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Art Ask Agency celebrates Frida Kahlo’s 83rd birthday with UK licensee product launch

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The Barcelona-based licensing firm, Art Ask Agency is preparing to celebrate the 83rd birthday of the iconic artist Frida Kahlo this July 6th with two worldwide product launches from its UK licensees, Spectrum Collections and The Vampire’s Wife.

Under the new deal, and in time for the big day, Spectrum Collections is launching a new range of make-up brushes and accessories which give Frida fans the opportunity to make themselves up surrounded by Frida Kahlo products.

The range includes make-up bags, a collection of brushes and a special Frida Kahlo head brush, characterizing Frida Kahlo with flowers in her hair as the bristles.

In parallel, The Vampire’s Wife has launched a special edition Frida Kahlo T-shirt with a creative graphic designed by Eri Wakiyama. The Vampire’s Wife is also known for the Villanelle Dress, worn by style icon Villanelle (Jodie Comer) in the third series of the successful Killing Eve. The Frida Kahlo T-shirt sold out within one hour of launching.

“When you wear a Vampire’s Wife item, you are not just putting on clothes, but rather a composite of all the things we find beautiful in the world. It is an act of loving memory and deep gratitude for all the wonder in the world,” read a statement from The Vampire’s Wife team.

“Launching with a partner like Spectrum Collections really helps solidify the Frida Kahlo licensing program in the UK & Europe and The Vampire’s Wife collaboration is delightful. We are mega fans of Villanelle and are sure Frida would be too,” said Maria Strid, owner of Art Ask Agency.

Downton Abbey grows global appeal with US games company Rather Dashing Games

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Downton Abbey has added a rather dashing new licensee in the form of the Spokane-based game maker Rather Dashing Games, who will be creating a new card game geared at capturing the majesty and excitement of the Downton Abbey movie.

“My wife and I have been fans since the very first season so I’m thrilled at the prospect of adding my game design to the amazing world of Downton Abbey,” said game designer and Rather Dashing Games c0-founder, Mike Richie.

Rather Dashing’s card game interweaves moments from the hit feature film in which both the upstairs family and downstairs staff work to get Downton Abbey ready for the imminent arrival of the King and Queen, and defend the honour of Downton.

“The Downton Abbey movie featured some of Downton’s grandest, wittiest, and most dramatic moments and we love the idea of Rather Dashing using that as inspiration for a fun and engaging game which fans will enjoy playing with family and friends,” said Spotlight Licensing president, Carole Postal.

Rather Dashing has designed its Downton Abbey game to be easy-to-learn and approachable enough for gamers aged 12 years old  and upwards, while also offering enough competition, player interaction and mechanics to keep card game enthusiasts fully engaged.

To win, players compete to capture cards depicting key moments of resolution, revelation and emotional closure from the movie. Players receive points according to the moments collected but, as Richie warns, players must beware the powers of the Royal entourage and keep in mind the game-changing potential of the Dowager herself.

Rather Dashing’s Downton Abbey card game will launch in time for Holiday 2020 with a $29.99 MSRP.

Licensing International helps small businesses impacted by COVID-19 with Small Business Global Grants Fund launch

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Licensing International is looking to lend a helping hand to the industry’s small business employers that are struggling during the COVID-19 outbreak with the launch of its Small Business Global Grants Fund.

With small businesses making up 59 per cent of its membership, Licensing International recognises them as the ‘foundation of the industry’s communities, economy, and its lifeblood.’ The new Licensing International Small Business Global Grants Fund will therefore provide $5,000 grants to as many small employers across the globe as possible.

The aim is to create and maintain safe, healthy, and sustainable work environments in response to the global pandemic.

The grants program is being funded by donations made to Licensing International’s foundation (operating under the name LIMA Foundation). Companies wishing to contribute to the cause can do so either by purchasing an ad in the programme for the 2020 Licensing International Excellence Awards (taking place virtually on August 13th), or by making a direct donation to the Global Grants fund for any amount.

“If recent events have taught us anything, it’s how absolutely vital community is,” said Maura Regan, president, Licensing International. “The central idea behind the Licensing International Small Business Global Grants fund is industry supporting industry – our hope is that these supplemental funds will give businesses in need a boost to get through the next days and weeks so that the licensing community as a whole emerges from this global crisis stronger and even more united.”

Funds will be available to small businesses in the brand licensing industry that employ between three and 20 people and have been harmed financially by the COVID-19 pandemic. Applicants will be asked to submit a short narrative explaining the impact of COVID-19 on their business and the steps they have taken, or plan to take, to mitigate that impact, as well as financial statements from 2019 and the corresponding months in 2020 that show year-over-year impact on your business.

Applications for grants are now being accepted at www.LicensingInternational.org.

Deadline to apply is September 15, 2020.

Licensing Week Virtual brings in more than 32,000 unique views and 2,900 digital meetings

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The Global Licensing Group is celebrating the success of the first Licensing Week Virtual event, a five-day online event that totalled more than 32,000 unique content views and 2,900 digital meeting and replaced the annual Licensing Expo in Las Vegas this year.

Run in partnership with Licensing International, the online event took place from June 15 to 19, bringing licensing industry professionals together from across the globe at a time when physical networking and deal making was made impossible by the global COVID-19 situation.

The virtual conference and exhibition secured 4,477 attendees globally from the United States, United Kingdom, Mexico, among more. Noted attendees included Build-A-Bear, Guess, Primark, Selfridges, Target, and more world-renowned retailers. Furthermore, 2,933 virtual meetings were scheduled throughout the five-day period and on average, attendees spent 23 hours + on the event platform.

The virtual event showcased the timely need for developing new and nurturing existing industry connections, as well as future-looking and educational sessions for the licensing industry, which generated $292.8 billion in global sales of license goods and services in 2019, according to the Licensing International 6 th Annual Global Licensing Survey.

“This business is built from connections and the fact that the number of meetings coordinated during the event virtually mirrors the number set up in-person at our live events showcases the industry’s immense need for connections and learning, ” said Anna Knight, global licensing group vice president, Informa Markets.

“The most critical part of setting up a virtual event such as this was keeping our community needs at top-of-mind—also realising that not every single element of a live trade show can transfer over to a digital event beat-for-beat. We’re pleased with the results of Licensing Week Virtual and will continue to complement live events with digital offerings to continue to reach the broad and agile licensing community.”

According to the event’s analysis, most attendees engaged with seven pieces of content and averaged 23 hours and 23 minutes on the event platform, underscoring the need for industry education and network-building at this time. Each day of the event featured content mirroring the experiences and content commonly found at Licensing Expo and Brand Licensing Europe and was organised into the following categories: Brands & Lifestyle, Character & Entertainment, Art & Design, and Emerging Categories.

Among the industry trends highlighted throughout the week, it was notably consumer brands such as Kraft Heinz that indicated a net sale growth of 3.3 per cent during the first three months of the COVID-19 pandemic, underscoring the role nostalgia plays in inspiring millennials and younger consumers to look to familiar brands during these uncertain times.

It was highlighted that brands that can showcase humility and values with conviction, and stand for causes such as human rights, sustainability, and support through strategic licensing partnerships can expect to see increased interest from a new set of conscious consumers.

In Character and Entertainment, video streaming is projected to reach $27.1 billion USD in 2020 and as the number of streaming subscription services significantly expands with movie studios launching their own services, coupled with traditional movie theatres unable to show films, more streaming properties have opened the door to vast licensing potential as a wider category of viewers are consuming more content than ever, due to stay-at-home orders, and are thus establishing deep-rooted connections with new properties.

Companies such as Universal Studios, with its early video-on-demand release of its “Trolls World Tour” animated movie, are releasing licensed products more closely aligned with the entertainment property itself and are able to promote product hand-in-hand with early digital launches.

The retail and licensee communities turned to e-commerce to slow the loss of revenue caused by COVID-19. With companies now focusing product rollout efforts through an e-commerce channel, the need for companies to be highly visible digitally and make online shopping a viable alternative to in-store shopping is a scalable and viable strategy, as the pandemic forced non-digitally native and hesitant consumers to understand the e-commerce landscape, from mobile kerbside orders to delivery groceries. Due to the shift, direct-to-consumer opportunities will be a larger segment even as retailers begin to open.

Across the Art & Design sector, “label-slapping” is becoming a method of the past that is now being replaced by a deeper and profound brand collaborations with arts and designers. As consumers seek a greater connection to art through social media and online, licensing affords artists the opportunity to extend their brand to a wider audience through products that fall outside of their traditional product domain.

Product categories that have seen growth and are crucial to the art and design licensing community include home décor, footwear, and accessories. These categories have grown in part to the COVID-19 shutdown as consumers spruce up their home and work-from-home stations. During Licensing Week Virtual, merchandisers across the spectrum reported strong sales in those categories during the early part of 2020.

Of the emerging categories highlighted once again it is the rise in video game play that has led consumers to a growth in interest toward eSports and video game influencers. Fandom has gone beyond the basics of playing singularly and now extends into an entire video game ecosystem. Companies that have creatively leveraged the massive fanbase in the gaming sector have shown promise in such partnerships. For instance, Epic Games’ “Fortnite” partnerships with brand owners for in-game digital concerts and licensed character releases have extended the brand’s popularly into other audience non-gaming audiences.

Finally, the Pitch the Brands contest, in partnership with InventHelp, gave inventors the chance to present their product directly in front of a live executive panel from today’s leading brands.

The 2020 winner of the contest was the Gentle Soother developed by husband and wife team Adam and Misti Fyffe that aims to help parents get the rest they need. The Fyffes were among the ten chosen contestants in the submission-based contest. The grand prize included a one-on-one consultation package, worth more than $1,500.

Kraft Heinz taps Metrostar and Brand Central to licensing roll out of Heinz, HP Sauce and Lea & Perrins

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Kraft Heinz has tapped Metrostar and Brand Central LLC to manage the brand licensing programme for its flagship brands in the UK and Ireland. The campaign will exploring product extensions such as new food categories and merchandise partnerships with leading names in the lifestyle sector for the likes of Heinz, HP Sauce, Lea & Perrins, Amoy, and Bull’s-Eye.

The programme will build upon Brand Central’s representation of Kraft Heinz brands in the United States and Canada.

Kraft Heinz boasts a strength in brands spanning across categories with over £800M in UK and Ireland sales. The firm has more than 200 brands sold in nearly 200 countries, including eight $1bn + brands.

Metrostar and Brand Central will jointly manage the programme with Metrostar taking the lead in prospecting and licensee management.

“After discussions with several licensing agencies, we are excited to select Metrostar and Brand Central to represent Kraft Heinz in the UK and Ireland,” said Olivia Hibbert, marketing director, Northern Europe at Kraft Heinz. “We feel that Metrostar and Brand Central have the right innovative approach to take our iconic and much loved brands in to new and exciting directions for the future.”

Ross Misher, CEO of Brand Central, added: “Working with the global licensing team at Kraft Heinz, we are looking forward to expanding our program beyond the US and Canada and into Europe. There is an enormous global opportunity for Kraft Heinz across territories with its portfolio of strong brands.

“Metrostar is the perfect partner to launch into this new market with their expertise in food licensing and strong retail relationships. Kraft Heinz brands have a huge emotional connection with consumers in the UK who grew up eating these products and continue to enjoy them today.”

Metrostar MD, Claire Potter, concluded: “These brands are legends in British food and we see great potential in a number of product areas. We’re thrilled to be representing Kraft Heinz and to be working, once again, with Ross and the team at Brand Central.”

Brand Central and Metrostar partnered previously on the UK licensing campaign for Krispy Kreme doughnuts. The campaign was nominated for Best Food & Drink Licence at the Brand & Lifestyle Licensing Awards and Krispy Kreme won the Best Health & Beauty Range in 2018.

Learning Resources partners with Numberblocks for new MathLink Cubes range

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Learning Resources has partnered with the BAFTA award-winning animated children’s TV series Numberblocks to launch a new Activity Set based on the firm’s top-selling MathLink Cubes brand. The new MathLink Cubes Numberblocks Activity Set will be available through major retailers later this year.

MathLink Cubes is a linkable construction toy developed for hands-on maths learning through play. The new licensed Numberblocks Activity Set will allow children to play along with episodes and engage in further learning opportunities.

“Many parents and teachers use our MathLink cubes to make Numberblocks activities for their children,” said Learning Resources’ MD, Dennis Blackmore. “This partnership means that we can bring together the imaginative power of Numberblocks with MathLink Cubes’ tried and tested quality to create exciting new products.

“Our new Activity Set is designed for use in the home or classroom, and with the power of the Numberblocks brand behind it, will be a popular product in all retail environments.”

Series creator Joe Elliot added: “It’s an absolute delight to be partnering with Learning Resources. MathLink Cubes have been an integral part of Numberblocks right from the beginning – we’ve used them to discover what every Numberblock character can do, plan stories and design intricate animation sequences.

“We have a large and dedicated following of young number fans, and the number one thing they ask for is real Numberblocks blocks so they can get hands-on and play with Numberblocks themselves. It’s been a whole new level of fun to work with the like-minded creative team at Learning Resources and we can’t wait to bring Numberblocks full circle and into the hands of our fans.”

Cityneon picks up multi-year licensing rights for James Cameron’s Avatar touring exhibition

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Victory Hill Exhibitions, a subsidiary of Cityneon Holdings, has picked up the multi-year licensing rights for a global touring exhibition based on James Cameron’s blockbuster film Avatar. Cityneon will work closely with Disney Location-Based Experiences and James Cameron and Jon Landau’s Lightstorm Entertainment on the venture.

With Avatar set to release the first of four sequels next year, Cityneon will look to curate an engaging experience for audiences to visit worldwide. The state-of-the-art touring exhibition will feature numerous interactive, multi-sensory segments where guests can explore the wonders of Pandora, the distant moon which is the setting for the films.

Ron Tan, executive chairman and chief executive officer of Cityneon, said: “We are honoured to work with Disney and Lightstorm Entertainment. All of us share the same vision of bringing these experiences alive with artistry and inventiveness. We are thrilled to be part of this collaboration. There’s a lot of anticipation for the film’s first sequel, and we’re excited to be part of the global effort to complement the film’s release with a truly immersive experience for fans in various markets.”

Lightstorm Entertainment’s president of franchise development, Kathy Franklin, added: “Our powerful new relationship with Cityneon for this global touring exhibition will play a key role in our continuing expansion of the reach and impact of the Avatar franchise around the world.”

Released in 2009, James Cameron’s Avatar was the highest-grossing film in motion picture history with a box office gross of nearly $2.8 billion, a record held for ten years. Captivating audiences across the globe with its otherworldly visuals and groundbreaking special effects, the film quickly became a worldwide phenomenon. Avatar is set to be followed by four sequels, with the first sequel scheduled for release in December 2021.

Shane the Chef backs Too Good To Go’s #EasyRecipeeasy Children’s Challenge this summer

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HoHo Entertainment’s animated series Shane the Chef has thrown its support behind the world’s largest food waste fighting app, Too Good To Go and its launch of a new children’s recipe competition ahead of the summer holidays.

The #EasyRecipeasy Children’s Challenge will encourage children to learn about the topic of food waste in a fun, creative and interactive way. It follows the app’s first children’s poetry competition, which received over 1,000 entries from school kids across the UK, and Too Good To Go’s #EasyRecipeasy chef collaboration in April 2020.

Open for UK children aged 12 and under, the #EasyRecipeasy Children’s Challenge invites children to write and design their own recipe cards, utilising one or more of the country’s most wasted foods: bread, potatoes, milk, eggs, and bananas. From terrific toasties to mouthwatering milkshakes, over-the-top omelettes to banging banana pancakes, anything goes. Recipe cards will be judged on recipe resourcefulness, creativity of the design, food waste fighting flair.

The #EasyRecipeasy Children’s Challenge has the support of the popular children’s animated character, Shane the Chef, whose series airs on Channel 5’s preschool strand Milkshake. Each of the five most wasted foods has been matched with an episode of Shane The Chef to provide recipe inspiration for children taking part in the challenge.

Shane the Chef is the first British animation series to focus on healthy eating for kids and aims to enthuse young children and families with a passion for fresh, healthy food and cooking.

Too Good To Go will serve up even more recipe inspiration over the course of the summer months on its social media channels from notable chefs and influencers.

Jamie Crummie, co-founder of Too Good To Go, said: “At Too Good To go we are passionate about getting young minds engaged in the food waste movement. The number of children who took part in our poetry competition the last few months showed just how powerful creating fun initiatives can be.

“With the summer holidays approaching, we wanted to give children an interactive way to learn about food waste and there’s no better place than in the kitchen! I can’t wait to see the recipes that they come up with.”

Helen Howells, joint managing director, Hoho Entertainment, the producers of Shane the Chef, added: “Shane the Chef is thrilled to support this hugely important waste food initiative. And encouraging kids to come up with their own recipes is just the sort of thing Shane likes to do in his own kitchen. Let’s get cooking.”

To enter, children with the help of their parents or guardians should send a photo or PDF of the designed recipe card to easyrecipeasy@toogoodtogo.co.uk. Entries are open from 29 June 2020 and will close at midnight on 18 September 2020.

Entries will be split into two age categories (0 to six years and seven to 12 years) and the winning recipe card from each category will win a special food waste fighting cooking kit that includes an apron, children’s cooking utensils and a Shane The Chef recipe book.

For full details, visit www.toogoodtogo.co.uk/en-gb/blog/childrens-challenge.

Dr Seuss Enterprises names new senior director of global marketing and global licensing manager

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Dr. Seuss Enterprises has strengthened its senior team with the promotion of Shannon Spisak to senior director of global marketing and communications, and Jenna Marson to manager of global marketing and licensing. The moves come as the company continues to expand on its strategy to develop in-house talent.

Susan Brandt, president of Dr. Seuss Enterprises, said: “Dr. Seuss Enterprises remains dedicated to our employees and helping them excel in their careers. Both Shannon and Jenna are exceptionally talented and our organization has gained so much from them. We are so glad that they will continue to be part of our team and we look forward to seeing them flourish in their new positions.”

In her new role, Spisak will manage the sales, marketing, and creative teams and work to develop the company’s product, marketing, creative, social media, and business plans. She will report directly to Brandt. Spisak previously served as director of marketing and communications at Dr. Seuss Enterprises. Prior to joining Dr. Seuss Enterprises in 2016, she served as the director of marketing at Garden Fresh Restaurant Corp and director of community marketing at PETCO.

“Shannon is a great leader and decision maker for Dr. Seuss Enterprises. She is a creative thinker and prioritizes mentoring others in her department. I’m excited to see her take on this new role and continue to expand her horizons at the company,” said Brandt.

Meanwhile, as manager of global marketing and licensing, Marson will focus on international licensing and developing strategic partnerships, while continuing to manage the foreign-language publishing and marketing programs. She will continue to report to Spisak.

Previously, Marson served as coordinator of marketing and communications at Dr. Seuss Enterprises and has managed a variety of partnerships for the company such as the one with Gatorade’s Sisters In Sweat Campaign, in collaboration with professional women’s soccer players, which uses Oh, the Places You’ll Go! to encourage girls to keep playing sports.

Before joining Dr. Seuss Enterprises in 2015 Marson worked for AlpInvest Partners in New York City and Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear LLP in Irvine, CA.

“Jenna is a true strategic thinker who has brought a lot of creativity to her work at Dr. Seuss Enterprises. She also has a strong work ethic that will enable her to thrive in her new responsibilities. First and foremost at Dr. Seuss Enterprises we look to nurture and offer our employees opportunities to grow and she is the kind of talent that embraces challenges and contributes immensely to our organization,” said Spisak.

Cloudco Entertainment and Irregular Choice launch 34-piece Care Bears accessories collection

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Cloudco Entertainment, the owner of the iconic entertainment brand Care Bears, has teamed with the online retailer Irregular Choice to launch a collection of Care Bears-inspired accessories. The collection features new styles that showcase each of the Care Bears’ individual personality.

The 34-piece collection highlights the Care Bears’ belly badge powers and spreads messages of sharing, caring, friendship and courage to all. Each style is filled with intricate details featuring the vintage art style, including rainbows, plushie stars, sparkling gems and memorable colour combinations.

“Irregular Choice has always been about spreading joy, playing with colour and having fun, so skipping through Care-A-Lot – a world filled with rainbows, fluffy clouds and cute, cuddly bears -was a perfect fit for the brand. We had so much fun creating this Care Bears collection and can’t wait to share it with the world,” said Sally Glover, international brand and marketing manager at Irregular Choice.

Roubina Tchoboian, vice president of international licensing at Cloudco Entertainment, added: “We are thrilled to be launching another accessories collaboration with Irregular Choice. Their creative approach brings the Care Bears to life in such a fun and unique way that we know our fans will love.”

Cloudco Entertainment, formerly American Greetings Entertainment, is the owner for iconic entertainment brands such as Care Bears, Holly Hobbie, Madballs, Packages from Planet X, Twisted Whiskers, Buddy Thunderstruck, Tinpo and its newest IP, Boy Girl Dog Cat Mouse Cheese.

Cloudco Entertainment develops multi-platform entertainment franchises across all media channels and extensive consumer merchandising programs that immerse children and adults in brands they love. The brand is represented by Bulldog Licensing here in the UK.