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Olivia Colman and Tom Hardy among narrators of new Beatrix Potter: The Complete Tales audio edition

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Penguin Random House is marking Beatrix Potter’s birthday today with the unveiling of a new audio edition of Beatrix Potter: The Complete Tales, starring narration from by a stellar cast including Olivia Colman, Mandip Gill, and Tom Hardy.

Featuring all 23 of the classic tales that have entertained children across the generations, from Peter Rabbit (narrated by Colman) to Mrs Tiggy-Winkle (narrated by Lily James) and Mr Jeremy Fisher (narrated by David Harewood), the new collection brings each storybook to life in audio with sound effects and music.

The collection will be published on September 17th this year in audio download and on CD.

The complete cast of voices include: Olivia Colman, Richard Armitage, Tom Hardy, Pearl Mackie, David Harewood, James Norton, David Tennant, Suranne Jones, Aisling Bea, Yrsa Daley-Ward, Hugh Bonneville, Lily James, Gemma Whelan, Mandip Gill, Jessie Ware, James Acaster, Jenna Coleman, Joanna Lumley, Will Young, Matt Baker, Robert Webb, Alfred Enoch, and Ben Bailey Smith.

As part of the unveiling, you can even listen to an exclusive extract of The Tale of Peter Rabbit, read by Olivia Colman here.

 Star of Downton Abbey and W1A, and reader of The Tale of Mr. Tod, Hugh Bonneville said: “Reading The Tale of Mr. Todagain after many decades, I was delighted to discover that the animals that Beatrix Potter loved, drew and wrote such entertaining stories about have stood the test of time. Mischievous creatures, family calamities – action packed.”

 Suranne Jones, star of Doctor Foster and Gentleman Jack, and reader of The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck said: “I was so thrilled to be asked to read The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck as I was a huge Beatrix Potter fan as a young girl and my son was gifted the whole Peter Rabbit library when he was born too.

“The night before I went to record the story we all read it together which was incredibly sweet. I’m glad the characters have been committed to audio so many more families can share in their adventures.”

Today, more than two million Beatrix Potter books are sold across the world every year, equating to four books every minute.

 Ygraine Cadlock, editorial director, PRH Children’s Picture Books and Partnerships, said: “The tales of Beatrix Potter are loved by generations of readers around the world. We know how much children have enjoyed listening to the stories over the years, and we’re hugely excited at launching this audio collection with a fantastic cast of new names.

“These narrations bring Beatrix’s much-loved characters to life and are sure to enchant children and families everywhere.”

JoJo Maman Bébé extends its Very Hungry Caterpillar clothing range in Rocket Licensing deal

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Rocket Licensing has facilitated a renewed partnership between the leading nursery retailer JoJo Maman Bébé and the World of Eric Carle that will see the baby brand extend its successful Very Hungry Caterpillar range of children’s clothing.

Launched on July 27th, the second phase of the JoJo Maman Bébé and The Very Hungry Caterpillar partnership builds on the success of the initial range launched in 2019. The extended collection features eight special designs, available in an increased range of sizes up to the age of four, and including toddler sizes.

The designs carry the signature JoJo Maman Bébé stripes, coupled with phrases from the storybook such as ‘hungry, hungry, hungry’ and ‘tiny and very hungry’, as well as appliqué, embroidery and prints to capture The Very Hungry Caterpillar brand.

Iconic images from the Eric Carle book are used to create individual and recognisable pieces including rompers, baby grows, jogger and T-shirt sets, and dresses.

Also new to the range are two additional Very Hungry Caterpillar gift box designs. The collection will be supported by a heavyweight social media campaign, as well as a central in-store display unit, and will be accompanied by other Very Hungry Caterpillar products including toys and books to provide an immersive brand offering to JoJo Maman Bébé customers.

Melissa Satterly, brand manager for The Very Hungry Caterpillar at Rocket Licensing, said: “The initial range from JoJo Maman Bébé last year was so well received, that it was only right to extend the deal for a new season, and we’re thrilled to be expanding the offering with this best-in-class partner.

“The momentum with consumers created during The Very Hungry Caterpillar’s 50th anniversary in 2019, is continuing apace and we will soon be announcing more partnerships for the beloved Eric Carle property.”

The Very Hungry Caterpillar is the centrepiece of the successful global licensing campaign around The World of Eric Carle brand, which brings together the much-loved, multi-million-selling works of author and artist Eric Carle.

 

WildBrain CPLG partners leading Italian design school to celebrate 65 years of Miffy

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The entertainment, sport, and brand licensing agency, WildBrain CPLG has teamed with the Italian design school Istituto Europeo di Design for a new fashion project that celebrates the 65th anniversary of Mercis BV’s character brand Miffy.

The project has seen students from award-winning design schools in the UK, Hong Kong, Italy, Mexico, and the Netherlands create limited edition Miffy plush, which are now on display in an exhibition titled ‘Miffy: 65 Years a Source of Inspiration’ at Centraal Museum in Utrecht.

Massimo Giacon, tutor and professor at IED, said: “I was delighted to oversee this design project – the Miffy character is known and loved all over the world, and it was an invigorating creative challenge. My priority was to demonstrate the story behind Miffy, and emphasise the character’s innocence and magic – harnessing the youthful energy and hope of our students as a lens for the project.

“Even if in our contemporary world there seems to be no space for simplicity and goodness, actually there is a great need for beauty. The final results created by IED students were so amazing they inspired me to create my own Miffy designs, and I’m sure all visitors to the exhibition will feel the same type of magic from this adorable character.”

Maria Gurrieri, managing director at WildBrain CPLG Southern Europe, added: “It has been a real pleasure to collaborate with Mercis BV and IED Milano on this project to celebrate young artists and design excellence as part of Miffy’s 65th anniversary. Creative partnerships such as these are an integral part of our strategy for Miffy in Italy as we look to build upon the brand’s legacy while also introducing Dick Bruna’s iconic creation to a new generation.

“We are delighted to see all the fantastic designs the students have created, which are testament to the inspiration Miffy has provided for designers over the last 65 years.”

In total, 86 Miffy plush designs were created by the international design students and are now on display at Centraal Museum Utrecht. This includes 20 designs from the 15 students involved at IED, across the institution’s Visual Arts, Fashion, Design and Communication courses.

The designs selected for the exhibition include Miffy in a space suit inspired by the film 2001: A Space Odyssey, and Miffy in an haute couture dress. The ten best designs have been selected by a jury of prominent fashion designers.

A compilation of ten designs from all participating academies will form the limited edition collectible collection which will be made available later this year.

The Emoji Company supports 50808 crisis response campaign

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The Emoji Company has offered its support to a new initiative from 50808, a service that provides in-the-moment support for people in emotional crisis, by supplying the platform with its extensive library of Emoji brand icons. The partnership was struck in order to help those in need easily communicate when seeking help.

Launched in Ireland, the partnership was devised by the local creative agency, Havas Dublin, as a means of enabling those in need to communicate through a universal language.

Ian Power, CEO at 50808, said: “Our service provides in-the-moment support for people in emotional crisis, over text. For our Irish launch campaign, we wanted to compel those who prefer to text, rather than talk. Havas Dublin came up with the idea of conveying this important message through the universal language and with the help of the Emoji brand and we loved the concept. This required us to find a complete bank of Emoji brand icons to utilize – and so the search began.”

Through its connection to the Vivendi network and Universal Music Group’s brand management and merchandising unit, Bravado, the partnership was cemented and the 50808 campaign brought to life.

“Our service aims to save lives, and we’re thrilled to have the support of the emoji company to help us in our efforts to encourage those who need us to reach out,” added Power.

Marco Hüsges, CEO and founder of the Emoji company, added: “Supporting this humanitarian initiative of helping those in need is an honour for the emoji company. We are excited to work with Vivendi and Havas on this project.”

50808 is now live. Visit text50808.ie for more information.

 

Global Icons revs up new agreement with iconic motorcycle brand Triumph

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The brand licensing agency, Global Icons has kicked started a new agreement with the world famous motorcycle brand Triumph to build on its programme of licensing agreements and take the brand into new product categories.

Together, the pair will work on developing new targeted partnerships, products, and experiences that complement the Triumph brand values and current core product range. The merchandise will look to reflect the ethos of the Triumph brand, while celebrating the spirit of adventure and bold design.

Triumph is widely recognised for its more than 100 years of game changing motorcycles, race wins, land speed records, and for pulling in some of the most famous and high profile celebrity riders.

David Williams, managing director at Global Icons Europe Ltd, said: “Our agency is thrilled to partner with this amazing brand and deliver a premium brand experience, by introducing new consumer touch points, while maintaining and leveraging the success and the quality of the brand. It will be our priority to target prospective licensees able to develop products that reflect Triumph’s brand values of innovation and high-quality engineering.”

Steve Sargent, chief product officer at Triumph Motorcycles Ltd, added: “We are excited to be in partnership with the team at Global Icons and to have their talent and experience in developing how our iconic brand grows its presence beyond our motorcycle offer.

“For the many Triumph fans across the world we anticipate that the exciting new collaborations this partnership will trigger will add even more pleasure and value to their brand experience.”

 

Macmillan Children’s Books celebrates Dear Zoo in new F&F at Tesco range

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Macmillan Children’s Books has struck up a new deal with Tesco’s clothing brand F&F to launch a range of baby clothing based on the classic pre-school storybook Dear Zoo created by Rod Campbell.

Developed by Paul Dennicci for F&F at Tesco, the range launched last week across 165 stores nationwide, tying in with a special Tesco Baby Event. The initial collection features six garments, including vests, bibs, and a sleeping bag, all designed for babies aged 0 to 24 months.

The launch reflects the renewed interest in Dear Zoo and builds on the success of the core licensing partners, including Hacche Retail (puzzles and games for Marks & Spencer), Milly & Flynn (games and wooden toys), Neviti (party paperware) and Paul Lamond Games (puzzles and dominoes).

The launch will be supported by a campaign with ComeRound (www.comeround.com), the word-of-mouth marketing agency that is dedicated to harnessing the power of real people recommending products they genuinely love from inside the home. Over 100 families will receive a pack of Dear Zoo books and merchandise and will celebrate at the end of July with at-home Dear Zoo Read and Play Days. Alongside, there is also strong online influencer activity, focusing on the new apparel.

Stephanie Barton, publisher at Macmillan Children’s Books, said: “We brought the licensing of Dear Zoo in-house to take full advantage of the popularity of this evergreen and well-loved book. We are targeting a small number of core product categories to build on the success of our current, long-standing licensing partners. We’ve had such a wonderful response to Dear Zoo, in part due to the wonderful new assets that Rod Campbell himself and the team at Macmillan have created.

“We are delighted with Tesco’s commitment and enthusiasm and I know that Dear Zoo readers and their parents will be very excited by these lovely new products.”

The Dear Zoo classic storybook continues to be at the heart of families throughout the UK. Following on from its place as the number one Picture book in 2018, sales last year were up 19 per cent. The classic board book version appeared in the Nielsen Preschool Top 20 every single week of 2019.

The Dear Zoo Live on Stage play launched in 2018 and already nearly 85,000 children and families throughout the UK have enjoyed the performances. It also successfully toured in the UAE, Hong Kong and Singapore in 2019. With World Book Day 2021 already in mind, Macmillan Children’s Books is intending to add to the list of Dear Zoo licensees across the core dressing up, soft toy, nursery, gifting and stationery sectors shortly.

 

One Animation finds success in digital experiences for pre-school comedy IP Oddbods

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One Animation has launched two digital experiences in the midst of the pandemic aimed at helping children and families to adjust to the change in circumstances through its twice Emmy-nominated pre-school comedy brand, Oddbods.

First up, the firm has partnered with Google’s Rivet – the new reading app from Google’s workshop for experimental projects (Area 120) – to produce a series of 14 Oddbods books to help tackle child literacy levels. As a result of the success of the launch of a collection of Oddbods titles via the app in March, One Animation has struck a further deal with the company to license two additional properties: Insectibles and Antiks.

The extension of the partnership will see the launch of a total of 35 books.

In a further initiative, One Animation has collaborated with Weyo to develop Oddbods Oddlife, an app which helps kids develop healthy routines, such as brushing their teeth, calming down, and even falling asleep. Launched in February, Oddbods Oddlife offers coping mechanisms to children which help them to tackle life’s small challenges through fun games which harness their favourite characters along with face recognition technology.

The app has seen 30 per cent growth, month on month since launch.

Amir Biran, digital director at One Animation, commented: “We truly cherish our fans and with over 20M subscribers on YouTube we felt we had a responsibility to help parents and kids cope with the challenges presented by the pandemic.

“Through our partnerships with Rivet and Weyo we are able to leverage the Oddbods brand in a meaningful way to help kids with reading skills and routine daily tasks in a fun and exciting way.”

As One Animation looks to grow its digital offering, these new launches build on the success of its hit free mobile game Oddbods Turbo Run. Developed in collaboration with SEGA subsidiary, goGame, the endless runner game gives players the chance to take on the role of Fuse and run across Oddsville to collect as many Oddcoins as they can, while avoiding obstacles in their way. Since its launch in February 2019, the game has amassed 15M installs and been translated into 10 languages.

The Pokemon Company reunites with CASETiFY for ’90s inspired range

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The Pokemon Company has renewed its partnership with CASETiFY to deliver a new collection of Pokémon themed mobile device cases and accessories. The renewal of the partnership follows the success of CASETiFY’s sell-out range launched last year.

Channeling a nostalgic ‘90s theme which pays homage to when the first Pokémon video games were released, the collaboration introduces new designs for a variety of lifestyle products designed by CASETiFY. The first drop of the three-part series will debut on August 12, 2020.

Inspired by the concept of Past, Present, and Future, the latest CASETiFY and Pokémon collection plays on classic ‘90s trends, with cases featuring iconic patterns from the decade like bold checkerboards and tie-dye treatments. The accessories will showcase the fan-favourite Pokémon Pikachu, Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle on drop-resistant cases.

The CASETiFY and Pokémon collection will also revive the popular sticker-style design from the first collaboration – this time applying a tie-dye twist. Cases in the collection will support a variety of devices including iPhones, AirPods, Apple Watches, iPads, MacBooks, Wireless Chargers, 2-in-1 Grip Stands, and more.

Accessories from the collection will offer new ways to personalize and design online, with products starting at $25 USD.

“The CASETiFY and Pokémon collaboration is one of our most talked about and globally loved releases,” said CASETiFY CEO and co-founder, Wes Ng. “We’re thrilled to bring fans another round of amazing designs, this time incorporating nostalgic patterns from the ‘90s on our signature cases.”

Exclusive to CASETiFY, the new collection will follow in the footsteps of past Co-Labs with global support from CASETiFY’s creative program.

Panini to launch 2020 Tour de France sticker and card collection this summer

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Panini is launching an exclusive 2020 Tour de France sticker and trading card collection this summer, with the range hitting shelves and Panini’s online store from August 6th this year.

The new collection features a 64 page album full of information about the teams and competitors taking part in the summer event. As one of the few sporting events not to have been wholly cancelled this summer but postponed until August 29th, Panini has expressed its excitement over the launch of the range.

The stickers and cards feature bikes, shirts and key locations for the race. There are 384 stickers to collect, including 32 special stickers. Plus, there are 44 cards for collectors to keep a look out for, which can be kept in a specially-designed card holder.

To support the launch of the exclusive 2020 Tour de France Stickers and Cards Official Collection, there will be free album sampling with WHSmith and a social media campaign across Panini’s social channels. Panini will also be working closely with the organisers of the Tour de France to engage with the passionate cycling community across the UK and Eire.

Mulan, Star Wars and all four Avatar sequels delayed over Covid-19 pandemic

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Disney has delayed the release of a trio of major films this year, citing the ‘global health crisis’ that has come out of the coronavirus pandemic. The live action re-make of Mulan – originally planned for a March release this year, but hoping to make an August launch – has now been postponed indefinitely.

“It’s become clear that nothing can be set in stone when it comes to how we release films during this global health crisis,” said a Disney representative. “Today that means pausing our release plans for Mulan as we assess how we can most effectively bring this film to audiences around the world.”

On top of this, the forthcoming Star Wars trilogy has been pushed back a year as a result of the uncertainty around the coronavirus outbreak. The first film in the new trio will now be release on December 22, 2023, instead of its original December 2022 date.

The first instalment of a four-part sequel to Avatar has also been pushed back to December 16, 2022. Avatar 3, 4, and 5 are due out on December 20, 2024, December 18, 2026, and December 22, 2028.

Avatar director, James Cameron released a statement regarding the set back, citing that delays were due to the pandemic. He revealed that “prior to COVID-19, everything was on track to bring you the first sequel in December 2021.

“Unfortunately, due to the impact that the pandemic has had on our schedule it is no longer possible for us to make that date.”