BLE 2022 Show Preview

Destination, London

Inset: Sonic will be taking centre stage for SEGA at the show. Below: Hasbro will be showcasing its ‘brand blueprint’ in action.

LSB takes a look at what just some of the exhibitors will be showcasing across the three days of Brand Licensing Europe at London’s ExCeL.

SEGA

Stand A161

The SEGA licensing team is planning its biggest ever presence at this year’s show, with the video gaming giant’s flagship IP, Sonic the Hedgehog, taking centre stage.

The ‘Blue Blur’ has had an incredible year, which has seen the launch of new games, licensing partnerships, collaborations and a global hit movie which has taken in excess of USD400million at the box office.

The licensing team will be presenting the latest content, creative and marketing plans to its new and existing partners and industry colleagues. SEGA is also participating at the planned fashion catwalk event. Confirmed as a Platinum sponsor, it will be showcasing the best of its fashion and lifestyle products, underlining the strong designs and innovation to have come from collaborating with some of the industry’s leading designers, retailers and licensees worldwide. SEGA has enjoyed great success in this category of licensing for many years, with collections launching across mass, mid-tier and high-end and luxury retail.

Hasbro

Stand A211

Hasbro will be aiming to showcase its ‘brand blueprint’ in action at ExCeL.

Key brands on display will include Transformers, with the new animated kids’ series Transformers: Rise of the Beasts due for release in 2023, as well as the first Transformers and My Little Pony hotel coming soon.

For Dungeons & Dragons, Hasbro will be looking to build on the reveal of the first ever toy line, as well as gearing up for the 2023 Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves theatrical release.

Preschool powerhouse, Peppa Pig comes to the show hot on the heels of successful content releases like Peppa’s Clubhouse, as well as the opening of the first US theme park. The brand will also be marking its 20th anniversary in 2024, and no doubt early discussions will be taking place with partners.

New content for My Little Pony will continue to drop on YouTube and Netflix, with the brand celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2023, while NERF will be arriving following the brand’s first ever mascot introduction with Murph and major LBE openings with the NERF Action Xperience centres and NERF Theme Park Land.

Finally, the Monopoly Lifesized Experience will continue to be a major talking point, as well as a new promotion with McDonald’s.

Acamar Films BBC Studios

Stand A201

Bing recently launched in the US with a

bespoke American

version on Cartoonito and HBO Max, while Acamar also appointed a new licensing agent to drive strategic Bing licensing and retail programmes in the US and Canada.

In Europe, the preschool brand continues to grow in the experiential space. The first themed rooms have launched at Alton Towers’ CBeebies Land Hotel in the UK, while in Benelux the successful theatre tour, Bing is jarig (Bing’s Birthday), continued and will return with more performances in autumn/winter 2022 and spring/summer 2023. For Italy, Bing’s partnership with family theme park Leolandia also continued with meet and greets, plus mini show performances. Acamar also bolstered its audio and digital content for UK audiences. This year saw the launch of Bing audio stories and songs with tonies, an interactive story for the CBeebies Storytime app and ‘playtime music’ for the ‘Bing Time’ Alexa Skill.

There are also plans for Bing to roll out in new markets in Europe, Asia and the Americas in 2023 and beyond.

Above: Preschool hit Bing is building its presence in new territories.

Stand C180

Preschool hit Bluey is sure to be a popular draw for BBC Studios. The show recently made its season three debut globally on Disney+, while free to air broadcast partners in territories including the UK, France and Italy are also beginning to air season two on their platforms.

Meanwhile, much excitement is surrounding Doctor Who as fans prepare for the Thirteenth Doctor’s final episode and to welcome back showrunner Russell T Davis, who will introduce the new Doctor, Ncuti Gatwa. Doctor Who will also mark its 60th anniversary in 2023 with fan favourites David Tennant and Catherine Tate returning for the celebrations.

In addition, the multiple BAFTA and Emmy award winning Hey Duggee has recently returned to screens with its fourth series and is due to take to the road, with Hey Duggee The Live Theatre Show beginning its tour of the UK this Christmas.

Below: Bluey will be a major draw at the show for BBC Studios.

Below: 2023 marks a unique opportunity for Peter Rabbit with the Year of the Rabbit.

Penguin Ventures

Stand C170

2022 has been a big year for Penguin Ventures with some important anniversaries. Peter Rabbit is celebrating his 120th birthday throughout the year with a high profile purpose-driven campaign, while 2023 also presents a unique opportunity with the Year of the Rabbit.

The company is also planning two key milestones for The World of The Snowman this year – 40 years of The Snowman animation and ten years of The Snowman and The Snowdog. Penguin Ventures will be looking to talk to licensees about plans to embed these frosty friends as a core part of yearly festive family celebrations. In addition, 2023 will also see the 100-year anniversary of Cicely Mary Barker’s Flower Fairies. The illustrations will be showcased on the stand alongside preschool brand, Spot.

Warhammer

Stand B191

Below: Warhammer will use its franchise strategy for further growth.

The world’s largest and most successful hobby miniatures brand, Warhammer’s licensing programme includes a packed slate of video gaming releases, along with apparel, accessories, fine art, homewares, card and board games, collectables and other consumer products. The strong growth of Warhammer over the past 12 months means the brand is perfectly placed to take advantage of the exponential demand for sci-fi and fantasy IP. It is planning to do this through its franchise strategy, with each franchise anchored to a triple-A video game or entertainment project that will appeal to a wide audience. This will ensure that for each franchise there is both high awareness and engagement as products hit shelves. The next two franchises are Warhammer 40,000 Darktide and Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2. 2023 also marks the 40th anniversary of Warhammer, with plans to mark the milestone already underway.

Carte Blanche Group

Stand D165

Below: Me to You consistently ranks in the top three brands in key categories. 2022 has seen the licensing programme for classic sentiment brand Me to You continue to expand. It now has a presence in 110 countries globally and consistently ranks in the top three brands in key categories including apparel and print on demand.

Tiny Tatty Teddy, meanwhile, is CBG’s bestselling nursery brand, with opportunities for licensing across numerous categories. CBG has partnered with children’s charity Ickle Pickles this year, creating plush to support its work.

The company’s humorous greeting card will also be on display including Violent Veg, Cards for Horrible People and Say It To My Face. Hotchpotch also goes from strength to strength. New lines for 2022 include the Frida and Orion gifting ranges.

Walker Books

Stand D175

Sales across Walker Books’ Guess How Much I Love You, We’re Going on a Bear Hunt and Maisy brands continue to grow and have now reached over 100 million copies. September will see the publication of We’re Going on a Bear Hunt book and toy gift set, as well as the new tonie. Summer 2023 will also see Leeds play host to a free art trail, with Walker Productions/Lupus Films collaborating with Leeds Hospitals Charity and Wild in Art. Following the sad passing of Sam McBratney, the creator of Guess How Much I Love You, a new permanent visitor attraction will be launched in autumn/winter 2022 in his hometown of Lisburn, Northern Ireland in his memory. Walker Books will also be sharing a new style guide and refreshed assets. The brand also continues to grow in Europe. Euro Lizenzen in Germany has renewed licenses with arsEdition GmbH, POS Confectionary and Kuchle. A DTR deal with bookstore Thalia for homewares will be in stores in SS2023. In Benelux, License Connection has secured deals with Bekking & Blitz, plus a consumer loyalty programme through September and October with 320 COOP supermarkets in Holland. Finally, September sees the publications of Maisy Circus Show and Maisy’s Snow Day, with new deals for the UK to be announced soon.

Above: The Guess brand continues to grow in the UK and Europe. Below: Jurassic World Dominion has grossed more than $800m at the global box office.

Universal Brand Development

Stand A171

Following the success of Jurassic World Dominion - which has grossed more than $800 million at the global box office - a celebration programme marking the 30th anniversary release of the original Jurassic Park in 1993 is planned for 2023. Meanwhile, the world’s most successful animated franchise shows no signs of stopping with the newest instalment, Illumination’s Minions: The Rise of Gru setting opening weekend box office records. Fans can look forward to more mischief from the global icons with the upcoming release of Despicable Me 4.

From the DreamWorks Animation portfolio, Trolls 3 is hotly anticipated, while new content from How to Train Your Dragon is making its debut. From the TV side, DreamWorks Gabby’s Dollhouse sees its new episodes consistently rank among Netflix’s top ten kids and families titles. The company will also be showcasing its U-Vault archive of favourites from across more than 100 years of film and TV. This includes the 40th anniversary of E.T the Extra-Terrestrial this year and, in 2023, anniversaries for Scarface and JAWS.

The Pokémon Company International

Stand B121

Inset: Pokémon will have its biggest ever stand at BLE.

Pokémon returns to BLE with its biggest ever stand, just weeks after the venue hosted the

2022 Pokémon World

Championships – the first time the event has been held in Europe.

An outstanding 25th anniversary year saw Pokémon win Best Gaming Licensed Property at the 2021 Licensing Awards and become the fifth biggest licensor in the world (according to License Global’s Top 150 Licensors).

This year, master toy partner Jazwares launched its biggest ever range with new products including an Electric Charge Pikachu and the recently launched collaboration with Pokémon x Squishmallow Pikachu and Gengar plush. Funko also added to its growing range of collectables, while Mattel’s Mega Construx range of construction toys continued to build sales. Ravensburger will also launch its first Pokémon sku in its Painting by Numbers range.

On top of this, a host of global fashion and accessories collaborations were confirmed this year including a link up between ASOS and Poetic Brands for a 38-piece collection.

Pink Key Licensing

Stand B273

Alongside the expanding programmes for Kellogg’s,

Pringles, SLUSH PUPPiE, Vimto, Pan Am, Jane Asher

and The Laughing Cow, Pink Key’s roster now includes the recently signed Peperami with its notorious front man The Animal, as well as a programme focused wholly on sustainability for Quorn. The agency will be looking for retail and licensee partners for food and nonfood collaborations across Europe. The brands will be featuring as part of the catwalk fashion feature, with Pink Key hoping to demonstrate how flexible partners can be with the array of art and imagery that each brand has in its varied style guides. Of particular interest are potential partnerships for the brands with either retailers for specific brands or brand collaborations.

Above: The Animal will be strutting its stuff at BLE.

Jazwares

Below: Jazwares is aiming to turn Squishmallows into a global lifestyle property.

Stand B200

Jazwares will be promoting its successful plush brand Squishmallows at the show, as it looks to grow it into a global lifestyle property.

The company is eyeing up collaborations from a cross section of categories including health and beauty, home goods, apparel and novelties among others.

This builds off phenomenal growth in 2021 when the social media sensation saw its content generate over seven billion video views on TikTok and @squishmallows (and related hashtags) tagged in more than one million Instagram posts.

UK Squishmallows sales have doubled in 2022 to become one of the fastest growing properties on NPD. This year has also seen Squishmallows take the US toy industry’s top honour, the Toy Association’s coveted overall Toy of the Year award, while also hitting the milestone of 125million+ plush sold globally.

Inset: Paddington’s 2022 has already been given the royal seal of approval.

Inset: Formula E has grown into a global entertainment brand since its debut in 2014. Below: Pip and Posy is based on the books by Axel Scheffler.

The Copyrights Group

Stand B180

It’s certainly been an exciting year for Paddington – after all, not many characters can say they’ve had tea with the Queen.

The second series of The Adventures of Paddington has launched, with a third in development. International TV tie-in highlights include the first Paddington McDonald’s Happy Meal promotion in the UK; a branded hotel promotion in Hong Kong; a new promotion with Coop in Holland; plus educational toys from Clementoni in France and Italy.

There are also new experiential offerings including an outdoor seasonal experience which launched this summer in Scotland, plus the first Paddington experience in Hong Kong, which is due to launch in 2023.

Two new agents – WDR in Germany and K2S Media in the Middle East – are on board, while the UNICEF partnership has expanded to seven countries.

In addition, Copyrights is continuing to develop

Mush-Mush & the Mushables, Dragonmania, Father

Christmas and Country Diary.

Formula E

Stand D250

The fastest growing motorsport series on the planet, ahead of the 2020/21 season Formula E gained World Championship status to become the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship.

Formula E’s founding mission was for its race through the streets of the most iconic cities in the world - with a grid full of the best racing drivers and teams around - to show just what sustainable mobility was capable of, driving electric vehicles to the fore in the race for a better, cleaner future.

Since making its debut in the grounds of the Olympic Park in Beijing in 2014, Formula E has grown into a global entertainment brand with motorsport at its heart. Now, with 12 teams and 24 drivers on the grid, the championship has become a destination for the world's best motorsport teams and racing talent.

Lisle Licensing

D177

Lisle Licensing believes it has its strongest portfolio to date at this year’s show.

Gaming brand Tetris will be celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2024 and is a key focus in creating aspirational licensing opportunities.

Lifestyle duo, Style Sisters will be at BLE promoting their new ranges and Lisle will be looking to expand into new categories for 2023. Art and design brand, Kate Smith Company will be attending the show for the first time, looking to build on successes with Moonpig, Hallmark and Carousel.

In children’s entertainment, Lisle is meeting with potential new partners for Milkshake! hit, Milo, as well as the CBeebies recent ratings success Pinocchio and friends from Rainbow Group, as well as long-standing favourite, Masha and the Bear.

Newcomers to the portfolio include artist Lucia Heffernan, Happy Nappers, former GB Olympian surfer Laura Crane and mumpreneur Lillie Farrow – who will be launching her brand, Lil’s Kitchen – are also focuses, as well as Nitro Circus, Shoot, The Mirror Archive and Andy Capp.

Magic Light Pictures

Stand C205

Magic Light’s tradition of producing popular family films for Christmas continues this year with The Smeds and The Smoos starring Bill Bailey, Meera Syal and Rob Brydon, which premieres as part of BBC One’s festive schedule. As well as managing the character brands based on books created by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, Magic Light also launched its first ever TV series last year. Preschool show Pip and Posy – which is based on the books by Axel Scheffler - airs as part of Channel 5’s Milkshake, with episodes also available on Sky Kids. Season two is planned to launch in 2023. The company also manages marketing in-house, and has an important partnerships programme with brand partners including Merlin Entertainments, Arla Big Milk and Forestry England. The licensing programme is broad, including over 80 licensees internationally across toys and games, apparel, homewares, gifting, FMCG and more.

Historic Royal Palaces

Stand B266

Right: Clogau has launched new jewellery collections each season.

Throughout the past two years the HRP licensing business has continued to grow.

Jewellery collections have launched seasonally with Clogau including ranges inspired by Superbloom at the Tower of London, while the partnership with The Royal Mint has continued with a new coin collection inspired by the Royal Tudor Beasts at Hampton Court Palace.

To mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, Harney & Sons created a new fine bespoke Earl Grey tea with royal purple lavender and silver bergamot tips.

HRP is now looking to sign licensees in a number of key categories including fashion, stationery, toys and games, health and beauty, homewares and garden.

Investment is also continuing in its events programme and next spring it will be opening a major couture fashion exhibition at Kensington Palace. It is working with licensees to be inspired by its dress and accessories collections - in particular those from the Royal Ceremonial Dress Collection which will be showcased at the event.

Start Licensing

Stand A222

Start Licensing will be showcasing its portfolio of rights which includes Aardman and brands such as Wallace &

Gromit, Shaun the Sheep,

Chicken Run and Morph. It also works with US-based art Above: Nadiya’s and design agency Jewel Branding, licensing programme continues to grow representing a number of its artists with new launches. in the UK and Ireland. These include Kendra Dandy and her eye-catching Bouffants and Brokenhearts brand. Licensees for this brand include Cooneen, Blueprint Collections, UK Greetings, Surface View and an exclusive gift product range for Boots. Other artists are Etta Vee and Nikki Chu. Meanwhile, Nadiya Hussain has a fast growing licensing programme, while Jane Devonshire’s Hassle Free Gluten Free brand has been a publishing success. Start’s portfolio also includes iconic comic character Asterix, as well as The Ashmolean Museum which has a robust collection of art and artefacts. Start also represents Britvic Soft Drinks portfolio for licensing which includes Tango, Robinson’s and R Whites, while its representation also includes Club and Mi Wadi, leading soft drinks brands in Ireland. The agency also developed a successful collectables programme for the Spirit of Concorde design brand.

WildBrain CPLG

Stand B161

WildBrain CPLG is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.

Opportunities for Strawberry Shortcake will be presented following the launch of Berry in the Big City with expanding licensing programmes for both new and classic brands, while Teletubbies celebrates its 25th anniversary with new content launching. Further WildBrain brands represented include Chip & Potato, In the Night Garden and Inspector Gadget.

Peanuts will also feature following the addition of rights in India and Asia Pacific, with fresh collections and new content for Apple TV+. The entertainment line-up includes Crayola, HarperCollins Productions’ Carmen Sandiego, Moose Toys’ Akedo, SEGA’s Sonic, emoji and its emojitown extension. Additionally, LINE FRIENDS and Sesame Street will be presented, alongside properties from Hasbro eOne, Paramount, MGM, Eric Carle, Dr. Seuss, Sony Pictures Entertainment and more.

Meanwhile, ASPIRE offers opportunities for Sauber Motorsports’ Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN, The Master Lock Company, University of Southern California, Yale and Harvard universities, Absolut, Malibu, Chupa Chups, Motul, OSPREY LONDON and Romero Britto.

Above: Teletubbies is celebrating its 25th anniversary with new content.

The Point.1888

Stand C235

Right: The Point.1888 team is gearing up for a busy three days at the show. The Point.1888 will be showcasing its robust client list at the show.

This includes Abbey Road, Barratt, Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, Ben Eine, Blippi, British & Irish Lions, CoComelon, Cozmo & Friends, Emily Burningham, Flip Out, Hackney Dave, I Like Birds, Jimbobart, Little Angel, MissPrint, Moomin, Moonbug Entertainment, Moulin Rouge, Mumsnet, Official Charts Company, Percy The Park Keeper, Rachel Ellen Design, Samaritans, Sindy, St Andrews Links, Star Stable, Super Sema, Team GB, The Raccoons, The Repair Shop, Toad & Friends, Tom Gates and Williams Racing.

In addition, it will also be talking about Story.1888 – which offers creative and marketing services – plus Spotlight.1888, which focuses on retail services and consultancy within the licensing industry.

Above: Bravado will be hitting the right notes with its varied portfolio of artists. Left: The licensing programme for Dino Ranch continues to grow.

Bulldog Licensing

Stand A202

With the brand celebrating its 40th anniversary, Bulldog will be highlighting new partnerships for Care Bears including Daisy Street, Fizz Creations, Blueprint and Character World. It will also be discussing pop culture favourite Popeye, plus preschool hit That’s Not My… which has recorded over five million sales in the UK alone, with over 70 titles available. The Royal Astronomical Society is one of the latest additions to the agency’s portfolio, with it planning to target a range of consumers from the scientific community through to amateur astronomy enthusiasts and gift buyers.

Other properties in the spotlight will include Gus – The Itsy Bitsy Knight, ROUTE 66 and Guide Dogs, for which Bulldog is building a programme including pet products, apparel, accessories, travel, homeware, gifting, collectables and stationery.

Bravado

Stand B180

Bravado is the leading global provider of consumer, lifestyle and branding services to recording artists around the world.

Part of Universal Music Group, the world leader in music-based entertainment, Bravado represents artists in more than 40 countries and provides services including sales, licensing, branding, marketing and ecommerce.

Bravado will be present at BLE with a varied portfolio of artists across the musical spectrum including rock and pop icons such as The Rolling Stones, Elton John, Queen, Sex Pistols, The Spice Girls and Guns n Roses; plus the kings of hip hop and reggae from Tupac, Public Enemy, Nas, Run DMC, The Beastie Boys and Bob Marley.

Leading contemporary artists Billie Eilish, YUNGBLUD, Justin Bieber and more also feature in its portfolio.

Boat Rocker

Stand C204

Boat Rocker will be showcasing several brands including Dino Ranch which will be making its series two UK premiere on Disney+ UK this summer. Jazwares’ toy line has also launched, alongside Scholastic’s story and sticker books, while puzzles, bedding, dress-up and a new app will follow in the autumn. Love Monster continues to be a success for CBeebies and iPlayer and recently made its debut in The Entertainer. Golden Bear’s toy line continues to sell on Amazon, alongside publishing and dress-up. Dance drama, The Next Step will premiere its eighth series on CBBC in the autumn, with themed workshops (based on season eight choreography) launching at Pineapple

Studios in line with the TV. Finally, Daniel Spellbound is a new CG-animated series about a young tracker, Danny who is a merchant of magical goods in modern day New York City. The Netflix series will premiere this autumn.

Brandgenuity

Stand C254

Fresh from taking home two Licensing

International Excellence Awards

during Licensing Expo, Brandgenuity arrives in London with a strong portfolio to showcase.

The BMW brand – for which it picked up the award brace in Las Vegas in May – has more than 90 licensees and 2,500 skus across all major lifestyle, interactive and toy categories.

In addition, the NFLPA programme continues to grow – player-branded lifestyle apparel launched with ASOS, while new licensees have launched product into categories as varied as drinkware, Apple watch bands and metal wall signs.

The Ed Stafford programme has been enjoying a dynamic year; Hawaiian Tropic fragrance mists from Designer Parfums have expanded in continental Europe and Australia; while several product launches are in the pipeline for other clients including Kahlua.

The Unilever lifestyle programme also has four licensees, with stationery and apparel leading the way throughout the year.

Sanrio

Stand B151

Hello Kitty is gearing up to celebrate her 50th anniversary in 2024, while the character will be the protagonist of a new animated series in the autumn called Hello Kitty: Super Style. Sanrio will also be showcasing the cast of 90+ Mr. Men Little Miss characters. Currently the books are published in 17 languages worldwide and the property is the number one selling children’s book in France and the second largest preschool brand in the UK. Aggretsuko, meanwhile, is a 25 year old panda who is polite and hardworking in the office by day and rages to death metal in karaoke bars by night. The original short form animation made its global debut on Netflix in 2018 and there are four seasons available. Finally, the ‘lazy egg’, Gudetama is perpetually weary and close to being eaten but, despite his attitude, the character has proved a hit with fashion collaborations among the licensed line-up. A new Netflix series has also been confirmed for the end of the year. Below: Rocky Horror Show is a recent acquisition for Golden Goose.

Golden Goose

Stand C250

Golden Goose will be highlighting a selection of exclusive brands across a variety of categories. Del Monte and food media brand, Twisted – which has over 35m followers, averaging 43m video views per month – will be lining up alongside Shepperton Design Studio’s Original Stormtrooper. Notably, the licensing programme for this has seen royalties grow by 30% p.a since 2017. The newly acquired Rocky Horror Show, meanwhile, will be celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2023, while parenting brand Mother & Baby has a successful range of mattresses and furniture. Potential partners looking to help build a better planet for the next generation can boost their environmental credentials with African wildlife conservation charity, Tusk. An apparel range recently launched in Sainsbury’s with TU. Finally, authentic patterns and prints and potential for international distribution will appeal for English Heritage, building on the Designer’s Guild wallpaper and fabrics which launched nationwide in John Lewis in 2022.

Santoro

Stand A180

Santoro will have a particular focus on evergreen brand, Gorjuss, at the show. All new collections will feature heavily including Fairground and Above: The Santoro team has been enjoying a successful 2022 so far. Through the Looking Glass, an extension of the popular Wonderland range. 2022 has so far proven to be a strong year for the brand, with solid new licensee and agent signings, alongside the expansion into live experiences. Gorjuss continues to perform as one of the top girls’ brands across Europe with Italy and Greece remaining strongholds, while the Balkans is emerging as an impressive new market with collectable campaigns in sight for 2023 and beyond.

The company will also give a first look at Noughties brands, Jeli-Deli and Tutti-Cuti, which are set for a revival in early 2023. Luxury lifestyle brand, Santorus – created by two generations of the Santoro family – will also be showcased and consists of flamboyant imagery, quality materials and is born out of a love for fantastic art which adorns the luxe hotels of the Middle East and UAE, as well as Pfizer’s New York offices.

TSBA

Stand A261

Below: TSBA will be discussing opportunities for its major sporting and heritage brands. Visitors to the TSBA Group stand will be able to check out Natural History Museum – which has a collection of over 80 million specimens telling the incredible story of our planet’s history – as well as

National Portrait

Gallery, which houses the most extensive collection of portraits in the world.

The Transport for London programme has been enjoying another strong year, while, when it comes to sports, TSBA will be discussing opportunities for golf championship The Open and FIA World Rally Championship.

Licensing Link Europe

B245

Inset: Licensing Link Europe will be talking to potential partners about Exhibiting as part of the Independents’ Lounge, Licensing growing the Belly Button Designs brand. Link Europe has plenty to shout about as it prepares for the Van Gogh Museum’s 50th anniversary, which takes place in 2023 and will run for the calendar year. With bespoke newly developed assets, there will be numerous opportunities for partners to get involved. Woodlodge, one of the UK’s largest suppliers of garden plant pots and planters, has launched a range under the Pantone brand, while LIFE magazine is experiencing some good momentum, having just signed Cotton Division for apparel in Europe. In addition, the agency will be talking about its newly signed client, Belly Button Designs, as the respected greeting cards business starts to broaden its offer in the licensing space. The initial focus will be on developing the core categories of stationery (including dated), home furnishings and textiles among others. Finally, visitors will also be able to check out the vintage artwork available for heritage confectionery brand, PEZ.

Perfetti Van Melle

Stand D240

Above: Mentos’ new collaboration will be one of the star turns on the BLE catwalk. Candy group Perfetti Van Melle will be bringing the fresh burst of Mentos to ExCeL.

A collaboration with renowned pop artist, Philip Colbert, will be presented for the first time at BLE – notably the Mentos x The Lobstars collection will be among those taking to the catwalk to mark the special fashion theme on Wednesday 21 September.

Mentos has regular drops with fast fashion retailers and the company is hoping to attract the attention of new partners when it takes to the catwalk.

Mercis

Stand B166

Miffy – created by Dick Bruna in 1955 - has sold over 85 million books in more than 50 languages. The brand has evolved into a graphic design icon synonymous with friendship, curiosity and uncomplicated fun, with intrinsic values of play, honesty and togetherness. For 2023 and the

Year of the

Rabbit, Mercis will focus on a host of new creative, design-driven collaborations, as well as the constantly evolving programme with 300+ licensing partnerships and over 10,000 unique products. The next couple of months will see independent record labels to community driven spin-offs, global sports brands to high-end fashion labels and capsule collections through to special fabric collaborations taking Miffy on another voyage of discovery.

Above: Miffy is readying for the Year of the Rabbit in 2023.

Crunchyroll

Stand C135

Below: SPY x FAMILY will be one of the new properties on display from Crunchyroll.

Crunchyroll has a wide variety of titles to serve every kind of anime fan – including those who are also anime curious. These include hit series My Hero Academia; supernatural adventure anime JUJUTSU KAISEN; dark fantasy epic, Attack on Titan; Bananya; Captain Tsubasa; Black Clover; and Dr Stone among others. The company will also feature a selection of new properties on its stand at the show. These will include the hotly tipped dark fantasy series, Chainsaw Man, based on the bestselling manga of the same name, plus SPY x FAMILY which is also based on a hit manga series.

Rocket Licensing

Stand A205

Rocket is looking forward to discussions with new and existing licensees at the show – and it certainly has a robust portfolio to showcase.

It ranges from iconic children’s brands like The

Very Hungry Caterpillar, Beano

(celebrating its 85th anniversary in 2023), The Elf on the Shelf and Little People, Big Dreams; along with pop culture kawaii brand Fuzzballs, plus blockbuster entertainment brands such as Dune, Godzilla (which is 70 in 2024), Vikings Valhalla and Rocky.

Meanwhile, the agency’s objective with the European Space Agency is to build on the brand and its passion for space exploration with a range of products focusing on apparel, toys and games, homewares, gifting and publishing among others.

Rocket was also recently appointed as the UK licensing agent for Miffy. It will be aiming to grow the UK programme with a range of new and existing licensees and retailers, engaging with current partners and exploring new products and categories. On the experiential side, a Miffy takeover of Japanese food hall Ichiba at Westfield London is running until 30 September.

Other brands on display will include Enola Holmes, Horrible Histories, plus MGM properties such as Legally Blonde, Creed and TeenWolf among others.

Above: Beano is set for a nationwide 360 campaign as part of its 85th anniversary celebrations.

Fluid World

Stand D130

Fluid World will be showcasing social media favourite, Pusheen. With over 13 million followers on social media and 27 billion giphy shares, Pusheen holds the honour of being the biggest cat influencer Above: Pusheen has enjoyed some on social media. recent high profile collaborations.

Having recently collaborated with Hello Kitty, Fall Guys and Hatsune Miku, the diversity of the Pusheen licence has certainly been demonstrated. Indeed, the most recent collaboration with Fall Guys was announced through a video which received over one million views in the first few hours.

Plus Licens

Stand B241

As well as the University of Cambridge, Plus Licens will be showcasing the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), the most applied-to university in the US. In addition, it will also be highlighting Paul Frank. Collaborations – often starring its character Julius the Monkey – have become a key part in growing Paul Frank’s brand, with recent highlights including bespoke Heelys rolling shoes and shoes with Unlimited Footwear Group.

Above: Collabs have become key to the growth of the Paul Frank brand.

University of Cambridge

Stand B241

Being represented at the show by European licensing agency, Plus Licens, it’s been a busy year for the University of Cambridge with retail launches taking place in Europe, Japan, South Korea, the US and Latin America. The University is enjoying the benefit of the global trend in collegiate-inspired athleisure, while it is also pushing ahead with deals based on the visual assets in its eight museums, Cambridge University Botanic Garden and the Cambridge University Library. The museum collections are also an ongoing focus for the Cambridge licensing team, curating themed assets for Evolution (Darwin) and Exploration (Scott Polar) - both important collections that inform current research into climate change – as well as seasonal content packages reflecting market trends. The latest introduction is the striking black and white animal illustrations by Cambridge Zoology professor, Hugh Cott who wrote the definitive book on camouflage in nature. The University is also keen to participate in collaborations following the successful launch of teen athleisure with HAZZYS in South Korea, fashion range with Replay Jeans in Europe and adult casual wear with Mackintosh in Japan.

Difuzed

Stand C161

Above: Difuzed will be showing a selection of its strongest and most conceptual styles this year.

Ambitious fashion and lifestyle licensee, Difuzed will be showcasing a selection of its strongest and most conceptual styles this year.

These will include novelty headwear featuring Pokémon and Naruto with a twist that is fun and character driven, plus a new collection of ‘post pandemic life’ outdoor items featuring Naruto and Death Note blankets, puffas and ponchos.

This year has also seen the launch of new swim collections starring Harry Potter and Pokémon, as well as collections for Stranger Things.

Gaming is a key category for Difuzed and it will be highlighting new capsule collections from

PlayStation, Xbox, League of Legends, Pokémon,

Overwatch and Fortnite. On top of this, there will be items for family favourites such as Miraculous and Playmobil, while Difuzed will also be growing its anime and manga roster with announcements planned for the show.

Larkshead Licensing

Stand A198

BAFTA award winning preschool series Numberblocks and BAFTA nominated Alphablocks will be key for Larkshead Licensing. The edutainment shows have a combined total of over six million YouTube subscribers, with a master toy range launching globally for Numberblocks from September.

British-based artist, Claire Louise delves into themes such as iconic city locations, the English countryside and whimsical parodies of animals. Claire’s In Full Bloom range of greeting cards has recently been named as a finalist for Best Art Range at The Henries 2022.

May the Thoughts Be With You, meanwhile, is continuing to build, with a film option having been signed for Charlotte Reed’s book My Path to Happy.

Zelda from 1980’s sci-fi show Terrahawks will hopefully not be scaring visitors, while new addition to the Larkshead portfolio, Tea for Tattoo, was a License This! 2021 winner.

Perry Ellis International

Stand B264

Global fashion house Perry Ellis will be looking to expand its offering further, in new territories and product categories through joint ventures, franchising, Above: Perry Ellis has ambitious licensing and distribution. growth plans.

It will be showcasing its core brands at BLE – Perry Ellis, An Original Penguin by Munsingwear, Farah, Gotcha, Grand Slam, Ben Hogan, Rafaella, Laundry by Shelli Segal, Red Sand and Savane.

There is a significant push behind Original Penguin and Farah – the company is investing heavily in marketing for both lifestyle and sports lines, as well as seeking new partners around the globe such as in India and Turkey.

Gotcha has gone from strength to strength in the last two years, with sales in EMEA increasing six fold. Perry Ellis America, meanwhile, has relaunched for autumn 2022, with the reboot giving the American sportswear brand an urban twist.

KJG/BlueSkye Licensing

Stand B245

Kirsty Guthrie

(KJG) and

Maggy Harris

(BlueSkye Licensing) are once again exhibiting as part of Above: True and the Rainbow Kingdom is the Independents’ one of the preschool brands that Kirsty and Maggy are working on. Lounge. The duo set up their joint licensing sales partnership in 2020. The spotlight this year falls on a wide variety of brands. These include food and drink properties on behalf of Pink Key Licensing; movie icon Charlie Chaplin and celebrated genius Einstein (both on behalf of BEN Group); preschool brands True and the Rainbow Kingdom, Gigantosaurus (specified categories) and Petronix Defenders on behalf of bRand-Ward; and Gen-Z favourite Rilakkuma and Emily the Strange on behalf of Sagoo. Other brands will include The Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation; greeting cards specialist, Snowtap; and Prisoners of Geography, the bestselling book brand by Tim Marshall. Kirsty and Maggy also provide ‘licensing in’ consultancy services to a growing number of licensees, while Maggy also works with creative services agency, Dynamo.

Edutainment Licensing

Stand A188

The NSPCC will be presenting two of its owned character brands on the Edutainment Licensing stand.

The friendly dinosaur Pantosaurus is the face of the NSPCC’s #TalkPANTS campaign, which has helped over 1.5m UK parents discuss abuse with their children. Buddy, the NSPCC’s green speech bubble, is the mascot for the successful ‘Speak Out. Stay Safe’ campaign.

Since 2016 1/3 of parents of 4-8 year olds have used Pantosaurus to #TalkPANTS with their children and the campaign generates over 55m impressions a year throughout its annual summer holidays activation. Downloadable materials, Pantosaurus song, story book and app provide a host of content.

Meanwhile, Buddy has been helping primary school children to speak out to a trusted adult if they have any problems or issues since 2011. Over 1.8m children interact with Buddy each year.

During the pandemic, when face to face, assemblies and workshops weren’t possible, Buddy teamed up with Ant & Dec and David Walliams to deliver two virtual assemblies watched by 750,000 children to ensure the campaign message was still getting through.

Above::Pantosaurus is the face of the NSPCC’s #TalkPANTS campaign.

IMG

Stand B250

With more than 200 brand licensing agents providing local coverage and expertise through a single globally coordinated organisation, IMG aims to provide a unique onestop-solution for licensing clients. The company represents brands across a diverse range of services and markets including sports brands, teams and events; corporate trademarks, institutions and non-profits; fashion, lifestyle and entertainment; food and beverage; plus athletes, legends and personalities. Just a few of the big names in its portfolio include

Fortnite, Gap, Budweiser, Laura Ashley, Fiat, Royal

Air Force and Haribo.

Above: IMG boasts an international network of offices.

Metrostar

Stand C251

Metrostar will be showcasing a number of food brands including Kraft Heinz favourites such as Heinz Tomato Ketchup, HP Sauce, Heinz Beanz, Lea & Perrins and Heinz Tomato Soup. It has also added Lucozade Energy, Lucozade Sport and Ribena from Suntory. Another big feature will be Elmer35, the launch of Elmer the Patchwork Elephant’s 35th anniversary licensing programme. The agency will be showcasing new assets, announcing new partners and brand events. Finally, it will be welcoming its international agents and partners working on The Jockey Club and Grand National brands, with new developments in the heritage lifestyle programme.

Above: Elmer35 will launch at the show.

Reemsborko

Stand B245

Right: Zombie Makeout Club will be among the brands being highlighted by Reemsborko at the Independents’ Lounge.

Reemsborko prides itself on having the best animé brands in its portfolio – from DragonBall to virtual popstar Hatsune Miku; newer titles like One Punch Man and Baki to long established classics like Jojo’s and Lupin.

There is also manwa (animé from Korea) such as God of High School and Tower of God, as well as bestselling horror such as Junji Itô Collection and Zombie Makeout Club, plus Tama and Friends.

Japanese culture goes far beyond animé, however, with the Reemsborko portfolio also including Gloomy Bear, All Purpose Bunny and Mimi & Neko, all of which are big in South East Asia and now selling in the US. Tattoo artist, Matt Bailey has launched a new coffee brand and all reasonable categories are open, while Reemsborko also represents films such as the first two Bill and Ted movies and Dario Argento’s entire oeuvre.

Finally, Black Hammer, Heathen, Trese, Cannon Busters and Vagrant Queen all started life as comics, but will become more than that, with Reemsborko suggesting they are kept on the radar. Also just signed is the Amazon Prime hit, Invincible.

Xilam Animation

Stand A130

Headlining Xilam’s BLE slate is Oggy Oggy, the preschool spin-off to the popular Oggy and the Cockroaches franchise. The first season debuted globally on Netflix in August 2021 and launches on broadcasters including Milkshake, Super RTL, Frisbee and France Télévisions from early autumn 2022. Simba Dickie’s master global toy range is launching for Christmas 2022. Xilam is looking for further partners across games, publishing, gifting and apparel.

Also featuring will be Lupin’s Tales, a comedy series for upper preschoolers which airs internationally and is hugely successful in China. A second season is currently in production and 26 shorts launch this Christmas. Xilam is focusing on toys and games, publishing and apparel among other categories.

Where’s Chicky?, meanwhile, is a short-form comedy produced by Xilam’s Cube Creative, with an impressive YouTube presence and rapidly expanding linear and SVOD platforms line-up. The company will also be showcasing new properties Space Goofs and Ratz, which are available on Netflix, while it is looking to build retro lifestyle inspired merchandise programmes for young adults and millennials. Rounding out the slate are Zig & Sharko, plus the classic Oggy and the Cockroaches franchise, following the debut of its reboot Oggy and the Cockroaches Next Generation on Netflix in the summer.

Above: Oggy Oggy is the preschool spin-off from Oggy and the Cockroaches.

Animaccord

Stand A181

Animaccord provides and manages in-house one of the largest children’s content networks on YouTube, with over 180 million subscribers worldwide.

Its flagship brand is Masha and the Bear and this year has seen the company expand the in-demand preschool brand with a series of new content formats. These include 22-minute themed mini-movies featuring Masha, the Bear and other characters in unexpected places, as well as a new Shorties spin-off produced specifically for video hosting and social media platforms. These feature short adventures of Masha and her forest pals which cover education, entertainment and friendship, all taking place in new locations. In addition, season six of Masha and the Bear has also been confirmed.

Animaccord will also be presenting new animated property, Fairyteens, a 3D CGI fantasy and adventure series about five little fairies who must control their magical powers and cope with the dangers. Aimed at 68s, it currently includes two seasons while it also has the Fay.net digital eco-system which emulates the Fairyteens universe allowing for interaction with the target audience.

Below: Five Nights at Freddy’s continues to perform strongly.

Striker Entertainment

Stand A114

Front and centre for

Striker Entertainment

will be The Doodle Boy, the 12 year old UK-based artist who has been likened to a young Keith Haring. The programme is already off to a healthy start with a Scholastic book series in multiple territories and a Nike partnership, while a NFT announcement is being touted.

In the gaming space, Five Nights at Freddy’s continues to perform strongly with huge fan engagement on YouTube, TikTok, Reddit and GameJolt. Several new games are in development and a feature film is in the works with Blumhouse. Blink Industries’ Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared is another YouTube phenomenon that has seen over 400 million+ views, with a new season due to air on Channel 4 in the UK imminently.

In the streaming space, Striker will be showcasing Snowpiercer, a top ten Netflix series in 2020 and 2021, with a fourth and final season recently announced. Visitors can also stop by the Striker stand to hear more about Apple TV+, Roblox developers Sonar, The Gang, and classic horror, sci-fi and more.

Rights & Brands and Moomin Characters

Stand C181

The Moomins is celebrating 80 years in 2025 and, for the anniversary year, Moomin Characters has decided to turn its focus back on where it all began: 80 years ago, at the end of the Second World War when Tove Jansson’s first story about the Moomins was published.

Moomin Characters and Rights & Brands will be offering partners and licensees new anniversary marks and artwork, as well as slogans and other communication assets. Several major projects for the anniversary year are already in the works and more will be added as 2025 approaches.

In addition, Rights & Brands will showcase a selection of other brands, such as the joint works of Astrid Lindgren & Ilon Wikland (The Brothers Lionheart, Ronja, the Robber’s Daughter, Lotta on Troublemaker Street and more); artist couple Carl and Karin Larsson; Norweigan brands PURENorway and Mauris of Norway; Finland’s most successful children’s books author Mauri Kunnas; plus the works of iconic designer Stig Lindberg. Two new brands will also be introduced - Kjell Aukrust, creator of Flåklypa Grand Prix, and Arnie Alligator, the lively musical alligator which has over 150 million views on YouTube.

Above: The Moomins brand is approaching its 80th anniversary in 2025.