The Big Interview: Marianne James, Hasbro

Above: Peppa Pig has its own theme park at Legoland in Florida.

Right: The Peppa Pig Cleaner Seas Project at ASDA included a range of George clothing produced using sustainable and recycled materials. Far right: My Little Pony puzzle from Ravensburger.

More brands, Following the past year filled with successful entertainment launches and all-new toy and product offerings more places, to match, Hasbro is returning to BLE to showcase even more fun experiences for its world-class brands like My Little Pony, more consumers Transformers, Dungeons & Dragons and Peppa Pig.

It’s been a busy 12 months at Hasbro, delivering engaging content like the Netflix exclusive My Little Pony: Make Your Mark and Peppa’s Club; which was honoured by the distinguished Common Sense Selection programme for outstanding family media.

Endless opportunities lie ahead with the all-new animated kids’ series Transformers: EarthSpark, and fans can expect to see Transformers: Rise of the Beasts on the big screen in June 2023, with a feature-length Transformers animated film slated for 2024. Additionally, the highly anticipated theatrical release based on the famed fantasy franchise, Dungeon & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves, hits screens in March 2023.

“At Hasbro, we are committed to making the world a better place for all children, fans, and families by creating unique and innovative play and entertainment experiences available for consumers around the world,” says Marianne James, vice president EMEA & Asia Licensed Consumer Products at Hasbro. “Our global brand-building capabilities allow us to bring our iconic brands to life in ways that transcend toys and content through an impressive array of consumer products spanning fashion, toy and games, publishing and FMCG, along with location-based entertainment and premier promotional programmes.”

As the years go on, My Little Pony continues to elevate itself as a pop culture icon, through product partnerships that introduce the brand to all-new audiences. Marianne calls out a few of the partnerships: “In China, we launched a My Little Pony children’s sportswear line with Xtep Kids and kidult products from Pop Mart. In the UK, we released a branded fashion line from Irregular Choice, a role play expansion line

Stay a While

Hasbro also just unveiled the first of its kind – a My Little Pony and Transformers themed hotel outfitted with a Family Entertainment Center – as part of its larger partnership with Marriott. Coming to Shanghai, the hotel is a three-story high entertainment facility that features 46 themed rooms offering guests a fun packed family adventure.

Above: Transformers themed room at the new hotel in Shanghai.

from Bildo, puzzles from Ravensburger and consumer electronics from OTL Technologies while working with the region’s top retail partners like Tesco, Argos and Smyths, plus much more. As we gallop into 2023, the 40th anniversary of My Little Pony, we’re giving fans thrilling ways to celebrate their fandom.”

Peppa Pig continues to shine around the world, with the recent launch of the Peppa Pig Theme Park at Legoland in the US, with another exciting location based entertainment (LBE) opening in Hangzhou, China with the PEPPA PIG Play Café. “We are also launching Learn with Peppa – a major new brand extension to help promote early years learning,” says Marianne. “We’ll be expanding this in January 2023 through an extensive publishing programme with Ladybird, an imprint of Penguin Random House, releasing 80 titles within its first year of launch.”

Marianne continues: “In the UK we’re offering an array of sustainability initiatives, such as the incredible Plant with Peppa programme with ASDA last year and the Cleaner Seas Project with ASDA this year. What’s more, we’ve introduced category expansions for the brand in China like H&H China Limited for Peppa Pig milk powder and probiotic products and face masks and alcohol prep pads from Haishi Hainuo Group.”

With all-new location-based entertainment, fashion collaborations, food and beverage goods, kidult merchandise and more products available to consumers across the globe, Transformers is a prime example of Hasbro's unmatched brand-

building capabilities in action, as Marianne explains: “People around the world can experience Transformers through boundless formats. In the UK, we have a licensing programme lined up for the upcoming Transformers: EarthSpark series, including the new pocket money partner RMS International, as well as Hunter Price with a line of fidget toys, arts and crafts, plus more.” In France Hasbro has signed with Bagtrotters bringing back to school merchandise to market and Stone Kids Apparel for a range of clothing. In Iberia, softlines from Safta, collectibles from Luppa and Toimsa bikes and outdoor goods are also available. In China, Hasbro will launch an Adidas adult apparel and footwear line and new skus of the Xtep Kids x Transformers children’s fashion line. Southeast Asia fans can Right: New Adidas x Transformers footwear expect the world’s first in China. Transformers branded gaming Below: Dungeons & Dragons branded coffee massage chair from OSIM, as well from Coffee Collab. as footwear from Skechers. As for Dungeons & Dragons, the famed fantasy franchise is gearing up for its star-studded theatrical release, Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves, with already a solid slate of excitingly unexpected licensing partnerships, including a coffee collaboration and a Dim Mak x Dungeons & Dragons fashion line, with much more to be announced.

Engage Brick Mode

This year, Hasbro collaborated with LEGO for the first time to create a Transformers Optimus Prime figure. With over 1,500 detailed LEGO pieces, once assembled, the figure features 19 points of articulation that allow fans to convert from robot to truck mode and back again. This is one of the first times a LEGO set has been able to convert between two models, without the need to rebuild.

“It’s been exciting to bring two of the world’s greatest play and entertainment companies together to celebrate this larger than life, iconic character – Optimus Prime,” says Marianne. “It’s been an extremely successful collaboration with a strong sell-through.”

Above: Hasbro collaborated with LEGO to create a Transformers Optimus Prime figure.