THE HOME OF CLASSIC BRANDS
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Market Lead in g C h il d r e n ’s M a g a z in e s
New lOok
OFFICIAL MAGAZINE www.redan.co.uk | info@redan.com | 01743 364433
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WELCOME 03
Welcome You’re probably well aware of what we do in the entertainment space, but we also wanted to share with you some of the great projects we’ve been working on from our portfolio of Classic Brands. Across our 12 offices, we represent some of the most iconic classic characters in the world; some of which we have been working with for over a decade. We have really become a Home for Classic Brands. Over the years we’ve developed a real understanding of how to
develop and extend these brands into new areas and keep them evolving and relevant over time. We hope you enjoy reading about our work and please get in touch if you’d like to hear more about any of the brands featured. Steve Manners CPLG, Executive Vice President
Contents 4-5
CPLG Overview
6-7
Sesame Street
9 10-11 13
Sesame Street Fashion
20
Care Bears Care Bears 35th Anniversary
14-15
Pink Panther
16-17
Space Invaders
18-19
Sonic the Hedgehog
20-21
Felix the Cat
22
Felix collaborations
23
Meet the Team
14
This special CPLG publication was produced by Max Publishing. Editor: Michelle Board. Editor in chief: Jakki Brown. The advertising was handled by Ian Hyder and Rob Willis. The designer was Gary Freeman. Copyright 2017: 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 cannot accept legal liability for any errors, omissions, nor can they accept responsibility for the standing of advertisers, nor any organisations mentioned in the text.
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04 CPLG OVERVIEW
Home of Classic Brands
For over 40 years CPLG has been connecting the best brands with the best partners across the globe. It manages some of the best known classic brands in the world, helping licensors keep them fresh, relevant and constantly evolving.
C
PLG is one of the world’s leading entertainment, sport and brand licensing agencies with offices in the UK, Benelux, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Poland, Middle East, Greece, Turkey and the US. Owned by DHX Media, CPLG is
Brand focus: Peanuts CPLG Territories: Iberia Launched on 1950, Peanuts has become one of the most widely read comic strips in the world. Collections have been launched across the Inditex retail group in Zara, Pull & Bear, Bershka, Oysho and Lefties, and also at Women’s Secret and Mango. The range includes apparel, accessories, hats, belts, socks and footwear.
Inset: Mens’ sweatshirt from Pull & Bear.
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arguably most closely associated with entertainment properties because of its success over the years with brands such as Star Trek, Simpsons, Minions, Marvel, Star Wars and most recently Teletubbies. But it also has an increasingly strong portfolio of classic brands with a rich heritage, including Felix the Cat (dates back to 1919), Peanuts (launched in 1950) and Pink Panther (from 1963). “One of the first brands CPLG represented when it was started was Mr Men, so we have a history steeped in classic brands,” says Libby Grant, Global Business Development Director, Brands. “While the entertainment properties we represent are likely to be backed by a significant marketing spend to help drive box office or TV ratings, this isn’t always the case with the classic brands,” says Libby. “With our classic brands we need a well thought out strategy, an extensive bank of creative assets and licensees who are up for the challenge of designing without
Inset: CPLG’s Libby Grant, Global Business Development Director, Brands.
prescriptive style guides. Most importantly, we need to support our partners at retail level.” In addition to this CPLG also uses collaborations and halo partnerships to help raise the profile of its brands among opinionforming consumers, generate PR and drive interest at both licensee and retail level for the respective core licensing programme. Classic Brands offer great potential for retailers, as Libby explains: “As retailers look to broaden their offering beyond traditional entertainment properties - which may be very dependent on broadcaster, TV ratings or box office success - classic brands give them potential for long term revenue. These are brands that Above left: The profile of Felix the Cat has been lifted by high profile collaborations with Nordstrom. Left: Italian fashion brand Iceberg give the Pink Panther an edgy look.
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CPLG OVERVIEW 05 Inset: Character World’s Care Bear bedding appeals to children of today. Available in UK and Germany.
are not necessarily time dependent, resonate across multiple markets and are a low risk way of diversifying their range and offering instore.” When it comes to expertise in brand management, CPLG can not only call on its 42 years of building classic brands, but also a pool of first class talent and extensive relationships at retail level. “We also have the benefit of being able to share ideas and working practices across our 12 offices,” says Libby. “We are also on the verge of appointing a design manager, which will help to further build our classic brands’ business at retail.” One other relatively new working practice at CPLG has been the appointment of a network of Brand Ambassadors who raise the profile and lead the way at a local level on Classic Brands (as well as brands overall). Libby explains how this came about: “This year we appointed Brand Ambassadors across our markets to help spearhead our CPLG Global Brands Initiative. Within this initiative we include any classic character brand with a heritage of a generation or more (ie. older than 25 years). This allows us to look at an approach that is not dependent on TV placement and ratings which is the more traditional ‘entertainment’ approach. While some of these classic brands
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Inset: Sesame Street targets adults with a range of sleepwear from Charlie Choe. Available in Benelux and Germany.
may still exist in entertainment, or certainly have done in the past, a successful licensing programme doesn’t necessarily depend on it.” CPLG’s brand business is centrally driven by head office, but the brand ambassadors lead the development on a local level. This includes working with the local sales teams to identify and secure partners, pitching to retailers and supporting any multi-territory partners as necessary within their market. There is plenty happening in 2017 within CPLG’s classic brand portfolio for retailers and partners to get excited about. “It’s a busy year ahead and we’ve got some great plans around the 35th anniversary of Care Bears next year. I’m also looking forward to seeing some of our first Felix the Cat products come to market. I am also really pleased that the Pink Panther is back and going to be making an appearance in one of the biggest fashion retailers in the world from spring of 2017!” CPLG is committed to building a home for classic brands and Libby says: “While we will continue to remain at the forefront of entertainment brands, we want to become recognised as a global player in brand extensions, attract the best talent and truly strike the balance between our entertainment and brand business.” Below: An outfit for Miffy by Il Gufo at Pitti Bimbo in 2016.
Brand focus: Miffy CPLG Territories: Nordic, Italy, CEE Created by Dick Bruna in the Netherlands in 1955, Miffy remains approachable, relevant and appealing to children, teens and adults all over the world. One of the stand-out collaborations for the brand came in June 2016, when a number of high-profile designers each created an outfit for Miffy at the Pitti Bimbo Tradeshow in Italy. The outfits featured on limited edition t-shirts which were sold in department stores throughout Italy to raise money for charity.
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06 SESAME STREET
THE WORD ON THE STREET
For over 46 years Sesame Street has entertained children all around the world with its high quality educational programming, helping kids grow smarter, stronger and kinder. And although the primary television audience is young children, this is a brand that appeals to adults as well.
S
esame Street first aired in America in 1969 and was the first children’s TV programme to use educational goals and the curriculum to shape its content. Over the years the programme has changed considerably to reflect changes in society and culture, but it still has teaching children at its heart. At the beginning of 2016, the 46th
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season of Sesame Street debuted on HBO in the States with the boldest changes to the Street to date. This included a change to 30-minute episodes, new preschool-relevant themes, new show opening and closing songs, an updated set, a new segment called Smart Cookies, and a new cast member. In the UK the 46th season launched on Cartoonito in November. The changes to this beloved programme have been very well received by parents and kids as Risa Greenbaum, Assistant
CPLG Territories:
Benelux, GAS, Nordic, CEE, France, Iberia, Italy, Greece, Turkey, UK & Eire Vice President of International Licensing for Sesame Workshop explains: “In a departure from the show’s longstanding one-hour format, every episode now runs a dynamic 30 minutes, helping kids focus their attention and engage with each story. Cookie Monster has his own segment, Smart Cookies, which is proving very popular with
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SESAME STREET 07 Left: PUMA’s range of clothing, footwear and accessories launched in 2016. Below left: Bert and Ernie are popular characters in the Netherlands and Germany. Below right: Cookie Monster has a new segment called Smart Cookies.
fans. As kids’ needs have evolved, we’ve evolved with them.” Sesame Street has its own YouTube channel where fans can conveniently watch videos featuring their favourite furry and feathered friends anywhere, anytime. “We want to be where our fans are because if you can’t reach them, you can’t teach them,” says Risa. “And we have the most dedicated fans. Many of them grew up watching Sesame Street, and now are sharing the love of the brand with their own kids.” It’s this cross-generational appeal that is particularly exciting for licensees and although the core target audience for licensing is children aged 2 to 5 years old, there is a lot of potential for adults as well. “The television programme is created for preschoolers, while social media content targets the adult fans,” says Risa. “Licensing activity is for both the young and young-at-heart.” There are over 700 licensees around the world for Sesame Street. In some countries, such as Germany and Brazil, the brand has had a 45-year history—not far behind the US. “For us, it’s about the quality of licensees, and not necessarily the quantity,” says Risa. “We continue to extend the brand into new categories of business every day.”
The apparel and accessories business has been showing good growth over the past couple of years with new lines of Sesame Street clothing and accessories. Doing well in the market are Sesame Street apparel and accessory ranges from Pancoat, PUMA, Mishka, Uniqlo and A Bathing Ape. Toys have always been strong categories for the brand over the years. One of the most popular toys was Tickle Me Elmo from Tyco Preschool which launched back in 1996 and sold out almost immediately after release becoming the ‘must have’ toy for Christmas that year. Some 20 years on and in the UK and US, Elmo remains one of the most popular characters for the brand. “Everyone has their favourite character and this really depends on what part of the world you are in,” says Risa. “For Below: Cookie example, in the Monster takes in the Netherlands and sights of London. Germany, Bert and Ernie are popular. Meanwhile in the US, UK and Australia, the licensing activity focuses around Elmo, Cookie Monster, and Abby. It’s fantastic we have such a great colourful ensemble cast of characters who
resonate around the world.” Looking to the future Sesame Workshop continues to build on its stable of educational children’s television with the production of a new animated children’s series, Esme and Roy (working title). The series will be produced with Canadian animation studio Nelvana and is created by kids’ TV veterans Dustin Ferrer and Amy Steinberg. The series will debut on Corus’ Treehouse platform in Canada and is available for additional international distribution in 2018. “We continue to be experimental—working with up and coming artists, production companies, developers, writers, and educators who will develop relevant and engaging content for this next generation,” says Risa. “We’re so excited about all this activity. It’s a brand new day on Sesame Street!”
Cookie Monster does London Cookie Monster toured some iconic London tourist spots back in November to celebrate the launch of Sesame Street on preschool channel Cartoonito. The all-new series of Sesame Street features a dazzling array of celebrity guests including: Gwen Stefani singing Be a Good Friend; Pharrell singing B is for Book and Ne-Yo singing You’ve Got a Body, So Move It. “We are thrilled to bring the timeless and acclaimed US preschool series Sesame Street to Cartoonito,” said Sean Gorman, Programming director, kids’ channels UK and Ireland at Turner. “For over four decades now, Sesame Street has been helping children grow smarter, stronger, and kinder, and we’re delighted to be driving these engaging and educational messages to our young UK audience in such a fun and entertaining way.” © 2017 Sesame Workshop. All rights reserved.
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08 FASHION FEEDBACK
STREET FASHION
The licensee line up for Sesame Street is incredibly strong, particularly in apparel and accessories, with some truly fashion-led designs coming to market – for kids and adults. Laura Clowes Licensing Manager, Fashion UK “Sesame Street has been one of our highest ROI licenses we have had for footwear. It is loved by kids and parents alike and will remain one of our cornerstone licenses. Cookie Monster and Elmo continue to
help us drive our footwear forward with more and more customers each season.” Above: Fashion UK’s slippers.
Justine Eggleton Design and Licensing Director, BC International “We have been a Sesame Street licensee for over 10 years and the brand has performed consistently well throughout this time. We have had particular success on adult nightwear, with Cookie Monster’s ever-popular humour adding to the property’s timeless appeal. CPLG and the Sesame Workshop team are always very encouraging and open to new ideas. We recently launched Sesame Street ladies nightwear under our Missimo label on Next.com and sales, as expected, are already looking good.” Right: Nightwear from BC International for Missimo.
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Inset: Elmo pyjamas from Charlie Choe Christel van Hoof Owner, Charlie Choe Sleepwear “We are a new partner for Sesame Street and delighted to have this as our first licensed range. The Sesame brand was a great fit for our own Charlie Choe brand; we are focused on premium quality nightwear products for all the family, the Sesame brand story, fun and colourful characters and values of Sesame Workshop is a perfect fit for us and our customers!”
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FASHION FEEDBACK 09 Sven Burscher Brand Ambassador, CPLG GAS “Puma launched its first Sesame Street collection for kids in January 2016, followed by another one in AW16. Both collections have been extremely successful and we were very pleased that we could initiate a collaboration between Sesame Workshop and Puma. The collections launched in more than 130 countries and show the reach of Sesame Street. The strong heritage of Sesame Street
Inset: The Cookie Monster collection from Puma and the reputation of Puma create a real synergy which enhances this partnership. In
January 2017 Puma launched a new kids’ collection and an adult range.”
Ezekiel Sweiry Managing Director, Fabric Flavours “I learned to count with Sesame Street. It was my favourite show and on I think every Saturday morning in the late seventies/ early eighties. Fast forward to 1998 when an opportunity arose for a licence I grasped it! We’ve been designing Sesame Street kids clothing ever since with 2016 being our strongest year yet especially with Next. We’re looking forward to a successful 2017.” Left, right and below right: Kids’ clothing for Next from Fabric Flavours.
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10 CARE BEARS
Sharing the Love A true heritage brand with multi-generational appeal, Care Bears is an iconic 1980s toybox staple that now spans animation, digital, toys, games, apparel and more. With the 35th anniversary of the brand in 2017, it’s a busy time ahead for these loveable bears.
F
irst introduced by American Greetings in 1982 through consumer products, greeting cards, and later an animated CGI television show, Care Bears is a true evergreen brand with over $4 billion in retail sales since 1982. And although its primary audience is children aged two to six years old, the brand appeals to parents, grandparents, teens and tweens. “Care Bears is special because of the emotional connection the brand has with parents who grew up with these lovable, huggable bears,” says Janice Ross, Head of Global Licensing at American Greetings Entertainment, the intellectual property and outbound licensing Above right: Dennicci’s baby range has been a huge success for Mothercare. Below: Care Bears collectibles have really taken off around the world.
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❤ CPLG Territories:
Benelux, Iberia, GAS, UK & Eire
division of American Greetings Corporation. “And we’re always so touched when we hear from parents who are delighted to pass along that deep connection and share their favourite Care Bear with their kids.
Care Bears for baby In 2016, Dennicci launched their hugely successful Care Bears classic babywear as a trial with Mothercare. Consumer feedback praised the design, with comments such as: ‘Just love the design. It’s gorgeous. When she has outgrown it I will keep it for memento in her memory box’ and ‘Brings me back to my childhood. Definitely worth buying’. Following this trial, Dennicci has now opened the retail distribution on these products with Tesco taking stock at the end of 2016 and more confirmed orders in SS17 across grocery, high street and specialist retailers.
With a 98% brand awareness and a high level of trust among mums with children under six, today’s fans are falling in love for the first time with these colourful bears, just as mum did back in the 1980s. “The animated Care Bears content has been updated with an all new look, feel and storylines to entertain and engage today’s younger generation,” says Ross. “The Netflix Original Series Care Bears & Cousins, launched in November 2015 and has had an incredible reception.” The brand also has a robust social media following, has more than 40 million views of new and classic videos on YouTube, almost half a million fans on Facebook, an engaged and fashionforward Instagram
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CARE BEARS 11
following and a portfolio of popular apps for mobile devices with over 22 million combined downloads. “We have plans for fun, short form content as we come into our 35th celebration year, including more great storytelling with animated shorts as well as expansion of the consumer products programme into key territories in Europe, Latin America and rebooting our programme in Japan,” says Janice. The Care Bears licensing roster has always been strong and the current programme is no exception. There are currently over 175 licensees worldwide, with product in categories from toys and apparel to accessories and sleepwear, bedding and beyond. The Care Bears product spans from the US to Europe and Latin America. American Greetings Entertainment is also re-launching the consumer products in Japan with co-branded collectible figures with Be@rbrick, owned by Medicom Toy Incorporated, which were out for Christmas 2016. Care Bears has always found exceptional success in the plush category and in 2014, master toy
Top: Plush lines from master toy partner, Just Play. Above: Ichiban’s collection with ASOS. Below left: Iron Fist’s range of accessories is a nod to the older demographic. Below: The Care Bears have been re-invented for today’s audience on Care Bears & Cousins – a Netflix original production.
partner, Just Play, updated the plush to make them more huggable than ever. But recently there’s been one area of phenomenal growth for the brand – collectibles. “In 2015 the blind bag craze really took off in the US and has followed into the UK,” says Janice. “The collectability of blind bags and the variety of Care Bears is a match made in heaven!” And there’s still plenty of room for expansion in licensing, as Janice explains: “While many of our foundational categories are licensed, we plan to focus on expanding into health and beauty and will look to sign new partners in this category. We also see a huge opportunity in baby and toddler and this is a particular focus for the UK market in 2017.” At the other end of the market, the brand continues to perform well within young adult apparel and accessories. In a nod to the older and edgier side of Care Bears, Ichiban launched a collection of daywear for ASOS, featuring bright, funky retro prints. In the States, Iron Fist’s collection of shoes, bags and apparel got glowing feedback from fashion and lifestyle influencers. “There’s a whole slew of partnerships lined up to celebrate the 35th anniversary in 2017,” says Janice “We’ll have something for everyone who has ever loved - and still loves - Care Bears, no matter what age. Through our content and product, Care Bears is truly multi-generational – from babies, toddlers, teens and young adults all the way to parents and grandparents.
Licensee feedback: Tim Rudd-Clarke, Licensing Director, Gemma International “I personally first came across Care Bears in 1982, when I was still involved in the toy trade and remember how well received they were back then. The team and I at Gemma are very excited to be working with CPLG on Care Bears across cards, gift packaging and partyware and with a brand that, 35 years later, continues to resonate with the original fans and a whole new generation. Our studio is working on a fantastic range of greetings and partyware products and we are very much looking forward to launching these to market during 2017.”
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CARE BEARS ANNIVERSARY 13
35 Years of Caring The 35th anniversary of Care Bears in 2017 is a great opportunity to celebrate the nostalgia of the brand and introduce new looks and products into the marketplace to ensure that the Care Bears will be around for many more decades to come.
A
fter three and a half decades as an evergreen brand, Care Bears is as relevant as ever with robust globally placed entertainment, licensing programmes, website apps and a very engaged social media following. Represented by CPLG since 2007 in the UK, the brand has gone from strength to strength building an enviable portfolio of licensees across apparel, dress up, toys, bedding and DVD to name a few. Hannah Stevens, Brand Ambassador for CPLG UK
❤ and Eire says: “There’s a real warm glow around nostalgic brands in the UK – and around the world – at the moment. A brand like Care Bears appeals across the generations, evident in the wide range licensing programme, spanning retro baby grows to adult dress up.” Working in close partnership with master
Above and right: Artwork from the new Sparkle and Shine style guide. Left: Boy Meets Girl X Care Bears is selling at Colette in Paris. toy partner Just Play; CPLG and American Greetings will be celebrating 35 years of Care Bears with a bang. “We’re working on retail activations, character visits and new product,” says Hannah. “We’ve also got several new licensees joining the party. Zak launched a range of Care Bears melamine for AW16. In February, publishing
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Left: Hannah Stevens, Brand Ambassador for CPLG UK and Eire. house Hachette will launch two brand new Care Bears and Gemma International will launch a range of greetings cards in SS17.” In support of the 35th celebrations, American Greetings has designed two brand new style Below: Melamine guides in line mug from Zak. with the UK trend market. Sparkle and Shine, and Young Wild and Free are the two new guides. Plans are taking shape in the US as well with Sprinkles Cupcakes, SpiritHoods, California Donuts, Dylan’s Candy Bar and Land of Nod on board to create retroprogrammes marking 35 years of Care Bears. In addition to the collaborations, Care Bears will celebrate 2017 as ‘The Year of the Hug’, popping up across the US to give out hugs in person to the fans of all ages. And internationally, there is a collaboration with fashion brand Boy Meets Girl which is selling exclusively at Colette in Paris.
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14 PINK PANTHER CPLG Territories:
Benelux, France, GAS, Iberia, Italy, UK & Eire
The Pink Panther is one of the world’s true style icons of both small screen animations and the movies with his cool, hip, laid back style. Loved by both adults and children alike, the Pink Panther brand is enjoying renewed interest in fashionled apparel and accessories.
Inset: After all these years the Pink Panther is still an icon of coolness.
IT’S COOL TO BE PINK
T
he Pink Panther is one of the world’s true style icons of both small screen animations and the movies with his cool, hip, laid back style. Loved by both adults and children alike, the Pink Panther brand is enjoying renewed interest in Inset: Sleepwear for Women’secret stores in Spain.
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fashion-led apparel and accessories. The Pink Panther character first appeared in the opening and closing credit sequences of the first Pink Panther film in 1964 starring Peter Sellers in perhaps his most famous role as the inept Inspector Clouseau. The Pink Panther’s initial appearance in this film was such a success that it spawned a series of animated cartoons starting in 1964. Since then, there have been many more animations, comic books, computer games and appearances in TV adverts. “The Pink Panther has a very broad reach with men, women and kids across multi-generations,”
Left: Dickies apparel has been popular in Asia. Below: Pink Panther goes glam with Italian brand, Happiness. says Tricia Samuels, Vice President of Licensing for MGM, proprietor of the Pink Panther property. “There is something about the Pink Panther’s unique ability to express his shrewd wit and clever intentions through posture, facial and body expressions and gestures that appeals to a wide range of audiences. No matter where you are in the world, the Pink Panther is an icon of humour, style and mischievous fun.” One of the main platforms for Pink
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PINK PANTHER 15 Panther content is YouTube, where the Pink Panther channel has 879,295 subscribers and 18 million monthly views of the classic animated series and the 2010 Pink Panther and Pals series. Facebook is another popular platform, with 2.367 million fans engaging with posts, polls and memes. “The YouTube channel is both kid-friendly and nostalgic so it has a broad audience,” says Tricia. “Pink Panther translates well internationally as it transcends language barriers. We are continuously looking at ways to engage with our fans and to introduce the character to new audiences with content development for the large and small screen, online, social, as well as new mediums or platforms.” With over 90 licensees worldwide, the Pink Panther licensing programme crosses all tiers of retail, from high end department stores and boutiques to speciality and mass market retailers and grocery.
“Our licensee base is pretty consistent year in year out, but we would like to see growth in new categories and explore new ways of doing business,” said Tricia. “With the launch of the new Pink Panther look book, we plan to build on the existing lifestyle programme targeting both adults and kids with apparel and accessories and introducing other supported categories.” Apparel has been the big growth category for Pink Panther with brand collaborations focusing on streetwear and upscale fashion labels. In particular, Dickies in Asia and New Era caps in Japan have been particularly successful in 2016 as well as the collaborations with Italian apparel retailers Happiness and Iceberg. Iceberg’s 2017 collection will focus on kids. Spanish fashion retailer, Cortefiel has been a long standing
The Italian connection
Top: Iceberg is launching a girls’ collection in 2017. Above: Girls’ clothing from Monnalisa.
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Pink Panther has inspired several high end collaborations in the Italian fashion arena that have strengthened the fashion positioning of the character and generated huge visibility and press coverage. Laura Above: Laura Pettinati, Brand Ambassador Pettinati, CPLG for CPLG Southern Europe Southern Europe. says: “Monnalisa has been one of the most successful collaborations with a collection for young girls and a spin off in the baby range. Iceberg is another historical partner of MGM that honoured the famous Pink Panther with an adult collection and coming in SS17, a girls’ collection. In 2017, we will be tapping into the local pool of fashion designers by partnering with Pitti Immagine Bimbo, the most important international trade show for kids and teenage fashion. A bunch of famous international fashion designers will create special outfits dedicated to Pink Panther that will be showcased during the tradeshow in Florence in January 2017. The limited edition co-branded outfits will be then sold in department stores across Italy with part of the earnings going to OXFAM.”
Above: Not just pink! Pink Panther line art in CPLG’s new look book. partner and features at least two new collections a year with ontrend designs and themes at its Women’secret stores worldwide. “Pink Panther has been a big success for Women’secret,” says Tricia. “Feedback from Women’secret is that the customers really love the brand and it continues to help them drive sales.” MGM has several new licensee collaborations, all bringing edgy collections to retail in key territories. “In the States Huf Worldwide is launching a new men’s apparel collection, while DEEP Lifestyle Co is bringing a range of t-shirts, backpacks, hats and sunglasses for youth and adults to market in 2017,” says Tricia. CPLG has recently welcomed a new licensee in Spain, Grupo Moya Peluches for plush. Other exciting collaborations coming in 2017 are Baskin Robbins with ice cream cakes, cupcakes and macaroons in Korea and a range of cosmetics from F&S Cosmetics and Banila Co in Korea. “It’s heart-warming to see the love people have for the Pink Panther after all these years,” says Tricia. “The Pink Panther is a true evergreen character and we love the innovative ways our partners bring all the fun of the brand to life across so many product categories and demographics. The appeal is timeless and he remains one of the most recognised characters in the world to this day.”
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16 SPACE INVADERS
Space Invaders is one of the all-time classic video games. As a brand, it has universal appeal; loved by those who grew up with the brand as well as a whole new generation who are discovering it for the first time.
A GAMING ICON A
s one of the forerunners of modern video gaming, Space Invaders revolutionised the gaming industry in 1978 and is still cited as a major inspiration for game developers today. By the early 1980s it was the highest grossing
Above: The collaboration with Deadmau5 produced tee-shirts, sweatshirts and accessories. Right: Polo shirt from the Fred Perry collection.
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Right: Limited edition watch from RJ Watches. entertainment product of its time. Many technology journalists attribute Space Invaders as one of the most influential games of all time and a key player in the expansion of the video game from a novelty into a global industry. With the renewed trend towards retro video gaming properties, Space Invaders is once again in the spotlight according to Janet Swallow, Vice President of Licensing Worldwide of Square Enix, a sister company of the property owner TAITO. “Space Invaders is still recognised as one of today’s most
relevant retro brands with its iconic graphics and brand heritage. The brand continues to resonate with consumers of all ages. TAITO/ Square Enix is committed to
CPLG Territories:
North America, Benelux, France, GAS, Iberia, Italy, UK & Eire
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keeping the brand relevant to today’s audience through highprofile designer collaborations and renewed trend and style guides.” In 2016 TAITO/Square Enix launched a trend guide to allow licensees to develop fashion and trend product across different categories. “We wanted to give consumers fresh, innovative and relevant product,” says Janet. “All the new art is recognisably Space Invaders, but with a twist that we know will engage fans and broaden the appeal. We are planning to launch a new style guide in 2017 which will strengthen the brand’s legacy of being the most recognised retro brands of all time.” The first three themes, Coin-Op Classics, Pixellism and Point & Shoot are available now, and include packaging and brand guidelines to give a more cohesive
presence at retail. Space Invaders is building its presence in key fashion and specialty retailers within fashion and accessories, both online and on the high street. It has attracted interest from high-profile fashion designers, such as Anya Hindmarch who walked the brand down the catwalk as part of her AW16 collection. Her high-end collection featured Space Invaders across luxury handbags, accessories and trainers. This collaboration follows other high-profile partnerships with brands such as Fred Perry, Hogan and Deadmau5. An integral part of the licensing mix, these halo projects created a huge buzz
“
with Quo Vadis in France with a fantastic range of stationery.” There’s also quite a collectable market for the brand and a range of vinyl characters from Funko has been going down well with retailers. And on the gaming side, the brand has embraced the growing market for online casinos, with a Space Invaders branded online slot from Playtech. And an actual Space Invaders slot machine recently won the award for Best Slot Product at the 2016 Gaming & Technology Awards in Las Vegas for Scientific Games. “The brand continues to show steady growth in North America and Europe across a wide range of mass market categories,” says Janet. “France is particularly strong in Europe, and we’re about to bring product to South America for the first time. Space Invaders continues to innovate and find ways
One of the growth areas for Space Invaders is the highend consumer goods sector.
within the press and were picked up by key fashion bloggers and press including Vogue. “One of the growth areas for Space Invaders is in the high-end consumer goods sector,” says Janet. “We’ve recently partnered with RJ Watches in Switzerland who produced a range of limited edition watches. Another successful collaboration has been
“
Right: A new range of casualwear from Fabric Flavours will be hitting the shelves in 2017. Below: Pencil case from the Quo Vadis range in France.
of engaging with existing fans and a generation of new consumers. We have launched Space Invaders across Instant Games, Facebook’s new cross-platform gaming experience in November 2016, as well as developing a new Space Invaders website. The brand is coming up to 40 years old and it is amazing to see how much love and passion there still is for it.”
High-end fashion Hogan, the luxury leather good brand, took inspiration from Space Invaders for its SS15 menswear collection. Its luxury leather trainers were emblazoned with the pixelated Space Invaders icon and a dark blazer had the same treatment, giving a wardrobe-essential a retro touch. The iconic Fred Perry label also took inspiration from Space Invaders for its capsule collection in SS15, with brightly coloured prints providing a perfect contrast to the timeless and uncomplicated profiles by Fred Perry. The collection included two polo shirts, a tee-shirt, two pairs of leather shoes and a track jacket.
Left: Luxury leather trainers from Hogan capture the retro-feel of Space Invaders.
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18 SONIC THE HEDGEHOG Inset: Sonic the Hedgehog is still as popular as ever.
SUPER SONIC! Sonic the Hedgehog is one of the most recognisable video game characters in the world and it’s no wonder; the franchise has sold over 350 million copies over the past 25 years. SEGA continues to invest in the franchise, with new games, animation and a growing licensing programme across all categories.
S
onic the Hedgehog is one of the most recognisable and revered video game characters in the world and it’s no wonder; the franchise has sold over 350 million copies over the past 25 years. SEGA continues to invest in the franchise, with new games, animation and a growing licensing programme across all categories. Sonic the Hedgehog raced onto the scene in 1991, starting out as a game for
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Left: The toy market is strong, with TOMY as master toy partner. the SEGA Mega Drive. The game was a huge success for SEGA and since then there have been over 20 more games released, as well as comics, several TV series, toys and other consumer products. SEGA celebrated 25 years of Sonic in 2016 and shows no signs of slowing down. “Sonic spans across a vast array of
CPLG Territories:
Iberia, Benelux, France, GAS, Italy, Nordic, CEE, Greece & Turkey Sonic art Leading fine art publisher Washington Green has released a special collection to mark the 25th anniversary of Sonic the Hedgehog in December 2016. The collection is a unique celebration and tribute to Sonic, comprising of original works executed through a number of mediums and creative styles including sculpture, painting and mixed media. A selection of the original pieces have been reproduced as signed limited editions, retailing through Washington Green’s network of Castle Fine Art galleries across the UK. Each piece will come with a certificate of authenticity, signed by Naoto Ohshima, one of the founding members and designers of the Sonic franchise.
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SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 19 Left: Sonic the Hedgehog LEGO Dimensions level pack.
Above: The exclusive Drop Dead Sonic collection for the 25th anniversary. Right: Sonic Boom: Fire & Ice was released in September. consumers,” says Jason Rice, Director of Brand Licensing for SEGA Europe. “The brand attracts everyone from children aged 6-12 years who are enjoying Sonic for the first time, whether as a game or through the successful TV animation, Sonic Boom; to our nostalgic hard-core 18-34 year old retro audience.” SEGA is focusing its efforts and putting a huge emphasis on the quality of Sonic video games; ensuring the franchise is successful across genres and platforms, including 2D retro, toys to life, handheld and iOS as well as a mainstream 3D game. “Some of the highlights of 2016 include the extremely fun Sonic Boom: Fire & Ice for the handheld 3DS,” says Jason. “The game was released in September and published by Nintendo. We are also excited about Sonic’s recent inclusion in LEGO Dimensions, marking Sonic’s first appearance in official LEGO form. Sonic was part of the LEGO Dimensions Level Pack Wave 7, which became available last November.” While these releases target younger fans, Sonic Mania, set to launch in spring 2017, will reignite the 2D retro gaming arm of the franchise to appeal to Sonic’s heartland community.
It’s been a big year for Sonic, as Jason comments. “We’ve been celebrating Sonic’s 25th anniversary with a whole host of events and new product ranges. We started off with an exclusive party at the House of Blues during San Diego Comic-Con, followed by the hugely successful UK celebration, Summer of Sonic, an event for fans and by fans. In addition to the parties, we’ve also marked the occasion by partnering with apparel retailer Drop Dead on an exclusive 25th anniversary collection. Right: Power sneakers from the Drop Dead x Sonic collection.
Sonic Fashion One of the stand out licensing collaborations for 2016 was with fashion retailer Drop Dead. Drop Dead are known for their irreverent and edgy designs, appealing to young adults with a passion for music, fashion and art. The exclusive capsule collection launched in honour of Sonic’s 25th anniversary was incredibly well received. The designs were all crafted through close partnership with SEGA Europe’s licensing and creative teams and included men’s and women’s t-shirts, hoodies, bomber jackets, and even boxer shorts. In addition to the clothing line, Sonic’s iconic Power Sneakers have also been recreated.
This collaboration took Sonic and catapulted him into the fashion arena showing that Sonic is not only back, but he’s here to stay.” SEGA’s licensing programme on Sonic continues to grow, with over 100 partners worldwide. As the hit TV show Sonic Boom continues to roll out across the EMEA markets, SEGA will be working to expand the portfolio in the new territories. “The collectors’ market is key for all brands with a strong heritage like Sonic the Hedgehog,” says Jason. “We are working with specialty retailer GAME on an exclusive retro console range which will be coming soon. That said, the toy market is ever growing to meet customer demand. Our master toy partner TOMY actively looks for ways to evolve product ranges and introduce toys with new and exciting play patterns.” Apparel and accessories are also important categories for the franchise and especially for adult fans. “We have recently signed BWI Merchandising for a range of adult apparel and accessories for the UK featuring the Classic Sonic the Hedgehog brand,” says Jason. “We also have a long standing relationship with specialty entertainment retailer, Forbidden Planet, who is always keen to support the brand with exclusive ranges. Most recently they launched a range of Sonic 25th anniversary merchandise for the Legends of Gaming event at Alexandra Palace in London.” The future is very bright for SEGA and Sonic with new gaming releases in 2017, the second season of Sonic Boom and an upcoming movie. “We are very focused on raising the game across the board,” says Jason. “This means evolving the brand by keeping one foot in the past and one foot in the future. We will continue to work hard to deliver the best content for our audiences both young and old.” © SEGA / Technicolor
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20 FELIX THE CAT
A FASHIONABLE FELINE Felix the Cat may be nearly 100 years old, but he is still as cool as ever. Recent investment into the brand has reinvigorated the licensing programme, with new partners coming on board for apparel and accessories and other categories to follow.
F
elix the Cat was the first ever animated character, making his screen debut in Feline Follies in 1919. He then appeared in over 100 silent cartoons in the 1920s and 30s and even alongside Charlie Chaplin in Felix In Hollywood in 1923. From 1923 he also featured in his own cartoon strip
which went on to be syndicated to over 250 newspapers globally in a multitude of languages. After the development of the new cartoon series in 1958 Felix the Cat became less cat-like and adopted more human behaviour. The cartoon series was instantly embraced by children and adults alike and ran continuously until the early 1980s.
CPLG Territories:
EMEA & North America DreamWorks acquired the brand in 2014 and has re-established the brand back into popular culture through high profile collaborations and halo projects. “We do feel a certain amount of responsibility, especially as Felix was still family-owned when we took over the rights, so you want to ensure you carry on the legacy and look after him,” says Becki Fleming, head of international franchise for DreamWorks. “Part of the charm of Felix is his heritage and that is what is so appealing to our partners. Unlike entertainment brands which tend to be driven by a movie or TV, heritage brands tend to have a constant all round universal appeal and are an important part of any retail or licensee’s portfolio.” Right: High profile fashion collaborations, such as that with Coach, catch the attention of a new generation of fans.
Felix in popular culture ■ A Felix balloon was the first ever character balloon in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in 1927. In the 90th anniversary parade in 2016, a replica of that first Felix balloon was carried on sticks, just as he was back in 1927. ■ F elix the Cat stands proud above the famous Chevrolet garage in Los Angeles and has done so since 1921. ■ F elix means ‘lucky’ in Latin, and lucky he was when Charles Lindbergh made his inaugural flight over the Atlantic in 1927 with a Felix the Cat image emblazoned across his plane. ■ F elix made an appearance in an Andy Warhol painting in 1985. ■ D id you spot Felix in the 1988 film Who Framed Roger Rabbit? He appears as the masks of tragedy and comedy on the entrance to Toontown.
Left: The Felix the Cat balloon in the 90th anniversary Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2016
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FELIX THE CAT 21 Right: The Felix the Cat cartoon series ran up to the 1980s. Below: Felix makes an appearance in Coach’s AW16 collection. While Felix the Cat is recognised by the generation who grew up watching the cartoon or reading the comic strips, DreamWorks have invested in the brand over the last two years to bring it back to the mainstream. “As such his appeal is now to a whole new generation of consumers who may not have seen the cartoon, but have seen him featured as part of the Bathing Ape collaboration or most recently on Coach handbags,” says Becki. “CPLG will continue to build the collaborations programme across EMEA and North America which enables them to attract the best licensees who will help extend the programme into more mainstream retail aiming at young adults right down to baby.” Part of the appeal of this evergreen brand for licensees is the depth of assets there are to work with, as Becki explains: “We have an archive dating back almost 100 years so the creative direction really is endless. But we are keen to work with licensees who have great designers and to allow them creative freedom to interpret Felix the Cat in a way that’s right for their category and in line with trends for their territory/retailer.
We are also developing trend guides each season so as to inspire designers and retailers to use Felix in different ways and showcase the creative diversity of the brand.” There are two main style guides for Felix. One is based on a vintage style and the other on a contemporary look which takes its lead from when Felix was redrawn in 1958. Although it’s still early days for DreamWorks and Felix, the
licensing programme is already picking up pace. “CPLG is really focusing on securing apparel partners as the simplicity of the design lends itself to this so well,” says Becki. “We think this will be the best way to establish the brand in the first instance and provide a natural platform from which other categories can launch.” Becki continues: “We have several collaborations coming out in the USA which will have a trickle through effect to EMEA, including an exciting partnership with a global brand; more details coming soon! Alongside this we are finalising several high profile fashion collaborations which will launch in 2017 and no doubt create a social media frenzy.” Becki continues “It’s a really exciting time for us all as we’re breathing new life back into an absolute classic property. There’s a lot of love for Felix and it’s great to see the creative ways our partners are bringing him up-to-date for the 21st century.”
Above right: The classic Felix style guide is based on vintage artwork. Right: Artwork in the core style guide is based on the more modern Felix-look.
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22 FELIX COLLABORATIONS
ON THE CATWALK Apparel and fashion categories lead the way for Felix the Cat, with the focus on building collaborations to ensure the brand remains front of mind among opinion-forming consumers.
H
igh profile partnerships and halo projects are an integral part of the overall licensing mix for Felix the Cat. They help raise the profile of the brand, generate publicity and drive interest at both licensee and retail level across
the core licensing programme. Erin Dippold, Brand Ambassador for CPLG North America says: “Coach, which launched AW16, and A Bathing Ape have been particular stand out successes for 2016 and we have more exciting collaborations launching in 2017. One we’re
Above: Erin Dippold, Brand Ambassador for CPLG North America. really looking forward to is with the retailer Bait. We launched our first Felix collection with Bait in 2016, which included footwear, apparel and collectibles. In 2017 Bait will launch a range of apparel, accessories and gifting and we also have a collaboration with an American designer coming.”
Above: American actress, Chloe Moretz sports a COACH x Felix the Cat bag.
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BRAND AMBASSADORS 23
Meet The Team CPLG’s Brand Ambassadors lead the way on the Classic Brand portfolio at a local level, working with sales teams and retailers to gain maximum exposure for brands.
Matt Tobia Northern Europe mtobia@cplg.com
Ingo Sonego Dieter Iberia isonego@cplg.com
Laura Pettinati Southern Europe lpettinati@cplg.com
Sven Burscher GAS sburscher@cplg.com
Hannah Stevens UK & Eire hstevens@cplg.com
Concetta Galani France cgalani@cplg.com
Erin Dippold North America edippold@cplg.com
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Neesha Law MENA nlaw@cplg.com
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Worldwide Contacts Head Office T: +44 (0) 20 8563 6400 E: cplginfo@cplg.com One Queen Caroline Street, 2nd Floor, London, W6 9YD, United Kingdom Peter Byrne
CEO T: +44 (0) 20 8563 6107 E: pbyrne@cplg.com
Gaby Dior
Senior European Brand Manager T: +44 (0) 20 8563 6102 E: gdior@cplg.com
Steve Manners
Executive Vice President T: +44 (0) 20 8563 6111 E: smanners@cplg.com
Libby Grant
Global Business Development Director – Brands T: +44 (0) 208 563 6156 E: lgrant@cplg.com
Rob Spindley
Business Development Director - Entertainment T: +44 (0) 20 8563 6160 E: rspindley@cplg.com
Territory Offices Maarten Weck
Managing Director Northern Europe (UK, Benelux, Nordic & CEE) T: +31 20 426 2420 E: mweck@cplg.com
John Taylor
Commercial Director UK T: +44 20 8563 6153 E: jtaylor@cplg.com
Peter Evers
Commercial Director Benelux T: +31 20 426 2426 E: pevers@cplg.com
Jenny Strehle
Pau Pascual
Begum Isikli
Abdel Boazzati
Virginie Kleinclaus-Renard
Managing Director Iberia & MENA T: +34 93 409 12 68 E: ppascual@cplg.com
Managing Director MENA T: +971 553 346 592 E: aboazzati@cplg.com
Neesha Law
Commercial Manager MENA T: +971 504 815 992 E: nlaw@cplg.com
Maria G. Gurrieri
Commercial Director Nordic T: +46 730 800 044 E: jstrehle@cplg.com
Managing Director Southern Europe (Italy, Turkey & Greece) T: +39 02 8546 330 T: mgurrieri@cplg.com
Slawomir Ekiert
Anthe Louizos
Commercial Director CEE T: +48 609 316 316 E: sekiert@cplg.com
Managing Director France T: +33 144 09 17 60 E: vkleinclaus@cplg.com
Joachim Knoedler
Managing Director Germany T: +49 89 96 10 90 34 E: jknoedler@cplg.com
Ted Larkins
Managing Director North America T: +1 818 261 8262 E: tlarkins@cplg.com
Managing Director Turkey & Greece T: +30 210 942 7610 E: alouizos@cplg.com
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Commercial Director Turkey T: +90 542 382 6262 E: bisikli@cplg.com
Š2017 MGM
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