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January 2015

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14 It is boom time!

Features 18 That sporting feeling With the 2015 Rugby World Cup fast approaching, the general world of sports licensing is examined

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Special Reports

24 Territory Focus LTW takes a closer look at the Nordics to see how licensing is performing in the region 28 One for the kids We take a look at the ever-popular pre-school properties sector and children’s TV in this issue

SEGA’s Sonic Boom is in for a great year, we find out why 22 The gift of giving Enesco’s licensed offering is pretty special, LTW finds out more from Licensing Manager Wendy Addison 42 All the fun of the fairs! With Nuremberg, Kazachok, Spring Fair and London Toy Fair all upcoming, LTW gets to grip with all that is happening

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015 is the year of the blockbuster licences! With the year set to bring a raft of superb movies to the cinemas, it is sure to be a top year for revenue too. With Disney leading the charge with Cinderella, a Frozen short movie, Marvel’s Age of Ultron and AntMan, Inside Out and of course, Star Wars licences have been and will continue to be snapped up and the tills will be ringing. All of this of course is great for the industry. With the announcements in 2014 of some re-launches and revivals, DangerMouse, Teletubbies and Toy Story too, it feels as though the industry is going to be really buoyant and the confidence experienced at the shows during the year, especially the Vegas show and BLE, really was strong and everyone appeared to be on a real high that looks set to continue in the coming year to 18 months, and beyond, one hopes! Sports is a big part of our personal lives here at LTW – football, rugby golf, Formula One, you name it we follow it. With the Rugby World Cup being held here in the UK this year, the sport is set to generate a lot of interest and licensed product too. We take a good look at some of the sporting licenses that have big plans for 2015 on page 18. Great news reached us from Rockpool Licensing just as were going to press. They have just signed a deal with LMI whose portfolio includes the supremely popular Game of Thrones. Vickie O’Malley, MD of Rockpool will be seeking new partnerships on LMI’s behalf using her network and the experience gained in developing some of the most successful consumer products programmes of the last

decade. Vickie says: “It’s fantastic to be working with Andrew and the team to extend the programmes for their properties. Game of Thrones is naturally a key focus and I’m especially interested to meet potential partners in homewares, gifting and collectables at upcoming trade fairs.” Andrew Maconie, CEO LMI adds: “We are delighted to be working with Vickie and feel that together we can develop some innovative partnerships with key licensees.” Well done Vickie! This issue we bring you an additional read – together with our sister publication, Art Buyer, we have produced a special section focused on the best of art licensing. Turn to page 47 to find out more. And lastly, another shout out to another of our stablemates, TnP. The team are going to be feverishly working away at London Toy Fair putting together a fantastic and news-packed daily paper live from the show! Pop over to see the team and catch up with us too, as we will be there on the stand E1. I promise, you will not regret it – Team TnP have something quite special in store for you all.

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LTW NEWS

Divine Disney Enesco has a very special licensed Disney collection launching in January 2015. In their Disney Showcase Collection no detail is overlooked, with an impressive live action Maleﬁcent; two Disney princesses in the shape of Belle Bride and Cinderella Bride, Jessica Rabbit and a very dapper Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse with glitter, real feather boa and diamanté jewellery. Frozen’s Elsa also makes an appearance. Enesco’s Enchanting Disney collection is equally as impressive and also launches in January 2015, while in the Disney Traditions collection, awardwinning

This is just too cute artist Jim Shore combines much loved characters from Disney ﬁlms with American folk art inspired patterns and bold colours, in a style that is unique and instantly recognisable. Also look out for the Disney by Britto collection which combines today’s most sought after contemporary artist with the number one family brand, offering a truly unique collection.

Cartamundi has announced a partnership with Discovery Consumer Products, the licensing arm of Discovery Communications, for three new family card games based on the popular Animal Planet TV series, Too Cute. The Animal Planet: Too Cute range includes a Domino game in orange packaging, a Happy Families game in pink packaging and a Pairs game in blue packaging. Like the shows on which they are based, the illustrations on the cards will be of baby animals that are just ‘too cute’. The games will be available separately and in a three-in-one pack at toyshops, gift shops p y p ,g p and supermarkets permarkets across Europe from early 2015. 015. Animal Planet: Too Cute te will be launched to retaill at the imminent toy trade shows hows in Nuremberg and London ndon where it will be part of a strong Cartamundi stand display underlining the arrival val of a powerful portfolio io of new games throughout hout 2015.

The year of the sheep Shaun the Sheep The Movie hits the screens from 6 February this year, supported with high level marketing campaigns throughout the world.

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2015 is the “Year of the Sheep” and will be kicking off with Shaun themed celebrations and promotions across Asia. This includes themed shopping mall events and exhibitions across 10 cities in China as well as in Hong Kong and Taiwan. In the UK the marketing and licensing programmes continue to take shape with brand new items coming to the toy shelves in 2015. This includes the launch of a new range of plush toys and games, mini-ﬁgurines from, inﬂatable items and pocket money toys. Other key category drivers including publishing ranges, apparel and bags

and accessories. Further planned activity for UK in 2015 includes “Shaun in the City” which will showcase 120 giant sculptures of Shaun the Sheep decorated by celebrities and artists in a major public arts trail in London and Bristol raising money for the Wallace & Gromit Children’s charity, and an amazing joint merchandise campaign with Rugby World Cup which will be hosted in England in September. There will be further product launches across giftwares, homewares, publishing and stationery.

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Tottenham Hotspur expands its licensing presence in North America

Jumbo signs on for Furcester Jumbo Games has added The Furchester Hotel to their range, after signing a deal with Sesame Workshop via their UK licensing agent, CPLG. The company will produce a range of licensed children’s puzzles and games for The Furchester Hotel. The new pre-school children’s series, The Furchester Hotel, ﬁrst aired in September 2014 and is a Sesame Street co-production with CBeebies. Jumbo Games will produce a series of licensed products including a 35 piece puzzle assortment, a 4in1 shaped puzzle, giant playing cards and a dominoes game. The range is set to launch in A/W 2015. Gray Richmond, Managing Director of Jumbo Games said: “We’re pleased to be working with Sesame Workshop and CPLG on this new and very exciting license. Sesame Street has been popular amongst generations so we’re thrilled to be involved with this co-production.” Gemma Witts, Retail & Category Director of CPLG, added: “Jumbo Games are a great partner to have on board and complement a strong line-up of The Furchester Hotel licensees. We look forward to working with them, and all of our partners, as products begin to rollout next year.”

Tottenham Hotspur Football Club has appointed Fermata Partners to source and manage its licensing deals in North America. The club has a growing presence in the region, with over 30 Ofﬁcial Supporters Clubs – more than any other Premier League team. The deal also comes on the back of a successful pre-season tour of the US & Canada, which saw Tottenham Hotspur friendly

matches with MLS teams sell out stadiums in July. The growing interest in Tottenham Hotspur in North America is summed up by a 48% increase in the number of US fans registered on the club database within 12 months, with 45% increase in Canada.

An all star line-up FremantleMedia UK has announced a string of licensing deals across a range of categories for its entertainment and factual entertainment brands. The new deals include a new gift range for cerebral quiz show QI, a refreshed All Star Family Fortunes board game and a brand new board game for pop quiz show Never Mind the Buzzcocks. For Stephen Fry-fronted panel show QI FremantleMedia UK has signed up Wow! Stuff to produce a new gifting range.

The range is currently being presented to retailers and is expected to launch in autumn/winter 2015. Toy manufacturer and distributor Vivid Imaginations has been contracted to produce a refreshed board game for long-running family favourite All Star Family Fortunes which will feature new artwork and fresh questions. The board game will launch at Toy Fair in January 2015 and is expected to hit retail in July.

Second series of Thunderbirds is given green light to go! Fifty years after it ﬁrst debuted on the small screen, Thunderbirds really are go. A second series of the show has been commissioned, ahead of the premiere of series one. CITV commissioned ITV Studios and Pukeko Pictures to make the second series which will air in 2016 and 2017. The ﬁrst series is due to premiere on ITV and CITV in spring 2015. This follows the news that ITV Studios Global Entertainment has pre-sold the series to international broadcasters including TVNZ in

January 2015

New Zealand, Australia’s Nine Network, Noga in Israel and pan-Arab broadcaster MBC. Steve Green, EVP, Kids’ Content and Distribution at ITV Studios Global Entertainment, said: “The unique mix of CGI animation and incredible model sets gives each episode of Thunderbirds Are Go a theatrical feel rarely seen in children’s TV that has generated huge interest globally. Having 52 episodes of this quality takes our discussions to a new level.”

LTW NEWS

New deals for Walker Books

Something to look at The National Gallery Company Ltd has announced the award of a global license to official licensed calendar publisher Danilo Promotions Ltd. Danilo will begin by producing 2016 calendars and diaries illustrated with some of the most famous paintings from the National Gallery collection. The range will be widely available in gift shops, stationery shops, major stores, supermarkets and online from late 2015. Danilo is Europe’s leading official licensed calendar publisher with a product range that includes calendars, diaries, greeting cards and gift wrap. This is the latest licence announcement following the launch by the National Gallery Company Ltd of a comprehensive, international licensing programme featuring the National Gallery’s collection of some of the finest paintings in the world. Independent licensing agency JELC has been appointed to develop the campaign with the National Gallery Company Ltd. Judith Mather, Buying and Merchandise Director, the National Gallery Company says: “Calendars and diaries are an obvious market for the National Gallery licensing programme, and Danilo, with its global reach and unrivalled reputation in licensed calendar publishing, is an ideal partner.” Trevor Jones, Licensing Director, Danilo, adds: “We are delighted to be working with the National Gallery Company on this exciting licence. There will be a very big international market for diaries and calendars featuring some of the most famous and best-loved paintings in the world.”

As the 20th anniversary celebrations begin for Guess How Much I Love You, the brand will continue to build on the success of the last two years across apparel and nursery toy categories following Walker’s renewal deals with both Paul Dennicci and Rainbow Designs. Nicola Webster, Licensing Manager at Walker Books, says: “The brand has gone from strength to strength with both high street and independent retailers getting behind the range of nursery toys and gifts from Rainbow Designs and new apparel lines from Paul Dennicci. Both lines have achieved incredible success, the apparel range for TU at Sainsbury’s has reached the ﬁnals for two years running at The Licensing Awards, and Rainbow Design’s products have seen their best ever launch of a nursery and toy gift range. We are really looking forward to continuing our partnerships with both of these licensees, their understanding of the brand and committed creative approach guarantees great products that really

appeal to both trade and consumer audiences.” The renewal deals will see Rainbow Designs adding to their current range of Big and Little Nutbrown Hare plush, comforter and puzzles with a bootie gift set, hot water bottle cover and giant plush in development. There will also be further toy and gift lines including developmental and activity toys and a range of wooden toys. Paul Dennicci’s apparel ranges will follow a new style guide and trend directions to develop boy, girl and unisex ranges from newborn to age 3, including day and nightwear, including sleepsuits, sleeping bags, multi piece sets, dresses, dungarees, cardigans and accessories.

Penguin say hey! to Duggee Penguin has acquired the publishing rights to Hey Duggee, a brand new pre-school children’s television programme created by award-winning Studio AKA for CBeebies and BBC Worldwide. Juliet Matthews, Publishing Director, Penguin Children’s, has agreed terms with BBC Worldwide for world book rights, and in all languages. The 52-part series will make its debut on CBeebies in January 2015. Penguin will publish under the Ladybird imprint in summer 2015. The range will be aimed at 3-6 year olds and include a range of picture, activity and novelty books. Nicholas Brett, Director of UK Publishing at BBC Worldwide said: “The Penguin Publishing Plan is a welcome addition to a growing portfolio of licensing partners for this exciting new brand. Adding to Golden Bear as Master Toy Licensee we’re very excited to see how Penguin will represent the world of Hey Duggee off-air. Hey Duggee offers a treasure trove of adventures and we’re thrilled to begin the creation of some fantastic new lines and digital offerings to take young fans enjoyment of the show even further.”

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Pokémon brand at all-time high!

Listen in style Harley-Davidson fans have to be impressed with news that a special edition branded radio is on its way. JRL Group, Inc. negotiated a licensing partnership between Cobra Electronics Corporation and the Harley-Davidson Motor Company for a special limited edition Harley-Davidson branded CB radio. JRL Group is Cobra Electronics’ licensing agency. “Cobra has been a leading designer and marketer of Citizens Band (CB) radios for decades and partnering with an iconic brand such as Harley-Davidson will deliver a unique opportunity for very loyal customers,” said Andrew Lieb, President of JRL Group. The Harley-Davidson programme complements the previously launched line of licensed Realtree branded radar detectors, two-way radios, and CB radios.

Kidscreen line-up revealed Kidscreen has announce that YouTube’s Head of Family/ EDU Malik Ducard will open 2015’s biggest event for leaders in children’s entertainment, with a revealing keynote entitled Press Play on Fun. With parent company Google currently revamping several of its products for kids aged 12 and under, YouTube’s Head of Family/EDU Malik Ducard will talk about new opportunities for producers to engage families like never before. The complete conference program for Kidscreen Summit 2015 is now available online offering more than 65 keynotes, panel discussions, presentations, debates and networking sessions—all featuring respected thought leaders and pioneers from the children’s entertainment industry and beyond. Kidscreen Summit 2015 is set to take place in Miami, Florida from February 23 to 26. The event’s new venue is the Miami InterContinental. Last year, Kidscreen Summit welcomed nearly 1,700 attendees from 47 countries around the world. And close to 450 kids TV buyers and investors were at the event looking for new content and partners.

January 2015

Pokémon is ramping up for continued success following the successful launch of the new video games Pokémon Omega Ruby and Pokémon Alpha Sapphire. The games’ release will be followed by a comprehensive consumer product rollout throughout 2015. With huge demand and record sales for the new video games, interest in the Pokémon brand is at an all-time high. The latest video games have shipped more than 7.7 million units worldwide since they launched in late 2014, with ﬁrst-week European sales up 35% from the previous games, Pokémon X and Pokémon Y, launched in 2013. The expansion of the European licensing programme follows a period of growth for the Pokémon brand globally. The renewed interest in Pokémon has been cemented by the recent signing of 10 new European licensees across a variety of categories including apparel, back-to-school supplies, footwear, food and drink, confectionery and video game accessories. They complement existing licensees, such as master toy partner TOMY, Sun City, CTI and CyP.

Oxford signs Aston Martin deal Oxford Diecast, the British based Diecast model vehicle manufacturer has added one of the most iconic British motor manufacturers to its model range. From later in 2015 Aston Martin’s famous cars will appear in Oxford Diecast packaging for the ﬁrst time. Pictured is the pre-production model which will be properly unveiled at the upcoming Toy Fairs. Collectors of both the Global 1:43 scale and the British 1:76 scale ranges will be

treated to classic models from Aston Martin. The ﬁrst pre-production models will be on display at the main toy and spring fairs in the UK, Europe and Asia.

Pre-production model pictured

LTW NEWS

New faces at HTI HTI has a new UK Managing Director, Paul Bennett, who brings with him a wealth of experience in the toy industry gained at LeapFrog and Little Tikes, latterly as Vice President International, as well as outside the industry at Fox Entertainment. Joining him is a whole host of new faces and talent. Jenny Watson joins in the role of Global Marketing Director. With extensive general business experience, Jenny joins from Mattel where she held the position of Marketing Director – Core Europe. The HTI marketing team has been further bolstered with a number of new appointments. Richard Venner joins the company as Senior Brand Manager – Boys Toys, from Vivid. Justin Clasby and Neil

Martin have joined the company recently as Brand Manager for Pre-school Toys and Assistant Brand Manager respectively. The HTI sales teams welcomes Andrew Reynolds and Mark Hyndman, who join as Senior National Account Managers, and Graham Morley has been appointed as HTI Field Sales Manager. Lastly, Claire Long has been appointed for a 12-month period to support all areas of HTI’s business on project work to assist during this transformative period. Claire brings a wealth of business knowledge and expertise following a successful career with companies such as LEGO and Hasbro Chris Spalding, HTI Chief Executive Ofﬁcer, said: “I am delighted to welcome all of these new appointments to HTI, each of whom bring the skills and experience to complement the company’s existing strong team. HTI is investing in great people that will assist the company in its dynamic growth strategy to take HTI to the next level.”

Vicky takes up role at Bulldog Bulldog Licensing have a new team member. It was announced recently that Vicky Hill has been promoted to the role of Licensing Manager. Since joining Bulldog as Licensing Executive little more than a year ago, Vicky has made a significant contribution to the agency’s global licensing operation. During this time she has managed two categories, including publishing where she has been responsible for significant overall growth. Her promotion comes as recognition of her incredible ability to grow the commercial opportunity and develop brands along a clear strategic path. “Although Vicky hasn’t been with us long she has made a significant impact in that time,” said Bulldog Group MD Rob Corney, “She really understands the licensing business and is always looking to gain more knowledge and insight into the industry. She was our first choice when the role of Licensing Manager became available and we are delighted she took the job, as she will be an integral part of our ongoing growth, direction and development.” Speaking of her new role Vicky said, “I’m delighted to be taking on this exciting and challenging role. Bulldog has enjoyed a period of sustained growth over the last few years and I am looking forward to the challenge of taking things even further and driving our ability to develop the biggest and best brands on the market.”

Zodiak Kids creates key role Zodiak Kids recently announced the appointment of BenoÎt Runel as Managing Director Zodiak Kids for France in a new position overseeing French production Companies Marathon Media and Télé Images Productions. Zodiak Kids, a division of Zodiak Media since 2011, encompasses Marathon Media and Tele Images Productions (France) and The Foundation (UK) as well as dedicated international sales and consumer products teams. This news comes as Philippe Alessandri steps down as Président Télé Images Productions and leaves Zodiak Media after 16 years with the business. Runel takes on his new promotion with immediate effect reporting into Zodiak Kids CEO Jean-Philippe Randisi. Prior to this he held the role of Executive Producer & Senior Vice President of International Drama Zodiak France overseeing international co-productions. He joined Zodiak in 2009. Previously he has held wide-ranging roles in international television including; creating and overseeing the launch of Fox Kids France; EVP Programming Fox Kids Europe, launching worldwide animation hits such as Pokemon and Marathon’s Totally Spies; and Director of Acquisitions Children’s TF1. Marathon Media and Télé Images Productions recent successes and current productions include a number of series such as: The Ranch, a huge hit in France and Germany; Lolirock, the brand new girls series bursting with magic, mystery and music; Extreme Football, the full CGI series packed with spectacular challenges; and Get Blake!, the unique slapstick animated cartoon series launched on Nickelodeon in 2015.

Brand Loyalty appoints Marie-Laure to new position Marie-Laure Marchand has joined Brand Loyalty after her tenure at Studio 100. In her new position, Marie-Laure will lead the worldwide licensing activities of Brand Loyalty’s Instant Loyalty Promotion department. Marie-Laure Marchand joins the company from Studio 100, where she was heading up the International Consumer Products and Marketing activities. She also held several roles in the kid’s entertainment industry during these past twenty years such as Vice President EMEA Consumer Products at Nelvana and Managing Director at Big Bocca (subsidiary of Upper Deck Group).

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LTW MOVIE NEWS

Star says Frozen 2 is “in the works”

2015: The blockbuster returns Movie royalty, Star Wars and Jurassic Park, gave fans their first taste of what’s to come with the launch of new trailers in late November, 2014. The movies, from Disney and Universal Pictures respectively, both caused a storm online, each racking up millions of views in the first 24 hours. As the marketing machine for next year’s screen-fillers whirs into action, experts are anticipating a resurgence in the popularity of cinemas. Speaking to The Sunday times, Cinema Exhibitors’ Association Chief Executive, Phil Clapp, predicted the best admission figures for several decades. “We would certainly be looking at the highest admissions for 40 years,” he said. Of course the success of these franchises in particular has always been closely linked to the toy industry. Frozen’s impact on the 2014 toy market has been unmistakeable, and with some big names already signed to bring licensed toys to market for Star Wars and Jurassic Park, a good 2015 for cinemas can only be good for toy retailers. Other big titles set for release next year include Spectre, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Minions, The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water and The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2.

2014 was the year of Frozen. You couldn’t move for mention of Disney’s animated hit, with kids of all ages jumping into the world of Elsa, Anna, Olaf and co. like freshly fallen snow. It is big news then that the ﬁlm’s biggest real world star, Idina Menzel, has seemingly conﬁrmed Frozen 2. The singer of Let It Go, the movie’s top musical number, let the news slip in an interview with The Telegraph. When asked if she could comment on the rumours circulating about a planned sequel and stage show, she said: “That they’re all in the works.” She added that although she had no plans to join the musical cast, she would “hopefully” be asked to reprise her role as the voice of Elsa. The news comes as Disney unveiled Frozen Fever, an animated short featuring the core characters that will hit cinema’s next year. It will be screened before the live-action re-telling of Cinderella, releasing in March 2015. The new animation will be set around Anna’s birthday party, and feature a new song from Let It Go writers Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez.

Bond is back

Pixar’s 15th movie revealed! Pixar has given fans a first look at its latest animated outing, Inside Out. It’s the first trailer for the movie, which focuses on all the unseen, unheard emotions inside our heads anthropomorphised emotions, naturally. The film centres on Riley, a young girl who has just moved with her family. But it’s the goings on inside her head, the actions of Joy, Fear, Anger, Sadness and Disgust, that are the real stars of the show. Inside Out will be the studio’s 15th feature film. Set for a 24 July, 2015 release in the UK, Amy Poehler, Bill Hader, Lewis Black, and Mindy Kaling head the voice cast.

The first details of the 24th James Bond film were revealed at a special event in December, presented by Director, Sam Mendes and the cast. Titled Spectre, Daniel Craig will return as the international super spy, with an all star supporting cast including double Oscar winner Christopher Waltz. Waltz’s character is called Oberhauser, a name that fans will recognise as that of James Bond’s old ski instructor and mentor. Waltz could well play Bond’s old ally, but fans are speculating that this call back is in fact a red herring to veil the return of one of Bond’s most infamous nemesis, Blofeld. Rumours that Blofeld would return in Spectre have been circulating since the film was known simply as Bond 24. Mendes unveiled the film’s title and cast at an event attended by Craig and the rest of the cast. True to form, Aston Martin revealed its new car, the DB10, which will feature in the movie in some capacity.

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LTW BROADCAST NEWS

Gadget goes global

Outfit7 launches new app Outfit 7, the company behind Talking Tom and Friends, launched a new app in December 2014. My Talking Angela became Outfit 7’s 15th app and is a follow up to last year’s My Talking Tom, which became the number one games app in 135 countries within 10 days of its release. “Our goal has always been to create fun, family-friendly content for users around the world,” said Samo Login, Founder and Chief Executive Officer at Outfit7. “Bringing glamour, sparkle and endless amounts of entertainment and creativity, My Talking Angela is an exciting and innovative new addition to the family of must-play Talking Tom and Friends apps.” In October 2014, Outfit7 passed the two billion download mark across its suite of apps, an achievement reached within four years of its first app launch.

Run to licensing The Wildflower Group has been appointed by Rodale Inc. to develop consumer products programmes for the company’s six market-leading properties, Men’s Health, Women’s Health, Prevention, Runners’ World, Bicycling, and Rodale’s Organic Life. “We are delighted to be working with Rodale, the first name in magazine brands for health and fitness-minded consumers,” said Michael Carlisle, Principal, The Wildflower Group. “Readers regularly look to Rodale’s standout titles to learn the latest ways to improve their performance and live better. We are committed to developing merchandise programs that will deliver more ways for people to enhance their healthy, active lifestyles with these trusted brands.” The Wildflower Group will initially focus on three main categories: food & beverage, exercise equipment and accessories, and supplements and wellness items.

January 2015

Those of a certain vintage who recall the original Inspector Gadget series will undoubtedly be looking forward to the latest offering from DHX Media. The company announced a series of broadcast deals for the new CGI Inspector Gadget series and Turner Broadcasting has taken the series for its Boomerang channels across EMEA, Latin America and Asia Paciﬁc. Josh Scherba, SVP Distribution at DHX Media says: “Inspector Gadget is one of those classic properties that’s perfect for a contemporary version. This series has been updated for the next generation of gadget-savvy kids and our deals with these new broadcast partners will ensure Inspector Gadget will ‘go-go’ to new fans.” Inspector Gadget was commissioned by TELETOON in Canada and will premiere on the network in 2015.

Driving TV distribution forward A swathe of new global agreements have been announced for Olly the Little White Van. Tokyo-based Fine Films is to distribute the ﬁrst two seasons of the pre-school series on DVD in Japanese from early 2015 while NPO Zapp, the leading Dutch-language children’s channel, is to air all 65 episodes daily in the Netherlands. Turkish children’s channel Yumurcak started broadcasting Olly twice daily recently and the ﬁrst Russian-language episodes have just broken on YouTube through XMedia, in a deal brokered by AWOL of Paris.

More Tree Fu for CBeebies A third series of Tree Fu Tom has been commissioned by CBeebies. A co-production between CBeebies and FremantleMedia Kids & Family Entertainment, the series is due for transmission in 2016. Tree Fu Tom has been a huge hit all over the world since its debut on CBeebies in 2012. The high rating show has consistently performed well on the channel and is now broadcast in more than 123 territories across the globe. Bob Higgins, EVP Creative and Production FMKFE said, “We are thrilled the BBC has continued its commitment to Tree Fu Tom by commissioning a third series. This new batch of episodes will further cement both the show’s opportunity for growth and its reputation as a major pre-school property.”

SEGA Cover Story

Boom! Sonic’s universe just got bigger With a mighty licensing and merchandising programme supported by a TV series and games, SEGA’s Sonic Boom is one to watch

or more than two decades Sonic the Hedgehog has been one of the world’s biggest gaming icons, with over 70 video game titles, four animated TV series, and an extensive global merchandising line to his name. This year SEGA introduces a new branch of the Sonic universe, entitled Sonic Boom, that will debut a new look for Sonic and friends and launch their first-ever CG animated television series, videogames for Wii U system and Nintendo 3DS handheld system and a new toy line. The creative driving forces behind these projects are working together with SEGA to kick-start a global campaign for Sonic Boom that will excite and engage new and existing fans across

Sonic Fast Facts

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The ﬁrst Sonic game was released on June 23, 1991, which is also celebrated as Sonic’s birthday.

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The Sonic the Hedgehog comic, published by Archie Comics, is the longest-running comic based on a video game.

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Sonic the Hedgehog was the ﬁrst videogame character to be a balloon in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade!

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The original code name for Sonic the Hedgehog was “Mr. Needlemouse”.

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Sonic has appeared in many commercials and promotions, from Honey Nut Cheerios to Progressive Insurance.

a variety of platforms. Sonic Boom’s visual identity includes character designs inspired by the abilities and unique personalities of each of the characters while still maintaining the core identity and values of the Sonic brand. The rich worlds of the TV series and videogame will share a common narrative and a number

of location and stylistic similarities reflecting full collaboration between videogame, TV series partners and SEGA from the outset.

Telling it on TV The Sonic Boom television series, co-produced by SEGA of America Inc. and OuiDO! Productions, based in France, debuted on Cartoon

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Network in the U.S. and on CANAL J and GULLI in France in October. The series is an ensemble comedy consisting of 52 x 11-minute standalone episodes packed full of high-adrenaline action. Every episode starts from a small character-driven story and explodes into an epic tale of saving the world, robot battles and more. The Sonic Boom TV series is a co-production between SEGA of America Inc. and OuiDO! Productions. Executive producers on the show are Evan Baily, Donna Friedman Meir and Jane McGregor on behalf of SEGA, and Sandrine Nguyen and Boris Hertzog from OuiDO! Other partners involved in the TV series include Lagardère Entertainment Rights for TV distribution.

Android and Windows Phone. In July 2014 another Sonic mobile game was launched with the colourful and vibrant Sonic Jump Fever, which reached the number one position in more than 60 countries. Sonic the Hedgehog first appeared as a videogame character in June 1991 and instantly became an icon for a generation of gamers. Defined by his super-fast speed and cool attitude, in the years since he first raced on to videogame consoles Sonic has become a true global phenomenon with over 140 million videogames sold or downloaded worldwide across consoles, PCs, mobile phones and tablets. SEGA’s iconic blue blur has also gone on to enjoy incredible success in many licensed areas, such as toys, apparel, comics and animation.

Sonic Boom’s visual identity includes character designs inspired by the abilities and unique personalities of each of the characters while still maintaining the core identity and values of the Sonic brand

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Get your game on

Totally toys

Nintendo has launched a Sonic Boom videogame to accompany the TV series and toys. Serving as a prequel to the stories revealed in the TV series, the Sonic Boom videogame delivers a totally different experience to previous Sonic games with collaborative gameplay at its core. The game has been developed in the U.S. by California based Big Red Button Entertainment (Wii U) and Sanzaru Games (Nintendo 3DS) in collaboration with Sonic Team in Japan. Sonic Boom will take advantage of the innovative hardware of both the Wii U and Nintendo 3DS, whilst featuring traditional elements of Sonic games, such as speed. The videogame will also introduce exploration, combat and a new Enerbeam tether mechanic that will allow the Sonic Boom world to be discovered in unique ways. Sonic games are also seeing great success on mobile, featuring Sonic’s debut in an original mobile Free to Download title in 2013, Sonic Dash reached the number one rank of the App Store games category in more than 130 countries. A year and a half later Sonic Dash remains a strong success and has been released on

Sonic Boom will be supported by a robust global licensing and merchandising program, anchored by new master toy partner, TOMY. TOMY’s line will showcase the new character looks, stressing interaction between core characters, and will feature new play patterns based on both the new game and TV series. Set to launch in 2015, the toy range will introduce the new look Sonic Boom™, with toys that demonstrate the real essence of Sonic: speed, action and comedic characteristics. The range features items across best-selling categories including plush, action figures, role-play, pocket money toys, vehicles and more, including a 12inch talking plush and a Sonic Boom Launcher. SEGA will launch a broad licensing program across multiple categories including toys, apparel, publishing, accessories, food and beverage and more – making this one of the biggest license initiatives SEGA has undertaken in recent years. The company will enlist many of its current partners who have had tremendous success with Sonic over the past years while seeking new licensees to join this exciting new Sonic licensing programme.

January 2015

Five minutes with… Sissel Henno, Head of Brand Licensing (Europe), SEGA What is so special about Sonic Boom? Sonic Boom is the ﬁrst ever CG animated TV series for Sonic, so it’s very exciting for us to be able to bring Sonic into the world of CG storytelling beyond the video games. How have you approached the licensing programme? We’re taking a step-by-step approach to the licensing, focusing on key categories such as toys, apparel and publishing to start with. We have appointed TOMY as master toy partner, and we’re thrilled to see some of the great products they have already developed for the initial product offering. We will also launch additional product categories once we have established the TV programme on air. How do consumers react to the Sonic brand as a whole? We’re very lucky to have a wide fan base for Sonic, including kids, teens and adults. The many console and mobile games of recent years keep kids and adults of all ages engaged, and serves to widen the demographic further. For example, Sonic Dash has achieved an amazing 84+ million downloads to date, thus demonstrating the wide appeal in a very competitive mobile market. And as he has been around for more than 20 years, he also appeals to adult retro gamers who played the original games on the Mega Drive back in the early 90s. What are the opportunities for brand extension? The licensing programme for Sonic is focused around two key areas – Sonic Boom and Classic Sonic. With Sonic Boom we’re catering for a wide variety of products to keep the kids engaged including toys, apparel, publishing, back to school, homeware, confectionery and much more. A new styleguide has been developed, taking inspiration from the colourful environments and the different character interaction from the show. In addition to this, we’re also continuing to invest in fashion led style guides based on the retro Classic Sonic artwork, which also appeals to the adult demographic. We’ve worked with various design agencies to best capture different fashion trends and provide our licensees with exciting design inspiration. How has the TV series added to the licensing programme? The new TV series is offering a new platform for story telling and brand engagement. We believe that the story lines will give kids a better insight into the world of Sonic and his friends, and hopefully this will widen the appeal of the Sonic Universe. Brand engagement is key to licensing, so this is very important. How inﬂuential are SEGA in terms of advising on merchandising Sonic product in store? We have a dedicated Retail Manager in the form of Kay Ferneyhough, who is working actively with both licensees and retailers to facilitate in-store initiatives.

licensing

TALK In this issue, we talk to some of the industry’s ﬁnest about their views on 2014, which properties they are putting their money on for 2015 and more... Valerie Fry Director of Sales, Coolabi Group

What was the biggest licensing story of 2014? There is so much activity in the market this year, but the unexpected hit was Frozen, with even Disney not truly realising how successful the ﬁlm and merchandise, would be. If you were to put your money on one licensing trend or potential hit property for 2015, what would it be? The trend is likely to be an increased offering of brands born in the digital world, along with the interactive products that support them, such as Skylanders. How are things looking at retail for you at the moment? The initial response to Clangers has been exceptional and we are expecting strong toy listings from launch. We are working closely with our licensees to carefully manage the product roll-out to ensure longevity. What regions do you see opportunities for the licensing to develop and expand, and why? For Coolabi, the initial opportunities are throughout Europe and the US, based on key television placement. In general, great opportunities exist in China and the Middle East, which are the most untapped regions. What challenges face the industry, in your view? As always, there are so many brands and so little shelf space! Licensees are deﬁnitely much more risk averse, and so securing partners for a new brand, and achieving realistic guarantees, is more of a challenge.

Gregory Economos SVP Global Consumer Products, Sony Pictures Entertainment What was the biggest licensing story of 2014? 2014 has been an exciting year for us! We have had successes on the film side with the 30th Anniversary programme for Ghostbusters and on the TV side with Breaking Bad. Both properties have performed extremely well on a global basis. If you were to put your money on one licensing trend or potential hit property for 2015, what would it be? This is a hard question to answer given than 2015 is shaping to be an exciting year for the industry with several titles expected to continue as merchandising successes. Different properties reach different demos, starting with Avengers 2 under the superhero umbrella; followed by the relaunch of the popular Jurassic Park franchise with Jurassic World and rounding out the summer, with Minions for Family/ Animation fans. What regions do you see opportunities for licensing to develop and expand, and why? Definitely China and the Middle East. These territories are expanding rapidly and driving growth across key licensing categories. The main reason is the increased acceptance of western brands and their “aspirational” appeal. Another factor is the economic growth and increase in consumption of content in both films and TV shows.

Libby Grant Founder & Director, Bloom What was the biggest licensing story of 2014? Without a doubt Frozen has to have been the biggest licensing story of 2014 and I am sure we will see growth well into 2015. If you were to put your money on one licensing trend or potential hit property for 2015, what would it be? The big ‘trend’ for next year has to be the major movie franchises. I have no doubt that Minionmania is going to sweep the nation, Star Wars products are going to be on every Christmas list, Frozen will continue to have strong presence as it further expands its product offering and the Cinderella movie will bolster consumer interest in the Disney Princess franchise. Having said this I don’t think we can ignore what’s happening in the world of social media with Vloggers starting to really make their mark in licensing. To see this you only need to look at Zoella’s book Girl Online which launched in December and became the fastest selling debut novel since records began. How are things looking at retail for your company or the brands you represent at the moment? We are working closely with our retailers to understand how best to launch and position the brand we represent cross category within their store. This is a really important part of the overall process given some of the brands we represent are new to the market and we know we will only get one chance.

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Darran Garnham Chief Commercial Officer, Mind Candy What was the biggest licensing story of 2014? For me it has to be the Microsoft purchase of Minecraft. What a journey for Notch and the team. This was a real statement of the power and value of digital IP, code and community. Where the brand will go now will be fascinating to watch. If you were to put your money on one licensing trend or potential hit property for 2015, what would it be? You can’t bet against Disney. Their slate in the next 12 months looks very strong. Universal’s Minions are going to turn the world yellow in 2015 and the Rugby World Cup will hopefully give us a summer to remember. How are things looking at retail for you at the moment? We have always thought retail first. How can we add value, footfall and theater to make our brands pop? Retail all want first to market, an exclusive. So far Mind Candy have developed IP that can cater to all due to the depth and breadth of our franchises. What regions do you see opportunities for the licensing to develop and expand, and why? The world has seen quite a bit of political and economic unrest in the past 12 months and previous boom regions are starting to stabilise. I think South America and the Middle East still have a lot to offer.

Francesca Lisle Grimshaw Partner, Lisle International Licensing What was the biggest licensing story of 2014? You would have had to have had your head in the sand not to have noticed the phenomenon that came from Frozen. I think it’s fair to say that while most would have expected a certain level of success, the global demand for merchandise took everyone by surprise. In addition the demand for Minecraft licensed product without any advertising around it has shown what the digital age of our industry can achieve. If you were to put your money on one licensing trend or potential hit property for 2015, what would it be? If the success of its previous property is anything to go by Mind Candy’s World of Warriors could be one to look out for. How are things looking at retail for you at the moment? Christmas obviously brought with it a sharp increase in sales and licensed product as they make great gifts. But generally, gaining and retaining cross category shelf space is becoming increasingly competitive with so many licenses to choose from. It would be good to see retailers being more adventurous with their selections and offer their customers something a little different. What challenges face the industry, in your view? Again, it’s the challenges at retail for buyers to take a punt on something new, especially in certain areas such as preschool which is saturated and with lots of new properties launching in 2015 such as PIP AHOY!, often it can really reap rewards. Let’s face it just, just over 12 months ago many retailers would not have heard of Minecraft and look where that is now.

January 2015

Henna Riaz Managing Director, 360 Audit What was the biggest licensing story of 2014? Most would agree that 2014 was a fantastic year for the licensing industry. The dynamism and potential of the industry was highlighted through a number of significant deals, sell-out merchandise and revenue increases for lots of the industry’s key players. In terms of properties, I don’t think many people would argue that Frozen absolutely swept the board in 2014. The blockbuster movie quickly became the highest-grossing animated film ever, spurring consumer demand for merchandise spanning a variety of sectors. Nobody could have predicted how quickly the licence would get so popular. It would be fair to say that many licensees and retailers weren’t prepared for its success, with many having to restock products, create new ones, and ramp up distribution significantly. If you were to put your money on one licensing trend or potential hit property for 2015, what would it be? Peppa Pig is going to be massive in 2015 and beyond – the TV show is now aired in almost every country in the world. The property picked up a number of additional broadcasting deals throughout 2014 and extended its licensing programme enormously, making strides in the US and EMEA especially. With Entertainment One looking to double in size over the next five years, Peppa could be its ticket to success. Superhero licences are also ones to watch. Over the next five years a remarkable 30 superhero movies are expected to be released by Disney, Warner Bros., Fox and Sony Pictures, meaning supporting licensing programmes are likely to be aggressive. What regions do you see opportunities for the licensing to develop and expand, and why? I think we’ll continue to see much more focus on international licensing programmes as properties continue to gain traction across multiple territories. As broadcast, publishing deals and movies become increasingly global, it’s essential that licensors consider exploring new territories to really capitalise on their properties. Currently, the Middle East and Latin America are huge growth area for licensing programmes, as are many of the EMEA territories. Our business is covering far more international audit programmes now than we ever have – 50% of our revenue now comes from outside of the UK. What challenges face the industry, in your view? Copyright infringement and protecting Intellectual Property are massive concerns for licensors. In such a burgeoning industry it can be hard for licensors to keep tabs on their licensing deals and exactly what remuneration they should be getting through their agreements. It’s therefore imperative that regular audits are conducted to ensure the correct royalties are being paid, at the same time as protecting the commercial relationship. Counterfeit goods are also a huge concern. We saw a number of fake licensed goods seized last year including hundreds of counterfeit Frozen dolls ahead of Christmas.

Sports Licensing Feature

That sporting feeling Sports licensing is hot-to-trot these days – LTW ﬁnds out why

e it football, rugby, snooker, Formula One or tennis – there is a t-shirt, a gym bag, a hat or a coat with your favorite brand’s logo on it. Sport is aspirational, it is not a fad – this is something people buy into, lifelong fans consume, live and breathe their team. The beauty of sports licensing is that it is all about brand extension and in turn, personalities can equal big bucks. Look at Brand Beckham, need we say more? “Success within the sport often leads to success off the pitch,” says Tim Bowers, Sports Category Manager with HyPro. “Over time, success leads to a larger fan base, increased brand awareness and greater merchandising opportunities. The brands and events we work with are at the top of their ﬁelds with multi-

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Over time, success leads to a larger fan base and increased brand awareness Tim Bowers, Sports Category Manager, Hy-Pro

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million followers internationally. If this awareness is combined with a clear and defined brand identity, a sports license has every chance of economic success.” As consumers become more savvy, with more disposable income, they are looking to buy into their favourite brands. Sports licensing is dynamic, exciting and most importantly, it is growing, says Nicola Thompson, Senior Business Development Manager, Sport, CPLG. “Major teams and organisations are becoming increasingly aware of the potential offered by off-field revenue streams and licensing is now an increasing part of the makeup of sports properties,” explains Nicola. “Sports clubs and governing bodies have a diverse range of objectives and revenue streams such as sponsorship, broadcast rights, ticketing and hospitality and CPLG has worked with our sports brands for many years to develop licensing programmes that offer a significant additional revenue stream and brand exposure.”

As with any good licensing programme, Nicola points out that the start of a successful programme is “recognition by the brand owner that licensing can be a valuable addition to their commercial programme and one that complements other activity that they are undertaking.” And boy does licensing complement sports brands! Nicola says CPLG works side-by-side with their brands to ensure maximum exposure and ultimately, top margins at retail. “Whilst performance on the pitch or a big event is often the biggest driver in selling licensed product (ﬁngers crossed for a win in the ﬁnal of the Rugby World Cup at Twickenham for the England team next year!), CPLG works closely with the sports properties that we represent such as England Rugby, West Ham United, St Andrews Links and the Tour de France to ensure they extend their brand in a relevant, appropriate and meaningful manner.” Nicola cites apparel as a key component to a dymanic licensing

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programme for a sports brand. “After apparel we will have licensees in place across accessories, publishing, gifting, toys & games and sporting equipment,” she adds.

Merchandising, merchandising, merchandising! While it is easy to walk into a shop and target a die-hard fan, what about consumers who are on the cusp? Merchandising licensed product in-store can make a big impact and secure that vital and all important sell at retail. Hy-Pro’s Tim Bowers explains: “It goes without saying that merchandising plays an integral role. It is of particular importance for events like the Rugby World Cup 2015 or the FIFA World Cup 2014. POS is crucial in these instances and we work closely with our customers to ensure the products are at the right place and displayed in a way that ensures maximum exposure.” Good working relationships with your key retailers is a huge bonus to securing top notch merchandising space and luring the all-important consumer towards your goods. One of the most potent aspects of a sports license is the fact that more often than not, passion for the brand has been passed down from generation to generation. When asked if he felt sports licensing skewed older, Tim disagreed: “Not at all, it completely depends on the product. The product range we offer is actually driven towards a younger consumer (footballs, accessories and luggage). The football club licenses we have really are universal. For example within football, the average follower will become a fan of a particular team at young age and will stick with the same club throughout their lives, or most of them do anyway! Football fans of an older age are more likely to purchase memorabilia as opposed to the club branded accessories and luggage that we offer.” And Nicola agrees, pointing out: “Support for a football club such as West Ham United runs through families

October 2014 Rugby Football Union.

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Major teams and organisations are becoming increasingly aware of the potential offered by off-ﬁeld revenue streams and licensing is now an increasing part of the makeup of sports properties

Nicola Thompson, Senior Business Development Manager, Sport, CPLG

and is passed from generation to generation. Support is from ‘cradle to grave’ and for a licensee that means that there is an opportunity to connect with fans through consumer products as both children and adult. Adults who show their support for their club by wearing the shirt and investing in licensed products for themselves will also show their support through their children.” Nabbing fans at a young age is crucial and given that it is a huge year for rugby, Nicola explains how the English team are getting them young with licensees in place for manufacturing babywear, feeding sets, bottles, soothers and plush. Nicola goes on to explain: ”In order to further increase their kids fanbase the RFU also launched their new England Rugby brand ambassador, Ruckley the Bulldog. Ruckley is fully integrated across England Rugby match days, the Junior Supporters Club and through their club, community and education programmes and as well as the England Rugby rose, licensees are now offered the opportunity to apply the new Ruckley-themed style guide to product speciﬁcally targeting the children’s market. The ﬁrst Ruckley apparel range in Next during the RBS 6 Nations tournament this year which proved very successful and CPLG is now working with other licensees to build on that success.”

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What trends are emerging in the sports sector? “CPLG is seeing a huge surge in the appeal of rugby in anticipation of the Rugby World Cup which is being held in England in September/October next year. Retailers will be buying into RWC2015 merchandise as well as England Rugby, Wales and Scotland as the whole country gets behind their team. Such national pride looks set to reflect that witnessed during London 2012 and when the Tour de France rode from Yorkshire to London this year and retailers should be ready for the country to demonstrate their support by investing in licensed product.” Nicola Thompson, Senior Business Development Manager, Sport, CPLG “The licensed sports market is a relatively stable one with consistently strongly performing products. However, we have seen some trends emerging. Over the last few years the use of fluorescent colours on product has continued to increase. This can be seen across nearly all sporting product (apparel, footwear and accessories). Many consumers have moved away from the traditional club designs and moved to the more vibrant designs. Another trend we have indentified is the desire for ‘gifting’ products. There has always been a demand for these but this has increase in recent years. We now offer a variety of ‘sets’ that are prepackaged and can be picked up as the perfect Christmas/Birthday present.” Tim Bowers, Sports Category Manager, Hy-Pro

Sports Licensing Feature

Tackling the best licenses CPLG

Hy-Pro

02085636400 www.cplg.com

01582 670 100 www.hy-pro.co.uk

As excitement builds ahead of this year’s Rugby World Cup in September, CPLG, ofﬁcial licensing agent for the Rugby Football Union (RFU), has been busy expanding the England Rugby licensing programme. A raft of licensees have been brought on board to take advantage of a massive year for the sport, complementing an already impressive roster of merchandising partners. New partners including Carlton (publishing), Global Licensing (nightwear and underwear), HES (computer games), Husky Retail Ltd (fridges), LR Group International (England Rugby ball foldable rucksack), Premier Sports Lights (novelty lighting with sound), Robel Confectionery (tattoos), Roy Lowe (socks) and The London Silver Company (jewellery) and Wattbike (exercise bikes, matts and training guides), will be bringing an exciting range of new England Rugby products to fans. Together with existing licensees including Tri Distribution, Drew Pearson, Hypro, Danilo, Pyramid Posters, Brecrest and Monster Factory, a strong licensing programme, covering all major product categories, will offer fans a unique opportunity to feel a part of the England Rugby squad. Support from all key retailers will see new products in-store for the start of the RBS 6 Nations Championship, kicking-off in February 2015, and will be available for purchase in the lead up to the World Cup and beyond. Nicola Thompson, Senior Business Development Manager at CPLG, said: “The next 12 months will see overwhelming interest in the England Rugby brand and we are looking forward to working with all of the licensees, and retail partners, as they roll their products out.” Jane Barron, Licensing Manager at the RFU said: “2015 will be an exciting year for rugby, from the RBS 6 Nations to the QBE Internationals culminating in the World Cup in September, and we are pleased to be continuing to strengthen and grow the England Rugby merchandising offering for fans”.

Hy-Pro International is delighted to be an ofﬁcial licensee for Rugby World Cup 2015. The products under license will include, luggage, shirt gym sacks, water bottles and other Rugby accessories. Hy-Pro International will have three core ranges. The Rugby World Cup Collection embraces the blue and pink ‘look and feel’ of the Tournament union hoops. The Webb Ellis Cup Collection focuses on luxury product with an emphasis on a black and gold classic style. There will also be a country ﬂag range with products designed to represent all competing Unions, with huge interest already in England, Eire, Australia and New Zealand, incorporating the nation’s colours. Atul Shah CEO of Hy-Pro International said: “At Hy-Pro we are delighted to have the Rugby World Cup 2015 license as the tournament brings everybody together, we are especially excited as the event will be held in England.” Products within this range will be showcased at Toy Fair Nuremberg in 2015 in Hall 7 stand C25.

Let’s get extreme Extreme 01494 730 544 www.extremesportscompany.com EXTREME the famously unapologetic, irreverent and anti – establishment brand with serious attitude, will be partying hard with university students throughout the UK, following the impressive sales of their fully loaded carbonated energy drink, EXTREME Energy which was available in bar pump dispensers in over 3,000 bars and clubs throughout the summer. EXTREME will be hitting university cities including London, Birmingham, Manchester and Newcastle to take advantage of their huge student population and legendary night life. EXTREME will start the party early with action packed activities throughout the day, students can see the EXTREME athletes performing mind blowing tricks and even dare to have a go themselves! The action is set to continue long into the night with an after party at a nearby club fuelled by EXTREME Energy.

Get your scrum on!

Memories that stick Topps 01908 800 123 www.toppsfootball.co.uk Topps has revived the Merlin brand to celebrate their 22nd Premier League Sticker Collection.Topps, the leading collectibles company, has reinstated the Merlin brand on its very latest edition of the hugely popular annual football collectible, as a nod to its heritage and in recognition of its loyal collectors over the generations. The Merlin brand was used on the very ﬁrst ofﬁcial Premier League Sticker collection, which launched in January 1994, and was a familiar icon on the front cover up until 2009, when the company changed the name to Topps.

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ENGLAND RUGBY LICENSCING The Team

Ruckley

The Brand

Properties

Facts:

England Rugby Ruckley England Rugby Ambassador World Rugby Museum Twickenham Stadium

12 million adults in England are supporters of rugby 56% of those supporters have children 69% of supporters are ABC1 (versus a national average of 50%) 78% of supporters think rugby demonstrates positive values

Licensing Agent CPLG Copyright Promotions Licensing Group Ltd 3 Shortlands, London, W6 8PP Tel: +44 (0)20 8563 6400 cplg.com cplginfo@cplg.com

England host the Rugby World Cup in 2015 - September 18th – October 30th 2015 2.8 million tickets available & estimated cumulative television audience of over 4 billion.

Ruckley: He is the England Rugby team’s biggest fan. Best friend and secret star. After digging under the pitch at Twickenham and ﬁnding a clear, crystal rugby ball with a perfect red rose inside it, Ruckley was transformed from an overly enthusiastic bulldog into …an even more enthusiastic bulldog who wears the England rose with bucket loads of pride. Ruckley will bring to life rugby for children aged 5-11, he will be embedded across everything we do in this area in the build-up to the Rugby World Cup in 2015 and beyond. Check out the latest animation on rfu.com/ruckley

englandrugby.com

*Figures from quantitative research conducted by Flamingo and Brainjuicer on behalf of the RFU. January 2013 (ﬁeld work October 2012)

Rugby Football Union. The England Rose is an official registered trademark of the Rugby Football Union.

Enesco

Global gifting We all know licensing makes the gifting world tick but Enesco deﬁnitely know it. The gift company work with 26 licensors across a range of products, and LTW spoke with Licensing Manager Wendy Addison to ﬁnd out more about how the company chooses top licenses Wendy, Enesco’s licensed range is absolutely vast – when did the company first dip its toes into licensing? The first license signed by the Border Fine Arts brand was in 1986 Beatrix Potter- Peter Rabbit. We produced hand-painted resin figurines, which are still popular today. The Peter Rabbit offering has grown to include ceramic nursery set, money boxes, photo frames and musical products. In 2014 we launched Peter Rabbit Classic plush with GUND and this has been extremely well received by retailers and consumers. The next license was 1987 – James Herriot “All Creature’s Great and Small”. James Herriot became famous throughout the world for his books and TV series that captured the essence of life in England’s Yorkshire Dales in 1930s and ‘40s which we depict in a range of figurines and home products.

How many licensors do you currently work with and across how many ranges? We currently work with 26 licensors and have over 30 licensed collections. New for 2015 are Pusheen, Suzy Toronto and Peanuts.

What is Enesco’s modus operandi when it comes to working with licensors? We consider licensed product extremely

important to our business, it offers us exclusivity and of course, brand awareness. Building a strong relationship with a licensor is essential; we look at licensing as a longterm commitment and research new properties extensively to make sure the property is commercial for both us and the licensor. We have high expectation for license properties and invest time in product development and inventory.

Wendy Addison Tell us about your Disney range? We have seven different Disney collections, Disney Traditions, Disney Showcase, Grand Jester Studios, Classic Winnie the Pooh, A Moment in Time, Disney by Romero Britto and Enchanting Disney. We offer product from under £5 SRP to Limited Editions at £595. Disney has become such a huge part of our product portfolio and it has appeal within all of our markets

And how have sales at retail been across your licensed ranges, has anything stood out recently? We have experienced strong sales across our licensed products this year. New licensed properties Gund Peter Rabbit and Santoros Gorjuss Collection have performed extremely well and our business has grown for Willow Tree, Disney, Sesame Street and Boo.

Enesco’s Top Three At Retail ■ Disney ■ Willow Tree ■ Peter Rabbit

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Wendy says…

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Enesco distribute the Gund plush range with some really exciting launches taking place in 2015 – tell us some more? Gund has become a really great vehicle for licensed properties. Boo has really taken off in 2014, particulary in the Duty Free markets. We are seeing significant sales with Grumpy Cat, Peter Rabbit plush and new for 2015 is Pusheen. Our Sesame Street collection is also strengthened in 2015 with the addition of the Furchester Hotel.

And heritage brands like Peter Rabbit also have some new additions to their plush range – how do consumers react to this beloved brand?

which is rare, typically European taste is very different to the UK or the USA but Disney is a truly global brand.

We are particularly taken with the Marvel Iron Man figurine which retails for £595 – what can you tell us about that and can we expect more from the range? In 2014 we signed an agreement allowing us to manufacture both Disney and Marvel figurines in the UK, as one of; if not the only manufacturer of handmade figurines in the UK this was a fantastic opportunity for us. The Iron Man figurine has been well received by comic enthusiasts and currently in development are Spider Man and Captain America, which will be followed by Hulk and Thor.

January 2015

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Building a strong relationship with a licensor is essential; we look at licensing as a long-term commitment

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Disney has become such a huge part of our product portfolio and it has appeal within all of our markets which is rare, typically European taste is very different to the UK or the USA but Disney is a truly global brand

“To support retailers with merchandising we offer point of sale and in some cases, for example our new Beatrix Potter and Classic Pooh alphabets, there are full display stands available. Over recent years we have run display competitions and our retailers never fail to amaze us with their ingenuity and support for our brands.”

media cannot be overlooked, with characters like Boo and Pusheen seeing followers into the tens of millions and these people are looking for merchandise. They are almost as popular as One Direction!

How do you see the Enesco licensed offering developing in the future? We are looking to expand our licensed offering and are looking for properties with strong retailer and consumer appeal in our channel of distribution. Properties with longevity which offer Enesco the opportunity to create products which will strengthen our present in the market.

Peter Rabbit consumers are very knowledgeable about the brand, it is a childhood classic and brings back feelings of nostalgia and all products have to reflect the values of the brand. Consumers love the soft tactile feel of the new Peter Rabbit plush; the response to the extra large Peter Rabbit has been fantastic.

Do you notice peaks and troughs in sales when it comes to your licensed ranges? Yes definitely, some things come in and out of fashion; you just have to have faith in the license.

In terms of hot licenses, what should retailers be looking out for in 2015? We see the strength and popularity of Disney to continue in the future especially the Frozen franchise. The response to our Frozen figurines has been overwhelming. The awareness of Comic Marvel is growing at retail and the popularity of the evergreen Peter Rabbit is growing each year. Santoro’s Gorjuss Collection is performing well. The power of social

Country insight

Due North… But as our experts see it - how is the Nordic region performing on the economic front? “Denmark as a strong trading nation, continues to ﬂourish, especially in regards to toys and the home textile categories, while Sweden remains successful with their strong retail brands within the fashion categories,” says Johan, while Anna Lisa adds: “For the few top brands, the Nordic licensing industry is strong and opportunities are growing in new categories. For new brands, it is a challenge to compete with steadfast programmes that have found a way to reinvent themselves.”

What’s trending? As a trend-driven industry, knowing what is hot and what is not in a region equals having a successful portfolio. Anna Lisa argues that longevity is now key in the region. She explains: “There is a trend in thinking much more long term when developing the strategy, and therefore being able to maintain longevity.” And it seems fashion is a Nordic passion. “At NLC, we’re also ﬁnding that our brands can build a successful and broad CP platform through fashion. Fashion is a trend in and of itself that seems to becoming more relevant in Nordic, and this is giving entertainment brands a run for their money.”

But its not just fashion making an impact, digital, sports and retro are all big news, as Ink’s Johan explains. “Angry Birds, Candy Crush and Minecraft are, in some ways, pioneers and have opened licensing possibilities within digital. Sport licensing, especially football, is still very strong throughout the Nordics. Retro is always interesting, partly because the recognition of the brand is Anna Lisa McBride, there and does not need Nordic Licensing the huge investments Company that a newly established brand does. With strong internationally well known Nordic lifestyle brands, brand extension will be more and more interesting and lucrative in the Nordics.”

For the few top brands, the Nordic licensing industry is strong and opportunities are growing in new categories

“

icensing is a global business but not all regions can be treated the same. Cultural nuances, local favourites and differing economic factors all mean that each region must be treated differently. The Nordics remained relatively scar-free from Europe’s economic turmoil but after a positive Brand Licenisng Europe exhibition, things are on the up in the UK, but how are The Noridcs faring? What is getting the consumer there excited? Classic brands, says Anna Lisa McBride Director and Co-Owner of the Nordic Licensing Company, are kingpin for her at the moment. “For NLC, Batman and Superman are really enjoying an up-lift and this is just the beginning. We’ve also seen some signiﬁcant increase in demand for Looney Tunes, which creates additional opportunities for NLC to focus on a more long-term strategy across the entire Warner Bros. portfolio.” Johan Kind, Sales Director at Ink says that for their portfolio, Dreamworks properties, Masha and the Bear, The Smurfs, Mia & Me and Animal Planet are all performing well. “Outside our portfolio, Frozen is huge in the Nordics, as everywhere else, and the local Nordic brands are still doing quite well.” This is echoed by Anna Lisa, who also cites Frozen as performing well, as well as Disney’s classic portfolio and Hello Kitty which are also seeing success, she says.

”

With a solid licensing industry and a loyal consumer base, The Nordics are one to watch

What’s 2015 looking like? As we head towards 2015, the feelings on the ground in the Nordic licensing industry is positive, says Anna Lisa. “Everyone at NLC is feeling positive about 2015 and beyond as we are thinking much more long-term than ever, and this has afforded us the opportunity to think more creatively about how we approach licensing in Nordic.”

We asked… What are the key characteristics of a Nordic consumer? “The Nordic consumer is looking for a good deal, and wants anything that is “new” and on trend. One of the most important communication platforms retailers can use to reach Nordic consumers has been, and remains, the weekly circular, which is generally full of product and category campaigns. And a newer trend that has really taken off is the loyalty program, proving again that a good deal, or discount, is a driver for the Nordic consumer.” Anna Lisa McBride, Director and Co-owner of Nordic Licensing Company “They are well informed, quality-conscious, loyal to brands and very positive about online shopping.” Johan Kind, Sales Director, Ink

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The Path to Nordic Success Nordic Licensing Company +45 3378 6600 www.nordiclicensing. com

A plus for licensing

Nordic Licensing Company (NLC) is celebrating its 10th anniversary of working with powerhouse brands. Its ﬁrst was Warner Bros., and this grown to now include Activision, top European football clubs and HIT Entertainment. As the company grows, it helps licensors increase their presence across Europe, where the hot topic these days is a direct partnership with retail (DTR). In the complex Nordic market, the DTR trend is packaged with many logistical and marketing challenges. NLC helps licensors answer DTR and other marketing questions with a unique blend of branding and Nordic expertise. NLC’s market advantages include strong, long-term partnerships with Nordic retailers, such as TOP-TOY (BR and the local TRU franchisee), H&M and Cubus. Classic brands like Batman, Superman and Looney Tunes are always relevant to these types of retailers and consumers. In addition, by representing relevant sports brands, such as FC Barcelona and Real Madrid, NLC has the market strength needed to grow categories such as stationery, home and apparel. As NLC celebrates its NLC’s 10th anniversary the company is looking forward to the exciting possibilities ahead.

Plus Licens +46854513900 www.pluslicens.com

Plus Licens has worked with Swedish fashion retailer H&M for more than two decades and its present licensing roster includes apparel and accessories deals for properties like Minions/ Despicable Me, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, SpongeBob SquarePants, Peanuts, Garﬁeld, Transformers, My Little Pony, Paul Frank, NHL and many more. The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles toy line has been honoured by the Swedish trade organization Leksaksbranschen as “Toy of the Year” and the licensing program includes Ronald for apparel, Alfmix for confectionery, Euromic for stationery, Tactic Games for games and TOP-TOY/Norstar for apparel, melamine and home textiles. Publishing partners include Egmont, Sogur and Karusell.

Celebrating years of

10 expertise, focus, energy and trust. Thank you for your partnership!

January 2015

info@nordiclicensing.com www.nordiclicensing.com

Pre-School Licenses BLE 2014 Show Preview

Doing it for the kids While the pre-school category is one of the most competitive it is also the key driver for the toy industry. We take a look at some key drivers in this tough but proﬁtable category

he old adage is to never work with animals or children, but actually producing for children is undoubtedly harder than working with them – but the rewards can be big! 2015 looks set to be the year of the evergreen with Teletubbies, Toy Story and Thomas in his 70th year. But is there enough new out there and are the opportunities to break and then bed in for a new property such as the emerging Boj and Pip Ahoy!, with the classics

still bringing in big money? Valerie Fry, Director of Sales at Coolabi thinks so. “There will always be opportunities for great properties to break through. However, the market is so much more crowded these days, so properties have to be better than ever from the point of view of characters, content, scripting, production quality underpinned by a little bit of undefined magic”, she says. Gayle Tarrant of Lisle, which represent Pip Ahoy! agrees wholeheartedly: “New content brings new creative executions and storytelling. It’s definitely a competitive market but the variety of properties to engage and invest in is one of the most positive aspects of the category. Therefore new prospects are there to be explored, although the entry standard is, and is expected to be, significantly higher.” But now that children have access to a number of different media and platforms, has this meant a change in approach with the licensing programme for a pre-school property? Maura Regan, SVP, Global Consumer Products, Sesame Workshop, believes so: “We know that children consume content across all distribution platforms. Sesame Workshop is dedicated to being wherever children are and

The fickle finger of fate We asked some key industry figures what they feel helps a property appeal for generations. Here’s what they had to say: Valerie Fry, Director of Sales, Coolabi: A tough question to answer – different values apply to different properties - but all properties need great characters, great storytelling and need to generate emotional engagement from the audience. Emily Bell, Licensing Director, Redan Alchemy: If only we knew! With old classics like the Clangers and Thunderbirds being resurrected for a new generation it seems that if a property has the right team and financial backing behind it, it can be popular once again, many years down the line. Sooty has had several come-backs over his 65 year career but without doubt he is most successful when he sticks to what he does best, simple gags, with a little music, magic and mayhem thrown in. Parents and carers are still monitoring and controlling a lot of the media that young children consume and introducing them to their own childhood favourites certainly helps with the longevity of children’s properties. Gayle Tarrant, Partner, Lisle International: If only we knew! It’s a fluid, fickle market and so the appeal of brands is also constantly changing. Having key criteria in place such as strong timeless stories certainly strengthens the opportunity. Winnie the Pooh is a great example of this. Keeping up to date with what children and parents want and how they want to experience a brand is also essential. David Hodgson, Director, Pesky Productions: Authenticity. If a character feels real and is on the same journey as the child then they may be loved by that child. If this journey is a universal stage of human development, the character may be universally loved by generations. As long as it’s funny. And cute.

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My favourite pre-school property as a child was… Valerie Fry, Director of Sales, Coolabi: It has to be Clangers. I was quite keen on Hector’s House too, but nobody else remembers that! Gayle Tarrant, Partner, Lisle International: Forever a personal favourite will be Spot the Dog. Emily Bell, Licensing Director, Redan Alchemy: I don’t think Ben and Holly’s Little Kingdom can be beaten for entertainment value.

that is why you will ﬁnd Sesame on traditional broadcast, digital platforms, at retail, in publishing, and on the forefront of new media”. Valerie of Coolabi agrees that it has to be a mix: “In a constantly evolving world, it is impossible to pick just one medium. Quality content delivered via the whole spectrum of platforms, not just TV,

January 2015

is crucial. A mix of categories are important in getting the child to engage with the property”. But is the programme and approach different when dealing with a classic versus a new kid on the block? Valerie believes this is the essence of success: “It depends on whether you are developing a classic property for the original market for which it was intended (kids) or for the original kids that have now grown into adults, or sometimes both. It is essential that you respect what has gone before,

Maura Regan, SVP Global Consumer Products, Sesame Workshop: I’m a big fan of Peppa Pig. I also happen to love bacon. I’m not sure if it’s a spurious correlation or not. Darren Hodgson, Director, Pesky Productions: Peppa Pig. We are very old friends with ABD and have seen over the years what immense craft goes into making it.

whilst making it current for today. Clangers is a good example of this.” Certainly, the vibe at shows like Vegas and BLE has been a positive one and the future looks brighter and more commercial than it has done for some years. In fact, the toy industry is more conﬁdent about this category than it has been in recent years and so bodes well.

Pre-School Licenses

Look who’s back

Party on!

Coolabi

Amscan

020 7004 0980 www.coolabi.com

01908 288500 www.amscan.co.uk

Launching in the UK in Spring 2015, the new 52 x 11’ Clangers series is a contemporary version of the iconic British television show, which first aired on the BBC in 1969, being co-produced by CBeebies, Sprout, Coolabi Group and Smallfilms. The much-anticipated toy launch from Character Options is set for autumn/winter 2015. The range includes a playset based on the world of Clangers, as well as figurines, plush, knitted figures and electronic toys. Other licensees already onboard include; Penguin (publisher), C&M Licensing (apparel), Gemma International Ltd (greetings cards & gift wrap), Immediate Media Co (magazine), MV Sports & Leisure Limited (wheeled toys), Rainbow Productions (costume characters), Ravensburger (puzzles and games) and Trade Mark Collections (children’s bags). Valerie Fry, Director of Sales, Coolabi says: “We are very proud of the new Clangers toy range. It will launch in time for the Christmas sales period, and we have high hopes for the collection. Feedback so far has been extremely positive and we look forward to working with Character Options to showcase the new products at Toy Fair.” The new series is showcasing the best of British TV with legendary British actor, writer, presenter and comedian, Michael Palin, narrating the show, and stop-motion animation by specialists, Factory Create (Strange Hill High, Raa Raa the Noisy Lion), and award-winning puppet making by Mackinnon and Saunders (Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride, Wes Anderson’s Fantastic Mr Fox). With the original co-creator, Peter Firmin and Daniel Postgate, son of original co-creator, Oliver Postgate, actively involved in the new series, it pays tribute to the classic version whilst appealing to a new generation of pre-school fans and families. For regular updates, please visit www.clangers.com.

Leading party, balloon and fancy dress company Amscan have extended their children’s dressup collection to include some exciting new licensed Barbie costumes for 2015. Flying into the range is the wonderfully pink superhero costume, Barbie Power Princess! This vibrant outﬁt is available in classic and value versions to suit different consumer budgets, and is inspired by the 30th Barbie DVD “Barbie in Princess Power” to be released in March. The Super Power option includes the stunning dress with eye-catching cape, mask, leggings and arm bands. Also new to the collection to look out for are the beautiful princess and ballerina dresses. Amscan have also launched a new range for fans of the ultimate hero next door… Fireman Sam which is available in February for the UK market. Based on the popular TV show surrounding the key theme of ﬁre and rescue, the 14 piece ensemble includes tableware, decorations and party favours and is complemented by two new foil balloons that will be available later this year. All items are perfectly suited to the pre-school market and designs feature Fireman Sam in new dynamic poses.

BEAST QUEST: HIT ADVENTURE BOOK SERIES EXPANDS Beast Quest is a bestselling series of children’s fantasy novels targeting 7-10 year olds, with over 14 million copies sold so far. Over 100+ titles have been published to date, with further titles planned in 2015. Beast Quest has been translated into over 30 languages, with a major gaming partnership with Miniclip launching soon. Miniclip experiences over 100 million unique users per month, and has generated over 300 million mobile app installs. New licensees signed for 2014 include; Pedigree, Skyjack Publishing, Top Trumps and Fashion UK. POPPY CAT’S EXTRAORDINARY ADVENTURES Poppy Cat is the colourful and adventure-filled pre-school animation based on the international award-winning books written by British author, Lara Jones. Co-produced by Coolabi Productions and award-winning King Rollo Films, the popular first series is in more than 140 territories worldwide and is a toprated show on Nick Jr. UK, on Sprout in the US, France5 and in Spain on TVE. The second season launched in the UK September 2014 on Nick Jr. and new episodes will be airing on Nick Too from January. Initiatives to support the brand included a Series 2 PR launch with star narrator, Joanna Page (Gavin and Stacey, Love Actually), and a strong social media presence including almost 150,000 fans on Facebook. A new gaming and story app from StoryToys has featured in the Apple Store Top 3, and a stand-alone magazine from Kennedy Publishing also launched last year. Coolabi has recently appointed two new licensing agents, Firefly Brand Management in the US and El Ocho in Spain. Please visit www.poppycat.com for more information.

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Pre-School Licenses

Get on board with Pip Lisle Licensing 01937586237 www.lislelicensing.com Pre-school property Pip Ahoy! is positioned at the top of the list of animated TV shows for the age group in the UK and now with its master toy collection about to launch and a new magazine on the horizon, it is plain to see that this is one of the most exciting new names in the sector. Pip Ahoy! is currently airing on Channel 5’s Milkshake and follows the adventures of an eager, happy go lucky young pup called Pip and his best friend Alba the kitten. The series was created and produced by CHF Entertainment at CHF’s new stateof-the-art studio based in Didsbury, Manchester. The show’s voice artists include Sir David Jason, Teresa Gallagher, Emma Tate and Jimmy and the title song is performed by singer and TV presenter Stacy Solomon. Since its launch on Milkshake in June, Pip Ahoy!

has proved to be a great success, achieving positive responses and popularity from a growing audience and is currently airing on weekday mornings at the prime 7a.m timeslot. Adding to this it was recently confirmed that series one will also be shown on Cartoonito commencing February 2015. The strong TV scheduling reaches children at home while the property’s commitment with iChild reaches them in their childcare and educational settings. To date almost 1000 Pip Ahoy! packs have been used in nurseries, engaging with over 70,000 pre-school children. Plus, further activity with iChild online and though newsletters has reached even more childcare and educational professionals. Confirming its position as not just a TV property, but one that successfully translates into toys and other merchandise, John Adams Leisure Ltd was confirmed in summer 2014 to be the Master Toy Licensee. Now the launch collection is being presented at Toy Fair and will be available at retail as early as June 2015. In addition Pip Ahoy! is also due to launch its monthly magazine adding to a growing portfolio of licensed titles specialist publishers, DJ Murphy publishing team and will include stories, puzzles and creative activities that follow the adventures of Pip in his home of Salty Cove.

Get giggly for Boj Pesky Productions 01273982501 www.boj.tv Popular pre-school animation series, Boj, has seen an impressive increase in viewing ﬁgures, leading to the rescheduling of the show to the primetime slot of 5.30pm on CBeebies. In his new home, Boj has continued to make friends, achieving the rare feat of consecutive weeks as the UK’s number one most watched kids TV show. (Figures from BARB October 2014) CBeebies ﬁrst aired Boj in May 2014, with a second wave of episodes released in October, and has established a growing fan base. The pre-school programme is about an endangered young bilby from the Australian outback burrowing up with his mum and dad (played by Jason Donovan. Boj has a love of upcycling and is full of creativity and fun ‘Boj-a-boom’ ideas. As he plays his improvised ‘Boj-ing’ games he solves his buddy’s problems and teaches the residents of Giggly Park how to be free-thinking, pro-active and resourceful. Boj is produced by BAFTA award winning UK studio, Pesky Productions, who have recently launched the series in other key territories, including America and France. To further engage Boj’s fan base and communicate its key brand values, Pesky Productions has also partnered with Thud Media and Box Of Frogs to release a successful range of digital games and apps based on the series. The 5-star interactive storybooks read by Jason Donovan reached the top two in the appstore charts and have garnered two iKids nominations for the year’s best eBook.

Perfectly pre-school in every way Sakar International +18006371090 www.sakar.com Fans of Disney’s magical movie Frozen can perform their own rendition of the chart-topping soundtrack with a new line of karaoke machines by audio and electronics leader Sakar International. The Frozen Karaoke Machine with Flashing Lights is an easy-to-use karaoke system that allows kids to sing along with their favorite music. Designed with graphics featuring the latest Disney Princesses, Anna and Elsa, this karaoke machine includes a hand-held microphone and features ﬂashing lights and enhanced vocal effects. Sakar has expanded its My Little Pony lineup to include updated headphones and earbuds, molded speakers, musical instruments, cameras, and mobile and computer accessories, all featuring fun designs from Hasbro’s TV hit series. Fans of My Little Pony’s Pinkie Pie can now bring their favorite pony and music along wherever they go with Sakar’s new molded backpack speaker. The adorable Pinkie Pie-shaped backpack is perfect for sleepovers, carrying homework, and playing songs on the way to school! Sakar’s line of My Little Pony cameras allow users to capture and share all of life’s moments as they happen. Record action-packed adventures with the My Little Pony Action Camera! Perfect for documenting biking, kayaking, surﬁng, and skiing excursions, the camera comes with a durable waterproof case and mounting accessories. Attach the camera to your helmet or bicycle and capture every moment!

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Pre-School Licenses

The read deal Redan Publishing 01743 364433 www.redan.co.uk 2015 looks likely to be another busy year for Free Peppa top children’s magazine with Slide! publisher Redan. With 29 2 their top three P lu s magazines dominating Make the Pre-school sector, the team at Redan are Surprise always on the look-out Soap s! ng .1 selli No Pre-school for the next big license. ine! gaz Ma The ever popular Peppa Pig, whose two titles (Fun To Learn Peppa Pig and Fun To Learn Peppa Pig BagO-Fun) take ﬁrst and second place in the pre-school chart, is proving to be a perennial winner for the publisher, who are constantly striving to offer new and innovative content in terms of editorial and covermounts. Redan work closely with licensor Entertainment One, to ensure that all brand themes and messaging is blended seamlessly into the magazines. Redan also publish the UK’s most successful pre-school multi-character magazine Fun to Learn Friends and they are constantly looking for hot new properties to showcase in this and their other compilation titles Fun to Learn Favourites and best-selling primary girls title Sparkle World. 2015 sees several new licenses appearing in these titles with new faces Boj and Paw Patrol making their magazine debuts alongside re-launched family favourites like The Clangers. Sparkle World also sees several new members joining its cast list with Barbie set to make a star appearance and Dora and Friends moving into the primary girls’ market. Redan Publishing’s multi award winning Fun To Learn format, is well recognised as delivering top quality, educational content and the most popular characters around. With a combined monthly readership of 250,000, their ever popular multi-character titles can offer unrivalled exposure, continuing to introduce children to exciting new characters and any that prove popular in these compilation titles, can often ﬁnd themselves as a best-selling stand-alone magazine. *

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It’s all go! ITV GE 02071576163 www.itvstudios.com The highly acclaimed new boys’ action adventure series Thunderbirds Are Go is the exciting new remake of the iconic 1960s TV series, timed to coincide with the 50th anniversary this year and co-produced by ITV Studios and New Zealand’s Pukeko Pictures in association with the world famous Weta Workshop. Debuting on TV screens this spring, the first series of 26x22 minute episodes will launch in the UK on ITV and CITV. The ground-breaking new series will bring the Thunderbirds brand to a new generation of children aged 5-11 years and to new international audiences, as well as revitalizing interest in the classic TV series. To date, the new series has attracted huge interest from the brand’s existing fan base as well as the licensing market. Vivid Imaginations is the master toy partner for Europe, Australia and New Zealand, excluding US and Asia. Leading the slate at London Toy Fair 2015, Vivid’s highly anticipated toy line will be supported by one of ITV’s most extensive digitally integrated consumer marketing and retail campaigns ever. The innovative new line features the all new Tracy Island play set, in addition to a vehicle play set, detailed action figures and role play. Further partners on board include Simon & Schuster and DC Thomson who lead the publishing category, Kokomo for personal care, Danilo for greetings, Posh Paws for accessories and MV Sports for outdoor play. The first consumer products are all set to hit UK retail for A/W 2015.

A golden pre-school offering DHX BRANDS 02085636400 www.dhxmedia.com DHX Brands is the home of high-proﬁle licensed children’s properties. Preschool IP includes the iconic Teletubbies, with a muchanticipated new television series currently in production for CBeebies; perennially popular In the Night Garden; as well as the upcoming brand new Anne Wood-created live action/ animation series Twirlywoos – premiering in the UK on CBeebies in spring 2015. New Teletubbies will feature the same well-loved characters but will bring a refreshed, contemporary look to one of the world’s most well-known pre-school properties. A raft of licensing partners across core categories have been appointed for the brand, which include Character Options (master toy partner) and Egmont (magazines and books). The Twirlywoos are four small, bird-like characters who are inquisitive, enthusiastic and always looking to learn something new about the world. Golden Bear is master toy partner for the brand and further ‘best in class’ licensees are also on board. Award-winning In the Night Garden continues to cast its spell over children and their parents. It is the fastest growing toy pre-school license and was the ﬁfth preschool toy license in October according to NPD UK. The show has been consistently on air on CBeebies since its launch in 2007, and DHX Media has announced a renewal deal until 2021.

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Pre-School Licenses

A welcome with furry arms! Sesame Street +212.875.6516 www.sesamstreet.org The Furchester Hotel is co-produced by Sesame Workshop and CBeebies and welcomes you with furry arms! This new series, which debuted in September 2014, introduced a family of close-knit and cheerfully incompetent Muppet monsters who own and operate an “almost” world-class hotel. Number 1 in its time slot, The Furchester Hotel has also rated in the top 3 shows in the UK among kids 4-6 years-old. The Furchesters will be featured in a spring/summer 2015 line-up of products for the UK including plush and ﬁgurines from Hasbro; story, activity, character and novelty publishing titles from Penguin; a dedicated magazine from Immediate Media; and DVDs from Abbey Home Media. Additional categories will roll out in Autumn 2015 and will include nightwear/underwear from Aykroyds & TDP, daywear from Fashion UK, games and puzzles from Jumbo, and bags from Posh Paws. In addition to being available in the UK, kids outside England can have fun with The Furchester Hotel by watching full episodes on Sesame Street’s YouTube channel. The 11 minute

episodes roll-out every week on Friday, making it “Furchester Friday” on youtube.com/sesamestreet. The Furchester Hotel Playtime app is currently the #1 kids app in the UK with more than 250,000 weekly viewers while The Furchester Hotel game has been played more than one million times on CBeebies website.

Reach for the clouds Hoho Entertainment

Masha and the licensing lowdown

07889666594 www.hohoentertainment.com

Ink +4533556100 www.ink-brands.com

Created by award-winning art director Bridget Appleby, colourful animation Cloudbabies features the enchanting adventures of four adorable childlike characters whose job it is to look after the sky and their Sky Friends. Aimed at pre-schoolers it teaches children about caring for others and the world around them. Produced by Hoho Entertainment, the series made its debut on CBeebies in 2012 where it has consistently performed well in the ratings and has built up a solid fan base with a wide demographic and a strong social media presence. In 2014 Hoho Rights conﬁrmed the IVS Group as the new master toy partner for the brand. IVS Group has worked with some of the biggest global family entertainment brands including How to Train Your Dragon Live, Aardman Animations, Tweenies, Walking with Dinosaurs and Thomas & Friends. Tasked with devising and implementing a long-term strategy for Cloudbabies’ product range IVS have expanded the existing toy line to cater for a younger age group, aimed at 12 – 18 months onwards, with 10 new products which will be launched in January 2015 at Toy Fair. In 2015 the launch of the new younger look toy range will be supported by a high proﬁle PR and marketing campaign. Meanwhile, internationally, the series has been sold to a number of territories across Australasia, South East Asia, the Middle East and Europe.

Russian animation Masha and the Bear, which is represented in the broadcasting and licensing sectors by Ink Global, is proving a big hit with British kids after launching on Turner Broadcasting’s pre-school channel, Cartoonito. Having established itself as the biggest brand and one of the most popular shows in Russia, Masha and the Bear is now going global and Cartoonito has joined broadcasters in more than 100 countries in screening this hilarious cartoon. Licensees are realising the strength of the property and both Egmont (publishing) and Simba Dickie (toys) recently signed pan-European deals. Its success in the Russian market, where more than one hundred partners are in place across categories including puzzles, confectionery, home decorations, digital, toys and fashion, demonstrates the brand’s massive potential.

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Pre-School Licenses

Bringing TV favourites to life Mattel 01628500121 www.mattel.com Mattel’s license portfolio goes from strength to strength as it continues to partner with the best in character brands with exciting pre-school launches. Thomas is set for his biggest year yet as the brand celebrates the engine’s 70th anniversary with friendship at the heart of an action packed marketing calendar. Fisher-Price celebrates this special year with innovation and exciting new product developments as the experts in play continue to capture the iconic Thomas & Friends themes and locations that fans know and love. Pre-schoolers will discover a whole world of new adventures as the My First Thomas collection expands in spring with the introduction of the new Pop & Go Thomas offering a unique play experience for younger fans, while the new Thomas Plush launches Fisher-Price Thomas & Friends into a new category. Children will love the action packed adventure of the new Rattling Rails portable playset in the Take-n-Play line, while the TrackMaster range sees the launch of New Friends & Great Moments characters including Fiery Flynn and Scruff as well as the new Breakaway Bridge. With this innovation and new launches continuing into autumn/winter, 2015 is all about our favourite little blue engine. The Disney adventure continues as Fisher-Price builds on the success of its Disney license partnership with the introduction of new ﬁgures and playsets in the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Minnie Mouse and Jake and the Never Land Pirates lines to support exciting new programming. Adding to its range of popular pre-school toys from the hit CBeebies TV show Octonauts, from Silvergate Media, Fisher-Price welcomes the introduction of new talking Gups including Gup H and Talking Tiger Shark Gup B in spring/summer, and expansion of the Speeders with an innovative new playset for autumn/winter. The brand also looks forward to two highly anticipated additions to the licensed portfolio with the launch of its Dora & Friends and Bing Bunny toy ranges in summer 2015.

Indulge your imagination

TV gold

FremantleMedia

Nickelodeon & Viacom Consumer Products

02076916000 www.fremantlemedia.com Inspired by a real girl and her best friend, CG animated pre-school series Kate & Mim-Mim (52x11) follows the adventures of Kate, a feisty little girl who, together with her toy bunny Mim-Mim, travels to a fantastical world where Mim-Mim comes alive as a larger than life playmate. A hit from the very beginning, the series has been the number one rated show in its timeslot on every broadcaster it has launched on in 2014: Knowledge Network in Canada, CBeebies in the UK and Super RTL in Germany. Kate & Mim-Mim’s global appeal is set to grow even further in 2015 when adventurous Kate and her funny bunny friend will air in the USA, France, Denmark, Sweden, Spain, Singapore and Thailand. FremantleMedia Kids & Family Entertainment holds the exclusive worldwide TV distribution and licensing rights to the property outside of Canada and has a strong consumer products plan in place. The ﬁrst products in the market will be the UK DVD in spring 2015 and Immediate Media, who are already featuring the property in CBeebies Weekly, will also be launching a standalone special magazine at the same time. Super RTL have been appointed to represent the brand’s licensing, home entertainment and SVOD rights in Germany and FMKFE will be appointing agents in relevant territories throughout the year.

02035802474 www.nick.co.uk 2015 is set to be an exciting year for Nickelodeon & Viacom Consumer Products with three brand-new product lines from top performing pre-school properties entering the UK market. Brand-new series Dora and Friends: Into the City! is Nick Jr. UK’s most successful show launch to date. The show’s popularity coupled with a new set of characters and accessories promises a diverse range of pre-school products for 2015. Following its huge US and UK on air success, Paw Patrol is on a roll as the much-awaited product range hits the UK. Dinosaur Train also continues its product roll out into 2015.

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Check into THE FURCHESTER HOTEL, one of the UK’s top new children’s shows!

in its timeslot!

For more licensing information please contact Suzanne Trevor at strevor@cplg.com. Barb, October 2014, HwC 0-3 and kids 4-6 RTG (000). All Kids shows on Cbeebies, Disney Junior and Nick Jr airing Saturdays & Sundays from 09:00-15:59

Pre-School Licenses

Slug it out! Nerd Corps Entertainment +6044840266 www.nerdcorps.com

BING! for you The Licensing Company 02082226100 www.thelicensingcompany.com

Nerd Corps Entertainment and its toy partner JAKKS Pacific has extended its contract for the hit boys action property Slugterra. JAKKS Pacific’s Slugterra toy line launched in the US in February 2013, several months after the series premiere in October 2012. Originally consisting of collectible slug figures, blasters and darts, JAKKS has since expanded its offerings to include human action figures, vehicles, plush, and stretchy velocimorph flyers, as well as new styles of blasters and darts and several waves of new slug figures. The toys have launched in dozens of countries to date, with more coming as the series continues to launch on new broadcasters in new territories. The ongoing global rollout of the line has built a story of consistent success and has been well received by retailers. The inclusion of exclusive game codes for Nerd Corps’ online Slugterra games and mobile game Slug it Out! in the US toy packaging has been a successful cross-promotion for both companies, and will soon be implemented globally. Nerd Corps recently announced a greenlight for a third season of Slugterra, slated to begin rollout in summer 2015. JAKKS Pacific is also slated to rollout new waves of toys through the year. Nerd Corps also announced that Slug Fu Showdown, the third Slugterra movie, is slated to begin roll out in early 2015. Nerd Corps have over 70 licensees on board for Slugterra, with new products continuing to rollout, such as trading cards from Gedis in Italy that launched this autumn.

BAFTA-nominated preschool television show BING has a dedicated - and fast growing - fan base, following the launch of the ﬁrst 60 episodes on CBeebies last year. BING is also proving to be a success in the licensing space, attracting a host of world class partners. Egmont, one of Europe’s leading publishers, has been appointed to develop a dedicated BING magazine which launched last month in the UK – in a deal which also includes Eire, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, the Nordic region and Russia. Ravensburger produced a range of BING themed puzzles in the UK. Full roll out from Ravensburger, including the addition of two new puzzles, will take place in 2015. Both of these partnerships were brokered by The Licensing Company on behalf of Acamar Films. TLC also represents the brand in Germany, Benelux and France, with BING celebrating broadcast launches across the globe in 2015. Following a strong launch on ABC Australia, gaining the show coveted scheduling slots, Merchantwise has also been appointed as licensing agent for BING in Australia. Global publishing partner HarperCollins has launched a new range of TV tie-in books to its existing “Classic BING” publishing range and Acamar is also now working on a range of BING Plush, Figures, Playsets and Bath Toys in collaboration with market leader Fisher-Price for launch this summer.

The shape of things to come Zodiak Kids 02070134400 www.zodiakrights.com Mister Maker, the ultimate entertainment show for kids produced by Zodiak Kids’ wholly-owned studio The Foundation, continues to be exceptionally popular with Mini Makers across the globe. Sold in over 200 territories worldwide and with over 25 licensees the Mister Maker brand continues to be highly successful. The ﬁrst ever Mister Maker magazine hit the stands at the end of July this year, and has made a fantastically strong start in a competitive preschool newstrade market. The ﬁrst issue hit the stands with 80,000 copies and beat off stiff competition from other preschool launches such as

Peter Rabbit and Milkshake!, to become Immediate Media’s number one preschool launch. Mister Maker live events continue to go from strength to strength. Reaction to the Mister Maker tour in Australia has been overwhelming, with Live Nation selling over 90% of tickets in the ﬁrst week. The arts and crafts sensitisation hits Australia in January 2015 for his premier season at the Sydney Opera House. Mister Maker will also be touring the UK with Evolution Productions from autumn 2015. Live Nation joins a roster of licensees for Mister Maker including stationery from RMS, games from Green Board Games and Click Distribution, craft products from Giromax’s Clay Buddies as well as a brand new creative cake mix from Greens Cakes. Children’s favourite ‘The Shapes’ who accompany Mister Maker also recently made their longawaited retail debut this summer with a range of plush and pyjama case lines.

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Let the adventure begin!

An innovative, boutique licensing agency

www.lislelicensing.com info@lislelicensing.com / +44 (0)1937586237

Broadcast insight

And now for something completely different! Our esteemed columnist may not have a Twitter or Facebook account but he does have years of experience in media planning. So what does Clive Crouch think of social media? Media planners and PR companies are keen to keep their client’s brands visible and Twitter has proven a good vehicle to achieve this

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eeping a property topical and front of mind has become a strategic part of building a brand. Social media has provided a platform to create a style of live PR, but maintaining interest and creating original material around a brand is an ongoing challenge for the opportunist in an overcrowded market place. The perception of Twitter is that it has always appeared bigger than it actually is. This is because of the type of people who chose to use it - celebrities, sports stars, politicians as well as newshounds and journalists. There are 271 million monthly Twitter users. To put that into perspective, a Pew survey identiﬁed that Facebook has 1.2 billion users, four times as many as its social media rival. For a moment, let’s forget the volume and effectiveness argument, and reﬂect on those numbers. Conventional television spot advertising went through a period of being accused of “clutter”. Cable and satellite broadcasters were allowed two minutes more advertising per hour

than terrestrial broadcasters. This raised questions on effectiveness and ‘position in break’ became a negotiation with a premium for appearing ﬁrst or last within a longer running order of commercials. The market for social media appears to be coping with congestion better than TV did with clutter. Mobile has made social media a frequent distraction. Smart phones and the internet are constantly luring us away from matters that would otherwise have our full attention. The net result is that our attention spans are shortening, as our time gets ambushed by social media messages. Earlier this year I witnessed what appeared to be a carefully constructed PR stunt. London was brought to a standstill when a truck, transporting an eight-legged octopus prop for a Betfair advert, broke down in the epicentre of London between Oxford Circus and Regent Street in rush hour. This sequence of events caused a major rush hour distraction. Meanwhile Betfair tweeted an apology claiming that the truck had just broken down there but others sensed it was another Betfair PR stunt. Naturally, Betfair’s brand manager had wasted no time in tweeting a message that read “#Octopus Circus! A case of the UK’s ﬁrst squid lock”. Given Betfair’s previous form, coupled with the time of day, the location and the PR tweet, I will leave it to you to decide if the giant squid, beached at Oxford Circus in the peak season of sporting events for UK betting, was just an ‘unfortunate breakdown’. Now who could have bet on that? Media planners

and PR companies are keen to keep their client’s brands visible and Twitter has proven a good vehicle to achieve this. However, across 2014, Twitter had a number of internal conflicts that led to management fallouts. This served to highlight an ongoing struggle within Twitter over whether it should largely be a conduit for journalism or PR. If the company were to embrace the provision of news, it would become responsible for what appears on its site and what that can entail. Twitter is a very different business model to other social media sites. The first anniversary of Twitter’s New York Stock Exchange listing occurred last November. With a user base of 271 million regular monthly users, the business is under pressure to make more money. However, making money from the huge number of people who view tweets without signing up is not easy. This works on YouTube where we can watch content without having to produce it, our user payment equivalent is being forced to watch the pre role advertisements when we view. To be asked to pay for tweets, that in effect are gossip, is not the same currency and by definition does not carry the same value. Twitter does, however, have its place. I can only write what I understand from my research since witnessing the giant squid breakdown, that subsequently sparked my interest in Twitter and its PR potential. I do not have a Twitter account, or Facebook, or Instagram, or Linkedin. I do however have a compass which ensures I can endeavour to avoid obstacles and distractions however big and effective they may be.

Clive Crouch is a TV expert with a career spanning more than 35 years in the medium. He joined GMTV at its very inception – long before it began broadcasting - as Sales and Marketing Director during which time he was responsible for managing more than £1.5billion of commercial revenues. Clive rose through the ranks to be appointed Chief Operating Ofﬁcer in 2007. Clive runs his own media insights company and you can get in touch with him by emailing; insight@clivecrouch.com or go to his website, www.clivecrouch.com

BLE 2014 Show Nuremberg Show Preview Preview

The greatest show on earth! Facts: The show is known to be a highlight in the toy calendar, but licensors and agents should also consider a trip to Nuremberg as the potential to trade and ﬁnd new partners is too good to miss!

“

It’s another opportunity for us to connect with our retailers

“

he Nuremberg Toy Fair is upon us – but is there real value and relevance in attending? Well, with so many of the leading toy manufacturers supplying and distributing licensed toys, the answer for any licensing professional worth his salt, has to be a resounding yes! Planning a trip to the world’s largest toy fair is no mean feat – with more than 2,700 exhibitors from more than 60 countries – any visit requires a lot of thought and some careful consideration. With 75,000 brand new toys on offer, it truly is an embarrassment of riches and an important show for buyers and retailers to attend. Wendy Hill, Brand Activation Director of Mattel agrees: “It’s the largest European Toy Fair so it’s a fantastic opportunity to see toy manufacturers large and small in

Wendy Hill Mattel

Where: The Nuremberg Exhibiton Centre, Nuremberg, Germany When: 28 Jan – 2 Feb, 2015 Opens: 9am – 6pm daily Who: Full exhibitor list at www.spielwarenmesse.de

one venue.” With visitors from all four corners of the world making the trip to Nuremberg, for Mattel, Nuremberg is quite simply a great opportunity to catch up with existing customers and open up new business opportunities with people from across the globe. “We are looking forward to connecting with all our retailers and showing them our great ranges and marketing plans that we have for 2015,” Wendy adds. Trudi Bishop, Head of Marketing and Licensing, Cartamundi says: “The toy category is indeed the main driving force for a successful licensing programme in the children’s market. It is the best way to get the brand known and to see what the consumers are looking for. Sometimes a license can surprise you in terms of

success on the toy aisle – it’s not always the one you expect. That insight benefits related categories — our own in particular.” Nuremberg has become a key business event for many companies; an event that promises order bookings and a chance for exhibitors to shore up their range and messaging before retailers and buyers make have to commit for the year ahead. “It’s a very important show as it’s another opportunity for us to connect with our retailers before they go into the selection process,” explains Mattel’s Wendy Hill. And Tom Mullen of Silverlit agrees: “Over the last few years, Nuremberg has become a show where some retailers will place orders and others plan for the year ahead. It gives the retailer some more time to understand product and future development within the Silverlit portfolio.”

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Why is Nuremberg a pivotal show? A number of industry ﬁgures told us why they ﬁnd the Nuremberg show a vital component of their annual business. “Nuremburg plays a very important role in presenting our product to our international distributors so is essential to our calendar.” Jerry Healy, Marketing Manager, Character Options “Nuremberg is important because even though we don’t exhibit ourselves, our suppliers do such as Okiedog, NICI and Plan Toys. We then show our customers around the stands, showing them all that is new.” Judith Dayus, Director, Great Gizmos “Nuremberg is a great opportunity for us to showcase all our new products and ranges for 2015. The fair gives Mookie a great chance to show buyers the new and exciting categories we are moving into and growing in. It also gives us time to explaining how we intend to grow our existing lines and review growth we have shown in 2014.” Guy Orr, Director Mookie

Knowledge is power! Integrated into the TrendGallery, the Toy Business Forum gives visitors the opportunity to hear from topclass speakers on a number of topics, including current marketing developments and trends, arming them with the knowledge to tackle future challenges. Each daily topic is broken down into several short presentations in both English and German.

Wed, 28 Jan: Toy Know How – experiencing future trends and technologies

Thurs, 29 Jan: Licenses – recognising worldwide trends in 2015

Fri, 30 Jan: Online Marketing – understanding strategies on the World Wide Web

Michael Pape of Ravensden all sees opportunity at the show: “I spent a number of days at the show last year and was struck by the sheer number of visitors from across Europe and beyond. As a first time exhibitor we are aiming to see as many of our existing clients as possible as well as showcasing our range to new clients who may very well not be aware of us.” With so many products and exhibitors to see at Nuremberg, the show has several initiatives to ensure that every visitor can discover exactly what they’re after. No trip to Nuremberg would be complete with stopping by the TrendGallery. Spotting the year’s big trends early can mean the difference between a good year,

and a fantastic one. The TrendGallery collates a whole host of educational experiences, with presentations, live events and talks to give you the upper hand. This year the focuses will be: Beyond Reality, a look at the trends in the entertainment and electronics industries gaining traction in the toy sector, and Little Scientists, the rising popularity of introducing kids to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) concepts early in the play cycle. A third unannounced trend will round the off the TrendGallery’s highlights. For Trudi, it is important to have a wide range of licences in her portfoio at Cartamundi, as it helps boost the ‘buyability’ factor. She says: “If it’s a

brand that clearly has the support and confidence of the leading toy names, buyers may also be encouraged to stock our similarly branded lines as useful pocket-money purchases or modestly priced gifts. They will do this in the knowledge that consumers have already bought into the brands and found them appealing.” With more than 2,700 exhibitors from all over the globe the Spielwarenmesse can offer the opportunities that no other show can for licensors and agents. The possibilities are endless to find new partners or new lines to work with and as such, it cannot be ignored as an important show on the licensing, and toy, calendar.

Sat, 31 Jan: Marketing – discovering potentials for the trade

Sun, 1 Feb: Visual Merchandising – creating experience world

January 2015

Kazachok Show Preview

The French Connection The 12th Kazachok Forum is taking place in April and you need to be there – read on to ﬁnd out why

ith some Organisers illustrious even say that attendees like Hasbro, their new look SEGA, Universal Music home has France and Warner Bros. prompted them Consumer Products to name but a few – to revamp how Kazachok Licensing the show looks Forum is fast becoming with a new a ‘must-visit’ show. This year sees the 12th edition booth system of the Paris based forum, to give brands the only one of its kind in more visability France. Running over two days, Sunday 8 and Monday 9 April 2015, the show is now in a new location in the Paris Events Center at Porte de la Villette. Perfectly positioned between October’s Brand Licensing Europe in London and June’s Licensing Expo in Vegas, Kazachok offers attendees something different, says organisers.

“

Facts: What: Kazachok Licensing Forum When: 8 and 9th April 2015 Where: Paris Events Center, Porte de la Villette

Who is going? Kazachok attracts businesses and visitors looking for new growth areas to help them diversify and expand their brand, say organisers. Brand owners, manufacturers, distribution buyers and marketeers, promotion and communication agencies, broadcasters, producers and many more meet in April to exchange, consolidate their network and do business. And on top of licensing executives, more and more retailers are attending the show too. Visitors can expect to meet buyers from Amazon, Auchan, Carrefour, Célio, Fnac, Galec E Leclerc, Gémo, Gifi, La Halle aux Chaussures, Kiabi, Ludendo, Vente Privée and more at the two-day show. Last year, 30% of visitors attended Kazachok for the very first time and of all those who attended, 52% were licensees and manufacturers, 18% were agents and licensors and 16% of visitors were from retail.

New look location With a new location, Kazachok 2015 will be bigger and better than ever as The Paris Event

Center, at Porte de la Villette in Paris, is extremely accessible by rail and car. Organisers even say that their new look home has prompted them to revamp how the show looks with a new booth system to give brands more visability.

Two days of products and pitching Pitching is at Kazachok’s core and 2015 is no different with a programme of pitching sessions. Organisers said that more than 40 client service managers loved the first year of the Agency Brands Dating so much that it will return again this year. Rights owners have 10 minutes each to showcase their brands to key people in the industry. To participate in the pitching sessions, log onto www./forumlicence.kazachok. com to find out more.

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Spring Fair Show Preview

Fair play! With more than 300,000 new products on show and some of the world’s biggest brands and licenses represented, ﬁnd out why you should be at Spring Fair 2015

pring Fair will welcome 10 percent more exhibitors in 2015 than last year; fantastic news for licensors, licensees, retailers and buyers who will be on the hunt for the next big thing when the show returns 1-5 February, 2015. The show will play host to 3,000 exhibitors in total, 400 of which are new for 2015. With 300,000 new products launching across 14 different market sectors, it’s a treasure trove for everyone on the lookout for the next big thing. One of the ﬁrst ports of call will be hall 3, where you’ll ﬁnd the toys, kid’s gifts and party dressup. Around 170 exhibitors are forecasted to form this section of the show when it opens its doors in February, and more than a third of those exhibitors – 60 to be exact – are brand new, making their Spring Fair debut. With the close relationship between toys and character licensing, hall 3 really is the place to be. Hall 3 is also the social hub for the licensing contingent, with the popular Licensing Lounge returning for the fourth year. Launched in 2012 after consultation with key licensing stakeholders, it aims to bring together the licensing community and offer advice to retailers and exhibitors. With support from LIMA, it’s the perfect place for anyone that would like to dip their toe in the licensing pool, or a great place for licensing professionals to network. With 14 different market sectors represented, he crosscategory nature of the show is a big draw for many visitors. For

January 2015

those with an interest in licensing, Spring Fair offers thousands of new products and opportunities for merchandising and branded consumer products. It’s also the perfect place to ﬁnd out what’s currently hot; just walking the aisles will tell you whether the Minions have taken over retail, or Frozen is still the cool thing with consumers. The pairing of toys and party in hall 3 means whether its toys from well-known brands, quirky and unique trinkets, or the latest in licensed dress-up and partyware, there’s something to inspire or discover for everyone in the licensing industry. Partyware and dress-up are fast becoming the go-to licensed products for retailers looking to entice new customers. With Frozen licensed costumes a best-seller for Disney, and the World Book Day event, which has kids dress-up as their favourite characters, growing in popularity, there are plenty of new opportunities here. Rubie’s, Amscan and Qualatex – some of the leading names in the party industry – will all be exhibiting at Spring Fair. Everything from licensed costumes to balloons can be found on their stands. For the curious, some of the costumes and balloons can be seen at their best on the Party Show stage in hall 3, with catwalk shows and balloon demonstrations throughout each day of the show. It’s a great way to see the costumes in motion and ﬁnd out exactly how balloons and other party products are playing a key role in the licensing chain. The 300,000 new products are what draw the crowds of buyers and retailers, but Spring Fair has even more to offer to inspire visitors from every part of the supply chain.

Facts: When: 1-5 February 2015 Where: NEC Birmingham Who: www.springfair. com

Located in the contemporary gift section in hall 6, visitors will ﬁnd a vast presentation of design-led products in the Trends Theatre. Here the World Global Style Network will provide insight into key seasonal trends, and other industry leaders will present their ideas on some of the best opportunities in retail, from effective branding and merchandising to boosting sales through specialised marketing techniques. So, whether you’re after the next big thing, inspiration to expand your product offering, or seek advice on how your product could thrive in new markets, Spring Fair has you covered!

Toy Fair Show Preview

It’s toy time! Facts: London Toy Fair offers licensors a glimpse at the best of the UK toy trade, and can open your eyes to potential new licensing partners

With the industry Licensors, spurred on by a strong and reinvigorating year of sales, marketeers, this year’s show is primed inventors and to be the best yet, and the agents will exhibitors’ enthusiasm says it all. ﬁnd something Trudi Bishop, Head of useful, Marketing and Licensing, important Cartamundi. says: “Licensors, marketeers, or new there inventors and agents will and have an find something useful, invaluable important or new there and have an invaluable opportunity to opportunity to network with network with each other. And however each other. well prepared you are there will always be surprises. And however “We love what we do at well prepared Famosa, so we hope the you are there trade and our visitors love what we are introducing for will always be 2015 too,” says Famosa’s surprises. Nikki Jeffery. She believes that because these products Trudi Bishop, are brand new, the only Head of way to truly see their Marketing quality is to get hands-on and Licensing, on the show floor. Retailers Cartamundi searching for licensed toys to capitalise on the movie and TV slate for 2015 – a year that experts predict could see the highest cinema admissions for 40 years – will want to stop

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he start of each year brings every link in the supply chain together – licensors, licensees, buyers, retailers – there is not a better place to plan the next 18 months than London Toy Fair. It’s this snapshot from the show floor that draws the crowds of retailers and buyers, licensors and creatives to the show each year. As Kerry Paternoster, Marketing Manager, Vivid – Toy and Drumond Park says: “The best thing about Toy Fair is seeing all the brands displayed in all of their glory.” “VTech is excited to launch a number of great new products at Toy Fair 2015,” says Clive Richardson, Marketing Director at VTech. “With developments to much loved ranges as well as brand new additions in different categories, the range includes innovations in technology and continues to promote quality learning and development for children of all ages.” Toy Fair has always been a prime event for companies to launch their latest and greatest products and brands; with so many buyers, retailers and decision makers in the same place it just makes sense.

Where: Kensington Olympia When: January 20-22 Doors open 9-6 Who: www.btha.co.uk/toy-fair

by the Underground Toys stand. “On our stand you’ll find our range of over 2000 items from just about every major TV and movie property relevant to 2015,” says Andy Oddie, Underground Toys’ Managing Director. “Key ranges include POP! Vinyl, Star Wars feature plush, Marvel feature plush, Sherlock and Doctor Who.” Over on the VTech stand, there’s more technology innovation fresh from the lab. “In electronic learning there will be a couple of big new products that we will present for the first time at London Toy Fair,” says Clive. “We have lots of innovative product launches in the pipeline for our existing categories and we are also entering some new categories for the first time, such as the girls collectible line called Flipsies. Wearable technology is going to be a trend that continues in 2015 so visit the VTech stand to see how we will be maximising that.” Don’t forget to pick up you copy of the Toy Fair Daily each day, which Licensing Today Worldwide’s sister publication, TnP, proudly produces on-site. LTW will be joining Team TnP on the show floor, so stop by and say hello on stand, E1.

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Spring 2015

Contents 47

Leader

Exhibitions Round-Up

spring 2015 Cover Story World Art Group travel the globe

58 50

Fair Game Regina Molaro on how technology is changing the way work is presented

P52

Agency Spotlight Pink Light Studio & The Ansada Group

Image Library Spotlight Mary Evans Picture Library

Image Library & Agency Spotlight

Bridgeman Images & Wild Apple

Exhibition News Blueprint is a new show coming to New York and the Art Licensing Show takes the exhibition genre online

Artists’ & Agency Spotlight Joan Beiriger, Rose Mary Berlin & Kathleen Francour Art & Licensing

Artists’ Spotlight Howard Robinson & Associates & Marilyn Robertson

P56

PUBLISHING

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P59

FINE ART LICENSING

+44 (0)1442 289936 (direct)

Group Editor Mirella Cestaro mirella@lemapublishing.co.uk Group Advertisement Manager Ryan Horwood ryan@lemapublishing.co.uk Publisher Mark Naish mark@lemapublishing.co.uk Production Director Paul Naish paul@lemapublishing.co.uk Managing Director Malcolm Naish malcolm@lemapublishing.co.uk Subscriptions Manager Robert Thomas robert@lemapublishing.co.uk Our thanks to the contributors in this Spring 2015 issue: Regina Molaro. The views of the contributors expressed in this journal are not necessarily those of the publisher. Comments, letters and criticism are welcome.

Tracey Bearton

Advertisement Manager Christine Contreras christine@lemapublishing.co.uk

Editor

Editor Tracey Bearton tracey@lemapublishing.co.uk

Leader

ELL, this is something new – this Spring issue of Art Buyer is part of Licensing Today Worldwide so we’re reaching an audience of more than 20,000 readers, which is absolutely fantastic. It means there are many more people out there able to read all about the fantastic art licensing industry and the many and varied image libraries, agencies and artists contained within our pages. As it’s the Spring issue, we’re at the start of a new year of trade shows, exhibitions and ways to market and licence art and surface pattern designs – and there are some new kids on the block. Hot on the heels of Evolution in Holland, which had its second outing in October – and is now moving to June – has come the announcement of Blueprint, a new small design-led print show that will open in New York in the lead-up to Surtex. Kicking off with 12 international studios with similar ideals, Blueprint brings together a great mix

“

of different design ideas and choice of artwork. Small is beautiful but there’s plenty of room for Blueprint to grow and shine – for full details see page 54. Taking advantage of technology, Cherish Flieder has introduced her concept ArtLicensingShow.com that is aimed at helping people connect outside of traditional trade shows – for full details see page 55. Along with the ways contributor Regina Molaro talks about on pages 50-51 where technology is being used to help artists, agencies and image libraries better display their work to potential clients both at trade fairs and within presentations, this is an exciting era to be involved in art licensing. Taken together, it shows that these days you don’t have to do things in a specific way, everything can be tailored to what works best for you and your clients, whether it be trade fairs, personal presentations, B2B magazine advertising, showing work online and on tablets – or, most likely, a combination of them all.

“

the team

These days you don’t have to do things in a speciﬁc way way

exhibition diary

ART LICENSING EXHIBITIONS January 2015

February 2015

AMERICASMART LICENSE & DESIGN

SPRING FAIR

January 6-13, 2015 Atlanta Convention Center, Atlanta, USA www.americasmart.com Part of the Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market It’s the finishing touches that bring a room together and create the warm, welcoming space every homeowner dreams of. Home Accents & Gifts (Building 2, Floors 10-13) features a wide assortment of home furnishings and decorative accessory items from wall decor to artwork and accents, our product selection provides options to please any style and budget.

February 1-5, 2015 NEC, Birmingham, UK www.springfair.com The UK’s largest gift trade show with a dedicated Art & Framing product sector, Spring Fair has been inspiring retail for 65 years where you will discover exciting UK and international designers and exhibitors, source the latest products from new and popular brands, keep up with the latest trends and gain crucial retail advice that will set your business apart in 2015.

May 2015

PRINTSOURCE January 13-14, 2015 Metropolitan Pavilion, New York, USA www.printsourcenewyork.com PrintSource holds three shows a year in New York City, showcasing hundreds of collections by international surface and textile design studios and agents. The Show is the main resource for surface and textile design for America's major manufacturers, retailers and catalogues and covers such industries as men's, children's and women's apparel, bed and bath, kitchen and tabletop, paper goods and stationery, wallcoverings, window fashions as well as other surface and textile design applications.

WEST COAST ART AND FRAME SHOW January 26-28, 2015 Paris Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas, USA www.wcafshow.com The largest trade show in the art and framing industry, showcasing new vendor products and services. The West Coast Art And Frame Show is home of the National Conference featuring lectures and hands-on workshops for retailers led by leading experts and there are valuable networking and social events throughout the expo.

BLUEPRINT May 14-16, 2015 Manhattan Affinia Hotel, New York, USA blueprintmay@gmail.com Brand-new design-led print show put together by design studios to appeal to clients from all the different industries that need great artwork for their future products. With artwork for sale outright, and for licence.

SURTEX May 17-19, 2015 Jacob K Javits Convention Center, New York, USA www.surtex.com Markets represented at Surtex include artists, designers, studios, agents and licensing firms selling and licensing art and design for a multitude of product end-uses – decorative fabrics, linens and domestics, contract textiles, wall coverings, floor coverings, apparel textiles, stationery, greetings cards, gift wrap and other paper products, tabletop, giftware, toys, ceramics, packaging and publishing.

June 2015

PAPERWORLD January 31-February 3, 2015 Frankfurt am Main,, Frankfurt, Germany www.paperworld.messefrankfurt.com There's always something different to discover at the international trade fair for stationery, office supplies and writing instruments which also has a design section. Here you'll find all the industry's latest trends and product ideas, with the unique diversity of products from major brand manufacturers, international newcomers and many others. Paperworld runs alongside Creativeworld and Christmasworld.

C LASSIC C HILDREN ’ S I LLUSTRATION

LICENSING EXPO June 9-11, 2015 Mandalay Bay Convention Center, Las Vegas, USA www.licensingexpo.com For 34 years Licensing Expo has connected the world's most influential entertainment, character, fashion, art and corporate brand owners with consumer goods manufacturers, licensees and retailers. This is the meeting place for the global licensing industry, whether you’re looking to spot trends, build strategic partnerships or secure promotional tie-ins. Millions of products across the world started life as a conversation at Licensing Expo.

EVOLUTION FAIR June 17-18, 2015 Evoluon Centre, Eindhoven, The Netherlands www.evolutionfair.nl Moved from October for the 3rd edition of the Dutch show, Evolution is the only surface design show in the Netherlands and is powered by Verbeek Designs.

September 2015

AVAILABLE FOR

EXPO CHICAGO

LICENSING FROM

September 17-20, 2015 Navy Pier,, Chicago, USA www.expochicago.com The International Exposition of Contemporary & Modern Art opens the autumn art season each September at historic Navy Pier. Entering its fourth edition in 2015, Expo Chicago presents artwork from 140 leading galleries around the world, alongside the Exposure section that affords younger galleries the opportunity to participate in a major international art fair. Expo Chicago is the centerpiece of Expo Art Week, from September 14-20.

THE MEDICI SOCIETY ARCHIVE

October 2015

BRAND LICENSING EUROPE October 7-9, 2014 Olympia,, London, UK www.brandlicensing.eu With over 2,500 brands, characters and images on show, Brand Licensing Europe is a launch pad for new properties introduced by Europe’s leading brand owners and agents. You can discover the latest brands, characters and images available for license; speak to the rights owners face-to-face and ensure you select the license that’s right for your product range; inject a fresh lease of life into your merchandising programmes; network and create and cement licensing partnerships across the full spectrum of sport, brands, fashion & lifestyle, character & entertainment, charity & not for profit, heritage and art & design.

MEGA SHOW PART 2

MARY EVANS

PICTURE LIBRARY

www.maryevans.com

October 27-29, 2015 Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre, Hong Kong www.mega-show.com Mega Show Part 1 and 2 are the largest sourcing trade exhibitions every October for gifts, premiums, housewares, kitchen & dining, lifestyle products, toys & games and stationery in the Asia-Pacific region. Part 2 is now in its 11th year and will have four merchandise categories, each in a specific location with the Asian Home Décor & Outdoor Living Show including the art and licensing exhibitors.

Let your products bloom Commission a contemporary artist for your product range We’re excited to announce the launch of Bridgeman Studio’s commission service for image licensing. It is now possible to commission illustration, graphic art and photography from Bridgeman Studio’s talented pool of contemporary artists. Don’t let your project be dictated by having to select from existing images: commission your own from Bridgeman and license it exclusively. Interested in commissioning an exclusive artwork for your project?

Talk to Bridgeman Studio and they’ll help you make a selection. The Bridgeman Studio team will interpret your brief with our artists. Receive high-quality images to deadline, copyright cleared and ready to use immediately.

Examples of Bridgeman Studio Artists vibrant photography is carefully staged using a wide array of flowers (pictured top right and bottom left)

Rachel Pedder-Smith uses her pHd studies in the Kew Gardens Herbarium as inspiration for her beautiful and highly skilled watercolour compositions.

Neela Pushparaj uses a veritable feast of colours in her dense floral designs, making them an excellent choice for a range of surface design uses. Using a lightboxes,

series Julia

of different McLemore’s

Dorset-based artist Vanessa Bowman uses colour-skills honed as a textile designer in her work. Her painting observes the simple beauty of everyday objects in the domestic space. Interested in commissioning an exclusive artwork for your project? Contact the Bridgeman Studio team today and they will interpret your brief with their artists. Bridgeman Studio is the new online platform for contemporary artists from Bridgeman Images, the world’s leading rights-managed specialist in reproducing and licensing cultural imagery.

Licensed to delight bridgemanstudio.com T: +44 (0)20 7908 1607 E: Studio@bridgemanstudio.com

regina molaro 50

Fair game Today’s technology is changing the way artists and agencies present and promote at trade fairs, says art licensing writer Regina Molaro.

LTHOUGH the history of trade fairs and their practices can be traced back many years, today’s new era of technology has ushered in some changes to the traditional ways of promotion and marketing. Many licensing agencies and artists are utilising new technology and harnessing the power of social media to promote their work. Several years ago Carole Postal, co-president of the Knockout Licensing joint venture between Manhattan’s CopCorp Licensing and TK Brand Group, began by using iPads to present properties at trade fairs. Carole believes using a tablet is much easier than the traditional means of presenting and promoting as it’s much easier than lugging around art for presentations. “Everything is right there at your fingertips,” she said, “all in one place. With a tablet, I can play music or video. I can also add content and edit information up until the last minute.” Many industry insiders such as Tamra Knepfer, co-president of Knockout Licensing, believe that using digital technology is especially effective when presenting properties that are specifically built on digital platforms. Let’s take Boo, The World’s Cutest Dog – Tamra credits social media such as Facebook and Instagram for much of the property’s popularity. Tamra said: “When I show Boo at trade fairs, I pull up the Facebook page so I can point to the number of Likes and hit Refresh. I’ve been doing this for over two years now and, without fail, the number of Likes jumps by tens or even hundreds within that few seconds. “Saying a property’s popularity is growing at a phenomenal rate is one thing – showing it happening in real time is another – and much more convincing.” Carole said that when presenting certain properties, such as The Smithsonian Libraries’ Seed Catalog Collection, the most effective way to convey the enormous number and variety of vintage images available is to show the online archive. “It’s just too much to try to do with a traditional binder or print presentation but, as long as we have a good wi-fi connection, it’s easy to do from a tablet or laptop,” she added. Knockout also use social media to let people know when they will be attending or exhibiting at shows, and strive to keep the large and active online fan bases informed about properties such as Boo. “Those fans can turn out to be your best licensees,” Carole explained, “someone who already knows and loves your brand has a distinct advantage when it comes time to designing, manufacturing, and selling the types of products fellow fans will want to buy.” However, with the show booth or stand Knockout still use printed graphics to generate interest since most of the licensees they work with create physical products

rather than digital ones, so it’s important for them to see how the artwork looks on a printed surface. Carole added: “Our agency relies on digital technologies and social media when presenting art brands at trade fairs but it’s important to remember that, as great as they are, digital tools are not the only tools. There are still times when only a beautifullyprinted style guide or mood board, or sample can convey the texture or detail needed to close the deal. “After all, if everything could be done digitally, why would people still go to trade fairs?” Beyond licensing agencies, Connecticut-based artist Karen Rossi is renowned for her whimsical characters and uses her iPad at shows to hold the archive of her portfolio so it’s on hand to present to clients. Photos of items that won’t fit in her booth are also kept in albums on her iPad. Karen also utilises Instagram to promote her work, and PayPal for making transactions, but still employs traditional forms of marketing. “We also do an e-newsletter, which goes out to 4,000 people,” she said, “it keeps us in touch with our audience between shows.” Fellow artist Bob Timberlake, from North Carolina, is currently

using social media to promote his country-themed artwork. According to Bob’s CEO Jim Slagle, the company hasn’t exposed Timberlake’s art much recently at shows, but he’s had many major exhibits nationally and internationally. Jim said: “Bob has been very successful in marketing within our dealer base and to his loyal fans. “We’ve held his artwork out of the trade show business and have kept it at a high art industry value by marketing through very traditional means.” This includes direct mail, print media and personal dialogue but, with the industry continually evolving, Jim and his team have already introduced the web and social media and find that people are enjoying the art online, notably on his Facebook page. Some properties such as Bob’s are certainly more traditional, but they still eagerly embrace the new technologies and look forward to what tomorrow will bring. http://www.tkbrandgroup.com/TK_Brand_Group/ Knockout_Licensing_Home.html www.karenrossi.com www.bobtimberlake.com

MA R I LY N

R O B E RT S O N

“...illustration with style & HMWXMRGXMZI ÂEMV ”

Licensees include: ,EPPQEVO -RXIVREXMSREP +VETLMGW 'VEJXIVW 'SQTERMSR 'PEMVIJSRXEMRI &VEHJSVH )\GLERKI %]OVS]H 7SRW 6EZIRWFYVKIV 1EVMER ,IEXL

Catitudes

[[[ QEVMP]RVSFIVXWSR GSQ Tel: +44 (0) 1949 860621 e: katie@marilynrobertson.com

Botanicals are always a popular choice for products and can be kept looking fresh via digital print techniques. Rachel Pedder-Smith was featured in featured in Tate Britain’s 2011 Watercolours exhibition and her composites of flower petals and seeds are classic but with a contemporary, almost graphic twist.

Tis the season Also worth highlighting is Emma Haworth whose detailed urban scenes capture the vibrancy of the seasons with a mysterious, otherworldly quality.

Contemporary Vintage

Bridgeman represent a distinguished portfolio of high profile artists and estates including 20th century British artists Mary Fedden and Julian Trevelyan and, most recently, the painterly printmaker Tom Hammick. Clients benefit from being able to pay in a single transaction for a license for both artist and photographic copyright.

The way we were New to the archive are two enchanting collections of photography by John Gay and Joseph Hardman, capturing an idyllic post-war Britain via English Heritage and the Museum Of Lakeland Life And Industry. www.bridgemaniamges.com uksales@bridgemanimages.com +44 (0)20 7727 4065

● Two farmers/shepherds and a sheepdog, Joseph Hardman

Katie Edwards was the winner of the Bridgeman Studio Award competition, in partnership

Bridgeman Copyright Service

FUELLED by a love of art, design, and chocolate, Wild Apple works with artists from around the world, bringing collections of top-selling art, patterns and designs to leading manufacturers of home décor, tabletop, textiles, stationery and giftware. And this is an exciting year as Wild Apple celebrate their 25th anniversary, with staying on top of trends critical to their success. “We’re focused on developing imagery that support key trends in home decor,” said Kat Gray, director of licensing. From trend-spotting at retail to attending major shows in North America and Europe, to working with established and new artists, Wild Apple are known for delivering the right, on-trend imagery to customers everywhere. Collaboration is central to the Wild Apple experience. Working side-by-side with customers, the

Wild Apple Wild Apple licensing team are focused on getting the right art for each product. Kat added: “Our job is to deliver incredible art and designs to our customers, so we do whatever it takes to make that happen.” Every month customers can find top-selling and new artwork on their website where you can stay connected with them as well as through their email newsletters, trend blog and on social media to learn more about their collections and celebration plans throughout the year and at Surtex. Surtex Booth 307 – Licensing Expo Booth E20 www.wildapple.com licensing@wildapple.com +1 802 457 3003 ● Live Beautifully, Sara Zieve Miller

● Richmond Park London, John Gay

Nature’s bounty

with Creative Review, to discover emerging talent for the archive. Katie uses traditional photographic techniques to produce screen prints and this aligns well with the current trend for products that look both heritage and contemporary. Another artist to come to Bridgeman’s attention via the competition was Olga Snell who mixes beautiful vintage images with her own work to create whimsical digital collages. Bridgeman look forward to launching the second Bridgeman Studio Award competition in March to discover even more contemporary talent.

● Katie Edwards, Bridgeman Studio

ROM the launch of a contemporary art service to the addition of worldrenowned art collections, 2014 has been an incredible year for Bridgeman Images. The continual uploading of new images makes Bridgeman a consistentlyfresh archive to explore – from museum masterpieces to vintage ephermera, heritage photography and accessible contemporary art. There has been an emphasis on growing a portfolio of illustration, printmaking and graphic artwork. Bridgeman Studio offers clients the best resource for emerging contemporary artists; all content is thematically curated and available for full image licensing and creative commissions.

● Blue City 2002, Tom Hammick

● Me And You 2014, Olga Snell,

● Peony Specimens 2011, Rachel Pedder-Smith

agency & image library spotlight

Bridgeman Images F

exhibition news

Showing the future Twelve studios have got together to organise their own brand-new show which launches in New York from May 14-16 at the Manhattan Affinia Hotel, here they tell Art Buyer all about Blueprint. What is Blueprint? Blueprint is a design-led print show put together by design studios, and it’s something we wanted to do as a group to see what we could achieve. We want the show to appeal to clients from all the different industries that need great artwork for their future products. Several of us not only sell artwork outright, but we licence as well. The show will be open to all visitors that register with us online. We’re looking forward to attracting clients from all over America and worldwide to this exciting, creative new show! How did you all come together? A few of us already know each other from various trade shows. We got talking and thought it would be a great idea to put together our own show. We’ve all been involved in putting the various aspects of the show together, which has been a lovely experience. As studios we all bring something different and exciting to the table and can offer a great choice of artwork to the visitors of Blueprint. We are studios from the UK, the USA, the Netherlands, India and France, and we are all determined to make it work. Why New York in May? Through our discussions together we realised we were all meeting our various Based in Northern Ireland, CINNAMON JOE STUDIO represent an amazing group of artists, maintaining an extensive, exciting print portfolio. Along with their twice a year trend forecasting service Oodles Of Doodles, CJS cater to all aspects of the juvenile product markets worldwide. Blueprint is an exciting time for everyone involved, and it has brought a great bunch of studios together. www.cinnamonjoestudio.co.uk

CREATIVO SURFACE DESIGN are a full service design studio based in Brooklyn New York, providing prints and patterns for the home furnishing, fashion, gift and paper goods market. Creativo are known for their bold colours and fresh designs and can be seen exhibiting at trade shows all around the world. www.thinkcreativo.com

Located in Lyon, the heartbeat of French creativity, DESSIN & CIE STUDIO are a recognised leader in the surface design industry. Since 2004, this group of worldwide designers have been creating innovative floral, geometric, ethnic, seasonal, everyday and children’s designs for global clients working in a variety of industries such as stationary, home and fashion textiles and ceramics. www.dessin-cie.com

clients in New York during this particular week, and in general it meant either we went to see our clients in their hotels, or they were coming to see us in our hotels. We thought what a great idea it would be if we could find a great location in Manhattan, and as a group, put on our own print show so that our clients would only have one place to go to meet us. Why the Manhattan Affinia Hotel? The hotel is perfectly placed two blocks down from Madison Square Garden in New York, and provides a great setting for the Blueprint show. It has several large conference rooms, and the Astor Hall is the perfect size for the 12 studios that are participating. The venue is on the same level as the foyer, so the visitors can literally walk straight into the show. Attached to the hotel there is also the Niles Restaurant that serves food and beverages all day long, and it’s a nice place to relax in a contemporary setting. What Is the future for Blueprint? We’re all looking at this as an event for the future, and it will be good to get the first show under our belts! This time we are 12 studios and, if we can make Blueprint a success, there is no reason why we can’t grow and accommodate more studios in the future. blueprintmay@gmail.com GATHER NO MOSS are one of the world’s leading printed design studios with a reputation for innovative and exciting print design for all age ranges. With their lively design team based in East London they pride themselves on their creative, fast and responsive service, constantly striving to provide clients with a simple design solution of the highest quality. www.gathernomoss.com

GRAFIQ TRAFIQ DESIGN GROUP create original, exciting and trend right design. They always have their eye on the pulse of today’s visual inspiration, internationally, to provide the freshest designs for your product or service. Grafiq Trafiq have proudly been serving the textile, paper, gift and home industries since the year 2000. www.grafiqtrafiq.com

With over 14 years experience in the textile industry, LJ WOODHOUSE LTD are a leading British design studio producing innovative, original artwork for all aspects of the home interior, paper and giftware industries. They are excited to be a part of the first Blueprint trade fair – an inspirational, unique and creative show celebrating the originality of each design studio participating. www.lucywoodhouse.com

Cleveland, Ohio, is home to LUCKY DAY STUDIO, a different kind of print+pattern studio founded by Julia Briggs and Donna Catanese. In 2014, they expanded the Lucky Day portfolio to include the work of seven talented artists. Lucky Day Studio are thrilled to be a part of the Blueprint show! www.luckydaystudio.com or follow https://www.facebook.com/ luckydaystudio?fref=ts @LuckyDaLStudio

At POMELO & POMELO they design curiously fabulous digital illustrations and patterns that have a vibrant and expressive hand-drawn feel. Their deep understanding of process and workflow means they never have to compromise their unique creativity for ease of use. Blueprint is an exhilarating new venue for imaginative minds to showcase their hard work and they are proud to be part of it. www.pomeloandpomelo.com

RAFALE DESIGN are a unique group of artists and designers based mainly in the United Kingdom. They focus on design for gift and home products, and are looking forward to presenting an exciting new surface pattern collection at the Blueprint Show. www.rafaledesign.com

ROY & JANE EVANS DESIGNS LTD represent a talented group of experienced surface pattern designers from various creative backgrounds, who mare all individuals continuously evolving their styles to create interesting and exciting new designs. They have designs that are suitable for home, apparel, stationery and ceramics. Any application where pattern would enhance a product aesthetically and commercially they can provide it. T: 0044 (0)161 449 5051

TANA BANA are a diverse group of artists from a variety of backgrounds, including over a dozen full-time staff artists at their office in India, and independent designers from all over the world. With more than 25 years experience in the textile industry, they are able to balance creativity with salability, providing original patterns to interior décor product manufacturers. www.tana-bana.com

World-renowned studio VERBEEK DESIGNS were formed by Chris Verbeek, Anna Mikhalkova and Jill Moonen and showcase the artwork of talented Dutch and international designers. With customers such as Versace, Calvin Klein and Villeroy & Boch, the studio are famous for refined, pioneering designs for giftwrap, bedding, curtains and wallpaper. www.verbeekdesigns.nl

ArtLicensingShow.com

HERISH Flieder, founder of the LinkedIn ArtofLicensing.com 12,000-plus member group, is pioneering an exciting way for those sourcing art and those creating art to connect outside of trade shows. She’s calling all industry creatives – art directors, artists, designers, agents, manufacturers, illustrators and photographers – to provide or discover fresh imagery via ArtLicensingShow.com Say goodbye to time-consuming individual presentations and multiple password-protected sites, while saying hello to the virtual 24/7 that provides a centralised, professional resource and social networking site for industry creatives. Licensors can network with potential licensees while maintaining complete control of their work. With one simple login, licensees can find new resources for their upcoming product development needs quickly and easily. It works by asking artists, agents and licensors to pay a small fee to host their IP on the website, where they upload images and select representative samples for their public profile that anyone sourcing art can view. Features of the site include search by categorisation – artist / technique / subject matter / occasion, a tracking system for favourite artists and images, and special interest groups such as greetings cards and home décor. When art directors like a style, they can request permission to view more work. Licensors can choose who sees individual images, collections or entire portfolios ensuring that every art director will have a unique viewing experience! Cherish said: “Join our fast growing community – it’s the premiere event of the year. See you on-line at the show!” +1 720 372 3909 RedCarpet@ArtLicensingShow.com ArtLicensingShow.com

cover story

All around the globe The World Art Group, based in Richmond, Virginia, have been designing and publishing a broad range of decorative art prints for the home décor markets for nearly 40 years. The company’s collection of more than 26,000 images spans virtually every category and subject matter imaginable.

N ADDITION to collaborating with hundreds of artists from around the globe, World Art Group have their own in-house design group, Vision Studio, a team of talented art directors, artists and graphic designers with advanced degrees in printmaking, illustration and textiles. The company work in every medium, from digital illustration to oil, encaustic, inks, watercolour, acrylic, collage and pencil and the design team produce weekly and monthly releases, outputting more than 4,000 images per year. The combination of Vision Studios and the sales and design consultants allows for the breadth and flexibility to fulfill the diverse needs of the company’s customers, explained Lonnie Lemco, World Art Group’s Vice-President Sales. The goals at World Art Group are not fulfilled by simply creating coveted art. Only when their customer has exactly what is needed as fast as it can get to them are World Art Group happy. World Art Group are licensors to companies worldwide, across every industry and product category, including wall décor, housewares, floor and wall coverings, tabletop, giftware, furniture, textiles, paper products and stationery, clothing and much more. They also design proprietary lines for dozens of designers, wholesale manufacturers and retailers. The company’s licensed images can be seen in stores like Target, Kohl’s, Bed Bath & Beyond, Homegoods, Cost Plus World Market and many more. World Art Group strive to be easy to do business with, therefore their sales and design team are happy to do the research on its database and submit Jpegs for consideration – all they need are the details such as a category, subject matter, or colour palette. Visit World Art Group at the West Coast Art & Frame Show in Las Vegas from January 26-28.

West Coast Art & Frame Show – Booths 425 & 525

+1 804 213 0600

www.theworldartgroup.com

licensing@theworldartgroup.com

Celebrating g

licensing@wildapple.com | 800 756 8359 (North America) | 802 457 3003 (International) | www.wildapple.com SURTEX Booth #307 | Las Vegas Licensing Expo Booth #E-20

cover story

West Coast Art & Frame Show – Booths 425 & 525

+1 804 213 0600

www.theworldartgroup.com

licensing@theworldartgroup.com

agencies’ spotlight

The Ansada Group THE Ansada Group specialise in fine art with more than 10,000 images available for licence focusing on nature and nostalgia. Wildlife is one of the strongest categories represented by world-renowned artists such as Carl Brenders, Daniel Smith, John Seerey-Lester and many, many more. Depicting wildlife accurately and in their habitats requires much first-hand knowledge, research and travel and, inspired by his surroundings, Daniel Smith finds one of the most rewarding and inspiring elements is fieldwork. Smith is passionate about his subjects and travels frequently seeking artistic inspiration – this translates into his paintings which are filled with life and emotion. Carl Brenders creates powerful renditions of wildlife across the spectrum, the mastery of details and the tactile realism he produces in his paintings irresistibly draws in the viewer, providing them a close encounter with his subject. John Seerey-Lester prefers to paint from life and has visited many diverse locations including Africa, China, India, the Arctic and Antarctica as well as Central and South America.

John has gained a reputation over the years for producing images that tell a story, with a mysterious and a mystical appeal. When asked how long it takes to create a painting, he said: “It takes a lifetime…” The Ansada Group are honoured to represent these amazing, talented artists. You can be assured accurate renderings of animals in their habitat when you choose artists that take such great pride in the quality and accuracy of their work. www.ansadagroup.com angela@ansadagroup.com +1 941 758 0924

Pink Light Studio

THE Pink Light team are looking forward to an amazing 2015 as you will find them exhibiting at Printsource, Surtex, and The Licensing Expo! Their Pink Chandelier brand is continuing to grow with licences for stationery products with Class Act stationery and accessories, electronic accessories with ByTech International, and luggage and travel accessories will be launching soon with Heys Luggage. Pink Light have a strong team of artists with many licences across all categories. You can see Arrolynn Weiderhold’s and Abi Hall’s adorable characters on stationery products with Studio Oh! Angela Nickeas’s gorgeous Vintage Dreams collection is in Walmart stores nationwide and getting a lot of attention. Loni Harris has added a unique look to the Pink Light team with her gorgeous handlettering and her artwork can be seen on paper tableware and gift wrap with Design Design. In addition to growing their business in the US, Pink Light have expanded into Europe

and Russia with licences for stationery products. They are very excited to be working with their international clients and extremely happy to see their artwork enjoyed around the world. Pink Light Creative Director and Agent Mary Beth Freet is thrilled to have brought on three new artists – Karla Pruitt, Nadia Hassan, and Amanda McGee have recently joined team. Make sure to check out all of the artists’ work online and clients can register to view the online gallery which is continually being updated with new artwork weekly. Let your light shine! www.pinklightdesign.com marybeth@pinklightdesign.com +1 206 200 8324

FOLLOWING on from the success of their Amazing Science Fiction calendar for 2015, Mary Evans Picture Library have recently agreed two licensing deals using their collection of wonderful pulp comic covers in particularly creative ways. We Love Cushions, are launching a range of cushions featuring a parade of space rockets, evil scientists and mutant aliens, while Milton And King, designers and manufacturers of boutique wallpaper and murals, have produced an eye-popping sci-fi montage wallpaper that will appeal to adventurous home decorators and retro-lovers alike. ”These old comic covers from the 1930s and 40s have a kitsch appeal,” said Luci Gosling, of Mary Evans Picture Library. “The response to our calendar has been really positive – everyone seems to adore these futuristic suggestions and the more outlandish the better. “We think they would be perfect for plenty of other products too from stationery to apparel to bathroom products!” To get your own copy of the Mary Evans 2015 calendar, while stocks last, email luci.gosling@maryevans.com.

image library

Mary Evans Picture Library The Mary Evans Picture Library have represented the prestigious Medici Society archive for a number of years and can now offer an impressive 9,500 images from the collection for licensing. The Medici Society was founded in 1908 to bring artists’ work to a wider public and its eclectic subject range includes animals, florals, religious images, Christmas designs, sporting scenes, interiors and pastorals. Some of the UK’s best-loved nursery illustrators form a significant part of this archive and exquisite fairy illustrations by Margaret Tarrant, woodland animals by Molly Brett and anthropomorphic kittens and bunnies are just some of the delightful highlights, while Old Masters, 20th century fine art and retro mid-century illustration can all be discovered in this truly unique repository of pictures. To search the Medici collection visit the website and type %MED into the keyword search box, or call them. www.maryevans.com pictures@maryevans.com +44 (0)20 8318 0034

artists’ & agency spotlight

Rose Mary Berlin

Joan Beiriger WHEN artist Joan Beiriger started researching the licensing industry over 15 years ago, each manufacturer used many art styles on their products, thus artists were successful in licensing one image to many industries. That has changed over the years and it is now more difficult to get multiple

licensing deals for one image because each industry and even manufacturers within the same industry have their own specifications. And the specifications are not uniform from industry to industry or manufacturer to manufacturer. Even though some of the manufacturers in the different industries still use a variety of art styles on their products, many have shifted to only one or two styles. Artists can no longer submit art to almost any manufacturer in any industry. They must first research the manufacturer before submitting art to make sure their style fits the manufacturer needs. This will enhance licensing opportunities and not waste the manufacturer’s time. To find out more about art styles used on products, read Art Licensing Editorial: Changes In Art Styles Used On Products on Joan Beiriger’s blog. www.joanbeiriger.blogspot.com joan@joanbeiriger.com +1 925 443 5769

THIS has been a year of change – for Rose Mary Berlin that means she will not be exhibiting at Surtex for the first time in many years. One reason is that she has been taking on the role of illustrator pretty steadily, with on-going projects in publishing including the repeating character of Little Bunny in High 5 magazine Highlights publication for younger Rose Mary is also illustrating new chapter books for the Magical Mystery Series, and continuing the Itty & Bitty miniature horse books, with fun activity and colouring books. Rose Mary admitted: “It’s scary to not commit to Surtex, it’s always been an important way for me to introduce new art and make contacts.” But this year, there was another reason that prompted her decision – her daughter is graduating from college! “I didn’t want to short change such a huge milestone in her life,” Rose Mary added. “I probably could have had someone watch the booth for the one day, but my heart wouldn’t be in it. This is my last child, there will be many more shows!” This decision actually frees up some time for creating new images – instead of designing a booth and all the work that goes into exhibiting, she will happily spend the hours in her studio. Rose Mary has created more images for Vermont Christmas Company where advent calendars and puzzles featuring her art have consistently been among the best sellers for the company. She said: “I really love painting Santa, snowmen and holiday scenes. It’s happy and nostalgic, many of them would work on tins, cards and gift bags. “I’ve been working with some vintage ephemera and books, and it’s influencing my style and palette. I’ve always been into flea markets and antiques, and it merges with my art in a way that satisfies me and, I expect, will be highly marketable.” www.rosemaryberlin.com rose@berlinprod.com : +1 914 962 0526

Kathleen Francour Art & Licensing

A SMALL group of talented artists and designers make up the California-based Kathleen Francour Art & Licensing team, with Wendy Csoka the exciting newest addition. Trend-driven for the demands of todays art buyer and market, styles range from character illustration and vintage chic to fresh modern and contemporary classic. The ever-expanding portfolios display a wealth of imagery, illustration, patterns and designs for licensing on every imaginable surface and product category. The group also offer design services for product line development and enjoys working closely with their licensing partners to develop concepts that specifically fit product formats and customer requirements. Since exhibiting at Surtex and Licensing Expo last

year, Kathleen’s group have been inking deals with an exciting array of new licences – Jessica Mundo signed on with Timeless Treasures for fabric and Frou Frou girls will debut as a figurine collectables line with a major manufacturer to be announced in 2015. Frou Frou continues to be a top seller for Leanin’ Tree with one greetings design the publishers’ topselling birthday card! The new year will see Kathleen’s Travel Destinations collection launched as an array of paper crafting and embellishments at Crafter’s Companion. www.kfrancour.com

artists spotlight’

Howard Robinson & Associates AS 2014 comes to a close it has been a busy year once again for Howard Robinson & Associates keeping up with the never-ending demand for new work for their most valued regular clients as well as attending and exhibiting around the world. Howard said: “The new major licences and expanded range of the Howard Robinson-branded products has been very pleasing and made it all worthwhile. “The big project of the year was producing the designs for the National Parks in the US which will result in a whole raft of products being released for the 2015 season. “Working with Impact Photographics on this project has been a pleasure and they will distribute 3D lenticular posters, postcards, magnets, notebooks, bookmarks and puzzles. “Ravensburger will have two new montage images of all the designs available as regular puzzles and Art Brands will be adding the designs to my large collection of transfers. As all my licensors of the Howard Robinson Collection move forward at lightening pace, benefiting from the joint publicity and cross-selling opportunities, there has, unfortunately, been one very sad blot on the landscape regarding an irrevocable breakdown of trust with a main distributor licensed for 3D. “I suppose I’m fortunate that this is the first catastrophic problem with a client in 35 years of licensing that requires a parting of the ways as soon as is possible. “However, the Howard Robinson 3D Collection is expanding rapidly with the puzzle collections, in particular, gaining worldwide distribution gaining key placements with the likes of Staples, Toy “R” Us and Wal Mart. “Primemotion have been very successful with a range of 3D puzzles in Canada, Masterpieces with a range in the US and Prime 3D now taking care of worldwide distribution of a large adult range. “A brand new selection of children’s designs were recently launched to great success at the Hong Kong Gift show – I will accompany Prime 3D at the Hong Kong Toy Fair and Nuremburg Toy Fair in January where we will also be adding new 3D products such as playing cards. “I have expanded my licence with Mural Your Way to include canvas prints with a similar deal being signed with Eurographics in Canada. I have my first licence in Taiwan with A Best Commodity Distributor Co for products aimed at the zoo and aquarium market.

“Joanna Sheen in the UK will be launching a decoupage collection from my Cottage designs and Clementoni have added to their 3D Vision range with glasses. Kings will publish children’s card game and puzzle combinations in Europe. “Launching in 2015 will be a new range of 20 beach towels and boards with Strand in the USA. Bradford Exchange are currently working on several ranges of cheques and stationery which are looking very nice and will be available with a leather wallet. After many years of talking about doing it, I’m also very pleased to finally sign a licence with The Mountain for a large range of top-quality pre-print shirts to be launched in spring 2015.” www.howard robinson.info robinson.h@lineone.net +44 (0)1429 824021

Marilyn Robertson

ARTIST and designer Marilyn Robertson began her art deco-inspired cat illustrations in 2006, having no idea her stylish designs would achieve longevity and inspire a loyal following of design-savvy cat lovers. Early on she saw the opportunity to market the design series in a focused way when, during a client brainstorming session a colleague noted that her cats had real “attitude” and the phrase “cats with attitude” spontaneously fused to become Catitudes. While others have since used the phrase – and occasionally tried to emulate the concept – Marilyn has worked hard to ensure her trademarked brand Catitudes , now grown to more than 70 unique illustrations, remains true to its core values and distinctive visual themes. Marilyn explained: “At heart the Catitudes

family is all about individuality, style and humour. On some level the cats hold a mirror up to our own egos and human quirks and fallibilities. They often appear aloof, even arrogant, and conscious of their own privileged place in the scheme of things. I try to combine that insight with a continuing sense of innocent fun.” Over the years the brand has been licensed on to a wide range of consumer products in the UK, Europe, Russia, China and the United States and has acquired a loyal fan base of collectors and cat lovers who follow the brand via its own Facebook pages. This loyalty has been recognised and rewarded by greetings vard and calendar publisher Pictura France. who recently published their published their sixth

consecutive Catitudes calendar. Pictura Sarl art director Marie-Odile Heinerich said: “Our trade customers now confidently expect a new Catitudes selection every year so that, in turn, their collector fans are not disappointed..” www.marilynrobertson.com

Visit Us at Toy Fair! Hong Kong:

January 12 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 15

Room 504-5 China Chem Golden Plaza 77 Moody Rd Tsimshatsui East Kowlooon, Hong Kong

London:

January 20 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 22, Stand G29

Nuremberg:

January 28 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; February 22, Hall 12, Stand B-08-6

New York: 86 6DNDU ,QWHUQDWLRQDO ,QF &DUWHU 'ULYH (GLVRQ 1- 3 VDNDU FRP 8. 6DNDU (XURSH ' 6LVNLQ 3DUNZD\ (DVW 0LGGOHPDUFK %XVLQHVV 3DUN &9 3( 8QLWHG .LQJGRP 7 $8 6DNDU $XVWUDOLD /HYHO 2VERUQH 6W 6WK <DUUD 9LFWRULD $XVWUDOLD 7

February 14-17, Booth 1717

Australia:

March 3 - 6, Stand E09