LICENSING EXPO: Q&A with Rob Corney, Group Managing Director, Bulldog Licensing

Bulldog Licensing is readying for its second face-to-face trade show since restrictions were lifted, with an appearance at Licensing Expo in Las Vegas later this month. Licensing Biz asked Group Managing Director Rob Corney to talk us through some of the key brands that Bulldog will be showcasing, including Care Bears, as it celebrates a big milestone anniversary; the much-loved heritage brand, Sesame Street; the ever-popular Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir; sell-out Christmas sensation Magic Mixies, and new preschool animation Odo, among others.

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How has the last year been for Bulldog? Have you expanded the team at all?

The last year has been a good one for Bulldog. After the chaos of the pandemic, we were delighted to move back into our London Bridge offices; whilst we’re all set up to be able to function fully with the team all working from home, you can’t beat the efficiencies of being office-based to fully plan the roll-out of licensing programmes. Unless the team are able to be hands-on with the product and able to benefit from the cross-pollination of ideas, inefficiencies creep in and, whilst I think we’ve coped admirably throughout the lockdowns, it’s a much healthier environment to separate home from work and be able to function as a full unit once again.

What would you say is Bulldog’s USP/the main reason for its success? You’ve secured some pretty huge brands – how have you achieved that, and where do you see yourself positioned in the global market?

When Bulldog first launched in 2007, we were the first agency to take what we call a ‘retail first approach’ to licensing – starting with the retail proposition and working back from there. To this day, we remain unparalleled in our relationships with retail and this is key to our successes, but overriding this principle is the determination to always act with integrity. We enter every discussion believing it can be a win-win outcome and work hard to ensure that is the case. We don’t see the signing of a contract as the end game – it’s the point at which the hard work begins in order to ensure the signatories enjoy real success and rewards from it. Our partners recognise that we don’t frame an unachievable narrative around our brands and that honesty means that stakeholders throughout the value chain recognise us as a safe pair of hands for building world-beating brands.

Briefly, what can visitors to your stand at Licensing Expo expect to see/discover/hear about? 

We’ve seen strong growth across a number of properties in our portfolio over the last year, and Vegas provides the perfect platform to update our partners on plans for continued growth, as well as to continue to expand the opportunities for our more nascent brands.

Why do you think lies behind the evergreen (and cross-generational) appeal of Care Bears?

Care Bears has seen staggering growth over the last two years and that is set to continue over the next two. The brand has timeless appeal, bringing back fond memories for older fans; exuding strong fashion credentials thanks to our high profile collaborations with labels including Dolls Kill and Skinny Dip for young adults; delivering cuteness in abundance for today’s kids; and having the perfect brand values for newborns in our baby collections. The world needs a little more caring right now and Care Bears is the perfect solution for all ages.

What excites you about Magic Mixies? Can you tell us about any partners in the pipeline for the brand? 

Magic Mixies is one of the most exciting properties we’ve ever launched. Sales of the hero toy line through last Christmas were phenomenal and the surge has continued throughout this year, making it one of the hottest new brands on the market. Having launched the licensing programme at BLE last year, we’ve had a huge reaction from licensees and retail and are about to start announcing the first tranche of partners. This is set to be a big hit over the next few years.

Can you tell us a bit more about Odo? Do you think this property is going to take flight in a big way?

Odo is stunning and drives one of the most important messages there is in the preschool market. We’ve long been fans of the work of animation studio  Sixteen South and are delighted to be working with them on this beautiful show. With some of the world’s leading broadcasters on board, from Milkshake! in the UK to ABC in Australia and Kika in Germany, we have the platform to deliver a huge audience for a show whose primary driver is to encourage self-efficacy in preschool kids. With rates of anxiety and depression within the age group soaring, Odo is not only a vital piece of work to help in this area, but a hugely entertaining comedic journey with an incredibly compelling cast of colourful characters. With master toy and master publishing now in place, we have a lot of conversations underway across key categories in all major territories and Odo looks set to become one of the key preschool properties everywhere.

What do you think is the secret of Miraculous’s success? Are there any new/unexplored spaces, licensing-wise, that the property could expand into?

Miraculous is simply a beautiful show with an incredible storyline. The media pipeline is incredible, with huge amounts of content across linear, digital and on-demand channels, and the brand carries a huge fanbase. In the UK, we’re seeing astonishing sales growth on the toy (it was one of only two doll brands to show growth over the last 12 months) and this is translating into increased opportunities across the already-strong sales of softlines and accessories. Miraculous has always had great presence in fashion and we’re now looking to expand further across stationery, gifting and ancillary toy channels.

Do you think the proliferation of platforms on which kids consume content makes it harder, or easier, for new IPs to ‘break through’?

The fragmentation of content delivery mechanisms has created a hugely increased challenge for brand building. It has simultaneously made it easier for content to be delivered, but more challenging to build a loyal audience. In many ways the growth in dominance of remakes across action and super-hero franchises was a symptom of this fragmentation – it was a safer option to expand an existing universe into new media, shored up by traditional channels, than it was to create entirely new content which may or may not achieve penetration into a crowded market.

However, the world is changing as we’ve seen in the industry’s reduced reliance on some of the hackneyed ‘fan favourites’ over the last few years. New content creators approach the market with an holistic approach, well aware that delivering linear programming is not enough to build a content universe – the industry has adapted and great new creative is securing its place in the top echelons of the product sales charts at the expense of the traditional mega-brands which dominated for so long.

The increase in channels is both a threat and an opportunity, but where it was traditionally an opportunity for the big content owners, squeezing out the smaller guys through their spending power, it has now become a threat to the traditional big players as they struggle to adapt and develop new content where more nimble creatives are more capable of developing relevant brands, ready to disseminate across multiple streams and with a marketplace very receptive to their wares.

What are biggest opportunities in the licensing space right now? And conversely, what are the greatest challenges?

As nations around the world struggle with the post-Covid cost of living crisis, two of the strongest trends to emerge are brands which are driven by values which suit the current mood and those brands which are driven by a pricing architecture sympathetic to the squeeze on the pockets of consumers.

Brands like Sesame Street, which brings an abundance of both classic love for adults and relevance to the preschool consumer of today will benefit from a desire for the home comforts of the familiar whilst brands like Magic Mixies, which has a price point to suit all pockets across its core offering, will build strong opportunities thanks to its newness and excitement.

In 2008, after the financial crash, we saw retailers jumping on what they considered to be the ‘safe’ brands of the day before realising that they’d all jumped on the same brands, leaving their only refuge on price. As the challenges grow in today’s market, there is a more savvy reaction with buyers looking to innovate to drive sales. As the media market has adapted away from the traditional big players, so too must the consumer market change, supporting innovation and fresh ideas, in order to thrive in the current world.

Bulldog Licensing will be at Licensing Expo, Mandalay Bay Convention Center, Las Vegas, from 24-26 May 2022. 

LICENSING EXPO: Bulldog Licensing to showcase a stellar mix of brands, from Magic Mixies to Care Bears

Bulldog Licensing is readying for its second face-to-face trade show since restrictions were lifted, with an appearance at Licensing Expo in Las Vegas later this month.

The licensing agency will have a range of brands on board its stand, including Care Bears, as it celebrates a big milestone anniversary; the much-loved heritage brand, Sesame Street; the ever-popular Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir; sell-out Christmas sensation Magic Mixies; and new preschool animation Odo, among others.

The loveable, huggable Care Bears from the whimsical land of Care-a-Lot are celebrating their 40th anniversary this year. First introduced in 1982 through a line of greeting cards, the Care Bears have amassed fans of all ages over the decades, and are now featured everywhere from consumer products and plush toys to animated television shows and feature films. Bulldog’s recent deals for the iconic bears include luxury knitwear label, Chinti & Parker, with a range of adult cashmere jumpers, hoodies, sweatpants and T shirts; Character World for a collection of children’s bedding and soft furnishings; and Eat Glitter and Shine for a homeware line based on the globally recognised faces of Tenderheart Bear, Wish Bear and Love-a-Lot Bear.

Heritage brands continue their reign during uncertain times and Sesame Street remains as popular as ever over 50 years since its initial launch. Another property which spans generations in its reach and popularity, Sesame Street still airs daily on leading commercial preschool broadcaster, Tiny Pop, and Bulldog has curated a number of best-in-class deals for the brand, providing a diverse and wide-reaching range of consumer products.

A more recent addition to Bulldog’s carefully selected portfolio of brands is warm-hearted and comic animated series Odo, a co-production between BAFTA winning Belfast-based Sixteen South and Polish animation studio Letko. Odo is a little owl with big ideas; the series launched on Milkshake! in the UK, Cartoonito on HBOmax in the US, ABC Australia, MiniMini in Poland RTÉ in Ireland and, TVO and Knowledge Network in Canada in 2021 with a series of 52 x 7-minute episodes, aiming to teach young children self-efficacy and to believe in themselves. The series has been sold to over 150 territories and was created to help combat the worrying rise in anxiety and depression rates in children. Each episode sees Odo positively tackle challenges with the help of his friends.

Bulldog’s first licensee for the property is master toy partner Wow! Stuff. The deal will see Wow! Stuff create a comprehensive line of Odo toys including plush, dolls, figures and accessories, role-play toys, vehicles, play sets, track sets, construction toys and bath toys. Bulldog has also signed Macmillan Children’s books as Odo’s global publisher.

ZAG’s Miraculous, Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir, everyone’s favourite superhero story, first aired in 2016 in the UK on the Disney Channel and quickly became the top-rated show for the channel. Ladybug and Cat Noir then joined the POP line-up where the show airs daily in prime-time and ranks amongst the top 3 series for Kids 4-15 (Sep 21-Feb 22). On-demand viewers can find Miraculous on Netflix, Disney Plus, and Google Play. The series has been sold to over 120 countries worldwide with season 5 currently in production for a fall 2022 launch, and the US$100 million animated feature will also premiere later this year. Recently, the brand hit over one billion dollars in retail sales with over 250 million products sold around the globe, while on social media, Miraculous has racked up 30 billion views on YouTube alone.

Recent additions to Bulldog’s consumer products line-up include Kennedy Publishing for a standalone magazine, and Zak, which will offer a dining collection including tabletop and dinnerware, drinkware and breakfast sets. The ZAG Lab and Playmates toy line is enjoying massive success at retail with the UK being one of the top 3 markets worldwide, and is a Top 10 Brand in the Fashion Doll category according to NPD data.

Sell-out Christmas toy sensation Magic Mixies, from Moose Toys, is one of the latest additions to the Bulldog family. The innovative magic cauldron caught the attention of the nation at the end of 2021 and was included on Christmas lists from retailers, the Toy Retailers Association, and children alike up and down the UK.

Magic Mixies sales rocketed the brand to become the highest grossing SKU in Moose Toys’ history with stock selling through as soon as it hit shelves. The interactive showstopper then went on to be crowned the Creative Toy of the Year at the 2022 Toy of the Year Awards. Bulldog is now in discussion with a range of leading licensees to partner with the brand for a range of consumer products.

Rob Corney, Managing Director, Bulldog Licensing, says: “The Bulldog team is so excited to be back in Las Vegas for Licensing Expo. Our return to the trade show arena after restrictions were lifted was at BLE and we had a great show seeing customers face-to-face again, so we can’t wait to do it again later this month. The Bulldog roster is the strongest it has ever been at the moment and we’re excited to share all of our news and brand updates with existing and new customers at the show.”

Bulldog Licensing will be at stand B129 at Licensing Expo, Mandalay Bay Convention Centre, Las Vegas, from 24–26 May, 2022.

Sesame Workshop expands animation slate with Charlotte’s web

Sesame Workshop is to expand its animation slate with book-based properties, starting with  E.B. White’s classic Charlotte’s Web. Partnering with WarnerMedia Kids & Family, Sesame Workshop will begin production in April on the recently greenlit family miniseries, which will be available on HBO Max and Cartoon Network in 2024.

“For over 50 years, Sesame Workshop has been weaving stories that centre memorable characters and diverse, compelling voices,” says Kay Wilson Stallings, EVP, Creative and Production, Sesame Workshop. “Stories can forge powerful connections with kids and families – where better to start than with a faithful retelling of one of the most beloved children’s novels of all time?”

Academy Award-winning director Luke Matheny will serve as executive producer and head writer for Charlotte’s Web. Matheny directs Sesame Workshop’s Daytime Emmy Award-winning Ghostwriter on Apple TV+, which draws inspiration from classic literary works like Alice in Wonderland, Frankenstein, and The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes.

Wilson Stallings has brought on Heather Alexander as book and literary scout to identify and analyse children’s books and other content for potential development.

As part of a broader development strategy, Sesame Workshop is also building out its animation slate with new series and specials set on Sesame Street and beyond, launching on WarnerMedia Kids & Family’s newest preschool block Cartoonito on HBO Max and Cartoon Network.

“Animation has always been a part of our DNA, and we’re continuing that proud tradition with engaging new content that supports our mission: helping kids grow smarter, stronger, and kinder,” Wilson Stallings said. “Not only are we building on our flagship brand with projects like Elmo Gets a Puppy and Sesame Street Mecha Builders, we’re also investing in new properties like Bea’s Block and exciting collaborations like this one to captivate the next generation of kids and families.”

 

Sesame Street Educational Play Centers come to Korea

Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit media and education organisation, is launching its first in a series of Sesame Street-themed Educational Play Centers (EPCs), interactive location-based experiences for young children that foster playful learning. Partnering with AVECS Creative Group, a Seoul-based agency, the first EPC will open in the new LOTTE Department Store Dongtan in Gyeonggi Province on 18 March.

“Sesame Street Learn & Play” is the first of five EPCs that Sesame Workshop and AVECS Creative Group will launch across Korea over the next five years. Research has shown that children learn best through play as they are cognitively, physically and socially engaged in activities that they’re interested in, and play provides opportunities to try new things.

Classes include Cooking, Science, Art, Music & Dance, and Messy Sensory Play. Décor features Sesame Street’s much-loved colourful characters and iconic scenery, making for a welcoming and immersive experience.

“We are thrilled to be launching Sesame Workshop’s first Educational Play Center in South Korea, where Sesame Street has been a beloved and recognised brand for many years,” says Will DePippo, Senior Director of Asia Pacific, Sesame Workshop. “We know that playful learning boosts academic skills, as well as physical and social-emotional development. Combining our 50+ years of producing world-renowned educational content and themed attractions with AVECS’ industry-leading expertise in building best-in-class experiential offerings locally, we are expanding our efforts to help South Korean children become creative and engaged learners for life.”

Sesame Street is available in South Korea on free-to-air public broadcaster EBS and via Pay-TV on CJ E&M. Sesame Street content can also be seen through the LG Smart TV app as well as on Coupang Play, a major Korean streaming platform.

“We are excited to partner with Sesame Workshop to present the world’s first Educational Play Center in South Korea,” says Park Hong-bin, CEO of AVECS Creative Group. “Sesame Street Learn & Play Center is a unique multi-educational play facility for children of all ages – offering fun-filled activities, recreation and play in an environment based on the philosophy of the household education brand that all Koreans love and trust – Sesame Street.”

As location-based entertainment and demand for in-person experiences continue to grow globally, Sesame Workshop is creating a variety of in-person engagement opportunities for kids and their families. The Sesame Street EPC offers a “Learn through Play” model with activities such as skills classes, interactive play experiences, and Sesame Street character interactions, in addition to food and beverage, and merchandising possibilities.

“Our goal at Sesame Street Learn & Play is for kids to have a positive, playful learning experience, inspiring them to become lifelong learners and helping them thrive in all aspects of their growth,” comments Choi Soung-ah, Executive Vice President, AVECS Creative Group. “We want all kids to leave the center feeling like they were successful.”

 

Just Play named as master toy licensee for Sesame Street

Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit educational organisation behind the iconic Sesame Street, has named preschool toy specialist Just Play as its multi-territory master toy licensee for North America, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.

Under this multi-year partnership, Just Play will manufacture and market an expansive array of products featuring beloved Sesame Street characters including Elmo, Cookie Monster, and Abby Cadabby. The company will also support Sesame Workshop’s mission “to help kids grow smarter, stronger and kinder”.

Starting in 2023, Just Play will take the helm and usher in a new era of engaging educational products that will roll-out throughout the year and beyond. Key preschool play patterns and categories including plush, figures, playsets, vehicles, role play/dress up, bath and learning toys will define the new product portfolio.

Just Play will contribute to Sesame Workshop’s social impact efforts by providing funding for vital initiatives that bring critical early learning and support across a broad variety of challenges to children around the world. These initiatives are fundamental to both organisations’ ongoing efforts to help families everywhere thrive.

“We’re thrilled to partner with Just Play and strengthen the Sesame Street brand globally,” says Ed Wells, EVP and Head of Global Media and Education, Sesame Workshop. “Just Play creates fantastic, best-in-class products that delight the whole family. This, coupled with its exceptional retailer and distribution network, and impressive mix of items across multiple categories, make it a natural partner. We’re also mission-aligned: we both create unique and powerful experiences for kids and families to play and learn with their favorite brands. Those deep connections drive everything we do at Sesame Workshop.”

“It’s a privilege to become a central partner to one of the most beloved and respected franchises in the world,” says Sunny Lauridsen, SVP of Licensing and Brand Strategy, Just Play. “Sesame Street is a brand that connected with each of us in our childhood and continues to provide important educational, social and giggle-inducing content for families today. We’re honoured to bring the next generation of toys to market.”

Just Play’s international reach is essential to supporting the growth of Sesame Street globally with its recently opened UK office serving as the hub to EMEA operations, and strategic partnerships in Latin America.

 

Sesame Place theme park to open in San Diego

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.”

 

UGG teams with Sesame Workshop for kids’ collection

California-based global lifestyle brand UGG has collaborated with Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit educational organisation behind Sesame Street, for the UGG x Sesame Street collection of kids’ footwear.

The collection features classic UGG styles, like the Neumel, Bixbee and Fluff Yeah, enhanced with fun design updates inspired by beloved Sesame Street characters.

Styles include the UGG x Big Bird Fluff Yeah and the UGG x Big Bird Bixbee, and the UGG x Elmo Neumel and UGG x Cookie Monster Neumel, which feature character applications in their iconic colours.

Available in sizes for infants, toddlers and kids, the collection will be sold exclusively through UGG.com and Kids Foot Locker in North America.

Skincare and yoga gear among Sesame Street’s latest direct-to-consumer collabs

Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit organization behind Sesame Street, is teaming up with a raft of direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands to let fans show their love for their favourite Sesame Street Muppets in new and fashion-forward ways.

“The pandemic has changed the way consumers shop, accelerating e-commerce growth to new heights,” says Gabriela Arenas, Vice President, Global Licensing, Sesame Workshop. “With the DTC model taking centre stage and shifting even more retail activity online, we’ve pivoted our licensing strategy to meet this new consumer demand. As we continue building long-term relationships with our fans, we’re thrilled to collaborate with these trend-setting lifestyle brands and take an innovative multigeneration approach to propel our characters forward.”

Sesame Street’s latest DTC collaborations are as follows:

  • Hedley & Bennett has launched a Sesame Street-inspired collection of their chef-tested premium kitchen gear this month. Featuring Cookie Monster, Big Bird, Elmo, and Bert and Ernie, the aprons are handcrafted and super functional for any cooking adventure.
  • Nugget, makers of the original play couch and leaders in the play couch category, has teamed up with Sesame Street to create the Elmo Nugget. This is a one-of-a-kind, mixed-fabric Nugget featuring a soft patterned cushion in microsuede, a thick sturdy base in Elmo’s signature red, and two triangle pillows each with Elmo eyes and nose—all for endless mix-and-match fun.
  • Sesame Street and NYC-based Staple joined forces on a new streetwear collaboration. Mixing Staple’s iconic pigeon and colorful graphics with favorite Sesame Street characters, the collection includes adult shirts, hoodies, hats, outerwear, a rug and plush.
  • Skincare brand Starface has launched a limited-edition collection inspired by Sesame Street characters. Starface products including Hydro-Star pimple protectors and Lift Off Pore Strips have been redesigned to feature Elmo, Cookie Monster, Big Bird, and Oscar the Grouch.
  • Yoga accessory brand Yune Yoga is offering a new collection featuring Sesame Street’s Elmo, Cookie Monster, Big Bird, Oscar the Grouch, and The Count. Available now, the light-but-dense Trekk travel is made from eco-friendly PER, and features a soft, ridged surface and a firmer, stickier bottom for grip on any surface.

Earlier this year, Sesame Workshop announced a team-up with Hanna Andersson for an exclusive capsule collection of Sesame Street organic cotton pyjamas, as well as the launch of its sixth collection with Bombas – now including baby socks sized 0-6 months and 6-12 months, alongside adult and kids’ styles – and a collaboration with Designs by Chad & Jake for personalised gifts for infant and toddlers featuring Sesame Street characters.

 

Stephen Curry and Under Armour drop ‘Street Pack’ collection with Sesame Street

Curry Brand, powered by Under Armour, is launching a seven-part footwear collection that brings the spirit of Sesame Street’s iconic Muppets to the basketball court.

Basketball icon Stephen Curry, father to three kids under the age of nine, felt that partnering with Sesame Workshop – the nonprofit educational organisation behind Sesame Street – would be a natural extension of his recent efforts to celebrate Harlem and inspire young athletes.

“Curry Brand and Sesame Street, we preach the same message,” says Curry, a three-time NBA champion and two-time league MVP. “It’s about supporting all kids, especially those in underserved communities who are looking for an opportunity to be their best selves.”

Curry Brand’s Street Pack includes seven colourways based on Sesame Street’s iconic characters, who are celebrated with unique markings on the shoe’s tongue tab and a hint-of-character flag near the heel. The classic Sesame Street sign is also featured on the sock liner.

The ‘Count It’ colourway, for example, brings to life Count von Count, with the shiny tongue tab reflecting the satin exterior of The Count’s cape and the shoe’s interior matching the cape’s colourful lining. ‘Talking Trash’, based on Oscar the Grouch, has a metallic tongue tab as a nod to the trash can, while the tongue tab on Cookie Monster’s ‘Taking Cookies’ and other shoe tabs has a fuzzy, fur-like feel.

“This collection is an opportunity for people to use their imaginations a little bit,” Curry says. “You can really show your personality through the way that you play. I love to be creative on the court, try new things, and show different sides of myself. The Sesame Street characters prove that everybody belongs in the world of play.”

The Curry Flow 9 shoe design builds on the success of the Curry Flow 8. This updated design features a fine-tuned UA Flow traction pattern and the introduction of UA Warp, Under Armour’s new-to-basketball upper technology that improves foot stability. UA Warp works in tandem with UA Flow, featuring supportive tapes that lock the foot onto the UA Flow midsole while allowing for natural movement.

Given the intricate structure of the shoe and the array of stylisations, Under Armour designers took great care to celebrate Sesame Street’s characters.

“The hardest part was making sure we achieved a sense of depth and sophistication in our designs,” says Spencer Hawkins, a senior footwear designer at Under Armour. “We didn’t just say, ‘Elmo is red, so the whole shoe is red.’ We played with a lot of different tonalities of red, and we brought in hints of orange to represent the nose.  Every single colourway is a unique story celebrating not only the unique physical attributes of the characters but also what each character can teach us about building a better, more inclusive neighborhood.”

The first two releases in Curry Brand’s Sesame Street collection will be the ‘Count It’ and ‘Play Big’ colourways – in celebration of Count von Count and Big Bird – dropping in North America on 19 November ($160 US).

Additional Street Pack footwear colourways and apparel will be released in the ensuing months.

Elmo, Cookie Monster join the Tonies line-up as Sesame Street partners with kids’ audio platform

Elmo, Cookie Monster, and Addy Caddaby, a popular trio from the iconic preschool series, Sesame Street, will be making their way onto the children’s audio storytelling platform, Tonies thanks to a new partnership spanning the US, UK, Germany and more.

Tonies is a screen-free audio entertainment system developed for young children, combining a soft, shockproof speaker cube that plays the audio content stores on a library of Tonies figurines when placed on top of the device. Since launch, Tonies has built up a solid library of audio content through licensing partnerships with some of the biggest names in the preschool space.

Joining the line-up, the Elmo Tonie is dedicated to all things music, teaching kids about different instruments, how to stretch their imaginations, and using music to exercise and to wind down, while the Cookie Monster Tonie is all about healthy habits, from eating and cooking, to exercise and mindfulness.

“Sesame Workshop’s mission is to help kids grow smarter, stronger and kinder, and what better way to do that than by providing them with the tools to discover new worlds all on their own,” said Gabriela Arenas, VP, global licensing, Sesame Workshop.

“With more songs to be sung and more wonders to be explored, tonies takes kids on an audio adventure with their favorite Sesame Street friends.”

Christoph Frehsee, Tonies USA president, added: “Working with Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit educational organization behind Sesame Street, is an absolute dream come true for all of us at Tonies. There isn’t a single person in the world that hasn’t been enchanted by the friendly residents of Sesame Street. We are ecstatic to bring the voices and sounds of this iconic brand to life through the Toniebox.”