Licensing Source Book Autumn 2021 by Max Publishing: Print, Digital Media + Events (London)

Autumn 2021

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We are proud to announce a new PARTNERSHIP with something for EVERY CHILD

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INNOVATION & FUN at the heart of EVERYTHING we do!

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Leader A

s we head towards the end of the year, thoughts have understandably turned to Christmas and, hopefully, the big celebrations that we’ll be able to have with extended family and friends. After last year’s curtailment of festivities, this was the key point which came up when we asked a selection of licensees what they were hoping for most as we approach 25 December. Coming back together to celebrate after what has been another rollercoaster of a year for businesses across all sectors is much needed and, for many, can’t Inset: (Left to right) LSB’s come soon enough. Samantha Loveday, Rob Willis, If 2021 has been about getting back on track for Jakki Brown and Ian Hyder. many businesses, then 2022 is the year they are looking to forge ahead. Hopes include supply chains settling down, enough stock making it team at Informa Markets which has worked so to retail, an end to freight cost extortion and hard to build a three-day fair which offers more regularised factory lead times. something for everyone, while juggling the health Encouragingly, many of the licensees we and safety aspects so that exhibitors and visitors spoke to have ambitious plans for the coming can enjoy its return. year – whether that be new launches and We’re looking forward to seeing everyone at the projects, entering new categories, expanding show (our stand is A217) and then it will also be time into fresh territories, recruitment drives or for Team Max to take a breath, open the fizz and sustainability initiatives. raise a glass to everything that’s been achieved Getting back to more face-to-face meetings – this year and everyone who has come with colleagues and partners – plus the WITH through it. welcome return of Toy Fair, THIS ISSUE: We wish you all good health and Spielwarenmesse and Spring Fair, is also Care Bears m happiness for 2022. helping to fuel the optimism and ark 40 years & positivity in the industry. Hasbro Spec Samantha Loveday, Jakki Brown, But first, there’s Brand Licensing Europe ial Publication Ian Hyder and Rob Willis. and it is promising to be a stellar return to The LSB Team ExCeL for the show. Kudos has to go to the

Samantha Loveday - Editor Ian Hyder - Joint Managing Director Jakki Brown - Joint Managing Director and Editorial Director Rob Willis - Publishing Director Tel: 020 7700 6740 E-mail: hello@max-publishing.co.uk Copyright 2021. The publishers cannot accept legal liability for any errors or omissions, nor can they accept responsibility for the standing of advertisers nor any organisation mentioned in the text. ISSN 25158643.

@licensingsource

PUBLISHERS OF

Visit us at booth A151

CopyrightsGroup.com UK Licensing Enquiries: rachel.clarke@copyrightsgroup.com / International Licensing Enquiries: polly.emery@copyrightsgroup.com

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CONTENTS

What’s Inside? 10-15

State of the Nation: Corporate

18-21

Licensee Feedback – Christmas hopes

22-23

The Insights Family

24-25

The Big Interview: Paul Bufton, NBCUniversal

27-29

The Licensing Awards 2021: In Pictures

30-39

The Licensing Awards 2021: The Winners

40-41

The Big Interview: ViacomCBS

44-47

Retail Round-up

48-49

The Big Retail Interview: Character.com

52-53

State of the Nation: Nursery & Preschool

54-55

The Debut of Obki

58-59

ToyTopic makes its mark

60-61

In Conversation With… MDR Brand Management

63-65

The Countdown to BLE 2021

67-81

Brand Licensing Europe 2021: Exhibitor Preview

82-83

The Big Interview: WildBrain CPLG

85-89

State of the Nation: Gaming

92-97

State of the Nation: Brands

98-99

The Bass Line with

100-103 The B&LLAs 2021: In Pictures 104-110

The B&LLAs 2021: The Winners

114-115

The Flying Scotsman steams ahead

118-121

The Reopening of Culture

122-123

In Conversation With… Drew Pearson International

124-125

In Conversation With… Cyber Group Studios

126-127

State of the Nation: Services

129

State of the Nation: Art & Design

130-131

State of the Nation: Sports

132-133

Sporting Insight with Simon Gresswell

134-193

The Licensed Properties Section

195-239 The Licensees’ Showcase 241-302 2021/2022 Guide to Services & Suppliers

Adam Bass

LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

let’s get together miffy Brand Licensing Expo 2021 Booth B162

info@mercis.nl

miffy supports:

follow Miffy online:

www.miffy.com © Mercis bv

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STATE OF THE NATION: CORPORATE

Business matters

Inset: Character World will be investing in new licences and new revenue streams. Bottom: A host of new products and activations will be marking 120 years of Peter Rabbit in 2022.

We’re in the final quarter of the year, and the good news, investments, anniversary celebrations, appointments and fresh deals keep on coming for the licensing business. LSB rounds up some of the latest happenings.

120 years of Peter Rabbit Penguin Random House Children’s UK has revealed its plans to mark the 120th birthday of Peter Rabbit in 2022. As well as the character’s role as children’s ambassador for the Queen’s Green Canopy, celebratory Picnics for Peter will take place throughout the summer, supported by key partners and at locations throughout the UK. Penguin Ventures will also be growing a number of existing product ranges including new apparel collections and gardening lines, while also welcoming picnicware and personalised infant product. A number of special commemorative ranges will launch across plush, apparel and gifting categories. Experiential activations in the UK will include a Peter Rabbit Story Time Trail, plus themed entertainment parties with Captain Fantastic. In addition, a new stage production – Happy Birthday Peter Rabbit – will launch at the World of Beatrix Potter Attraction in the Lake District. Outside of the UK, celebrations will include a major touring exhibition of original Peter Rabbit artwork in Japan. The exhibition will tour

LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

Character World eyes growth

Licensed textile specialist, Character World has secured a £14.5m refinance package from Secure Trust Bank Commercial Finance, as it plans for growth in 2022. The business has increased its working capital facility from £8m to £10m after four years of working with the bank, to help meet increased demand for its products. Secure Trust Bank has also provided an additional £4.5m term loan to refinance an outstanding unitranche facility that was put in place when Palatine Private Equity backed the business in 2014. Originally founded in 1998, Character World has been under the stewardship of Danny and Mark Schweiger for almost 20 years. It reported an over 20% increase in turnover following the lockdowns, as consumers turned to online shopping. As the business looks ahead to its busiest period of the year, in the run-up to the festive season, the additional £2m working capital facility will allow Character World to invest in new licences, new revenue streams and meet further increases in demand.

three major cities from March to November. A permanent Peter Rabbit English Garden will open at Fuji Motosuko Resort, while Japanese publishing partner, Hayakawa, has also been confirmed. In Australia, a collectable 120th anniversary stamp pack will be produced by Australia Post, while Jasnor will be launching a range of special edition plush to mark the anniversary.

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STATE OF THE NATION: CORPORATE

Key appointments at Aykroyd & Sons

Popular apparel licensee, Aykroyd & Sons is heading towards the end of the year in a strong position – promoting Rob Broadhurst and also welcoming Louise Hinds to its team. Rob has been appointed as the licensee’s new commercial director. He joined Aykroyd & Sons in March 2018 as sales and licensing executive. In addition, Louise Hinds has taken on the role of head of creative. Louise has more than 20 years’ experience in the licensing business including managing her own creative agency, Blue Chalk Design. “I’m absolutely delighted and honoured to be asked to join the board of Aykroyds and help continue the legacy of such a long-standing and respected company by spearheading our licensing and commercial strategy,” Rob commented. “I’m also thrilled that Louise has now joined us and am excited to see how her creative vision will help shape our plans over the coming years – welcome to team Aykroyds.”

Above: Rob says he is “delighted and honoured” to join the board of Aykroyds.

and preschool portfolio. It also shared its UK vision for success under the banner of ‘Super Charging Our Stories’. As part of the event, Hasbro UK handed out a number of accolades as part of its Partner Awards.

Hasbro UK awards its partners October saw Hasbro host its first in-person Partner Day in the UK since the beginning of the pandemic. The UK team treated the assembled licensees and retailers to updates from across its entertainment

The winners were: • Blue Sky Thinkers – Wow Stuff • Lockdown Leader – Penguin • Best Marketing Campaign – Character.com • Online Partner of the Year – Winning Moves • Hardlines Partner of the Year – Kokomo • Softlines Partner of the Year – TDP/Aykroyds • Outstanding Collaborator – Character Options • Retail Partnership of the Year – Tesco Above left: The UK Hasbro team presented updates from across its portfolio. Right: Angela said she was delighted to be the award’s first solo female recipient.

H&A’s Angela Hall honoured at The Licensing Awards

Angela Hall, founder of licensed toiletry specialist H&A, was honoured with the Honorary Achievement award at The Licensing Awards in September. Jakki Brown, joint md of Max Publishing, which owns and organises The Licensing Awards, said: “Angela is a true pioneer, someone who is a visionary as well as a doer; a leader as well as a team player. Known, respected and liked for her ‘firm but fair’ mentality and reliable and upfront style, she is widely trusted by licensors and retailers alike, as well as by her peers and colleagues.” Angela founded H&A in the late 1980s, with the company’s first licensing deal coming in 1996 with Mr Blobby. Angela commented: “I feel humbled and somewhat overwhelmed to receive this award, and particularly delighted to be its first solo female recipient. I do hope I have inspired other women to take senior leadership roles. “It’s great to be part of such an exciting licensing industry and Team H&A thoroughly enjoyed meeting everyone again in person after s uch a long time.”

LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

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STATE OF THE NATION: CORPORATE Below: Lisle Licensing new hires Deborah Haigh (left) and Katie Moran.

Lisle bolsters commercial team

Lisle Licensing has welcomed two new members to its commercial team to further support its growth. Deborah Haigh has joined as commercial and retail manager and will be working alongside md Francesca Lisle and chairman Colin Lisle, with key account management at both licensee and retail level. In particular, she will work closely on new brands including the Style Sisters and Kate Smith Co. Katie Moran has also joined in the new role of commercial assistant, introduced into the business structure to support the senior team. “I’m thrilled that we have two exceptionally skilled executives joining our team, who also bring with them a passion for our client portfolio, can-do attitudes and a sense of fun,” commented Francesca.

Blu Goblin makes its debut

Louis Kennedy has launched a new direct to consumer online platform which will sell exclusive, limited edition licensed collectables from the worlds of entertainment, sport, gaming and nostalgia to raise funds for good causes. Blu Goblin will launch new campaigns from a wide range of partners on a regular basis, with each one supporting a good cause. The platform was born as a direct result of two pilot programmes instigated by Louis Kennedy during lockdown in 2020. These were Matt Lucas’ Thank You Baked Potato (with proceeds to Feed NHS), plus a collaboration with BBC Children in Need and BBC Studios featuring limited edition Pudsey bears. Tracey Richardson, director of partnerships and licensing at Louis Kennedy, said: “The opportunity to create new products which add another dimension to the planned celebrations and demonstrate support for a cause close to the heart of the brand were all reasons we’ve been able to deliver such a wonderful range of campaigns for the launch and looking forward into 2022.”

SILC dated for 2022

Warren Traeger joins Battersea Animal welfare charity Battersea has welcomed Warren Traeger as its new licensing manager. Warren is responsible for growing licensing revenue and will be working closely with Battersea’s licensing agent, The Point.1888. Previously at Dogs Trust in a corporate development role, Warren joins Battersea with many years of licensing experience across retail, licensor and licensee roles. “It is an absolute privilege to join Battersea, with its rich heritage dating back to 1860, as well as global awareness through ITV’s Paul O’Grady’s For the Love of Dogs,” commented Warren. “I’m really looking forward to working with the team at The Point.1888 and meeting many existing and new licensees at BLE to share the exciting plans and opportunities through becoming a Battersea licensee.” Left: Warren has a wide range of licensing experience across retail, licensor and licensee roles.

With a mission to drive positive change across the licensing industry, the Sustainability in Licensing Conference is making its return for the third year running, taking up residence in the prestigious Royal Geographical Society in London on Wednesday 22 June 2022. SILC22 will build on the success of its previous years by making its in-person debut to deliver a full schedule of discussions and panels tackling some of the biggest topics of conversation within the sustainability movement today. The dual-cast event will be hosted both in-person and online via a live-stream, with ticketing options for both physical and virtual attendees. The conference agenda will include topics such as how businesses are driving sustainable practices and how the industry can drive social change through entertainment and content. Ticket prices will be £275 for a Physical Ticket and £150 for a Digital Ticket. Products of Change members will be eligible for a 20% discount. SILC22 will once again be curated by Products of Change founder, Helena MansellStopher and the POC team. Head to www.sustainabilityinlicensing.com for further details.

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STATE OF THE NATION: CORPORATE Below: The Grinch range has secured listings in Argos, Asda and Boots.

The Grinch gift range hits retail H&A has secured range listings in Boots, Asda and Argos for its new gifting collection for The Grinch. The range – stemming from a deal with Dr. Seuss Enterprises and brokered by WildBrain CPLG – includes an array of products such as ‘Definitely Naughty’ Bath Bombs, ‘Resting Grinch Face’ Eye Mask Set, ‘Stink Stank Stunk’ Soap on a Rope, ‘Merry Grinchmas’ Christmas Stocking and ‘Merry Whatever’ Washbag. “We’ve had a really encouraging start to our first year with The Grinch and our creative product development, combined with fantastic imagery from Dr. Seuss Enterprises, has enabled us to make a range that evokes equal parts humour and nostalgia,” said Livy Coare, licensing and marketing manager at H&A.

Spicey deal for Bravado

Bravado has secured an exclusive worldwide partnership with the biggest selling girl group in history, the Spice Girls. The expansive multi-year deal will see Bravado represent for the band across merchandising, direct to consumer products and campaigns, touring, brand and retail licensing and distribution, coinciding with the 25th anniversary of their debut album Spice. The deal marks the first time in two decades that licensing rights across all channels have been assigned to a partner. The band and Bravado will now work hand in hand to deliver new products and capsule collections to retail partners around the world.

Inset: The Amazing Maurice is the first ever animated film based on a Terry Pratchett novel.

The Amazing Maurice eyes licensing

The consumer products programme for The Amazing Maurice – the upcoming Sky original animated feature based on one of Sir Terry Pratchett’s Discworld novels – is beginning to build up a head of steam. The programme is being put together with Cantilever, co-producer of the film which is due to air in 2022, with Val Fry of Fryday Brands acting as consultant. Categories being eyed include digital and board games, plush, stationery, gifting and apparel, with partners already on board including Titan Books. There is also a partnership with Forbidden Planet which will see the retailer launch an eclectic The Amazing Maurice range including adult and children’s t-shirts, hoodies, sweatshirts and scarves, as well as gift and home product and accessories. “We’re busy working with licensees to develop a cross-category range that will give us the flexibility of working with retail multiples, as well as the independent sector that is really key to reaching the established Terry Pratchett fan base,” commented Val. “Alongside this, we’re ensuring that we offer a unique and exclusive range via the e-commerce shop, which we’ve developed with Event Merchandising.”

Exquisite Gaming ready for growth

Exquisite Gaming is gearing up for a busy 2022, with the ambitious company looking to continue its growth of recent years. Launched in 2017, the company has grown its portfolio to include over 200 fan favourite characters and has achieved over $100 million sales worldwide. It recently won a Pop Insiders POP 20 Award for its original Cable Guy range of controller and phone holders. 2022 will see the release of three new and innovative brands, with Ben Beattie, director of creative and product development, saying they “will continue to give fans something they had never thought of before, but won’t be able to live without”. “We believe in products with a purpose, but bringing functional fun to the world has definitely had its challenges every year, and no period of time has been harder than the last 18 months, as I’m sure so many others have experienced too,” Ben commented. “We look ahead to next year in the hope of things getting better, but it’s also important to acknowledge some of the recent achievements that have got us to where we are. From a small start-up office four years ago, we now have our own dedicated premises in the heart of London’s Piccadilly Circus and our website – EXGPRO.COM – provides the latest product information, and news from the world of gaming and entertainment, giving us a variety of ways to interact with our growing community.”

LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

New Adventures on Land

78 x 22 episodes through to 2024

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STATE OF THE NATION: CORPORATE

Below: Dino Dana and Odd Squad are looking at CP growth in the UK going forward.

Sinking Ship has licensing ambitions Production and distribution company, Sinking Ship is being supported by Fryday Brands as it eyes growth in the licensing space for two of its key properties. Both live action comedy Odd Squad and Dino Dana, which follows the adventures of ten year old Dana, a palaeontologist in training, are targeting numerous consumer products categories. Following the success of the Odd Squad Agent’s Handbook, Fryday Brands is prioritising the publishing category, with opportunities to develop educational-led content such as workbooks and activity books. Role-play and dress-up are also key, while the existing success in digital will also be built on. Dino Dana, meanwhile, has already enjoyed publishing success in the US with the Dino Field Guide. A focus will also be on establishing distribution for the toys and figurines which have been developed by Safari, along with looking at experiential and event-led marketing activity. Valerie Fry of Fryday Brands commented: “The initial aim for 2022 is to continue to build brand awareness in the UK for these unique brands by way of promotional partnerships and marketing activity.

HMV grows pop culture offer This is Iris is launching two fresh pop culture collections with HMV across its new UK stores. Cakes with Faces by well-known Comic Con artist Amy Crabtree and Above: Cakes with Faces has Low Pony, which has been been proving popular in the designed by illustrator Sam new HMV stores. Hadley, both have product lines going into the ten new HMV stores. “The new Pop Culture Cake With Faces clothing lines have gone down extremely well as part of the new look stores’ product ranges,” commented Gary Williamson, head of pop culture at HMV. “They offer something brand new to the pop culture fan. The new stores have heavily pushed these out on social media and the feedback from the in-store teams has been fantastic, too. The range will also be expanded as the new store base grows.”

Sad losses for the licensing industry

Leader and longtime chairman of Hasbro, Brian Goldner sadly passed away in October. Brian joined Hasbro in 2000 and was quickly recognised as a visionary in the industry, proving instrumental in transforming the company into a global play and entertainment leader. He expanded Hasbro beyond toys and games into TV, movies, digital gaming and beyond, ensuring its brands reached every consumer. The culmination of his strategy was the 2019 acquisition of eOne. He was appointed ceo of Hasbro in 2008 and became chairman of the board in 2015. Brian was inducted into the Licensing International Hall of Fame in 2018. “Brian was universally admired and respected in the industry, and throughout his over 20 years at Hasbro, his inspiring leadership and exuberance left an indelible mark on everything and everyone he touched,” said Edward Philip, lead independent director of Hasbro’s board of directors. Above: Brian Goldner.

Below: Russell Dever.

The vivacious and engaging founder of licensing agency, Those Licensing People, Russell Dever (aged 62), passed away on 11 August having sadly taken his own life after a long battle with depression. Renowned for his passion in children’s entertainment and content, his affection for the genre led him to found the Leedsbased licensing agency in 2013. Over the last decade his client portfolio has represented some of the world’s mostloved classic children’s brands. Clients he has represented include Sooty, The Magic Roundabout, Roobarb & Custard and The Little Prince. Russell was also respected in the children’s broadcast industry, having created and produced a number of children’s TV series, including the hit Little Monsters. Bill Burke who joined Licensing International earlier this year as svp marketing and communications, passed away suddenly at his home on 9 August at age 55. Prior to joining Licensing International, Bill was svp marketing for CBS Consumer Products, where he led global marketing (including retail), international licensing and licensing operations for brands including Star Trek. Before that, he held senior positions with such companies as HIT Entertainment, Sesame Workshop and Foot Locker. Below: Dell Furano.

Above: Bill Burke.

Dell Furano, the visionary music industry, concert merchandising and brand management executive, passed away peacefully on 4 September 2021, after a battle with cancer, surrounded by his loving family. He was 71. Phil Cussen, president and chief operating officer of Epic Rights, said in a statement: “Dell had a profound and positive impact on so many lives and careers – he was a very special guy, a true giant. I, together with the whole Epic family, am going to miss him dearly. Our heartfelt condolences go out to Kym and the entire Furano family.”

LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

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LICENSEE FEEDBACK

High hopes As we approach the end of the year, LSB asks a selection of licensees from across various categories what their one biggest hope is for Christmas (professionally and personally) and what they are most looking forward to in 2022.

Below: Anthony is looking forward to returning to Toy Fair in 2022.

Right: Mel is looking forward to partying in style this Christmas.

Mel Beer, licensing director EMEA, Amscan

Anthony Temple, md, Rainbow Designs

“My biggest hope for Christmas this year is both professional and personal - that there will be enough stock at retail for consumers to purchase everything they need to celebrate and party in style, making up for the missed Christmas of 2020. Next year I'm looking forward to introducing lots of new licensed lines across our product portfolio, from current and new franchises just being finalised, and sharing them with customers at Nuremberg Toy Fair.”

“2021 has really been about getting back on track for many businesses in the nursery, toy and gift sectors. Without a doubt it has been a difficult couple of years for the sector as a whole and this has been exacerbated by the significant rise in the costs of bringing products into the UK. So, my biggest wish for Christmas for the industry, would be to see an end to the freight cost extortion. Personally though, I’m just really looking forward to spending the festive period with family and friends. As we look forward to 2022, I really can’t wait to get back to Toy Fair. It is a great show that was very much missed by the industry last year.”

Danny Schweiger, joint md, Character World

Ben Lowe, account manager, Roy Lowe & Sons

“From a personal point of view I am so looking forward to a normal Christmas this year when we can get together with all the family. From a Character World point of view, based on current EPOS we are confident that our mix of the biggest licences and our new wellness product ranges will guarantee extremely strong Christmas sales. As 2022 approaches, the longer term strategic plans for Character World are well under way – watch this space.”

“Personally, I hope that Christmas brings a much needed time for all my friends and family to be able to be together and enjoy all the festivities we have missed last year. Professionally, as with every year, I hope that everyone receives socks. I hope that 2022 brings some form of normality across global markets, as the apocalyptical turbulence seems to never end, causing havoc across nearly ever industry and sector. Thankfully, it looks like demand is strong across retail; tackling the global supply and shipping issues remains the biggest challenge. I am also very much looking forward to the return to Las Vegas in 2022.”

Left: Danny says longer term strategic plans for Character World are well under way.

LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

Right: Demand is strong across retail, says Ben.

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LICENSEE FEEDBACK Left: Rob is looking forward to the return of less fractious supply chains.

Rob Stevenson, business development manager, Fizz Creations

As we head into 2022, we have a number of new projects currently in development and in particular we will be doing a more sustainably sourced collection, which we shall be able to talk more about once it launches. From a personal perspective, dare I saywe will be back to Vegas in May?”

“I think we’re all looking forward to a return to less fractious supply chains from Asia, with a rebalancing of the shipment costs and more regularised factory lead times. The pandemic expressed the growth of online and in 2022 we look forward to working closely with retailers and creating more experiential propositions for consumers, giving them a real desire to come out to the high street. Also, it would be rather nice to have movies come out in cinema and be launched when they were planned! Personally, I’m looking forward to Brentford FC hopefully cementing their position in the Premier League…” Below: There are a number of

Sue Stanley, licensing director, Brands In

new projects in development at Brands In, says Sue.

“Brands In has continued to see growth across various sectors of our business, but especially in print on demand licensed apparel and more recently personalisation. We are particularly excited about the upcoming launch of our Personalised Disney Christmas Sweaters at Next, for all the family this festive season. Personally I am looking forward to spending Christmas with my whole family this year; much better than the limited bubbles we had to make do with the same time last year.

Andrew Downie, commercial director, Dreamtex “My biggest hope for Christmas is that all the product that is planned reaches the consumer on time and that this year we can have a party we can look forward to. On a personal note I’m just hoping for gin! 2021 has been yet again a year full of challenges, with a combination of Brexit and Covid continuing to throw up obstacles and logistics being an issue for all of us importing consumer products. As ever we remain positive, completely focused and are very much looking forward to 2022. We are most looking forward to sharing our exciting new designs that we have been working on behind the scenes, as well as introducing some fresh new brands and classics to our extensive portfolio. Our product development team have also been working on some new innovations that we can’t wait to share with our customers, so 2022 for us will definitely be an exciting year. I’m very much looking forward to doing face to face meetings with licensors and customers again; I will be no longer hindered by the Wifi in Chorley, just the weather!” Above: Andy says Dreamtex remains positive and focused heading into 2022. Right: Elliott has high hopes for the Christmas and party season.

Elliott Peckett, director, Smiffys

“Smiffys has high hopes for Christmas and the party season. We have had a successful Halloween this year and have seen everyone come back together to celebrate after a year off. We are positive this spirit of togetherness that we have all missed will continue into the Christmas and New Year season. Our hope for 2022 is that we finally see the back of the pandemic after two long years and the dress-up and party industry can get back on their feet. We have seen our sales back on track in recent months and have high hopes for 2022.”

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LICENSEE FEEDBACK Below: Mordy’s motto for 2022 will be Carpe Diem. .

Livy Coare, licensing and marketing manager, H&A “Our hope for Christmas this year is that we manage to spread some joy through our seasonal gift offering. Last Christmas was tough for a number of reasons, so we hope that we can spread some H&A love and cheer this year. Personally, I’m looking forward to spending Christmas with all my family and getting together again, as I’m sure many others in our industry are. Last year was a very different Christmas and I’m looking forward to getting back to a normal (and chaotic) one. For 2022, we are looking forward to continuing to push boundaries with our creativity and challenging ourselves to make our products even more sustainable. We have also started some new creative product development on some new licences too, so we are very excited about bringing those to market.” Above: H&A is looking to push boundaries in 2022, says Livy. Left: Shipping returning to normal is high on Julie’s wish list.

Julie Jones, md, Redan Publishing “My one biggest hope for Christmas is that shipping returns to normal with no further delays and rates start to come down. Maybe I should write to Santa to enlist his help? On a personal level, I hope that we can have a traditional family celebration where we can invite everyone without government restrictions on numbers. I love to have a house full! In 2022, I am most looking forward to things settling down, to continuing to drive innovation in children’s magazines and to returning to adventures in foreign lands.”

LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

Mordy Benaiah, licensing director, Pyramid International “My biggest hope for Christmas professionally is that we see another couple of great blockbusters like No Time To Die (below) before the end of the year. The trailers for Matrix 4 and Spider-Man: No Way Home both look amazing, so I have everything crossed that they live up to the hype. Personally, what I would really like is a healthy and happy family Christmas for everyone after the struggles of the last couple of years. For 2022 my motto is definitely going to be ‘Carpe Diem’: seize the day. At Pyramid, our greatest strength is our ability to jump on hot new trends quickly. I think 2022 is going to be a year of opportunity for those who have the capacity and expertise to move swiftly. Having our own production facilities and in-house creative teams give us the ability to fast track merchandise into retail across Europe. Following a couple of years of near stagnation due to Covid, the appetite for innovation is greater than it has been for years – customers are waiting for the next big thing, the reception to Squid Game is testament to that. So my hope is that the creators out there live up to the expectation and bring us lots of fresh ammunition. As always, Pyramid will be ready to bring high quality and innovative merchandise to the world.”

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LICENSEE FEEDBACK

Right: Trends UK has some great new lines coming up for 2022, says Lindsay.

Lindsay Hardy, marketing director, Trends UK “My biggest hope for Christmas is that people can get together with loved ones (with no restrictions) and have a lovely time. If I could wave a magic wand my Christmas wish would be that no one would be lonely, cold or hungry; that all those who are suffering loss and loneliness can find some comfort in the Christmas message and are not forgotten by friends and neighbours. Professionally I’m really looking forward to launching some very exciting preschool learning toys, some of which we had to postpone from 2021. There are some fabulous lines coming in Peppa Pig, PAW Patrol, Hey Duggee and brand new Alphablocks and Numberblocks.”

Above: People are looking forward to celebrating with family and friends at Christmas. Above right: The return of Toy Fair in 2022 is much anticipated.

In 2022 we are looking forward to more trade shows, events and face to face meetings with our key partners and retailers, lots of exciting product launches and great new partnerships with high profile licences. From a personal point of view, I’m hoping that 2022 brings more positive news stories and that we see the back of Covid restrictions completely.”

Inset: Emily is looking forward to more trade shows, events and face to face meetings.

Emily Aldridge, head of global licensing, Abysse Corp “We are looking forward to being able to supply products from our new warehouse which is allowing us to hold so much stock from the Abysse and GB eye ranges and means we are even better placed to supply our customers on a 365 basis. LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

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THE INSIGHTS FAMILY RESEARCH

Kids and sustainability Inset: Whirli is a subscription service which allows parents to return and swap unwanted toys. Below: The LEGO Group revealed its first prototype LEGO brick made from recycled plastic in the summer.

The Insights Family reports on how there is a noticeable growing interest surrounding the environment and becoming ecofriendly from children and what this means for brands.

cross the UK, over half (53%) of all kids aged 3-12 say that they often think about how their actions effect the environment, with around 1 in 6 of these children saying they are more concerned about the environment and climate change than any other issue. As these concerns are brought to the foreground of our daily lives, there is a noticeable growing interest surrounding the environment and becoming more eco-friendly. But it’s not just tall talk either, the next generation of kids and parents are voting with their wallets to

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change purchase habits. They are willing to put their money where their mouth is. Our data indicates that 42% of 6 to 12 year olds in the UK say that a product having eco-friendly credentials is an important factor when making shopping decisions. This has increased by 12% since the beginning of the year. Additionally, 46% of kids in the same age bracket report that they would spend more on a brand or product that is environmentally friendly and sustainable. Far from being passive observers, kids, tweens, and teens are changing their consumption habits to match their shifting attitudes. Kids Insights data also suggests that the age at which kids begin to show concern for important global issues is getting younger too. During the period between November 2019 and January 2020, 16-18s were the most likely age group to be concerned about the environment. However, one year later (November 2020 - January 2021), our data indicated that in fact 6-9s are most

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THE INSIGHTS FAMILY RESEARCH

likely to show concern for the environment. When it comes to parents, our Parents Insights data reveals that 53% of parents with kids aged 1-12 in the UK say they would spend more on something that is environmentally friendly and sustainable. This ranks as the second highest rate across Europe, only behind Italy. Looking at toy purchases specifically, 1 in 8 UK

Inset: Kids, tweens and teens are changing their consumption habits to match their shifting attitudes when it comes to sustainability.

parents with 3-9s say that a toy having eco-friendly credentials is the number one influential factor when making a purchase decision. Since January 2021, this trend has only grown stronger with the number of parents reporting this to be a major influence over their toy purchases increasing by 41%. For toy brands, incorporating and building sustainability into their business will not only result in an increase in brand advocacy, but will also help them play their role in saving the planet.

The rise of rental

Do subscription and rental models offer a way to simultaneously drive sales and help save the planet? Over the last few years, the subscription model has quickly risen in popularity among consumers, especially when it comes to TV and film services such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Disney+. However, the subscription model has begun to penetrate new industries – with our data showing that over 1 in 10 UK parents would consider a subscription to a toy service. LEGO has previously stated that it is “totally open” to the idea of renting out products. Meanwhile, other services, such as Whirli, allow parents to return and swap unwanted toys with their subscription. Brands could utilise a rental subscription service to simultaneously provide access to the latest licensed toy products, while also helping to reduce our overall impact on the environment. Incorporating sustainability into long-term business strategies is vital. Consumers are starting to hold brands accountable for their actions and their impact on the environment, demanding transparency and responsibility when it comes to their plans on sustainability. The conscious consumer is no longer a niche – they are becoming the mainstream. According to our 2021 Kids & Family Industry Voice Report, 69% of toy companies believe they can make a difference in the sustainability sector. Therefore, listening to your audience has never been more important. Children’s influence on their parents and purchase decisions is growing, and kids themselves are becoming more financially empowered every day. Understanding what attitudes kids hold in real-time and how this affects their purchasing decisions is a critical advantage for brands.

The Insights Family delivered a session entitled Kids and Sustainability: What it Means for Brands and Licensing on 6 October, hosted by Licensing International. You can receive a recording at: get.theinsightsfamily.com/webinar.

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THE BIG INTERVIEW: PAUL BUFTON

Entertainment studios have had their own unique set of challenges to face during the pandemic. For NBCUniversal, its usual two-year planning cycle meant that content was already in the pipeline, ably spanning the gaps created between its franchise movies, while the company also discovered a more agile side to its business, as well as a whole new appreciation for the flexibility and creativity of its team, licensees and retailers. LSB sits down with Paul Bufton, vp EMEA, to find out more.

Universal thinking

“Of course, it has been a challenging year but there are many positives,” begins Paul Bufton, vp EMEA at NBCUniversal Media when LSB asks how 2021 has been for the entertainment giant so far. “Since we are usually locked into a two-year planning cycle we are always intently focused on the future. That is the nature of the business, and in this case it was really beneficial because it gave us all a way to focus.” This year’s highlights, Paul explains, are how the company has been able to sustain interest and connection to some of its tentpole franchises. Covid may have disrupted movie release schedules across the globe, but Universal’s ‘always on’ model means that it was more than capable of continuing to reach consumers. “Jurassic World has been an incredible standout and that was helped by the global launch of Camp Cretaceous on Netflix,” Paul continues. “That amazing series and the way it has bridged the gap between major movie events has just been tremendous. I think fans of Jurassic Park gravitated towards something familiar at that time, but it also brought in a new audience that was looking for new, quality series during a time when, frankly, their entertainment options were unfortunately limited. What they found was a really well executed and

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Below: Paul Bufton, vp EMEA, NBCUniversal Media. Inset: The toy category has been key for Universal over the past 18 months, with Jurassic World among the brands performing well.

creative series that has further stoked interest in the franchise in general.” In terms of categories, toys did extremely well, says Paul, as did the company’s softlines business. “As well, Minions is very strong in grocery and that provided us with a consistent source of growth as grocers stayed open throughout the lockdown.” A positive to come out of the pandemic and the challenges it caused, is that the company is now much more agile and more able to change course if needed. “There is always a ‘Plan B, C and D’ now!” says Paul. “We have never been more prepared for the different possibilities and that is such a huge positive.” Certain things were also accelerated due to the events of the past 18 months, Paul continues: “For example, we appointed an e-commerce manager, something that we always had planned to do but was sparked by the shifting tides. We also are more focused than ever on building out the digital experience in all facets of the business. If the past 18 months taught us anything, it’s that the digital experience, that touchpoint, has to be foremost in every aspect from content distribution from retail to PR and marketing.” A whole new appreciation for the flexibility and

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THE BIG INTERVIEW: PAUL BUFTON Below: Jurassic World: Dominion and Minions: The Rise of Gru will both be hitting cinemas in 2022. Inset: Paul describes Gabby’s Dollhouse as ‘preschool programming for the modern era’.

creativity of both its own team and its partners has also come to the fore. “In a way, it confirmed why we chose these partners in the first place. In time of crisis the cream rises and without exception our partners all came through with new plans and new ideas. I would say there was a real solution mindset,” offers Paul. Retail partners, Paul continues, have also been just as willing to put in the work to pivot and adjust when necessary: “It is astonishing how fast certain programmes were able to migrate online and still retain their power and connection. It is an ongoing process, though. Things are not back to business as usual. We aren’t going to be turning the clocks back on this - the retail experience is going to different and it is our job, along with our retail partners, to work out exactly what those changes are going to look like and how best to work with them. “The full integration of e-commerce and in-person retail is really a seismic change in the way to do business, but I’m confident that we are up for the challenge. It’s actually rather exciting to be a part of it.” Paul’s excitement for 2022 and what Universal has to offer is also palpable. For starters, two of the biggest movie franchises will be back on the big screen in Jurassic World: Dominion and Minions: The Rise of Gru. “Both franchises will be drafting off

strong performances during the previous year and a half, that I think it will really help build the excitement and anticipation for the latest movies,” says Paul. “Both also have such wide appeal, too.” Then, there is Gabby’s Dollhouse, a new property which Paul describes as “preschool programming for the modern era”. Featuring a mix of live action and animation, Universal is already seeing positive early results from the US and Mexico, with Spin Master the first partner on board. “We will be trickling that out more robustly in the back-end of ’22 and going full scope with it in ‘23.” 2022 also marks the 40th anniversary of E.T, with Paul commenting: “There is a whole generation that can remember seeing E.T. in the theatre for the first time and what kind of experience that was. It also aligns nicely with the current trend of ‘80s nostalgia. But, for us, it starts with the film itself and it really does stand up as a landmark achievement.” Such is the nature of an entertainment giant like Universal, Paul and the team are already starting to look even further ahead and make decisions on 2023. “Overall, we couldn’t be more excited, I’m sure you can tell. We have such great positive momentum and it’s great to go back to doing what we do best,” he concludes. LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

WHERE THE LICENSING INDUSTRY IS COMING BACK TOGETHER ExCeL London 17-19 November 2021

Discover the most popular European brands to license for your next product range

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LICENSINGAWARDSPARTYPAGES Inset: Some 1,000 members of the licensing community found their tables under the glittering chandeliers.

‘THE GREAT

REUNION’

What a night! The licensing community got back together with gusto at The Licensing Awards extravaganza that was attended by 1,000 licensors, licensees and retailers for a lively and super memorable evening in The Great Room of the Grosvenor House Hotel. LSB captures some of the positive energy in photos…

Inset: Descending the sweeping staircase into The Great Room of the Grosvenor House Hotel. Above right: (right-left) Anna Knight of headline sponsor, Informa with colleagues Lana Vuletic and Mathilde Le Borgne and Keith Pashley (Keith Pashley Project) in the Mattelsponsored Barbie entrance hall.

Inset: Jakki Brown and Ian Hyder, joint managing directors of Max Publishing, who own and organise the Licensing Awards make their way to the stage to give their welcome speeches. Below: Asda’s Ruth Golightly (left) with Primark’s Sarah Jackson.

Inset: Comedian Tom Allen was a great choice as host of the awards event. Above right: Amscan did a great job decorating the drinks reception area with some incredible balloons while Fashion UK/Global Licensing sponsored the lightbox.

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Inset: The Pokémon seat covers (produced by Character World), Sindy menu, Spinmaster table numbers and Pringles napkin rings added to the fun. Below: There was some friendly combat as to who would take home the Pokémon table centres. (Right-left) Looks like Xavier Sartoris (ceo of the Abysse Group) beat Emily Aldridge (Abysse Corp’s head of global licensing) and Steven Birks (md GB eye/Abysse UK) to it!

Inset: The Lionels got everyone on the dancefloor! Below: After The Lionels, DJ duo Freight Train kept things jumping!

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Inset: Everyone participated in a fun ‘higher or lower’ elimination game, sponsored by The Insights Family with questions based on its research findings from kids’ behaviour. Below: And the winner was Poetic Brands’ operations director David Bowyer (right) who was presented with his prize (a two night stay in Augill Castle) by Nick Richardson, founder and ceo of The Insights Family.

Inset: The Barbie entranceway was well used for selfie opportunities!

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Inset: It was defo a night to let off steam and have fun!

h Inset: The H&A gang at their Sparkle Station, where guests were adorned with colourful gems. ll

Inset: The Smiffy’s sponsored photobooth received a big thumbs-up.

Right and above: Happy smiley people captured the joy in the photobooth.

Inset and below: The Monopoly casino (sponsored by Hasbro) was really popular with great prizes to be won.

Right: (right-left) Hasbro’s Sally Carnota, Marianne James, Catrina O’Brien and Abbie Burrows.

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UK RISING STARS AWARD WINNER Left: Graham Saltmarsh, managing director of Licensing International UK, sponsor of this award readies to open the gold envelope to reveal the winner. Right: Abbie Burrows collected her trophy from Graham Saltmarsh, managing director of Licensing International UK, sponsor of this award.

sponsored by

Abbie Burrows, category manager hardlines and FMCG of Hasbro Consumer Products

Far right: A happy triumphant Abbie!

BEST RETAILER OF PRESCHOOL LICENSED PRODUCTS WINNER

George@Asda

sponsored by

Right: Ruth Golightly, head of buying of George at Asda accepted the trophy from (far right) Sally Carnota, director of licensed consumer Products at Hasbro UK, the sponsor of this award, with many from the George at Asda team also enjoying the moment on stage.

Above: Sally Carnota, director of licensed consumer Products at Hasbro UK, sponsor of this award, was all smiles as she announced the winner.

BEST RETAILER OF KIDS’ LICENSED PRODUCTS Left: As sponsor, Paul Bufton, VP of Consumer Products, EMEA for Universal Brand Development, did the honours by announcing the winner.

sponsored by

Far right:Tesco’s senior licensing managers, Pippa Woods (far right) and Natalie Ackerman and (second left) Zack Freshwater, head of licensing for F&F accepted the award from Paul Bufton, VP of Consumer Products, EMEA for Universal Brand Development, the sponsor of this award.

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WINNER

Tesco

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BEST RETAILER OF ADULT LICENSED PRODUCTS Right: Rachel Wakley, Warner Media’s general manager of consumer products experiences, home entertainment; physical and games, UK and IE, the sponsor of this award announced the winner.

sponsored by

WINNER

Tesco

Right: It was a quick sprint back to the stage for Tesco’s Zack Freshwater, head of licensing for F&F and senior licensing managers, (second left) Natalie Ackerman and Pippa Woods (second right) who collected the trophy from Rachel Wakley, Warner Media’s general manager of consumer products experiences, home entertainment; physical and games, UK and IE, the sponsor of this award.

THE RADAR AWARD WINNER

sponsored by

Abovet: Stacy Scimia, commercial director UK of Wildbrain CPLG, sponsor of this category, took to the stage to announce the winner.

The Hut Group

Abovet: The Hut Group’s head of licensing, Natalie Kumeta (centre) was delighted to be presented with the trophy from Stacy Scimia, commercial director UK of sponsor, Wildbrain CPLG.

BEST OVERSEAS RETAILER AWARD Right: As sponsor, Mattel’s head of UK licensing and hardlines EMEA, Helen Genia (right) presented the trophy to Jackie Lomax who collected the award on behalf of Aldi.

WINNER

Aldi

sponsored by

Right: Mattel’s head of UK licensing and hardlines EMEA, Helen Genia took to the lectern to announce the winner.

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BEST LICENSED RETAIL MARKETING INITIATIVE

WINNER

Left: Centum Books’ managing director, Fiona Macmillan revealed the winner.

sponsored by

Mrs Hinch Exclusively at Tesco Campaign

Right: Tesco’s Zack Freshwater, head of licensing for F&F and senior licensing managers Pippa Woods (second right) and Natalie Ackerman (centre) went on stage to collect the trophy from Fiona Macmillan, managing director of Centum Books.

BEST LICENSED PROMOTIONS CAMPAIGN WINNER

sponsored by

Tom & Jerry The Movie and Xplora Partnership (Agency: Lime Communications) Right: (right) Tim Hook, head of brand partnerships of Lime Communications shared the pride in collecting the trophy with Anita Serradimigni, retail director UK and Ireland of Warner Bros Consumer Products, from category sponsor, Elliot Matthews, executive director of Poetic Brands.

Above: A big grin from Elliot Matthews, executive director of Poetic Brands, sponsor of this category.

BEST LICENSED LIVE EVENT WINNER Left: As sponsor of this category, Brands In’s managing director, Rick Lowe delivered the news of the winner.

sponsored by

Far right: (right-left) Rick Lowe, managing director of category sponsor Brands In presented the trophy to (second right-left) Magic Light’s Bridie Gibbs, Alex Sanson, Aidan TaylorGooby, Daryl Shute and (far left) Tejas Johal.

LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

The Gruffalo Adventures at Royal Botanical Gardens Kew Gardens

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BEST LICENSED TOYS OR GAMES RANGE

WINNER

Right: As sponsor of this category, The Walt Disney Company’s retail director for UK and Ireland, Dan Scott announced the winner.

CoComelon Toys from BANDAI sponsored by

Right: (second right) Nic Aldridge, Bandai UK’s managing director and his colleague (second left) Ken Goodisson, head of marketing, collected the trophy from Dan Scott, retail director of The Walt Disney Company, sponsor of this award category.

BEST LICENSED DRESS-UP OR PARTYWARE WINNER

sponsored by

Above: Brand Licensing Europe’s account manager, Greg McDonald. took to the lectern to announce the winner.

Star Wars, The Mandalorian Costume for TU Sainsbury’s from Rubies Masquerade Co UK

Above: Accepting the trophy from (far right) Greg McDonald, Brand Licensing Europe’s account manager, Tracey Devine-Tyley, Rubies’ head of licensing and portfolio EMEA went on stage with some Rubies’ colleagues as well as several from the Disney team.

BEST LICENSED PRESCHOOL APPAREL OR ACCESSORIES RANGE WINNER

Peter Rabbit Classic SS21 Collection for Nutmeg at Morrisons from Dennicci

Right: Tania Bines, sales and merchandising director for Dennicci had the pleasure of receiving the trophy from (sixth right) Simta Sawhney, director of category, of ViacomCBS, the sponsor of this award, she was delighted to share the joy with members of the Penguin and Morrisons/Nutmeg team on stage.

sponsored by Right: Simta Sawhney, director of category, of ViacomCBS, the sponsor of this award readies to open the gold envelope to reveal the winner.

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BEST LICENSED CHILDREN’S APPAREL WINNER OR ACCESSORIES RANGE Left: As sponsor of this award category, chief commercial officer for Acamar Films, Sandra Vauthier-Cellier did the honours in announcing the winner.

sponsored by

Right: (second right) Alice Duggan, head of buying M&S Kidswear and colleague Lucy McLaren (second left) and Warner Bros’ Amanda Ould (centre) were delighted to receive the trophy from (far right) Sandra Vauthier-Cellier, chief commercial officer for Acamar Films, the sponsor of this award category.

The Wizarding World Kids Fashion Range from Marks & Spencer

BEST LICENSED ADULT APPAREL OR ACCESSORIES RANGE WINNER

sponsored by

Barbie 1959 Collection from Zara Right: It was all smiles as Ben Beattie, creative director of Exquisite Gaming, sponsor of this award presented the award to (right-left) Mattel’s head of UK licensing and hardlines EMEA, Helen Genia; Gemma Daniels, head of softlines; Holly Ellis, softlines manager; Natasha Erlandson, UK senior brand manager and Mellieha Williams, UK brand manager of Barbie.

Above: Ben Beattie, creative director of Exquisite Gaming, sponsor of this award revealed the winner.

BEST LICENSED WRITTEN, LISTENING OR LEARNING RANGE Left: The Point. 1888’s founder and managing director Will Stewart was very happy to reveal the winner.

sponsored by

Far right: Sanrio’s licensing director Alastair McHarrie (second left) and senior licensing manager Sabrina Segalov collected the award on behalf of Farshore Books from The Point. 1888’s founder and managing director (far right) Will Stewart, sponsor of this award.

LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

WINNER

Mr Men Little Miss Books from Farshore Books

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BEST LICENSED PAPER PRODUCTS WINNER OR STATIONERY RANGE Far rght: (second left-right) Danilo’s founder Laurence Prince, creative director Martin Carter, licensing director and managing director Daniel Prince on stage with Max Publishing’s Jakki Brown who handed them the trophy on behalf of Boat Rocker Studios, sponsor of this category.

Peaky Blinders Calendar, Diary, Greeting Cards and Gift Bag Collection from Danilo Promotions

sponsored by Above: Boat Rocker Studios’ director of licensing Caroline High announced the winner by a video link.

BEST LICENSED GIFTWARE, HOME DÉCOR, TABLEWARE OR HOUSEWARES RANGE WINNER Right: Susan Bolsover, global licensing and consumer products director of Penguin Ventures, sponsor of this award, opened the gold envelope to reveal the winner.

sponsored by Far right: Seb Tarleton, Cath Kidston’s buying and merchandising director was delighted to accept the trophy from Susan Bolsover, global licensing and consumer products director of Penguin Ventures, sponsor of this award.

Peanuts 70th Anniversary Homewares and Gift Collection from Cath Kidston

BEST LICENSED FOOD OR DRINK RANGE

Below: (second right) Zoe Kaill, Kinnerton Confectionery’s innovation manager and marketing controller UK and Ireland Emma Perrett were delighted to accept the trophy from Simon Foulkes, managing director of Rainbow Productions, sponsor of this award.

WINNER Harry Potter Confectionery for M&S from Kinnerton Confectionery sponsored by

Above Simon Foulkes, managing director of Rainbow Productions, sponsor of this award, at the lectern to announce the winner.

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THE INNOVATION AWARD WINNER Left: With The emoji Company sponsoring this award, Anna McArdle, brand manager for emoji at Wildbrain CPLG, had the pleasure of doing the honours.

sponsored by

Right: Emily Jacobs, head of in-bound licensing of The LEGO Group was very happy to accept the trophy from (far right) Anna McArdle, brand manager for emoji at Wildbrain CPLG and share the joy with some of her LEGO colleagues on the stage.

LEGO DOTS Range from LEVI Strauss & Co.

BEST SUSTAINABLE LICENSED PRODUCT

Below: Anita Majhu, senior licensing and global sustainability manager of BBC Studios, sponsor of this award category announced the winner.

WINNER

Peppa Pig Brand Threads Nightwear Range from Cooneen By Design sponsored by

Above: (second left-right) Cooneen by Design’s sales director Gareth Davies; digital marketing executive Beth Adamson; senior account manager Wendy Stafford and licensing manager Ellie Griffiths accepted the trophy from Anita Majhu, senior licensing and global sustainability manager of BBC Studios, sponsor of this award.

BEST PRESCHOOL LICENSED PROPERTY Left: Danny Schweiger, joint managing director of Character World, sponsor of this award at the lectern ready to announce the winner.

sponsored by

Far right: Sally Carnota, UK licensing director of Hasbro accepted the trophy from Danny Schweiger, joint managing director of Character World, the sponsor of this award, and was joined on stage by many Hasbro colleagues.

LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

WINNER

Peppa Pig

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BEST CHILDREN’S OR TWEEN LICENSED PROPERTY WINNER

Right: Emma Phillips, sales account manager of Misirli, sponsor of this award category had the joyful task of opening the envelope.

sponsored by

Right: (second left) L.O.L Surprise’s, senior director of licensing for the UK, Middle East and Africa, Sarah Fletcher and colleagues (right-left) Kimberly Makina, softlines key account and product approval co-ordinator and Kiran Bajwa, licensing retail manager were very happy to accept the trophy from (centre) Emma Phillips, sales account manager of Misirli, sponsor of this

L.O.L. Surprise!

BEST TEEN OR ADULT LICENSED PROPERTY Left: Dominique Peckett, director of category sponsor Smiffys, had the winner’s gold envelope for this award.

sponsored by

WINNER

Far right: The WarnerMedia team took to the stage in celebration, having been presented with the trophy by Dominique Peckett, director of category sponsor Smiffys (far right).

Wizarding World

BEST GAMING LICENSED PROPERTY WINNER

Left: Emily Aldridge, head of global licensing Abysse Corp, sponsor of this award was ready to present the trophy.

Pokémon sponsored by

Right: Ifè Ajayi Senior licensing associate UK & Nordics at The Pokémon Company International, had the honour of holding the trophy that was presented to her and many of the Pokémon team by (far right) Emily Aldridge, head of global licensing Abysse Corp, sponsor of this award.

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BEST FILM LICENSED PROPERTY WINNER

Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway

Above: Mordy Benaiah, licensing director of Pyramid International, sponsor of this award category announced the winner.

sponsored by Above: (second right) Susan Bolsover, global licensing and consumer products director of Penguin Random House received the trophy from (third right) Mordy Benaiah, licensing director of Pyramid International, sponsor of this award. Susan went on stage with Penguin colleagues (right-left) Thomas Merrington (creative director), Russell Watts (operations director, publishing and licensing), Anna Metcalfe (category manager – hardlines and promotions) and Jennifer Greenway (category manager – softlines).

BEST MUSIC OR CELEBRITY LICENSED PROPERTY WINNER

The Rolling Stones

sponsored by

Right: David Boyne, managing director of Bravado accepted the trophy from Laurence Prince, chairman and owner of Danilo Promotions, sponsor of this award (far right) and was joined on stage with members of the Bravado team.

Above: Laurence Prince, chairman and owner of Danilo Promotions, sponsor of this award category took to the lectern to announce the winner.

BEST SPORTS LICENSED PROPERTY Left: Rhys Fleming, sales director, Europe of Dependable Solutions, sponsor of this category announced the winner.

sponsored by

Far right: The FA’s commercial manager Charlotte Hughes and licensing and retail executive Alex Skinner (second left) accepted the trophy from Rhys Fleming, sales director, Europe of Dependable Solutions, sponsor of this award category.

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WINNER

England Football

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THE CLASSIC LICENSED PROPERTY AWARD Right: A very happy The Rocket Licensing team! (Left to right): Charlie Donaldson (joint managing director); Joanne Davey (head of product development); Louisa Skevington, (licensing executive); Karen Marie (accounts executive), Melissa Satterly (brand manager); Rob Wijeratna (joint managing director), who were presented with the trophy by Max Publishing’s joint md Jakki Brown on behalf of Funko EMEA.

sponsored by

WINNER

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Above left: Andy Oddie, managing director of Funko EMEA, sponsor of this award category announced the winner via video.

WHAT KIDS LOVE AWARD WINNER

KIDS LOVE

Left: Nick Richardson, founder and ceo of The Insights Family, the sponsor of this new award announced the winner.

Frozen

sponsored by

Right: Dan Scott, cpc retail director UK and Ireland of The Walt Disney Company was delighted to accept the trophy from Nick Richardson, founder and ceo of The Insights Family, the sponsor of this award, and be joined on stage by members of The Walt Disney Company team.

HONORARY ACHIEVEMENT AWARD WINNER

Below: There were cheers and rapturous applause as Angela Hall stood next to host Tom Allen with her well-deserved trophy.

Angela Hall, founder of H&A sponsored by Above and right: It was a proud moment for H&A’s founder Angela Hall.

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THE BIG INTERVIEW: VIACOMCBS Inset: Baby Shark’s Big Show is launching across international territories in 2022. Below: PAW Patrol is a universal success story across the different territories.

The power of four LSB gathers four senior executives from ViacomCBS Consumer Products on a Zoom call to discuss business in their respective territories, growth drivers, the future of live experiences, retail and key focuses into 2022 and 2023. Just don’t ask them to choose their favourite between SpongeBob and Patrick.

“In general, off the back of a very tough year in 2020, we have been able to get our business back to pre-pandemic levels and beyond,” begins Mark Kingston, svp international, ViacomCBS Consumer Products. “Most of the European territories are now pretty much at the same level in terms of recovery from the pandemic, and restrictions are now similar across Europe. We did notice strong consumer habits changes as a direct consequence of the pandemic and various lockdowns across territories. “Retail prices and shipping costs have considerably increased which has impacted consumers’ disposable income. But, on the other hand, we’ve also seen a sharp rise in ecommerce, and the binge-watching trend brought by lockdown has helped our properties gain visibility.” Mark has been joined by three fellow senior executives from the ViacomCBS business on a Zoom call – at the request of LSB – as the company continues its build up to BLE. It’s a powerful quartet and all of them are keen to share

LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

details of how their respective territories have been performing. “In Southern Europe and MENA, we have grown 38% compared to last year,” says Simon Leslie, vp licensing, Southern Europe, ME and Africa. “We’ve managed to recover what was lost in 2020 and have also managed to grow above 2019 numbers (+25% vs 2019) thanks to strong CP launches such as Blue’s Clues & You, Baby Shark’s Big Show and PAW Patrol: The Movie.” Venetia Davie, vp consumer products, ViacomCBS UK, Ireland, Israel, Australia and New Zealand, says that the cluster is having a great year thanks to its partners, with all three markets delivering strong double-digit year on year growth. Meanwhile, in Germany, the company has experienced double-digit growth for the past five years and has delivered a record year so far in 2021, establishing Germany as its biggest international market for consumer products, says Felix Ruoff, vp consumer products, ViacomCBS Northern & Eastern Europe. Central and Eastern Europe has also enjoyed accelerated growth over the last three years.

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THE BIG INTERVIEW: VIACOMCBS

The quick fire round Favourite character in the ViacomCBS portfolio? Venetia: “I don’t dislike Mondays as much, but I share his love of lasagna and enjoy his sardonic sense of humour – I’d say Garfield.” Felix: “I’ve always loved Chase from PAW Patrol.” Mark: “Michelangelo from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – he might be the comedy act but he’s always there to support his brothers and save the day.” Simon: “SpongeBob, without a doubt.”

Who would play you in a movie of your life? Venetia: “I think it would either be Statler or Waldorf.” Felix: “According to Mark, it has to be David Hasselhoff… the one and only German icon.” Mark: “Colin Firth!” Simon: “Jimmy Carr apparently, though I don’t quite see it myself…”

SpongeBob or Patrick? Venetia: “What? I couldn’t possibly choose.” Felix: “SpongeBob to be honest.” Mark: “How could you choose? SpongeBob for his eternal optimism and Patrick for his profound words of wisdom.” Simon: “SpongeBob for me.”

As for what’s driving this growth, every market has a strong PAW Patrol business – further buoyed by this year’s movie. Felix comments: “Lidl, one of the global top retailers, executed its biggest entertainment activation in 2021 with The PAW Patrol Movie. The promotion delivered us record revenues as it was the biggest initiative we ever done with one retailer all over Europe.” SpongeBob SquarePants and Baby Shark are also universal successes. There are nuances between the territories though, as Simon points out: “One of the big gaps we’ve spotted in Europe is the different take up on online shopping. In countries such as Spain and Italy, we have a lower penetration of ecommerce – it has however been accelerated by the pandemic – compared to the UK for example or Germany which are really advanced on that front.” Looking ahead to 2022 and 2023, there are further plans for PAW Patrol, including a live show which will tour cities across Europe. The launch of Paramount+ in the UK will also bring with it some new marketing and promotional opportunities for the pups, says Venetia. Baby Shark’s Big Show will also be launching across international territories, while Santiago of the Seas will be joining the Nickelodeon family.

Above: (left to right) The ViacomCBS Consumer Products quartet: Mark Kingston, Venetia Davie, Simon Leslie and Felix Ruoff.

“Star Trek Prodigy will be a big priority for us in 2023,” continues Mark. “And, of course, we are looking forward to launching SpongeBob SquarePants’ spin-offs Kamp Koral and The Patrick Star Show across territories.” On the Paramount side, the eagerly awaited Top Gun: Maverick will finally arrive, the 50th anniversary of The Godfather is approaching and the launch of Paramount+ across some international territories will be a “big moment” for ViacomCBS says Mark. “We’re also thrilled to see new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles content coming to viewers screens on VOD in 2023, as well as a new Paramount movie,” Mark adds. The final word goes to Venetia when we ask what’s been the biggest thing she’s learnt about the licensing business in the last 18 months: “This industry is resilient. The way we’ve adapted to the situation has been truly amazing.”

Right: Two spin-offs from SpongeBob SquarePants – Kamp Koral and The Patrick Star Show – are in the plan going forward. LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

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Inset: The new Mickey and friends inspired café has opened in Primark’s Lakeside store. Below: Disney Baby products are now available in all Primark stores.

RETAIL ROUND-UP

Sales drivers Autumn has so far been filled with a wide range of licensed collaborations at retail and, as the key Christmas period fast approaches, the activity has ramped up a further notch. LSB rounds up some of the latest news.

Primark grows Disney offering The longstanding relationship between Primark and Disney continues to grow with new products, characters and experiences. A Winnie the Pooh collection recently launched within the babywear category featuring a wide range of clothing for babies and toddlers, as well as lifestyle products like toys and nursery interiors. All products also fall under the Primark Cares label, meaning they are made from either organic, sustainable or recycled materials. Disney Baby continues to be a customer favourite and there are now Disney Baby products available at all Primark stores. The Winnie the Pooh offer also extends to womenswear, homeware and beauty with highlights including pyjama sets, bedding and

LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

cushions, plus Eeyore gel eye masks and knit jogger sets. In addition, Primark has launched a new Mickey Nostalgia collection featuring an autumnal colour palette of ivory, navy and forest green. The range is available across womenswear and menswear, with the retailer saying that the coordinating tracksuits are already proving a hit with customers. Finally, it’s not only Disney products that are new to the Primark offer – inspired by Mickey and friends, the retailer opened a new pop-up café in October at its Lakeside store. The second of its kind following the launch of the Primark Café with Disney in Birmingham in 2018, menu highlights include Mickey Mouse Waffles and the Caramelicious Latte.

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RETAIL ROUND-UP

River Island teams with Barbie

Inset: This is the second collaboration between River Island and Barbie.

Inset: H&M and No Fear have created a more female perspective for the new collection.

H&M collaborates with No Fear Fashion retailer H&M has revealed its latest brand collaboration – teaming with 1990’s skate brand, No Fear for a new autumn collection. The brand was founded in 1989, reaching peak popularity in the 1990s and early 2000s. For this collaboration, No Fear is taking on a more female perspective with the help of The Skate Kitchen, a New York-based all-female skate crew, who feature as co-creators and stars of the campaign. The collection plays with oversized and bodycon silhouettes with 23 lines including t-shirts, crop tops, shirts, sweatshirts, hoodies, knitwear, varsity jackets, tracksuits and joggers, all with graphic logos and illustrations. In addition, there are 11 accessories including bags, beanies, trainers, scarves and stickers.

High street fashion retailer, River Island has teamed with Mattel and Barbie on a new kidswear collection. This marks the second collaboration for the brands, following the sell out success of the first partnership. The collection is inspired by sports athleisure and includes pink velour tracksuits, sporty crop tops, trainers, leggings and hoodies. Sets are designed to be worn together or mix and matched featuring Barbie dolls, motifs and slogans such as ‘You Go Girl’ and ‘Stay Strong’ designed to empower mini fashion icons.

Skinnydip launches Furby collection Skinnydip London has launched a new limited edition collection with Hasbro’s nostalgic toy range, Furby. Featuring 15 special pieces designed in-house by the Skinnydip team, the exclusive collection officially launched in stores and online on 14 October. The fun and colourful designs are available across t-shirts, make up bags, phone cases, sweatshirts, knitted jumpers, pyjama sets, a dressing gown, socks and oversized hoodies. Prices range from £6 up to £35. “We are thrilled to partner with Skinnydip to bring back a 90’s icon with this fun and playful collection,” commented Nikki Gie, director DTR fashion and home, Europe and Asia, at Hasbro. Inset: The new Furby range includes 15 pieces.

LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

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RETAIL ROUND-UP

Queen rocks Carnaby Street

Inset: The pop-up celebrates five decades of Queen.

In celebration of five decades in music, one of the world’s most iconic bands, Queen, is featuring in a dedicated experiential pop-up shop on Carnaby Street. Open until January 2022, the shop – Queen The Greatest – hosts a line-up of limited edition music releases, fashion collaborations and lifestyle products with weekly new product drops and events. Each month will have a theme – Music, Art & Design and Magic – with visual installations that act as storytelling from each of Queen’s historic five decades. The ‘Queen The Greatest’ store will take visitors on a journey over two floors, from 70s thrift store (Freddie and Roger had a stall in Kensington Market), 80s iconic live performances and tours, 90s record store, 00s DVD homage through to 2010s tech concepts. Created in partnership with Bravado, the store will also feature exclusive collaborations from a host of fashion brands including Champion, Wrangler and Johnny Hoxton jewellery.

Squid Game thrills

Lockdown influences Christmas toys

Above: Tesco’s top selling Christmas toy picks include a range of familiar licensed names.

Increased family play time created by the recent lockdowns will help influence the most popular toys this Christmas. That’s the view of toy experts at Tesco who have picked their top ten toys for Christmas – a shortlist which includes a number of familiar licensed names. The extra family time also led to the ‘kidult’ phenomenon of adults buying toy brands such as LEGO and Jurassic Park for their children that they themselves played with when they were children. And it led to a staggering 400% increase in demand for board games and ‘kidult’ toys such as LEGO’s Darth Vader Helmet. Two major film launches will also influence kids’ Christmas want lists this year, with toys already on sale ahead of Jurassic World Dominion which comes out next year and also preschool favourite PAW Patrol.

Inset: The Squid Game range has been inspired by

the series’ cinematography. Fans of the Netflix hit series, Squid Game can now get their hands on official merchandise. Online retailer Zavvi has launched a globally exclusive, limited edition Squid Game clothing collection inspired by the South Korean thriller. Inspired by the stunning cinematography in the series, Zavvi has released a complete range of merchandise including tshirts, sweatshirts, canvas high-top trainers and a selection of homeware. The range is emblazoned with the distinctive iconography from throughout the series, representing all six childhood-themed games individually and through bright stills. The range also features ‘456’ in its designs, a nod to the 456 participants in the games.

Tesco’s top ten toy picks for Christmas 2021 (alphabetically) are: Instaglam On-The-Go Trolley; Jiggly Pets; Jurassic World Stomp N’ Escape Tyrannosaurus Rex; Kindi Kids Baby Pearl; LEGO Darth Vader Helmet; LEGO Heartlake City Shopping Mall; PAW Patrol Marshall Transforming City Fire Truck; Pictionary Air; Rainbow High Fashion Closet; Squishmallows.

Funko teams with FAO Schwarz

Funko Europe has collaborated with toy store FAO Schwarz on a dedicated in-store area in its new Milan outlet. The new department store is the first continental-European store for the famous toy brand. The 14 sqm Funko space features the special touches that the company has become known for and exclusive products. The offering will dial up Funko’s categories from Vinyl Soda, Mystery Minis, Pop! pins, plush toys, Pop! collectables and Loungefly fashion accessories. The opening of the Milan store is the result of an exclusive agreement between Prénatal Retail Group – a speecialist in the children’s and toy sector with 777 stores in eight countries (Italy, Spain, Portugal, France, Greece, Holland, Belgium and Switzerland) – and the Californian partner ThreeSixty Group, the owner of the FAO Schwarz brand.

LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

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THE BIG INTERVIEW: CHARACTER.COM

Inset: Peppa is loved by preschoolers and parents alike and fits with Character.com’s customer base well.

Strength of character During a turbulent few years for all businesses, Character.com, like most others, has had to be reactive during the challenges bought about by the pandemic. But following a recent investment, there are big plans to grow the company from its already strong position as a key retailer in the licensed preschool space. LSB sits down with buying director Karen Hewitt, to find out more.

first lockdown onwards and that has really continued up until the last few months, where we are seeing a more expected increase in demand. The logistical challenges everyone has faced though has made it an extremely tough year to continue with our growth plans.” While the number of products being sold hit a high during lockdown, the trends in products was entirely different hile being an online retailer may to usual expectations, as Karen have stood Character.com in good explains: “During spring/summer stead in terms of the volume of Above: Karen Hewitt, co2020, we saw the usual demand sales during the Covid lockdowns and high founder and buying director, Character.com. for things like swimwear and street closures, the last year has been far backpacks drop off, but this was from a straightforward period of business for replaced by a demand for nightwear and the Swansea-based company. lounge wear. Karen Hewitt, buying director, recalls: “The “This continued into early 2021 with the next most apt description would be a rollercoaster lockdown and since we started to revert to a ride. The effects of Covid and Brexit have made ‘new normal’, we have definitely seen a much running a business harder than ever before and more normal buying pattern return during the it seems that every vertical, in every industry last few months. Events such as back to school has been affected in one way or another. and travel have driven the demand for “That’s meant a year being more reactive that accessories and August 2021 was at far more we’d have liked, where some plans were put on normal levels.” hold and others put to the top of the priority list.” As business and life in general begins to Its lack of bricks and mortar stores meant that tentatively return to normal, Character.com is Character.com’s sales were strong during making big plans for growth over the coming lockdown. Karen tells us: “As an online retailer years. Earlier this year, the retailer secured a we saw that huge spike of demand from the

LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

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THE BIG INTERVIEW: CHARACTER.COM

Far right: Character.com has plans to expand its offering now that retail is finding its ‘new normal’. Right: Pyjamas and lounge wear were the order of the day during lockdown.

multi-million pound investment from BGF which acquired a 23% stake in the award-winning retailer. Prior to the investment, Character.com’s figures were already impressive with a growth in revenue from less that £10 million in FYE Jul-17, to over £50 million in FYE Jul-21. But with the investors on board, the team isn’t stopping there. Karen says: “We really see so much opportunity for Character.com in the years ahead that to really continue our aggressive growth plan meant we needed a partner to bring additional working capital into the business. We are now really well placed to keep

Going Green

Sustainability is a key focus for Character.com and the company has a sustainability road map up to 2025 with plans to continue to build on it. Karen explains: “I think our approach is definitely a one step at a time model, to ensure that what we do is meaningful. We have recently become a member of the Better Cotton Platform and will be launching our first range on BCI cotton in early 2022. “We have changed all of our packaging to ensure it is made from at least 30% recyclable materials. Some great charity partnerships mean we can donate our returns and samples to worthy causes to ensure they don’t go to waste.”

expanding our ranges and marketing activations and cement Character.com’s reputation as the number one destination for character clothing.” Those plans include licences old and new, with the most recent additions to the preschool portfolio, CoComelon and Blippi, both outperforming expectations. Meanwhile Character.com’s first ever preschool licence, Thomas & Friends, has also seen some steady growth over the past year. And good old Peppa continues her reign as the queen of preschool, as Karen tells us:

“Our best selling preschool licence is definitely Peppa Pig and it continues to retain its position as such year on year.” Key to promoting these brands is a diverse marketing strategy. Karen explains: “We want to be wherever a customer is looking for a product, whether that be on social media, search engines, marketplace, or retail partners. You can’t always rely on customers seeking you out – you need to find a way to reach them wherever they want to buy.” When Character.com reaches that consumer, the team is doing a great job of engaging with them. The Facebook page boasts almost 76,000 followers, while 9,000 follow the retailer on Instagram. Karen furthers: “Facebook is still key for us, but we are growing every day on Instagram and looking at new channels like TikTok. The main thing for us is being able to have a conversation with customers and building a sense of community about the brands and characters we all love.” That great conversation, combined with solid investment, popular brands, and strong plans for growth, means Character.com is definitely one to watch in the licensed preschool space. Far left: CoComelon continues to go from strength to strength and the retailer is looking to expand its product offering in 2022. Left: Evergreen Thomas & Friends was the company’s first preschool licence and continues to grow.

LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

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STATE OF THE NATION: NURSERY & PRESCHOOL

Inset: Clangers is involved with a host of musical activations. Below left: Bing has become Golden Bear’s number one global licence.

The preschool category continues to inspire new innovation and, as summer turned into autumn, new deals, partnerships and collaborations kept the sector in the headlines. LSB rounds up some of the latest activity.

Young at heart More Bing for Golden Bear Acamar Films has renewed its licensing deal with Bing master toy partner Golden Bear. The EMEA agreement extends the partnership for a further four years, until 2025. Over the three years since the range launched, Bing has become Golden Bear’s number one global licence and seen an impressive 110% sales uplift between 2019 and 2021. This growth continues into Christmas 2021, with a 52% increase in retailer stocking points compared to AW20. New hero lines include Bing’s House Play-set and interactive Musical Statues Dancing Bing. “I am very proud of what our team and distribution partners have achieved with Bing over the last three years,” said Barry Hughes, md of Golden Bear. “We look forward to introducing Bing toys into new markets.”

Clangers brand tunes up

Coolabi Group is celebrating a host of musical activations for its Clangers brand including partnerships with Nordoff Robbins, Amazon, tonies and Grammy award winning composer, John du Prez. The brand partnered once again with music therapy charity Nordoff Robbins for a new interactive three-part series, On Stage at Home Live. The sessions featured dancing from the Clangers and a specially created kindness song for viewers to sing, dance and learn important life skills on how to be kind. Meanwhile, a new version of Clangers Talk Kids+ Edition, a voice-activated Alexa Skill for Amazon, is also available, along with a new Clangers figurine from audio box company tonies. In addition, The Clangers Album by composer John du Prez features the magical sounds of the Little Blue Planet. John has produced 18 tracks on the 12” LP version which is available in a choice of pink and blue vinyl, and an extra four bonus tracks for the CD and digital download.

Growth for That’s Not My

Above: Icon Wall Stickers and Widdop are now both on board with the publishing hit.

Bulldog Licensing is continuing to grow the consumer products line-up for Usborne Publishing’s hit That’s Not My brand, welcoming a brace of new partners to the fold. Icon Wall Stickers is on board to create a collection of wall stickers based on the characters from the books, allowing families to bring their favourite titles to life in nurseries and children’s bedrooms. Meanwhile, home and giftware manufacturer Widdop launched its first range this month including a melamine dinner set, cushions, money boxes, wall clocks and an art frame. The company will be rolling out a Christmas range in AW21 using seasonal titles such as That’s Not My Elf and That’s Not My Snowman for inspiration.

LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

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STATE OF THE NATION: NURSERY & PRESCHOOL

Tiny Tatty Teddy teams with neonatal charity

Tiny Tatty Teddy – the nursery sub brand of Carte Blanche’s Me to You – has partnered with neonatal charity, Ickle Pickles. The Ickle Pickles Children’s Charity aims to give every new baby a chance by funding lifesaving equipment such as ventilators and incubators for neonatal units around the country. The partnership will involve joint marketing campaigns spanning across social media, starting with a campaign around World Prematurity Day on 17 November. The activity will involve both organisations sharing positive stories across social media channels of children born prematurely in the run up to the day, with 10% of each Tiny Tatty Teddy product purchased through metoyou.com donated to the charity. “The Tiny Tatty Teddy brand is all about celebrating baby milestones and treasuring tiny memories which fits perfectly with the Ickle Pickles ethos of giving every newborn a chance,” commented Grace Elphinstone, marketing manager at Carte Blanche.

Bluey gets creative

BBC Studios has agreed to a multi-territory licensing deal with Crayola for stationery, arts, crafts and colouring packs, further expanding its global licensing portfolio for Bluey. The first products to hit the shelves will be Giant Colouring Pages which will be available at Walmart in the US in time for the holiday season. In addition to the US, the licensing deal covers Canada, Australia and New Zealand, as well as the UK where the range will be available in January 2022. “Crayola has inspired artistic creativity in children for more than 100 years,” commented Warren Schorr, vp business development and global licensing at Crayola. “Our partnership with BBC Studios for Bluey colouring and activity products will showcase our mission. “We know that parents’ value creative and imaginative play, which we can enable and enhance by offering the best products with the best partners.” Below: More licensees have saddled up with Dino Ranch.

Back at the Ranch

Boat Rocker has revealed a fresh raft of licensees for its preschool series, Dino Ranch, across key categories for the US, Canada and EMEA. Fans in the US and Canada will be able to pick up toddler bedding from Baby Boom Consumer Products; High Point Design is creating socks, hosiery and Fuzzy Babba slipper socks; and Kurt S Adler will be giving holiday decorations a pre-Westoric twist. Two deals have also been signed for the EMEA region. Costumes and dress-up accessories are available from Rubies, with the company manufacturing and distributing across multiple territories including the UK and Eire, France, Iberia, Italy, Benelux, Nordics, CEE, Australia and New Zealand. In addition, Kennedy Publishing will be producing special Dino Ranch compilations featuring stickers, gifts, puzzles and colouring.

Left: The Crayola lines will launch in the UK in January 2022. Inset: The Masha and the Bear surprise chocolate eggs will arrive for Easter 2022.

Masha’s big surprise AG’s Candy has secured a new deal with Animaccord which will see Masha and the Bear surprise egg chocolates debuting in the US and Canada for Easter 2022. The egg-shaped treats will be split in two, with one half containing milk and cocoa creams topped with crunchy mini biscuit bites and the other half containing a surprise Masha and the Bear toy or 3D figurine. “It has been on our mind since we decided to expand our licensing portfolio and, finally, it is the time to spread cuteness to North America with Masha and the Bear surprise egg chocolates,” said Ebru Iscan, licensing director at AG’s Candy. “Animaccord has been a great partner for us since the beginning, and the rich style guide of Masha and the Bear allows us to create a wide range of premiums.” Alexey Merkulov, cco of Animaccord, added: "We are excited about the opportunity to bring Masha and the Bear surprise egg chocolates to North America and are delighted to bring smiles to kids across the country." LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

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THE DEBUT OF OBKI

Picked up by Sky Kids and adopted by Sky Zero as the face of its net zero carbon campaign and COP26 presence, Obki has landed with plans to switch up the character licensing space for good. LSB catches up with creator Amanda Evans and The Radius Group ceo Damian Hopkins to talk about one little alien’s fight for planet earth.

Intergalactic waste race A

far cry from British animation’s attempt to spur its school children into environmental action in the late ‘80s, Obki – the new animated series from Obki Productions now broadcast on Sky Kids makes the message abundantly clear; the next generation has to be the most sustainably-minded yet. An evolution of a perhaps lack-lustre attempt to ‘Keep Britain Tidy’ through the short-run animated series Stoppit and Tidyup of yesteryear, Obki’s arrival couldn’t have been a more welcome one. And just as the eyes of the world turn to the UK this November with the launch of COP26 in Glasgow and its hopes of bringing the planet those crucial steps closer to real climate action, we can be thankful that British animation has stepped things up a gear. Created by the former professional sportswoman turned creator and entrepreneur, Amanda Evans, Obki is the chance for a reversal of fortunes. Showcasing life on Earth through the eyes of an alien, this is a series that tackles the topic of the climate crisis by breaking it down into ‘manageable bites’. “It’s such a scary topic for children,” Obki’s creator, Amanda Evans tells LSB. “The way in which it is reported in the media, or the way they might hear adults talking

LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

Above: Obki tackles the topic of the climate crisis by breaking it down into ‘manageable bites’. Below: Amanda Evans, creator of Obki, and Damian Hopkins, ceo of The Radius Group, pictured at the Brand & Lifestyle Licensing Awards in October.

about it. It’s a scary topic for anyone, and especially children. “The idea of Obki is to take on the role of the child in this scenario. Obki is discovering the beauty of the planet, but also that things need to be done to protect it and preserve it and regenerate the environment. The series is a learning process of how he can do that, guided by his robot friend, The Orb, Obki discovers the difference he can make by making small changes, like turning off a tap or recycling a plastic bottle.” The new series is in fact a collaborative effort with Sky Zero – the media company’s campaign to be net zero carbon by 2030 and its commitment to encouraging its customers to #GoZero by using its content to raise awareness. Targeting the children’s market, Obki has since been adopted as Sky’s climate change ambassador and will enjoy a ‘significant presence’ across marketing material when the brand sets itself up at COP26 this month. “That’s so exciting for us, to see Obki take such a presence at COP26 when the world’s attention will be focused on this topic, it really is the epitome of the larger vision for me,”

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THE DEBUT OF OBKI

continues Amanda. “To have created something that carries this message, now placed on the world stage.” A keen open-water swimmer, Amanda struck upon the idea for the series during a trip through Europe and Asia. Thoughts of taking that message into a wider reaching licensing programme were likely the furthest thing from her mind as she swam the four-mile width of the Bosphorus. They’re not so distant now. Licensing is very much the focus of activity now, and it falls on none other than Damian Hopkins, ceo of Radius to be leading that charge. In a move that marks Damian’s return to the brand and entertainment space - following an illustrious career within retail, supply chain and a notable stint within the celebrity lifestyle licensing space - Obki will be the subject of a licensing programme “unlike any other in the children’s sector.” “I believe that Obki represents a new chapter in character licensing that can not only entertain, but also educate and enable us all to find solutions to tackle climate change,” Damian explains. “The retail industry and supply chains are one of the largest contributors to UK greenhouse gas emissions, accounting for over 30% of all emissions and the retail industry has a goal to reach net zero by 2040. “I believe that Obki is one way that we can educate consumers, retailers, and suppliers to move towards

more sustainable merchandise. We will ensure that any licensing partners for Obki engage with us on working towards sustainability both in the products and the practices of their businesses.” Among an enviable list of achievements, Damian played an instrumental role in launching Fairtrade Cotton to the UK market. In 2007, he developed an end-to-end Fairtrade accredited supply chain, from African cotton growers, to Indian cotton spinning, to manufacturing in Bangladesh. Within the same year, he also spearheaded a recycled polyester programme converting school sweatshirts from the likes of BHS and M&S to recycled polyester taken from plastic waste. If there was anyone qualified to take Obki into licensing, then, it’d be him. “When I met Amanda and heard what she was creating with Obki, and her personal passion for climate change through the creation of a fun kids’ character, I was very excited about what this could mean for character merchandising and the opportunity to create a consumer product range to support Obki that was defined by sustainability," says Damian. Amanda adds: “We’ve got the perfect partnership with Damian and Radius and the legacy and credentials that he brings with him in this area, and the perfect home with Sky Kids and its Sky Zero campaign. Bringing all of that to the world’s stage this month at COP26 is the dream turned reality.” Inset: Obki discovers the difference he can make by making small changes, such as setting a cooler wash cycle on the washing machine.

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TOYTOPIC’S DEBUT Below: WowWee’s portfolio includes the master toy range for Baby Shark.

Hot Topic

Co-founded by licensing industry alum, Ashley Holman alongside two other co-founding partners, ToyTopic has already made waves in the toy business this summer following its partnerships with WowWee and Hasbro. LSB finds out more about the ambitious new company. “The vision is to develop innovative, quality toys while having incredible speed to market due to our structure across licensed and own brand toys,” says Ashley Holman, co-founder of ToyTopic, when asked to explain the new company’s remit. “Fun is at the heart of everything we look to do; if you can’t have fun in the toy space, then we are in the wrong category.” While ToyTopic was officially registered in summer 2020, the story starts a way before that. “When I first set up Riverside Brands some three years ago, alongside the outbound and inbound licensing work we did, we were distributing product into the UK informally, too,” Ashley explains. “We managed to gain some really good listings and this side of the business grew

Above: Ashley Holman, co-founder, Toytopic.

LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

over a period of time. It got to a point where it made sense to formalise it with the two business partners I was working with in this space, as we all bring different strengths to the relationship and we could see the scalability that was possible.” Alongside Ashley and the two other co-founding partners, ToyTopic has a team based in Hong Kong managing PD, QA, QC and manufacturing/sourcing (one of the partners is a well-established toy factory owner). Head office is based in London, from where it runs sales and marketing as well as its new showroom, which is launching in November. This is supported by a warehouse which takes care of logistics and stock management, along with admin and accounts support.

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TOYTOPIC’S DEBUT

“With Paul Cook recently joining to head up sales and Ines Pereira to support on marketing, we now feel we have a perfectly formed team in place to take the business to the next level,” Ashley tells LSB. This ambition has Inset: An outdoor range based on Hasbro’s brands become even more includes Twister. evident with the reveal of two recent deals. The company signed a strategic partnership with WowWee for the UK and Ireland in late spring which “really leapfrogs ToyTopic’s scale,” says Ashley. He continues: “ToyTopic’s own Peppa Pig range is a must see and has had a great reception so far. Then we overlay the key ranges from WowWee that include the master toy range on Baby Shark, an amazing outdoor range based on Hasbro’s brands such as Twister, Operation, Croc Dentist and their Nerf and Super Soaker brands which are going to be a lot of fun for next summer. “We are launching the master toy for the new Moonbug property Arpo late next year, too, which is set to be a big hit given their performance as a business at the moment. Then we can’t forget WowWee own brands, such as Got 2 Glow Fairies which is performing really well in the US currently, among many other ranges.” In addition to this, there is a multi-territory deal with Hasbro. Ashley explains more: “Very early on, we were fortunate enough to partner with Hasbro on its iconic Peppa Pig brand. We’ve secured the multi-territory rights to hand and finger puppets in a variety of iterations. We are also now adding to that some new and innovative lines that we will be presenting for AW22 launch. They really took a punt on us as a business and thankfully everyone is really pleased with what we have delivered back so far.” Despite being a new business, with the WowWee partnership ToyTopic has 1,000+ lines in its portfolio, hence the need for the showroom to really showcase these properly. Toy Fair 2022 will also be

key for the company, as Ashley explains: “Toy Fair will be the first trade show we will be exhibiting at and we feel it is key to showcase ourselves and show people more about us given we have all been stuck at home for the past 18 months.” There’s also an eye on future growth, too: “We’re currently in negotiation with a number of major licensors as well as developing some of our own brands, more of which you’ll hear about shortly,” Ashley teases. The aim is to see out 2021 having established solid foundations for the business and making sure the platform is there to grow into 2022 and beyond, all the while sticking true to its vision and having fun along the way. And Ashley ends by sharing some longer term aims: “We’d like to be challenging to be one of the larger toy companies out there in the UK, but equally continuing to have pride in everything we are doing and enjoying it along the way.”

Below: ToyTopic has multiterritory rights to hand and finger puppets in a variety of iterations for Peppa Pig.

LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

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IN CONVERSATION WITH… MDR BRAND MANAGEMENT

Established in 2018 as the brand management arm of law company, Mishcon de Reya, MDR Brand Management has built up a carefully curated portfolio ranging from the likes of Revlon and Elizabeth Arden, to Amy Winehouse, eve sleep and the Wombles. Not to mention a new deal to represent the FIFA marks across Southeast Asia, Korea and China, plus a new esports arm in the form of NIVO Management. LSB finds out more.

Management style I

t’s been a “busy, fast paced and exciting” past year for MDR Brand Management, the company’s ceo Daniel Avener tells LSB. The newly crowned Brand Ambassador following October’s Brand & Lifestyle Licensing Awards (although when LSB caught up with him, Daniel was blissfully unaware of the fact the accolade was about to be bestowed on him), Daniel has been steering the brand management arm of law company Mishcon de Reya since it was established in 2018. Since then, he has overseen the growth of the core global and regional teams, watching MDR significantly expand its global reach, welcome new clients across an expanse of genres and launch a new esports and interactive entertainment business, NIVO Management. “In 2020, MDR was responsible for delivering $1.6 billion in retail sales for our clients,” Daniel shares. Some key highlights across the UK include launching the first sleep CBD range with eve sleep (initially consisting of oil drops which incorporate two CBD-infused extracts); launching a first collaboration for Amy Winehouse with Illamasqua, with the limited edition Beauty Box inspired by Amy’s iconic look and make-up bag favourites generating funds going towards the Amy Winehouse Foundation; and securing an immersive exhibition at the Design Museum in London about Amy’s life and influence in the world, opening in November and running until April 2022. There have also been high profile

LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

Bottom: Daniel Avener, ceo, MDR Brand Management. Below: Illamasqua’s limited edition Beauty Box was inspired by Amy Winehouse’s iconic look and make up favourites.

promotional campaigns for important causes such as Keep Britain Tidy, Remember A Charity and the Royal Horticultural Society using the appeal and humour of the Wombles characters. Orinoco has also popped up as a limited edition Steiff collectable, made of entirely sustainable materials including linen plush, stuffing made from recycled PET and eco-friendly Violan felt. And there’s more to come for the Wombles, too, as Daniel explains: “It is a much loved property by the whole family, with so much legacy and relevance today as they were the original eco-warriors. It speaks to the heart of sustainability and making people reuse, re-think and recycle. “We’re proud to be chosen as the official partners for COP26 to champion ways to help save the environment, while there is also a ten-part podcast series in development, aiming to educate young children on environmental and sustainability issues in a Wombles way, plus an experiential partnership with the RHS for children’s gardening.” Daniel is understandably proud of MDR’s work in the sustainable space. Indeed, it is the first and so

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IN CONVERSATION WITH… MDR BRAND MANAGEMENT

Inset: MDR has global rights for Revlon and Elizabeth Arden.

Global growth

far only brand management company MDR isn’t just growing within the UK space – over the last 18 months, that is B Corp certified, meaning it meets the company has also been busy expanding further afield. the highest standards of verified social It has opened three offices in India (in Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore), while it also acquired CLICK! Licensing Asia with offices in eight and environmental performance. markets (Philippines, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan, “Sustainability is a topic MDR takes very Thailand and Indonesia). seriously and guides the ways in which it “These strategic moves have allowed MDR to create the most does business both internally and on comprehensive pan-Asian brand management solution in the world for brand owners, with current operations across 25 different markets,” behalf of our clients,” Daniel says. “We explains Daniel. “These structural changes complete phase one of aim to work with brands that put MDR’s geographical expansion. Phase two will kick off in Q2 2022, to sustainability at the forefront.” create a wider footprint outside of Asia.” When it comes to new properties, MDR has been granted global rights Plans are also afoot for further growth, for Revlon and Elizabeth Arden, plus it has recently been appointed to with the company’s new esports and represent the FIFA marks in all of Southeast Asia, Korea and China, interactive entertainment division, NIVO across FIFA Corporate, FIFAe and FIFA Tournaments (including the Management, set to play an important World Cup in Qatar). part. It represents both professional Inset: MDR has expanded players and brands looking to enter the its deal with the Hershey Company to also include Daniel also promises continued gaming industry and was set up Europe, UAE and India. investment in innovation and in response to the growing keeping up with technology demand for esports. changes, as well as eyeing potential “NIVO interacts with the whole ways to extend existing brands esports eco-system including into digital collectables and organisations, teams, players and developing NFTs. brands,” explains Daniel. “Core “We’ve purposefully curated a services include non-competing portfolio of clients, representation/negotiation of allowing MDR to put forward playing contracts with opportunities that do not cannibalise any other professional esports teams, sponsorship brands in its client base. MDR has a broad base of opportunities with brands and holistic management expertise and now activates across multiple of professional esports players.” sectors including F&B, beauty, More growth for MDR will also come from further entertainment, lifestyle, sports territory expansion starting in Q2 2022 and focusing and technology. Our aim is to on markets that have untapped potential (such as continue to offer a best-in-class India, Africa and the Middle East). “We’ll be full-service brand entering new markets and also expanding global management offering, by reach within our existing client base,” adds Daniel. delivering a unique brand of An example of this is building on MDR’s existing brand management,” year-long relationship with the Hershey Inset: MDR launched the first sleep CBD Daniel concludes. Company, with it having recently expanded its range with eve sleep, initially consisting of rights to include Europe, UAE and India, following oil drops incorporating sustained growth through licensing in more two CBD infused extracts. mature markets such as North America, Korea, Japan and Southeast Asia. LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

DC_LOSP_MAGAZINE.pdf

14/10/2021

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CMY

IN CINEMAS MAY 2022 FIRST ANIMATED THEATRICAL RELEASE TO INCLUDE THE BIGGEST DC SUPER HEROES AND THEIR PETS! INCLUDES BATMAN (98% AWARENESS AND #1 DC SUPER HERO AND #2 OVERALL SUPER HERO AMONG KIDS 6-12). 59% OF UK HOUSEHOLDS OWN A PET.

LICENSING AVAILABLE FROM WA R N E R B R O S . C O N S U M E R P R O D U C T S , PLEASE CONTACT: SAMMY.DOVE@WARNERBROS.COM

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It’s show time

LSB catches up with Anna Knight, vp licensing at Informa Markets, as the clock counts down to the eagerly awaited return of Brand Licensing Europe to London’s ExCeL this month.

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THE RETURN OF BLE

Inset: BLE will be back in-person at ExCeL from 17-19 November.

sessions, plus the Kelvyn Gardner License This! final. BLE will also be paying tribute to Kelvyn – who passed away suddenly in January – on day two with its Colour for Kelvyn day when his family will be joining Anna and her team to open the show. Everyone is being encouraged to wear bright colours and make a donation to The Light Fund. The show entrances will feature the Agents of Change galleries – these are the companies which are driving real change across the licensing industry – while the social events have also been locked in. Everyone is invited for after hour drinks

“The whole team can’t wait to get onsite at ExCeL and back to reconnecting the industry in person,” Anna comments. “We’ve got such a packed event in terms of exhibitors, features, keynotes, events and more. It’s going to be a hectic but brilliant three days.” Almost 200 companies, across the inperson (17-19 November) and virtual events (30 November and 1 Sustainability to the fore The main feature at the show this year will be its December), are confirmed to exhibit Sustainability Activation in partnership with Products of across all three categories – Change, tying into the What’s Next? theme. Character & Entertainment, Brands & Anna explains: “It will be packed with innovation Lifestyle and Art, Design & Image. when it comes to sustainable technology, processes, materials, retail, product and fashion design. We’ll For the in-person event, all the key have product showcases from the likes of features of the show will be LEGO, Keel Toys, George at Asda, Natural returning. Visitors will be able History Museum, The Eden Project, Teemill to take in two high profile and many more. “There’ll also be a Health and keynotes (see separate box Wellbeing Lounge, where attendees out), while the Retail can enjoy a peaceful respite from Trends lounge will host back to back meetings and find healthy Inset: Anna Knight, vp licensing, snacks and drinks.” five retailer-exclusive Informa Markets.

LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

DC_FLASH_MAGAZINE.pdf

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IN CINEMAS NOVEMBER 2022 90% AWARENESS #2 RATED SHOW IN THE UK ON SKY ONE 5 TIME TEEN CHOICE AWARD WINNER

LICENSING AVAILABLE FROM WA R N E R B R O S . C O N S U M E R P R O D U C T S , PLEASE CONTACT: SAMMY.DOVE@WARNERBROS.COM

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Safety first

BLE has secured a partnership with ExpressTest by CignPost to facilitate all testing needs for international attendees, while also reiterating its robust health and safety plan for the show including a new mask requirement. Anyone needing to take a day two test to enter England will be able to purchase a ‘click and collect’ testing kit to be picked up at ExCeL. The tests can be self-administered in any location with results uploaded online. Those requiring a ‘fit to fly’ test for re-entry into their country of origin will also be able to benefit from an onsite service with tests carried out by CignPost staff in secure private meeting rooms at the venue. The latest partnership is just one of the many measures in place to help the safe return to live events by organiser Informa Markets. In addition to requiring proof of vaccination, negative test or natural immunity to enter ExCeL and an extremely comprehensive list of other safety measures, Informa Markets is now also requiring that masks are worn by attendees. Medical exemptions will apply, as well as allowing for the removal of masks when eating and drinking. The team is also asking attendees to be respectful of each other during business meetings and wear a mask if their meeting partner requests it.

place on 20-22 on the show floor from 5pm-7pm on day one at September. “I’m super one of the three bars (the Crunchyroll Bar, BLE Bar excited to confirm that and Motul Lifestyle Bar), while exhibitor drinks will we have themes for both take place on day two at the Novotel. shows in 2022 For those logging in to the virtual event, there will Location Based be a wealth of content produced exclusively for Entertainment the online platform. This will include eight License for Licensing Global webinars, three ‘in conversation with’ Expo and sessions on diversity and inclusion led by Fashion for ViacomCBS, plus the inaugural Licensing U BLE. So much produce by Licensing International. to be excited The keynotes and retail sessions from the about,” Anna in-person event will also be recorded to enable concludes. catch-up on demand. When asked the one thing High profile keynotes Anna would like to Taking place on Wednesday 17 November at 4pm in the Platinum Suite of ExCeL accomplish with the show, London, a special Team GB keynote will feature two British Olympic gold she responds: “Generally, to medallists, one of whom is BMX Freestyler Charlotte Worthington (pictured above) who will be appearing in-person. reconnect the industry and The panel session will also include Tim Ellerton, commercial director of provide them with a really Team GB, and Will Stewart, md of The Point.1888 (one of Team GB’s brand solid platform to build out licensing partners). of the pandemic and plan Meanwhile, ViacomCBS will share insights from its corporate Diversity & Inclusion efforts with a specific focus on its recently for the future. Specifically, conducted toy research on the second day. to help all attendees to The keynote – which takes place from 13:00-14:00 on realise how important it is Thursday 18 November – will also set the background as to why the consumer products and licensing to make the move from community plays such a pivotal role in diversity and commitment to action inclusion. Mark Kingston, svp international at when it comes to ViacomCBS Consumer Products, will lead the keynote sustainability, and that even and review the impact on culture, community and industry when there’s a strong commitment to diversity, if they can only start small, inclusion and belonging. they can still make In addition, Ameeta Held, vp insights and business a difference.” strategy, consumer products at ViacomCBS, will be referencing original toy research detailing the And, once the 2021 show importance of authentic representation in dolls and is over, work will start the impact on choice. almost straight away on The keynote will follow a presentation from the 2022 events – Black Lives Matter Licensing UK. Licensing Expo will return Right: ViacomCBS’ Mark Kingston will lead the day two to Las Vegas in May, while keynote, sharing insights on the company’s corporate Diversity & Inclusion efforts with a specific focus on its BLE will be back on its recently conducted toy research. normal timeline, taking LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

FB3_MAGAZINE_V2.pdf

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CMY

IN CINEMAS APRIL 2022 LICENSING AVAILABLE FROM WA R N E R B R O S . C O N S U M E R P R O D U C T S , PLEASE CONTACT: SAMMY.DOVE@WARNERBROS.COM

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The doors of London’s ExCeL will once again open to the licensing community from 17-19 November, with Brand Licensing Europe making its long-awaited in-person return. In addition, following the success of last year’s online gatherings, a virtual event will also run on 30 November and 1 December. LSB takes a look at what just some of the in-person and virtual exhibitors will be showcasing from the character and entertainment category.

BLE 2021 EXHIBITOR PREVIEW

Ready to excel WildBrain CPLG STAND B161 WildBrain CPLG will showcase new brands, initiatives and creative assets across its entertainment and character properties. Strawberry Shortcake is back with a cool new look and confident, savvy attitude for today’s kids in animated series, Berry in the Big City, with a master toy range from Moose Toys and an extensive franchise programme spanning apparel, accessories and publishing among other categories. Perennial favourite Teletubbies heads into its 25th anniversary in 2022 and has been delighting original Gen Z fans with colourful marketing campaigns, while engaging preschoolers through new content including its recent Ready, Steady, Go! music album and videos. There’s also another big anniversary for WildBrain as In the Night Garden celebrates 15 years in 2022. Peanuts is also following up an impressive 70th anniversary year in 2020, with momentum building

for the ‘Take Care with Peanuts’ global initiative. Another classic brand is MGM’s iconic Pink Panther and developments are afoot for Dr. Seuss, the World of David Walliams, Vlad & Niki, The World of Eric Carle, LINE FRIENDS’s BT21 and BROWN & FRIENDS, and Supercell’s Brawl Stars. The entertainment line-up also includes emoji – The Iconic Brand and new teen-targeted digitalfirst series and CP extension emojitown, which has reached 50M+ YouTube views. In addition, the agency will also be showcasing Moose Toys’ new boys’ global franchise Akedo. WildBrain CPLG will also update on Sony Pictures’ franchises and 2022 launches including Ghostbusters, Wheel of Time, Uncharted, Bullet Train, 65, Lyle Lyle Crocodile, Cobra Kai, The Boys season three and Young Love. The eOne / Hasbro properties Peppa Pig, PJ Masks, Ricky Zoom and My Little Pony also feature for European opportunities alongside ViacomCBS brands, such as PAW Patrol and SpongeBob SquarePants. Inset: Strawberry Shortcake is back in a new animated series called Berry in the Big City.

LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

Henries finalist 2021

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Proven success in Oliver Bonas-13 designs

A l l F E AT U R E D D ESIG N S A N D LO G O S © 2 0 2 1 c B G lt d ®

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taken with repeat orders placed •

3 brand new gifting ranges launched in 2021 from Widdop

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Frida gifting range now available on FunkyPigeon.com

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New launch of Hotchpotch designs in Hallmark Benelux Q1 22, featuring bespoke designs

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Sales exceeding planned ROS in Benelux

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Hotchpotch personalised cards now featuring on Moonpig

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150k units of Hotchpotch cards sold to date in 2021 through Greetz in the Netherlands

2.7

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For infor mation on licensing oppor tunities call 01243 792600 or email licensing@cbg.co.uk (Cyan) (Magenta) (Yellow) (BlacK)

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BLE 2021 EXHIBITOR PREVIEW

Walker Books

Below: Walker has commissioned original Guess artwork from Anita Jeram for fine art partner, Aquarelle Publishing.

STAND C153 Walker Book Group will be celebrating a trio of global children’s licensed brands. Guess How Much I Love You has sold over 52 million copies in all formats worldwide and, for the first time in five years, Walker has commissioned original artwork from Anita Jeram for fine art partner Aquarelle Publishing with a new selection of poses available. Babywear continues to perform well with new retailers including Tesco on board, plus new product being taken by Next. The long-standing relationship with Sainsbury’s also continues. The brand will also be launching into home décor with a cots and changing mats deal with Obaby, while new toy launches will come from Rainbow Designs. Meanwhile, the first apparel range launched in Asda from Jainco for We’re Going on a Bear Hunt, while Rainbow Designs also continues to be a key infant and nursery toy partner. Audio system tonies is also on board. Finally, 2022 will see the publication of Maisy Goes on a Nature Walk, the latest entry in the popular First Experiences series, plus two tabbed board books, Maisy at Work and Maisy’s Town. Dennicci is also on board as apparel partner with launch plans set for 2022.

Acamar Films STAND A183

Bulldog Licensing

Above: Care Bears will be marking 40 years in 2022.

STAND A182

The list of brands on Bulldog’s books ranges from evergreen publishing titles such as That’s Not My… to entertainment brands including Miraculous, classics like Popeye, Care Bears – which is celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2022 - and Sesame Street, plus lifestyle properties such as Guide Dogs. New to the portfolio is Odo, a 2D/3D animated series of 52 x seven-minute stories for preschoolers, with the series aiming to teach young children self-efficacy and to believe in themselves to help combat a rise in anxiety and depression levels. Match Attax, meanwhile, has sold over 600 million packets in the UK and continues to be a staple in playgrounds and homes throughout the UK. Also new to the portfolio is animated children’s property Moley – a multi-media brand encompassing TV, digital gaming and a planned event movie. The 52episode series follows the adventures of a mole called Moley and a host of other characters in the bustling city of MoleTown, with a stellar line-up of voice talent including Warwick Davis, Julie Walters, Gemma Arterton and Richard E Grant.

Right: Bing is now broadcast in 130 territories worldwide.

Appetite for Bing consumer products is showing no signs of slowing, with Acamar Films further expanding the UK licensing programme for the preschool property. Notably, last year demand for Bing consumer products enjoyed an 11% year on year increase (Kidz Global, 0-6 years, Oct 2020 vs Oct 2019). 2021 will see new partner Solent launch bathtime and dental products and children’s audio system, tonies will be delivering an audio storytelling experience, slated for a 2022 release. Bing also continues to perform well for master publisher, HarperCollins, which enjoyed 62% year on year net sales growth in 2020, with nine new titles scheduled for this year. Meanwhile, Acamar Films has renewed its licensing deal with Bing master toy partner Golden Bear. The EMEA agreement – which extends the partnership for a further four years – will run until 2025. Over the three years since the range launched, Bing has become Golden Bear’s number one global licence and seen an impressive 110% sales uplift between 2019 and 2021. This growth continues into Christmas 2021, with a 52% increase in retailer stocking points compared to AW20. New hero lines for this year include Bing’s House Play-set with nine accessories and interactive Musical Statues Dancing Bing, both of which will be supported across TV, digital and social platforms.

LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

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BLE 2021 EXHIBITOR PREVIEW

Aardman STAND B160 The Shaun the Sheep brand continues to flourish with festive special Shaun the Above: Shaun the Sheep: Sheep: The Flight Before The Flight Before Christmas will air on BBC1. Christmas due to premiere on BBC1 this Christmas, together with an international roll out across key territories on Netflix. The brand also continues to reach a new generation of fans, further supported by an ever-growing portfolio of attractions and live experiences around the world. This year, for example, has seen the team developing Shaun the Sheep One Farm, an initiative that brings Shaun’s charm to the themes of food, farming and the environment. Going into 2022, and the brand team will be focusing on a special licensing programme for Wallace & Gromit, celebrating 30 years since Wallace & Gromit: The Wrong Trousers was released in 1993. Aardman will be looking for partners across all categories including giftware, homeware and collectables. The studio will also be pushing its new CGI/2D comedy series, Lloyd of the Flies, which is currently in production and due to launch for autumn 2022, plus festive musical special, Robin Robin, which is launching on Netflix on 24 November and already has support from Macmillan Children’s Books and Aurora.

WWE STAND A171

WWE creates and delivers original content 52 weeks a year to a global audience and has an ambitious consumer products programme covering multiple categories. It works with more than 150 licensees with products in over 85 countries. Among the key deals is a consumer products global partnership with Mattel for action figures and 2K for video games. WWE’s TV-PG programming can be seen in more than 900 million homes worldwide in 28 languages, while it has 380+ total WWE Superstars, Legends and on-air talent signed under contract which can be used on consumer products. WWE has more than one billion total social media followers, surpassed 25 billion lifetime video views on Facebook in 2020 and is the number one most viewed YouTube in the world. Above: WWE works with more than 150 licensees with products in over 85 countries.

Mercis STAND B162

2021 has been a big year internationally for Dick Bruna’s classic character, Miffy. The brand opened a flagship store in Westfield Mall of The Netherlands; a second Above: Miffy continues to prove popular within the babywear category. capsule collection was launched in collaborations with Pop Trading and Converse for footwear; while the doors opened at Dick Bruna TABLE in Yokohama. A long-term commitment as official ambassador for the Sickle Cell Foundation will also see Miffy help raise awareness and funds for the charity. In addition, as well as ongoing exhibitions in Japan, the Miffy & Friends exhibition made the move from Seoul to The QUT Art Museum in Brisbane, before heading to Melbourne. Back in the UK, and new product launches have included crafting, teepees, jewellery and biscuits, while this autumn sees the arrival of two playmats from Gus & Beau. The partnership with home and lifestyle retail platform Fy! continues with its Miffy collection including art, cushions and phone accessories. In the fashion category, Tobias and the Bear continues to develop its Miffy partnership with new interpretations of its stylish handwriting, while babywear and girlswear has gone into Next and other high street retailers also have plans to grow, with autumn/winter seeing the launch of ladies nightwear styles.

Start Licensing

Below: Start Licensing represents properties including Wallace & Gromit on behalf of Aardman

STAND D164 Start Licensing will be showcasing a focused portfolio of rights including Wallace & Gromit, Shaun the Sheep, Timmy Time, Morph, Lloyd of the Flies and Robin Robin. These are all properties which the agency represents on behalf of Aardman Animations (which is also at the show on stand B160). In addition to this, Start Licensing also represents Asterix & Obelix in the UK on behalf of Editions Albert Rene, as well as acting as a consultant to Rebellion Publishing for its properties which include iconic characters such as Judge Dredd and Roy of the Rovers. On top of this, Start Licensing acts as consultant to DC Thomson for its Scottish heritage characters, The Broons and Oor Wullie.

LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

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Lisle Licensing STAND C113

Lisle Licensing heads to BLE following a strong year for the Northern-based licensing agent which celebrated 10 years in 2020 and promoted Francesca Lisle to managing director, with Colin Lisle stepping into the position of chairman. Lisle has used the time during the pandemic to nurture and grow its portfolio into new areas. Above: Lifestyle interiors and Two clients will make their BLE fashion duo, the Style Sisters debut – US-based humorous art will make their BLE debut. and lifestyle brand, The Kate Smith Company, plus aspirational lifestyle interiors and fashion duo, the Style Sisters. Other Lisle clients including Animaccord’s preschool hit Masha and the Bear, Tetris, extreme sports brand Nitro Circus and new preschool show, Milo will also be part of the team’s focus at ExCeL. The agency will also showcase two additional new brands during the show including Rainbow’s Lucia Heffernan.

Hasbro STAND A191

Following the completion of Hasbro’s acquisition of eOne in early 2020, the company is promising more brands and opportunities than ever before. Highlights will Above: Nerf has successfully include My Little Pony, with accelerated beyond the Blaster. the new animated film My Little Pony: A New Generation having debuted at the top of the ‘Most Watched’ list on Netflix; Transformers, with 2022 set to bring new movie Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, plus a new series for younger viewers on Nickelodeon; and Nerf, which has recently seen success with its Chief TikTok Officer campaign. There’s a new movie on the horizon for Dungeons & Dragons, giving a new generation the chance to experience the brand for the first time, while Hasbro Gaming – including Monopoly – continues to see strong support. There are exciting developments in new compounds and play patterns for Play-Doh, while Vault properties that tap into nostalgia continue their crossgenerational appeal including Spirograph, Lite Brite, Pound Puppies and Micromachines. And, of course, Peppa Pig will aim to continue its strong growth trajectory with new growth segments coming soon.

The Pokémon Company International VIRTUAL

Winner of Best Licensed Gaming Property at The Licensing Above: Fashion and Awards, Pokémon is enjoying a accessories collaborations stellar 2021 as the multihave included Axel Arigato. generational brand nears the end of its 25th anniversary celebrations as the fastest growing UK property of the year (source NPD August YTD.) Highlights include the massive year-long music venture, P25 Music, featuring exclusive new tracks from stars such as Katy Perry, Post Malone and J Balvin, which culminated in Pokémon 25: The Album, from Universal Music Group’s Capitol Records. Other launches included the highly anticipated Pokémon Trading Card Game: Celebrations, commemorating 25 years of the brand. 19 November sees the launch of new video games Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Pokémon Shining Pearl – faithful revitalisations of 2006 classics. And 2022 starts in style as Pokémon Legends: Arceus introduces fans to the long-gone Sinnoh region of old. Master toy partner Jazwares (distributed by Character Options in the UK), Funko (vinyl figures), Mattel/MEGA CONSTRUX (construction toys) and Ravensburger (puzzles) have all enjoyed a strong year at retail. In addition, a host of global fashion and accessories collaborations were released by Levi’s, G-Shock, Zara Kids, Zavvi, Charli Cohen and Axel Arigato. Pokémon will continue to ramp up the excitement in 2022 when the Pokémon World Championships come to London for the first time. Below: Peter Rabbit will be marking 120 years in 2022.

Penguin Ventures STAND B150

Penguin Ventures will be showcasing its portfolio of licensed literary children’s IP at the show including Classic Peter Rabbit, The World of The Snowman, Spot and The Flower Fairies. The company will also be sharing its plans to celebrate 120 years of Peter Rabbit and 10 years of The Snowman and The Snowdog. Penguin Ventures is part of Penguin Random House Children’s and brings together licensing, consumer products, TV production, art exhibitions and live events strategies, finding new ways to tell some of the world’s favourite stories.

LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

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Crunchyroll STAND C123

Warhammer

Above: The growth of the Warhammer brand over the past 18 months has been ‘phenomenal’ says the company.

STAND B171 The largest and most successful hobby miniatures brand in the world, the licensing programme for Warhammer includes a packed slate of video gaming releases along with apparel, accessories, fine art, comics, homeware, card and board games and collectables among others. The growth of the brand over the past 18 months has been ‘phenomenal’ says the company, with it now planning to take advantage of the exponential demand for sci-fi and fantasy IP. Warhammer is planning to do this through its franchise strategy, with each franchise anchored to either a AAA video game or entertainment project which will appeal to a wide audience. The first two franchises are Warhammer 40,000 Darktide and Total War: Warhammer launching in 2022. Looking further ahead, 2023 marks the 40th anniversary of Warhammer with plan already underway for the celebrations.

Best known as a top streaming service delivering AVOD and SVOD content, Crunchyroll also provides experiences to deepen fan engagement and community through social, events, games, consumer products, content distribution, content creation and manga publishing. In August 2021, Crunchyroll joined the Funimation Global Group to bring even more anime to more fans worldwide. Its return to BLE will see it showcase key programmes such as superhero franchise My Hero Academia, football series Captain Tsubasa, banana living kitties Bananya and Shonenanime Jujutsu Kaisen. Other series on show will include Platinum End, Death Note, Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure, Dr. STONE, Black Clover, Vinland Saga and Bleach. Below: Elves Behavin’ Badly has grown considerably over the last five years.

Above: Superhero franchise My Hero Academia will be among the Crunchyroll line-up.

Elves Behavin’ Badly STAND D173

Owned by PMS International, as well as the dolls, the Elves Behavin’ Badly brand includes over 100 accessories with more than 20 dress-up items. Elves Behavin’ Badly has grown considerably over the past five years and doll sales in the UK alone are exceeding two million dolls. Licensees also cover product categories such as adult and children’s clothing, nightwear, socks, dress-up, balloons and activity books to name a few. This year has also seen a London PR agency come on board to continue the upward growth trajectory of the ambitious brand.

The Point.1888 STAND C183

Left: Blippi is among the Moonbug properties being represented by The Point.1888.

The ambitious agency has enjoyed another strong year, with its portfolio welcoming a number of new brands from various areas. Within the character and entertainment space, keen eyes are focused on the Moonbug Entertainment properties including CoComelon, Blippi, Morphle and Little Baby Bum. In addition, Moomin, Molang, Tom Gates, Percy the Park Keeper and Racoons have taken their place among the ranks. Sports is a key growth area including British & Irish Lions, Team GB, St Andrews Links and Williams Racing, while the Barratt brands have enjoyed much success. Other brands in the portfolio include The Official Charts Company, Rachel Ellen Design, Battersea Dogs & Cats, Cambridge University and Mumsnet. There will also be four new properties at the show. The Point.1888 also recently unveiled its creative agency, Story.1888, adding yet another string to its bow. LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

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BLE 2021 EXHIBITOR PREVIEW

Below: The Adventures of Paddington is getting strong ratings on Nickelodeon and Milkshake.

The Copyrights Group STAND A151

Paddington has seen healthy growth recently, supported by the launch of the first and second series of The Adventures of Paddington TV around the world, getting strong ratings on Nickelodeon and on Milkshake in the UK. The Copyrights Group’s licensing programme for the popular brand is also expanding with a raft of new product. These range from wooden toys, board games and bedding, to apparel, greeting cards and melamine through to stickers, socks and talking plush among others. Paddington is also growing on the experiential front with immersive retail (Paddington Café), exhibitions (The British Library), mall events (Brick Live), touring shows and events and theme parks (Sagamiko, Japan). Moving on, and the Mush-Mush and the Mushables TV series has now launched internationally, with a YouTube channel also due to launch imminently. The brand’s licensing programme will kick off in 2022. For the first time at BLE, Copyrights will represent Dragon Mania, the popular Dragon IP developed by Gameloft. Initially a mobile gaming franchise – with 190 million downloads worldwide since 2013 – the brand has already ventured into digital content, consumer products and publishing. A first novel launched in France in June, with two more also lining up for release. Below: Numberblocks is enjoying an expanded international audience.

Larkshead Licensing STAND A180

Larkshead Licensing will be showcasing BAFTA awarding winning hit preschool series Numberblocks and the BAFTA nominated Alphablocks, both of which are enjoying an ever-expanding international audience. The two shows have a combined total of over five million YouTube subscribers, with new content and adventures planned to arrive later this year. Meanwhile, May the Thoughts Be With You, a collection of positive thoughts and illustrations by Charlotte Reed (LicenseThis! winner in 2016) and the artist Sophie Long will both be showcasing new artwork. However, still intent on world domination, Zelda from 1980s sci-fi show Terrahawks, will hopefully not be making a guest appearance this year. Larkshead will also be revealing some new additions to its portfolio including the launch of L’Organiq, an award-winning vegan, cruelty free natural skincare range with sustainability at its heart.

LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

Magic Light Pictures

Above: Superworm will make its debut on BBC1 this Christmas.

STAND C182 Magic Light Pictures’ tradition of producing popular family films for Christmas continues this year with Superworm – starring Olivia Colman and Matt Smith – which premieres as part of BBC1’s festive schedule. In addition, the company is building momentum for Pip and Posy, the preschool show based on the books by Axel Scheffler. Episodes are airing on Channel 5’s Milkshake as well as Sky Kids, with the first licensed product due to launch in 2022. Also expect to see evergreen classic The Gruffalo, Halloween favourite Room on the Broom, plus other special titles such as Stick Man, Zog and The Snail and the Whale, all based on the books written by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel. Magic Light also manages marketing in-house, and has an important partnerships programme with brand partners including Merlin Entertainments, Arla Big Milk and Forestry England.

Banijay Brands STAND C122

Below: Peaky Blinders will have a strong presence for Banijay.

From entertainment and scripted through to animation and game shows, Banijay’s diverse portfolio offers commercial opportunities in multiple categories. The company – part of international content producer and distributor, Banijay – controls the brand licensing rights to numerous high profile and creative IP. Some of the global brands it represents include MasterChef, Black Mirror, Temptation Island, Peaky Blinders, Survivor, Mr Bean, Changing Rooms, Interior Design Masters, Simon’s Cat, Your Home Made Perfect, Your Garden Made Perfect, Deal or No Deal, The Inbetweeners, Big Brother, Sunday Brunch, Tipping Point, The Biggest Loser, Ready Steady Cook, Wipeout and Crystal Maze.

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Xilam Animation

Below: Oggy Oggy is a preschool spin-off to Oggy and the Cockroaches.

STAND A160

Headlining Xilam’s portfolio is Oggy Oggy, a preschool spin-off to its Oggy and the Cockroaches. The first season debuted globally on Netflix in August and, from September 2022, it will launch on Super RTL (Germany), Discovery (Italy) and France Télévisions (France). The consumer products programme will centre on playfulness, adventure and friends, and Xilam is currently looking for partners in categories such as games, publishing, gifting and apparel among others. Also starring in Xilam’s line-up is Lupin’s Tales, a 2D and 3D comedy series for upper preschoolers. In France, Xilam has signed Jemini for plush, tableware and furniture. Where’s Chicky? is a CGI short-form non-dialogue comedy produced by Xilam’s Cube Creative, with a third season scheduled for December 2021. Xilam is currently building a merchandise programme with a focus on plush, toys and games and accessories. Xilam is also expanding its classic Oggy and the Cockroaches franchise with a freshly designed reboot series: The New Adventures of Oggy. Rounding out the slate is comedy property, Zig & Sharko, for which Xilam is producing a new spin-off set to air late 2021.

Rainbow Group

Below: Summer and Todd and Pinocchio will be new for Rainbow at BLE.

STAND B131

Boat Rocker VIRTUAL

Above: Series two of Dino Ranch is due in early 2022.

A virtual exhibitor, Boat Rocker will be highlighting its ‘pre-westoric’ property, Dino Ranch. As well as proving a hit in the US, where it airs on Disney channels, it also airs in Disney+ in Australia and the UK, while YouTube channel views stand at over 45 million. Series two is due to arrive in early 2022. Jazwares has launched its toy line in the US, with roll out due in the UK and internationally in 2022 with further lines launching across the year. Meanwhile, series two of Love Monster is in production, with toys from Golden Bear, apparel from Cooneen and Blues, plus dress-up from Amscan all available at retail. Reality dance drama, The Next Step, also remains popular with new consumer activity due this autumn.

Maya Studios STAND A141

FATE: The Winx Saga premiered globally on Netflix in Q1 2020 with the live action TV series – originally created as an animated preschool TV series by Rainbow Group’s ceo, Iginio Straffi, more than 17 years ago – becoming a ratings success. Netflix commissioned a second series of the coming of age journey of the five fairies, with the CP proposition for both the animated show (currently in production for a ninth series) and the live action episodes continually expanding. In the past 18 months both Winx brands have garnered attention in a variety of categories spanning fashion, beauty and toys, to name a few. The reimagining of Pinocchio will make its debut at BLE, with Rainbow believing it offers plentiful licensing opportunities due to its global appeal. Also on the roster is new animated series, Summer and Todd Happy Farmers – which has an underlying message of preserving nature and managing sustainability – while Rainbow has also signed a global agreement with artist, Lucia Heffernan, and will be looking to bring her brand to life beyond pure art.

Above: The Supermasked characters have one primary defect - they don't know how to use their superpower.

Spanish animation studio Maya Studios, alongside its global licensing agent Consumer Product Connection, is launching two new properties at BLE. SuperMasked is an animated superhero saga that aims to show kids that they don’t need to be perfect to be a superhero. A mix of comedy and epic battles, the characters have one primary defect… they don’t know how to use their superpowers. Two seasons of 15 episodes each are in development. Toy development partner Eolo Toys has secured a raft of distributors in key markets, with announcements due shortly. Panini is also on board for a range of collectables and is developing several publishing formats. Catrinas Underworld, meanwhile, is a playful adaptation of the Mexican skull art and style. The brand – which features the Catrinas as guardians of the portals to the underworld – has already enjoyed success in licensing in its home market of Spain. CPC has also appointed several sub agents for the property including Licensing Link Europe (UK & Eire), Active Merchandising (Germany), Dic2 (Italy), License Connection (Benelux) and Paola Ogaz (consultant in Mexico). José Santiago from Santiago Consulting is also supporting CPC on the development of the brands on a global basis.

LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

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ViacomCBS Consumer Products STAND A121 From PAW Patrol which had a great year with the release of PAW Patrol: The Movie, Baby Shark and Blue’s Clues & You! to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, upcoming Star Trek Prodigy and Top Gun which will see the release of Top Gun: Maverick in cinemas around the world next year, ViacomCBS believes there will be something for everyone on its stand. The company will also be reconnecting with partners and presenting plans for the upcoming Paramount+ launch in multiple territories across Europe in 2022. In addition, Mark Kingston, svp international ViacomCBS Consumer Products, will lead a diversity and inclusion keynote along with Ameeta Held, vp insights and business strategy, consumer products, ViacomCBS on Thursday 18 November at 1pm. Above: Top Gun: Maverick will be arriving in cinemas next year. Below: Godzilla is the king of the big screen.

Rocket Licensing STAND C141

Busy Rocket Licensing will be showcasing its wide ranging roster of properties at the show. As we hurtle towards the festive season, The Elf on the Shelf has 2.8 million worldwide social media fans and followers and is due to make its first ever appearance on British TV with the animated movie on Netflix, Elf Pets: Santa’s Reindeer Rescue. Indeed, the Netflix partnership – struck with the Lumistella Company – will further help to confirm the brand’s evergreen status. Beano and Dennis & Gnasher will form a key part of the agent’s presence, lining up alongside fellow classic brand, The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Rocket is currently working with a wide range of licensees on 2022 opportunities. Work also continues on Horrible Histories with a host of experiential partnerships having proved a success this year. Onto the big, and small screen, and the recent Dune adaptation lines up alongside Legendary Entertainment’s Enola Holmes, while Godzilla is a $2.1 billion franchise boasting over 35 films. Finally, within the preschool space, Kiri & Lou continues to perform well on CBeebies, as does Yakka Dee, for which Rocket is looking forward to launching the CP programme.

MGM STAND C141/B161

Above: The Rocky franchise is kicking off its 45th year.

The MGM brands will be represented by its agents WildBrain CPLG and Rocket Licensing - at BLE. Legally Blonde continues to resonate with new fans and, with the classic film marking its 21st anniversary in 2022, MGM is planning a ‘Legally Blonde Turns 21’ licensing celebration with licensees on board including Olympia Le Tan, Park Agencies and Funko among others. The Addams Family will be building on its film success with a new Netflix series, focused on Wednesday with Tim Burton set to direct. The Rocky franchise kicks off its 45th year, with a number of live events and activations planned for the end of 2021 and into 2022. These will include a movie-themed concert, Rocky-themed athletic runs, in-theatre events, plus new merchandise and gaming collaborations. Creed will also welcome its third instalment in November 2022, with the MGM team actively building a licensing programme around the film tentpole. Other brands on display will include Vikings: Valhalla – which begins 100 years after the original series of Vikings concludes – plus Pink Panther (with various 2022 plans due to be unveiled), Robocop – marking its 35th anniversary next year – and Stargate-SG1. MGM’s horror portfolio will also be open for discussions.

Dr Seuss Enterprises

Below: The Grinch is continuing to steal licensees for its festive programme.

STAND B161 Represented by WildBrain CPLG, Dr Seuss Enterprises will be discussing how it expects significant growth across its full European portfolio of literary properties. New UK licensees for How the Grinch Stole Christmas include Brand Alliance, Solent Brands and Fizz Creations. Beautiful Game will also introduce wall stickers and decals for various titles. In addition to this, Brand International is on board for How the Grinch Stole Christmas footwear and accessories, as well as nightwear for The Cat in the Hat and Greens Eggs and Ham. Stor is also creating a line of How the Grinch Stole Christmas kitchenware.

LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

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The styling duo who specialise in the detox, organising & re-styling of home & wardrobe.

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Where your brand deserves to be. 080_LSB_Autumn_2021.indd 80

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Planeta Junior STAND D131

Mondo TV

Above: MeteoHeroes is entirely dedicated to climate and environmental issues.

VIRTUAL Mondo will be taking part in the digital edition of BLE and will be highlighting three of its hot prospects for 2022: Grisù, MeteoHeroes and The Gruffalo. Grisù will consist of 52 new episodes of 11 minutes each and is expected to be completed in the second half of 2022. It follows the adventures of a ‘brave, positive and determined’ young dragon who wants to be a firefighter when he grows up. Mondo has already secured a deal with Giunti Group for story books, activity books, colouring books and a magazine. MeteoHeroes follows the adventures of six superpowered kids who can control weather phenomena and is currently the only cartoon in the world dedicated entirely to climate and environmental issues. The show has secured TV exposure in over 140 countries, while the licensing programme is also beginning to build. ELC has recently been appointed as agent for CEE territories and Lisans as the agent for Turkey, with the programmes due to kick off with toy launches. A video game is also planned for release in 2022. Meanwhile, Mondo is responsible for building the licensing programme for The Gruffalo in Italy, Spain and Portugal.

Above: Milo debuted on Channel 5’s Milkshake earlier this year.

Planeta Junior will be introducing visitors to its stand to Milo, it new preschool series which is beginning to make waves in the UK. The show made its UK debut in May on Channel 5’s Milkshake block and follows the adventures of a five year old cat who loves using role-play too explore the world of jobs and vocations with his best friends, Lofty and Lark. With 52 11-minute episodes, Planeta Junior believes the series has strong licensing potential and will be talking to licensees across all categories.

Sophie la girafe STAND D180 After ten years and over 30 licensees, the popular nursery and preschool brand, Sophie la girafe continues to grow. New partners joining the programme this year include Micuento, Poetic Brands, Puttman and Alpine. Agents in the UK, Germany, Asia, US, Spain and Portugal have been on board since 2020 to aid further growth for the brand, which has been celebrating its 60th birthday this year. To mark the occasion, a limited edition Sophie was created with a 180cm statue now on display at the Musée Grévin in Paris. Above: A limited edition Sophie la girafe is on display at the Musée Grévin in Paris.

Scatterbrain Studios STAND C107

New design-led brand, Scatterbrain Studios has been created by Julia Broughton, who is currently best known for her hand lettering studio, Letters by Julia. The premise behind the brand started with a single birthday card design featuring a cat in a rather fancy hat. Soon, Julia was dreaming up more characters, drawing pizzas and spending her days creating numerous patterns. And the cat – Mr Kitty – is now the company mascot. Aimed at Millennial women with a secondary, but key, audience of the young children in their lives, Julia is confident that the brand has strong appeal. A style guide will be available at BLE for potential licensees to view, with initial category targets including stationery and homeware among others. Right: Scatterbrain Studios – and Mr Kitty – will debuting at BLE. LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

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THE BIG INTERVIEW: WILDBRAIN CPLG Inset: Michael Riley, chief brands officer, WildBrain.

Life of

Riley

Below: The new-look Strawberry Shortcake has grown the brand through a modern lens, but retains the timeless, universal themes and essential brand DNA. Bottom: Ready Steady Go is the first music release from the Teletubbies in over 20 years.

He’s the man charged with identifying and developing key franchise opportunities in what he describes as WildBrain’s “treasure trove” of a property library, and Michael Riley is certainly relishing the role. LSB catches up with the company’s chief brands officer to talk Strawberry Shortcake, Teletubbies at 25 and the benefits of a digital-first strategy.

or Michael Riley, chief brands officer at WildBrain, the opportunities available at the company with its properties makes this a “very exciting time to be in the business”. “The company’s library is a treasure trove of globally recognisable, timeless brands, so a key part of my job is looking for ways to unlock potential and elevate these across all licensing and merchandising platforms and opportunities,” Michael tells LSB. “As the consumer world evolves there are increasing ways to engage with fans and audiences and we want to ensure that our 360-degree strategies are well developed, resourced and executed to bring kids more of the brands they love in a creative and meaningful way.” Key focuses for Michael and the team currently include the relaunched Strawberry Shortcake, as well as Teletubbies as the property heads into its 25th year. “We’re also focused on Yo Gabba Gabba, as well as preschool brands In the Night Garden, Chip and Potato, not forgetting the evergreen Caillou, of which we’re launching new specials and

LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

short-form content,” he adds. Strawberry Shortcake made her return with a new series – Berry in the Big City – which launched exclusively on the official Strawberry Shortcake channel on WildBrain Spark, the AVOD platform on YouTube and YouTube Kids. New episodes have been dropping each Saturday since the premiere in early September and will continue through to June 2022. A second 40episode season has already been given the greenlight. “We’re so happy with the new look and feel of

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THE BIG INTERVIEW: WILDBRAIN CPLG

Digital first benefits

“For IP owners, great merchandise itself is just one part of the equation when it comes to building and sustaining your brand for the long-term,” says Michael. “You need to engage with your audience on the platforms they’re on and devices they use, in a brand-safe environment. “Therefore, leveraging ad-supported video-on-demand platforms – AVODs - such as YouTube and YouTube Kids with digital-first content and understanding how your audience reacts to it can be a hugely powerful way of informing your consumer products strategy, as well as helping to create multiple and added value touchpoints for your audience.” Michael adds that the company’s analytics show that one in three kids with access to YouTube watch content on the WildBrain Spark network each quarter.

the character and her world,” says Michael. “The main ingredient is the proven timeless appeal of the Strawberry Shortcake brand and the cherished memories and nostalgia it invokes in original fans now parents and grandparents. What we have now is the opportunity to leverage the brand across multiple touchpoints refreshed for today’s kids and that’s very exciting when reimagining the Strawberry world.” When it comes to CP, among other licensees, Moose Toys is on board as master toy with its new range due to be unveiled in early 2022. And, as part of WildBrain’s digital-first strategy, Strawberry is also graduating for the first time to the Roblox gaming universe in Bake with Strawberry Shortcake. “We’re hugely excited that the brand will be part of one of the world’s most popular 3D digital gaming platforms, where over 20 million kids play each day,” enthuses Michael. Despite the reinvention, maintaining a clear bond with the classic Strawberry Shortcake was key. “You must be 100% respectful of the emotional connection that fans have with the brand they grew up with,” Michael continues. For example, Strawberry’s signature scent will be returning in a line of collectable dolls. “The connections that the brand inspired remains centred around scent and play, having fun, being together but the products will have a ‘wow’ factor that will redefine how consumers see and experience the brand.” Teletubbies is another brand which has maintained its connections with the original

audience from when it launched almost 25 years ago. Michael continues: “Teletubbies is one of those rare brands that transcends age and time – it’s quite unique. On one hand we have an enduring preschool brand that remains a kids’ favourite year after year – but now that the original fans have grown up, we have an adult fan base in Gen Z.” The past year has seen a raft of activity targeting this older age group including Pride Month appearances, a faux crypto-currency April Fools’ joke in the form of Tubbycoin and an exposé in OK magazine. Michael explains: “The Teletubbies have always embraced their own offbeat quirkiness and style and have a collective identity that houses distinct personalities. This activity was a chance to really dive down into their identities and explore who the Teletubbies characters are and give each of them a backstory that original fans can relate to.” Inset: Connecting the Further activity such as this is Teletubbies brand with celebrating Pride on the cards, but Michael is Month felt like a natural keeping his powder dry for reach, says Michael. now. What has recently been announced is a new Teletubbies album, Ready Steady Go, with ten digital-first music videos, created with both preschool and Gen Z audiences in mind. “The album will be distributed by Universal Music Group and is the first music release from the Teletubbies in over 20 years, and yes, they will be going on tour,” Michael reveals. “It is just part of a multi-tiered relaunch campaign we have planned leading into the Teletubbies’ 25th anniversary in 2022.” Hearing all of this, LSB can certainly understand what Michael meant about it being an exciting time to be in the business. LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

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STATE OF THE NATION: GAMING

Name of the game The gaming category continues to grow in importance for both licensees and retailers. From longstanding successful IP eyeing new territories and new categories for growth, through to emerging technologies which could benefit brand owners, LSB takes a look at some of the latest activity in the sector.

Call of Duty forges ahead Tinderbox – Beanstalk’s digital media division dedicated to extending video games IP – is continuing to grow Activision’s Call of Duty licensing programme across Europe. Within the lifestyle space, GLD will be releasing high-end pendants based on Call of Duty: Vanguard and Warzone, while The Hut Group has been appointed to create a range of adult fashion collections for Zavvi.com. In the gifting sector, Abysse Corp has been granted European rights to develop a range of giftware, posters and mugs, while Displate will have high-end metal decorative plaques featuring artwork and assets from the games available on its webstore. German partner, Earebel Products GmbH, will be launching a range of innovative Call of Duty branded beanies and headbands with headphones incorporated, while FCSI and Subsonic have

released specialty gaming chairs for the avid gamers across the UK and Europe. This is all in addition to existing apparel and footwear partners, Fashion UK and Brand International, which continue to offer fresh and trend-forward designs to a growing number of fashion retailers and grocers across Europe. Catherine Hupin, associate director at Tinderbox, said: “Fan engagement with Call of Duty has never been higher. Not only can we count on the brand releasing a yearly blockbuster game, but the mobile game and Warzone have led to Call of Duty becoming an evergreen gaming property, resonating with fans all year round. This is reflected in the growing strength of both the licensing programme and sales of products, and we are excited to see the success of the new launches Inset: The Nurgling plush is the first in the new collection. throughout 2022.”

Warhammer plush arrives

Entertainment merchandise specialist Koyo and Games Workshop have expanded their partnership to launch officially licensed Warhammer 40,000 plush toy collectables. The exclusive Nurgling plushie is available now, with an Archibald the Gryph-Hound plushie due to follow. Other creatures from the Mortal Realms and 41st Millennium will be added to the plush collection in the coming months. In addition, Koyo is also expanding its Warhammer 40,000 collectables range with new pin badge sets. These will include the Diorama Pin Badge Set (containing a 3D Necron Pin, Warhammer 40,000 Logo Pin and 3D Space Marine Pin); the Warhammer 40,000 Mystery Faction Pins (series two); plus the Age of Sigmar Mystery Pins (series one).

LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

FOR LICENSING OPPORTUNITIES CONTACT: EUROPE, MIDDLE EAST & AFRICA:

US, CANADA & LATIN AMERICA:

REST OF THE WORLD:

Jason Rice

Alex Gomez

Yoichi Kawamura

Email: jason.rice@sega.co.uk

Email: alex.gomez@segaamerica.com

Email: yo_kawamura@home.segasammy.co.jp

Tel: +44 (0) 208 996 4568

Tel: +1 (747) 400 2410, ext.203

Tel: +81 3 6864 2457

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/SEGA

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STATE OF THE NATION: GAMING

Inset: Reality Gaming Group worked with Toikido to integrate NFTs with plush toys based on Herotainment’s Smighties cartoon series.

Reality Gaming Group offers NFT help Reality Gaming Group has launched a new white label service to help brands from all sectors make the leap into NFTs. The company’s history with blockchain content goes back to 2018 when it released its first NFTpowered AR mobile game, Reality Clash. It has since worked with BBC Studios to integrate NFT technology into Doctor Who: Worlds Apart, a digital card game in which players can buy, sell and trade in-game items for real money. Most recently, Reality Gaming Group teamed up with Toikido to integrate NFTs with plush toys based on Herotainment’s Smighties cartoon series, and worked with boxing icon Floyd Mayweather to launch NFT collectables commemorating his exhibition bout with YouTuber Logan Paul. Reality Gaming Group’s new DAT (Digital Asset Trading) white-label NFT service is seeking to help brands achieve similar results by offering a route to market without the high cost of producing their own smart contracts, stores and crypto-ready backends. “NFTs have huge potential for brands to unlock new consumer markets and revenue streams, so we’re delighted to now be offering the technology to third parties on a white labelled and environmentally sustainable basis,” said Tony Pearce, co-founder of Reality Gaming Group.

Inset: The documentary celebrates 30 years of the classic gaming brand.

Lemmings documentary on the way

A new documentary will shine a light on the iconic video game Lemmings, which is celebrating its 30th birthday this year. Originally developed by DMA Design in Dundee, it was first published for the Commodore Amiga by Liverpool-based Psygnosis in 1991 and has made its way to many other platforms since, including Sony’s PlayStation and, most recently, mobile. The documentary - Lemmings 30th: Can You Dig It? speaks to the people behind its original success, while also celebrating its legacy in gameplay. It will be released in Q4 2021 and has been commissioned by Lemmings mobile publisher, Exient. “Exient has for over two decades developed and published computer/mobile games based on world leading IPs,” commented Julian Jones, chief publishing officer at Exient. “We commissioned the Lemmings 30th anniversary documentary to celebrate what is a true icon of Scottish and British video games culture. We’re very proud and excited that the film shares stories about how the original game was made and its ongoing cultural influence, from the memories and mouths of the people who made it.” LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

Celebrating Sonic’s 30th Anniversary in 2021 Over $1 Billion in Franchise Revenue to Date #1 Video Game Movie of All Time* Over 1.4 Billion Games Sold and Downloaded Games, Movies, Animation, Mobile, Partnerships and more in 2022!

FOR LICENSING OPPORTUNITIES CONTACT: EUROPE, MIDDLE EAST & AFRICA:

US, CANADA & LATIN AMERICA:

REST OF THE WORLD:

Jason Rice Email: jason.rice@sega.co.uk Tel: +44 (0) 208 996 4568

Alex Gomez Email: alex.gomez@segaamerica.com Tel: +1 (747) 400 2410, ext.203

Yoichi Kawamura Email: yo_kawamura@home.segasammy.co.jp Tel: +81 3-6864-2457

www.sonicthehedgehog.com/uk

@Sonic

@sonic_hedgehog

/sonicthehedgehog

/sonic

www.SEGAShop.co.uk ©SEGA

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STATE OF THE NATION: GAMING

RichCast targets IP holders

Inset: RichCast is presenting a new kind of interactive medium, says creators Panivox.

Apex Legends expands further in Japan Retail Monster – the master licensing agent for EA’s multiplayer hero shooter, Apex Legends – has appointed Creative Minds to further expand the brand in Japan. The game has a long history of success in Japan across numerous activations. A limited edition popup store opened in Tokyo earlier this summer to mark the launch of Apex Legends Emergence, while the localised Japanese edition of Apex Legends: Pathfinders’ Quest reached the number one spot according to game book category ranking. Monster Energy also launched limited edition Apex Legends cans. Retail Monster and Creative Minds are now looking to increase the Japanese merchandise line for Apex Legends across the apparel, toys and amusement categories among others. Below: Plans are afoot to expand Apex Legends further in Japan.

A new genre of voice-drive interactive entertainment, which sits between games, YouTube, podcasts, TV and films is set to help IP holders further maximise their brands. RichCast has been created by Panivox and aims to target people across the world who enjoy consuming and creating digital content in all its forms. Launching in full for creators in December, Panivox has already been busy commissioning titles. In the coming months this will start to move towards incentivising content creation through competitions and sponsorships. In addition, Panivox is in the process of commissioning original RichCast content ahead of a soft launch of the platform for players on iOS and Android in Q1 2022. “People crave media – they enjoy it, even more, when it’s familiar IP they know and love and that’s why great IP has amazing value,” said Dr Philip Oliver, ceo and co-founder of Panivox. “To maximise the value of a great IP means presenting it to consumers in many ways to meet their needs for different times and places in their daily lives. “In each use case, it needs to capitialise on the format, be true to the IP and enhance the overall brand. With RichCast we are presenting a new kind of Interactive medium, one that people can engage with like never before. Rather than being passive observers, they can be central to the story making choices with their voices.”

Xbox teams with England football teams

The FA has confirmed that Xbox will become the Official Gaming Partner of the England national teams – across the Lionesses, eLions and the Three Lions, as well as Wembley Stadium. The partnership is a celebration of the ‘driving principle of inclusivity in play’, shared by both Xbox and The FA. The new message of the partnership is ‘When Everybody Plays, We All Win’ to underline this further. “At Xbox we strive to remove barriers and to empower people to experience the joy of play: millions of people around the world find common ground and connect through playing games, as they do with football,” commented Marcos Waltenberg, director of global Xbox partnerships. “In The FA we see a tremendous organisation which has the same drive and ambition to empower people as we do at Xbox. “Through our partnership we aim to bring further value to the England Football Teams and power the dreams of players and fans everywhere.” LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

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STATE OF THE NATION: BRANDS

The brand and lifestyle sector has continued to forge ahead throughout 2021 and, as we approach the final months of the year, a fresh wave of product collaborations and retail launches are on the cards. LSB takes a look at some of the latest activity.

Brands of Brace for Kellogg’s

Pink Key Licensing has secured Dexam International as kitchen textiles partner, with the company developing a range of Kellogg’s branded products based on the archive of characters and vintage advertising. The initial range is due for launch in early 2022, with plans to develop other kitchen accessories categories later on. In addition, the agency has also revealed a new range of Kellogg Christmas food gifting will be available in Primark this festive season. The range has been developed by Kimm and Miller and is the first of its kind in Primark – there will be eight pieces, combining Kellogg’s Pop Tarts with a range of merchandise including plates, toaster tongs, hot chocolate glasses and a Christmas train kit.

Royal connections

Historic Royal Palaces – which evolved its royal brand earlier this year – has launched a number of new licensed collections this autumn. The Royal Mint has unveiled a new range of licensed collectable and bullion coins celebrating The Royal Tudor Beasts. The first coin is the Seymour Panther, which was launched at Hampton Court Palace, where the original Royal Beasts still welcome visitors today. The collection will be released over five years, celebrating the ten beasts chosen by Henry VIII to line the Moat Bridge of Hampton Court Palace. In addition, a new jewellery range inspired by a distinctive royal crown has launched as part of HRP’s partnership with Clogau Gold. The pendant, earrings and bracelet have been inspired by Queen Victoria’s unique small diamond crown. Further collections from Clogau Gold inspired by key events and themes – including the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee – will also be launching. Above: The Seymour Panther is the first coin in the Royal Beasts collection.

LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

Above: A Kimm and Miller food gifting range is launching in Primark.

Next adds Sanderson

High street retailer Next is collaborating with British interiors brand, Sanderson. The collection – which will be exclusive to the retailer - seamlessly coordinates across a range of home products including artwork, curtains, cushions, lampshades and blinds in five print designs: Wisteria, Grandiflora, Sorilla, Caverley and Rose and Peony.

Farah Golf makes its debut Perry Ellis International is expanding the Farah heritage brand into the golf arena, securing a new deal with World Wide Golf. The company will launch its first collection for spring/summer 2022, building on the Farah identity with a fresh outlook. The golden ‘F’ will be transformed into a golf-specific frost green ‘F’ and will feature on products including the classic polo, the Sadun belt and the Reese cap, as well as on branded buttons and zippers. Distinct golf details such as a scorecard pocket can also be found in the range’s trousers. “We are excited to expand our global distribution and partner with World Wide Golf as a prominent retail partner,” said Oscar Feldenkreis, ceo and president of Perry Ellis International. “The global appeal and interest in golf as a sport, especially with a younger consumer, is a natural evolution for the Farah brand.” Left: The Farah heritage brand is moving into the golf arena.

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STATE OF THE NATION: BRANDS

RHS is blooming

RHS has been enjoying success across a variety of licensed categories, as it continues to benefit from consumers’ rediscovered love of their gardens and gardening. New partner Woodlodge Products has unveiled designs for its outdoor planter partnership, with the terracotta, glazed and fibre clay pots featuring designs influenced by artwork from the RHS Lindley Collections. In apparel, RHS has worked with Oasis on a contemporary women’s collection, as well as with the George brand on children’s clothing and accessories which will continue next year. The RHS and Biscuiteers collection of tins and boxes helped move the brand into a new category, while children’s backpacks and meal accessories using environmentally friendly or recycled material from Dexam further underlined RHS’ growing strength in children’s products. Other successful partnerships included decoupage papers with Annie Sloan, plus an eco-friendly RHS Hug Rug collection of barrier mats and runners. Above: The new Woodlodge range has been influenced by artwork from the RHS Lindley Collections.

Above: ARTiSTORY is looking to bring the museum collections to the global licensing marketplace. Above: The two new designs celebrate woodlands and the wildlife that lives there.

National Trust welcomes Sophie Allport British homeware and lifestyle brand, Sophie Allport has collaborated with the National Trust on two new collections, Hedgehogs and Trees. Combining Sophie’s love for nature and wildlife, with the National Trust’s environmental and wildlife conservation expertise, the two new designs celebrate woodlands and the wildlife that lives there. Items across the collections include fine bone china mugs, kitchen and table linen, bags, accessories, bedding, notebooks, knitwear, pet beds and stoneware among others.

Cultural connections Art and cultural IP licensing specialist, ARTiSTORY has been busy building its portfolio through 2021. Launched in January, its cultural partners include the Brooklyn Museum, the National Gallery, the Museum of Fine Arts, the National Palace Museum and Dunhuang. ARTiSTORY is now looking to bring the museum collections to the global licensing marketplace, with the design team having created on-trend prints, patterns and product designs inspired by artists and art movements. Licensees are invited to work with ARTiSTORY across multiple product categories and territories.

First UK deals for Kraft Heinz

Brand Central and Metrostar have unveiled a raft of new partners for Kraft Heinz in the UK. Amscan will be launching kids and adults dress-up costumes featuring Heinz Tomato Ketchup and Beanz, while YWOW Brands is bringing its own special take on puzzles to products featuring Heinz Tomato Ketchup, Beanz, Soup and Pasta. In the softlines arena, Bioworld is developing nightwear and daywear for Heinz Tomato Ketchup, Beanz, Pasta and HP Sauce. To finish the fashion ensemble, Roy Lowe will deliver socks and sock-based gifts featuring Heinz Tomato Ketchup, Beanz, Soup and HP Sauce. The food gifting category has been licensed to Kimm and Miller, with its gifting programme featuring Heinz Tomato Ketchup, Tomato Soup and HP Sauce and includes products for Primark and other national retailers. Brand Central and Metrostar are now seeking further partners in the stationery, kitchen and homewares, apparel accessories and tech accessories categories. They will be exhibiting at Brand Licensing Europe’s online event from 30 November to 2 December. Above: A raft of new partners have signed in the UK for Kraft Heinz. LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

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STATE OF THE NATION: BRANDS

LMI heading to ExCeL

LMI will be exhibiting both physically and virtually at Brand Licensing Europe, showcasing its healthy brand portfolio. This includes ACER - a new addition for LMI – which is available for licensing along with associated brands including AOPEN, Emachines, Gateway, Packard Bell and Predator. Recently licensed categories for British Motor Heritage include apparel, gifts, e-bikes and e-scooters, while the programme for motorcycle brand BSA is being spearheaded by Poetic Brands which is using heritage artwork across apparel. New product categories include watches, leather jackets and figurines, while a new range of BSA motorcycles is due to be launched in December at the NEC motorcycle show. The programme for Highclere Castle continues to grow with a new range Above: The ISA programme now has over 60 licensees. of quilts and pillows under the Sidanda brand name in China. Finally, the International Space Archives licensing programme now has over 60 licensees, building on the awareness of space travel and Mars exploration. LMI will be featuring imagery and mission patches from global space programmes including (but not limited to) NASA.

Inset: Desmond and Dempsey created a limited edition Jurassicinspired collection.

Collabs continue for NHM 2021 has been another whirlwind year for the Natural History Museum’s licensing programme, with a series of new product launches that continue to demonstrate how innovative the brand can be. Most recently, the Epic Dino collection with ‘fancy pyjama’ makers Desmond and Dempsey launched, taking inspiration from the Museum’s archives, vintage designs and old textbook illustrations, resulting in a limited edition Jurassic-inspired collection for men, women and children. The team worked closely with the Museum to develop three distinct design directions, one of which was inspired by Dippy, the Museum’s infamous Diplodocus cast, which has spent the last two years touring the UK on a mission to connect the nation with nature. Looking to 2022, the Museum has a series of upcoming collaborations including a significant product launch due for spring which spans multiple categories with sustainability at its core. New relationships have also been forged with Blueprint Collections for a stationery range, plus online retailer Joanie for an apparel line.

This is Iris teams with Their Nibs This is Iris has expanded its portfolio, teaming with fashion brand Their Nibs for a new partnership. Created in 2003 by Fiona Bell, a former fashion buyer and head of womenswear at Laura Ashley, Their Nibs has blossomed from its early days as a boutique store in Notting Hill into an online destination for lovers of inspired prints. The brand has an engaged social media following, with its online collections repeatedly selling out and a partnership with John Lewis – which began in 2020 – exceeding all expectations. Notably, its Untamed Cheetah print continues to be a John Lewis bestseller and is included in the retailer’s top ten best selling prints of 2021. The first licensee to join the Their Nibs UK programme is Art Cushions which will be representing the brand across its range of cushions, Above: Their Nibs prints deckchairs, stools, lampshades have proved popular and other interior accessories. across nightwear.

LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

Licensing Eden’s

The Eden Project, one of the UK’s most optimistic and engaging social enterprises, has sustainability at its heart. Eden is a charity. Its global mission is ‘to create a movement that builds relationships between people and the natural world to demonstrate the power of working together for the benefit of all living things’. Eden’s licensing programme is built on a foundation of long term, purposeful partnerships that provide sustainable, often unique, products and services. It is a growing licensing programme that leads the way.

The programme is also about being joyful, creating the unexpected and using the Eden Project brand to tell engaging stories about amazing products.

Focusing on a low carbon, circular model, Eden’s licensing recognises that our future wellbeing depends on working with nature, understanding that resources are finite and that waste is not an option. Eden has pledged to go beyond net zero becoming a climate positive organisation by 2030. Join us. For further information, please contact June Kirkwood, Nutmeg Licensing: june@nutmeglicensing.co.uk Registered charity number 1093070 (The Eden Trust)

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STATE OF THE NATION: BRANDS

Bountiful year for Brandgenuity

Brandgenuity has been experiencing a busy year. New highlights from the portfolio include MINI, with the company eyeing the lifestyle and mobility categories, as well as Sazerac and its Southern Comfort and Fireball brands, both of which Brandgenuity is looking to build into food and beverage, lifestyle and brand collaborations. Meanwhile, the company is aiming to expand the Kahlua coffee liqueur brand beyond spirits and into food and beverage categories. The agency also continues to elevate the BMW licensing programme with fashion and luxury goods including watches, eyewear and apparel with global partners Fossil, Marcolin and PUMA respectively. The NFLPA licensing programme has expanded into new retailers in the UK and Germany, while EA has had its most successful year with the Madden franchise. The Hawaiian Tropic body mists continue to offer new fragrances and formulations, while the first products for Unilever hit the shelves of Zara during the summer with ice cream-inspired apparel. Finally, the Ed Stafford experiential kids summer camps were a big success, with forest smock jackets also recently launching.

Above: Brandgenuity is looking to grow the Southern Comfort brand into new categories.

Below: A range of food and gift items will be launching.

Positive growth at Smiley

Infinity Brands adds Frida Kahlo Art Ask Agency is continuing to build the licensing programme for Frida Kahlo, revealing a collaboration with Infinity Brands. The company – which trades as Keep Calm and Carry On Beverage Company – is on board for a range of food and gift items for the UK and EU. The plan is for products including biscuits and cookies, chocolates, tea, hot chocolate and confectionery, married with complementary gift items. Darren Rickless, md of Infinity Brands, said: “Frida’s iconic image and work offers us real opportunities to engage with both new and existing retail customers to offer products which will resonate with the huge number of consumers already in love with this brand.”

Fruit-tella ready for BLE

Below: The Jolie by Monte Carlo range has been a hit for Smiley.

Smiley celebrated 51% growth in the first eight months of 2021. This is the biggest growth in the company’s history with over 130 product launches spreading positivity across categories and continents. Just some of the tie-ups included Joshua Sanders, Market, Moschino, Sandro, Ellesse, Kangol and Zara in the fashion space; Tsingtao beer, Lutti sweets and McCain’s in FMCG; Brinox Cosa in home; Thalia for stationery; and Jolie by Monte Carlo for jewellery. In addition, Smiley has launched its 2023 Future Positive campaign as part of its long-term strategy of putting the planet and its inhabitants at the forefront of a sustainable future. The campaign will bring together future-thinking brands to curate a range of limited edition sustainable lifestyle products, as well as brand experiences and charitable giving opportunities. Packaging, POS and brand assets will also be made from sustainable sources.

Right: Fruit-tella has joined the Perfetti van Melle portfolio.

Perfetti van Melle will be unveiling the latest addition to its portfolio at Brand Licensing Europe: Fruit-tella. Licensing Matters Global will be looking to leverage the brand’s associations with authentic fruit taste, playful colours and positivity into lifestyle categories. In addition to this, the company is continuing to build the Chupa Chups brand – which has been enjoying some good success within the fashion space – as well as Mentos, which had a limited edition collection of nail polish with Coty’s Sally Hansen earlier this year.

LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

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THE BASS LINE

An alternative awards Below: Pret a Manger opened concessions in Tesco and developed retail ready croissants and coffee.

Adam Bass, md of Golden Goose, floats some alternative awards categories which could reflect the unprecedented nature of the past 18 months.

hankfully after the disruption caused by the pandemic, this year saw the return of the much-loved Licensing Awards and Brand & Lifestyle Licensing Awards, with both firmly back in our business calendar. However, I’ve also come up with some exceptional award categories for what could perhaps form the Pandemic Lifestyle & Licensing Awards (or the P&LLAs). Inset: The expectation of flexible and remote working is now bakes in with employees.

The Stretch ‘till it Hurts Award With even Pret and Primark closed for business, it was definitely adapt or die for business. Events went virtual, restaurants sold DIY food kits, pubs turned into takeaways and beer brands produced hand sanitiser. Great British entrepreneurialism was put to the test in every sector. However, our expert judging panel (me) chooses Pret a Manger as the winner: it opened concessions in Tesco and developed retail ready croissants and coffee. Runner up went to the new owner of ‘toiletpaperonline.com’. Entrants for this category should use an alternative company name when applying.

The Shiva Award

If you successfully developed an alternative income stream, you now have an alternative business. In practise that means setting up a virtual stand and a real stand at BLE with real life and virtual meetings. This many-armed god statuette surely goes to Leon’s Henry Dimbleby who somehow found time to advise DEFRA on its food strategy, while also running a restaurant chain and retail operation. If only the UK had some crop-pickers for the recommended healthy food lying in the fields. Next year this prize will be awarded to the person who, in a live competition, can hit the most targets with a bow and arrow simultaneously.

LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

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THE BASS LINE

The Life’s Too Short Award

If there’s one thing the pandemic has taught us, it’s the importance of home, family, a stable place to live and good mental health. Anything that gets in the way of these things is no longer desirable (long hours driving up and down the motorway on your own anyone?). When working from home is so helpful to your work life balance, why would people rush to get back to the office? If you’re running a company with employees the expectation of flexible and remote working is now baked in. The presentation of this award will be via zoom, just make sure to blur your background.

The Cry into your Soup Award To all who saw a product fail to launch, an event cancelled, a film rushed out on Netflix, we feel your pain. Licensing needs careful, patient shepherding of partnerships to fruition and the disintegration of one side of the partnership is generally fatal to success. As a licensing agency we’ve seen plenty of licensees fail, but to see established clients fall was definitely a shock. While tempted to claim the win for our unseen Oasis Furniture range in Sainsburys/Argos, do send in your nominations. This award may never actually be presented though.

The Empty Bag of Cash Award Nominations include restaurant brands that missed their chance to licence into retail and any brand (our clients included) that turned their nose up at Iceland, B&M, The Range and Home Bargains which saw massive revenue growth last year. The clear winner though is the NHS which, in 2020 alone, could have generated enough money to temporarily fill its emptying money bucket. Sadly, the strategy piece we delivered in 2018 is still sitting on a government desk somewhere. Other nominations are welcome but they are likely to be ducked, delegated, ignored or overlooked.

Inset: Was a licensing strategy for the NHS an overlooked opportunity?

The Peter and Paul School of Finance Award Licensing is a trust-based business and that has to work both ways. Any licensor that decided to play hardball over royalty payments and minimum guarantees during a nuclear winter of trading conditions was thinking short-term to say the least. While we did our fare share of horsetrading, the overwhelming response from licensees has been to acknowledge and appreciate the flexibility offered and make good eventually. So, while there may be some manufacturers which are up for this award they are, hopefully, making good on the promises that kept them afloat. In any case, the clear winner is the UK Government’s very own Rishi Sunak who has made the future look far more red than orange. To attend these awards please bring a PCR test, proof of your vaccination status, a sample of blood sweat and tears spent staying afloat during the last 18 months, and validation that your liver is able to tolerate the consumption of your own bodyweight in alcohol. See you there. Left: ‘History is going to be dominated by an improbable event’ said Nassim Taleb in The Black Swan. Right: Not even Mystic Meg could have predicted the ‘unprecedented’ turn of events in 2020.

The Mystic Meg Award

Licensing success depends on consumers and, if we’ve learnt anything from events forever known as ‘unprecedented’, consumers can suddenly start stockpiling toilet roll, applauding healthcare professionals or donating £30m to fund a 100 year old’s stroll around his garden. Licensing and retail invest in market opportunity so forecasting is a complex blend of one part intuition, two part analysis, two parts experience and five parts luck. Forecasts are valuable for setting best case and worst case scenarios but as anyone who read Nassim Taleb’s The Black Swan back in 2007 knows: “history is going to be dominated by an improbable event.” He wins this award hands down this year and all future years, until one year he doesn’t. LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

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B&LLA’S2021PARTYPAGES

Brand and Deliver?...

...It Certainly Did!

The Brand and Lifestyle Licensing Awards 2021 (B&LLAs) event was a wonderful celebration of the achievements and initiatives which have abounded from the brand licensing community over the last year or so, despite the challenges presented by the pandemic. Hosted by Dom Joly, the afternoon event, which took place at the Hilton Hotel on London’s Park Lane, brought everyone together from this dynamic sector to celebrate and network with aplomb. LSB shares a ﬂavour of the uplifting B&LLAs 2021…

Inset: Broadcaster, writer and comedian Dom Joly gave a sneak peek from his current Holiday Snaps tour as well as hosting the awards ceremony. Right: Tesco’s brand licensing manager Pippa Woods (left) enjoying a glass of fizz with Fashion UK’s joint managing director Hannah Miles at the awards’ drinks reception party.

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Top: All the winners of The B&LLAs 2021 took to the stage with their trophies, with host Dom Joly (centre front) and the Max Publishing team joining the happy scene. Above: Headline sponsor of The B&LLAs, the Informa/BLE team, headed up by Anna Knight (5th right), were out in force. Left: The glittering prizes!

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B&LLA’S2021PARTYPAGES Inset:The tables were feast for the eyes, including Pringles napkin rings and table numbers.

Inset: By way of introduction to the event’s charity’s raffle, Simon Gresswell, founder of SGLP shared how he is in training for being in one of the two teams of plucky licensing folk to swim across the Channel next year to raise money for The Light Fund charity.

Inset: A trio of National Trust treasures (left-right) Becky Stanford, Clare Brown and Sandy Althaus.

Inset: (left-right) Claire Potter (Metrostar), Paul Black (Andersen Press), Maria Stuff (Metrostar), Donna Thurgood (Bioworld International), Alice MilnerWatt (Andersen Press) and Mel Beer (Amscan). Left: (right-left) Joint managing directors of Max Publishing (owners and organisers of The B&LLAs) Ian Hyder and Jakki Brown on stage with Dom Joly, the host of the event. Below: (left-right) Smiffys’ directors Elliott and Dominique Peckett with Max Publishing director Rob Willis.

Inset: (Left-right) Francesca Lisle (Lisle Licensing), Deborah Haigh (Lisle Licensing), Kirsty Barr (Grapevine PR) and Sue Stanley (Brands In).

Inset: Rick Lowe, founder and md of Brands In was the lucky winner of the charity raffle’s star prize – a trip to Las Vegas (donated by Informa), with LSB’s editor Samantha Loveday having the joy of delivering the winning envelope.

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Inset: Left-right) Richard Pink and Rona Purdham (both Pink Key Licensing); Helen Lynch (Home Bargains) and Andy Hope (CRS). Below and below that: Sara Miller gave an insightful pre-awards speech about establishing the Sara Miller London brand. (Right-left) Sara Miller London’s Ally Kennard, Rachel Leathers, Sarah Papadopoulos, Sara Miller and Charlie Czul (Portico Designs).

Right: Cheers! Enjoying some cocktails in the foyer bar after the awards ceremony.

Inset: (Right-left) Denise Penn (Octane5), Lisa Hutchinson (Unilever), Susan Bolsover, Russell Watts and Melissa Minty (all Penguin Ventures).

Inset: (Right-left) National Gallery’s Judith Mathers and Zoryana Mishchiy with Prestige Flowers’ Maryam Ghani, Millie Rawsthorne, Philip Crowther and Alexander Biggart.

Inset: It was so good for brand licensing community to get back together and have fun!

Right The V&A’s Lauren Sizeland was pleased as punch with the trophy for the museum’s collaboration with Mulberry handbags.

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BEST BRAND LICENSED FASHION ACCESSORIES OR LIFESTYLE PRODUCT OR RANGE WINNER Left: Bethan Garton, commercial director of The Point.1888, sponsor of this award category had the pleasure of announcing the first winner of The B&LLAs 2021.

sponsored by

Right: (centre) Lauren Sizeland V&A’s head of business development and licensing was delighted to receive the trophy from Bethan Garton, commercial director of The Point.1888, sponsor of this award category.

V&A Bags and Accessories Collection from Mulberry

BEST BRAND LICENSED FOOD OR BEVERAGE PRODUCT OR RANGE WINNER Barratt Ice Creams from Ice Fresh

sponsored by

Right: Collecting the award on behalf of Ice Fresh was (second left-right); Janine Richmond (The Point.1888’s head of product and brand); Oliver Gilding (Iceland’s trading manager); Will Stewart (md of The Point.1888); Hannah Stevens (The Point.1888’s head of retail and sport); Sally Bentley (Iceland’s trading manager); Bethan Garton (commercial director of The Point.1888) Russell Tanner (Barratt’s marketing and category director) who were presented with the trophy by Daniel Avener, ceo of MDR Brand Management, sponsor of this award.

Left: Daniel Avener, ceo of MDR Brand Management, sponsor of this award took to the lectern, little did he know he would be returning to receive the Brand Licensing Ambassador award later.

BEST SUPERMARKET OF LICENSED BRANDS Left: As sponsor of this award, CAA-GBG’s brand director Sonya Tak and business development director, Oliver Stanton shared the lovely job of announcing the winner.

sponsored by

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Right: (centre) Daniel Avener, ceo of MDR Brand Management and (second left) Alona Hougui, its global brand and communications manager, collected the award on behalf of IG Design Group from CAA-GBG’s Oliver Stanton and brand director Sonya Tak, sponsor of this award.

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WINNER

Eve Sleep Well Slept Collection from IG Design Group

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BEST BRAND LICENSED ADULT APPAREL PRODUCT OR RANGE

WINNER

Right: Victoria Whellans, the group brands director for lifestyle of Wildbrain CPLG, sponsor of this award, opened the gold envelope.

sponsored by

Natural History Museum Collection from Finisterre

Rght: (centre) Maxine Lister, head of licensing for the Natural History Museum accepted the trophy on behalf of Finisterre from Victoria Whellans, the group brands director for lifestyle of Wildbrain CPLG, sponsor of this award.

BEST BRAND LICENSED GIFTING PRODUCT OR RANGE Left: Charlie Boss chief commercial officer of The Jockey Club, sponsor of this award category took to the lectern to announce the winner.

sponsored by

Far right: (centre) Pippa Chamberlain, creative director of Blueprint Collections, took to the stage with her colleague (second right) Suzanne Chater, product development director, and Marijn Veraart, licensing manager at Van Gogh Museum to receive the award from (far right) Charlie Boss, chief commercial officer of The Jockey Club, sponsor of this award.

WINNER

Van Gogh Stationery and Gifting Collection from Blueprint Stationery

BEST BRAND LICENSED HOMEWARES, KITCHEN & TABLETOP PRODUCT OR RANGE WINNER Country Living Whitstable and Hastings Kitchens from Homebase sponsored by

Right: As sponsor, (far right) Richard Pink, managing director of Pink Key Licensing presented the trophy to (second right to left) to Sharon Douglas (Hearst’s chief brand officer); Louise Pearce (Hearst’s director of content); Clara Hobday (senior buyer for Homebase); Lou McArthur (Hearst’s head of licensing, lifestyle); Chantel-Rose Pidduck (buyer for Homebase) and Alexandra Bovey (Hearst’s licensing executive).

Right: The ever smiling, Richard Pink, managing director of Pink Key Licensing, which represent Pringles, sponsor of this award announced the winner.

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BEST BRAND LICENSED CHILDREN’S PRODUCT OR RANGE

WINNER

Left: Robyn Cowling, head of strategic partnerships of Asgard Media, sponsor of this award, was happy to announce the winner.

sponsored by

Right: The LEGO Group’s senior global licensing manager (second left) Stephanie Freeman and licensing professional (second left) Sam Hocking collected the award on behalf of Adidas from Robyn Cowling, head of strategic partnerships of Asgard Media, sponsor of this award.

Classic LEGO Bricks Collection from Adidas

BEST BRAND LICENSED ELECTRICAL & DIY PRODUCTS OR RANGE WINNER Paul Smith Braun Collection from Zeon

sponsored by

Above: Adam Bass, managing director of Golden Goose, sponsor of this award category.

Right: Natasha Szymaniak, Beanstalk’s associate director of brand development collected the trophy on behalf of Zeon from (right) Adam Bass, managing director of Golden Goose, sponsor of this award.

BEST BRAND LICENSED HOME DECOR PRODUCT OR RANGE WINNER Left: As Start Licensing was sponsor of this award, its director, Ian Downes did the honours at the lectern.

sponsored by

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Far right: Sanderson Design Group’s head of partnerships, Fleur Neal (centre), licensing manager Liz Bonnert (second right) and licensing coordinator Dhamina Mistry collected the trophy on behalf of Next from Ian Downes, director of Start Licensing, the sponsor of this award.

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Scion Living x Next from Next

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INSPIRED INNOVATION BRAND LICENSED PRODUCT OR RANGE AWARD

WINNER

Right: Presenting this award as category sponsor, were Discovery Consumer Products’ senior director, international creative, Alison Paye (right) and the company’s director of international strategy and marketing, Charlotte Payne.

sponsored by

Marmite Houmous from Freshpak Chilled Foods

Far right: (second right) Lisa Hutchinson, Unilever’s global licensing executive collected the award on behalf of Freshpak from award sponsor Discovery Consumer Products’ director of international strategy and marketing, Charlotte Payne (second left) and its senior director of international creative, Alison Paye.

BEST FASHION RETAILER OF LICENSED BRANDS Left: Serena Sibbald, vice president and co-head, brand management of Beanstalk, sponsor of this award opened the gold envelope to reveal the winner.

sponsored by

WINNER

Far right: Max Publishing’s Emma Cain (right) collected the award on behalf ASOS from Serena Sibbald, vice president and co-head, brand management of Beanstalk, sponsor of this award.

ASOS

BEST DEPARTMENT STORE OR MIXED RETAILER OF LICENSED BRANDS WINNER John Lewis & Partners

sponsored by

Right: John Lewis & Partners’ buyer Elaine Hooper (second left) and merchandiser Neil Amer were delighted to receive the trophy from Claire Potter, managing director of Metrostar, sponsor of this award category.

Right: Claire Potter, managing director of Metrostar, sponsor of this award category, composed herself before announcing the winner.

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BEST SUPERMARKET OF LICENSED BRANDS WINNER

Left: Jo Edwards, head of global licensing for TSBA, sponsor of this award took to the lectern to announce the winner.

sponsored by

Right: (right-left) As sponsor of this award, TSBA’s head of global licensing Jo Edwards presented the trophy to Iceland Foods’ head of exclusive brands Lauren Metcalfe, its trading manager for exclusive brands Oliver Gilding and trading manager Sally Bentley.

Iceland

BEST SPECIALIST RETAILER OF LICENSED BRANDS WINNER

sponsored by

Boots

Right: H&A’s director of category development, Holly Casling (centre) collected the trophy on behalf of Boots from Teri Niadna, managing director of Brandgenuity, the sponsor of this award.

Above: The pleasure of opening the gold winner for this award fell to Teri Niadna, managing director of Brandgenuity, the sponsor of this category.

BEST LICENSED HERITAGE OR INSTITUTION BRAND Left: Greg McDonald, account manager of Informa/Brand Licensing Europe, sponsor of this award and headline sponsor, took to the lectern to reveal the winner.

WINNER

Far right: Collecting her second trophy at The B&LLAs 2021, Maxine Lister, the Natural History Museum’s head of licensing collected the award from Greg McDonald, account manager of Informa/Brand Licensing Europe, sponsor of this award and headline sponsor of The B&LLAs.

sponsored by

Natural History Museum

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BEST LICENSED LIFESTYLE BRAND Right: As sponsor of this award category, Helena Mansell-Stopher, founder and ceo of Products of Change and Rob Hutchins, POC’s editor and community manager shared the joy in announcing the winner.

sponsored by

WINNER

The LEGO Group

Right: (second left-right) The LEGO Group’s licensing manager, Stephanie Freeman and licensing professional (second left) Sam Hocking collected the trophy from Products of Change’s editor and community manager, Rob Hutchins and Helena Mansell-Stopher, its ceo and founder, sponsor of this award category.

BEST LICENSED DESIGN-LED LIFESTYLE BRAND WINNER

sponsored by

Above: David Bowyer, operations director of Poetic Brands, sponsor of this award had the pleasure of revealing the winner.

Scion

Above: (second left-right) Fleur Neal, head of partnerships of Sanderson Design Group collected the award with colleagues licensing manager Liz Bonnert (second right) and licensing coordinator Dhamina Mistry that was presented to them by David Bowyer, operations director of Poetic Brands, sponsor of this award.

BEST LICENSED FOOD OR BEVERAGE BRAND WINNER

The Coca-Cola Company

Right: Sasha Lerner, vp brand management EMEA of CAA-GBG, which represents Coca-Cola collected the trophy from Max Publishing’s joint managing director Ian Hyder, on behalf of HEAD, sponsor of this award.

Right: Guiseppe Faranna, vice president of licensing of HEAD, sponsor of this award, joined the event via video to announce the winner.

sponsored by

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BEST LICENSED FASHION OR TALENT BRAND WINNER

sponsored by

Above: Livy Coare, licensing and marketing manager of H&A, sponsor of this award category was all smiles as she revealed the winner.

Joules

Above: (second left-right) Joules’ wholesale and partnerships director, Rimal Patel; print designer licensing, Rebecca Bushell; assistant licensing manager, Kim Lyon and senior licensing designer, Nicola White-Reed were presented with the trophy by Livy Coare, licensing and marketing manager of H&A, sponsor of this award category.

BRAND LICENSING AMBASSADOR 2021 WINNER Daniel Avener, ceo of MDR Brand Management

Daniel shared how it felt to receive the award…“I am completely honoured to receive this amazing award and the Brand & Lifestyle Licensing Awards has become the pinnacle event of brand licensing and continues to grow in strength and importance every year. MDR was set up three years ago to address the growing complexities that brand owners face in today’s consumer marketplace and the timing of this award marks an important milestone for the company and, more importantly, for our clients and the brilliant and talented team that makes MDR what it is today. I am delighted that our clients have chosen to come on this journey with us and we will continue to strive to deliver excellence and a ‘unique brand of brand management’ in the next phase of our development.” sponsored by

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Above: Daniel Avener gave an impromptu acceptance speech providing a suitably emotional finale to The B&LLAs 2021 award ceremony. Left: Daniel Avener, ceo of MDR Brand Management with his trophy.

An excerpt of the speech Jakki Brown, joint md of Max Publishing gave…

“We honour someone whose commercially curious and challenging mind has opened doors and made things happen in our industry. Their entry into the licensing industry was as, many other before them, as a young sales exec at Copyright Promotions, effectively the industry’s own university of learning. Even back then, he was always exploring new opportunities, drawing on an innate ability to spot trends to open up fruitful discussions that so many others would have missed. Of course, things move on and the attraction of being part of a new thrusting start-up was right up their street, signalling the end of an era and the start of a new licensing chapter which brought them into the heart of brand licensing. Our award recipient played an integral role in the launch of TLC and made a tremendous contribution to the company’s ensuing success, embracing the then embryonic brand licensing arena. His next move was a culmination of his heartfelt belief that things can be done differently as long as you have a vision and the energy to pursue it. Developing a brand licensing agency inside a law firm was certainly novel thinking, but they quite rightly spotted the potential of the crossover of clients and the accumulated experience the relationship offered. So in 2018, MDR Brand Management made its debut as the licensing arm of revered law firm Mischon de Reya with our award recipient as its ceo. This new venture has made rapid progress and our winner’s hunch has more than paid off. With a raft of new clients, its reach has significantly expanded with the opening of three offices in India and by acquiring Click Licensing Asia with its offices in eight markets. This impressive growth has not been at the expense of the planet, with sustainability very much at the core of their activities. You can do business in different ways but ultimately success in brand licensing requires clear thinking, an agile approach, tenacity, flair as well as a steady hand on the tiller. Our winner has all of this in abundance. He is someone who has made a fantastic contribution to brand licensing but I get the distinct feeling that he has far from finished.”

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Inset: After retiring from service in 1963, The Flying Scotsman underwent a complete restoration and returned to the tracks in 2016. Below: Gemma Woodward, senior partnerships manager, Science Museum Group.

THE FLYING SCOTSMAN

With the centenary of The Flying Scotsman coming down the tracks for 2023, there will be plentiful opportunities for licensees and retailers to get involved, with a revamped style guide making the most of the 100 years iconography. LSB finds out more from Science Museum Group on how plans are building around the iconic locomotive.

Full steam ahead W

nearer the ith 2023 marking the time, centenary of The Flying however Scotsman, Gemma Gemma does tease that discussions Woodward, senior partnerships are progressing with a number of manager at Science Museum high profile partners, “those that Group, is already excited about the you might expect and others that opportunities this affords the you wouldn’t”. licensing programme for the Gemma continues: “In many ways, iconic locomotive. this is like working toward s a “To date, the Scotsman and its movie release date, except activity brand has largely been perceived surrounding the anniversary needs as something for locomotive to last for an entire year. One thing we can tease for enthusiasts and aficionados - while this is certainly now though, is to expect very exciting news for true, it doesn’t fully reflect the broad reach that we children’s publishing imminently.” know the Scotsman has,” Gemma tells LSB. “Through One thing which can be confirmed is a revamped insight reports, personal requests and social media, style guide, courtesy of Beacon Creative which built we know that the Scotsman has a significant on the existing Flying Scotsman following across multi-generational guide specifically for the centenary. groups - families and children of all Special edition anniversary ages have huge affection for this packaging and ‘100 years’ giant icon of steam. iconography has been added, while “In many ways, this seems obvious Beacon also helped create new when one considers the popularity of graphics such as posters and ‘power vehicles’ in character licensing patterns, as well as product – the Scotsman firmly resides in this applications ideas, inspired by arena, but as an actual realthe locomotive’s route and life locomotive.” speed record. With this at the fore, the anniversary For licensees, Gemma believes licensing programme will not only that working with The Flying celebrate the Scotsman’s remarkable Inset: The Flying Scotsman was Scotsman holds appeal for a centenary, but also herald the start of designed by Sir Nigel Gresley and built in Doncaster in 1923. number of reasons. a much broader offering. Details will “For some, it’s simply its history, remain tightly under wraps until much

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THE FLYING SCOTSMAN Inset: To date the licensing

programme has primarily engineering and record-breaking speed – all of which focused on collectables and lend themselves particularly well to certain product models with partners including Hornby and Steiff. categories,” she says. “Others are keen to tap into the romance of the Age of Steam. After the last year or so, heritage brands are providing even more comfort than before, not to mention domestic travel has never been so pertinent. However, as an evergreen brand, licensees know that they are buying into longevity and enduring popularity, which makes for a safer bet at retail.” Gemma continues: “On a practical note, the Scotsman has an instantly the Scotsman’s 100th birthday in recognisable look, which translates beautifully to February - several of our licensed image-based products. The wealth of material products will share this as their (original travel posters, tickets, menus, luggage launch date. Events, stunts and labels, etc) means that licensees have a lot to be celebrations will continue inspired by and have the ability to refresh product throughout 2023 – you won’t be regularly. There are several key categories which able to miss it,” Gemma concludes. Gemma and the team are hoping to cement by the end of this year and further signings are being finalised. Product development is fully The Flying Scotsman: Need to know underway and with Brand Licensing The Flying Scotsman service from London to Edinburgh, through beautiful countryside of moorland, rolling hills, farms, country towns Europe around the corner (stand C226), it’s and villages has existed since 1862, with the iconic locomotive certainly a busy time. named after the route. “As we head into 2022, there are still Designed by Sir Nigel Gresley and built in Doncaster in 1923, the certain spaces within categories and we are Flying Scotsman received her name and number for the British Exhibition in 1924. looking to fill those particularly within gifting, Officially retiring from service in 1963, the Scotsman was privately grooming and travel games,” says Gemma. bought and ran in the UK as well as visiting the US and Australia. “Food and drink collaborations, as well as Eventually purchased by the National Railway Museum in recognition of its national importance, the Flying Scotsman underwent a apparel, continue to be very important to us complete restoration and returned to the tracks in 2016. and we will seek to lock these down. We are The Scotsman is perhaps best known for breaking the record for also hoping to build on the success we’ve had the fastest locomotive, back in 1934, clocking in at 100mph. with the Lloyds Bank brand partnership in In the 1930s, the train also had a cocktail bar and hairdressing salon – LSB can only imagine the skill and steady hand required to cut 2020/21, which featured the Scotsman in its passengers’ hair when moving at high speed. advertising campaign.” The Flying Scotsman’s centenary announcement will take place in October 2022 at Kings Cross station and then it really will be full steam ahead. Inset: The Flying “The real fanfare for the Scotsman is the world’s most famous centenary begins in steam locomotive. 2023 and

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2023 sees the centenary of the world’s most famous locomotive, the Flying Scotsman. A beacon of modern achievement, Flying Scotsman epitomises the Golden Age of British ingenuity, invention and craftmanship. • New partners already on board, including high end collectibles • Evergreen partnership with Hornby • Many exciting events and activities planned across the country during the centenary year • Re-vamped style guide with new photography and artwork available now

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THE REOPENING OF CULTURE

Culture club

Inset: Audley End is among the 400+ sites cared for by English Heritage. Below: Kingston Myles, head of commercial development, English Heritage.

LSB speaks to the Natural History Museum, Van Gogh Museum, ARTiSTORY, V&A, English Heritage and the Ashmolean to find out how 2021 has been, how their licensing programmes have developed, challenges and focuses for 2022.

Kingston Myles, head of commercial development, English Heritage “For all heritage and cultural institutions 2021 has been a challenge and particularly as a charity, English Heritage has felt its impact. However, we’ve been welcoming back members and visitors to our sites in line with government guidance and it’s great to see the sites come to life as people spend more time exploring on domestic holidays and adventures. 2021 has been an exciting year for our licensing programme - the appointment of Golden Goose as our primary licensing agent late in 2020 has meant several concept meetings, discussions with new brands and prospective licensees. We’ve planned a roadmap for the licensing programme which will see several new products begin to launch in SS22 and very much hope to see these broaden the reach of the English Heritage brand. The focus for the remainder of the year is to continue sharing the depth of our collection with Golden Goose, prospective

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licensees and the new licensees we have signed. With a licensing programme re-kindling as a business, there is a hugely exciting opportunity for us to bring to life elements of the national heritage collection that might be otherwise missed, especially where those assets are in more remote sites. It’s about learning as much as we can to ensure the programme showcases as much as is possible. Immersive events offer a unique storytelling experience which we hope to expand into in the near future. We care for over 400 sites and each of these has an incredible array of stories to tell; as the market for immersive experiences expands we hope to use these to bring these stories to life. I would highly encourage heritage institutions to explore their assets and collections in the context of a licensing programme – the licensing sector still has a vast capacity for the heritage sector to reach into and the more credible heritage-inspired products are released across the board, the more robust our brands will all become as an option for licensees to work with.”

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THE REOPENING OF CULTURE

Declan McCarthy, head of publishing and licensing, The Ashmolean “I felt that the start [of the year] was cautious in terms of licensing, as the country was still in lockdown. There was uncertainty around reopening and the proposition of further restrictions, but it has certainly started to gather pace from the summer onwards. Certainly getting the Museum back open and seeing the joy on visitors’ faces as they enter is always a highlight. We now have school groups back in, which is great to see. In terms of launches, I think our partnership with Conway Stewart commencing with a very special ‘Ruskin’ pen was a really enjoyable experience for all concerned. I hope this will be the start of a collectable Above: Declan McCarthy, head of publishing and series. Another highlight licensing, The Ashmolean. Inset: The Conway Stewart was the launch of a very partnership began with the special boxed set of launch of a special ‘Ruskin’ pen. facsimile Raphael drawings. These were beautifully replicated and the box matches the leather boxes that the real drawings are stored in. We were very fortunate that a number of really good partnerships were already in place, or about to come to fruition [ahead of lockdown], and we could rely on that for a time. We had only just starting working with Start Licensing in the January before the first closures in March, which meant we very quickly had to move to remote meetings, but Ian kept us positive. We did a lot more ‘reaching out’ and also using more digital tools to help keep the Ashmolean name out there. For the next few months we are focused on new partnerships in co-publishing and home and garden categories. We also are working towards partnerships in fashion retail. The Ashmolean Museum is still a relative newcomer to the licensing arena, so I feel that we have so much to offer that may not have been explored before in this sector. It is a really exciting time for us.”

Inset: Maxine celebrating the Natural History Museum’s double win at this year’s B&LLAs.

Maxine Lister, head of licensing, Natural History Museum

“For NHM licensing, 2021 has been a strong year despite it being such a challenging environment. We have had some fantastic new collections launch in the children’s apparel category with both John Lewis and Marks & Spencer, and our most recent launch with Desmond & Dempsey saw us launch luxury dinosaur pyjamas for both adults and kids, which has been incredibly well received. For the wider Museum, as you might imagine, 2021 has been a difficult year, however, since reopening, we have welcomed over 936,000 visitors, which has been wonderful to see and means we’re well on our way to hitting our visitor target for the year. Even while closed, the show went on with our engagement teams developing new ways to digitally engage with our established audiences, while welcoming new audiences from across the world. Our live stream event for the Wildlife Photographer of the Year awards was a great opportunity for us to connect with global audiences in a celebration of nature and the power of photography. Since reopening, the licensing team has gradually started to go back into the Museum a couple of days a week and have also started meeting licensees and prospective licensees at the Museum, which has been lovely after the months spent on screen only and we are looking forward to more in the coming months. The focus for the rest of 2021 is to support our licensees where we can in what is still a very challenging environment. Moving into early 2022, we have some significant new launches that will move us into different categories that we are really excited about, and we cannot wait to see them launch into the market. In terms of target categories, we are looking forward to meeting licensees from the toys and games and arts and crafts categories at BLE as we feel this is an area in which we could develop some fantastic products. Immersive events is also an interesting area for the Museum. I believe the experiential category could be a really interesting one for the licensing team in the future, especially once we extend into global licensing over the next couple of years. This could be a great opportunity for the Museum to reach a wider audience and different demographics that we aren’t already reaching.”

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Inset: Blueprint’s stationery and gifting collection won Best Brand Licensed Gifting Product or Range at the B&LLAs.

Rob Groot, md, Van Gogh Museum “After a long period during which museums were forced to close due to the coronavirus restrictions, the second half of 2021 has been a little brighter for us so far. The Van Gogh Museum reopened in June, and we are slowly getting back on track with our activities. The effect of the pandemic on our licensing activities was less pronounced, as licensing is not directly impacted by the museum being open or closed. In fact, we noticed that, especially in times when a visit to our museum is not a matter of course, brand collaborations offer us the possibility to make the art and life of Vincent van Gogh accessible for diverse audiences. We’ve already launched several very exciting brand collaborations in 2021, helping us to reach new audiences all around the world. To highlight a few of them: in spring, we announced our long-term collaboration with the Dutch brand Royal Talens. We launched a collection of creative materials, which are now available in our webstore and through Royal Talens’ retail partners. This summer, we announced the perfume Sunflower Pop, created in partnership with sustainable British brand Floral Street, our first fragrance partner (a deal brokered by Licensing Link Europe). The scent really celebrates the brightness of Van Gogh’s masterpiece Sunflowers. We are currently working on a range of scented living products, which will be available in spring 2022.

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Below: Rob Groot joined the Van Gogh Museum as md in September.

Following partnerships with Peacebird, MeetLady and Balabala, our latest collaboration in China is with DUIBAI, which is presenting an apparel collection that features contrasting colours from Van Gogh’s masterpieces at the Van Gogh Museum. And this autumn, we’ll present our collaboration with international lifestyle brand Manduka, a line of yoga equipment inspired by Van Gogh’s nature paintings. We also are delighted that our brand collaborations are being noticed. At the B&LLAs 2021, our stationery and gifting collection with Blueprint Collections won in the category of Best Brand Licensed Gifting Product or Range, and were nominated in the Best Licensed Heritage or Institution Brand category. It goes without saying that this recognition motivates us to keep searching for great brand collaborations to help us inspire people around the world with Van Gogh’s work and life. Our focus for the remainder of 2021 is on offering the best support to our partners and assisting wherever possible with the launches that are scheduled for Q4. We aim to reach the most diverse audience possible, and this will be reflected in our chosen categories and target groups. The world is cautiously getting back on its feet, and as such, we will also plan ahead for 2022. Focusing on getting back to normal, but taking things one step at a time.”

Natasha Dyson, co-founder and licensing director, ARTiSTORY “All our museum partners have been affected by the Covid restrictions, some more than others. International travel has been extremely difficult, drastically reducing oversees visits for tourism, and many have had to operate with reduced capacity. Those less affected were Dunhuang and the Brooklyn Museum. Although Dunhuang lacked international visitors, they have benefited from Inset: ARTiSTORY has invested heavily in increased domestic content and storytelling.

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Right: ARTiSTORY has invested heavily in content and storytelling.

tourism in China, so haven’t really been affected. Meanwhile, the Brooklyn Museum has had a very active period, moving exhibitions forward and also seeing members and guests returning en masse to enjoy the diverse artefacts and artworks available to view. Although the world paused, the Brooklyn Museum continued to move forward on all fronts. Overall, we are seeing an increased appetite for heritage licensing - as evergreen brands they offer longevity and security to licensees. In the UK, many heritage organisations have quite broad licensing programmes in their home territory, but less so in other markets. The National Gallery is a perfect example of this and demonstrates why they will benefit from working with ARTiSTORY. We are also seeing increased interest from organisations wanting to enter the licensing space, having watched the success of their counterparts. Now that we have completed the development of our 2022 themes and design assets we are

focusing on securing licensees, retailers, direct to consumer brands and manufacturers, ready to launch products in SS22. As the master licensee for our museum partners, not only do we have merchandise development and retail operation rights, we also have rights to sub license across multiple product categories including apparel, accessories, home, HBA, food and beverage, paper products, digital, location-based entertainment and experiences.”

Lauren Sizeland, head of licensing, V&A

Inset: The V&A launched

its first collection with “The original purpose of the V&A was to promote excellence in LEDiN in China earlier design and manufacturing, so we are delighted to be this year. collaborating with so many amazing brands who have a real grasp of what works for home interiors and support British and International industry. A great deal of consideration and skill has been applied to every design. The past 12 months has seen 23 new licensees join the raft of premium brands in the V&A portfolio. From the launch of skincare and cosmetics to sofas and continued relationships with licensees, some of more than 20 years, all have considered design and innovation at the core of a V&A collaboration. March 2020 saw the launch of V&A’s debut collection with Blinds2go inspired by the most comprehensive collection of Morris’ works in virtually every medium held at the V&A, Blinds 2go created a beautiful collection of made to measure blinds and curtains. Moving across the pond, Entryways is a US brand that creates handpainted 100% natural coir doormats. Galison, also based in the US, has created beautiful embroidered pouches and journals featuring delicate floral patterns and embellished with hand-embroidered details all based on William Morris designs from the V&A archive. The V&A also launched its first collection with LEDiN in China – a 24piece fashion and accessories collection including dresses, separates, scarves and hair accessories inspired by some of the museum’s most popular archive designs. The museum’s ongoing collaboration with People Tree continues to go from strength to strength, with the AW21 range taking inspiration from the museum’s archive to create ornate patterns reimagined in contemporary colour palettes, all printed onto sustainable fabrics. There is also a new collaboration with That Company Called IF, with the company having selected bright, colourful and on-trend patterns from the museum’s archive of textile and wallpaper designs to apply to lifestyle and stationery ranges. The collection includes a pen pouch, glasses case, an eco-leather phone Inset: Lauren celebrating V&A’s B&LLAs win for its pocket and V&A notebooks. bags and accessories Finally, the V&A continues its collaboration with Museums collection with Mulberry. and Galleries, with the greeting cards and gift stationery collection continually evolving to showcase the museum’s expanding archives.”

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IN CONVERSATION WITH… DREW PEARSON INTERNATIONAL

Inset: Hey Duggee is one of the brands which continues to lead the way in preschool for DPI.

Already a well-known name within the licensed headwear space, Drew Pearson International has been busy expanding into complementary categories such as bags, wallets, belts and sunglasses. As well as a burgeoning portfolio of new licences and product categories, the company is also eyeing up the opening of new doors at retail. LSB finds out more.

Getting ahead pandemic when speaking about the “The retail world has changed so much over the past year, Michael says that DPI is last five years and will no doubt continue to seeing the green shoots of recovery change and offer new challenges. We want to from several key retailers, with be able to meet these challenges and to thrive opportunities opening up in other and continue to evolve our business as we sectors, too. And DPI itself certainly do,” Michael Ball, sales director at Drew hasn’t been resting on its laurels – it Pearson International (Europe), explains to has been busy securing new licences LSB. “As the retailers grow in confidence after and moving into new categories, with lockdown, we want to be there to offer the Michael confidently saying: “We want product that meets their requirements, to to be the first people that customers always have the best Above: Michael Ball, sales and licensors think of when they think designs, best quality director, DPI. of licensed accessories. We want to be the and surety on company that supplies the bulk of the market with delivery.” great product and great service.” While there is In terms of success stories, PAW Patrol, Hey the usual caveat Duggee, Peppa and George have continued to lead of a global the way in the preschool space, while CoComelon and Blippi are gaining momentum. Batman,

Biggest challenges

“Power outages, fabric and raw material price increases, freight charges, increased lead times to name but a few,” says Michael when asked about some of the biggest challenges facing licensees such as DPI currently. “The issues with shipping from China has been the headline news for the last 12 months and although through the hard work of our great team we have managed to limit the impact on deliveries, it now looks like we are due to face new challenges due to the power restrictions in China. “At the time of writing this, the full picture has not emerged in terms of how this will effect critical paths and ultimately delivery to customers, but we have a strong supply base and the flexibility to offer retailers options.”

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IN CONVERSATION WITH… DREW PEARSON INTERNATIONAL

Superman, Nerf and Xbox are mustInset: The company has expanded into the sports and outdoor arena haves for the older boys market, with with Patrick. Patrick and England Football working well in the sports/outdoor arena. In terms of new signings, Battersea Dogs & Cats Home will support DPI’s expansion into the lifestyle and gifting area. “We are best known for our high quality baseball caps, knitted headwear, scarves and gloves and they continue to lead the way for Drew Pearson, but sunglasses and bags are now starting to feature more in our business and we have a lot more to come,” says Michael. “In spite of the difficulties on the high street, spring sales for retailers were fantastic on licensed properties with customers repeating within the season; initial feedback on AW is equally positive.” “There aren’t a great deal of Michael says that items Inset: DPI is best known headwear and accessories such as bags, wallets, belts for its headwear, but has also been busy expanding specialists in our world and we and sunglasses “sit into complementary stand out as being a company perfectly” alongside its categories such as belts, wallets and bags. that innovates, produces great headwear and allow the headwear from socially and company to offer environmentally responsible complementary ranges that factories that works with many merchandise well together of the key licensors and in-store. “We are always retailers.” looking for innovative and The long-term aim for DPI, interesting new product says Michael, is to continue to ideas that will complement grow the business and our current offering, so continue to improve in all areas watch this space,” he teases. along the way. “We want to DPI was also boosted by an open new doors at retail investment completed in including additional space on 2019 on a ten-storey areas with existing customers, 500,000 sq ft factory in but also to deal with entirely Bangladesh which now new buyers in garden centres, produces more than 60 pet stores, high-end stores, new brands and the million pieces of headwear per year. Over 6,000 ecommerce customer base, too,” he concludes. workers are employed in the facility, while the benefits to DPI are also significant, says Michael. “We have our own merchandising team within the Growth opportunities factory that works exclusively for us, and our New product categories, new licences and new retail parent company ensures that we receive great partners are part of future growth plans for DPI. pricing, the best possible lead times, world class “We are pushing forward to grow our position with ecommerce customers as this is a real growth area for product and exemplary service at all times. In a us,” adds Michael. “We see opportunities in gifting, time when sourcing from China is challenging, it is sports licences and collaborations, plus high-end retail. essential that we have this fantastic facility “As our supply base is capable of producing many different products, we see strength in offering the available to us and retailers and licensors are now retailers a complete look - headwear, bags, sunglasses, very open to Bangladesh as a source of well made, holiday shops, all from one source.” well priced product. LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

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IN CONVERSATION WITH… CYBER GROUP STUDIOS Inset: Gigantosaurus has been inspired by the hit book from Jonny Duddle. Bottom: Gigantosaurus expanded into the video games arena with Outright Games. Below centre: Karen K Miller, president and ceo, Cyber Group Studios USA, and Bruno Danzel d’Aumont, vp international licensing and marketing.

Having started life as a publishing property, Below: Rose h Gigantosaurus has been busy charming a new audience of preschoolers on screens across a wide range of territories and platforms. And this success is also translating into the consumer products arena. LSB finds out more from Cyber Group Studios.

Roar of success T

he dinosaur theme is a constant source of success within the entertainment business. It is a theme which transcends age and gender demographics, with this group of reptiles which dominated the land for over 140 million years equally fascinating to preschoolers as to adults. For Cyber Group Studios, this fact is coming through loud and clear with the success of its Gigantosaurus property. Based on the book by Jonny Duddle, the preschool show is on air in most countries around the world and has been dubbed in more than 30 languages. The first season of the adventure comedy series is now available on Netflix and Disney+, while it

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also airs on networks including France Télévisions (France), Rai Yoyo (Italy), CCTV (China), Tiny Pop (UK), Super RTL (Germany), NHK (Japan), Channel 5 (Singapore), Disney Junior (worldwide), KAN (Israel), SRC (Canada) and Star Channel (Greece) to name just a few. In EMEA, season two will be on air by the end of the year. It will be on major free to air broadcasters in 2022, as well as on Netflix. Season three will follow in 2022 and 2023. “We want to be everywhere kids and their caregivers are watching,” explains Karen K Miller, president and ceo of Cyber Group Studios USA. In addition to the linear support, Gigantosaurus can also be seen on SVOD platforms, while special content is available on OTT platforms in the US. Karen says the key attributes of the show – friendship, kindness, empathy and fun – have helped in its success, making sure it stands out for the preschool audience. “Kids have long been fascinated by dinosaurs and they love to learn all about them,” she

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comments. “As you know, Gigantosaurus is based on Jonny Duddle’s wonderful book. The world that Jonny built is rich in design and the characters are very well defined. The book was an instant hit with readers. Since then, more than 15 books have been created from the series, enabling our audience to further enjoy these characters and extend the adventure beyond the screen. “There is a lot of great content for preschoolers available and we are fortunate that they want to explore the world with Rocky, Bill, Tiny, Mazu, and, of course, Gigantosaurus.” Looking ahead, and Bruno Danzel d’Aumontè, international licensing and marketing vice president at Cyber Group Studios, is confident of further success for the property. “We’re looking to deliver more episodes and licensed products that kids and families will love,” he tells LSB. “The pandemic changed the timing on everything, however, retail development and performance are starting to move forward and new products will bring even more excitement to the brand for consumers to embrace.” Alongside Gigantosaurus, Cyber Group Studios has also been busy building up a pipeline of content. Earlier this summer, it revealed that it has secured an exclusive option agreement with Square Enix for an adaptation of Final Fantasy IX into an animated series for the first time. It will also be transforming gifting brand, Precious Moments, into a preschool series, while a major broadcaster is due to be announced shortly for The McFire Family. Cyber Group Studios – which was founded in 2005 and has its headquarters in Paris, two production studios in Paris and Roubaix (France), an office in Los Angeles, plus strategic

Above: Templar has created a range of Gigantosaurus storybooks. Below: The brand has enjoyed strong success in the toy category.

partnerships in Russia and China – is clearly ambitious, a fact underlined by the longer term aims for Gigantosaurus. “Gigantosaurus is a long-term global property on screen and at retail,” states Bruno. “We will be introducing more seasons of exciting new episodes coupled with an expanded licensing programme that fulfils consumer demand for products based on the hit series.” Karen concludes: “We have lots of great Gigantosaurus content coming including eventised movies. Gigantosaurus will be an immersive experience for kids and families. There’s much more to come.”

The licensing programme

Gigantosaurus started life as a book by Jonny Duddle, which inspired the show now airing on Tiny Pop in the UK, as well as on Netflix and Disney+. bRAND-WARD has been instrumental in driving the licensing programme in the UK and developing strong partner relationships. There are over 15 licensees – including local, pan-European and global partnerships. These include Templar (Bonnier Group) as publishing partner which has launched a range of storybooks, complementing the success Gigantosaurus is enjoying in both the toy and apparel categories. In addition, there is also a video game from Outright Games (distributed by Bandai), plus a standalone magazine from Signature Publishing. Additional content, including music, is also available on YouTube with Cyber Group Studios promising much more to come. “Looking ahead, we have a lot of exciting upcoming product rollouts in Europe and the rest of world,” comments Bruno. “We also continue to increase our licensee portfolio to cover new markets and territories in a wide range of merchandise categories, including apparel, bed linen, magazines and more.”

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STATE OF THE NATION: SUPPLIERS & SERVICES

Inset: Tea Forté is one of the latest partners for New York Botanical Gardens

LSB rounds up some of the latest news from the vital services and suppliers sector of the licensing business.

At your service Jewel Branding highlights heritage US-based agency Jewel Branding & Licensing is enjoying success with its portfolio of heritage brands throughout Europe. Numerous deals have been secured for New York Botanical Gardens including with Surface View (wall décor), Tea Forté (assortment of teas) and Caspari (tableware, stationery). In addition, expansion into Europe in a variety of new product categories has included bath products and fragrances with CaswellMassey and stationery and gift from Clarkson Potter. Jewel is also celebrating the legacy of architect and visionary, Frank Lloyd Wright, through its work with his foundation. Several high profile partnerships are due to be revealed later this year in a range of home furnishing categories. BlueSkye Licensing is also on board to expand the brand in the UK and EU. Finally, London-based design house Collier Campbell is looking to grow in both the UK and US through licensing, with Jewel seeking partners in tabletop, bedding, bath, apparel, fashion accessories and more.

Octane5 further expands offer Octane5 – the company behind the BrandComply licensing platform – has confirmed a new partnership with Crane Currency to incorporate Crane Micro-Optics technologies into its Octane5 brand protection programmes. Under the terms of the agreement, Octane5 will be the primary partner of Crane Currency in the brand licensing sector for Crane’s

MyMediabox readies new suite

patented, industry-leading Micro-Optic technology. The technology is unique for its ability to deliver a deep, three-dimensional image and fluid movement effects that are easy and intuitive to verify. Combined with a brand’s identifiable markings, the result are brand protection products that are both highly secure and highly engaging to consumers.

MyMediabox has begun the roll out of a new addition to its suite of licensing management software. Mediabox-GD will not only serve as a single point of entry into the company’s licensor client’s Mediabox systems, but will also act as an aggregation point for graphically-oriented actionable KPIs, business intelligence, trends and other productivity tools to help the user be more efficient and maximise the licensor’s brand performance. The suite will launch with a cross-platform of widgets, which the company will add to over time, based on feedback from its 55,000+ user base.

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STATE OF THE NATION: SUPPLIERS & SERVICES

Flowhaven welcomes new team members

Right: Flowhaven has expanded its global leadership team.

Licensing relationship management platform, Flowhaven has strengthened its global leadership team with four new hires as it continues on its growth trajectory. The new team members come hot on the heels of a series of organisational developments which have accelerated Flowhaven’s growth. The company has enjoyed a record setting year, acquiring a number of customers across new industries, its latest partnership being with Zag Entertainment. The new team members include Adam Rubin, who as joined as vp of revenue; Tomi Heinonen as vp of engineering; Alex Jones as user experience director; and Jourdan Strain as marketing director. They will all report directly to Kalle Törmä, chief executive officer.

Busy year for Fabacus

Busy Fabacus has enjoyed a busy summer, which included welcoming Jonathan Baker as its new evp licensing. Jonathan has previously held senior positions at NBCUniversal, DreamWorks and BBC Studios, as well as The Walt Disney Company. Rovio has also appointed Fabacus to collaborate with all of its licensees producing CP around the world to create an authenticated digital catalogue of all products in the marketplace bearing the Angry Birds IP. On top of this, to support UFC’s launch of new apparel partner, Venum, Fabacus launched a DTC retail activation which included an active rewards campaign. The campaign exceeded targets for engagement and conversion rates, with over 70% of participating customers Inset: Jonathan Baker registering to redeem rewards has joined Fabacus as across 80 countries. evp licensing.

Brainbase teams with Authentic Vision Brainbase has secured a partnership with Authentic Vision to offer its customers a top-tier solution for authenticating licensed products with Holographic Fingerprint security tags. "I've been in the licensing business for more than 30 years, most of my time as an agent representing the major movie studios in Japan,” commented Ted Larkins, head of global licensing at Brainbase. “Counterfeit prevention through hangtags and specialised track and trace holographic seals was a big part of our business. Unfortunately, the offering was quite limited and often ineffective. When I met the Authentic Vision team, and they showed me their tools and overall programme, it blew me away. They have made use of the latest technology to ensure our partners get the protection they need when bringing their products to market."

Cocomotive’s eco credentials

Cocomotive has been busy adapting its working practices and ethos this year, moving towards designing and promoting more environmentally conscientiously. “The last year and so has certainly inspired a positive shift in priorities and perspective at our design studio,” said Marco Crosta, creative director. “Given the increasingly daunting list of social, economic and ecological challenges we are having to face, the mantra of ‘design for better’ has become far more significant, and the need to adapt more urgent, as the notion of ‘business as usual’ becomes increasingly untenable. “As a design agency specialised in licensed entertainment, our contribution is often crucial. Waste is a design-made problem, which naturally requires design-made solutions and where sustainable packaging was once passed over in preference of ‘perceived value’, the charge of Above: Cocomotive is ‘climate denial’ is one that no brand or moving towards more business can afford.” sustainable practices.

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Emma Lawrence Designs

Represented by MHG Licensing

w w w. e m m a l aw r e n ce . co m

Mel Humberstone-Garley at MHG Licensing melanie@humberstone-garley.co.uk Tel: +44(0)7825 577500 128_LSB_Autumn_2021.indd 128

Emma: +44(0)7801 442924 emma@emmalawrence.com @emmalawrencedesigns 01/11/2021 16:12

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STATE OF THE NATION: ART & DESIGN

The art and design category continues to take inspiration from all manner of areas, with LSB reporting on a company due to make its debut at Brand Licensing Europe, a classic animal art property and an artist whose work is inspired by the ocean.

Art of the matter Below: As well as photography and illustration, Avril also works in microplastics found on her local beach.

All at sea

This is Iris has secured a new partnership with artist and ocean advocate, Avril Greenaway. Based in Bude, the central theme of Avril’s work is the ocean, both celebrating and campaigning to protect it using a number of different mediums. Avril started working with Cleaner Seas Project in 2013 and now runs it using her artwork to create awareness about plastic pollution and climate change. As well as photography and illustration, she works in microplastics found on her local beach. “With Iris being based here in the South West, it’s impossible not to be aware of the amazing work Avril has been doing with Cleaner Seas Project over the past eight years,” said the agency’s Sarah Lawrence. “We’re excited to announce that our very first partnership is with Animal Planet magazine, one of the leading children’s magazine which is fully sustainable and with a reach of 396 million; it is the perfect platform to share Avril’s passion for change.”

Inset: Rachael Hale has a database of over 3,000 photographs.

Edutainment Licensing adds Rachael Hale Edutainment Licensing has been appointed by Jewel Branding as the UK representative for animal art brand, Rachael Hale. Now celebrating 27 years, the brand – which has a database of 3,000+ photographs - has a proven sales track record and a loyal consumer base with 85+ licensees in 60 countries. “We are excited to be working with Jewel for Rachael Hale to help grow the brand in the UK,” commented Denise Deane from Edutainment Licensing. “We know the original fans will be excited to see its return in the nostalgia category and are looking forward to exploring new opportunities in others.” Julie Newman, ceo of Jewel Branding, added: “The UK has historically been one of the strongest markets for Rachael Hale with bestselling books, as well as gifts and novelties. It’s a brand that fans continue to emotionally connect with and trust. We are thrilled to reintroduce the brand into the UK with Edutainment Licensing.” Below: Snowtap boasts over 70 card designs.

Snowtap to make licensing debut

Design studio, Snowtap has partnered with licensing agent Kirsty Guthrie from KJG to create a range of consumer products based around its designs. Established in 2016 by two university friends, Snowtap is the design studio of graphic designer, Susy Snow, and illustrator, Gracie Tapner. The company boasts over 70 card designs. Coupled with witty puns, the cards cover all occasions, with a range of instantly recognisable designs and illustrations created collaboratively using watercolour, line drawing and hand drawn typography. Snowtap is now working with KJG to build a licensing portfolio around the brand and extend the illustrations to a range of products covering greetings, homewares, stationery, gifts and more. “We’re really excited to be working alongside Kirsty and for our range of illustrations to have had such a positive reception already from industry leaders,” commented Susy. LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

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STATE OF THE NATION: SPORTS

We enjoyed an amazing summer of sport – with Euro 2020 and the Tokyo Olympic Games being just two events to get people cheering and lifting the spirits of the nation. And when it comes to licensing and consumer products, there has been plenty of activity going on, too. LSB rounds up some of the highlights.

Right: Cotton On is launching autumn/winter NFL apparel and accessories.

Good sports Retail Monster adds Harlem Globetrotters

Harlem Globetrotters has appointed Retail Monster to support the consumer product licensing and retail development for the family franchise. The 95 year old family sports entertainment experience it is undertaking a complete brand relaunch, with the new contemporary vision for the team designed to bring year-round excitement and basketball action to fans. “The Harlem Globetrotters are an institution that has captivated fans for generations,” commented Michael Connolly, founder of Retail Monster. “We’re incredibly grateful for the opportunity to partner with the HGI team, and are excited to activate opportunities across the retail and licensing landscape.” Natalie Setton, vp commercial at Harlem Globetrotters, added: “We are thrilled to work with Retail Monster to launch an all-new Harlem Globetrotters licensing programme.”

NFL scores new partnerships The National Football League has bolstered its licensing programme through a number of partnerships brokered by IMG. Since appointing IMG in 2017 as its exclusive global licensing representation, NFL’s licensee portfolio has grown significantly to include adult and children’s apparel, accessories, kitchenware, stationery and more. Some of the brand’s latest notable deals include new partnerships with board game company Football Billionaire, lingerie brand Undiz and men’s retailer Celio. In addition, new products launching include NFL-branded autumn/winter apparel and accessories with global fashion retailer H&M and Australia's largest global retailer Cotton On; limited edition watches with Melbourne watch designer Uncle Jack; sneakers with Japanese footwear brand Sangacio; a collection of co-branded apparel with Champion in Japan; and women’s apparel with French Fashion brand Jennyfer.

RFU takes licensing in-house

The RFU is now handling its burgeoning licensing programme in-house, as it looks to further grow brand advocacy through consumer products. A core team of three – Tom Heeks, licensing manager; Helen O’Connell, licensing executive; and Janesh Premkumar, product development coordinator – are now looking after licensing in-house, with additional support from the RFU’s sponsorship commercial partnership team. With the RFU marking its 150th anniversary in 2021, the licensing team is looking at expansion into new categories, as well as targeting a younger demographic and the female audience with specific product. Other activity includes a range of coins to mark the anniversary, plus commemorative rugby balls and a stamp collection with Royal Mail.

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Below: Anthony Joshua is The Memento Group’s first major non-motorsport licensing client.

STATE OF THE NATION: SPORTS

Boxing clever

International sports licensing, retail and memorabilia business, The Memento Group has secured a long-term licensing agreement with heavyweight boxing champion, Anthony Joshua. The agreement – which runs for an initial three-year term – will enable Anthony to sell his own authentic memorabilia via a dedicated retail platform hosted at www.tmgsportsmemorabilia.com, as well as through pop-up retail concessions set at all his future fights. Fans can also reach the online retail site via www.anthonyjoshua.com. Anthony Joshua becomes The Memento Group’s first major non-motorsport licensing client to benefit from its white label memorabilia retail solution.

A timely deal HEAD has secured a multi-year licensing agreement with Elysee Group, Germany for a new line of sports watches. The new range Above: The new line includes a variety of different watch includes three-hand watches, smartwatches series – including chronographs, and wearables. three-hand watches, smartwatches and wearables – with their own characters, all of which are named after venues of various Olympic Games. One of the highlights of the collection are the smartwatches: Los Angeles, Moscow and Seoul. In conjunction with the specially developed HEAD Watches app, the features of the smartwatch can be coupled with smartphones to track various sports. The watches are available in key Asian markets including Japan, Korea and China, as well as several European territories such as Germany, Austria, Italy, Croatia and Serbia.

Panini back on the road Panini has launched its new Road to FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Sticker Collection in the build up to next year’s tournament. The exclusive collection covers 40 of the nations looking to book their ticket, with each of the teams featuring 15 different players. Collectors will be able to kick off their collection with a starter pack featuring a sticker album, plus 26 stickers.

F1 makes ‘phygital’ driver collectables move

Formula 1 has revealed a globally exclusive multi-year deal with phygital collectables company, Mighty Jaxx. The deal marks the first time in history that a F1 partner has been appointed to curate a global fan experience campaign simultaneously across all participating teams Above: The Formula 1 2021 Mighty AllStars Collection and drivers. The licensing partnership will will launch featuring the current grid of drivers. also see Mighty Jaxx assisting Formula 1 in creatively engaging fans from all generations, backgrounds and tastes, and bring a new edge to the sport. Designed by YARMS Studio as a limited edition 8” Premium Vinyl Art Collectable, the Formula 1 2021 Mighty AllStars Collection will launch featuring the current grid of drivers, with each tech-enabled collectable unlocking digitally-enabled experiences. Fans can also look forward to getting their hands on Premium Edition collectables designed in metal, as well as ‘Champion’ and ‘Life Size’ editions of the top three drivers towards the conclusion of the season.

Topps extends with UEFA

The Topps Company has confirmed an extension to its deal as the exclusive and official collectables partner of UEFA’s club cup competitions. In addition to the UEFA Champions League, the global sticker and trading card company has once again secured exclusive rights for the UEFA Europa League, UEFA Women’s Champions League, as well as this year’s inaugural UEFA Conference League. With the required third party IP clearances, Topps will also be creating versions of selected collectables products as Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs). Above: The exclusive collection covers the 40 nations looking to book their ticket to the tournament. LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

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SPORTING INSIGHT

Simon Gresswell, md of sports licensing consultancy SGLP, takes a look back at some of the highlights from a summer of sport which saw events and fans returning to stadiums and plenty of licensing and merchandising to back them up. Inset: The Tour de France had an eventful first few stages on and off the course.

A sporting summer

began writing this the morning after the Rajasthan Royals beat the Punjab Kings by two runs, with the Kings needing only 10 off the final 15 balls... an amazing result in T20 cricket. Such is the unpredictability of sport and one of the main reasons we revel in it, but unpredictability for sports L&M and retail, has presented much more of a challenge this year, in a spring/summer like no other. Thankfully, social media, the gradual return to live sport and the great British weather, combined to allow me to keep across and even attend some sporting events, so I thought I'd share some snippets viewed from my perspectives as both punter and professional this year. In spring, Primark launched its first NBA ranges instore, in the US then in the UK and Europe. This kind of partnership probably would not have been considered 'the right fit' between a US sports federation and the retailer only a few years ago, but is now blossoming in the high street fashion retail environment - backing up just how lifestyle sport has always been. My first encounter with SAIL GP merchandise was around the first event of its second season, in Bermuda. Admittedly it was a virtual encounter on the app only, which features live streams of the thrilling, high-speed action as well as the online store. Its designs by local artist Alshante Foggo is a smart way to promote the global series to the local fans. Mid-month I couldn't resist a 'Sporting Heroes Top 10' circular with old mates on Facebook and

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highlighted two of my sporting heroes as Serge Blanco and JPR Williams. Hunting for pics, it struck me how their minimalist, retro shirt designs still appealed to me and also reminded me of the fact that JPR wearing his socks rolled down influenced me to do the same for years as a young amateur rugby player. In the VANS store in central London (Oxford Street), I was checking out the customisation booth with a couple of client projects in mind, when I noticed another Above: Primark launched its first tennis brand, Penn in ranges with NBA earlier this year. collaboration with VANS. This reminded me of another angle that brands and retail have used to benefit from the halo effect of certain, annual sporting events, just as Prince had done with Primark in 2019, around a similar time of year, not surprisingly. While the UEFA Euro 2020 championships unfolded and England were pipped by Italy to the trophy, merchandise was certainly less evident than sponsor beers on supermarket shelves. Beers also seemed to dominate fan purchases at my first live cricket match of the year too, when after a couple of hours of meetings, I was able to join mates in the Hollies Stand for the last hour's play of the England v New Zealand Test at Edgbaston. The BBC Sport website described it as

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SPORTING INSIGHT

the 'world's biggest stag do' - to say people were making up for lost time was an understatement, but all in great spirits throughout, with the singing of Don't Take Me Home lasting at least 45 minutes after the close of play. Later in June, as part of my role as ambassador for Products of Change, I hosted an online session as part of the Sustainability in Licensing Conference event, with head of licensing and retail for SAIL GP, Kate Worlock and Team GB's Hannah Mills, opening ceremony flag-bearer in Tokyo and now double Olympic gold-winning 470 class sailor, after her success on the water in Japan. Travel restrictions at the end of June, meant I couldn't attend Le Grand Depart of the Tour de France in Brittany. You could tell from Above: Vans’ collaboration with tennis brand Penn had a strong an eventful first few stages display in the Oxford Street store. on and off the course, that this was going to be another classic which was quickly re-finding its feet post-pandemic, with huge crowds mostly in polka-dot tees happy to be back lining the route. At the end of June and into early July, Volleyball World (the new commercial arm of the FIVB) launched its world-first 'EQUAL JERSEY' to champion the long history of gender equality in the sport, as part of the Finals weekend at the Volleyball Nations League, in Italy. Players from different nations who wear the same number on court, were paired together for photoshoots and the players donned the jerseys on court during specific sections of the finals. Then on to Wimbledon and, of course, the inevitable rain that greeted us as we sauntered through the grand gates of SW19 as bona fide paying punters for the first time in many years. Good news for brolly sales though, as all of the previous year's stock was sold and many more, a little bird told me. The following week saw myself and other cofounders launch our first event for the Bob Willis Fund at the ODI match between England and Pakistan at Edgbaston. Thanks to Sky, ECB,

Edgbaston, BBC and Prostate Cancer UK we had an amazing first fundraiser, showering staff and fans in official caps and badges and even mixing in some unofficial merchandise with our friends from The Barmy Army, who wore #BlueForBob wigs for us in the legendary Hollies Stand, kindly donated by Smiffys. Two days later, and a day at The Open in Sandwich was the most impressive merchandise experience of the year, with the enormous on-site shop dwarfing most other structures Above: JPR on the course and providing an Williams was a big influence when incredible retail environment for its Simon began many branded partners and display of playing rugby. evocative imagery, soundbites and golf messages. Only a month later, the R&A team produced another stunning merchandise store at the Women's Open at Carnoustie featuring the impossible to ignore adidas range and focus on the primegreen products and massive sustainability initiative. And finally in August, I was very fortunate to be at Lords for the Finals Day of The Hundred, the previously maligned but genuinely landmark new format and event brand for English cricket. Plenty of colourful merchandise on show and being purchased it seems, as well as kids wearing their All Stars and Dynamos 'stash' from the ECB's penetrative youth programmes of the last couple of years. With delays of a year in some cases and the staccato return of sporting events and full stadia across the world, I'd simply like to give a major hat tip to all involved for their steely efforts to get business back up and running in 2021.

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Contact: Val Fry | val@frydaybrands.com | 07973 783053 www.amazingmauricefilm.com

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The first ever animated feature film based on a Terry Pratchett novel Featuring an all-star cast Sky Cinema ‘Day and Date’ release October 2022 Worldwide release

Target Audience

Co-viewing, Family, Aged 9+

Family Animated Film Audience

Terry Pratchett Fanbase Adults, M&F; Aged 16+

Adults, M&F; Aged 16+ e.g. Comic Book Fans

“Geek” Audience

£1million UK advertising campaign by Sky Cinema, including SKY VIP and brand partnerships Consumer Products New and special editions of original novel by Penguin Books ‘Art of/making of’ hardback book from Titan Books Bespoke POD merchandise to include apparel and gifting – launching via dedicated ecommerce store Exclusive gifting and apparel range to launch in Forbidden Planet In discussion for digital and board games/plush/stationery/ gifting/apparel and much more…

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Gary Leadston

190 million products

• Over

SOLD globally in 2020 • Brand PRESENCE in

110 countries globally

$200m total brand RSV • Consistently ranks in top 3 brands

•

in KEY CATEGORIES

Over 90 LICENSEES and 40 DISTRIBUTORS • A TOP 150 global licensor • The iconic TATTY TEDDY celebrates sentiment for •

all relationships and occasions

new

•

OVER HALF A

ME TO YOU ecommerce site

• 105% YOY growth for Everyday cards

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million visitors to our brand

(Cyan) (Magenta) (Yellow) (BlacK)

01/11/2021 16:15

• The PERFECT • • • •

New baby baby and

pre-school gifting solution Products that can be t reasured CELEBRATING milestone moments Award winning nursery brand New for 2021/22 ICKLE PICKLES CHARITY PARTNERSHIP

For more information on licensing opportunities, please get in touch! info@cbg.co.uk 01243 792600 @CarteBlancheGrp

@carteblanchegrp @carteblanchegrp

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52 x 22’

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GLOBAL TELEVISION SUCCESS THREE TIME

DAYTIME EMMY

WINNER

Including: Outstanding Performer in a Children’s, Family Viewing or Special Class Program

AIRING ON CITV AND AMAZON PRIME IN THE UK AIRING IN 200+ COUNTRIES ON LINEAR & STREAMING

YOUTUBE SUCCESS DINO KIDS CHANNEL 750+ MILLION VIEWS AND 660K SUBSCRIBERS

52 X 22’ EPISODES +FEATURE FILM AND MUSEUM FILM

#1 BESTSELLING BOOKS DINO DANA FIELD GUIDES VOL 1 AND VOL 2 PUBLISHING PARTNER MANGO PUBLISHING

NEW DINO TOYS DINOSAUR TOYS BASED ON THE FILM WITH AUGMENTED REALITY EXPERIENCE BY SAFARI LTD.

UK BRAND & LICENSING AGENT VAL FRY - FRYDAY BRANDS CONTACT VAL@FRYDAYBRANDS.COM

www.dinodana.com

www.sinkingship.ca

The Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit

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• Over 52 million copies sold in 57 languages • Continuous annual global publishing programme • Brand new illustrations created by Anita Jeram • UK retail listings include Tesco, Sainsbury’s, John Lewis, Argos and Amazon

Pindy.O’Brien@walker.co.uk | +44 (0) 7546 587778 International Licensing and Market Development Director www.walker.co.uk | @bigpicturebooks

www.guesshowmuchiloveyou.com

Guess How Much I Love You TM © Sam McBratney and Anita Jeram 2021. Licensed by Walker Books Ltd

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WE STIR EVERY SPIRIT TO INSPIRE AND PROVOKE CHANGE Historic Royal Palaces is the independent charity that cares for the Tower of London, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Hampton Court Palace, Banqueting House, Kensington Palace, Kew Palace and Hillsborough Castle and Gardens. Our award-winning licensing programme has much to offer our licensed partners, including: Brand longevity with global recognition and appeal Unique association working with an iconic British Royal Brand Over 1,000 years of inspiration and authentic story telling Commercial opportunity to create innovative product and design Conservation of our cultural heritage for everyone, now and in the future For licensing opportunities please contact: Emma Saunders, Senior Licensing Manager emma.saunders@hrp.org.uk or licensing@hrp.org.uk

WWW.HRP.ORG.UK

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Pindy.O’Brien@walker.co.uk | +44 (0)7546 587778 International Licensing and Market Development Director www.walker.co.uk | @bigpicturebooks

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Brand Licensing at The National Gallery, London Our licensing programme, featuring images of some of the best-known paintings ever created, continues to grow year on year. Our wide range of categories include apparel, stationery, homewares, food and drink and gifting. Our reach also continues to expand successfully into new markets across the UK and internationally. Our most recent licensing agent ARTiSTORY, with global rights excluding China, are building a global eco-system of art, cultural and science related IP. Equipped with their unique “Artefacts to Merchandise” and storytelling capabilities, we are developing licensing programmes with global retailers and international consumer brands to expand our engagement to world-wide audiences. Inspiration includes masterpieces by Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Michelangelo, Cézanne, Gentileschi and Van Gogh. Panmax is one of our new licensees, a well-known streetwear brand in China. Inspired by Vincent van Gogh’s Sunflowers and Rembrandt’s Self Portrait, the range celebrates “Masterpieces Reborn” featuring modern designs with bold colours and creative patterns. Available at Panmax flagship store on Tmall and JD.com in China. Another successful apparel licensee is Lojas Renner in Brazil. Now on our third collection in a year, expanding from apparel to accessories and footwear whilst bringing culture, art and history to a younger audience. Available at Lojas Renner stores and online in Brazil, Uruguay, and Argentina. More closer to home, our success story, with the IG Design Group, Delicious Art ™ food gifting range in Boots, continues to evolve every year and is now in its fifth consecutive year. The new food and drink composite sets featuring beautiful imagery will be available in over 400 stores nationwide and at Boots.com. Join us as we continue to develop and expand into new sectors and regions with some of the world’s most recognisable paintings. Images courtesy of Alfilo Brands, Panmax/Alfilo Brands, Ramen Talk. © The National Gallery and National Gallery Company.

PROPERTY

National Gallery Company Ltd, London LICENSING CONTACT

Judith Mather judith.mather@nationalgallery.co.uk +44 (0)207 747 5973 • nationalgallery.co.uk

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Creating Creating Creating advocates advocates advocates for for for the the the planet planet planet Creating advocates for the planet The The The Natural Natural Natural History History History Museum Museum Museum isisuniquely is uniquely positioned positioned positioned The Natural History Museum isuniquely uniquely positioned

totobe to beabe apowerful apowerful champion champion champion forforfor balancing balancing humanity’s humanity’s humanity’s to be apowerful powerful champion forbalancing balancing humanity’s needs needs needs with with with those those those ofofthe of the the natural natural natural world. world. world. ItsItsmission Itsmission mission needs with those of the natural world. Its mission totocreate to create create advocates advocates advocates for for for the the the planet planet planet is is mirrored is mirrored mirrored ininits initsits its to create advocates for the planet is mirrored in licensing licensing licensing programme, programme, programme, which which which aims aims aims totoinspire to inspire a alove love licensing programme, which aims toinspire inspire aalove love ofofthe of the the natural natural natural world world world through through through innovative, innovative, innovative, engaging engaging engaging of the natural world through innovative, engaging product product product ranges. ranges. ranges. product ranges.

Epic Epic Epic Dino Dino Dino Collection Collection Collection launched launched launched inin2021 in2021 with with Epic Dino Collection 2021 with pyjama pyjama pyjama brand brand brand Desmond Desmond Desmond & &Dempsey &Dempsey Dempsey pyjama brand Desmond Mary Mary Mary Anning Anning Anning coin coin coin collection collection collection launched launched launched inin2021 2021 Mary Anning coin in2021 2021 with with with The The The Royal Royal Royal Mint Mint Mint with The Royal Mint 2nd sustainable adult apparel collection 2nd 2nd 2nd sustainable sustainable sustainable adult adult adult apparel apparel collection collection launched in April 2021 launched launched launched ininApril in April April 2021 2021 2021 with with with Finisterre Finisterre Finisterre Two new trend guides dinosaur Two Two Two new new new trend trend trend guides guides guides and and and allallnew allnew new dinosaur dinosaur illustrations launched in 2021 illustrations illustrations illustrations launched launched launched inin2021 2021 Shortlisted in nine cateories atthe the 2021 Shortlisted Shortlisted Shortlisted ininnine in nine nine cateories cateories cateories atatthe at the 2021 2021 2021 B&LLAs and Licensing Awards B&LLAs B&LLAs B&LLAs and and and Licensing Licensing Licensing Awards Awards Awards Join us as we continue to grow this wonderfully Join Join Join ususas us aswe as we we continue continue continue totogrow to grow grow this this this wonderfully wonderfully wonderfully diverse licensing programme into new categories diverse diverse diverse licensing licensing licensing programme programme programme into into into new new new categories categories categories and territories. and and and territories. territories. territories.

For licensing enquiries contact: For For For licensing licensing licensing enquiries enquiries enquiries contact: contact: contact: Maxine Lister Maxine Maxine Maxine Lister Lister Lister Head of Licensing Head Head Head ofofLicensing ofLicensing Licensing m.lister@nhm.ac.uk m.lister@nhm.ac.uk m.lister@nhm.ac.uk m.lister@nhm.ac.uk +44 (0)7584 587 304 +44 +44 +44 (0)7584 (0)7584 (0)7584 587 587 587 304 304 304

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228 X 11’ KIDS 4-8 | LIVE ACTION/CGI SERIES TM The Fred Rogers Company. © 2014 The Fred Rogers Company. All rights reserved. The PBS and PBS KIDS logos are registered trademarks of the Public Broadcasting Service and are used with permission

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ODD SQUAD IS A LIVE-ACTION COMEDY ABOUT A GOVERNMENT AGENCY RUN BY KIDS EQUIPPED WITH THE WORLD’S MOST ADVANCED AND UNPREDICTABLE GADGETRY. WHENEVER SOMETHING STRANGE OR UNUSUAL HAPPENS, IT’S UP TO ODD SQUAD TO PUT THINGS RIGHT.

A multi-platform brand spanning on-air content, educational games & apps, and live events KEY BRAND TENENTS Comedy/Gadgetry/Mystery/Immersive/Teamwork/Problem-solving/STEM TARGET AUDIENCE Boys and Girls, 4-8 year olds – the audience are part of the squad!

• Airs on CBBC twice daily – 8.10am & 4.35pm • Regularly in the CBBC top ten series • Consistently in the top five series each week - September 2021 • 13 online games with over 58 million unique visitors and over 5.6 million game plays every month

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Target Product Categories • Publishing • Events and Immersive Activities • Role Play and Dress-Up • AR-VR Tech & Digital • Educational Games & Puzzles • Promotions Interested in Joining the Squad? Contact Val Fry | Fryday Brands val@frydaybrands.com Tel: +44 (0)7973 783053

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With over

50 YEARS

of heritage, generations of fans have grown up with Sesame Street

3 in 4

UK parents agree that Sesame Street is both an entertaining & a trusted brand*

96%

brand awareness amongst parents*

Sesame Street contents airing now on Tiny Pop

Beloved evergreen brand with a cross-category licensing programme targeting all ages. Brand new master toy range from Posh Paws. High profile collaborations including Just Hype, Moschino, Bamford London watches and Tikiboo. Covid relief activities and specials including Elmo’s Playdate: #CaringForEachOther on the BBC, activity sheets in The Entertainer’s Boredom Busting Hub and Caring for Each Other content & resources on Tiny Pop. * Sesame Street UK Brand Study 2020 182-183_LSB_Autumn_2021.indd 182

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Property: UK Licensing Agent :

Sesame Street Bulldog Licensing Ltd. Tel: +44 (0) 20 8325 5455 email: info@bulldog-licensing.com www.bulldog-licensing.com

01/11/2021 13:44

EURO

Jason Email: Tel: +4

www.son

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03/11/2021 10:27

Celebrating Sonic’s 30th Anniversary in 2021

Over $1 Billion in Franchise Revenue to Date

#1 Video Game Movie of All Time*

Over 1.4 Billion Games Sold and Downloaded

Games, Movies, Animation, Mobile, Partnerships and more in 2022!

FOR LICENSING OPPORTUNITIES CONTACT: EUROPE, MIDDLE EAST & AFRICA:

US, CANADA & LATIN AMERICA:

REST OF THE WORLD:

Jason Rice Email: jason.rice@sega.co.uk Tel: +44 (0) 208 996 4568

Alex Gomez Email: alex.gomez@segaamerica.com Tel: +1 (747) 400 2410, ext.203

Yoichi Kawamura Email: yo_kawamura@home.segasammy.co.jp Tel: +81 3-6864-2457

www.sonicthehedgehog.com/uk

@Sonic

@sonic_hedgehog

/sonicthehedgehog

/sonic

www.SEGAShop.co.uk

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• • • •

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• A classic bestselling picture book! • Michael Rosen’s retelling of the story exceeds 13 MILLION views on You Tube!

• An award winning animation commissioned

by Channel 4: A key Christmas schedule favourite.

• 2021 Licensing Award finalist for best preschool apparel range.

Pindy.O’Brien@walker.co.uk | +44 (0) 7546 587778 International Licensing and Market Development Director

www.walker.co.uk

@bigpicturebooks

www.jointhebearhunt.com We’re Going On A Bear Hunt © Bear Hunt Films Ltd 2016. Licensed by Walker Productions Ltd. on behalf of Bear Hunt Films Ltd.

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Licensing Source Advert DPS_Layout 1 12/01/2017 13:45 Page 1

For the very best information...

NEWS

Samantha Loveday saml@max-publishing.co.uk

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Jakki Brown jw@max-publishing.co.uk

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Ian Hyder ianh@max-publishing.co.uk

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WHERE THE LICENSING INDUSTRY IS COMING BACK TOGETHER ExCeL London 17-19 November 2021

Discover the most popular European brands to license for your next product range

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LICENSEES

Licensees

LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

LICENSEES

Licensees are partners (usually manufacturers or retailers) who obtain a licence from the licensor to make and sell products bearing the licensed character or brand. The following section is devoted to purveyors of licensed products and those whose products might be suitable for licensing. If you are a retail buyer reviewing licensed products available or a licensor looking for new products for your licences, read on.

195

118mm

Accessories

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Licensed Audio

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Annuals

PROUD TO BE THE NO. 1 ANNUALS AND SEASONAL PUBLISHER

OVER N 1.2 MILLIOSOLD S L A U N N A R EACH YEA

POS

NO.1 ANNUALS RANGE WIDEST ANNUALS RETAIL DISTRIBUTIO N

EYE-CATC HING

s.. Exciting new

IDES SEASONAL & GAMING GU

New formats, ranges and brands for 2022. Watch this space to see where we’ll be No.1 next! Little Brother Books Ltd, Ground Floor, 23 Southernhay East, Exeter, Devon EX1 1QL +44 (0)1392 982082 | books@littlebrotherbooks.co.uk | www.littlebrotherbooks.co.uk

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Bedding

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Bedding

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Bedding

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Bedding

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Bags, Luggage and Water Bottles

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Children’s Publishing

© 2019 Rovio Entertainment Corporation and Rovio Animation Ltd. Rovio, All Angry Birds logos and characters are trademarks of Rovio Entertainment Corporation and Rovio Animation Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Avengers © 2019 Marvel. Baby Shark © Smart Study Co., Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Pinkfong® Baby Shark™ is a licensed trademark of Smart Study Co., Ltd. Captain Marvel © 2019 Marvel. Dumbo © 2019 Disney Enterprises, Inc. Fingerlings® and all product names, designations and logos are trademarks of WowWee Group Limited. Copyright 2016-2019 WowWee Group Limited. All rights reserved. LEGO, the LEGO logo, the Brick and Knob conﬁgurations and the Miniﬁgure are trademarks of the LEGO Group. ©2019 The LEGO Group. The Lion King © 2019 Disney Enterprises, Inc. © MGA Entertainment, Inc. L.O.L. SURPRISE! TM is a trademark of MGA in the U.S. and other Countries. All logos, names, characters, likenesses, images, slogans and packaging appearance are the property of MGA. Mary Poppins Returns © 2018 Disney Enterprises, Inc. Match Attax © TOPPS Europe Limited, 2019. All rights reserved. © 2019 Viacom International Inc. All Rights Reserved. NICKELODEON, NELLA THE PRINCESS KNIGHT are trademarks of Viacom International Inc. © 2019 Spin Master PAW Productions Inc. All Rights Reserved. PAW Patrol and all related titles, logos and characters are trademarks of Spin Master Ltd. Nickelodeon and all related titles and logos are trademarks of Viacom International Inc. Shimmer and Shine © 2019 All Rights Reserved. Nickelodeon, trademark of Viacom International Inc. Spies in Disguise™ and © 2019 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All rights reserved. Property of Fox. Spider-Man Into The Spider-Verse © 2018 Marvel © 2018 SPA & CPII. © 2019 Super Wings™ All Rights Reserved. The Nutcracker And The Four Realms © 2018 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Secret Life of Pets is a trademark and copyright of Universal Studios. Licensed by Universal Studios Licensing LLC. All rights reserved. DreamWorks Trolls © 2018 DreamWorks Animation LLC. All Rights Reserved. TM & © 2019 Ugly Industries Holdings, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Wonder Park TM & © 2019 Paramount Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

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Children’s Publishing

Publishing for a new generation

Centum Books 20 Devon Square, Newton Abbot, Devon, TQ12 2HR, UK. Ofﬁce: +44 (0)1626 337736 • Fax: +44 (0)1626 334580 • Books@centumbooksltd.co.uk

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Dress-Up

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Dress Up

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Party/Dress Up

TMNT Range Printed Single Sided Back Neck Label 45mm

40mm

021 185

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Party/Dress Up

w o h s e h t l Stea as m t s i r h C this with our

Grinch Costume!

Foil Balloons available online now!

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Greeting Cards and Calendars

SALES@DANILO.COM

01992 702900

WWW.DANILO.COM

Independent retailers contact: Words ‘n’ Wishes on 01942 233201

© 2021 Discovery or its subsidiaries and affiliates.© K. Horikoshi / Shueisha, My Hero Academia Project. Licensed by Funimation ® © 2021 The David Bowie Archive. ® Under license to Perriscope Productions, LLC/Epic Rights. Photography by Denis O’Regan. Star wars Disney+, StarWars.com.© &™ Lucasflim Ltd.© Disney .© The Royal Horticultural Society. FRIENDS and all related characters and elements © & ™ Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. WB SHIELD: © & ™ WBEI. (s21). Peaky Blinders ™ ©2013 - 2021. Caryn Mandabach Productions Ltd. Licensed by Endemol Shine Group. © MGA MG Entertainment. © Bright Soul Ltd.© 2021 Mojang AB. Minecraft, the Minecraft Logo and the Mojang Studios logo are trademarks of the Microsoft Corporation

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Games

Bringing Brands to the Tabletop View the full range on

Get in touch

toby@steamforged.com emmah@steamforged.com

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Authentic Gameplay

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Gaming Giftware

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Gaming Giftware

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Giftware

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Giftware

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Licensed Gifts

MOOD LIGHT

LOGO LIGHT

STRESS BALL

MUG & SOCKS

WATER BOTTLE

Visit fizzcreations.com or email sales@fizzcreations.com Fizz Creations, 6 Commerce Way, Lancing, West Sussex, BN15 8TA

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Nightwear

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Nightwear

Daywear

Underwear

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Swimwear

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Nightwear +44 16 1273 5213

www.cooneenbydesign.com Cooneen Group

@cooneengroup

Character Clothing Specialists

Proud winners of the Sustainability Award Our Peppa Pig range featuring organic cotton and recycled polyester is designed and manufactured with sustainabilty at the forefront.

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Nightwear

LEGO, the LEGO logo, the Brick and Knob

Nightwear

Daywear Underwear Swimwear

3-4 years 104cm

Actual Size

...bigger brands 234

Nightwear

Character Clothing Specialists

wildest

Unleash their dreams with their favourite characters!

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Nightwear, Underwear & Socks/Hosiery “Delivering innovation, “Delivering innovation, qualityquality and value on time....every and value on time....every time.” time.”

NIGHTWEAR

SOCKS

UNDERWEAR

TIGHTS

BABYWEAR

GIFTING

misirliu

For license enquires contact: Faye Rashad Email: faye@misirli.co.uk T: +44(0) 116 2645 860

@MisirliU

www.m

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Nightwear, Underwear & Socks/Hosiery

quality ry time.” e.”

misirliukltd @MisirliUKLtd

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Toiletries

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Toiletries

For further information visit www.handa-uk.com Email: info@handa-uk.com

Tel: 01904 529400 239

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Show Cloud®

Perfect for Domestic & International business

Includes full suite of tools for virtual meetings & previews

many times

 Every customer has their own personal showroom  Share key License / IP information : Property

and downloads

 PROMOTE function for ad hoc brand promos  FOLLOW UP function for quick and simple meeting

specifics, Sales info, Marketing, Style Guides etc

follow ups

Use by over 7,500 Licensing and Toy industry professionals in 103 countries

BOOK A DE M O Via www.showcloud.com

h e llo@showc l o ud.c o m ShowCloud_LSB_Full_Feb'21.indd 1 240_LSB_Autumn 2021.indd 240

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2021/22 Guide to Services 2020/21 and Suppliers Suppliers and S01_000_LSB_Autumn 2021.indd 1 000_LSB_Autumn 2020.indd 1

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2021/2022 Guide to Services & Suppliers W

elcome to the Licensing Source Book’s dedicated ‘Guide to Services and Suppliers for the Licensing and Retail

Industry’. The aim of this guide is to shine a spotlight on the essential companies that help to join the dots and fulfil vital roles to fully bring to life amazing licensing campaigns, products and retail executions. From the very beginnings of the lifecycle of a licensing programme, with the creation of dedicated designs and style guides, through to imaginative packaging and retail point of sale to ensure products stand out on shelf, plus the retail executions themselves – be they shop-in-shops, short-term pop-ups or online stores. These companies are important cogs in the business of licensing. Quite frankly, the industry couldn’t operate without them, but these companies don’t necessarily get the attention or exposure they deserve – which is why we’ve made sure that this dedicated guide really showcases their talents and services.

From design, public relations and marketing, through to the important ‘behind the scenes’ work in logistics, auditing and software, financial and legal services, plus consultancy and third party agency representation – you’ll find them all in the next 50+ pages. As well as having a full 12-month shelf life in print, the guide will also have a permanent standalone presence on LicensingSource.net, generating further reach and exposure for these often unsung heroes of the business. And if you’re a supplier or service company which would like to get involved in the guide, simply contact Ian Hyder or Rob Willis on the details below and they can help you spread the word. Samantha Loveday Editor, Licensing Source Book

The Licensing Source Book is published by Max Publishing United House, North Road, London N7 9DP Ian Hyder - Joint Managing Director Jakki Brown - Joint Managing Director and Editorial Director Samantha Loveday - Wordsmith Extraordinaire Rob Willis - Publishing Director Tel: 020 7700 6740 Fax: 020 7607 6411 E-mail: hello@max-publishing.co.uk Web: www.licensingsource.net Copyright 2021. The publishers cannot accept legal liability for any errors or omissions, nor can they accept responsibility for the standing of advertisers nor any organisation mentioned in the text.

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The team behind LicensingSource.net has over ﬁfty years experience in the licensing industry, and also own and organise The Licensing Awards, publish The Licensing Source Book Europe and an array of other market leading trade titles. With an e-subscriber database of over 9,500 key contacts, advertisers can expect to receive high visibility, not only on the website, but also on the trusted daily news ﬂashes and social media boasting a strong following.

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Aid to Brand Owners and Retail Buyers

INTELLIGENT BUYING FOR LICENSED PRODUCTS FOR BRAND OWNERS A virtual shop window directly onto retailer buyers desktops ■ View popularity of products via your unique dashboard ■ Aide licensees quest to place products in front of retailers ■ Products displayed in via photos and descriptions controlled by you

FOR RETAILERS It’s a secret weapon for buying the right product at the right time ■ Browse products by powerful search tools ■ Consider timely buying by our brand populated calendar of events ■ Buy safe in the knowledge that all products are officially licensed

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Brand Extension and Licensing Agent

RETAIL MONSTER RETAIL AND CONSUMER First approach to Licensing and Brand Management Globally

FOR LICENSING AND REPRESENTATION ENQUIRIES PLEASE CONTACT: | l.dornan@retailmonster.com | v.ingram@retailmonster.com | g.witts@retailmonster.com

OUR SERVICES | Licensing | Marketing | Creative

| Content Advisory | International | Brand Sales

With offices across the US, London and Paris, Retail Monster is a Global Agency, providing end to end Brand Management services. With a core focus on driving retail and consumer demand. We are experts in delivering programmes that drive awareness and significant incremental revenue for our clients’ brands.

| WWW.RETAILMONSTER.COM

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Brand Extension and Licensing Agent

What sets Retail Monster apart is their tailored approach that each brand needs in term of the correlation to where its authentic fans are at. Retail Monster can help not only breathe additional breadth to the IP but also, ensure it becomes an evergreen. Naz Amarchi-Cuevas, Chief Commercial Officer and Head of Marketing and Licensing, SYBO.

BRAND LICENSES

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Brand Licensing Agency

Building Award Winning Licensing Programmes

Caroline Mickler caroline@carolinemicklerltd.co.uk +44 (0) 208 392 2439 / +44 (0) 07968 850239 carolinemickler.co.uk instagram.com/carolinemicklerltd linkedin.com/in/carolinemickler

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11/10/2021

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Brand Licensing Agency

CMY

SPECIALIST AGENCY DEVELOPING LONG TERM LICENSING PROGRAMMES FOR BRANDS PINK KEY LICENSING LTD richard@pinkkey.co.uk | 07859 362 323 | www.pinkkey.co.uk @pinkkeylicensing

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Brand Licensing and Distribution Agency

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Character Costumes and Sports Mascots

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Business Multimedia Publishing & Events

MAX PUBLISHING The leading specialist publishing house for the licensing and consumer products sectors, o˜ ering high-quality, content-rich publications to an unrivalled database of over 100,000 licensors, suppliers, licensees, retailers and everyone inbetween. Our titles cover all core product areas, whilst our contract publishing business has seen specialist publications for companies including Universal Studios, Warner Bros,. Disney, Entertainment One, Hasbro, Sanrio and many more.

MAX MEDIA VENTURES The digital studio within the Max group owns and operates numerous exciting digital news channels including LicensingSource. net. The studio also o˜ ers full-service digital development from websites to apps, social media programs, audio visual creation, company re-branding, 3D modelling, with clients including Licensing International, LDN Fashion and more.

For ANY marketing requirement – S00-S00_000-000_Max Publishing House Ad_muk.indd 2

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t–

Business Multimedia Publishing & Events

Get in touch: hello@max-publishing.co.uk +44 (0)207 700 6740 www.maxmediagroup.co.uk

MAX LIVE EVENTS Not only does our award-winning production company organise the highlycoveted Licensing Awards, Progressive Preschool Awards and all others in the Max group, it also organises events for a myriad of third party clients from small conferencing and licensee days to major live events for names including Toni & Guy, Licensing International, The Negotiator Awards and hundreds more.

we have the expertise and solution S00-S00_000-000_Max Publishing House Ad_muk.indd 3

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Creative Agency

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Creative Agency

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Creative Services Agency

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Creative Services

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Creative Services

We’ve got this. Customized creative services for manufacturers, retailers, and brands

A dedicated creative team when you need it most. jewelbranding.com

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Creative Services

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Creative Solutions and Design Agency

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Creative Solutions and Design Agency

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Data-driven licensing

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Data-driven licensing

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Design Agency – Product, Packaging & Style Guide

Tango and the Tango device are trade marks of Britvic Soft Drinks Ltd. © Disney Licensed by Universal Studios Licensing LLC. All Rights Reserved. DreamWorks Trolls © 2019 DreamWorks Animation LLC. All Rights Reserved.

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Design, Design Reprographics and Print

‘Proud to be the graphic reproduction and printing company to The Licensing Awards, Licensing Source Book and Max Publishing’ Some of the great people we’ve worked with...

BASED IN LONDON, METHOD UK IS A BESPOKE DESIGN, REPROGRAPHICS AND PRINT COMPANY, SPECIALISING IN PRODUCING AND MANAGING ALL MANNER OF WONDERFUL PROJECTS 020 7691 0922 Method UK 2020.indd 2021.indd 1 S25_265_LSB_Autumn 265

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Licensing Agent

L I C E N S I N G

ART

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International designer, Catalina Estrada

HE R I TAGE COLLECTIONS fel the colors of nature

KIDS C H O I C E

fel the colors of nature

20 18

ata

lin

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BES P OK E A RT WO R K Successful international licensing program includes wall paper, bed linen, cushions, handbags, accessories, school products, and many others. Now available in the UK. For more information say hello@thisisiris.co.uk

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Independent Licensing Agency

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Licensing Agent

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Licensing Agency

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Licensing Agency

That s not my... books for babies

Leading brand and licensing agency with a host of household names For brands with pedigree, contact: S32

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bulldog_licensing

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Licensing Consultant and Brand Strategy

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Licensing Consultant To Manufacturers

Break Break into into licensing...w licensing...w Licensing LicensingAdvice Advicefor forManufacturers Manufacturers

Just Just some some ofof thethe many many brands brands and and manufacturers manufacturers wewe have have successfully successfully worked worked with with

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Licensing Consultant To Manufacturers

g...with g...with Asgard Asgard Media Media

S35

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Licensing Management Technology

The Future of Art & Design Licensing Manage your entire art licensing business on one platform. Artonomo seamlessly integrates: • Archive Management • Art Availability Workflow Process • Contacts & Licensees • Contracts With Image & Product Detail • Royalties • Customer Portal For Clients & Licensees Available in Artonomo® Pro for professional licensed artists and Artonomo® Enterprise for agencies, cultural institutions, and art-intensive brand properties.

Learn more at artonomo.com

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Licensing Management Technology

Artonomo has changed the way that we handle our business. Not only has Artonomo provided a “backroom” foundation that allows us to compile all our data in one place, the program has streamlined our process and allowed our team to be more efficient in collaborating with our clients. Not to mention, our partners love it! - Artonomo Enterprise Customer

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Licensing Management Technology and Brand Protection

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Licensing Management Technology and Brand Protection

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Licensing Relationship Management

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Licensing Relationship Management

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Promotional, Accessory, Cross-category licensee

Licensed Character Products Licensed Licensed Licensed Character Character Character Products Products Products

Imagine8 Capabilities Imagine8 Imagine8 Imagine8 Capabilities Capabilities Capabilities

Imagine8 specialise in licensed character Imagine8 specialise in licensed character Imagine8 Imagine8 Imagine8 specialise specialise specialise ininlicensed inlicensed licensed character character character merchandise. merchandise. merchandise. merchandise. merchandise. Accessory license. Accessory license. Accessory Accessory Accessory license. license. license. Cross-category licensee. Cross-category licensee. Cross-category Cross-category Cross-category licensee. licensee. licensee. InInhouse design. house design. InInhouse In house house design. design. design. One shop Supply chain. Onestop stop shop Supply chain. One One One stop stop stop shop shop shop Supply Supply Supply chain. chain. chain. Local team in China. LocalLocal team inteam China. Local Local team team ininChina. inChina. China. QA/ QA/QC. QC. QA/ QA/ QA/ QC. QC. QC. Logistics. Logistics. Logistics. Logistics. Logistics.

Imagine8 Promotions Imagine8 Imagine8 Imagine8 Promotions Promotions Promotions Preferred promotional partner. Preferred promotional Preferred Preferred Preferred promotional promotional promotional partner. partner. partner. partner. OverOver 2,500 promotions. Over Over 2,500 2,500 2,500 promotions. promotions. promotions.

Over 2,500 promotions.

Onestop stop supply chain from One One One stop stop stop supply supply supply chain chain chain from from from One supply chain concept to delivery. concept concept concept to to delivery. to delivery. delivery. from concept to delivery.

25 taking care of 25years, years, taking care ofcare our 2525years, 25 years, years, taking taking taking care care ofofour ofour our partners. partners. partners. partners. our partners.

Creative Creative Creative Creative Sales promotion Sales promotion Sales Sales promotion promotion

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Promotional, Accessory, Cross-category licensee

Licensed Licensed Character Character Products Products Licensed Licensed Licensed Character Character Character Products Products Products

Imagine8 Licenses Imagine8 Licenses Imagine8 Imagine8 Imagine8 Licenses Licenses Licenses

racter cter aracter acter

artner. ional partner. otional nal onal partner. partner. partner.

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Contact Contact Information Information Contact Contact Contact Information Information Information

Norman Norman Thompson Thompson Norman Norman Norman Thompson Thompson Thompson 8, Palatine 8, Palatine Ind. Est. Ind. Est. 8,8, Palatine 8,Palatine Palatine Ind. Ind. Ind. Est. Est. Est. Tel: +44 el: (0) +44 1925 (0) 444474 1925 444474 Causeway Avenue Avenue Tel: TT el: T +44 el:+44 +44 (0) (0) (0) 1925 1925 1925 444474 444474 444474 Causeway Causeway Causeway Causeway Avenue Avenue Avenue Mob:Mob: +44 Mob: (0) +44 7768 (0) 414304 7768 414304 Warrington Warrington Mob: Mob: +44 +44 +44 (0) (0) (0) 7768 7768 7768 414304 414304 414304 Warrington Warrington Warrington Mail: Mail: norman@imagine8.com Mail: norman@imagine8.com WA4 WA4 6QQ WA4 6QQ Mail: Mail: norman@imagine8.com norman@imagine8.com norman@imagine8.com WA4 WA4 6QQ 6QQ 6QQ

rcing ourcing Retail Retail Sourcing ourcing ourcing Retail Retail Retail

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PR Agency

STAND OUT FROM THE CROWD Specialists in licensed characters and toys

Consumer PR Trade PR

Inﬂuencer Marketing

Social Media

Events E-marketing @highlightpr

01225 444268 www.highlightpr.co.uk

Pan-European Campaigns

industry awards in ﬁve years

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PR CAMPAIGNS THAT WORK FOR CLIENTS WE BELIEVE IN Media Coverage Social Activation Content Creation Strategic Consultancy l

We work with

“BIGTOP has secured amazing coverage in trade and business media across the globe.” Anna Knight, VP of Licensing, Informa Markets

“You guys are bloody miracle workers! Thank you so much.” Gary Pope, CEO & Co-Founder, Kids Industries

Charlie Le Rougetel +44 7736 330676 l

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charlie@bigtop-pr.co.uk bigtop-pr.co.uk l

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PR Agency

Every day is child’s play for us!

We promote Kids and Family content and build brands from script to screen to shelf and beyond.

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valerie@valerie-taylor.co.uk

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www.valerietaylorpr.com

26/10/2021 13:41

PR Agency

...we create B2B & B2C PR strategy & delivery Marketing support I Event management Social campaigns

& creative THE NO-NONSENSE, INTELLIGENT FULL-SERVICE PR CONSULTANCY

Get in touch... Kirsty Barr Director I Kirsty@grapevine-pr.co.uk I +44 (0)7375 110558

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@GVGlobalPR

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PR Agency

St fr an o d H m ou er th t d e !

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PR Agency

The Licensing and Broadcast PR and Marke˜ ng Specialists TRADE PR CONSUMER PR WEBSITE COPY SOCIAL NETWORKING TALENT MANAGEMENT CHARACTER TOURS REGULAR COLUMNS PRODUCT PLACEMENT PLACED FEATURES SPEECH WRITING COPYWRITING COMPETITIONS

Tylers • 1 Mallows Green Road • Manuden • Herts • CM23 1DG T 44 (0) 1279 887 101 E jgarner@kgmpr.com • W www.kgmpr.com S49

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PR Agency MCPR is an award-winning PR agency based in London that has worked with some of the world’s most renowned kids, family and entertainment brands for 15 years including Disney, Mattel, Fisher-Price, KIDZ BOP and National Geographic. We have a successful track record of industry-leading communications campaigns with a family focus that consistently delivers unparalleled earned media coverage and positive awareness for our clients, keeping them top of mind with parents and kids and helping to positively shape consumer choices. Our work includes taking charge of some of the most talked about and widely covered kids brands stories, product launches, PR stunts and partnerships across UK, EMEA and globally.

Star Wars

Disney Descendants

Thomas & Friends

Get in touch… MCPR.indd 2-3 S50-S51_290-291_LSB_Spring 2021.indd 100

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PR Agency

WE DO… ★ CONSUMER PR ★ TRADE PR ★ INFLUENCER MARKETING ★ MEDIA RELATIONS & NEWS GENERATION ★ TALENT MANAGEMENT ★ PRODUCT PLACEMENT CAMPAIGNS ★ EVENTS ★ CONTENT CREATION ★ PR CONSULTANCY & STRATEGY ★ BRAND PARTNERSHIPS ★ CSR ★ PARENTS & KIDS RESEARCH AND INSIGHTS ★ REMOTE PRESS OFFICE SERVICE

1 Lyric Square, London, W6 ONB +447974 215334 | www.markcollinspr.com S51

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PR Agency

Check out our new showreel at licensetopr.co.uk @licensetopr

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Contact: louise@licensetopr.co.uk 0207 637 4660

27/10/2021 12:10

Royalty Auditing

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Sustainability

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& & & & &

Sustainability Advisors

"The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, "The of is all not secret on fighting the old, butfocus on building the energy, new." "The secret of change change is to to focus all of of your your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new." Socrates "The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not secret on fighting the old, butfocus on building the energy, new." "The of change is to all of your Socrates not on on fighting fighting the the old, old, but on on building building the the new." new." Socrates not but Socrates WHAT? We have the opportunity and responsibility to create the new business models, Socrates strategiesWe andhave innovations to deliver a sustainable future. WHAT? the opportunity and responsibility to create the new business models, WHAT? the opportunity and responsibility to create the new business models, strategiesWe andhave innovations to deliver a sustainable future. strategies and innovations to deliver a sustainable future. HOW? This will take cross-industry collaboration and clear purpose. WHAT? We have the opportunity and responsibility the WHAT? We have the opportunity and responsibility to toacreate create the new new business business models, models, strategies and innovations to deliver a sustainable future. HOW? This will take cross-industry collaboration and a clear purpose. strategies and innovations to deliver a sustainable future. HOW? This will take cross-industry and a and clearlicensing purpose.expertise to The POC Advisors offer sustainabilitycollaboration know-how, brand deliver aThis bespoke experience, helping to support you yourlicensing sustainability journey. HOW? This will take take cross-industry collaboration andon a and clear purpose.expertise The POC Advisors offer sustainability know-how, brand to HOW? will cross-industry collaboration and a clear purpose. The POC Advisors offer sustainability brand expertise to deliver a bespoke experience, helping know-how, to support you onand yourlicensing sustainability journey. deliver a bespoke experience, helping to support you on your sustainability journey. The POC Advisors offer sustainability know-how, brand and licensing expertise The POC Advisors offer sustainability know-how, brand and licensing expertise to to deliver deliver a a bespoke bespoke experience, experience, helping helping to to support support you you on on your your sustainability sustainability journey. journey.

 Step by step guides Quickby Wins  Step step guides  Step step guides Easy by steps  Quick Wins to Implementation Quick Wins  Step by step Timeline Easy by steps Implementation Step steptoguides guides  Easy steps Quick Wins toofImplementation Explanation terms, concepts & Timeline  Quick Wins  Timeline steps principles  Easy Explanation terms, concepts & Easy steps to toofImplementation Implementation Explanation  Timeline principles of terms, concepts & Timeline principles of terms, concepts & Explanation  Explanation of terms, concepts & principles principles

 More in-depth explanation of sustainability andofideas  More in-depthconcepts explanation  More in-depth explanation Workshops onconcepts specific andofideas sustainability sustainability concepts andofideas  More in-depth interventions Workshops on explanation specific More in-depth explanation of  sustainability Workshops on specific concepts interventions concepts and sustainability and ideas ideas interventions  Workshops Workshops on on specific specific interventions interventions

 Project management or support management for specific or  Project  Project management interventions support for specific or support for specific  Project management or Embedding Sustainability interventions Project management or interventions support Support for specific Organisational  Embedding Sustainability & support for for specific  Embedding Sustainability interventions Cultural Change  Support for Organisational & interventions Support for Organisational &  Embedding Sustainability Cultural Change Embedding Sustainability Cultural Change Support for Organisational Organisational & &  Support for Cultural Change Change Cultural

If you would like to discuss how POC Advisors can support your journey to a sustainable please us athow advisors@productsofchange.com an initial Iffuture, you would likecontact to discuss POC Advisors can support yourfor journey to adiscussion. sustainable Iffuture, you would likecontact to discuss POC Advisors can support yourfor journey to adiscussion. sustainable please us athow advisors@productsofchange.com an initial future, please contact us at www.productsofchange.com advisors@productsofchange.com for an initial discussion. If you you would would like like to to discuss discuss how how POC POC Advisors Advisors can can support support your your journey journey to to a a sustainable sustainable If future, advisors@productsofchange.com future, please please contact contact us us at at www.productsofchange.com advisors@productsofchange.com for for an an initial initial discussion. discussion.

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www.productsofchange.com www.productsofchange.com www.productsofchange.com

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Sports Licensing

Business built on sporting values, experiences & connections

2021 – A summer like no other

SPORTS LICENSING, MERCHANDISE, RETAIL, PROMOTIONS & PARTNERSHIPS

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Contact: Simon Gresswell, MD & Founder simon@sglp.co.uk www.sglp.co.uk

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SGLP

Trade Association for Licensing Globally

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Technology Service Provider

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Technology Service Provider

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Technology Service Provider

What What do do youyou look look forfor in ain a licensing licensing management management software software provider? provider? EXPERIENCE EXPERIENCE SinceSince 2003,2003, MyMediabox MyMediabox has witnessed has witnessed the evolution the evolution of of the licensing the licensing biz and biz its and many its many nuances. nuances. Our 100% Our 100% in-house in-house team team of fullofstack full stack developers developers have have built our builtsolutions our solutions for this for this industry industry and from and from the ground the ground up, since up, since the beginning. the beginning.

FINANCIAL FINANCIAL STRENGTH STRENGTH Don’tDon’t risk everything risk everything on a startup on a startup with limited with limited venture venture capital capital and aand lot aoflot promises. of promises. Mediabox Mediabox is backed is backed by by the financial the financial fortitude fortitude of our of parent our parent company, company, JonasJonas Software Software USA, USA, Inc., Inc., a subsidiary a subsidiary of Constellation of Constellation Software Software Inc., with Inc., awith CADa $13+ CAD $13+ billionbillion market market cap. cap.

Us v Trac tren

SECURITY SECURITY AND AND TRUST TRUST “What“What 3rd parties 3rd parties will bewill able be to able access to access your data?“ your data?“ Be sure Be to sure ask! toAt ask! MyMediabox, At MyMediabox, we own weall own ourallsoftware our software and hardware, and hardware, outright. outright. We are WeGDPR are GDPR compliant compliant and and certified certified withinwithin the EU-US the EU-US and Swiss-US and Swiss-US Privacy Privacy ShieldShield Frameworks. Frameworks. We ensure We ensure your data your is data ultra is secure. ultra secure.

FULL FULL SERVICE SERVICE PARTNERSHIP PARTNERSHIP We never We never call them call them our clients. our clients. We think We think of the of the companies companies who choose who choose us, asus, ouraspartners. our partners. We learn We learn from from themthem and include and include themthem in thein conversation, the conversation, whenwhen deciding deciding what what new new features features to add to to addthe to the development development roadmap. roadmap.

5-STAR 5-STAR CUSTOMER CUSTOMER SERVICE SERVICE Our Our partners partners ratedrated the the Mediabox Mediabox Customer Customer Support Support TeamTeam with top withscores top scores in a recent in a recent customer customer satisfaction satisfaction survey! survey! FromFrom your your dedicated dedicated Account Account Manager Manager to thetoexperts the experts who answer who answer your your support support queries, queries, our support our support team team is theis best the in best thein industry. the industry.

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Technology Service Provider

RM Contract Management Manage the full contract life cycle, automate your workﬂow and track IP rights

Style Guide Delivery

Royalty Tracking Users upload sales data via the Royalty Portal. Track royalties and identify trends to increase proﬁts.

Manage all your digital assets in colorful, custombranded environments your licensees will love! TM

Security Tag Management Turn-key security tag software, with product integration, ordering, payment and tracking.

DAM

Product Approvals Manage the entire process, from the licensee approval form and concept stage, through completion.

TRUSTED BY MORE LEADING LICENSORS AND AGENTS 125+ COMPANIES USE MYMEDIABOX PRODUCTS

MOST WIDELY TESTED LICENSING SOFTWARE 55,000+ USERS IN 120+ COUNTRIES

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Travel Experts Industry Travel Experts

Exposé Travel – Your one-stop shop for all Licensing and related exhibitions worldwide.

E sh re

EXPOSÉ TRAVEL specialises in travel to licensing and related shows worldwide. We have been offering some very special rates for flights and ho els to the many exhibitions that take place in different parts of the world and work with small boutique licensing agencies and retailers right up to the biggest companies on the show floo . We are also the exclusive travel partner to the Max Group of Companies, owners of The Licensing Awards and Licensing Source Book, and LicensingSource.net.

EX We exh bo the Co Lic

Dear Friends and Clients, First and foremost we hope that you are all getting back to some sort of normality after what has been a horrible 19 months. We hope that your businesses are seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. As the industry’s specialist travel agent, you may have used our services in the last few years, and we hope that you were happy with our offers. After a very quiet period for us since March 2020, Exposé Travel is now getting requests from several of our regular clients for Exhibitions happening in 2022.

You will speak to our experts, and we will be your personal point of contact. Again, our best wishes for a speedy return to normalcy and please do consider us your personal travel agent for the trips ahead. We deal with one-man companies right up to 100+ person bookings for the biggest licensors. And if we can keep Ian Hyder, Jakki Brown and Rob Willis happy with their demanding requirements, I’m sure we can help you! Sincerely

De Fir get wh tha end

As ma yea ou

Aft 20 fro Exh

Paul Vasdev – +44(0)1883 349576 paul@exposetravel.uk www.exposetravel.uk

We are ready to take your requests for 2022 and we realise that, during the continuing uncertainty, your priority will be on the cancellation terms, and the protection you want if things do go awry once more.

We and unc can wa

And that is why now, more than ever, I encourage you to use our services as a licensing industry specialist. Exposé can be your one-stop-shop for flight and hotels (plus everything in-between) and you will know that you can speak to me at any time, any day - if there are fresh travel problems - you won’t be on hold to a call centre to try and unravel bookings and fight for refunds for months on end.

An enc lice Exp and you any pro cen ref

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+44 16 1273 5213

www.cooneenbydesign.com Cooneen Group

Daywear

Underwear

Swimwear

@cooneengroup

Nightwear

Character Clothing Specialists

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