Angry Birds Movie Supplement 2015

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Š 2016 Rovio Animation Ltd. Angry Birds and all related properties, titles, logos and characters are trademarks of Rovio Entertainment Ltd and Rovio Animation Ltd and are used with permission. All Rights Reserved.

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Welcome

A message from the ceo

ABOVE: Pekka Rantala

A

little more than five years ago, Rovio released a casual, physics-based puzzle game featuring a flock of ill-tempered fowl. Since then the game has become an international phenomenon and the number one downloaded app of all time.

Angry Birds has expanded rapidly in entertainment, publishing and licensing to become a beloved international brand with more than 90 per cent recognition in virtually every territory worldwide.

And I believe the Angry Birds story is only just beginning, which is why we’re here at BLE today.

We are about to enter a pivotal year for the brand. Fresh off the success of Angry Birds 2 – the original game’s first true sequel that has been downloaded more than 50 million times and counting – The Angry Birds Movie is due for release in May 2016. The 3D animated feature

gives new wings and a new look to the brand, and opens up a broad new range of licensing opportunities and ideas for great products - by now you might have seen the first trailer for the movie.

In Rovio’s consumer products business, we strive to work with best in class partners to create awesome, high-quality products with the best distribution. Our mission is to delight the world. Welcome to our booth, and join us on that mission.

Slingshots at the ready!

Pekka Rantala CEO

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Contents

6

CONTENTS

14

6-9 Angry Birds Overview 11-13 Who’s who in the Flock?

14-15 The Angry Birds Movie 17 Retail Reaction 19

20

Powerful Partnerships

20-21 Consumer Products 22-25 Licensee Feedback

26

26-27 Global Reach This special Angry Birds publication was produced by Max Publishing. Editor: Michelle Board. Editor in chief: Jakki Brown. The advertising was handled by Rob Willis. The designer was Gary Freeman of Method UK. Copyright 2015: While every effort has been made to ensure that the information in this publication was correct at the time of going to press, the publishers can not accept legal liability for any errors, missions, nor can they accept responsibility for the standing of advertisers, nor any organisations mentioned in the text.

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s i d Bir ord w e h t Angry Birds is not only the most downloaded mobile game of all time – three billion downloads and counting - it is a global entertainment brand engaging with fans across publishing, merchandising, animation, visitor attractions and soon, a movie. Not bad for brand that is just five years old.

R

ovio’s Angry Birds began with just a simple screenshot of an unhappy round bird with a big yellow beak, thick eyebrows and a slightly crazed expression.

When Rovio games developer Jaakko Iisalo, presented this idea to the team back in 2009,

everyone was very excited. The actual gameplay still needed to be worked out, but the team knew they were onto something.

Angry Birds wasn’t the first game from Rovio, it was in fact the 52nd since the company formed in 2003 (when it was called Relude).

You’re free to play Angry Birds Rovio built its fortune on the premium game model which was popular when Angry Birds was first released, where players paid for the game once, then played forever. The market has since moved to the free to play model, where players download and play the game for free, but can make in-app purchases to enhance the gameplay. Alex acknowledges that Rovio was a late entrant to the free to play model, but now sees it is the way to go. “People have a choice of paying or not paying. There are a lot of options and getting the balance right so we can continue to develop great games is important, for both our fans and Rovio.”

RIGHT: All Rovio’s games are now free to play with the option of making in-app purchases.

6

TOP: The Angry Birds Movie out in May 2016 will take the brand to a whole new level. ABOVE: Alex Lambeek, Rovio’s chief commercial officer.

When Angry Birds was released for iPhone in December 2009 it went to number one in Finland almost overnight. Apple featured the game in the App Store in February 2010 and the game went to number one in the UK and US. Five years on, three billion downloads later and a movie in the making, Angry Birds is now a global gaming and entertainment sensation that shows no signs of slowing down.

“When the original Angry Birds game came out in 2009 there was something of a ‘right thing at the

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Brand Overview

right time’ about it,” says Alex Lambeek, chief commercial officer for Rovio. “Mobile gaming was just taking off and iPhones were becoming more popular. But it also was a very good game. It was simple to play, but not too simple, there was an element of skill required. It was designed to be played in short bursts, so could be picked up and put down at any time. There were other iPhone games at the time, but Angry Birds was the one everyone was talking about.”

And thanks to Rovio’s commitment and continual development of the brand across multiple platforms, everyone still is talking about Angry Birds. “It’s really important that we listen to the fans,” says Alex. “We have 170 million active monthly users and we take that very seriously. We have casual gamers to hardcore gamers and they all suggest things to us and we do take

TOP LEFT: Mash-ups like Angry Birds Star Wars, has taken the brand to different audiences and provides opportunities for new products. ABOVE: Angry Birds was one of the first mobile games to take the leap into the physical world with toys, books, apparel and much more. LEFT: Red gets wings, legs and a voice in The Angry Birds Movie.

these ideas into account when designing new games.”

It’s this kind of

engaged fan base that gives Angry Birds an incredible 90% global brand awareness, sitting in the same range as Hello Kitty and Lego. And even though the mobile gaming space is vastly different from when Angry Birds first launched, the fans still love this simple, yet highly addictive game, as shown by the recent success of Angry Birds 2 launched in July this year, which had 20 million downloads in its first week of release.

“Angry Birds 2 and all the other games we’ve released over the past five years are just one of the ways we keep the brand

Angry Birds in numbers

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Brand Overview

INSET: The world of Angry Birds comes alive with rich colours and lush scenery.

fresh and relevant in today’s fast-paced gaming world,” says Alex. “Our partnerships with global companies including NASA, National Geographic, NBA, Unicef, LucasFilm, Apple, Google and Sony take the brand to a whole new level, and new audiences.

Our Star Wars mash-ups with LucasFilm were very successful and took Angry Birds to a slightly different demographic.”

It’s these kinds of partnerships that Alex believes have helped grow Angry Birds into the global entertainment brand it is today.

RIGHT: CGI animation allows the characters to develop personalities.

BELOW: Who knew that slingshotting birds at pigs could be so much fun?

8

“Partners have always been very important to help us reach new market segments. We’ve got some great licensing partnerships and we’re looking forward to working with some new agents in territories such as Russia, Turkey, Italy, Germany, Spain and Portugal.”

Beyond the game, Rovio’s own ToonsTV channel is proving to be an increasingly valuable platform for the brand, with over five billion views worldwide of its short-form animations. “It started off as a fun thing to do, but has become an important space for us to share animation with our fans. It’s a place where we can develop the characters and stories and engage with fans away from the games,” says Alex.

Rovio was a pioneer in the mobile gaming world, slingshotting Angry Birds from the small screen into the physical world of toys, books, clothing, animation, playgrounds, theme parks and now a movie. “The movie is very exciting for all of us at Rovio,” says Alex. “We’re taking these little birds and giving them voices, wings and personalities.

It’s taking our relationship with fans and consumers to a whole new level. And of course it’s an exciting time for our partners as well. There’s a lot of space in the Angry Birds franchise to grow with the movie. We’re very open to having discussions with current and potential licensees about getting involved with The Angry Birds Movie.”

Looking further ahead, Rovio has its sights set on China, where

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Brand Overview

ABOVE: Fans can experience the real world of Angry Birds at Särkänniemi Adventure Park in Finland. RIGHT: Bigger, badder, birdier. Angry Birds 2 was downloaded 20 million times in its first week of release.

Angry Birds has been downloaded close to half a billion times, by partnering with Kunlun, one of China’s biggest game companies, and tailoring its mobile games to the Chinese market.

“The Chinese market is a massively important market not just for Rovio, but all mobile companies,” says Alex. “We’ve also partnered with Kiteretsu in Japan and earlier this year brought out Angry Birds Fight!, the first Rovio title developed entirely in Japan.”

Rovio is also strengthening its position in India, another promising BELOW: Plunder Pirates was released

by Rovio last year.

market in the global gaming business, with the appointment of a new head of operations.

“We’ve taken the franchise in nearly every direction possible in the past five years,” says Alex. “And there’s still so much more to come.

We’ve got the movie, expansion into Asia, some really interesting partnerships and of course, a lot more games. We are now truly an entertainment company with mobile games at its heart.”

Diversifying the portfolio Rovio has diversified and strengthened its portfolio by creating two Angry Birds spin-offs: Bad Piggies, revolving around the pigs from Angry Birds; and Angry Birds Stella, based on the popular Stella character.

Angry Birds Stella, and the newest game in the Stella series, Stella POP, both have a strong appeal to female millennials. Rovio has also developed several new IPs, including Retry and Plunder Pirates last year. Nibblers, an evolved match-3 puzzle game with strong characters, features a colourful cast of fish climbing out of the sea to explore dry land and search for tasty fruit. The brandnew IP launched in September this year.

CLOCKWISE (l to r): Coral, Octo and one of the Lizard baddies from Rovio’s new IP, Nibblers.

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Meet the characters

Who’s who in the flock?

In The Angry Birds Movie, arriving in theatres May 2016, the birds and pigs come to life in ways never before seen. For the first time, these characters have legs, wings, voices and personality.

Let’s meet some of the stars of the upcoming movie...

Red Red is a reluctant hero with anger management issues. His cranky scepticism doesn’t help him win many friends on Bird Island. But when times get tough, Red definitely gets going, and he is the indispensable curmudgeon you want by your side.

Bad Piggies The Bad Piggies are a surprisingly cheery bunch. Perhaps being totally clueless is their key to happiness.

Group-minded and agreeable, the Piggies often just nod and obey orders.

And what they lack in intelligence, they make up for in ingenuity.

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Meet the characters

Bomb Bomb is a bit of a dim bulb with a big heart. He’s the only bird on the island diagnosed with IED (Intermittent Explosive Disorder), which causes him to explode when surprised or stressed. At parties, he’s been known the bring down the house. Literally.

Chuck Chuck likes to do everything at 100 miles-per-hour. Why do things slowly and properly when you can do them quickly and carelessly? A scatterbrained and impulsive thrill seeker, Chuck gets bored easily, so every day it’s a new hobby: surfing, painting, karate, origami and many more.

Matilda Matilda’s the mother hen of the flock who sees the birds as her own little hatchlings – all needing her constant care and attention.

She likes to fuss over the other birdies to make sure they eat their vegetables and go to bed on time. Matilda just wants to see peace on the island and always tries to avoid confrontation if possible. She sees the good in every creature, even the pigs.

Leonard Leonard greets the Birds with a message of friendship. Polite, articulate and seemingly very friendly, Leonard is the reassuring spokesperson for the Piggies. Red certainly has his doubts.

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The Angry Birds Movie is one of the most anticipated releases of 2016, with Red and the flock hitting the big screen in May. Rovio has retained complete creative control over the story, ensuring it delivers something truly special and memorable for everyone, not just existing fans.

T

he first full-length movie from the Angry Birds franchise has been in the pipeline for several years now, and fans won’t have to wait much longer to see their favourite characters come to life in 3D. But Rovio is not just targeting Angry Birds fans; it’s got a much larger audience in mind, as Joe Lawson, vice president and programme lead for The Angry Birds Movie, explains: “The movie will certainly appeal to fans of Angry Birds, but that appeal is not limited.

We’re going after everyone. I think people will really be surprised by what the film delivers. That’s really our goal - to surprise everyone. Surprise our fans, surprise the naysayers, surprise those who don’t know what to expect from an ‘Angry Birds’ movie; and become the unexpected surprise comedy of summer 2016.”

Rovio is producing the film independently with Sony Pictures Entertainment handling the global marketing and distribution, but it is

Coming to a cinema near you “The Angry Birds Movie will be one of the biggest pictures Sony releases in 2016 and it will be treating it as a big summer tentpole comedy,” says Joe. “There are going to be some creative and memorable marketing executions to ensure people see this as the first comedy event for summer 2016. As a way of staying true to our digital origins, we’re also planning a game-changing innovative campaign that will tie the movie to our mobile game in a way that’s never been done before. We’re keeping details under wraps for now, in order not to spoil the surprise.”

ABOVE: Joe Lawson, vice president and programme lead for The Angry Birds Movie.

very much Rovio that is leading the charge. “The Rovio team built this movie from the ground up,” says Joe. “They’ve been involved in every aspect and every phase of the production.

That’s the beauty of making it independently. We’re putting a lot of attention and care into crafting the story and the emotional journey

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The Angry Birds Movie

RIGHT: The new CGI look for the Flock has opened the doors for some amazing creative character art.

films. It no longer had to compromise and could concentrate on telling amazing stories in the way it knew its fans would love, but would also appeal to the uninitiated.

Iron Man was Marvel’s first film and it was a total surprise. It revolutionised the way these types of movies are made and the types of audiences that go to see them. So having David guide this ship puts us in a similar position to show everyone what we’re capable of.”

Although Rovio is keeping the

that our characters travel.”

This couldn’t come at a better time for Rovio, with consumer interest in the brand still high, as shown by the recent success of the Angry Birds 2 game, which achieved 20 million downloads in its first week of release.

This highly engaged fan base will play an important part in the marketing of the movie, with Rovio able to reach out and market directly to more than 100 million active users across all the games, as well as pushing messages to the install-base of more than three billion downloads globally.

The movie itself boasts RIGHT: For the first time ever, the audience will an impressive cast that get a chance to see the has already generated personalities of the a great deal of industry IMAGE: ABMovie_Character_Chuck_ characters. attention with David BELOW: Even CGI_03.psd Maisel (former chairman the pigs get a makeover in of Marvel) as executive The Angry Birds producer and John Movie.

Cohen (Despicable Me) and Catherine Winder Bomb’s main goal in life is to (Star Wars: Clone Wars) have fun. Everything else just storyline as producers. The cast gets in the way. This highly exunder wraps, Joe includes Jason Sudeikis plosive bird is the most powerful promises that fans (We’re the Millers), Josh member of the group – turning will finally get to Gad (Frozen), Maya into a devastating that findbomb out why the Rudolph (Bridesmaids) can annihilate even birdsthe aremost so angry and Peter Dinklage rock-solid piggy at fortress. the pigs. He “What’s (Game of Thornes). sometimes struggles control reallyto attractive “It’s no coincidence that David his immense power, so heisstays about The Angry Birds Movie that Maisel, former chairman of Marvel calmthough by sipping even it’s ansoothing adaptationherbal of a Studios, is our executive producer,” teaspopular and raking hisreally Zen a very game,sand thereinisn’t says Joe. “We were inspired by the story thatGo audiences yet familiar way Marvel stopped licensing its garden. to yourare happy place, with; that all gets to be invented,” IP to the major studios and instead Bomb! says Joe. “When you see something started crafting its own independent

Storytelling on the small screen While the movie might be the latest venture, Rovio is no stranger to animation and storytelling with its own ToonsTV - a free video streaming service available on multiple platforms – reaching more than five billion views worldwide. ToonsTV also streams age-appropriate third party content, as well as occasional mini-series from partners like National Geographic and NASA. On YouTube, the Angry Birds channel has more than two billion views with new content coming every week, including behind the scenes reveals and regular sneak peeks from ToonsTV shows.

Bomb

IMAGE: ABMovie_Character_Bomb_ CGI_05.psd

Matilda Matilda’s the mother hen of the flock who sees the birds as her own little hatchlings – all needing her constant care and attention. She likes to fuss over the other birdies to make sure they eat their vegetables and go to bed on time. Matilda just wants to see peace on the island and always tries to avoid confrontation if possible. She sees the good in every creature,

even the pigs.

IMAGE: ABMovie_Character_Matilda_CGI_03.psd ABOVE: ToonsTV streams Angry Bad Piggy Birds animations, with more than five billion views worldwide.

The Pigs are on the front line in the battle against the birds, which works out for King Pig who like Harry Potter or Hunger Games or some oflike these adaptations doesn’t to other get his trotters brought to the screen, you already dirty. The King’s happy to sit have a general in idea the storyline comfortably hisofcastle and or the the mainpigs characters With send off to going face in. their Angry Birds, none of that exists. So fierce and feathery opponents. our producers and creative team And as his subjects are so agreeare able to create the world, the able, they just nod and accept characters and the epic story of why their orders without question. the birds are so angry at the pigs.”

They actually they don’t like And according to Joe, everyone fighting or causing trouble – who has been lucky enough to see instead preferring to rollhave around some of the early sequences in muddy puddles and generally been very kind and unanimous in their goofing around each other. praise.

“We think it’swith a good sign, but we’re keeping at it, continuing to mould and shape it to ensure that we have the right balance of laughs, emotion and action to delight everyone.”

LEFT: Josh Gad (Chuck), Peter Dinklage (Mighty Eagle) and Jason Sudeikis (Red) are part of the star-studded cast of The Angry Birds Movie.

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Powerful Partnerships

Collaborating with other entertainment brands has been very successful for Rovio in expanding the Angry Birds world. These mashups not only bring Angry Birds to new audiences, but also open the door to new partnerships and licensed products.

Talking about Rio Rovio’s first collaboration came in 2011 with the release of Angry Birds Rio to tie in with the release of the first Rio movie by Twentieth Century Fox. Characters from the Rio movie featured in the game along with the original Angry Birds characters. Angry Birds Rio featured the same gameplay as the original games, but with new characters and new settings based on scenes from the Rio movie. Angry Birds Rio was a very successful game for Rovio, winning Best Mobile Game at BELOW: Plush toys from the Golden Joystick Awards Commonwealth 2011 in London Toys. as well as the iLounge Reader’s Choice 2011 award.

Commonwealth Toys also developed a line of plush based on characters in the movie.

Feel the Force One of the biggest collaborations came late in 2012 when Rovio and Lucasfilm announced Angry Birds Star Wars, which went down a storm with fans. From the deserts of Tatooine to the depths of the Death Star – the game and merchandise featured the Angry Birds characters as the iconic heroes of the beloved Saga. A year later, Rovio released Angry Birds Star Wars II featuring new characters, new levels and new ways to play. In addition, Rovio teamed up with Hasbro to release the Telepod technology which allowed players to teleport physical Angry Birds Star Wars II toys into the mobile and tablet versions of the game by placing the figures onto the phone or tablet camera and scanning them into the game.

BELOW: Angry Birds Star Wars Telepods playset from Hasbro.

More than meets the eye In 2014 Rovio again teamed up with Hasbro to bring the iconic Transformers universe together with the quirky world of Angry Birds in Angry Birds Transformers, coming to life in a mobile game, consumer licensed goods and the popular Telepods platform. With an edgy 80’s vibe, Angry Birds Transformers brought a humorous twist to the beloved Transformers characters, with the Angry Birds disguised as robots in disguise. The mash-up was popular with fans, both young and old, and saw Rovio move away from the physicsbased gameplay of previous games and release Angry Birds Transformers as a side-scrolling shooter – no slingshots here.

RIGHT: Chuck as Bumblebee.

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s d r i B y r g An Fly High

ABOVE: Angry Birds was one of the first mobile gaming brands to embrace the physical world of licensed merchandise. LEFT: Angry Birds Land at Thorpe Park, UK, includes a 4D cinema experience.

A

ngry Birds was one of the first, and arguably the most successful, mobile gaming brands to embrace the physical world of licensed merchandise, with toys, apparel, games, accessories and publishing fuelling fans’ connection with the brand all around the world. Rovio’s commitment to continually engaging with fans through physical and digital products as well as through

In the five years since its release, Angry Birds has expanded into merchandising, animation, publishing, activity parks and collaborations with major entertainment brands such as Star Wars, Transformers and Lego. The brand continues to grow across multiple consumer categories and with the movie just around the corner, Angry Birds really is flying high.

prestigious partnerships has seen this simple yet compulsive gaming phenomenon build an incredible 90% global brand awareness.

A Sense Of Style Providing a wealth of inspiration for licensees, some 10 style guides have been created, aimed at different market segments, ensuring that there is something for every company to get excited about.

The new Movie style guide, for example, will see Red and the rest of the flock come to life in a way they’ve never been seen before. “We have worked hard to make sure that the movie stays true to what we all know and love about the brand,” says Kati.

“It underpins our long-term commitment to the brand and will take Angry Birds into new places. It’s a great opportunity to push boundaries and delight fans.”

BELOW: The Flock is given a hippie makeover in the Woodflock style guide.

BELOW RIGHT: The Angry Birds are angrier than ever in the Fast Feathered & Furious style guide.

It’s Rovio’s commitment to the game and the overall brand development that underpins and drives the licensing programme.

As Kati Levoranta, Rovio’s head of sales EMEA, explains: “Over the past five years we’ve developed many touchpoints for the brand, giving Angry Birds an extremely high visibility, in both the digital and physical worlds. The games will always be at the heart of what we do, but our consumer products, animation, theme parks and soon the movie, allow us to engage with our audiences on many different levels.”

Licensing forms an important part of Rovio’s business, enhancing Angry Birds’ relationship with its fans, so it’s vital to work with the right partners.

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Licensing Overview

Russian Around Rovio is also breaking into FMCG with a range of drinks from Russian partner, Baltika Breweries.

This new tie-up sees Baltika Breweries produce and distribute four Angry Birds soft drink flavours – Red (tropical), Chuck (orange), Bomb (cola) and Minion Pig (apple-pear). Adding an innovative twist to the product, the drinks feature Angry Birds award codes that unlock Angry Birds games content.

ABOVE: The birds are not always angry: ceramic mugs from Arabia. RIGHT: Apparel is a successful category for licensees such as Sun City Fashion Group.

BELOW RIGHT: Fashion UK were one of the first licensees to sign up with Rovio in 2010, bringing a wide range of apparel, footwear and accessories to the market.

“We are always looking for exciting new opportunities, but this doesn’t necessarily mean working with more licensees. We want to do things bigger and better with best-inclass partners,” says Kati. “We’re looking for licensees who share our vision and ambition and can deliver innovative and creative product offerings. We work really closely with our licensees, both directly and through agents, to ensure they get what they need to be successful in the market. It’s a journey that we take together.”

The largest product categories for the brand on the licensed

ABOVE RIGHT: Soft drinks for the Russian market from Baltika Breweries.

merchandise front are apparel, toys, games and accessories, with some very successful partnerships having been forged over the last five years. “Fashion UK is one of our longstanding partners and was one of the first licensees to sign up in 2010. It continues to produce edgy designs which appeal to new audiences each

Building blocks in place One of the main announcements to come out of Licensing Expo in Las Vegas in June was the licensing partnership to bring Angry Birds Lego to market.

“The Lego brand has an unparalleled ability to connect with people through products that spark creativity and imagination. We’re really excited to build experiences together with this amazing best-in-class partner,” said Pekka Rantala, chief executive officer of Rovio. The first Lego products will hit the market in spring 2016.

RIGHT: Pekka Rantala.

ABOVE: Kati Levoranta, Rovio’s head of sales EMEA

year,” says Kati. “H&M is another great partner to work with and its product ranges really bring the fun of Angry Birds to life.”

Rovio is using 2015 to further build the licensing programme in the run up to the launch of the movie, so there have been a number of new partnerships announced, with more still to come. “We’re delighted to be working with Lego on a line of construction toys and Spin Master in the toy category,” says Kati.

The buzz around the brand is palpable and with the anticipation of the movie, this is set to grow louder as 2016 approaches.

Rovio’s close relationship with licensees and partners and commitment to the brand is certain to send Angry Birds sky high.

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Licensee Feedback

Talk of the flock

Angry Birds may only be five years old, but it already spans across a wide range of consumer product categories in an increasing number of global territories. And with the successful launch of Angry Birds 2 this summer and The Angry Birds Movie coming in May 2016, there is certainly something for these licensees to chirp about.

Francesco Lercari vice president global marketing, Spin Master

Spin Master and Rovio started “ working together in early 2015.

We’re eagerly gearing up for the May 2016 launch of the new range of Angry Birds toys, plush and games, which will coincide with the theatrical release of The Angry Birds Movie. Rovio has been a fantastic partner; it shares Spin Master’s commitment to excellence and excitement, and has worked seamlessly with

our sales and product development teams to reinvigorate the Angry Birds franchise.

Feedback from retailers has been positive. We consistently hear that they appreciate the balance we’ve struck – capturing the essence of the franchise, while also creating new ways

to experience Angry Birds. The licence has built in awareness and equity, and there’s a lot of positive momentum with the successful launch of the Angry Birds 2 game, as well as the upcoming movie.

Spin Master’s toy range will include action figures, playsets, collectables, vehicles, and track sets. In markets outside of North America, we’ll have a new plush range. In addition, there will be a new fast-paced action based game to complement the range.

Angry Birds fans of all ages will have fun and new ways to engage with the brand.

”

David Scott managing director, Rainbow Productions Rainbow Productions has worked closely with Rovio to “ develop the official Angry Bird licensed costume character

and both supply it to worldwide territories as well as manage a licensed character appearance programme in ABOVE: Red Bird at the UK. Most notably Rainbow manufactured a Red Bird attraction Kennedy Space Center. costume character specifically for the Angry Birds Space Encounter costume the of use The at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. from the digital world to a character in this collaboration is another facet of the brand’s extension sales of licensed merchandise. Now physical presence, leveraging the user’s interaction and promoting appearances and events in the UK. joined by Stella, we currently have two Angry Birds available for live

”

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Licensee Feedback

Sandy Cosimi licensing and marketing manager, Sun City Fashion Group

Gurdev Mattu managing director, Fashion UK LEFT AND ABOVE: Fashion UK’s product range includes sleepwear and footwear.

were one of the “firstWelicensees that

signed up with Rovio in 2010 at a time when Angry Birds was at just 20 million downloads. Mobile gaming was really just developing and we were ahead of the game. The investment paid off and the brand continued to grow, it wasn’t just an initial surge. I think the strength of the brand is down to the fact that the characters are really quite cool and family-friendly –

they suit consumer products.

We’re quite proud that we’ve been involved with Rovio since the beginning of the licensing programme, and as a company, we’ve grown our business as well. We’re excited to have the movie rights. We’ve already seen a boost with the launch of Angry Birds 2 and The Angry Birds Movie is going to multiply that interest.

”

Jill Wilfert, vice president, licensing and entertainment, The Lego Group

“

We are excited to bring Angry Birds to life in LEGO form, given the popularity of the game and its characters with fans of all ages, which will only be amplified by the forthcoming film. We seek partnerships

with globally relevant properties that offer a unique and rewarding play experience to our fans, and our designers are having fun developing building sets that leverage the engaging play and deconstruction found in the Angry Birds game.

started “ourWepartnership

with Rovio in 2014, with an immediate success. Our strategy is to create a wide apparel line with many different types of products and materials: outerwear, jogging wear, sweaters, bags, umbrellas, swimwear, daywear, underwear and nightwear; for boys and girls. Our collection is always in stock, so that we have products available for clients within 72 hours.

We work closely with Rovio’s team to make Angry Birds an evergreen franchise: the lines are renewed each season and we continue to invest on marketing to promote the brand, including POS, display and packaging.

INSET: Sun City produces a wide range of apparel.

”

”

RIGHT: Onesie from TDP Textiles

Tim Dawson chief executive, TDP Textiles We’ve been “ working with

Rovio for three years now and we’ve got a very good relationship. The Rovio

team is delightful to work with and we’re looking forward to the movie coming out next year to really

strengthen the brand.

Our key product lines are children’s underwear, nightwear, dressing gowns and onesies. Our sales team and designers are enjoying working on the movie style guide to produce some truly creative and innovative designs.

”

Angry Birds

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Nora Haatainen global product and marketing manager for licensed business, Fiskars Home Oy Ab

BELOW: Arabia ceramic jars and mugs from Fiskars.

Fiskars has been working with Rovio since 2012, when the “ Angry Birds phenomenon was growing fast. The first Arabia

ceramic mugs and bowls were available in 2013. The illustrations have always been created in conjunction with Rovio and the product development process takes about two years. When the new Stella range was developed, the use of pink was the key success factor. Purple is one of the most difficult colours to produce of time. on a ceramic surface and finding exactly the right shade takes lots tableware and the use of colour in Whereas Arabia has the highest knowledge of developing ceramic and their needs and interest. The fans media, digital of ding understan the a ceramic surface, Rovio has Our ceramics are the result of process of developing products is all about learning from each other. s fired in the surface of a high-quality traditional craftsmanship combined with animated game character and all the great people there. design tableware. It has been privilege to work closely with Rovio

”

Tim Kilby brand director, Character World

Thalia Clare licensing executive, Gemma International

“

Gemma has been a licensee since 2011 and Angry Birds was our first foray into the mobile gaming world. We were really excited to work with Rovio on developing a fantastic greetings range to complement the game; we first launched product in 2012 and what a brilliant success Angry Birds has been for us! To date our best sellers are the age 8 greeting card and the two sheet/two tag gift packs. We’re currently producing a great new range based on the 2.0 style guide across aged, no age and relation cards and gift packs, roll wrap and gift bags for SS16, with card finishes include foil and die-cutting. Our sales team are really looking forward to presenting the new designs to our buyers. The team at Rovio is a pleasure to work with and we look forward to continuing working with Rovio on the brand.

”

LEFT: Angry Birds gift bag and greeting card from Gemma International.

“

Angry Birds is the most successful gaming app of all time and one of the most well-known gaming brands in the world. This phenomenally successful brand continues to innovate, creating new opportunities and appealing to fans of all ages. We ABOVE: Character first started working with World’s Angry the Angry Birds brand in Birds duvet set.

2012 when we launched an Angry Birds Star Wars bedroom textiles range. Following the success of this range we signed the Angry Birds Go licence in 2013 with a racing-themed range. This licence was also hugely successful for us. Over the following years the brand has continued to be popular with both children and adults.

We’re excited to be developing products for the highly-anticipated The Angry Birds Movie, coming in May 2016. Our movie inspired bedroom textile range will launch SS16. We believe that the combination of a hugely popular mobile gaming app and a blockbuster movie are the perfect ingredients for an immensely successful brand that has real staying power and longevity in the market.

”

Angry Birds

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Angry Birds may have its roots in Finland, but there is no doubt that right from the start it has been a global brand. And this year is possibly the biggest one for the company - in terms of global activity - with new licensing agents in key EMEA territories and plans for expansion into Asia through strategic partnerships.

Taking flight around the world R

ovio’s ambitions have always been global. Games are launched worldwide and typically localised into 11 languages – English, French, Italian, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Russian and Turkish – and sometimes more if possible.

“We are based in Finland and love our roots, but we have never been only a Finnish company,” says Joseph Knowles, communications manager. “Our fans, customers

and partners are in all corners of the world. Internally, we have employees from more than 40 different countries. Most are based in Espoo in Finland but we also have offices in Stockholm, London, New York, Los Angeles, Tokyo, Seoul and Shanghai. We are an international company, with an international make-up and outlook.”

Although the games are localised into many languages, the game itself and the characters don’t change from market to market – they are true to themselves. And while there are without doubt different cultural preferences in gaming, the appeal of Angry Birds is universal. Where changes do occur is with licensing and consumer

Angry Birds takes to the skies A still-to-be-announced Angry Birds character will take to the skies of New York in the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade this November 24.

This will be only the fourth gaming character to appear in the parade’s 89 year history. The first was Sonic the Hedgehog in 1993 who was the only gaming character to make the grade until 2001 when Pokémon’s Pikachu made his first appearance. Last year Eruptor from Skylanders made the journey along the 2.5 mile route. And this year it will be one of the Flock that joins that very elite group of gaming characters to take to the streets of New York on Thanksgiving Day, watched by three million people on the streets and a further 50 million at home.

LEFT: An Angry Birds character will make its debut in the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in November.

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