etc. (Canada)
  • Horizon Group – arts & crafts (US)
  • Mad Engine – apparel and accessories (US); apparel, sleepwear, underwear, hosiery and winter accessories, via Nelvana (Canada)
  • Party City Holdings inc. – party goods, balloons, Halloween costumes and accessories (US & Canada – via Nelvana in Canada)

In the US, Bluey has been a runaway hit since its 2019 debut. The standout series was Disney Junior’s #1 ratings driver with kids 2-5 in 2021. It also ranked as the #1 most-watched TV series in 2Q21 and a top 3 show every quarter in 2021. In addition, Bluey owned two of the top 10 cable telecasts of 2021 with kids 2-5.

In Canada, Bluey continues to rank #1 on Disney Junior with children 2-11 and kids 2-5 on La Chaine’s Disney Junior (Canadian French language channel). Bluey was also the #2 programme with children 2-5 on Disney Junior and kids 2-5 on Disney Channel’s Junior block.

Latin America

To further extend the footprint of the global hit through the region, BBC Studios appointed as its licensing agents Panaderia for Mexico, Lotus Global for Brazil and Tycoon for South and Central America (excluding Mexico and Brazil).

In Mexico, the Bluey licensing programme keeps expanding into other categories following Bandai’s very successful toy launch last year. Starting this June and extending into the autumn, new licensed assortments ranging from party goods to apparel and publishing will launch in Mexico, with the following partners: Granmark, Ruz, Stor, Union Kids, Novelty Corp and Penguin Random House.

The Bluey toys produced by global master toy licensee Moose Toys are distributed locally by Candide in Brazil and are expected to launch in Q3 2022. Apparel, accessories, publishing and party items will follow to market in time for Christmas. Later this year, even more fun and engaging Bluey products will be distributed locally by Imexporta in Chile and Peru; Caffaro in Argentina and Boing Toys in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay, Central America and the Caribbean islands.

Australia and NZ

In the series’ homeland, Australia, the well-established Bluey brand is booming, and continues to add to an impressive portfolio of partners across ANZ. 2022 kicked off with an incredible ‘Only On Airbnb’ partner experience which saw the iconic Heeler home recreated ‘for real life’ in Brisbane (generating 60 million+ social impressions), and was followed up with announcements that Bluey is the first ever Australian brand to partner with Colgate, won Preschool License of the Year at the Australian Toy Awards for the third year running, and that the Aussie-made stage show would be touring the U.S. following a wildly successful Australian run – with more major announcements to come soon in the FMCG space.

In Australia, Bluey remains the number one kids show on broadcast television and is the most-watched series ever on ABC iview. With season three already airing in Australia, the show has performed 2.3 times above timeslot average audience (total audience) and the new episodes achieved 14 of the top 20 broadcasts on free-to-air TV in 2021. Just this week, it was announced that 11 more Series 3 episodes will air in Australia from mid-June.

“Australia is the home of Bluey and fans here are absolutely buzzing about the new June episodes,” says Kate O’Connor, Head of Licensing and Brands, BBC Studios ANZ. “The second half of 2022 will bring more exciting Bluey news that we can’t wait to surprise our fans with!”

UK

Bluey is hugely popular with audiences in the UK. It was the most-watched programme on CBeebies for Q1 2022 with toys from both Moose Toys and Ravensburger making Bluey one of the hottest brands since its launch in shops last year and gaining the title of number-one new preschool toy brand in 2021 according to NPD data. Earlier this year Crayola released products in the UK, with sales already exceeding expectations. Building on this success, BBC Studios are announcing new deals with 8th Wonder (wooden toys), Spin Master (wooden puzzles – extending their US range into the UK), Moonpig (cards and gifting), Drew Pearson (accessories) and an expanded deal with Ravensburger (details below in EMEA section).

“8th Wonder is delighted to be working with BBC Studios on such a prestigious property,” says Louise Tyrer, Managing Director, 8th Wonder. “The Bluey wooden toy range will be fun, educational and produced using FSC certified wood. All product and packaging will be designed with sustainability in mind. With over 25 years’ experience creating distinctive, innovative wooden toys, we look forward to delivering an award-winning range through this fantastic brand.”

In addition, BBC Studios has just signed a new pan-European deal (inc. UK) with HTI Toys for large role play, cases, bubbles and outdoor toys.

Alison Downie, Global Licensing and Brand Director for HTI Group, says: “We are thrilled to be partnering with BBC Studios once again on another hugely popular preschool show. Bluey will be made very welcome here at HTI Toys and we are excited to develop a range of toys that complement Bluey’s love of play.”

Partners launching products in the UK this year include:

  • Character Options – Weebles and arts & crafts
  • Danilo – calendars, cards and gift stationery
  • H&A – health & beauty
  • MV Sports – wheeled toys
  • Stor – lunchboxes, bottles and tableware
  • William Lamb – footwear and bags

EMEA

Bluey continues to grow its licensing programme in EMEA and existing licensee Ravensburger has signed a new agreement with BBC Studios to cover France, Italy and Nordics and to expand its range of products in the UK including the introduction of proprietary games including Memory and Labyrinth.

 “We are delighted to extend our UK and Ireland contract for Bluey to France, Italy and the Nordic markets and to extend our very long standing and excellent partnership with BBC Studios,” says Tim Hall, Managing Director, Ravensburger. “We launched Bluey in the UK last autumn/winter and our puzzles were immediately best sellers in all the accounts where they are listed and that success continues to build. Bluey is a special property that young children and their parents adore. We look forward to further growth in the UK and Ireland and establishing the property in the new territories.”

BBC Studios has also newly appointed Mediogen as licensing agents for Israel; joining CLM (South Africa), France tv distribution (France), Maurizio Distefano Licensing (Italy), Partner Plus (Greece) and Plus Licens (Nordics, Baltics and CEE).

New Bluey licensees in EMEA include:

  • Diramix – stickers, sticker albums and cards (Italy)
  • Dolfin – seasonal confectionery (Italy)
  • Dulcop – bubbles (Italy)
  • Educa Borras – wooden puzzles and arts & crafts (France)
  • Grabo – balloons (Italy)
  • Graffiti – back to school and stationery (Greece)
  • Halantex – home textiles (Italy)
  • HTI Toys – large role play, cases, bubble toys and outdoor toys (pan-Europe inc. UK)
  • Liniex – scooters and scooter accessories (Nordics)
  • Multiprint – stamps, stationery sets and colouring sets (Italy)
  • Ravensburger – puzzles and games inc. Memory and Labyrinth (France, Italy and Nordics)
  • Showagent – meet & greet (Nordics)
  • Skybrands – apparel and home (Nordics)

Golden Goose appointed to help The Rocky Horror show celebrate a licensing timewarp

Posted on by

Global stage and film phenomenon The Rocky Horror Show has appointed Golden Goose to develop an international licensing programme in time to help celebrate the brand’s 50th anniversary.

Since its debut at the Royal Court Theatre in London back in 1973, The Rocky Horror Show has been ever-present on stage and in cinemas, spanning the globe with its infectious concoction of sexual liberation, b-movie pastiche and rock’n’roll.

Andy Leighton, the show’s music publisher, says: “The original production’s rallying cry of ‘Don’t dream it, be it’ helped to build a community of people otherwise excluded from mainstream culture. With continuous revivals of the show across the globe, the movie (the longest-running screened production in history) and the 50th anniversary coming up, multiple generations are ready to rediscover the wonderfully liberating effect of The Rocky Horror Show. We are very excited to see where Golden Goose takes us on our licensing journey and can’t wait to get started.”

Lisa Shapiro, lead consultant for Golden Goose, says: “The Rocky Horror Show is known around the world for its exuberance, boldness and a storyline that was light-years ahead of its time. A licensing programme that creates fantastic products featuring these iconic characters, lyrics and graphics for the massive fanbase is well overdue.”

Adam Bass, Director of Golden Goose, adds: “With the show’s message of liberation now effectively having been delivered, The Rocky Horror Show is set to stand out on-shelf as a fun, socially relevant, multigenerational brand, that also features transexual aliens.”

Interested potential licensees and international sub-agents should contact Golden Goose for more information.

Bravado and Epic Rights centralise licensing roster, with Lisa Streff at the helm

Posted on by

Bravado, Universal Music Group’s merchandise and brand management company, announced today the centralisation of both Bravado and Epic Rights’ licensing rosters. Bravado acquired Epic Rights in 2019 and the new structure includes the expanded purview of Epic Rights’ SVP Global Licensing, Lisa Streff, to oversee global licensing strategies across both companies.

Streff will work closely with the existing Bravado and Epic Rights retail and brand management teams and will report to Jesper Poulsen, General Manager, Bravado.

Bravado’s president Matt Young states: “We are continuing to grow our global licensing and retail business with a more unified and complementary strategy across both Bravado and Epic Rights, while maintaining individual strategies and priorities. With Jesper leading the team as General Manager and Lisa driving global licensing strategy, we have the right team in place to ensure growth for our artists in this area.”

Jesper Poulsen adds: “I have had the pleasure of working with Lisa for close to 10 years and proud of how our team built Epic Rights’ global retail footprint. Lisa has been instrumental in developing innovative campaigns, and creating unique licensing opportunities and partnerships with best in class licensed products for our artists and their fans. Creating this strategic alignment of our retail and licensing teams gives us a competitive advantage unmatched in the industry.”

“Since joining Epic Rights, it has truly been an incredible ride to play an integral role in the growth of what was essentially a start-up organisation to now being part of the biggest global merch company,” says Lisa Streff. “This is a magical time to be in music licensing and merchandising. I am honoured and excited to collaborate with Matt, Jesper and the Bravado team in this expanded role and to work with some of the biggest artists in the world under the Bravado banner, while continuing to spearhead the programmes for our Epic Rights’ talent.”

Streff joined Epic Rights in 2014 as SVP of Licensing. In 2019, Bravado acquired Epic Rights with an artist roster including KISS, AC/DC, Def Leppard, David Bowie, John Lennon, Britney Spears, and NSYNC, among others. Streff will continue to spearhead the development of global merchandising licensing programmes for Epic Rights’ artists while adding the oversight of programmes for Bravado’s clients, such as The Rolling Stones, Black Sabbath, Sex Pistols, Run DMC, Beastie Boys, Spice Girls, Avril Lavigne and many more.

Universal Brand Development taps Moose Toys for Trolls collectibles

Posted on by

Moose Toys has entered a multi-year global partnership with Universal Brand Development for DreamWorks Animation’s blockbuster Trolls franchise. Under the agreement, the toymaker will develop a range of collectible figures to arrive at retail in autumn 2023, to support the highly anticipated release of the newest Trolls movie in cinemas on 17 November 2023.

In addition to creating the official Trolls collectibles for the movie, the agreement allows for cross-collaboration with original brands from Moose.

“Universal Brand Development tapping us to create collectibles for the Trolls franchise is an extraordinary opportunity,” says Menal McGrath, vice president global licensing, Moose Toys. “We cannot wait to infuse our Moose magic into movie collectibles and to bring the vibrant, colourful, diverse and inclusive Trolls into several of our key original brands.”

Moose has built a reputation for its hyper-creative collectibles and for delivering a depth within each of its brands that keeps the narrative fresh and ever-expanding. As the popularity grew for its original brands, licensing became the next logical step for the toymaker. The licensing agreement with Universal Brand Development will include an expansive line of Trolls collectible figures highlighting new characters introduced in the new film, plus evergreen movie favorites like Poppy and Branch. The line will feature a deep variety of colours, finishes and hair and range of products that will be supported by a robust marketing campaign.

“Moose is an incredible partner with a keen understanding of what makes the Trolls franchise so beloved by fans,” says Joe Lawandus, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Global Toys, Hardlines and Publishing, Universal Brand Development. “Throughout the process, they demonstrated a clear and creative vision for not only our movie-inspired collectibles, but some truly innovative thinking about how to infuse Trolls into their popular brands. Extending the Trolls narrative beyond the film and collaborating with Moose is a tremendous value-add. We could not be more delighted about this new partnership.”

The addition of DreamWorks Animation’s Trolls expands Moose’s licensed portfolio, which already includes Bluey, Octonauts and Strawberry Shortcake.

Macmillan Children’s Books swoops in to acquire publishing for Odo

Posted on by

Macmillan Children’s Books has acquired the publishing rights for Odo. The warm-hearted and funny animated series about a little owl and his forest friends was commissioned by Milkshake (Channel 5) in the UK, who premiered the series in August last year, and KiKA in Germany. The series has also been sold in to more than 150 other territories across the world including  HBOMax in the USA, Canal+ in France, ABC in Australia, SVT in Sweden and NRK in Norway and RTE in Ireland.

The series is a co-production between BAFTA winning Belfast-based Sixteen South and Polish animation studio Letko.

This latest acquisition is a key new property for Macmillan Children’s Books, strengthening its list of preschool licensed brands. It follows a deal with Lego for preschool novelty publishing, which launched in August 2021.

Nicole Pearson, Publishing Director, Brands & Media, Macmillan Children’s Books, bought world rights in all languages for six books, with an option to acquire further formats and titles, from Vicky Miller, Licensing Director at Bulldog Licensing. The first tranche of picture books will launch in the UK in March 2023.

Nicole Pearson says: “We are delighted to be working with Bulldog and Sixteen South on the delightful Odo – we were captivated by the beauty of the animation, how comedic and warm the stories are and, above all, by Odo’s strong central message of self belief and respect for others. With such an impressive array of international broadcast partners already on board, we believe Odo has real global potential and look forward to seeing this little owl spread its wings far beyond its forest home.”

“Finding the right publisher for Odo was incredibly important for us – a partner who recognised and shared the important values and ethos of the show, and with whom we could build a long-term partnership,” says Bulldog’s Vicky Miller. “We are delighted to be partnering with Macmillan Children’s Books as our global master publisher. The team at Macmillan Children’s Books impressed with their plans, creative ideas and passion for Odo. I can’t wait to see our first titles hit shelves next year.”

Belinda Ioni Rasmussen, MD, Macmillan Children’s Books, adds: “We continue to invest in key licensed properties where we know that MCB can bring something unique and exciting to a brand, and publishing innovative and exciting formats that will engage children and families. This is exactly one of these properties and we are very pleased to be working in partnership with Sixteen South Studios on developing Odo’s world through our preschool publishing.”

Sixteen South’s preschool series Odo prepares to take flight in the US and Latin America

Bulldog signs new licensees for Care Bears

Posted on by

Bulldog Licensing has added two new licensees to the consumer products programme for much-loved heritage property Care Bears, providing new categories for the brand’s many fans across the globe.

Character World is bringing its fashion-forward style on board to offer a range of bedding and soft furnishings for fans, allowing them to recreate their very own Care-a-Lot clouds in their bedrooms.

Meanwhile, Eat Glitter and Shine has partnered with the property to design a collection of homewares featuring the globally recognised bears. The range of FDA-approved kids’ and baby dinnerware will include melamine dishes, bowls, plates, and cups. The products will be dishwasher safe, and will bring the likes of Cheer Bear, Bedtime Bear, and Love-a-Lot Bear to mealtimes.

First created in 1982, Care Bears is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. The Care Bears have grown through various looks and styles, but the rainbow colours, main characters, and unique belly badges, along with the core messages of kindness and caring, remain the same.

Care Bears is loved by all generations, from children who watch the Care Bears: Unlock the Magic animated television series, to their parents and grandparents, who are able to relive the magic from their childhoods, and everyone in between.

Sophie Yates, Licensing Executive, Bulldog Licensing, says: “For a property to still be partnering with new licensees for fresh, modern collections in its 40th year is incredible. Care Bears continues to spread relatable and important messages of kindness, care and love, and as such, has a place in the hearts of so many. We are careful to select best-in-class licensees to really portray the core of the Care Bears, and we are certain that Character World and Eat Glitter and Shine will be fantastic new partners for Care Bears as it celebrates its milestone anniversary.”

Roubina Tchoboian, VP of International Licensing, Cloudco Entertainment, adds: “Our 40th anniversary year continues to offer Care Bears’ fans new, fun, and exciting collaborations with like-minded partners that share our core values. We look forward to seeing how our global audience will react to the Eat Glitter and Shine collections.”