5 minute read
New to BLE: Jazwares & Chefclub
Right: Squishmallows saw “huge fanfare” when it exhibited at Licensing Expo in Las Vegas in May.
First Class
A host of companies will be exhibiting for the first time at Brand Licensing Europe from 20-22 September. LSB catches up with two newcomers to the show floor to find out more on their plans and why they see the event as vital to their brands’ growth.
“Jazwares is on an amazing growth trajectory as one of the world’s premier toy licensees, bringing the industry’s biggest entertainment properties to life while also cultivating and expanding our own IP,” Sam Ferguson, senior vp global licensing at Jazwares, tells LSB.
“Squishmallows, our leading global plush brand sensation, has been a key growth pillar and BLE opens the door for new category expanding opportunities. At BLE we will have a dedicated Squishmallows booth with the aim of introducing outside categories to the phenomenal Squishmallows lifestyle. We want to explore innovative ways to collaborate with new partners who can authentically bring the brand to life.”
The appearance at BLE follows on from the dedicated Squishmallows booth at Licensing Expo in May, and Sam explains that the company will be looking to create a similar colourful lifestyle experience at ExCeL. “We intend to show the UK industry the power of the brand and how they can be part of it in their own unique ways,” he says. “We saw huge fanfare in Vegas and expect to see the same interest in London, so will be ensuring we have a bookable meeting schedule as well as giving attendees the ability to take an initial look around to gain a deeper understanding about the brand and its DNA.”
Sam and the team will be catching up with the current family of licensees, discussing how their programmes can be expanded in 2023. In addition, it will be opening the door to explore new licensed partnerships, retail attendees and agents.
Jazwares launched its Squishmallows global licensing programme last year in the US and it is now looking forward to debuting an extensive UK programme, with some key product launches in Q3/Q4.
“We are teaming with some of the biggest names in consumer and lifestyle products including Bioworld, which is bringing a fantastic range of branded apparel and accessories; Character World with a cosy range of bedding; HarperCollins Publishers offering the Squishmallows Collectors Guide; Aykroyds and TDP Textiles with nightwear, loungewear, swimwear and underwear collectively; and Crackerjack UK launching Squishmallows lip and nail products,” says Sam.
Seven new licensees will be announced at the show, while there will also be a focus on speaking with new licensees which can offer meaningful collaborations across food and confectionery, as well as live events, publishing and home in the UK.
Longer term, the aim is for Squishmallows to be an established lifestyle property across all of the brand’s touchpoints. “Squishmallows are a true phenomenon, we have something really special with this brand and our aim is to cultivate it for long-term success,” concludes Sam. Jazwares can be found on stand B200 at BLE.
Cooking up a storm
Chefclub started in 2016 with a video on how to cook a croque monsieur, filmed in the founders’ kitchen. Since then, the brand has become something of a force in the food entertainment and content industry.
On social media, its videos are
viewed 2.5 billion times a
month by 100 million subscribers worldwide (half in the US and UK), and that base is increasing thanks to recent deals with Pluto TV (US, LatAm, Spain, UK and France) and Samsung TV France.
“We are now the leading cooking brand on digital platforms and are expanding our scope beyond social media into FAST and AVOD to increase our exposure and audience,” says Marie-
Laure Marchand, svp global consumer products
and business development at Chefclub. “It’s a good time to exhibit as our brand is well established and our catalogue of shows has diversified so much that it gives our licensees lots of inspirational content with tremendous business opportunities. Also our focus on kids - with an animated series and two short hybrid concepts in development - will open interesting new licensing opportunities.”
Marie-Laure is looking to expand the Chefclub Kids and Chefclub brands across the publishing, toys and games, food, homeware, live event and promotions categories, while she is also excited about markets outside of France where the brand has a strong base, including the UK.
Existing deals include a global partnership with Groupe SEB on the Chefclub by Tefal range. The collection of over 50 skus launched this spring across Europe and covers cookware, utensils and small domestic appliances. Chefclub also develops its own line of cookery books and other products for kids. It has 25 self-published cookbooks that have sold over 700,000 copies, while its Chefclub Kids catalogue includes over 27 cookery sets, with step by step illustrated cookbooks, measuring cups, utensils, kid friendly knives and more. The products are available at retail in France, with over 250,000 of the kits having been sold so far. When asked what makes Chefclub stand out as a brand, Marie-Laure responds: “We are a family cooking brand, we offer a unique experience by proposing creative recipes with ordinary and affordable ingredients that bring everyone together in the kitchen. We offer a fresh, new take on family cooking empowering children to get creative and be independent in the kitchen, while discovering healthy eating habits. This is a very strong brand proposition.”
When it comes to longer term aims for the brand, Marie-Laure is very clear: “We’d like to extend our scope in the UK, as well as North America. The US viewership has grown very quickly so I’ll be looking for a strong agent with experience in food and lifestyle brands. Ideally, I would like to get loyalty promotions running in the key European territories and develop our experiential events in Europe, the US and China.
“And last but not least, we will have launched our new animated series by then and my goal is to have a top master toy partner on board and all key categories covered internationally,” she concludes. Chefclub can be found on stand A190 at BLE.
Top: Marie-Laure
Marchand, svp global consumer products and business development, Chefclub.
Left: The company will be looking to expand Chefclub Kids and Chefclub across a raft of categories.
