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Spin Master is launching USA Skateboarding licensed Tech Decks as part of new sponsorship campaign

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Spin Master has underscored its ‘commitment to growing and celebrating the skateboarding culture’ on an international scale through its latest Tech Deck partnership, taking up official sponsorship of USA Skateboarding, the country’s national governing body for the sport.

The Tech Deck brand is recognised as a global leader in the fingerboard market, creating working replicas of skateboards that fans of the hobby ‘ride’ by mastering tricks and skills with their fingers. The brand has built a loyal following of skilled fingerboarders and collectors in the US.

Tech Deck has now joined forces with USA Skateboarding as the sport prepares to make its debut at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics Games this summer. Tech Deck previously threw its weight behind the National Skateboard Championships here in the UK, where the sport has grown “substantial audience and participant numbers” since the on-set of the pandemic and the inclusion of the sport in the Olympics.

“Tech Deck and USA Skateboarding share a passion for and commitment to growing and celebrating the sport and culture of skateboarding,” said Chris Beardall, Spin Master’s president of toys and chief commercial officer.

“We are thrilled to be starting our sponsorship during such an exciting year as skateboarding debuts at the Olympics and reaches a whole new generation of fans.”

Josh Friedberg, CEO of USA Skateboarding, added: “The heart of skateboarding is fun, and no company embodies that better than Tech Deck. From the day we started our initial discussions, Tech Deck’s commitment to skateboarding culture and their natural fit into our existing initiatives made it clear that we had a great opportunity – we’re incredibly excited to have them as a partner in this historic year for skateboarding.”

Spin Master will be launching official USA Skateboarding Tech Deck fingerboards. With only 10,000 of these exclusive Tech Deck boards being made across three designs, the boards will be given to the USA Skateboarding Team to take to Tokyo in addition to limited quantities that will be available on the USA Skateboarding website and given away on Tech Deck social channels.

The Tech Deck brand will also be celebrating the inaugural year for the sport, activating on the ground in Kasama City, Japan where the US athletes will be stationed just prior to the games.

Later this year, the Tech Deck brand will also be a supporting partner of a skateboarding-focused STEAM curriculum for kids offered through Innoskate – a joint venture between the Smithsonian’s Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation and USA Skateboarding.

Spin Master launches toy and game recycling scheme with TerraCycle in the US and Australia

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The global toy company, Spin Master has partnered with the international recycling organisation, TerraCycle to launch its own toys and games recycling scheme across the US and Australia.

Through the Spin Master Recycling Programme, consumers will now be able to send in Spin Master toys and games to TerraCycle to be recycled for free. Consumers will simply have to sign up to the TerraCycle programme page and post their used toys using the prepaid shipping label provided.

Once collected, the Spin Master toys will be cleaned and melted into hard plastic that can be remolded to make new recycled products, such as park benches and picnic tables.

“As a global company that creates innovative toys and games that inspire magical play experiences, we recognize the need to help preserve our environment for the benefit of the children we entertain today and for generations to come,” said Tammy Smitham, Spin Master’s VP of communications and corporate citizenship. “Our program with TerraCycle gives our well-loved toys a reimagined future while also reducing our impact on the environment.”

TerraCycle CEO and founder, Tom Szaky, added: “The Spin Master Recycling Program is a perfect chance to engage the next generation through sustainability in a fun and approachable way.

“This program makes it easy to show your children that recycling and the environment don’t have to be relegated to the classroom – kids can grow into responsible environmental citizens with every toy they outgrow and recycle with their parent’s help.”

In addition to diverting waste from landfills, Spin Master has made other environmental commitments including streamlining manufacturing processes to prioritize recovery and recycling, alongside goals to reduce plastic packaging and offset self-generated carbon emissions annually.

More information on Spin Master’s CSR Strategy and initiatives aimed at protecting the environment are available at https://www.spinmaster.com/en-US/corporate/corporate-social-responsibility.

The Spin Master Recycling Program is open to any interested individual, school, office, or community organization in the United States. For more information on TerraCycle’s recycling programs, visit www.terracycle.com. All Spin Master toys and games are eligible with the exception of the Kinetic Sand brand.

New York | Toy of the Year awards underscores big year for children’s licenses

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Pokemon, Super Mario, Star Wars The Mandalorian, and PAW Patrol are just some of the leading children’s brands to have won big this weekend when the annual Toy of the Year awards hosted an all-virtual event to reveal its winners.

A tussle of the titans ensued as the awards – recognised as the ‘Oscars of the toy industry’ – watched global toy makers LEGO and Mattel emerge with no fewer than four award wins each, with the likes of LEGO’s Super Mario play-sets and Mattel’s The Mandalorian The Child Plush thrust into the spotlight.

License of the Year went to Disney for The Mandalorian, while the Pokemon Trading Card Game took home Game of the Year. Pre-school Toy of the Year was swept up by Spin Master and its PAW Patrol franchise, while Playmibile drove home at 88mph with the Vehicle of the Year award for its Back to the Future DeLorean play-set.

“It’s an exhilarating feeling to be recognized for our relentless drive to push the boundaries of play,” said Anton Rabie, Spin Master’s chairman and co-chief executive officer of the firm’s win in the Pre-school Toy of the Year category.

“Every year our incredibly talented team, in collaboration with our amazing community of external inventors, raises the bar on innovation with the purpose of developing magical moments and experiences for kids and families around the world. Together, we’re committed to reimagining where imagination can take us.”

Meanwhile, in a surprise announcement, two winners were chosen for the People’s Choice Award; Story Time Chess (Story Time Chess), a classic game re-imagined for the youngest of players, and The Original Spawn Action Figure and Comic Remastered (McFarlane Toys), a fan-favourite that has its roots in Kickstarter success.

Toy of the Year Awards were handed out in 16 categories. The winners are:

Action Figure of the Year: Fisher-Price #ThankYouHeroes Line (Mattel)

Collectible of the Year: LEGO Super Mario Character Packs (LEGO)

Construction Toy of the Year: LEGO Star Wars The Razor Crest (LEGO)

Creative Toy of the Year: Crayola Colors of the World Crayons (Crayola LLC)

Doll of the Year: Barbie Color Reveal (Mattel)

Game of the Year: Pokémon Trading Card Game Battle Academy (The Pokémon Company International)

Infant/Toddler Toy of the Year: Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Grow-the-Fun Garden to Kitchen (Mattel)

Innovative Toy of the Year: Star Wars: The Child Animatronic Edition Toy (Hasbro)

License of the Year: Star Wars: The Mandalorian (Disney)

Outdoor Toy of the Year: Ultimate Go-Kart (Radio Flyer)

Playset of the Year: LEGO Super Mario Bowser’s Castle Boss Battle Expansion Set (LEGO)

Plush Toy of the Year: Star Wars: The Mandalorian The Child 11” Plush (Mattel)

Preschool Toy of the Year: PAW Patrol Dino Patroller (Spin Master)

Specialty Toy of the Year: LEGO Ideas Grand Piano (LEGO)

STEAM Toy of the Year: Mega Cyborg Hand (Thames & Kosmos)

Vehicle of the Year: PLAYMOBIL Back To The Future DeLorean (PLAYMOBIL)

Steve Pasierb, president and CEO of The Toy Association, said: “From 117 outstanding finalists to this year’s TOTY winners, to Hasbro’s Toy of the Year Award and two unique People’s Choice winners, each underscores the joy of play in uncertain times, the togetherness of family game night, as well as the swiftly-evolving retail and e-commerce landscape.

“The TOTYs continue to reflect the toy and play community’s passion and perseverance, all while honoring the richly deserving Hall of Fame inductees. It also raises vital funding for The Toy Foundation as it embarks on impactful new programs supporting children’s hospitals and driving diversity, equity, inclusion, and access in the toy industry. We thank the independent expert judging panels and the tens of thousands of individuals who voted this year.”

During the event, four toy industry visionaries were also officially inducted into the esteemed Toy Industry Hall of Fame. This year saw Philip Bloom, founder and former publisher of The Bloom Report; William C. Killgallon, chairman of the board at The Ohio Art Company; Pleasant T. Rowland, founder of American Girl, a division of Mattel, Inc.; and the late Margarete Steiff, founder and creator of Steiff were all inducted.

Read more about the Hall of Fame inductees here.

More than 500 TOTY Award nominees poured in late last summer. Of those, 117 finalists were selected by a panel of expert judges. Category winners were then determined based on votes from toy retailers (mass and specialty), media, Toy Association members, and consumers.

The “Toy of the Year” winner was determined by an expert panel that discussed all the finalists before rendering a decision based on TOTY votes, holiday sales, and media buzz (traditional, online, and social).

The “People’s Choice” award winners were uniquely selected by online consumer votes. All results were audited for accuracy, including the judging and voting process, and The NPD Group validated marketplace acceptance. Descriptions of all TOTY finalists can be found at ToyAwards.org.

BBC Studios lines up five new US partners for hit kids’ series Bluey

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BBC Studios has secured a raft of five new US licensing partners for the popular children’s animated TV series, Bluey, tapping the likes of Spin Master, The Bentex Group, and Jay Franco for new products.

The move to bolster the IP’s US licensing programme follows the successful premiere of Bluey across the region in 2019 and its current surge in viewership upon the Disney Channel, Disney Junior, and Disney+. Bluey made its debut into the toy market through partner Moose Toys, while Penguin Random House headed up its publishing slate.

The popular children’s brand is poised to make an even bigger imprint at retail across the US this year, with new introductions from The Bentext Group, Spin Master, Jay Franco, Kurt Adler, and Zak Designs.

Spin Master will launch a range of games and puzzles from this autumn, Bentex will look after apparel and toddler’s clothing, Jay Franco will head up bedding, home decor, bath and accessories, Zak Designs for dining, and Kurt Adler for holiday decor.

“Bluey, Bluey, Bluey! The brand is picking up real momentum in the US off the back of the series success on Disney platforms, and the debut line of toys and books. The upcoming line of products from our new best-in-class partners are poised to help families build upon their Bluey-inspired adventures together,” said Suzy Raia, VP consumer products and business development, BBC Studios.

“We hope parents are eager to expand the Bluey presence in their home – it’s truly a show that continues to resonate with families and that parents are eagerly embracing.”

Bluey is a multi-award-winning Australian children’s series that has taken Australia and the US by storm and is charming audiences around the globe. Loved by parents and children for its heartfelt and funny portrayal of family life and celebration of play, the series follows Bluey, a six-year-old Blue Heeler dog, who loves to play and turns everyday family life into extraordinary adventures that unfold in unpredictable and hilarious ways, bringing her family, friends and community into her world of fun.

In June 2019, BBC Studios struck a global broadcast deal with Disney to premiere Bluey on Disney Junior and Disney+ in all territories outside Australia, New Zealand, and Greater China including Taiwan.

In Australia, Bluey is the most watched series ever on ABC iview, with over 480 million plays across series 1 and 2.

Full steam ahead for Spin Master’s Mighty Express as Penguin Young Readers is named global publishing partner

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The global children’s entertainment company, Spin Master has secured a global publishing deal for its Mighty Express IP with Penguin Young Readers, a division of Penguin Random House.

Under the new deal, the publisher will have the global rights to roll out 8x8s, board books, shaped board books, picture books, novelty books, leveled readers, holiday books, and exclusive rights to sticker, activity, colouring and novelty books, all based on the animated pre-school series.

Spin Master Entertainment launched mighty Express – an original animated pre-school series – on Netflix in September 2020. The series appeals to both pre-schoolers and their parents through inclusive and diverse characters combined with stories that promote hard work and celebrate accomplishments.

Built within a franchise ecosystem that includes the streaming series, a YouTube content destination, a Mighty Express mobile app and a toy line slated to launch fall 2021, Penguin Random House will aim to ‘further enrich the franchise sharing the quirky characters and their exciting adventures with pre-schoolers in new formats.’

“Mighty Express is an exciting franchise, with content developed through the lens of play which reaches preschoolers and their families through a multi-platform approach,” said Juli Boylan, Spin Master’s VP of franchise development and outbound licensing.

“We are thrilled to be working with Penguin Young Readers, who are experts at sharing stories that will continue to build deeper engagement and brand love for Mighty Express.”

Daniel Moreton, vice president and associate publisher, Penguin Workshop, added: “When we first stepped into the wonderfully engaging and adventurous world of Tracksville, we knew immediately that we wanted to get onboard. The Mighty Express themes of partnership, unity, and connection, are universal, and something we all need right now.

“Penguin Young Readers Licenses is thrilled to be partnering with Spin Master once again. Their collaborative creative energy and brand building strategies, aimed at reaching kids everywhere they are, make the journey just as exciting as the destination.”

Mighty Express marks Spin Master Entertainment’s first series launching straight to a streaming platform and is part of the Company’s commitment to a multiplatform content strategy. The Mighty Express franchise is wholly-owned by Spin Master and the Company retains the rights to distribution of the series including licensing of consumer products.

The Penguin Young Readers line of books and activities are expected to launch in autumn 2021.

LEGO Super Mario and Warner Bros. among NPD’s Global and European Toy Industry Performance Awards winners

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The LEGO Group, Spin Master, Mattel, and Warner Bros have been named among the winners of the NPD Group’s 2020 Global and European Toy Industry Performance Awards.

The Danish toy maker took home the NPD’s Global Top Toy Manufacturer of the Year award, while its officially licensed LEGO Super Mario Bros. range scooped up the Top Gaining Toy Property in Building and Construction accolade.

Meanwhile, global toy maker, Mattel took home a number of wins, including Global Top Toy Property of the Year for its Barbie brand, and the award for Global Top Selling Toy of the Year for its Hot Wheels SIngles 1/64 Assortment.

An awards programme developed by the NPD Group, the Global and European Toy Industry Performance Awards celebrate the manufacturers and license owners of the top gaining toy properties by category, as well as the top gaining toy property of year, top global toy manufacturer, and global top selling toy across the markets, according to its Retail Tracking Service.

Warner Bros.’ Harry Potter Franchise received The NPD Group’s Toy Industry Award for Top Gaining Toy Property of 2020 in the Games & Puzzles category, while Nintendo took home the award for Europe’s Top Gaining Toy Property of the Year for its Super Mario Brothers and Mario Kart properties.

“This year’s award winners should be recognised not only for their great accomplishments and dedication to excellence, but also for excelling during a particularly tumultuous time for manufacturers and retailers brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic,” said François Klipfel, president, Toys, The NPD Group.

“Congratulations to all award winners. We wish you continued success in 2021.”

“We are thrilled to receive this award from The NPD Group and have them recognize the strength of the Harry Potter franchise,” said Julian Moon, SVP, EMEA Warner Bros. Consumer Products.

“During these challenging times, it has been uplifting to see children and families come together to play games and puzzles while experiencing the magic of Harry Potter.”

The winners of Europe’s Top Gaining Toy Property according to NPD’s Retail Tracking Service are as follows:

Action Figures and Accessories – Bakugan – Spin Master
Arts & Crafts – LEGO Dots – The LEGO Group
Building Sets – LEGO Super Mario Bros – The LEGO Group
Dolls – Barbie – Mattel
Games & Puzzles – Harry Potter – Warner Brothers
Infant/Toddler/Preschool Toys – PAW Patrol – Spin Master
Youth Electronics – Hatchimals – Spin Master
Outdoor & Sports Toys – Nerf Fortnite – Hasbro
Plush – Star Wars – Disney
Vehicles – Hot Wheels – Mattel
Explorative & Other Toys – Playmobil Scooby Doo – Playmobil

The NPD Group has also presented the Ninth Annual Toy Industry Performance Awards for The Americas – Mexico, the US, Canada and Brazil.

Among the winners in this market, it was MGA Entertainment’s LOL Surprise that was handed the award for US Top Toy Property of the Year, while the US Top Selling Toy of the Year award was given to Mattel’s Barbie Dreamhouse.

The winners of the US Top Selling Toy by Supercategory awards, are:

Action Figures & Accessories – Beyblade Hypersphere Starter Pack Assortment – Hasbro
Arts & Crafts – Kinetic Sand Sandisfying Set – Spin Master
Building Sets – Super Mario Brothers Adventures Starter Course – The LEGO Group
Dolls – Barbie Dreamhouse – Mattel
Explorative & Other Toys – 5 Surprise Mini Brands Mystery Pack – Zuru
Games/Puzzles – UNO Card Game Assortment – Mattel
Infant/Toddler/Pre-school Toys – Laugh & Learn Smart Stages Puppy & Sis Assortment – Mattel
Outdoor & Sports Toys – Bunch O Balloons 3-Pack – Zuru
Plush – Star Wars The Mandalorian The Child Vinyl Head Plush 11″ – Mattel
Vehicles – Hot Wheels Singles 1:64 Assortment – Mattel
Youth Electronics – Kidizoom Smartwatch – VTech

Nelvana, Spin Master and TMS Entertainment mark third season return of Bakugan: Geogan Rising and new toy lines

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Corus Entertainment’s Nelvana, Spin Master, and TMS Entertainment have detailed the third season return of the hit action adventure series, Bakugan: Geogan Rising and an accompanying extended toy line.

The new season will premiere on Sunday, January 24 on Corus Entertainment’s Teletoon in Canada, with new episodes airing weekly. It is also available to stream live and on demand on StackTV through Prime Video Channels. Viewers will also be able to find seasons one and two.

Following the launch of the new season, Spin Master is rolling out a new Bakugan: Geogan Rising toy line featuring transforming creatures. The range will land in North America this February and will roll-out across the international markets this autumn.

“We’re incredibly proud to bring Bakugan: Geogan Rising into the esteemed Bakugan franchise as the brand continues to captivate audiences globally,” said Mellany Masterson, head of Nelvana Enterprises. “Together with Spin Master we’ve grown a loyal fan base who love all things Bakugan and the international success is a testament to the dynamic content and new storylines delivered each season.”

Thom Chapman, VP sales and distribution, Spin Master, added: “We’re excited to unleash more brawling action and bring new characters to life as Bakugan captivates fans around the world.

“Partnering with Nelvana opens the door to endless possibilities for adventure as we introduce a new story and reveal epic new collectible toys allowing brawlers to watch, collect and battle.”

Bakugan: Geogan Rising sees hero Dragonoid return as the Awesome Brawlers remain in a deep slumber, healing from the last time they had to save the world. This time, the gang will face adventures with a new set of Bakugan characters including Geogan, a Bakugan-like creature fused with elements of crystals and forming a new geometric form.

Not only do Geogans look different than their Bakugan counterparts, but they are exceptionally strong and built to brawl. It’s not long before the Awesome Brawlers turn this group of misfit Bakugan into loyal partners, and Geogan have arrived on the scene, ready to prove their worth and dominate in the Bakugan battle arena.

Children’s entertainment licenses praised by Toy Retailers Association among its Toy of the Year Award winners

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Children’s entertainment licenses PAW Patrol, Super Mario, Harry Potter, and Star Wars have been among those praised by the Toy Retailers Association for the role they have played in helping the toy industry through a troubled 2020.

In this year’s Toy of the Year awards, reflective of the change of pace for the retail scene in general over the course of last year, a strong line-up of licensed product has been championed alongside some of the best performing companies to have fuelled the industry’s five per cent year on year sales increase.

In a change of approach to the usual Toy of the Year selection process, this year’s listing reflects the impact that the pandemic has had on the sector. Yet, while online sales have accounted for just under half of all toy sales of 2020, suppliers and retailers have still played a major role in keeping the nation’s children smiling.

Amid the uncertainty, there have been four outstanding categories which have played their part in delivering the industry’s growth, all of which have outperformed the overall market.

The TRA recognises that multiple suppliers have played an integral part in each of the categories, but the selection panel has decided to highlight a ‘winner’ in each of these categories to represent the largest overall contribution to the category in a unique year for the industry.

“This year, in keeping with the year we have just experienced, we decided to be total different in our approach,” Alan Simpson, chairman of the Toy Retailers Association, told ToyNews.

“When people look back at award winners in years to come, they will notice that 2020 was totally different. I believe that this was the correct approach to reflect the challenges we have all had to overcome.”

GAMES & PUZZLES

This was a key performer in the overall market. As well as helping educate and entertain children, this category topped the growth (year on year) performance with various suppliers driving this increase.

It was the like of Ravensburger, Orchard, Gibsons Games, Asmodee, Hasbro and Tomy (Drumond Park) that all performed superbly well throughout the year.

The panel has chosen RAVENSBURGER as its standout performer in this category.

BUILDING & CONSTRUCTION 

This is an area dominated by one supplier, although Hornby with its Airfix range added a different dimension to this category with notable ranges from K’Nex and Geomag.

The winner in this category is LEGO. Delivering remarkable growth consistently over the last 10 years, LEGO has yet again outperformed the market and is to be commended for keeping the nation’s children (and kidults) entertained and amused throughout the Covid-19 pandemic and various lockdowns.

OUTDOOR & SPORTS

In a category that benefitted from people having to stay at home, it was inevitable that growth would be achieved in this area. Many products helped with our children’s mental and physical health – bicycles, trampolines, skateboards, as well as outdoor ranges from the likes of Little Tikes.

The standout performer in this category was MOOKIE TOYS for its swingball range.

ARTS & CRAFTS

Again, a variety of suppliers contributed to making this category such a success. These were Galt, Crayola, John Adams, and Spin Master with its Kinetic Sand, to name but a few.

The winner in this category is HASBRO for its domination in the arts and crafts sector through its Play Doh brand.

Many other suppliers contributed to the success of 2020 and the panel recognised the most notable listed below, with the reasons noted alongside. These will all receive a “Highly Commended” certificate this year.

BANDAI for its launch of the Cocomelon range.

CHARACTER OPTIONS for continued success with its Peppa Pig, Goo Jit Zu and Pokemon ranges

FUNRISE for its Fart Ninja line

GOLDEN BEAR for its Hey Duggee and Bing ranges

MGA ENTERTAINMENT for its L.O.L. Surprise! range

MATTEL for its success with its Barbie, Hot Wheels and Star Wars’ The Child ranges

SPIN MASTER for Paw Patrol

VTECH for its varied pre-school learning range

ZURU for the successful launch of its 5 Surprise Mini Brands range

Meanwhile, LICENSES continued to play a big part in 2020. In addition to licenses already mentioned, Frozen, Super Mario and Harry Potter continued to deliver throughout the year.

The TRA sincerely hopes that ‘normal service’ resumes in 2021 when we can revert to our customary criteria and identify the actual toy winners and allocating awards accordingly. In the meantime, we wish you all a successful and healthy 2021.

Spin Master establishes three creative centres and names Max Rangel its incoming global president and CEO

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Major shifts at the global children’s entertainment company, Spin Master, have seen the appointment of Max Rangel to the role of global president effective January 2021 and CEO, a role he will take on from April 2021.

The company has also revealed the establishment of three creative centres comprising Toys, Entertainment and Digital Games.

Rangel’s appointment has been made as Spin Master’s co-founders and current co-CEOs, Ronnen Harary and Anton Rabie prepare to transition out of their positions to take up their leadership roles on the Board. Harary will continue to guide the growth of the digital games and creative centre, while Rabie will continue to provide input on Spin Master’s global culture.

Both Harary and Rabie will remain involved in business development and all mergers and acquisition activity at the company.

Rangel is a seasoned executive who brings extensive experience in leading consumer-focused and high performing teams, developing innovative marketing and brand management programs and managing complex operations. Most recently, he held progressive positions with SC Johnson & Sons serving as SVP, president of lifestyle brands in international markets and SVP, president, Asia Pacific, Africa, Middle East and Russia regions.

Prior to this, Rangel spent 22 years at Procter and Gamble and over three years at The Hershey Company.

Spin Master also detailed its plan for executive leadership development. The company has established three creative centres comprising Toys, Entertainment and Digital Games.

Chris Beardall, a toy-industry veteran with over 20 years at Spin Master, who is currently executive vice president of global sales, will be appointed president, Spin Master Toys, overseeing the toy creative centre. Beardall will champion profitable growth across the entire toy portfolio.

Meanwhile, Jennifer Dodge, an entertainment-industry veteran, who has been with Spin Master for 12 years and who is currently executive vice president, Entertainment, will be appointed president, Spin Master Entertainment. Dodge will oversee all aspects of the company’s entertainment creative centre from franchise growth through to content development, production and distribution globally.

Fredrik Loving, a digital games industry expert who previously held leadership positions at Electronic Arts and other leading digital games companies and who recently joined Spin Master as executive vice president, Digital Studios, will be appointed president, Spin Master Digital Games. In this new role based in Sweden, Loving will oversee Spin Master’s digital games creative centre from managing game development at Toca Boca’s and Sago Mini’s Stockholm and Toronto studios, through to sales and platform growth.

“Since founding Spin Master together more than 26 years ago, we’ve grown from a single, item-driven business to a leading global children’s entertainment company with three thriving creative centres in toys, entertainment and digital games,” said Harary.

“With a well-defined long-term vision and a strong executive management team in place, we believe the time is right to transition Spin Master beyond its founders on a day to day operating level. This natural transition will allow Anton and I to emphasize our strategic roles where we can focus our efforts on shepherding Spin Master’s course for the future.”

Spin Master’s third co-founder Ben Varadi will continue in his role as chief creative officer supporting all three creative centres and will remain on Spin Master’s Board.

“As we take the next step in the evolution of Spin Master, we’ve assembled an exceptional global team poised to deliver on our long-term vision,” said Rabie.

“Max is an extraordinary business leader with a tremendous track record of leading global teams and harnessing the full potential of individuals to achieve outstanding results. Collectively, we will continue to nurture a culture where innovation drives growth and where we continue to deliver the most imaginative experiences for kids and families around the world.”

Big Picture Licensing named UK and Eire licensing agent for Brave Bunnies as portfolio plans get underway

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Big Picture Licensing has been appointed the exclusive licensing agent for the UK and Eire, and master agent across EMEA and APAC for the animated pre-school series Brave Bunnies.

Created and developed by the Ukrainian creative production hub, Glowberry, the new series aims to blend the traditional feel of a pre-school property with modern and relevant themes of diversity and inclusivity. It follows the adventures of two brave and curious bunnies who journey through their world on the Bunny Bus in search of new friends.

52 episodes make up season one that, thanks to a partnership with Aardman as global content distributor, has already been placed with the likes of Milkshake and Nick Jr in the UK, SuperRTL in Germany, ABC in Australia, SVT in Sweden and more. The  show has already gone live in some territories, with further international roll-out scheduled during  Q1 2021.

On a global scale, Brave Bunnies has appointed a portfolio of licensing agents that includes DeAgnostini in Italy, and LaPanaderia, the master agent for the property in Latin America. Meanwhile, Big Picture Licensing has signed up a roster of leading agents in their respective regions, including CPLG for Benelux, Nordics, CEE, and Southern Europe, CLM for Africa, Centa IP in Australia and New Zealand, and Mediogen in Israel.

Brave Bunnies licensed products are set to roll out from Easter 2022, with Spin Master leading the charge as the property’s global master toy licensee. The firm will develop a range of pre-school toys based on the series. On top of this, Big Picture Licensing has signed up Penguin Random House as a strategic multi-territory licensee, joining Planeta Libra as publishing partners.

Brave Bunnies has already gone live in some territories, with further international roll-out scheduled for Q1 2021. A complimentary and comprehensive digital content plan is also in development. At MIPCOM last month, Brave Bunnies was the second most viewed show in the MIP Junior Screenings  Library (and number one in its preschool target-demo), and unsurprisingly interest is brewing in the licensing  arena. 

Sergey Molchanov, CEO at Glowberry, said: “We have taken a lot of care to ensure that Brave Bunnies has received the best quality treatment from the off, and we are delighted to maintain that  standard across our key commercial partner appointments.

“We’re grateful for the support and the  broad positive response to our property, and we’re just getting started.” 

Dan Frugtniet, MD at Big Picture Licensing, added: “We’re extremely proud and excited to be  working with Glowberry on this wonderful property, and delighted, but not at all surprised at the strong start – without exception, everybody who we have showed Brave Bunnies to has been  overwhelmingly positive about it.

“As well as finalising APAC agency appointments, we’re now  looking to secure UK licensing partners in all major product categories. Please get in touch to discuss  how you can hop on the Brave Bunny Bus.”