Licensing News - what’s hot in licensed products

Flair GP and Aardman sculpt deal for Plasticine collection

Flair GP and the award-winning studio Aardman have signed a two-year deal to introduce new licensed lines to the Plasticine collection. The partnership will introduce two of Aardman’s much-loved animated characters to Flair’s popular heritage collection: Shaun the Sheep and Morph.

Available from July, these licensed sets will offer children hours of creative play, allowing them to recreate their favourite on-screen characters from Plasticine - the modelling material that never dries out.

The first addition to the range is the Plasticine Shaun the Sheep Farmyard Fun set, which will enable kids to create their own Shaun the Sheep characters from Plasticine, complete with the illusion of a woolly texture. Once modelled, the characters can be displayed in the 3D farmyard scene.

The second line is the Plasticine Morph Animation Maker, which will allow children to create their own Morph - the clay character who made his TV debut on the children’s BBC art show Take Hart in the 1970s and is back in a new Sky Kids series: The Epic Adventures of Morph. Kids can use the props and accessories to create Morph and then place him on the famous desktop scene, to bring to life their favourite stop-motion sketches from the programme.

United Wheels UK brings magic of Disney, Marvel and Lucasfilm to the UK

United Wheels UK has introduced its new licenced line for Disney, Marvel and Lucasfilm.

Last month’s Toy Fair gave retailers an exclusive first look at the premium launch for Huffy. The range includes all sizes of children’s bikes from balance bikes, through 12in, 14in, 16in wheel, scooters and battery-powered ride-ons.

Featuring characters from the global giant’s top-rating licences, the line includes family favourites from Disney Princess, Frozen, SpiderMan, Cars, Star Wars, and Minnie Mouse.

Disney and United Wheels’ affiliate, Huffy Corporation, have worked together in the US since 1996, and this agreement between United Wheels and Disney expands their partnership to include EMEA.

Lines from this collaboration include the Huffy Frozen 12in Bike, Huffy Spider-Man 6V Battery Ride On Bubble Scooter, and the Huffy Disney Princess Royal Horse and Carriage Electric Ride On.

Mattel and Disney sign global deal

Mattel has announced a multi-year global licensing agreement for the Disney Princess and Frozen franchises. Mattel will have the global licensing rights to develop lines of toys for Disney consumer products, games, and publishing, including fashion dolls, small dolls, and figures. The collection is expected to launch at retailers around the globe at the beginning of 2023.

Mattel president and chief operating officer Richard Dickson said: “We are incredibly proud to welcome back the Disney Princess and Frozen lines to Mattel. As the worldwide leader in dolls, we look forward to bringing our Mattel Playbook approach to brand management, product and marketing expertise, and unrelenting attention to detail and quality to create innovative and inspiring lines for these iconic stories and characters.”

Bulldog signs Wow! Stuff for Odo

Licensing agency Bulldog has penned a Master Toy global deal with Wow! Stuff to become the first licensee for the 2.5D animated series Odo, which has now sold into more than 128 countries.

Wow! Stuff will create plush, dolls, figures and accessories, roleplay toys, play sets, track sets, construction and bath toys.

Odo is a little owl with big ideas and joined the Bulldog family following its TV launch last year.

Moose Toys shares preview of new Octonauts toy line

Moose Toys has revealed the first-look at its new Octonauts toy line, which launches in August. In partnership with Silvergate Media, Moose will release a range of vehicles, figures, plush and playsets based on the popular animated TV property Octonauts and its new series, Octonauts: Above & Beyond. The vehicle-based line is supported by figures and playsets, which allow Octonauts fans to recreate their favourite episodes and imagine new adventures.

The first wave of the range includes: playsets (Octoray Transforming Headquarters Playset and Octopod Action Playset), vehicles and figures (Octonauts Deluxe Vehicles, Gup-A and Captain Barnacles, Gup-B and Kwazii, Terra-Gup 1 and Dashi), figures (Adventure Packs), gup racers (Gup Racer Assortment), plush and talking plush.