Cover story

WILDBRAIN CPLG

ALL ABOUT PEANUTS

The Peanuts brand has been part of WildBrain CPLG’s rich international portfolio for some time. Starting in 2021, that now includes representation in the Italian market by WildBrain CPLG.

Maria Giovanna Gurrieri, Managing Director, Italy, Turkey and

Greece, WildBrain CPLG tells us all.

© PNTS

LM. The addition of Peanuts is great news for WildBrain CPLG headquarters in Italy, an office with a well-established presence in the country. Tell us about this important step and the Peanuts legacy.

MGG. The Peanuts brand joined our portfolio at the beginning of this year. We took over the property through an agreement with BIC Licensing, who had managed the brand for over 30 years in Italy. The development strategy and the entire operation is now completely within our remit, while maintaining a consultancy relationship with BIC founder Claudio Massari, who has a wealth of historic knowledge of the brand in the area. The transition is significant and will help us to take the brand beyond national borders and maximize its international potential. Working with licensor Peanuts Worldwide, WildBrain CPLG already represents the Peanuts brand in the UK, Iberia, France, Germany, Benelux, Greece, Turkey, Middle East and the expansion of Peanuts representation in Italy means we can implement synergies more easily and work with the best pan-European partners.

Peanuts, which celebrated its 70th anniversary in 2020, is an incredible brand. With recognition well above 90 percent and more than 17 million fans on social media, it enjoys high resonance not only in the United States but also throughout Europe and Asia, with an especially strong presence in Japan. The story of Snoopy and the much-loved Peanuts gang who orbit around him is hugely popular in Italy. The core target is very broad: fans

Maria Giovanna Gurrieri

who appreciate the iconic status of the characters, either because they have read some of the 18,000 strips drawn by Peanuts creator Charles M. Schulz and appreciate the elegant irony, or because Snoopy, Woodstock, Charlie Brown and gang have become a part of their life, like a friend you’ve always known even though you can’t remember how you met! The brand is especially beloved by new parents who really appreciate the classic style and timelessness of Peanuts’ design.

Peanuts speaks a universal language and has introduced idioms into our vocabulary such as the “Linus blanket”, the need for security sought from a personal object, or the universally famous opening words: “Happiness is ...”. Increased global awareness of the brand is also being driven by new Peanuts content on Apple TV+, created by WildBrain CPLG’s parent company, WildBrain. This February, Apple TV+ debuted the new animated series The Snoopy Show, following on last year’s debut of Snoopy in Space. Both shows have been hugely popular with audiences and will definitely expand appeal of the brand to a new generation.

LM. I guess you have some important projects in development for this brand.

Saint Barth Collection

Can you share something? What will be the main focus for the brand?

MGG. We have some very ambitious plans for Peanuts. The brand already boasts many excellent Italian licensees such as Benetton, Iceberg and Original Marines, just to name a few, who are long-time partners. We will continue to pursue opportunities in Lifestyle with collaborations ranging from clothing and accessories to the world of design and Housewares. We would also like to draw on the iconic strength of the characters and their recognition among the public, to use them as ‘spokespeople’ for advertising campaigns and loyalty programs. We are also looking to close

FW21 Iceberg Collection

“The core target is very broad: fans who appreciate the iconic status of the characters, either because they have read some of the 18,000 strips drawn by Peanuts creator Charles M. Schulz and appreciate the elegant irony, or because Snoopy, Woodstock, Charlie Brown and gang have become a part of their life, like a friend you’ve always known even though you can’t remember how you met!”

United Colors of Benetton Collection

some key agreements in the world of confectionery. And finally, publishing is another very important product category for Peanuts, particularly because its entire journey started with the written word and comic strips were among the first licensed Peanuts products. There is already a huge, broad-ranging publishing program in place, and we will work to maintain it and expand it wherever possible.

SS21 Puma Collection

LM. As already mentioned, Peanuts is in WildBrain CPLG’s portfolio in other European countries. Can you give us an overview of the brand’s progress internationally?

MGG. Peanuts is one of those brands that manages to engage people who are very different from each other, both by target and by nationality. Its subtle irony, simplicity and elegance of the design make the characters iconic and universal. There have been many superb campaigns developed by my colleagues in the rest of Europe, so many that I’ll just mention my three favorite international hits! The partnership I admire for its nonstop, constant creativity, despite having Zara Home Collection worked on the brand for a long time, is with the Inditex Group from Spain which creates clothing and home accessories for men, women and children worldwide. We admittedly have the advantage of a huge choice of style guides, with several new themes developed every year, but the skill of the designers of Zara, Oysho, Pull & Bear, and Zara Home is truly remarkable! Another collaboration that I really like is the Puma line, recently launched by the German office. The graphics they have created beautifully combine both sportiness and humor. The key characters are Snoopy in his many “athletic” guises, together with Charlie Brown and Woodstock. Changing product categories, I also think the agreement with Smeg, brokered by the Benelux office, is fantastic. Created as a limited edition for the 70th anniversary celebration, it was very successful and created some great buzz throughout EMEA. In addition to EU countries, Peanuts is also doing great with colleagues from the Middle East and Turkey. Riva in Dubai and Koton, LC Waikiki and Defacto in Turkey are loyal to Snoopy and the gang. with

Alanui Collection

beautiful apparel collections for women and children. But Peanuts isn’t just about partnerships and business. What I really appreciate is how the brand continues to inspire fans around the world by bringing kindness and a smile to the people around us. A great example of that is the new global Take Care with Peanuts campaign, launched by Peanuts Worldwide in 2020. Drawing on themes found throughout Charles Schulz’s iconic comic strips, Take Care with Peanuts promotes three vital messages of caring: Care for yourself; Care for each other; Care for the Earth. Throughout 2021, a Take Care-themed video will be made available online every month with Peanuts characters learning lessons that fall within the project. The initiative was also launched in 70 hospitals around the world in association with the Foundation for Hospital Art. Staff and patients of the selected hospitals will collectively paint pieces of the mural which will then be assembled as a colorful embodiment of positivity and optimism. In Italy, you can admire one of these murals at the San Gerardo Hospital in Monza. From our Italian office, we have identified some new initiatives to be carried out within the Take Care context which we look forward to developing. Stay tuned!

©Sega

LM. WildBrain CPLG has a very rich portfolio, besides Peanuts. Do you want to give us a brief overview with news not to be missed this year?

MGG. Like every year, there are many innovations that will characterize 2021 and that will involve entertainment properties such as Topo Gigio and Sonic The Hedgehog; classic brands including Mafalda and Pink Panther; as well as our or lifestyle brands such as the iconic emoji. Let’s begin with Topo Gigio, the beloved character created in 1959 by Maria Perego. Starting last October 5th a new animated series is airing every day on Rai YoYo. The series continues to enjoy great success among YoYo’s young viewers, confirming itself as one of the most popular programs on the channel. The Ottodame Collection with Mafalda

licensing program we are building around the property is also growing and many licensees have already launched the first wave of products on the market, starting with Giochi Preziosi, Master Toy Partner, Gribaudo, Play Press, Hopplà, Bauli and

Clementoni.

Another equally beloved and wellknown character around the world is Sonic the Hedgehog, the star of one of the most iconic and best-selling video game franchises of all time, which this year celebrates its 30th anniversary. The news does not end there: after the global success of the first feature film in 2020, the second movie is coming to theaters in Spring 2022. Also in 2022, a new animated series, Sonic Prime, co-produced by WildBrain and SEGA will air on Netflix worldwide. Sonic boasts an extensive cross-category licensing program around the world, including recent collaborations with Puma and Lego.

“I believe it is important for companies to organize quickly to offer their products online as this buying habit is unlikely to disappear.”

FW20 Original Marines Collection

There are many other innovations on the brand front, starting with Mafalda, which also recently joined our portfolio. Mafalda was first illustrated in 1964 by the famous Argentine cartoonist Quino. Determined, serious, altruistic and rebellious, little Mafalda always says what she thinks, tries to find out how the world turns and has fun even in the most trivial events. Her comics have sold over 50 million copies worldwide, while her character is one of the most loved on Facebook with over six million fans. Mafalda already boasts several important partnerships with companies such as Clementoni, Salani, Sabor, Foto Edizioni and Akena. Another classic brand always in the spotlight is Pink Panther, the evergreen icon that has inspired countless collections in the fashion world - and beyond - thanks to its sophisticated and glamorous style. Among the most recent partnerships is Tezenis, which just launched a line of apparel, underwear and sleepwear for adults and children in all stores and online, and Original Marines, which has created a F/W 2020 collection with dedicated window displays, in-store activations, an influencer campaign, as well as new products which are planned for the S/S 2021 season. And continuing in the world of brands but with a more lifestyle direction, there is emoji – The Iconic Brand, one of the most influential and well-known brands in the world that boasts over 1,000 licensing partnerships. It is an extremely contemporary brand, universally appealing to every target and product category, and provides the largest icon library on the planet with over 20,000 emojis! We have several partnerships for emoji in Italy, including with Puma, Clementoni, San Carlo and Dolfin.

LM. As an expert in the sector, how do you evaluate the state of the market to date and what are your aims for a postcovid relaunch? How do you see the retail trend in the future?

MGG. The pandemic and the consequent lockdown has unfortunately impacted the Italian economy more than some other European countries. Not being able to make purchases traditionally, as perhaps is easier for us, has accelerated digitalization, and consumers have now become accustomed to making personal purchases online. Recent research shows that online sales have tripled their value compared to 2019, so much so that in 2020 online fashion spending saw an increase of almost 30 percent. I believe it is important for companies to organize quickly to offer their products online as this buying habit is unlikely to disappear. Another phenomenon that we will have to face in the coming years concerns cinemas: due to the closure of theaters, many major studios have started to launch new releases directly on digital platforms. I love cinema very much and I consider the experience of enjoying a beautiful film on the big screen a very pleasant way to spend an evening, so I hope that we will be able to return to old habits without losing too many cinemas in the meantime. Without a doubt, this pandemic period has accelerated the penetration of services such as Netflix, Amazon Prime TV, Disney+, and Apple TV+, which has positive aspects for our business since it adds an important new “showcase” for animated series, and entertainment products in general, without time limits and schedules.