Tag Archives: news

HERSHEY’S KISSES x Glamlite cosmetics collection debuts today

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The Hershey Company and cosmetics brand Glamlite have teamed up to launch a special makeup collection on Valentine’s Day, February 14.

Bringing the worlds of confectionary and cosmetics together, the fun new range features five eyeshadow palettes inspired by the chocolate brand’s flavours: Milk Chocolate, Special Dark, Milk Chocolate with Almonds, Cookies ‘n’ Crème and Lava Cake. Each palette comes in a resealable collector’s bag and features six ultra-buttery and highly pigmented shades.

The five eyeshadow palettes retail at US$18 each. Additionally, the range includes four scented lip glosses (retailing at US$28/set of four) and a makeup sponge shaped like a HERSHEY’S KISS (retailing at $8 each).

Fans can purchase a bundle of all the products for US$125. In addition, there is a limited-edition collector’s HERSHEY’S KISSES PR box available, which retails for US$145.

The products are available online at www.glamlite.com today, February 14, from 8am PST.

This spring, the items will be available for purchase at the HERSHEY’S Chocolate World store locations in Hershey, Pennsylvania, Times Square in New York City, and Las Vegas, Nevada, as well as at www.shop.hersheys.com.

All products are cruelty-free and vegan.

 

Cyber Group Studios partners with Peacock for animated adventure series Press Start!

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Best known for its award-winning preschool show Gigantosaurus, Cyber Group Studios has partnered with OTT video streaming service Peacock for new CG animated comedy adventure series Press Start!

Aimed at children aged 5-7, Press Start! is based on the bestselling and award-winning book series of the same name from Scholastic. Emmy-winning writer and showrunner Scott Kraft (PAW Patrol) is executive producer. The series is in production now and expected to begin streaming on Peacock in Q4 2023.

Press Start! (52 x 11) follows the adventures of Sunny and Rue Zaki, a dynamic brother and sister duo whose mysterious game controller gives them the ability to enter the world of their favorite fast-paced videogame, “24 KARAT QUEST”. Inside the fantastical game world, they team up with their videogame idol, Super Rabbit Boy, and help him save the world one eight-bit villain at a time.

Cyber Group Studios will support Press Start! at retail with a comprehensive merchandising programme. Last year, the company appointed Retail Monster to develop a strategic licensing programme in the U.S. based on the show.

The Press Start! graphic novel-style early-chapter books by author/illustrator Thomas Flintham have sold more than 2 million copies in the U.S. since their 2017 debut. Currently, 11 titles are available with four more in the pipeline. The books are published in 11 international territories.

Karen K. Miller, President & CEO, Cyber Group Studios USA, says:  “Press Start! is an internationally acclaimed book series that has thoroughly captivated readers by immersing them in the dynamic, fast-paced videogaming world led by a brother and sister team who together apply real-life skills to help save the day. This series takes inspiration from the books and will keep new and existing fans on the edge of their seats.”

Kristofer Updike, Vice President, Kids Development Entertainment Scripted & Unscripted Content NBCUniversal Television and Streaming, adds: “As Peacock doubles our original animated preschool content, we are thrilled to be working with such talented partners at Cyber Group Studios on the new, diverse series Press Start!, based on the award-winning Scholastic book series by Thomas Flintham. Our commitment to building a platform of trust, innovation, diversity and a place to call home for preschoolers, parents and caregivers is ever present in everything we create.”

 

VR game ‘Peaky Blinders: The King’s Ransom’ to launch in 2022

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Digital entertainment studio Maze Theory and global distributor and content creator Banijay have announced the launch of the first virtual reality game inspired by BAFTA-winning drama Peaky Blinders in 2022. The deal was made in collaboration with Peaky Blinders’ official brand and series owner and series producer, Caryn Mandabach Productions.

Peaky Blinders fans and VR enthusiasts can – for the first time – infiltrate the Peaky Blinders underground world, coming face-to-face with much-loved and much-feared characters such as Tommy Shelby (voiced by Cillian Murphy) and Arthur Shelby (voiced by Paul Anderson), as well as host of other brand-new characters. Dramatic cinematic moments put players at the heart of a deep and memorable story, where they will navigate tense and dangerous situations and make meaningful and complex moral choices.

Ian Hambleton, Maze Theory CEO, says: “At Maze Theory, we’re committed to pushing the boundaries of entertainment and creating highly innovative fan and gaming experiences. We’re very excited to be giving fans and VR enthusiasts access to the Peaky Blinders’ world, transporting them back to 1920s Birmingham and putting them in iconic locations such as The Garrison and Charlie’s Yard.”

Lex Scott, Commercial Director, Gaming & Gambling, Banijay Brands, comments: “With huge anticipation for the upcoming series, the Peaky Blinders brand is stronger than ever, and this is a fantastic addition to its extensive portfolio. Peaky Blinders: The King’s Ransom is an exciting, authentic, and totally unique game that takes the immersive experience for fans to a whole new level.”

The multi award-winning BBC One series is produced by Peaky Blinders’ official series and brand owner, Caryn Mandabach Productions, and co-produced with Banijay’s Tiger Aspect Productions. Series 1 to 5 are available on BBC iPlayer and Netflix. Peaky Blinders is distributed by Banijay Rights and has sold in more than 183 countries and is widely available internationally on Netflix including in the U.S.

The Peaky Blinders brand enjoys international success across multiple categories including gifting, live experience, apparel, accessories and essentials. Officially licensed products are proving a hit with consumers and retailers, with over 40 licensees across multiple territories.

 

 

 

Entries are invited for Licensing Expo’s License This! competition

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Entries are now open for Licensing Expo’s License This! competition, which aims to help designers, illustrators and animators break into the $292 billion global licensing industry.
The competition launched 12 years ago in Europe and premiered in the US in 2021 as part of Licensing Expo Virtual. This year, for the first time, the finale will take place in person in front of a live audience of manufacturers, retailers and brand owners on May 26.
Licensing Expo, which is run in partnership with industry trade association Licensing International, is the world’s largest licensing trade show and is taking place in person at Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas from May 24–26, 2022.
Through its two categories – Character & Animation and Brand & Design – the License This! competition aims to give unlicensed brands from across the globe a welcome leg-up into the world of licensing and consumer products by helping them secure new deals or agent representation.
The competition is free to enter online; the cut-off date is Friday, March 25, and the judges are looking for new, creative concepts that have the potential to be applied across multiple product categories.
Judge Steven Ekstract says: “License This! does a fantastic job of bringing together innovation and opportunity by helping designers, illustrators and animators to succeed in the wonderful world of licensing. The creativity of last year’s License This! entrants was a joy to behold, so I’m really looking forward to viewing this year’s entries and meeting the finalists in person at Licensing Expo for the first time in May.”
Each category winner will receive:
·       A free-of-charge 100 sq ft booth at Licensing Expo 2023, worth $2,500
·       One-year Licensing International membership, worth $1,000 for a small business
·       One-year Products of Change membership, worth up to $450 for a small business
·       One-to-one consultation with the License This! judges
Last year’s winners – Emily Blumenthal and Lindsay Kaye Lippman’s The Charmsters (Character & Animation), Xavier Smith’s Kujifunza Kids (Brand & Design) and Lawrence Canada, The Goodie Jar – will be exhibiting at Licensing Expo.

Licensing Expo to return to Las Vegas in May 2022

ARTiSTORY brings together AI firm obode and the National Gallery

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Art and cultural IP specialist ARTiSTORY has brought AIoT technology eco-brand obode, a member of China’s Midea Robozone, together with the National Gallery, London, to create a smart-robot vacuum cleaner featuring designs inspired by three great artists and supported with innovative digital marketing content.

The smart robot, obode P8, launching to market this spring, will be available to purchase online at Kickstarter. P8 is one of obode’s most advanced AIoT products, and is part of what Midea Robozone calls “the new wave of tech life”, combining technology and art.

As part of ARTiSTORY’s living artists programme, Finnish designer and illustrator Janine Rewell was commissioned to create new contemporary artwork for obode P8 inspired by three masterpieces in the National Gallery: Ambrosius Bosschaert’s Still Life of Flowers in a Wan-Li Vase, Claude Monet’s The Water-Lily Pond and Vincent van Gogh’s iconic Sunflowers. The three artists shared a fascination with nature and benefitted from advances in science and technology, such as the newly invented microscope which Bosschaert may have used to study the flowers he painted in detail. Images of the new artwork will be created as stickers to be applied to the robot cleaner by the customer.

The collaboration is being supported by a digital marketing campaign arranged and led by ARTiSTORY. This includes a film shoot in the National Gallery, bespoke narrative, and interviews with the artist Janine Rewell and the National Gallery Company’s B2B and Brand Licensing Director.

“This exciting collaboration is a great example of how ARTiSTORY’s licensing programmes can bring together cultural IP with cutting-edge innovative products and immersive digital storytelling content,” says Yizan He, CEO and Founder of ARTiSTORY.

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Starter teams with Pull&Bear for women’s SS22 capsule

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Iconix Europe’s sportswear brand Starter has teamed up once again with Inditex’s youth fashion label, Pull&Bear, to launch a second collection, for spring/summer 2022. 

The new womenswear collection has been created with the aim of combining streetwear with athleisure sportswear for a younger fashion-forward demographic. The colour story is comprised of a mix of Americana-inspired colours such as red, white and blue, offset against neutral beige.

Pieces include an oversized jersey hoodie with shorts co-ord, which incorporates both pile embroidered and printed logos, giving a nod to the initial collection. The collection also offers a variety of printed t-shirts, all of which include printed logos.

To complete the look, Pull&Bear has also developed a selection of varsity-look embroidered logo socks.

This collection is available now in the European/UK markets, both online at pullandbear.com and in a selected group of stores.

Starter marks its 50th anniversary with Pull&Bear collab

 

Sesame Place theme park to open in San Diego

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SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment and Sesame Workshop have announced that Sesame Street’s favourite furry friends are getting ready to welcome guests from all over the world to the all-new Sesame Place San Diego theme park, opening on Saturday, March 26.

The new 17-acre park will be the only Sesame Place location on the U.S. West Coast and the second location in the country. The park will be open year-round offering Sesame Street-themed rides and attractions, including a kid-friendly rollercoaster and a 500,000-gallon wave pool – one of the largest in Southern California. The park will also feature a musical play area, an interactive Sesame Street Neighborhood complete with the iconic 123 Stoop, daily live character shows, award-winning parades, one-of-a-kind photo opportunities and of course, everyone’s favourite Sesame Street characters.

“This is an exciting milestone for our company, as this is the second Sesame Place in the United States and the first new theme park we’ve opened since 2013,” says Marc Swanson, SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment CEO. “We are thrilled to debut this new park and add a premiere tourist destination to California that is so appealing to families. Having spent part of my career with this company at the original Sesame Place in Pennsylvania and being part of its success, I’m looking forward to continuing the legacy on the West Coast and providing a fun place to visit where life-long memories are created as fans experience what they love about the iconic show in a new way.”

“Since 1980, Sesame Place has been a key part of the Sesame Workshop extended family and mission of helping kids grow smarter, stronger, and kinder,” says Steve Youngwood, Sesame Workshop CEO. “We are thrilled to partner with SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment to introduce the West Coast’s only standalone theme park based entirely on the award-winning educational programme, Sesame Street. Sesame Place San Diego will offer kids and families an immersive opportunity to play and learn with their favorite furry friends, and continue enriching their experiences with Sesame Street.”

 

Haven transforms Sydney’s Darling Square into Hello Kitty Town

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This month, Darling Square in Sydney officially launched Hello Kitty Town, an immersive street festival paying homage to the worldwide phenomenon Hello Kitty & Friends. In partnership with Haven and Sanrio, Hello Kitty Town will be housed at Darling Square until April 29 and will feature themed food and drink offerings and an outdoor art exhibition featuring works by some of the world’s best known illustrators.

Food retailers across the precinct have joined in the fun, creating Hello Kitty themed menu items. Ume Burger has a Bad Badtz-Maru cheeseburger and white peach soda, Toastie Smith will have five limited edition toasties adorned with Hello Kitty ham bows, Bubble Nini Tea will have KeroKeroKeroppi Matcha and Hello Kitty Strawberry Yoghurt Crush teas and Auvers Dining have a suite of dishes including the Lazy Egg Burger based on fan favourite Gudetama. More limited edition food items will be dropped weekly.

The festival has been curated by Eddie Zammit and produced by Authority Creative. Spread throughout the Darling Square precinct, an outdoor art exhibition sees some of the world’s most well known graphic designers, illustrators and street artists add their signature flair to a lovable character from Hello Kitty & Friends. Artists include UK cartoonist, writer and illustrator Gemma Correll; DXTR, a Berlin based artist and illustrator; Melbourne based large-scale mural painter Justine McAllister; Australian artist Travis Price, who is Hello Kitty’s featured artist for the festival, and more.

Hello Kitty merchandise is available to purchase in the precinct from various retailers and includes limited edition plush toys, wallets, cosmetics and even Hello Kitty hand sanitiser. The full list of activities and activations will be announced in the coming weeks and more information can be found at www.Darlingsq.com/hellokittytown

For licensing enquiries on Sanrio in Australia and New Zealand, contact Diana Markezic at Haven Global: diana@havenglobal.com 

Airbnb offering one family the chance to live like Bluey for the weekend

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The iconic Heeler family home from hit Australian kids’ show Bluey is being listed on Airbnb in Brisbane, Queensland, offering one lucky family the opportunity to live like the Heelers for the ultimate Bluey fan weekend.

Bluey is a global phenomenon that follows the adventures of Bluey – a lovable six-year-old Blue Heeler dog – who lives with her Mum (Chilli), Dad (Bandit) and little sister Bingo. The show screens in over 60 countries.

Airbnb has partnered with BBC Studios, co-commissioner and global distributor of Bluey, on this one-of-a-kind experience.

The Brisbane house has been entirely customised to bring the cartoon experience to life, featuring quirky details Bluey fans will recognise from the Heeler family home in the show.

“The Heeler house is almost a character in its own right,” says Madeleine Jelfs, Bluey Senior Marketing Manager, BBC Studios Australia and New Zealand. “We’ve been amazed at the outpouring of love the fans have shown for this iconic setting, and for all the beautiful Queensland locations the crew have so lovingly included across the three series. Bringing Bluey’s backdrop to life in such an ingenious and colourful way for our fans has been an absolute delight.”

Susan Wheeldon, Airbnb Country Manager for Australia and New Zealand, adds: “Like many parents with young children, I’ve been captivated by the adventures of Bluey and her family, which bring so much joy and quintessential Aussie humour to audiences across the globe. We’re delighted to add Bluey, Bingo, Chilli and Bandit to our growing community of Airbnb Hosts. And while we have some incredible homes on Airbnb, there will be nothing quite like waking up in the Heeler house and getting to live and breathe in Bluey’s magical world for one wondrous weekend.”

The weekend getaway includes an exclusive behind the scenes tour of the Ludo Studio, where Bluey is created; a Chinese takeaway feast in the backyard; an afternoon decorating the Heeler’s famous duck cake, where the whole family can test their culinary skills, and a puppet-making craft session featuring Bluey’s famous Bob Bilby character (a local Aussie marsupial).

The two-night stay, for two adults and two children, will take place from Friday, February 18 to Sunday, February 20 for AUD $20. Bookings are available on a first come first serve basis. For full details, visit airbnb.com/bluey.

LEGO Technic unveils McLaren Formula 1 Race Car

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LEGO Technic has debuted the McLaren Formula 1 Race Car for fans and collectors of both brands. Designed in close collaboration between engineering experts from the LEGO Group and McLaren Racing as the new Formula 1 race car was in development, the new model plays homage to the team’s 2021 season livery, while giving fans a glimpse of what they might expect from McLaren Racing’s new F1 season model.

The LEGO Technic version of the McLaren vehicle is fully modelled on the life-size version and features a V6 cylinder engine with moving pistons, steering activated from the cockpit, suspension and a differential lock.

“The partnership between the LEGO Group and McLaren continuously develops each time we get together for the next collaboration,” says Neils Henrik Horsted, Head of Product, LEGO Technic. “We never stop trying to excite and inspire our fans by pushing the limits of possibility through the technology and designs produced both on the racetrack and with LEGO building.”

James Key, Executive Director, Technical, McLaren Racing, adds: “We are excited to unveil the unique LEGO Technic model of our McLaren F1 car, a fun and engaging product that celebrates our 2021 season livery while giving fans a hands-on interpretation of the new 2022 F1 car design. This has been made possible by an agile collaboration with the LEGO Group team, who have truly embraced the spirit of our brave and bold approach to design. The final product looks fantastic, and we cannot wait to make this available to our fans.”

The 1,432-piece model measures over 13 cm high, 65 cm long and 27 cm wide and comes with sponsor stickers.

The LEGO Technic McLaren Formula 1 Race Car will be available globally from 1 March 2022 from LEGO.com, in LEGO stores and other retailers globally, and McLaren’s worldwide retailer network, with an RRP of 179,99€ / 179,99$ / £159.99 GBP.