The Licensing Source Book Autumn 2024

OF success Hallmks

Hello there and welcome to the autumn 2024 edition of Licensing Source Book.

We hope you had a marvellous summer and are feeling refreshed, energised and ready for the long run up to Christmas (104 days away at time of writing).

This issue features voices from right across the industry – from the major entertainment studios, established and new licensees through to retail, live experiences as well as video games and anime specialists. There’s even some Shakespeare.

The common theme as we head into the golden quarter is one of collaboration and optimism. Growth areas have been identified by both licensors and licensees, and on both sides, investment and innovation in new product development is more important than ever. Indeed, when we asked six senior executives from across the business about the importance of this in our roundtable, it was summed up with succinct words such as “crucial”, “essential” and “critical”.

Consumers are also consuming content at a rate “never seen before” and where product can, it needs to keep up the pace.

All of this creates opportunity – for licensees and retailers – and, as the global retail landscape is forever changing and is vastly competitive, brands have learnt to play to their strengths.

Speaking of shows of strength, for those of you who weren’t able to attend The Licensing Awards, we relive the industry’s big night in a bumper special from pages 28-39, while many of

you will be picking up this issue at Brand Licensing Europe, which will be marking its 25th anniversary with a great deal of aplomb from 24-26 September.

Congratulations also go to Born Licensing, WildBrain CPLG and Hello Kitty, which are all marking significant milestones in 2024 – 10 years and a stunning 50 years respectively, all of which we have fanfared in this issue.

This bumper autumn package has been something of a labour of love for the LSB team – this issue comes with special publications for Hasbro, Sanrio and Care Bears, plus, following on from a successful debut last year, our second Licensing Sports Book. For those of you who have shared your stories, viewpoints, opinions and time, we are truly grateful, and we are looking forward to seeing out the remainder of 2024 in style.

The Licensing Source Book Team

Samantha Loveday, Jakki Brown, Ian Hyder, Rob Willis, Tessa Clayton, Michelle Urquhart and Mark Grayson.

Samantha Loveday - Group Editor Ian Hyder - Chief Executive Officer

Jakki Brown - Managing Director and Editorial Director

Rob Willis - Chief Operating Officer

Mark

Grayson - Creative Director

Tel: 020 7700 6740 E-mail: hello@max-publishing.co.uk

WITH THIS ISSUE

Special publications from Hasbro, Hello Kitty and Care Bears.

PUBLISHERS OF

Copyright 2024. 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.

What’s INSIDE

76-77 Born Licensing celebrates 10 years 79 Josh Scherba on WildBrain’s 360 degree strategy

Bass Line State of the Nation: Brands BLE Preview: Brands & Lifestyle Focus On: Royal Shakespeare Company In Conversation With… Science Museum Group In Memory

Business matters

LSB rounds up some of the latest news from across the licensing industry.

5-3-1 Peaks Challenge confirmed for 2025

The next major challenge in aid of industry charity

The Light Fund has been confirmed for 2025, taking in the five highest peaks in the UK and Ireland.

The fundraiser is a bold challenge to have mass participation climbing Mount Snowdon, approx. 70 people taking on the 3 Peaks Challenge and ideally a minimum of 24 people taking on the gruelling 5 Peaks Challenge. The 3 Peaks Challenge should be completed within 24 hours and the 5 Peaks Challenge within 72 hours.

Hunter Price International acquires BargainMax.co.uk

Hunter Price International has acquired online toy retailer, BargainMax.co.uk

The transformative deal accelerates Hunter Price’s growth and expansion strategy, building on the business’ most successful trading year to date in 2023.

The 3 Peaks Challenge covers the three highest peaks in the UK – tackling Snowdon, Scafell Pike & Ben Nevis. The challenge covers 42kms and involves 3,064 metres of ascent.

The 5 Peaks Challenge, meanwhile, covers the five highest peaks in the UK & Ireland – tackling Snowdon, Scafell Pike, Ben Nevis, Slieve Donard and finish on the summit of Carrauntoohil. The challenge covers 64kms and involves +5,300 metres of ascent. There will also be the opportunity to take on one peak – Snowdon, the

The acquisition of BargainMax.co.uk reinforces Hunter Price’s customer first approach and commitment to its unique proposition within the retail industry, across toys, accessories, lifestyle, stationery and arts and crafts.

The company has evolved considerably over the years, from consumer product traders to brand owners and consumer products licensee for a number of global toy and entertainment brands. This acquisition now fuels the business’ brand growth ambitions across its product portfolio.

Jeremy Winburn, co-ceo (commercial) at Hunter Price, said: “The retail landscape continues to evolve, as do we. The time has come to be braver and bolder with our brands and build for the future; We couldn’t be happier to welcome BargainMax.co.uk into the Hunter Price family.

“Bringing together two hugely talented teams to activate our brand stories – allowing for greater collaboration and creativity – it’s a perfect partnership for us – it’s the best 15th birthday present we could have given ourselves.”

Alex Woolfstein, ceo at BargainMax.co.uk, added: “Hunter Price and BargainMax.co.uk share the same entrepreneurial spirit, energy and excitement for impactful consumer products. We both have the consumer at the heart of everything we do – we’re building for the future, together as one team – so I couldn’t be prouder to be part of this journey alongside Hunter Price.”

attempted with family run business, Adventurous Ewe, and will take place from 24-28 September 2025.

For more details, contact ashley@toytopicgroup.com or mark@libertasbrands.com.

Inset: The acquisition of BargainMax.co.uk reinforces Hunter Price’s customer first approach.

Dynamo and WMC launch innovative ‘best of both’ collaboration

Creative agencies Dynamo and Watermelon Creative have launched a new expertise-sharing partnership that offers a one-stop design solution for brands.

Both companies remain separate entities but will come together under the United Creatives banner to collaborate on relevant projects.

“While Dynamo’s areas of expertise include illustration, IP development, graphics, 3D art and animation, publishing and hardlines, Watermelon Creative is well known for soft lines, packaging, textiles and consumer product retail solutions,” said Steve Richards, Dynamo md

Sarah Swindell, Watermelon Creative md, added: “Harnessing both companies’ complementary skill sets enables United Creatives to provide clients with an all-in-one service covering every aspect of design and development, which makes better use of time and also offers a consistent point of contact from project start to finish.”

United Creatives’ recent commissions include a core guide for Historic Royal Palaces and The Point.1888.

“United Creatives were an absolute pleasure to work with,” said Carrie Sharland, senior product development manager at The Point.1888. “The combined expertise across various design disciplines really elevated the project. The end result is fresh and different from anything we have done before, which is exactly what we needed.”

Neverland takes flight with Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity

In 1929 JM Barrie gifted the rights to Peter Pan to Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH), and now, the charity is looking to develop Neverland as a literary and entertainment brand which will further build on the enduring and popular tale, as well as continuing its ambition of ensuring that no childhood is lost to serious illness.

Over the years there have been many versions of Peter Pan and Wendy, as well as various interpretations of the characters of Neverland. However, with the development of a new style guide, GOSH Charity has been able to delve further into the magical world and explore the many possibilities that it offers.

Focusing on themes of nature, imagination and adventure, the style guide provides an abundance of creative and product inspiration.

A range of publishing is already being developed that will introduce new story content Meanwhile, discussions are underway with content and consumer product partners to develop new ranges and experiences featuring the creative assets.

“We are delighted to have embarked on this new chapter in our relationship with JM Barrie’s worldrenowned story,” commented Chris Carter, head of partnership development at GOSH Charity

Jason Rice opens the doors of Peak Licensing Solutions

Popular licensing industry executive, Jason Rice, has launched a new licensing consultancy business, Peak Licensing Solutions.

Jason – who prior to the launch of the new consultancy was director of brand licensing at SEGA Europe – will be looking to support organisations and individuals from all corners of the industry with the new venture.

He will help new and established brands in developing licensing campaigns and strategies, as well as supporting manufacturers and prospective new licensees to break into the industry through advising and helping them in achieving their brand licensing goals.

“At Peak Licensing Solutions, we are passionate about connecting amazing brands with exciting forward-thinking consumer product companies, with a view to developing top tier licensing partnerships which deliver success for everyone,” commented Jason.

Left: Jason Rice has unveiled Peak Licensing Solutions.

Warner Bros. Discovery Global Experiences unveiled

Warner Bros. Discovery has confirmed a new global structure for its worldwide studio tours, retail destinations, touring exhibitions and all location-based experiences – bringing together the existing licensed entertainment and owned and operated teams into a single worldwide division.

Warner Bros. Discovery Global Experiences combines the company’s existing Global Themed Entertainment licensing group, and the Studio Tours & Retail owned and operated division into a new cohesive and unified division. The new team will develop and execute on global strategies that offer partners the right mix of both models inspired by brands including Harry Potter, DC, Looney Tunes, Scooby-Doo, Game of Thrones, Friends, Discovery and more.

Simon Robinson, chief operating officer at WBD Studios, will add leadership of WBD Global Experiences to his responsibilities. Peter van Roden, evp, Global Themed Entertainment, will continue in his role leading the licensed locationbased entertainment and theme parks businesses, as well as the division’s global business development, while Sarah Roots, evp, Worldwide Studio Tours & Retail, will continue in her role leading WBD’s owned and operated experiences including the award-winning Warner Bros. Studio Tour - The Making of Harry Potter.

First for The National Gallery and M&S

The National Gallery has secured its first collaboration with Marks & Spencer, bringing two heritage brands together steeped in history and curation during the Gallery’s Bicentenary year.

The 34-piece home and gifting range will launch this autumn. The exclusive line includes textiles, accessories, lighting and tableware, alongside accent furniture. Gifts include home fragrance, beauty sets and festive decorations. The range is inspired by the rich palettes and luminosity in some of the most iconic floral masterpieces in the Gallery collection by artists including Ambrosius Bosschaert the Elder, Jan van Huysum and Rachel Ruysch.

Hasbro honours partners at dedicated UK event

A number of key products and collaborations were celebrated by Hasbro during its annual UK Partner Day earlier in the summer.

Held at the Ham Yard Hotel, the event saw the studio’s licensee and retail partners gather to receive an update on key properties including Peppa Pig, My Little Pony and Transformers among others.

Hasbro also presented a number of partner awards, with TOMY, Mori and Trotters among the names picking up accolades. The winners in full are below:

Hardlines Partner of the Year – TY

Apparel Partner of the Year – Aykroyds/TDP

Susan Noonan, chief commercial officer at National Gallery Global, said: “We are delighted to have partnered with M&S on this range of homeware. Our paintings belong to the people of the UK, so we’re excited to give everyone more ways to make the Gallery’s art part of their daily lives. M&S are such an iconic British brand and as we celebrate our Bicentenary we’re so glad of the opportunity to introduce customers to great paintings in new ways.”

Outstanding Innovation – EXG

Best Marketing (Licensee) – Royal Mail

Outstanding Collaborator – TOMY

Best Retail Marketing Initiative – Trotters

Best Retailer Award – Amazon

Best Newcomer (licensee or range) – Emma Bridgewater and Mori

Publishing Partner of the Year – Story House Egmont Home & Accs Award – Hunter Price

Smiffys II becomes official sales agent for Rubies UK

Drawing on many years of experience and expertise in the independent sales area of the industry, the Smiffys team has been appointed as official sales agents for Rubies UK

“We’re excited to bring the Rubies collection to our UK Smiffys customers, including the fantastic portfolio of licensed products the brand has long been known for,” commented Sam Bucknall, head of UK and EU sales at Smiffys. “The synergy between the two brands is clear, offering both the Smiffys and Rubies ranges will allow our customers access to such a wide range of products to meet their needs.”

The deal comes as the industry heads into its peak season, with big movie releases and Halloween just around the corner.

Pete Warton, executive director at Rubies, continued: “Rubies is tremendously excited to be represented by Smiffys II across the UK independent retail landscape. Known for its exceptional customer service and breadth of distribution across UK retail, Smiffys leads the way in dress-up by supporting partners with its on time and on trend portfolio. Rubies is proud to add its predominantly licensed goods to Smiffys care.”

Above: The Hasbro team at the recent UK Partner Day.

Above: The new 34-piece home and gifting range is launching this autumn.

© WildBrain

© Shortcake

© 2024 ABD Ltd/Hasbro/HCPL Ltd

© 2024 geobra

Care Bears get arty

The Care Bears PR drive in the UK has picked up its pace with another successful public event.

The Care Bears Forever London art exhibition at the gallery@oxo opened on Thursday 29 August and has been flooded with visitors ever since.

Fans and art enthusiasts have been treated to original archive images created by Elena Kucharik, dating back to the 1980s, that have never been seen before in the UK. In addition, locally commissioned art that embraces all that is Care Bears, together with fashion pieces and sculptures have been central to the event.

“Our Care Bears Forever London Gallery event has been months in the planning, and we have been delighted with the response of the public since its opening,” said Kristy Miall, director of global marketing at Cloudco Entertainment. “The art exhibition includes commissioned pieces, our Care Bears’ mosaic wall and an interactive installation where visitors can leave their own private messages of positivity and kindness. It’s been a huge success.”

Above: The exhibition includes locally commissioned art and a mosaic wall.

Outfit7 evolves Talking Tom & Friends

Outfit7 is continuing to evolve the Talking Tom & Friends brand – with new products, fresh partnerships and even more content.

The entertainment brand began with a virtual pet game and, over the years, the company has expanded the Talking Tom & Friends universe to include over 20 mobile games, numerous successful animated series and a strong digital presence.

The upcoming superhero series, Talking Tom Heroes: Suddenly Super promises to further enrich the brand, with 52 episodes meeting fan demand for new adventures.

Recent partnerships with Two Daughters Entertainment, Prism Licensing and Vertical Licensing, meanwhile, highlight the brand’s continuing commitment to bridging the gap between digital and physical experiences. The collaborations will introduce a range of themed Talking Tom & Friends products including interactive toys and apparel among others.

Stobbs eyes further growth

Intangible asset management specialist, Stobbs is looking to further build its reputation in the licensing industry.

The IP company believes that it is unique in that it offers the broadest capability on all aspects of brand advisory issues.

In addition to working with Informa, it represents some of the world’s most recognised brands across all industries including FMCG, technology, financial services, fashion and retail, publishing, music, sport and entertainment – with organisations and individuals, SMEs and start-ups.

It has a flexible approach to costs which means it tailors its offering to business need, and can help with a one-off activity or manage a long-term programme.

Esther Jolley (who previously held roles at Beanstalk, CAA Brand Management and LMCA) joined Stobbs in 2020, bringing with her 20+ years of brand licensing experience working with brands including Procter & Gamble, Coca-Cola, MercedesBenz, Jaguar Land Rover, Hershey’s, HarleyDavidson, Electrolux Group and Castrol.

A blooming British afternoon tea

Royal Lancaster London has launched a new pollinator-inspired afternoon tea, along with a unique children’s tea, in collaboration with the Natural History Museum

The celebrated quintessentially British tradition of afternoon tea will have a dramatic flora and fauna makeover this autumn, thanks to the talented head pastry chef, Scott Villacora, and his team at Royal Lancaster London.

Inspired by the Natural History Museum’s work to protect the natural world, the team of chefs have created sweet and savoury delicacies, influenced by British flowers and pollinators, in the aptly named ‘Blooming British Afternoon Tea’.

Maxine Lister, head of licensing at the Natural History Museum, said: “Here at the Natural History Museum, we are working to research pollinators, learn more about their essential services to our natural world and how we can better protect them.

“Not only is this incredible (and delicious) afternoon tea perfect for wildlife enthusiasts, but by supporting our new collaboration, you’re helping continue our work creating a world where both people and planet thrive.”

Above: The team of chefs have created sweet and savoury delicacies, influenced by British flowers and pollinators.

Above: Esther Jolley, IA director, brand extension at Stobbs.

Above: Talking Tom Heroes: Suddenly Super will be the latest in the franchise.

BBC Studios revamps CP and licensing business

BBC Studios Brands & Licensing has appointed Nicki Sheard as ceo, Brands & Licensing as the BBC Studios division sets a new global approach to its consumer products and licensing business, with the creation of two distinct global teams.

The new set up will allow the creation of a global ‘centre of excellence’ for consumer products activities and a deeper focus on high potential licensing opportunities.

From New York, global consumer products will be led by Suzy Raia, svp global consumer products, while in London, Stephen Davies – who joined BBC Studios in 2007 and became md, consumer products and licensing in 2019 – is now svp global licensing and will oversee the newly created Global Licensing team.

They will both report into Nicki Sheard, ceo, brands and licensing.

In addition to North America and LatAm, Suzy’s remit will now include the UK, EMEA, Asia and ANZ with the support of Murilo Hinojosa, vp CP LatAm; Kate O’Connor, director of brands and licensing, ANZ; and Andrew Carley as director, CP UK, EMEA & Asia.

BBC Studios also welcomes Lee Allentuck who joins the global consumer products team in New York as vp, CP, North America to complete the CP leadership team.

Craft Buddy expands retail presence

Arts and crafts specialist, Craft Buddy has seen impressive first half year expansion with retail customers and distributors in the UK and Europe.

In the first half of 2024, Craft Buddy secured more than 30 new retail partnerships, of which 20 are UK based, with the others spanning key European markets including Germany, Italy, France, Portugal, The Netherlands, Belgium, Poland, Austria, Luxembourg and Slovakia.

In the UK, retailers including Ryman, The Entertainer, Asda, Forbidden Planet and John Hall Group (which owns Spar North) have come on board; overseas, Rewe, the German supermarket chain, has also onboarded Craft Buddy.

Strong performance of hit lines, such as the Disney 100 Crystal Art Sticker Album (which has now exceeded 1.6 million units in global sales to June 2024), has helped attract new customers and bring strong sales from distributors in new territories such as Portugal and Malta.

Dan Ward, head of sales at Craft Buddy, said: “Expanding our distribution at retail is a key factor in our strategic growth strategy across the UK and Europe. The uplift demonstrates that creative arts and crafts continue to appeal to consumers and the sector continues to thrive and grow.”

This Is Iris marking 10 years

Ambitious art and design specialist, This Is Iris is marking a decade in business this year.

Founder Sarah Lawrence will be exhibiting in the new Discover & Design accelerator zone at BLE as part of the birthday celebrations, while she will also be talking about a number of new deals which she hopes will highlight the growth and potential of the art and design category.

One of these is the recent signing of Brilliantly Brave, with the sociallyconscious publisher’s founders Stuart Cox and Jean Pryde looking to expand beyond greeting cards with a mission to help mental health by partnering with This Is Iris for licensing representation following their initial meeting at PG Live in June.

A new greeting card licensing partnership between Paper Rose and This Is Iris client House Of Turnowsky has also been formed.

Sarah has also been gathering testimonials from partners and creatives to mark the decade. These include Sophie Howe, brand director and granddaughter of Beryl Cook, who said: “This is Iris has helped us develop a beautiful collection of Beryl Cook merchandise over the last few years, not only does this help to continue Beryl’s legacy but it also makes her art more accessible.”

Alistair Moir, director, History of Advertising Trust –which has a number of announcements due – also had this to say: “HAT is delighted to be working with This is Iris, who is opening doors to some amazing licensing opportunities for the Trust.”

Graham Waters, ceo at IndieGo Distribution – which has a range of apparel with History of Advertising – added: “This is Iris and Sarah in particular have a way of bringing people together, exciting partners across categories so that we can work together to develop stand out ranges.”

Above: (L-R) Nicki Sheard, Suzy Raia, Stephen Davies and Lee Allentuck.

Above: The Craft Buddy trade sales team, led by Dan Ward.

Above: Sarah Lawrence, founder, This Is Iris.

Mercis

and moving into 2025.

In the round

How has 2024 been for your business so far?

Rob: “2024 feels like a year of great promise. Excitement for Wicked is taking hold and we’re entering Brand Licensing Europe with arguably the strongest film and TV slate of 2025 of any studio. While we are mindful of the economy and the difficulties of doing business now, there is a sense of anticipation as many years of hard work from many individuals, teams, divisions, countries and stakeholders culminates. You can never predict the future, but it feels like a good time to be part of the Universal business.”

Rachel: “Despite the continued wider political, economic and industry uncertainty, our consumer products business has continued to grow in 2024. In a year where we continue to experience the

impact of the writers’ strike, we have looked towards our core franchises – DC, Harry Potter, Classic Animation and our TV properties to inspire the world-class products and experiences that we continue to deliver to our consumers around the globe.”

Filippo: “2024 has been stellar. We've focused on celebrating and expanding our evergreen franchises including Bridgerton, Stranger Things and also Squid Game Season 2 coming later this year. Bridgerton has led the charge - from the Liberty fabric collaboration to Ladurée macarons, Primark lifestyle items and LUSH regency-inspired bath products. Fans have responded and shown their love on social media. One Piece has seen incredible growth following the launch of our live-

Rob BentleyRachel WakleyRebecca Jenkins Filippo Zuffada David SpreiMarianne James

Inset: Bridgerton’s fabric collaboration with Liberty is among the highlights from Netflix this year.

action series, becoming another key title in our portfolio. We also had new hits like The Gentlemen that strongly resonated with audiences and has potential to become a bigger bet for us in the future.”

David: “Following a record year in 2023, Penguin Ventures was ahead of budget for the first half of '24 which has been made possible by our fantastic team, licensees, agents and partners. Our Classic Peter Rabbit business has had a great start to the year and while we continue to grow our existing business across APAC, we’ve also aligned with key publishing and rights growth markets across Europe. We have onboarded a new agent in South Africa and a sizeable international deal coming out of Iberia has given us more market breadth, indicating consumer appetite for our much-loved World of Peter Rabbit in some of our smaller markets. We’re entering year two UK and Ireland representation for the World of Eric Carle and we’re starting to see our new deals come through product development before hitting retail later this year and into ‘25. China is holding its own in a difficult economic climate; testament to the strength and expertise of our local team and trusted licensees and during harder market conditions we pivot to support and sustain these important markets.”

How important has it been to continue to invest in new

product development with licensees, innovation and new ranges this year?

Marianne: “Continuing to invest in product development with our licensees, as well as pursuing innovation and new ranges, has been absolutely critical to our success this year. Our focus on these areas has not only kept us competitive but has also driven significant growth. For example, our work with leading brands like Robosen and LEGO have been particularly fruitful. Through these collaborations, we’ve embraced cutting-edge innovation, which has allowed us to introduce products that stand out in the market.”

expectations. They are also consuming content at a rate that we’ve never seen before and where product can, it needs to keep up the pace. Great examples are seasonal themes for DreamWorks Animation’s Gabby’s Dollhouse, such as Cat Adventures in November 2023, which then became the Q4 SKU driver, and Mattel and LEGO which continually create new lines for the Jurassic World.”

Inset: Hasbro’s work with Robosen is one example of the company embracing new innovation for its brands.

Inset: In the UK, Peter Rabbit enjoyed a second successful year as brand ambassador for National Children’s Gardening Week.

Rachel: “Essential. The needs and expectations of licensees, retailers and consumers constantly change, and competition for every single hardearned £pound is fierce. We also need to be responsive to wider developments and trends, which is where our use of data and insights is proving to be more essential than ever.”

Are there any new trends which you have seen emerge this year?

Rebecca: “The licensing landscape is in a state of evolution and 2024 has brought several notable trends to the forefront. While the ‘kid-ult’ market has been a consistent growth area, it continues to evolve and is a meaningful growth segment for Paramount, with consumers seeking products that blend nostalgia with contemporary tastes. Properties like Mean Girls have successfully tapped into this trend with innovative product offerings.

Gaming has also experienced exponential growth, and we're witnessing its increasing influence on the licensing industry. By leveraging gaming platforms and communities for franchises like TMNT and SpongeBob SquarePants, we can successfully reach new audiences and create exciting opportunities for expanded product development and collaborations.”

Filippo: entirely new, fandoms in the entertainment space have become seriously supercharged this year. This is largely because audiences now can get closer than ever to what they see on screen. They can interact with actors on social media, hear directly from creators and share their passion with like-minded communities. When they fall in love with a film or TV show, they don’t just watch it - they want to live it. This trend offers a fascinating opportunity for brands to creatively cater to this growing appetite.”

The retail landscape continues to evolve – what has this meant for your business and has it led to new opportunities opening for you?

David: “The global retail landscape is forever changing and is vastly competitive, but we focus on our brand strengths. In the UK Peter Rabbit enjoyed a second successful year as brand ambassador for National Children’s Gardening Week, which has seen a huge drive in awareness in an authentic retail space for the property. This has led to increased shelf space and deeper partnerships between us, our licensees and garden centres all driven by collaboration and shared goals.”

Rebecca: “The evolving retail landscape necessitates a dynamic and strategic approach. To thrive, we've had to become increasingly agile and adaptable, aligning our focus to where consumers are spending time and money while embracing new and innovative approaches to reach consumers. We've responded by diversifying our retail channels, exploring new partnerships and ensuring we are working with partners with unrivalled product and distribution

For example, we have a longstanding partnership with P&G and Pampers, which continues to maximise our impact for preschool in a pivotal product category. Additionally, we've identified the alcohol sector as a promising growth area for our adult brands. Our partnership with Lillet and Emily in Paris, securing distribution at Costco, is a prime example of our ability to tap into new retail channels.”

Can the global licensing industry enjoy another year of growth in 2024 in

“Absolutely. We know culture continues to move at a rapid pace, and licensing remains a powerful tool to maintain relevance, deepen connections with

Inset: Beetlejuice is a major focus for WBD in Q4.

fans, and drive both significant and incremental opportunities for retailers and licensees. Retailers are open to innovation and doing things differently. We’ve seen this fan-first approach work and believe there’s potential for continued growth in 2024 and beyond.”

David: “Licensing will continue to deliver year on year – the category and market share may shift but I’m confident we will see overall growth. We are a passionate global industry all working to the same goals, and the appetite from retailers, customers and consumers is here to stay.”

Marianne: “In my view, 2024 will be a mixed year for the global licensing industry. While we anticipate pockets of growth in certain segments, some categories may face declines. For example, the toy sector might experience a delayed Christmas shopping season, with consumers focusing more on sales and discounts. Overall, while growth opportunities exist, the landscape will likely present a range of challenges and opportunities.”

Rob: “I’m an optimist and I think that with the right properties and the right products growth is possible. In tough times people turn to brands that they know and love or they simply want a break from reality and to be entertained. Licensing can play a crucial role in this process, providing a 365-connection to fans with their beloved characters and franchises.”

What are your main aims of being at Brand Licensing Europe this year?

Rachel: “We’re returning to the show floor in 2024 bigger and better than ever before. Superman, due in July 2025, will be leading our slate alongside reveals from Batman, Harry Potter and Looney Tunes. Additionally, we have an incredibly strong slate of TV and catalogue content - think Welcome to Derry, Gilmore Girls,

Gremlins and more; we can’t wait for partners to see what we have in store.”

Rebecca: “We firmly believe in the value and power of face-toface interactions and see this event as a platform to showcase our dynamic pipeline of content and product opportunities to the industry. Next year will be a big year for us for PAW Patrol, as well as the consumer products launch of Dora into the market.

Beyond that, we're actively seeking licensees, retailers and prospective partners who share our vision for creating compelling consumer experiences. Our goal is to leave the event with a wealth of fresh ideas, with partnerships that will propel our business forwards in the coming year.”

Filippo: “Our portfolio is really rich: from the incredible success of One Piece, to the global phenomenon of Squid Game. Our aim is to connect with licensees and retailers, explore new opportunities and demonstrate how our everexpanding slate of content can translate into successful consumer products.”

Inset: The new Chaos Theory animated content for Jurassic World continues to expand the franchise.

Left: Paramount’s Teenage Mutant Nina Turtles collaboration with LUSH launched in July and exceeded all sales expectations.

David: “New business is always the focus across our portfolio, but BLE also allows us to connect with multiple agents from all markets to align on strategy, creative and brand for the coming year.”

What is your main goal for the remainder of 2024?

Rob: “As a business, we’re really focused on building on the success of 2023 and always moving forward. Personally, the buzz around Wicked just continues to build and I’m excited to see the impact that it will have, not least because we get to do it all again next year!”

Rachel: “Embrace innovation, continue engaging consumers in our brands through amazing products and experiences and have fun while doing so.”

Filippo: “Our biggest show, Squid Game, is returning on 26 December. We’ve been collaborating with brands, retailers and licensees to make this a monumental event for fans. We didn’t have this opportunity with season one, so we are incredibly excited to celebrate this globally beloved Korean title all over the world.”

David: “We have some key anniversaries for Beatrix Potter and Peter Rabbit coming up, so we’re focused on planning successful programmes to roll out in the coming years and we’re also preparing for new ways of working in a key market which we’ll be announcing later on in the year.”

What are you most looking forward to as Q4 and 2025 approaches?

Rob: “We’re incredibly excited about the potential Wicked holds as we start to paint the town pink and green this autumn. Beyond that, we’re looking forward to continuing our momentum into Q4 and setting the stage for an even more successful 2025 with a strong line-up of new content and products.”

Rachel: “For Q4, it’s going to be all about Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. Alongside our partners, we have built an offering for fans which is second to none. 2025 is undoubtedly a huge year for DC. Superman is set to be huge and that’s incredibly exciting for us as a consumer products business.”

Marianne: “Our main goal is to capitalise on key milestones and set the stage for future success. We’re excited about the launch of the Transformers One movie and the opportunity to make ‘Pep-tember’ a stand out month for Peppa Pig. Additionally, we are focused on preparing for a strong Q4 and laying the groundwork for an even more successful 2025 as we build momentum for franchises like Monopoly, My Little Pony, Furby and others.”

David: “We’ll soon be confirming our first inperson Partner Summit since pre-Covid which will be a really fantastic end to a great year and will provide our dedicated partners with the chance to hear about our ambitious plans for 25/26.”

Marianne: “We are laser focused on laying the groundwork for a successful 2025 in Q4. We have even more exciting moments to celebrate next. 2025 will mark 90 years since Monopoly was first available for sale and we’re going all out and continuing to evolve and innovate this beloved brand. It’s going to be the ‘Year of Monopoly’, with a new look and feel, new ways to play, new partnerships and collaborations.”

Filippo: “2025 will see some of our key hardlines partnerships come to life. This year has been foundational in that space, particularly in toys, which is a relatively new area for us. We’re excited by the enthusiasm we’ve already seen, and we have some fantastic products coming up.”

Inset: UP&E is excited about the potential Wicked holds in the consumer products space, with part one hitting cinemas this November.

Winning Moments

Over 1,200 members of the licensing community were there at a Tuesday night to remember! The Licensing Awards 2024 extravaganza celebrated everything that is great about the vibrant licensing sector – the people and the products, the innovation and passion, the forward thinking and tenacity, the retail excellence, and brand management mastery, and the immense camaraderie.

LSB shines the spotlight on this year’s worthy winners.

THE UK RISING STAR AWARD

Corinne Duckworth, commercial executive, of

Left: As sponsor of this award, Licensing International’s Steve Manners, its head of global marketing and UK managing director announced the winner.

Dreamtex

Above: Corinne Duckworth (centre), commercial executive of Dreamtex was delighted to be presented with the trophy by Licensing International’s Steve Manners, joined by awards host Suzi Ruffell (left).

BEST RETAILER OF PRESCHOOL LICENSED PRODUCTS

BEST RETAILER OF KIDS’ LICENSED PRODUCTS

WINNER

Right: Cat O’Brien, director of UK licensing consumer products at Hasbro, sponsor of this award, announced the winner.

Far right: Smyths Toys’ account manager, Lisa Casey (centre) was presented with the trophy by Hasbro’s Cat O’Brien.

Left: Rob Bentley, regional director UK, MENA, RSA of Universal Products & Experiences, sponsor of this award category did the honours in announcing the winner.

Far right: Sarah Jackson, global license director of Primark was delighted to hold the trophy among her many colleagues and Universal’s Rob Bentley (far right) who presented the award.

Above: Anita Serradimigni, retail director of Warner Bros. Discovery, sponsor of this award category announced the winners.

Right: The HMV team were out in force and very happy to collect the trophy from Warner Bros’ Anita Serradimigni (far right).

THE RADAR AWARD

Left: Michael Ogunseitan, VP creative services of Wildbrain CPLG, sponsor of this award, did the honours at the lectern.

Right: A proud moment for (centre) Adam Dury, chief commercial officer of Cardfactory and his colleagues, having been presented with the trophy by Wildbrain CPLG’s Michael Ogunseitan (far right).

BEST OVERSEAS RETAILER

WINNER

Right: (centre) Jenny Strehle Ilic, licensing manager of H&M was all smiles, having been presented with the trophy by Mattel’s Mara Verzé (right).

Left: Samantha Clapham senior director of product EMEA of Funko, sponsor of this award category announced the winner.

Far right: (2nd leftright) Mattel’s Jess Nioncel, manager consumer products EMEA and Alice Fox, corporate and consumer PR consultant were presented with the trophy by Funko’s Samantha Clapham.

Below : Mara Verzé, UK consumer products lead for Mattel, sponsor of this award category with the gold winner’s envelope in her hand.

BEST LICENSED PROMOTIONS CAMPAIGN

BEST LICENSED LIVE EVENT

Right: Elliott Matthews, managing director of Poetic Brands, sponsor of this award category, ready to announce the winner.

Left: Big smiles from Richard Radford, head of licensing of Bioworld International, sponsor of this award category as he announced the winner.

Far right: (left-right) Netflix’s Rikesh Desai, Jo Pull, Salvatore Zingrillo and Alpana Virani who were presented with the trophy by Bioworld’s Richard Radford.

Right: Francesca Romana Gianesin, head of consumer products and experiences, international Moonbug entertainment, sponsor of this award announced the winner.

Below: (3rd left) Mark Ballmann, head of customer marketing, Premier Foods was joined on stage by colleagues to collect the trophy from Poetic Brands’ md, Elliott Matthews (far right).

Below: (3rd and 4th left) Vivid Goliath’s Emma Weber, and Chloe Burrowes went on stage with All3 Media’s (2nd and 5th left) Jason Easy and Nick Smith as well as IDTV’s Kevin Soare (far left) to be presented with the trophy by Moonbug’s Francesca Romana Gianesin (far right).

BEST LICENSED HEALTH AND BEAUTY RANGE

Left: Sam Ferguson, SVP global licensing of Jazwares, sponsor of this award category announced the winner.

Right: It was a Lush moment for (second leftright) for LUSH’s Jack Constantine and Kalem Brinkworth as well as for Paramount’s Siana Scott, Simta Sawhney and Alex Filletti, who all went on stage to collect the award from Jazwares’ Sam Ferguson.

BEST LICENSED PRESCHOOL APPAREL

Below : Rebecca Jenkins, vp licensing UK, ANZ, Israel, SA of Paramount Consumer Products & Experiences, sponsor of this award category announced the winner.

Left: Louise Roze, vp client management CAA Brand Management, sponsor of this award category did the honours in announcing the winner.

Far right: Jenny Strehle Ilic, licensing manager of H&M (holding the trophy) went on stage with Jazwares’ (2nd and 3rd left) Sam Ferguson and Nikki Gie, to receive the award from CAA’s Louise Roze (far right).

Left: The Blues Group were very happy indeed to win this award for the collaboration, which was presented to them by Paramount’s Rebecca Jenkins (far right).

BEST LICENSED ADULT APPAREL OR ACCESSORIES RANGE

Centre right: The stage filled with happy people from Bioworld International and Primark who were presented with the trophy by EXG’s

Left: Ian Hart, senior digital editor UK and EMEA of License Golbal/Informa Markets, sponsor of this category announced the winner.

Far right: Fran Hales, head of portfolio of Rubies Masquerade (centre) collected the trophy from Informa Markets’ Ian Hart.

Right: Ozgur Dokurlar, managing director of Somerbond, sponsor of this award category announced the winner.

Far right: (centre) Helen Nally, editorial director of Hachette Partworks went on stage with Penguin Ventures’ creative director Thomas Merrington (2nd left) and commercial director David Sprei (2nd

Right: It’s a thumbs up from Marc Crane, creative director of EXG Pro, sponsor of this award category.

Marc Crane (far right).

right) to collect the trophy from Somerbond’s Ozgur Dokurlar (far right).

Left: Tony Youngman, retail director of The Walt Disney Company, sponsor of this award category announced the winner.

Right: Hunter Price’s Allana Holmes and Ben Cornwell held the trophy, joined on stage by colleagues as well as those from Crayola, having been presented with the award by Disney’s Tony Youngman (far right).

x Cath

from Cath

Right: (second left-right) Steph Lynn, Holly Marler and Estefania Cortes-Harker all from Cath Kidston went on stage with (3rd and 2nd right) Rocket Licensing’s Rob Wijeratna and Alisha Comber to collect the trophy from Penguin Ventures’ Dave Sprei (far right).

Left: Simon Foulkes, managing director of Rainbow Productions, sponsor of this award category announced the winner.

Far right: (2nd left-right) Warner Bros. Discovery’s senior category managers Emma Barker-Davies and Jennifer Judd collected the award from Rainbow Productions’ Simon Foulkes.

Above: Dave Sprei, commercial director of Penguin Ventures, sponsor of this award category ready to announce the winner.

THE INNOVATION AWARD

Centre right: It really was a ‘wow moment’ for Richard North, president and founder of WOW! Stuff who went on stage with an animated Stitch and members of the WOW! Stuff team, who were presented with the trophy by Max Publishing’s Ian Hyder, on behalf of emoji.

BEST SUSTAINABLE LICENSED PRODUCT

Right: Ian Hyder, ceo of Max Publishing announced the winner on behalf of emoji, sponsor of this award category.

Left: Anita Majhu, head of licensing for softlines and sustainability lead for brands and licensing at BBC Studios, sponsor of this award category announced the winner.

Right: Tim Kilby, licensing and brand director of Character World Brands, sponsor of this award category announced the winner.

Below: (2nd left-right) Fabacus’ product manager Emma Browne; head of engineering, Gus Mejia and marketing consultant Kathryn McLagan were presented with the trophy by BBC Studios’ Anita Majhu.

Right: The BBC Studios’ team were delighted to win this coveted award for the third year running. The trophy was presented to them by Character World Brands’ Tim Kilby (far right).

BEST CHILDREN’S OR TWEEN LICENSED PROPERTY

Left: Simon Hills, ceo of Brand Alliance, sponsor of this award category revealed the winner.

Right: The Jazwares team stormed the stage in celebration of Squishmallows’ success, with Brand Alliance’s Simon Hills (far right) presenting the trophy to Hollie Oldham, Jazwares’ md UK and European distributors.

BEST

TEEN OR ADULT LICENSED PROPERTY

WINNER

Right: Mattel’s Consumer Products EMEA team were delighted to be presented with the trophy by Hunter Price’s Allana Holmes (far right).

Left: All smiles from Emily Fawcett, head of global licensing of Abysse Corp, sponsor of this award, opened the winner’s gold envelope.

Right: (2nd left-right) As the UK licensing agent for Minecraft, CAA Brand Management’s Sasha Lerner, Beth Mackintosh, Louise Roze and Jade Perry were presented with the trophy by Abysse Corps’ Emily Fawcett.

Above: Allana Holmes, commercial director of Hunter Price International, sponsor of this award category announced the winner.

of Pyramid

Centre right: Making it a fourth award for Barbie on the night, the

were most definitely feeling ‘in the pink’, being presented with the trophy by Pyramid’s

MUSIC OR CELEBRITY LICENSED PROPERTY

WINNER

Right: Mordy Benaiah, licensing director

International, sponsor of this award category did the honours in announcing the winner.

Mattel team

Mordy Benaiah (far right).

Below: Manchester City Football Club’s Gavin Johnson, head of licensing and new business development (2nd and 3rd right) and Sarah-Jane Needham , licensing manager were presented with the trophy by Dependable Solutions’ Rhys Fleming (far right).

Phone +39 011 1921 1996

For any further info licensing@bolognafiere.it bolognachildrensbookfair.com

THE CLASSIC LICENSED PROPERTY AWARD

(3rd right with the trophy) Silvia Figini, chief operating officer of Sanrio, EMEA, India and Oceania was delighted to make her way to the stage with many Sanrio colleagues to be presented with the award by the Blues Group’s Allie Wilson (far right).

WHAT KIDS LOVE AWARD

Left: Tom Williams, ceo of The Insights Family, sponsor of this consumer award category announced the winner.

Far right: (2nd and 3rd left) The Pokémon Co International UK and Nordics’ Jade Kellman, senior manager of licensing and Ifè Ajayi, licensing man were presented with the trophy by The Insights Family’s Tom Williams.

WINNER

Right: There was a standing ovation as licensing legend Richard Hollis was announced as the Honorary Achiever. He was presented with the trophy by Sanrio’s Silvia Figini.

Left: While he was given no prior notice of the award, Richard was encouraged to make and impromptu acceptance speech.

Right:

Right: Allie Wilson, divisional sales director Blues Group, sponsor of this award category opened the gold envelope and announced the winner.

Above: Silvia Figini, chief operating officer, Sanrio, EMEA, India and Oceania, as sponsor of this award was there to present the trophy.

Inset: The deal will see the re-opening of Tedbaker.com in the UK.

Inset: The Entertainer team has a renewed focus on international expansion.

SHOP

The Entertainer sets sights on international expansion

The Entertainer has confirmed a renewed strategic focus on international expansion and a corresponding change of responsibilities among its top team.

The Group, as a whole, is in a period of significant growth as all three brands benefit from the enlarged reach across the UK and Europe.

While further UK growth remains a focus – and new commercial partnerships will be announced imminently - the senior team is, for the first time since the pandemic, turning its attention to growing the company’s international presence beyond the current 200 franchise stores across 21 countries

Alongside the continuation of franchisebased growth across both existing and new international territories, the company has significant plans to scale by replicating the concession model successfully deployed in the UK through Tesco, Matalan and M&S.

Tedbaker.com to return in the UK

Authentic Brands Group has confirmed a new partnership with United Legwear & Apparel, which will see the re-opening of Tedbaker.com in the UK.

The move will see ULAC – which is a longstanding partner of ABG – manage the e-commerce operations for Ted Baker in the UK and Europe.

ABG had previously named three new licensees for the Ted Baker brand in the US and Canada, which it said would “secure its future” in those markets.

The UK arm of the business, meanwhile, remains in administration, with plans proposed to close its remaining UK stores.

Despite the administration of the UK business, ABG remains the owner of the brand’s intellectual property. The company has previously said it remains committed to the brand and is actively seeking a new partner for the UK

United Legwear & Apparel said that it would take on Ted Baker’s wholesale, concession shops and ecommerce operations in the US and Canada, as well as the brand’s men’s sportswear, golf apparel and denim

To lead this growth phase, a Group Executive Committee is being established to lead and manage integrated entity.

As part of these changes, Geoff Sheffield will become commercial director, international to lead all commercial aspects of the international retail strategy and its execution.

The new role of chief product officer is being introduced, bringing together the functions of buying, merchandising and marketing, with Brian Proctor taking on this role. Brian brings a wealth of retail buying and trading experience, most notably through various directorships of TJX Europe (TK Maxx).

Primark launches ‘jaw dropping’ new Beetlejuice tie-up

Primark has teamed with Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products on an exclusive new collection inspired by Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.

The 12-piece collection is designed in collaboration with four-time Academy Award winning costume designer Colleen Atwood, renowned for her work on some of Hollywood’s most memorable costumes, including those in the original Beetlejuice film.

The collection includes graphic t-shirts, hoodies and accessories that bring a bold Beetlejuice flair to everyday outfits. Tiny terrors can also join in the fun with nostalgia-fuelled jumpers and knitwear. Beauty lovers can channel their inner Lydia Deetz with Primark’s gothglam beauty tools, including make-up brushes, a scalp massager and hair accessories designed to recreate her voluminous locks.

Plus if you’re looking to transform your bedroom into a haunted haven, there’s a selection of dark-coloured duvets, monochrome cushions and spooky-themed home accessories.

Sarah Jackson, director of licensing at Primark, said:

“This collaboration marks another exciting milestone in our licensing journey, and we couldn’t be more thrilled to partner with Warner Bros. Discovery and renowned costume designer Colleen Atwood on this exclusive collection. At Primark, we work hard to bring our customers exciting and affordable collections and we can’t wait to see how they embrace the spooky season with these one-of-a-kind pieces.”

LUSH builds on licensed portfolio

Cosmetics retailer, LUSH is celebrating 15 years of Minecraft with an exclusive bathtime collection.

The new range of products – inspired by the blocks, mobs and tools found throughout Minecraft’s Overworld and beyond – can be found on the LUSH app, within LUSH shops and online at LUSH.com.

Blending the digital and physical worlds together for a limited time only, fans will also be able to craft and use bath bombs in Minecraft: Bedrock Edition itself simply by downloading the free LUSH Bath Bombs add-on from Minecraft Marketplace.

The product line up takes inspiration from the game’s reputation for endless creativity, introducing a range of fragrances, colours, and textures to ‘invigorate, elevate, awaken fans’ helping them all to unwind and soak up ‘the blocky charm of Minecraft’ in the bathtub or shower.

“I have been a keen player of Minecraft for many years, I love how they have created a world building environment that is multi-generational and creative. I love that LUSH now gets to bring crafting and world building to bath time to create an IRL experience for families and grown-ups,” commented Melody Morton, LUSH Concepts creative director.

Kelly Hoppen launches exclusive collab with M&S

British interior designer Kelly Hoppen CBE has revealed an exclusive home design collaboration with Marks & Spencer

Known for her modern, refined and aspirational design aesthetic, clean lines and neutral tones, Kelly’s client list exudes international celebrities and luxury hotels, however she is also passionate about making her design ethos accessible.

Inspired by luxury living, the 75-piece collection includes statement lighting, ceramics and textiles across bedding and bath, in a variety of sizes and colourways, all underpinned by a neutral palette.

The collaboration is managed by PDS Radius Brands on behalf of Kelly Hoppen Home.

Karen Thomas, head of home design at Marks & Spencer, said: “As one of the most well-known interior designers in the UK and with a global reach, we knew from our very first conversations that Kelly Hoppen would be the perfect fit for M&S Home.

“From day one Kelly had a clear vision of how she would bring her signature style to M&S, translating her luxurious aesthetic into an accessible collection for the high street. We’re delighted to have been able to work together to bring Kelly’s vision and designs to life.”

Inset: The 12-piece collection is designed in collaboration with Academy Award winning costume designer Colleen Atwood.

Above: Kelly Hoppen is the “perfect fit” for M&S Home.

Inset: The exclusive bathtime collection is part of the 15th anniversary celebrations for Minecraft.

Hamleys unveils beauty boutique concept

Hamleys has officially unveiled a new beauty boutique concept – Hamleys Boutique: Be You – at its flagship Regent Street store in London.

The new space has been designed for four to 14 year olds to hang out with friends, dress up, be creative, feel inspired, explore and have fun.

Offering everything from hair accessories, child-friendly cosmetics and nail art to dress-up and jewellery, the Hamleys Boutique on the store’s second floor is a response to Gen Alpha’s curiosity for ways to express themselves and develop their identity through play.

For example, the new department offers the chance for youngsters inspired by pop fandom to immerse in the phenomenon of making, wearing and sharing customised bracelets; a trend that feeds their creativity and encourages them to nurture meaningful friendships with their peers.

Some of the key brands with products in the department include

Rainbow High and Barbie

Character.com launches first adaptive wear range

Character.com has launched its first adaptive wear clothing range featuring SpongeBob SquarePants

The partnership with Paramount Consumer Products is one of many global initiatives to mark the 25th anniversary of the series this year. Character.com has worked with Paramount and Fashion UK to create the new innovative clothing range that is inclusive of all ages and needs to show you can do, wear and be anything.

Channelling the themes of positivity and inclusivity that SpongeBob SquarePants is known for, the range also coincides with a new series of short programmes for Milkshake and Nickelodeon in the UK – Play Like a Sponge – which features athletes from Paralympics GB teaching children about Paralympic sports as SpongeBob cheers them on.

Never Knowingly Undersold returns

John Lewis has refreshed its Never Knowingly Undersold brand promise to reflect how customers shop today.

The promise matches prices in-store and now online with 25 retailers including Amazon (on technology), AO.com and M&S. A new brand campaign launches on 19 September featuring actor Samantha Morton and music artist Laura Mvula, celebrating 100 years of Never Knowingly Undersold.

The range includes a variety of adaptive pieces including t-shirts, long-sleeve tops with scratch mitts, dress with under shorts for additional coverage, onesies and dribble bibs, all adorned with the energetic characters from SpongeBob SquarePants.

All products have been made with ultra-soft 100% cotton jersey interlock fabric, ensuring each piece is soft and gentle against delicate skin, providing itchfree comfort with its label-free design. Fastenings for the range also avoid loud sounds, making it easy and pleasant to use for children, parents and carers alike, as well as additional protective options for children.

The promise was paused two years ago after customers told the retailer that it was too complicated and the exclusion of online retailers did not reflect how they were shopping. In a recent survey of 5,000 customers, three quarters of them said that a modernised version of Never Knowingly Undersold would improve their feeling of getting good value for money at John Lewis.

The new Never Knowingly Undersold will be supported with John Lewis’ biggest ever marketing campaign. The ongoing investment plan will also see the successful beauty model extended into fashion, partnering with brands to give them more control over their proposition and launching ‘disruptive’ collaborations, like those with Collagerie and Sophie Conran.

Hello Kitty, Disney Princess, L.O.L. Surprise,

Above: The new space is designed for four to 14 year olds.

Below: Character.com worked with Paramount and Fashion UK to create the new innovative clothing range. Inset: Never Knowingly Undersold is back to reflect how customers shop today.

Best of Friends

From a pop-up which was originally only meant to run for 30 days, The Friends Experience has now made it to its 24th city, arriving in London. LSB catches up with Kathleen Wallis, vp global themed entertainment at Warner Bros. Discovery, and Stacy Moscatelli, ceo at OGX Productions, to find out more.

Stepping into the new Friends Experience in London is like stepping straight into your TV in the 1990s.

The Friends Experience: The One in London opened its doors in August in the capital’s new immersive entertainment district, Immerse LDN on the ExCeL waterfront, just in time to celebrate the show’s 30th anniversary.

Created by Warner Bros. Discovery Global Themed Entertainment, Original X Productions, and Warner Bros.

Television Group - and operated by The Luna Entertainment Group –the Experience allows fans to explore full-scale re-created sets, iconic backdrops, costumes and an array of props and memorabilia, bringing them one step closer to the show and characters.

“We started working together in 2017 on a comedy festival,” Stacy Moscatelli, ceo at OGX Productions, tells LSB when we meet on the iconic orange sofa at the Experience. “We did this again in 2018, and then Kathleen came to us and said ‘it's about to be the 25th anniversary of Friends and I'd like to create an experience’. So we did a pop-up together in New York to celebrate the 25th anniversary back in 2019.”

“The pop-up was only supposed to be for 30 days and we sold out in three hours,” shares

Kathleen Wallis, vp global themed entertainment at Warner Bros. Discovery.

OGX Productions and Warner Bros. Discovery have worked together since 2017 and, what started out as an initial pop-up in New York, has expanded into a partnership which has seen Friends immersive experiences come alive in 24 cities.

It then moved to Boston and, after the huge success of the two pop-ups, the decision was made to create bigger, more permanent locations. London is the 24th city, while The One in Vegas will be opening in the MGM Grand in the autumn.

“Our flagships all have something special and unique to the market they're in,” continues Stacy. “The New York flagship opened in 2020 and that one is very ‘New York’; it has some subway elements and

Inset: Central Perk has been recreated at The Friends Experience.

Below: Monica’s kitchen is one of Stacy’s favourite parts of The Friends Experience.

Bottom left: Stacy Moscatelli, ceo at OGX Productions.

Bottom right: Kathleen Wallis, vp global themed entertainment, Warner Bros. Discovery.

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it really feels authentic. [In London] you'll see we've got the chapel where Ross and Emily got married and we've got Joey's map.

“Our opening in Las Vegas will see us leaning into these episodes which also have the wedding chapel where Ross and Rachel got married,” adds Stacy.

The Experiences themselves are a true slice of the 1990s, and this is part of their appeal, Stacy believes: “There’s that nostalgia. It feels like it's the 90s, we didn't upgrade anything or make it more modern than it was, we didn't add a lot of tech to the experience, so it really feels like you're walking back into this moment in time that you remember from the show so distinctly.”

Kathleen believes that initiatives such as this are “critical” for the brand.

“When you have a partner like OGX, they can tour something like this around the world; this is our 24th city and we have fans all over the world, it gives them something to share with their kids now,” she says. “This is a multi-generational property. Young kids today, teenagers are finding this is their comfort food, research shows us they like to watch it before they go to bed... the themes are all universal, boyfriends and friendships and first dates, first jobs, first apartments and navigating all of that. It's made it easy for us to take this around the world as it's very relatable.”

It's this relatability that is part of Friends’ success, Kathleen continues: “You know, it's a stressful world these days, young people are really concerned about the environment and getting a job, paying the rent... and this is like a little escapism; it makes them feel good.”

There are photo opportunities galore including Monica’s kitchen, which Stacy says is probably her favourite part of the Experience.

“I've always loved Monica's kitchen because I think so many moments happened in that apartment that have stuck with me through the years and I think I identify a little bit as a Monica... even when I walk in, it feels like home.

“Here [London], it's really cool to see the chapel brought to life. That was a really beautiful episode and a really beautiful moment,” Stacy concludes.

The One in London

Complete with nostalgia-packed, interactive set recreations, The Friends Experience: The One in London invites guests to delve into the show’s history and recreate some of their favourite scenes, such as posing behind Rachel and Monica’s famous purple door, kicking back in Chandler and Joey’s recliners and relaxing on the legendary orange couch.

There are also fun behind the scenes aspects for guests to explore, including insight from the show’s creators and storytelling from the costume designer.

Londoners are also able to experience a slice of the Big Apple as they explore with the new Friends Station, inspired by the show’s New York City setting and subway stations. Here, guests can enjoy themed food and beverages and immerse themselves in more classic Friends moments and memorable photo opportunities. The flagship also features exclusive activations inspired by the London episodes - The One with Ross’ Wedding Parts 1 & 2 - from the fourth season, which allows visitors to step inside a recreated wedding scene at the semidemolished church and engage with a 3D interpretation of Joey’s London map.

There is also a retail element where fans can pick up merchandise relating to the show including some licensee product, plus exclusive London-specific items.

Inset: Max Publishing’s Samantha Loveday and Ian Hyder on the iconic orange sofa during their visit to the Experience.

Below: The chapel where Ross and Emily got married has been brought to life at the London location.

ALL FANS THE HOME for

Specialising in ‘FUNctional’ licensed collectables that blend pop culture passion with technology, EXG Pro is constantly pushing the boundaries of innovation. But whether the company is reinventing its packaging to be more sustainable or honing in on the hottest licences, fans always come first.

These are busy times for EXG Pro. This summer marked the debut of Holdems, the company’s new “mini collectables with a twist” inspired by the company’s successful Cable Guys product range, as well as the launch of its innovative Digiplates (more on both later). Shiny new product aside, Darren Scott joined the company in July in the new role of UK sales manager, just in time to oversee EXG Pro’s largest ever slate of new releases.

“We’re still arguably a small team, but we’re growing exponentially,” says lead graphic designer Adam Hall, who joined EXG Pro straight from his graphic design degree in 2022. “We’re gaining more and more licences every year, but we ensure every item we make stays true to the original IP. We don’t take a property that fans love and stylise it to make it look like our own. It helps that we can now do our free sculpting inhouse, which means the level of detail we can add to a product is phenomenal.”

For gamers, collectors and pop culture enthusiasts searching for ways to display their phones, games controllers, headphones and other tech in style, this level of authenticity makes EXG Pro products the natural go-tos. The company’s range extends to 100+ licences, from Netflix and Disney to Marvel, Warner Bros., Lucasfilm, Sega, Sony and more, and over 150 products across nine product ranges, including Cable Guys and Holdems – all produced by a team that are as passionate about pop culture as EXG Pro’s customers are.

“I was a bit of a nerd growing up; I was into video games, and watched a lot of Cartoon Network. So, to come into a company that is working with so many

Inset: The new Holdems line of mini collectables sees Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles making their debut for the company.

Below: Adam Hall, EXG Pro’s lead graphic designer. Below left: Launched this year, Digiplates unlock AR and other digital experiences for users.

of the licences I loved as a kid has been exciting,” Adam says. “And I’m not the only one; you can tell that everyone here really wants to work here. There’s a drive to do our best and to create really cool products and merchandise that fans will love, and that we love, too.”

Being self-confessed nerds is just one way the team keep their collective finger on the pop culture pulse. They also visit shows such as Comic Con, have a group chat where they can drop links to things that have caught their attention, and are hugely active on social media. “We get a lot of comments on social platforms like X, whether it’s fans recommending stuff, or asking for particular things,” says Adam. “It’s great for listening to what people want, and we’ve put a few products into production because of it.”

EXG Pro’s USP is technical innovation. Its recent range, Digiplates, consists of interchangeable, licensed metal cards that work in conjunction with a Digistand phone holder to unlock AR and other digital experiences for users, enabling them to enjoy online games and access exclusive content. New product line Holdems, meanwhile, breaks new ground when it comes to packaging, taking another step in EXG Pro’s sustainability journey. Devising a way to protect the product and hold it in place securely without using plastic was a task that fell to Adam.

“Not using plastic is quite restrictive from a design perspective, so the process took a long time,” he says. “In the end, we reinvented the square box that we have on-shelf at the moment and went with a cylindrical tube. You can twist the

sleeve around for a product reveal, so it’s more of an interactive experience for consumers.

Hopefully, it will entice more people to pick the product up. It’s appealing for collectors, too –there’s a little display podium and a pod that you can put the product back into, so you can either have it out on display or keep it in the tube, where it still looks really cool.”

The first wave of Holdems includes 2024’s arguably most popular character, Stitch, in four different iterations, as well as Sonic the Hedgehog and friends, Fall Guys and the company’s first ever Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles line.

“With last year’s Mutant Mayhem film and the new animated series just released, the franchise has been reinvigorated and brought new, younger fans on board,” says Adam.

Another licence tipped by Adam for big things is Deadpool & Wolverine. Meanwhile, anime in general is booming, the live-action Netflix releases Avatar the Last Airbender and One Piece having brought the genre to a wider audience than ever before. “It’s still a growing market, and we’re really trying to take a hold of anime and jump into that pool,” he says.

The second half of the year is shaping up to be just as busy as the first. “We're hosting our firstever launch event for Holdems, with another for Digiplates later in the year,” Adam concludes.

“We’ll also be exhibiting at Gamescom, LA Fall Preview, BLE, New York Comic Con and more, showcasing our 2025 product lines along with innovative concepts for the future.”

e pow of

ANIME

Max Arguile, founder of Reemsborko, and Jerome Mazandarani, animé expert and consultant, tell LSB why the opportunities have never been better for animé licensing in the UK.

Animé (Japanese animation) and manga (Japanese comics) have never been bigger in the West. If you don’t believe us, ask any school librarian what their students are reading and requesting. The answer will be manga. Go to any Waterstones – the manga section is now bigger than all the superhero graphic novels combined. Rather than trying to beat this trend, many major Western comic publishers, including Marvel and DC, have decided to join it and are now expanding their manga offering, having Japanese artists and writers reinterpret their most famous characters.

Successful mangas become animés and here in the UK, the opportunities have never been better for animé licensing. Why is this? Consider the disparity between what we see in Southern Europe, where every supermarket has a strong offering of animé merch, and here, where the retailers are only slowly understanding that this is a cash cow.

The timing is also right for content availability. From spring this year, for the first time ever, Dragon Ball fans have been able to legally watch every episode of Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z and Dragon Ball Super, for free, courtesy of Crunchyroll (a streaming service that you should consider as the ‘Netflix of animé’) and later this year, the newest version - Dragon Ball Daima – arrives (broadcast details TBC).

Netflix has not done badly with the live action version of One Piece, which drew both an audience that were new to the IP, as well as fans of the original

animé to make it a top-performing show on that platform. The live action series was the most watched TV series on the platform for the period 1 July to 31 December 2023 with over 71 million views. The animé series, produced by Toei Animation, is one of the most viewed animé of 2024 so far on Crunchyroll sitting in the top five global rankings. Licensees that had merchandise based on the animé saw a massive rise in sales when the live action series landed.

2024’s big global breakout hit is Solo Levelling, produced by A1 Pictures and Aniplex (maker of recent smash hit Demon Slayer). It’s a very exciting sci-fi themed action-adventure drama and a second season is in the works. Most notably, Solo Levelling is not based on a hit Japanese manga but on a Korean webtoon.

And finally, speaking of Demon Slayer, Sony and Aniplex have announced that the season finalé will be told over a new animated film trilogy that will happen initially as a theatrical release. This is going to be massive.

Right: Dragon Ball Daima is the newest version in the successful franchise.

Animé inspired

With animé being a key growth category in the licensing arena, LSB rounds up just some of the most recent activity.

One Piece makes licensing gains

Toei Animation has been enjoying a strong 2024 with its licensing efforts for One Piece, with this year marking the 25th anniversary of the franchise.

During the last 12 months, Toei Animation executed a total of 43 One Piece agreements, including 29 new licences and 14 licence renewals. These new deals will engage One Piece fans across an array of products from apparel, accessories, toys and board games to collectables, housewares, lighting and books, as well as new location-based entertainment – many of which have or will be launched in 2024.

Crunchyroll reveals rebrand results

Animé specialist Crunchyroll has unveiled a new brand identity – with the new look, feel and sound aiming to ‘reflect the joy’ that animé brings to fans, tapping into a spirit of fun and celebration.

Anchored by its global streaming service and extending into theatrical, events, games, music, news, consumer products and home entertainment, Crunchyroll is among those leading the charge in anime’s rise.

As part of the celebrations, a larger than life display on the Exosphere – the exterior of Sphere in Las Vegas - coincided with launch of the franchise’s new official English channel on YouTube in the summer.

Key collaborations have also included DIM MAK, Cloud9 (with the first ever collection targeting esports fans) and PUMA with a limited edition

The updated Crunchyroll includes a modernised logo with a balanced eye symbol and revamped wordmark; a new font set called Crunchyroll Atyp that blends classic and modern elements for improved readability; and a vibrant colour system featuring orange, black, white, and taupe to reflect anime’s dynamic nature.

The new glyph system boasts over 139 anime and manga-inspired characters, adding depth and personality.

A new seven-second audio-visual mnemonic captures the immersive Crunchyroll experience with animé-inspired sound design and playful elements. Collaborations with Japanese artists on new textures and patterns further enhance the authenticity and immersive storytelling.

Yu-Gi-Oh cruises into new skateboard deal

The Yu-Gi-Oh brand has teamed with Bear Walker Industries on a new range of limited edition high-end collectable skateboards.

BWI will create a number of artistic wooden skate decks and skate accoutrements based on the franchise. Given the attention to detail put into its products, Bear Walker generally releases only a handful of collections each year in quantities of 500 or less.

“Yu-Gi-Oh! fans are in for the ride of their life,” commented Jennifer Coleman, vp marketing and licensing at Konami Cross Media. “Thanks to the talents of Bear and BWI creative team, the new Yu-Gi-Oh skateboards will be functional, beautiful and high quality, turning skateboarding into a rideable art on wheels.”

Above: BWI has unveiled some new styles for Yu-Gi-Oh.

Right: The collaboration with PUMA included footwear, apparel and accessories.

Above: Crunchyroll’s new look and feel aims to ‘reflect the joy’ that animé brings to fans.

From fun-loving dinosaurs to iconic childhood favourites Heidi, Vicky the Viking and Maya the Bee, Studio 100 International is known for crafting captivating content and building strong brands. As the company readies itself for Brand Licensing

ahead

SLSB takes a look

successes – and

market with its fresh and funny spin on the dinosaur genre. Produced by Australian studio Cheeky Little Media in association with the Australian Broadcasting Company (ABC), France TV and Studio 100, and featuring unique vegetable and fruit-shaped characters including Ginger, a young Tricarrotops, and her three baby Pea-Rex friends, Vegesaurs serves up a feast of visual comedy and themes that 3 to 6 year olds can relate to. In the two years (and two 20 x 5’ series) since launch, the show has stomped to success across multiple territories, becoming the #2 commissioned series on ABC in Australia and a Top 10 show on CBeebies in the UK, and achieving over 30 million views on BBC iPlayer.

Vegesaurs’ pan-territorial appeal was recognised at this year’s Bologna Licensing Awards. The hit animation brand took home the Best Promotion/

Heidi to hit cinemas in 2025

Heidi, the young orphan from the Swiss Alps, is loved the world over, so much so that author Johanna Spyri’s Heidi archive has been added to UNESCO’s Memory of the World programme for its protection and preservation. Studio 100 International is capitalising on the character’s evergreen status with new CGI animated feature-length adventure, Heidi – Rescue of the Lynx, slated to launch in cinemas globally in July 2025.

Fashion is a strong category for the brand, and Studio 100 International has produced four Heidi fashion style guides that tap into global trends, as well as a ‘Homesick Heidi’ guide for Millennials that focuses on emotional self-expression.

Inset: Season three of preschool hit Vegesaurs will launch on CBeebies and BBC iPlayer this September.

Below: Studio 100

International’s feature film Heidi – Rescue of the Lynx is currently in production.

Loyalty Campaign prize for its partnership with Lidl, which saw Vegesaurs collectables and plush toys distributed by the retailer across stores in Austria, Denmark and Spain. The campaign was a huge hit with consumers, with parents surveyed reporting preferring Vegesaurs as a brand to Minecraft, Pokémon and Peppa Pig.

The first two seasons of the preschool favourite are already on air in more than 20 territories, with the Czech Republic, Austria, Ireland, China and Portugal soon to be added to the list.

Season three will debut in the UK on CBeebies and iPlayer this September, promoted by a robust marketing campaign supported by CBeebies, incorporating social media posting, interactive online content, YouTube compilations, shorts and live streams, and activations in the broadcaster’s games and apps Get Creative, Playtime Island and Storytime.

Off-screen, a growing licensing programme is taking Vegesaurs into more homes across multiple territories. In the UK, kids can find Vegesaurs content in Immediate Media’s CBeebies Magazine, enjoy picture and story books from master publisher Macmillan Children’s Books (with novelty and activity books set to follow), collect cute character plush versions of Ginger and friends courtesy of Globetrade, and chomp down on vegetarian treats from iLove Snacks, which launched at Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Asda earlier this year.

Ramping up the Vegesaurs excitement ahead of the UK debut of season three, this July saw the launch of social media campaign Vegesaurs Summer of Discovery, which offered families the chance to win a weekend at CBeebies Land, two day passes to Alton Towers theme park and £500 in cash.

Riding the retro wave

Studio 100 International will outline upcoming activity for Vegesaurs at this year’s BLE including an immersive experience set to debut in Australia in December 2024 and roll out to the US, MENA, France, the UK and other European countries, and plans for more loyalty campaigns, Ginger meetand-greets and activations in Studio 100 theme parks across Europe.

can

and

Studio 100 International’s new umbrella brand Heroes of Childhood brings together some of the most iconic children’s IP of all time. A YouTube channel devoted to retro classics Heidi, Maya the Bee, Vicky the Viking, Pinocchio, Sindbad the Sailor and Alice in Wonderland launched in April, sharing clips from the 1970s and ‘80s as well as new content aimed at sparking nostalgia among teens and young adults. With 98% of adults aged 25-45 recognising at least one of the characters from the collection, according to a market study conducted by Studio 100 International, and nearly 88% expressing an interest in products featuring them, the company has plans to roll out the brand to a wider global audience. A Heroes of Childhood streetwear-influenced apparel collection will launch this autumn, supported by an influencer and online ad campaign, and will be available via Zalando, Amazon Fashion and other major online platforms.

gesaurs fans

enjoy picture

Above: Vegesaurs fans can enjoy picture and story books from master publisher Macmillan Children’s Books.

Top: This autumn will see the launch of a Heroes of Childhood apparel collection aimed at teens and adults.

Inset: Fashion is a top-performing category for evergreen brand Heidi.

A world OF choice

Known as a market leader in licensed apparel, Bioworld’s extensive offering also encompasses giftware, drinkware, tableware, tech accessories and much more, serving the fandom “from top to toe, closet to kitchen”. LSB chats to Richard Radford, head of licensing at Bioworld International, to find out more.

Richard Radford is in celebratory mood. Bioworld International, for which he has headed up the licensing department for seven years, has made it into the Sunday Times 100 list of Britain’s fastest-growing private companies.

“It’s a nice pat on the back and a great reflection of the hard work put in by our ever-expanding team, but also of the investment that has come from the management of [US parent company] Bioworld, which is really starting to pay dividends,” he says.

The additional capital has allowed Bioworld International to put specialist sales teams in place, not just in the UK but across Europe. “Now, we have people working purely on accessories, or on homewares, and so on, and we’re really benefiting from their skill sets and knowledge. Meanwhile, we continue to tap into the incredible design and product development expertise of our US team.”

Bioworld began life in 1998 as Biodomes, a company specialising in branded headwear, and evolved into Bioworld in 2004, with expanded distribution and new category capabilities including bags, apparel and hosiery.

Fast forward to 2018, and following the acquisition of US company Vandor – a specialist in drinkware, sculpted collectables, kitchenware and home décor –Bioworld was able to ramp up its product diversification efforts to the max. Vandor came with a design studio in the Philippines, recognised as a global hub for ceramics design, and further manufacturing capabilities in the Far East that bolstered Bioworld’s existing production and distribution operations. This enabled the company to supply licensed product in multiple categories, providing retailers with “the whole package” – an offer further strengthened by the acquisition this year of celebration goods company Packed Party.

Inset: Bioworld’s portfolio spans blockbuster as well as niche licences.

Below centre: The travel category saw a huge boost in consumer demand following the end of lockdown.

Bottom: Richard Radford, head of licensing.

“We have the capability and the infrastructure to design as wide a range as possible under each licence,” Richard says. “The Americans like to say that Bioworld used to be able to offer top to toe solutions, but since the acquisition of Vandor, we cover closet to kitchen, too.

“If you break down all the categories we operate in, it’s probably around 20 plus. We offer tech accessories, office gadgets, stationery, hosiery, giftware, kitchenware and kitchen textiles… This list goes on. Having a licensed offering across all those categories is unusual, if not unique. From both a retailer and licensor’s perspective it makes things much, much easier; if you’re doing a cross-category promotion you can get everything from one place, which means one point of contact, one contract, one set of approvals and one timeline, and one interpretation of a design aesthetic.”

Bioworld International’s retail offering is serviceoriented, Richard explains, “whether it involves providing marketing support or merchandising solutions, or coming up with a unique design perspective that’s been produced by a fan, for the fans”.

“Kick-ass designs” are Bioworld’s USP. Richard explains: “The company has over 200 designers, they’re incredibly talented and really push the boundaries when it comes to product development. Plus, they’re all category specialists. The bag designers only work on bags, the leather designers only work on leather goods, and so on, and it shows in the quality of the end product. It also means we can tailor our product from top to bottom; we can do a backpack that retails for £5, or one that retails for £200, and everything in between. We also produce special ranges like adaptive backpacks that fit onto the back of a wheelchair, and which have compartments for medical equipment. Our aim is to serve the needs of every fan, with products at the price points they want, wherever they want to shop.”

Bioworld’s creative teams subscribe to numerous forecasting platforms to keep abreast of short, medium and long-term trends across different territories, and product ranges can be tailored at speed to take account of lifestyle fads. Post-Covid, for instance, saw a boom in wellness and comfort items, along with travel accessories as consumers rushed to book holidays, while right now, hydration –a trend kick-started by branded reality TV water bottles – is “a big thing”, says Richard. “However, just as different properties are stronger in certain territories than others, different products do better in certain regions.”

As it expands, Bioworld International is able to take a “more holistic, more rounded” approach to doing business. “We look at territory as a whole rather than just the UK, with the addition of Europe and beyond. We’re offering a wider product range, a wider property range over a wider territory than ever before.”

Blockbuster licences with territory-wide appeal are obvious wins, but there’s still room for the niche IP, Richard asserts. “We don’t self-edit. If there’s an appetite at retail for a lesser-known property and the numbers work for us, the licensor, the retailer and the fan, we’ll go for it.”

Inset and below:

Providing licensed product in multiple categories, Bioworld is able to offer retailers “the whole package”.

The golden quarter

Lauren Bath, marketing director, EXG Pro

"This summer, our Holdems range was a hit with retailers and consumers before it even hit the shelves. Strategic marketing and collaborations boosted our online presence and sales, with exclusive events and product seeding driving retail engagement.

For the 'golden quarter' of 2024, we're ready with strong new and classic lines, robust marketing and strategic retail partnerships to meet holiday demand. Innovations like our upcoming metal collectables, Digiplates, will keep us ahead, and our commitment to quality and strategic planning will ensure success.”

Andy Downie, commercial director, Dreamtex

“This summer has been very busy, with our biggest achievements including our Disney’s Stitch collection and our Bluey range. As the Euros came to an end, we were delighted to have supplied our Official FA collection to retailers such as Aldi, Lidl and The Range. As we head into Q3, we’re excited to launch our Wicked home décor

Emma Weber, senior director, marketing and licensing (UK), Vivid Goliath

“Back to school for Crayola is always an exciting time of the year for the brand but for 2024, the consumer experience became even more colourful as we partnered with Sony and their summer theatrical live action family adventure Harold and The Purple Crayon. The collaboration saw nationwide activations on Crayola’s point of sale, announcing an exciting competition to find the specially wrapped purple crayon hidden in packs of the 24 count Crayons to win prizes including a family trip to New York and to visit the Crayola Experience. The movie captures the imagination that Crayola is known for, empowering kids to dream big through the power of creativity.

The biggest challenge for Q4 ’24 will be continued timeliness of stock and ensuring we forecast to meet demands for some of our big games including The Traitors and the newly launched Murdle The Board Game, based on the award winning and bestselling Murdle puzzle books.”

collection. This is the most anticipated movie of 2024, and we’re so proud to be part of the consumer products programme.

Along with Wicked, we’ll be expanding our seasonal ranges, including the Grinch, which continues to grow each year.

We’ll also be rolling out Christmas collections for Bluey and Stitch. Challenges we have faced this summer are shipping issues which have tightened timings. However, we remain resilient and positive for the upcoming months.”

Top: Lauren Bath.

Above: EXG’s Holdems range has been a hit this summer.

Above: Emma Weber.

Right: Murdle The Board Game is based on the bestselling puzzle books.

Above: Andy Downie.

Right: Stitch has continued to be popular for Dreamtex.

DATE: TUESDAY 12 NOVEMBER 2024

LOCATION: ROYAL LANCASTER, LONDON

JOIN US FOR THE PROGRESSIVE PRESCHOOL AWARDS 2024

The Progressive Preschool (PPS) Awards is the premier event for the preschool product and retail sector, bringing together over 400 industry professionals to celebrate outstanding achievements. This hugely popular ceremony is the perfect opportunity to network, honour excellence, and reflect on the past year’s successes.

WHY ATTEND?

The nomination and voting process is conducted via external voting as well as in-person judging panels, leveraging the expertise of the industry’s own professionals to ensure the highest levels of integrity - as well documented.

FINALISTS ANNOUNCEMENTS

BOOK YOUR TICKETS

Secure your place at the PPS Awards 2024 today!

To book tickets or tables, contact Clare Hollick at Createvents - clare@createvents.co.uk or reserve your tickets online via the Max Publishing digital Box Office - scan the QR code below.

Stay tuned - finalists for each category will be revealed soon on Preschoolnews.net. Make sure to keep an eye out for the announcements!

Questions?

Talk to the team: Rob Willis - robw@max-publishing.co.uk

Samantha Loveday - saml@max-publishing.co.uk

Jo Cassidy - joc@max-publishing.co.uk

Clare Rix, brand and licensing director, Sambro

“2024 has been a significant year for Sambro, as we continue to drive forward our ambitious growth plans. As well as growing our core range offerings in the arts and crafts, plush and collectables sectors, we have seen strong growth in our outdoor toys and inflatables categories, thanks to recent investments across major licences including Stitch, Disney Princess, PAW Patrol and more.

Being recognised for excellence in International Trade with the Kings Award for Enterprise has been our crowning success this year. The award commends our people first approach to business, our commitments to international trade and our forward thinking ESG policies, so it’s certainly an achievement the whole business is proud of.

Looking ahead, for us, it’s all about building on this growth, ensuring we continue to invest in key ranges, like our own IP Puzzle Palz range, which is expanding with new licences planned later in the year including Gabby’s Dollhouse with Universal.

Jonathan Merricks, ceo and creative director, VQ

As always, there will be some challenges for the wider toy sector, a big challenge being disposable income pressures which are still being felt amidst the cost-of-living crisis, which means there is a cautious buying environment. But as long as we continue to focus on toys and products which offer real value per play, we should still see demand in the sector.”

Ashley Holman, md, ToyTopic

“VQ had the pleasure of showcasing our extensive product range at the Exclusively Show in June – the feedback from industry professionals and customers alike was overwhelmingly positive, reflecting substantial interest and admiration for VQ's latest designs. Another summer highlight was the successful launch of our Laura Ashley Stovetop Kettle and a standout moment was when VQ's Laura Ashley China Rose Collection won Best Brand Licensed Electrical &/Or DIY Product or Range at the Brand & Lifestyle Licensing Awards. Moreover, we celebrated the exclusive release of the Cath Kidston Bees SDA Range in partnership with QVC. Following this exclusive launch, the range will be available through wider retailers. Additionally, our collaboration with Harvey Norman for the launch of the Laura Ashley Wild Meadow Collection in Australia and New Zealand has received amazing feedback, and we look forward to bringing these collections to other markets. In the US, we introduced our product range at the International Housewares Association (IHA) show, a significant milestone for us.

As we approach the critical ‘golden quarter’, VQ acknowledges the potential challenges inherent in expansion. Ensuring timely worldwide delivery of our exclusive products across diverse markets remains a central focus. We are confident that our commitment to logistical excellence will overcome these hurdles, allowing us to continue exceeding customer expectations. This summer's achievements have set a strong foundation for the future, and we are excited about the journey ahead.”

“With good weather finally appearing in Europe, we saw sales spike on our Hasbro Twister Splash range from WowWee in major European retailers over the first few weeks of summer. We have also seen strong sales of our Hello Kitty and PAW Patrol range of plush and plush accessories. Some of the challenges we face include shipping with increased costs and timeframes, so we are working hard to ensure this causes as little disruption as possible.

Laura Jealous, sales and marketing director, Kokomo

However, as we move towards Q4 we are excited for the continued growth of our licensed plush business including new launches with Sonic The Hedgehog and Minecraft.”

“Hello Kitty’s 50th anniversary has been a huge highlight for us this year so far, with many products selling out soon after launch - be prepared to see more of this pop culture icon and her friends. With peak season fast approaching, our biggest challenge is increasing delays in shipping due to lack of resources at ports or longer sailing lead times. As we navigate into peak trading it puts extra pressures on our teams to manage. However, we have some fantastic new products and licences launching and can’t wait to see these in stores.”

Above: Clare Rix.

Below: Sambro is launching Gabby’s Dollhouse product later in the year.

Top: Jonathan Merricks.

Above: Laura Ashley has become an award winning range for VQ.

Above: Ashley Holman. Left: Sonic is among the new plush launches from ToyTopic.

Above: Laura Jealous. Left: Hello Kitty’s 50th anniversary has been a highlight for Kokomo.

Matt Reynolds, md, Little Brother Books

“Our new Gaming Guides and Activity Range have been a real success this summer, with many major retailers supporting them including in all Lidl stores in CDU displays in the middle aisle. The range includes our GamesWarrior’s Ultimate Guide to Minecraft, Roblox, Super Mario and Fortnite (four separate titles), as well as our new L.O.L. and Crayola Activity title and World of Dinosaurs Activity Book

Our biggest challenge for Q3/Q4 so far has been global shipping delays and ultimately risked seasonal stock timings. We have worked hard with our printers to ensure our products are produced earlier than normal to meet extended shipping timings to the UK so we are confident our products will arrive in time. This is particularly challenging for seasonal products like Annuals as they only have a certain shelf life, so any delays can have huge implications for both us and our amazing retailers. However, we are very excited by all our new launches coming up in Q3/Q4 this year including new Annuals, Advent Calendars, a Board Book Range and Mega Sticker Scenes Range. We have never had a portfolio of formats like this before being launched by Little Brother Books, so are eager to see them hit the market for the ‘golden quarter’.”

Christine Roberts, head of licensing, Misirli

“This summer we have landed some strong in-store placement across key seasonal moments including Father’s Day gifting and have seen further growth within our licensed portfolio, with the acquisition of some exciting new licence signingswatch this space. Moving into AW24 we continue to navigate the challenges we are all facing with rising costs, shipping times and the general cost of living, however we are confident that we are delivering one of our best ranges of nightwear, underwear and socks across our licensed portfolio, that will excite consumers - with a mix of classic licences, brand new launches and fun, festive favourites.”

Dan Grant, licensing director, Danilo

“Key achievements for Danilo in the summer would be our participation at the PG Live trade show, allowing us to showcase the latest card and wrap ranges, along with some help from the Minions. There are a lot of great brands for us to shout about right now, including new additions to the portfolio such as Steven Rhodes, A Pinch of Nom and Traitors to name a few. It’s going to interesting to see what changes occur under the new Labour government and whether the other big issues around the world will help make business easier or more challenging in the coming months and years. Lots to look forward to though in terms of big new movie launches, sports and music events, which are all happening in the second half of 2024.”

Ozgur Dokurlar, md, Somerbond

“Despite facing challenges in the market due to cost prices, this year has been particularly difficult for the industry. However, through diversifying our supply chain and customer bases, we have experienced robust sales this summer. With the introduction of new licences, we anticipate a strong last quarter in 2024 and foresee growth in the upcoming year as well.”

Above: Christine Roberts.

Below right: Misirli has enjoyed further growth throughout the summer.

Above: Dan Grant. Below: The Traitors is among the new additions to Danilo’s portfolio.

Above: Matt Reynolds. Right: Little Brother Books is excited to see a raft of new formats launch for Q4.

Left: Ozgur Dokurlar. Right: Somerbond is anticipating a strong final quarter.

Rob Broadhurst, commercial director, Brand Alliance

“This year so far has been dominated by a certain Kitty who has been celebrating her 50th in some style. The success of Hello Kitty has also opened up the market for some of the other characters in the stable including Kuromi and My Melody, so with this and the ranges we have planned across retail for the rest of 2024, I don’t see this slowing down any time soon.

Cars, sports and music also continue to be big; we have some great ranges launching on NASCAR, VW and Jeep among others, plus we have some exciting new signings in this space we’ll be able to talk about at BLE.”

John Packard, publishing director, Farshore

“We’ve launched two very different, but equally exciting, publishing propositions from Farshore this summer. Firstly, we announced that two new characters will join the Mr. Men Little Miss classic library in September: Mr. Fib and Little Miss Surprise. This will take the total number of characters up to 89. Coverage was fantastic, with the official reveal on BBC's The One Show, followed by a range of stories in print and online, generating strong pre-orders.

Secondly, as part of Mojang’s 15th anniversary celebrations for Minecraft, we announced The World of Minecraft, publishing this October. Part of Expanse, Farshore’s imprint creating high-quality, immersive books on video gaming for adults, this book is for older fans and provides the definitive account of how Minecraft came to be the biggest selling video game of all time. Created in collaboration with Mojang, the story is told through exclusive interviews and incredible concept art, celebrating the community of fans and the ways they shaped the game. We’re thrilled to be publishing two versions, a coffee table hardback as well as a deluxe numbered edition for collectors, alongside our wider programme of Minecraft books for all ages, including activity books, novels and early readers, handbooks and guides, annuals, and an advent calendar, continuing our strategy of publishing high-quality books for all kinds of gaming fans.”

Livy Coare, licensing and marketing manager, H&A

“We have had continued success in the ‘all year round’ space this year, with incremental ranges going into all major grocers. This includes a Bluey hair accessories range into Morrisons which we are really excited about, which is in stores now.

Our presence in the gift space continues to grow, and we have some incredibly exciting launches coming up for Q4 including new gift ranges for Stitch, Moana 2, Nerf and SpongeBob. We relished the challenge of turning on the Moana 2 product development following the announcement of the film earlier this year, and we’re excited to see it hit the shelves.”

Zara Grindrod, sales and brand director, Rainbow Designs

“This year, we've enjoyed several successes with our licensed ranges, including the launch of the new Disney Baby The Lion King collection in celebration of the 30th anniversary of Disney’s The Lion King. The Simba-inspired range of plush toys aimed at newborns and babies is already enjoying great success at retail. We have also received a phenomenal response to the new Harry Potter Wizarding World range of infant plush toys, that will be flying in this autumn. The range focuses on Harry Potter, Hedwig and Dobby, in adorable lines that include My First Soft Toys, Rattles and Activity Toys, as well as Hogwarts House Comfort Blankets for Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw.

However, as we head into Q4, all the attention is going to be on Paddington. The Adventures of Paddington preschool toy range was a finalist in The Licensing Awards (Best Licensed Toys or Games Range), and with the eagerly awaited third movie, Paddington in Peru, arriving in UK cinemas early November, the nation’s favourite bear is going to be on many wish lists this festive season. We are already seeing high demand, at both retail and consumer level, for all our Paddington lines, in particular our Classic Paddington range, with the Classic Cuddly Paddington being a hot favourite.”

Above: John Packard. Below: The World of Minecraft is publishing this October.

Above: Livy Coare. Below: H&A has high hopes for its new Moana range.

Above: : Rob Broadhurst.

Above: Zara Grindrod. Below right: Rainbow Designs has had a “phenomenal” response to its new Wizarding World infant plush.

e Born

ECelebrating its 10-year anniversary in 2024 and with its fourth Licensing International Excellence Award in the bag, licensed advertising specialist Born Licensing is exploring new avenues.

Founder and ceo David Born tells LSB how the new arm of the company, Born to License, is helping businesses new to licensing to navigate the process like pros.

identity

Gilmore. These, and similar campaigns Born Licensing has worked on for Uber, GEICO, Facebook, Ford, Samsung, Google and many more across the US, Europe and Australia, show just how powerful licensed characters can be in tapping into emotional connections and getting people talking.

ven if you’re not familiar with Born Licensing, you’ll doubtless have seen its output. As a leading agent within the licensed advertising category, helping the advertising industry tap into IP to elevate its creative work, Born Licensing had a hand in Moneysupermarket’s attention-grabbing ads featuring a dancing He-Man and Skeletor, as well as Asda’s 2022 festive campaign starring Buddy the Elf. In May this year, the company bagged its latest Licensing International Excellence Award (in the newly created Best Advertising Campaign category) for PGA TOUR Superstore’s campaign, featuring Carl Weathers reprising his role as Chubbs from Happy

“I’m proud of our success in finding a niche within the licensing industry and being the best at it,” states Born Licensing’s founder and ceo David Born. “It’s important that our industry is constantly innovating and looking for new revenue streams. I believe we have done that with Born Licensing. We’ve taken a category that most licensors don’t have the experience or resources to support and helped them secure some incredible deals that they otherwise wouldn’t have signed.”

David is upfront, however, about the unpredictable nature of the advertising business, and how it affects Born Licensing’s scalability.

“The deals we sign are high in value, but they are unpredictable in frequency. For that reason it’s very difficult to forecast where the business will be in

Inset: He-Man and Skeletor make some moves in Moneysupermarket’s iconic 2017 ad.

Above: Company founder David Born.

Right: Newly established company arm Born to License works with a range of clients keen to break into licensing.

five, three, or even one year from now,” he says.

The solution? Diversifying the business with Born to License, a new wing of the company launched in January that operates outside the advertising space, established in response to the huge number of enquiries Born Licensing was fielding from would-be licensees.

“Born to License works with companies that have great businesses but don’t have the knowledge, relationships or resources available to manage licensing on their own,” David explains. “What’s interesting about Born Licensing is that 95% of the time we are working with advertising agencies who haven’t experienced licensing before. We hold their hands throughout the process, ensuring that things go as smoothly as possible and that they fully understand what to expect, and their obligations. For that reason, what we are doing with Born to License isn’t much different to what we’ve been doing for the last 10 years. We take Born to License clients under our wing, get to know their business needs, suggest the most suitable licences, negotiate fair deals and assist in all other aspects including the product development stage and reporting requirements. We essentially become an extension of the licensee to ensure that their licensing journey is a successful one. And on the other side, licensors know that they are in safe hands and that we’ll absorb a lot of the pain points that come with working with new licensees.”

Jenna Chalkley as our head of product development,” says David. “Jenna is already playing a critical role in the service we provide to Born to License clients, ensuring that the products being launched by them are best in class. We expect to announce some other key hires over the coming months.”

David’s initial goal when Born to License launched was to sign 10 clients within the first 12 months. “We reached that goal within the first six months, so proof of concept has been achieved much more quickly than expected,” he says.

Born to License’s clients sit across a range of categories, such as jewellery (Evry Jewels), housewares (Hippo Blue), FMCG (Unisnacks), apparel (Dream Big Little Co) and more. “A critical part of our business is the focus we have on product development, and a huge win was the hiring of

Unlike a traditional licensing agency, Born to License doesn’t receive a commission from the licensor; instead, it is hired and paid for by the licensee. “That means that we can work directly with licensors or their licensing agents without having to find a way to be paid from the licence fees. Licensors and agents benefit greatly from our involvement, as we absorb a lot of the workload and make the process as smooth as possible for all parties,

without them having to give up any of their revenue,” David explains.

With the business now diversified and in a prime position to scale up, the future looks bright. “I’m proud of the team we’ve built, including our senior licensing executive Amber Cheung, who recently celebrated her fifth anniversary with Born,” says David. “Half of all businesses fail in the first five years, so I’m most proud to not only still have a surviving business but one that is thriving. The last 10 years have been a journey, but the challenges have led me to where I am today – a place I’m very grateful to be in.”

Inset: Asda’s 2022 festive ad campaign licensed footage from 2003 movie Elf.

Below: Born Licensing bagged a Licensing International Excellence Award for its work on PGA TOUR Superstore’s Happy Gilmore campaign.

explains president and ceo Josh Scherba.

of three

Sixteen months since his appointment as president and ceo of WildBrain, Josh Scherba is seeing the company’s targeted approach to brand-building – focused on the three key areas of content creation, audience engagement and global licensing – paying dividends, with fandom for its franchises Teletubbies, Strawberry Shortcake and Peanuts soaring across demographics and territories around the world.

“Franchises are driven by a combination of three things,” Josh explains. “First, you have to produce amazing content with stories and characters that people love. Second, you have to deliver that content to fans wherever they’re watching or playing. Third, you have to bring those characters and their worlds to life off-screen with exciting consumer products and experiences so people can celebrate their fandom in the real world.

“In the content space, the biggest players are now looking to produce fewer projects at higher quality. There’s an appetite for premium shows that appeal to large audiences and especially families. Known brands are very important, which is something of a sweet spot for us, with owned brands like Peanuts, Strawberry Shortcake and Teletubbies, and partner brands like Mojang’s Minecraft, Supercell’s The World of Clash and SEGA’s Sonic,” says Josh.

“This is the 360° cycle of a franchise, and this is what we do at WildBrain. We’re the only independent in the kids and family entertainment space that has a full suite of in-house capabilities for both our owned and partner brands. We have deep knowledge across the spectrum of brand building and audience engagement, which is key in today’s market as kids go from platform to platform to consume the content and brands they love in myriad different ways. We’re also able to maximise WildBrain CPLG’s global reach and local expertise in licensing, with 23 offices serving over 100 territories worldwide including China and APAC.”

With a raft of well known brands in its stable, WildBrain is well placed to capitalise on the ongoing nostalgia trend.

“Another trend is that kids are curating their own content experiences. They move seamlessly between platforms, looking to engage with the brands they love. To reach them, it’s vital for brands to have omniplatform content strategies across YouTube, Roblox, FAST channels, SVOD platforms and linear TV.”

The retail sector has also seen considerable change, Josh explains, with expanding DTC options for brands and consumers. “Experiential engagement is becoming more important to connect with fans in the real world, and our dedicated LBE business within WildBrain CPLG enables us to be at the forefront of this growth area.

“Our 360° strategy is at the core of what we do,” Josh concludes. “Through these capabilities, we create exceptional entertainment and licensing experiences for our own and partner brands to delight fans around the world.”

The recent Snoopy Omega Moonswatch was

Teletubbies teamed with LA-based artist ONCH in June for an immersive pop-up at Kappa Toys in AREA15.

Bottom: president and ceo, WildBrain.

A recognised industry leader in licensed babywear, children’s and adult apparel, and supplier to some of the UK’s biggest supermarkets and high street names, Blues Group has recently added dress-up to its business portfolio. LSB checks in with costume division director, Tony Lewis and Blues Group’s divisional director of sales and design Ruth Golightly to find out more.

Power

It’s been months in the planning, but Blues Group’s costume wing is fired up and ready to go. The original proposal was to launch product into the market at the back end of 2025, but such is the demand that the company is in discussions with major retailers and key preschool licensors with a view to producing costumes for World Book Day this coming March – a whole season ahead of schedule.

“It felt right to move into dress-up, because it complements everything that we already do,” explains Blues Group’s divisional director of sales and design, Ruth Golightly. “There’s a synergy to it. We own the preschool landscape. We already

work with the big brands like Disney, Mattel and Warner Bros., as well as some of the smaller brands that are well known in the dress-up space, and we have a reputation for creativity and great designs. We found that retailers are increasingly looking for a one-stop shop to make things easier for themselves. They don’t want to have to liaise with two or three different apparel licensees on a single licence. It makes sense to hand over the costume business to a company that they already work with and trust.”

“Historically, dress-up has been linked to the toy market,” furthers costume division director Tony Lewis, “but actually, from a customer point of view, it’s clothing, something their children are possibly going to wear day after day. So, from a design point of view, it’s aligned with what we’re already doing and where our expertise is.” Blues Group already has expert teams in place

Left: Blues Group is a trusted supplier to major retailers including Tesco F&F.

Above (left to right): The company’s Ruth Golightly and Tony Lewis, both costume industry veterans.

across its five businesses: Dennicci (babywear), Blues Clothing (toddler apparel), Blues Nightwear (children’s and adult sleepwear and loungewear), adult outerwear, and Brecrest Fashion (licensed sportswear). The costume wing is no exception, with Lynda Morris having joined from Disguise in the role of head of creative and design, bringing with her over 20 years’ experience in dress-up and licensed design. Ruth herself managed the dressup department at Asda during her time as head of buying for childrenswear, and Tony is another seasoned costume industry pro. In his previous role at Disguise he headed up the team which successfully built an autonomous EMEA costume arm for the business; prior to that, he was integral in establishing the dress-up business at Christy’s. His wealth of experience, contacts and knowledge – especially of supply and manufacturing –perfectly complements Blues Group’s strong licensor and retail relationships, and makes the new costume wing, in Tony’s words, “a really strong offer”.

The market for dress-up has shifted exponentially in the two-plus decades since Tony started working in the industry. “Dress-up used to be a throwaway product. It was predominantly a Christmas product, and frankly, it could be tacky and cheap,” he says. “With the explosion in popularity of seasonal events like Halloween and World Book Day, there’s been a demand for better quality costumes that are made to last, and that demand is pretty much all year round. In addition to seasonal celebrations, you see spikes when summer movies are released, and when new video games are launched – the gaming industry today is just as big as movies – and these are all moments we can build around.”

Ruth adds: “You also have a lot of popular culture trends that come and go, often driven by social media, that you can lean into. There was a TikTok trend recently for cats, and we saw a big spike in our search terms for all things cat-related. Right now, there’s a country and western trend that came off the back of Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter album; obviously, Toy Story is great for that, because you’ve got Woody and Jess, but there’s also a demand for generic cowboy and cowgirl outfits.”

The wear-it-then-bin-it costume is, thankfully, a thing of the distant past. “Sustainability is at the

forefront of everyone’s mind, including ours,” says Ruth. “We don’t want to make disposable items; we’re mindful when it comes to clothing that it’s made from recycled materials, where possible, and that it can be recycled. We’re already doing that on the apparel side of the business, and we’ll be bringing those practices to the dress-up division too.” Inclusivity is also on the company’s radar. In 2023, Blues Group worked with The National Autistic Society on a Thomas & Friends autism-friendly apparel range for Tesco’s F&F Clothing, and Tony and the team are “open” to similar initiatives in the future. The new division has been well received in the market, in particular by retailers looking to broaden and strengthen their choices of supply base. “We’ve had brands, suppliers and retailers coming to us and offering support and words of encouragement,” says Tony. “There’s a lot of goodwill there. And in turn, we want people to know we’re here to support them, and help them strengthen what they’re already doing.”

Above: Blues Group will build on its reputation for creativity and great designs for its costume ranges.

Left: Peppa Pig is just one of many perennially popular licences in Blues Group’s portfolio.

linings

The mood among the Brand Licensing Europe team is “buzzing like a beehive”, according to event director, Ella Haynes, when LSB catches up with her in August.

“There is so much going on as we finalise everything from the last few speakers on the content programme to signage and décor and… birthday cake! Exhibitor and visitor registration numbers are strong and everything’s on track for us to host the biggest BLE since Covid,” Ella tells us.

This is great news for the team – especially considering the unplanned challenges it has faced over the last few years, from Covid and rail and tube strikes to the sad passing of Her Majesty the Queen. “As a team we've learnt that nothing is certain and flexibility, resilience, support of the industry and a huge smile is everything,” says Ella.

And there is much to smile about in 2024, a year that marks the 25th anniversary of Brand Licensing Europe. At time of writing, the exhibitor count stood at 238, including 40 which are newcomers such as London Zoo, The Royal Pavilion at Brighton, 24h Le Mans, The British Museum, Animaj, Two Daughters Entertainment, Newcastle United FC, CARDIO BUNNY and Neopets.

“It's brilliant having so many new and

With the countdown to the 25th anniversary edition of Brand Licensing Europe continuing, LSB catches up with the show’s event director, Ella Haynes, to get the lowdown.

Anniversary celebrations

“25 is a huge milestone for any business,” says Ella. “For us to reach such a milestone is testament to the European licensing industry believing we are important in helping them build better brands, businesses and amazing new consumer products. That feels very good, and we’d be delighted to still be here 25 years from now.

“We want everyone to join us for our 25th birthday party that we’re hosting in partnership with Licensing International from 5-7pm on Tuesday 24 September for an end of day celebration of our incredible community. It’s across our two bars - the BLE Birthday Bar and the BLE x One Piece Bar 2024. There’ll be cake, entertainment, props, selfies, great networking and a chance to meet The BLE Bear.”

different brands available for licence at the show –inspiration and discovery are way up the priorities for our visitors,” Ella continues.

“For first time exhibitors the advice is make your stand and brands as discoverable as possible using the online Event Planner, PR and marketing. Set up your profile asap with as much detail as possible and if you need any support, please reach out to our BLE Customer Service team who can support you with getting ready for the show. This is what retailers and manufacturers will see when they are searching

Inset: Ella Haynes, event director, BLE.

Inset: The popular character parade will continue to be a key part of the show.

who to request meetings with, so it’s critical you make the most out of profiling yourselves and booking in meetings ahead of the show opening.”

Inset:

Below: Xbox’s head of licensing, John Friend and Sara Davies will keynote on days one and two respectively.

The team is also expecting a healthy retail turnout, with registrations having been strong. Ella continues: “This is testament to all the hard work Laura [FreedmanDagg] and Keith [Pashley] have invested in educating retailers about the benefits of licensing, enrolling them on the Retail Mentoring Programme, creating great content for them and providing a concierge service to help them find the right brands to meet at the show.”

Registered retailers include ToyChamp, Aldi, Ann Summers, ASDA, Boots, DFS, John Lewis, LIDL, Mango, Shein, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Primark and ASOS among others.

The show floor will also mirror a number of industry trends, as Ella explains.

“Creativity, brand experience, authenticity, discoverability – all of the things we are seeing brands really starting to excel at in-store, we are seeing mirrored on the show floor and that’s really exciting because it visually shows the power and potential of consumer products and the innovation behind the industry.”

Show floor highlights

There are clear aims for Ella and the team for this year’s show, and the excitement for the doors to open is palpable. “Last year’s event was about getting back to basics – BLE is about meetings, and it was important to us that the right brands, retailers and manufacturers were on the show floor meeting, discovering, planning, creating, doing business. After all, our promise for BLE attendees is that, when it comes to developing the next consumer products to hit retail in 2025 and beyond, ‘It starts here’.

“This year, we want to build on that success and bring more retailers and licensees to the show, particularly from mainland Europe, and we are on track to achieve that,” concludes Ella.

“We’re seeing lots of exhibitors step up the creativity around promoting their brands at the show, so expect lots of brand experiences on the floor,” says Ella. “Netflix is promising something special on-stand so keep an eye out for that. Rovio is planning a big activation to celebrate the 15th anniversary of Angry Birds – you won’t miss the seating area and huge inflatable Angry Bird.

“New exhibitor ZSL – the charity behind London Zoo – will highlight its conservation and sustainability work in a new seating area with giant games. CloudCo is this year’s Retail Lounge sponsor so if you’re a retail badge holder don’t miss the chance to win a Care Bear in the claw grabber arcade. And WildBrain CPLG is hosting a Fuggler coconut shy.”

In addition, the day one keynote will come from John Friend, Xbox’s head of licensing, talking about the dynamics of the video games industry and the endless opportunities brands, licensees and retailers have to strengthen the connection between gaming worlds and fans. Day two will see entrepreneur Sara Davies MBE take to the stage to share her business journey and the strategies and transformative power of licensed as her business, Crafter’s Companion, continues to expand.

Visitors are being urged to set up their profile on the online Event Planner and prebook meetings with exhibitors.

Some 40 exhibitors will be taking to the floor for the very first time at Brand Licensing Europe from 24-26 September. LSB catches up with just some of them to find out more on their plans and why they see the event as crucial to their brands’ growth.

“It’s our chance to get fully on the radar”

British animation company, Two Daughters Entertainment (E154) will be showcasing Moley – its series for 4-7s which is set in Moletown, a world right under our feet. It is also representing the rights to Talking Tom and Friends in the UK, which is driving strong engagement across mobile gaming apps and YouTube and has a new series – Talking Tom Heroes Suddenly Super – in production now and due to be delivered later this year.

“We want to showcase our business and brands to the best of the licensing industry,” says Rob Goodchild, commercial director at Two Daughters

First class

“The

time is right for our brand in licensing”

London Zoo (B273) was the world’s first scientific zoo and its parent organisation, ZSL (Zoological Society of London), has been a pioneer in scientific research and conservation for almost 200 years.

Entertainment. “We have a great offer and are building a strong portfolio of IP. It’s our chance to get fully on the radar, develop key relationships and build our licensing operation as our business moves to the next level.

“With 1.4 million visitors a year, we see first hand how increasingly passionate UK families are about conservation and the natural world,” says Abbie Taylor, brand licensing manager. “We feel the time is right for our brand in licensing. Consumer interest is leading retailers and licensees towards conservation brands and working with London Zoo is a great way to draw in new consumers – and to send a message to them that you care.”

London Zoo has Metrostar as its agent and has already been dipping its toe into licensing waters. A style guide has been a hit with apparel buyers, with a range with a key high street retailer launching early next year through Fashion UK

A publishing partner is due to be appointed, while deals are in the pipeline related to ZSL’s 200th anniversary

“We’ll use BLE as a platform to launch into kids’ products across all categories,” Abbie continues. “There are also great opportunities for collaboration in adult categories, particularly in fashion, gifts and homeware.”

“We want to get the ball rolling on the Talking Tom and Friends programme in the UK. The brand is driving such strong data right now, which, along with the new content, presents immediate opportunities. We also want to highlight the work we are doing with Moley, where we will be announcing some key partnerships alongside our ambitious plans for season 2.”

Rob concludes: “We’re really looking forward to showing how much progress we have made as a business, and how much more there is to come.”

A new heritage style guide will launch at BLE, drawing on the zoological library resources and archives. “We envisage this guide translating beautifully across adult product categories, such as fashion, stationery, gifts and homeware, and are excited to share it with our partners,” says Abbie.

The main aim from being at BLE is, first and foremost, “to raise the profile of ZSL, London Zoo, our incredible animals and our conservation work both in the UK and internationally” concludes Abbie. “We also want to create meaningful and lasting relationships with retailers and licensees who truly support and share our vision of a world where wildlife thrives.”

Inset: ZSL is looking to raise the profile of London Zoo and its conservation work through licensing. Below left: Key partnerships and plans for season two of Moley will be revealed at BLE.

“We can’t wait to meet new partners”

Founded in 1753, The British Museum (C250) was the first national public museum in the world and in 2023, 5.8 million visitors passed through its doors.

“We tell the story of human history in its entirety,” explains Craig Bendle, manager, product licensing at The British Museum. “As master storytellers, [at BLE] we’ll be showcasing our dual licensing strategy, which is anchored by an amazing selection of 1,200 objects from the Museum’s over eight million objects, each with its own unique narrative.

“In addition, we’ll be introducing the floor to our character IP Bastet, based on the world-famous bronze Gayer-Anderson cat from the Ancient Egyptian collection. Bastet represents a new and innovative way for the Museum to collaborate with partners and engage new audiences.”

Indeed, expanding the Museum’s reach into character licensing is a key aim for being at BLE. Already proving a success both on-site at the Museum and in China, where it launched in 2016, the programme is now in the process of being rolled out globally, proving an “accessible and relatable” entry point into the Museum.

Craig is also confident that being at the show will allow it to showcase its collection to a broader audience, highlighting the value and added layer of authenticity heritage licensing can bring to a partner’s offering.

“Exhibiting is an exciting new opportunity for us that we hope will help us to expand into new categories for the Museum’s collection and provide a platform for us to launch into the character licensing space, ultimately helping us to expand our reach, diversify our product offerings and drive growth for our licensing business,” he says.

“It’s the place to be to seek out licensing opportunities”

Tween Team (E180) was established eight years ago by a group of toy industry professionals and what originally started out as a toy property is now an IP “rich in content, highly diversified and ripe for large scale licensing projects” comments Caroline Trudeau, marketing and publishing director at Tween Team.

The main focus at the show will be on lifestyle brand Nebulous Stars, which is aimed at 6-12 year olds and highlights positive values such as self-esteem, personal development and body and mind

“The company owners and creators will be there to present you the brand; it’s the place to be to learn about the brand and its characters, and to seek out licensing opportunities,” continues Caroline. “We are looking for media partners, publishers and other licensors, in markets where the brand is already known - which is in 80 countries around the world.”

Below: Lifestyle brand Nebulous Stars will be the main focus for Tween Team at the show.

Inset: The British Museum will be introducing its character IP, Bastet, based on the bronze GayerAnderson cat from the Ancient Egyptian collection.

“We have seen how BLE can inspire new business”

Following four years of active growth in the licensing arena, the Ashmolean Museum (University of Oxford) (C121-2) is exhibiting for the first time this year.

“As the University of Oxford’s Museum of Art and Archaeology and the World’s oldest public museum, the Ashmolean has much to offer - from Egyptian mummies to contemporary art, telling human stories across cultures and across time,” says Carrie Hickman, publishing and licensing manager. “We have been attending BLE as visitors for several years, but feel that now is the time to exhibit as we look to build upon our success in brand licensing with new partners.

“We have seen how BLE can inspire new business, but it is also a great opportunity to catch up with the whole spectrum of the licensing industry in person. It’s also a great opportunity to display some of our work to date and to showcase what the collection has to offer, with real-life examples of how it can inspire new products. Nothing beats a visit to the Museum itself, but we can bring a taste of what the Museum has to offer to ExCeL.”

Existing licensees for the Museum range from local independent makers – some of which are new to licensing –such as Hook Norton, Team Tea, The Oxford Artisan Distillery and Gibson’s Liqueurs, through to well-known names like Next, Bershka and Topman through a partnership with Park Agencies

“The same passion and commitment goes into each and every collaboration,” says Carrie. “The Ashmolean Museum’s collections are still relatively untapped and our whole team will be at BLE to help prospective partners delve deeper into the collection to uncover hidden gems and interesting stories, as well as showcasing some of our more popular objects. We’re always very happy to talk about the Museum, its history and its potential across a range of categories - we’re looking for the right partners to help us tell those stories.”

“We’re looking to kick start collaborations”

Inspired by ‘childhood dreams and wonderland adventure’, art and design brand Chocolate Rain (E184) has exhibited and distributed internationally, including the MoMA, Tate Modern and Guggenheim Museum.

Founded by Prudence Mak, Chocolate Rain design collections and illustrations have been commissioned for projects by global brands such as Clinique, Luella, Stella McCartney’s Care and Swarovski. Each piece is unique and handcrafted with mixed medium and special artistic elements. Now the company is making its way to ExCeL to start its licensing journey.

time,” explains Prudence, whose childhood dreams acted as the inspiration for the character. “Fatina loves rainy days for dreaming. With these dreams, she fuels girls’ imaginations and empowers them to make an important difference in saving the environment and spreading fun and joy. Her example inspires all girls to imagine new ways to make the world better.”

Its Fatina Dreams brand is “an extraordinary world inspired by a beautiful doll who dreams herself alive to save the planet one dream at a

Two metre tall inflatable characters with four different looks should certainly help to attract attention to the stand, while announcements will include a major new show in New York, as well as fresh art and brand books. When it comes to what she wants to have achieved by the end of the three days, Prudence says: “We hope to have met new crossover characters and IP from overseas to kick start collaborations with them all.”

Inset: The Ashmolean is bringing a taste of what the Museum has to offer to ExCeL.

Below: Chocolate Rain is looking to kick start collaborations for Fatina Dreams.

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

Best in show

BBC Studios Stand C180

Recently named one of America’s Hottest Brands 2024 by Ad Age, preschool smash Bluey continues to thrive.

Nominated in nine categories in The Licensing Awards, the multi-award-winning TV sensation airs in over 140 countries and was the most streamed kids show in the US last year with a viewership of 43.9 billion minutes in 2023 .

Bluey’s global licensing programme is growing rapidly, with products launched in over 49 countries, and over 20 million books sold worldwide in more than 22 languages.

Its robust licensing portfolio features partners

Hasbro Stand C180

Hasbro is back at BLE with a line-up which aims to appeal to fans of all ages.

Dungeons & Dragons is celebrating five decades of fantasy role-playing with fan-centric offerings. Journey to the Forgotten Realms with the LEGO IDEAS Red Dragon’s Tale set and LEGO Minifigures, and fuel the fantasy with publishing from DK, Studio Press, Random House Worlds, Yoto and Lunii. Consumers can adventure in style with fashions from Converse and BlackMilk, along with collectables and accessories from the Royal Mail, WizKids, Sirius Dice and others.

Meanwhile, audiences in the UK and US can embark on the immersive retreat, D&D In A Castle. In the US, Dungeons & Dragons The Twenty-Sided Tavern has extended its NYC run through April 2025 and announced a US national tour beginning May 2025.

Meanwhile, the CG-animated film Transformers One will also debut in the autumn, supported by a full range of toys, costumes from Disguise and tie-in books among others. Transformers: Earthspark season two is now on Paramount+ and Nickelodeon, while this year has also seen

across multiple categories, enabling the brand to continue engaging consumers and maintain strong growth.

According to Circana, Bluey is the number two preschool toys character property in the US and the number one licence in preschool in the UK for 2023.

Bluey continues to captivate in the music, digital and live events space too. The third Bluey album ‘Rug Island’ releases globally on 25 October; Bluey’s World in Brisbane will open in November; Bluey’s Big Play debuts across Spain in September and in Paris in December; and Bluey is the fastest-selling CAMP experience in the US.

Transformersbranded Hot Wheels and Little People with Mattel, collabs with Robosen and LEGO, comics from Skybound Entertainment, fashions from Converse and SuperX and remastered music like the Transformers: Music from the Original Animated Series vinyl.

Hasbro also continues to mark the 20th anniversary of Peppa Pig with a ‘Pep-tember’ of releases including stories from 30+ publishers. Fashion collaborations come in the form of Crocs, Mori, JoJo Maman Bébé, Trotters and GAP China, while further LEGO DUPLO sets, Audible’s Play-A-Long Podcast and Peppa’s Party: The Deluxe Album all complement new season 10 episodes. Families can also jump into the world of Peppa by visiting Peppa Pig Parks in Germany and the US.

Bluey’s Big Play will debut across Spain and in

Above: It’s set to be another bumper showing from Hasbro.

Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products

Stand B121

DC fans are looking ahead to the Superman movie which is due to debut in cinemas worldwide in July 2025. Batman also continues to take a starring role, with licensees and retailers underway on programmes celebrating the Caped Crusader’s 85th anniversary year, and momentum building for the preschool spin-off Batwheels, which is accelerating across EMEA.

Almost 30 years after the first book released and 25 years after the first film hit the big screen, the unique alchemy of Harry Potter continues to enchant. New TV baking competition – Harry Potter: Wizards of Baking –is due to air later this year, while a wide variety of themed experiences and seasonal events are taking place all over the world. The hotly tipped HBO original TV show –which was revealed to be a faithful adaptation of the books – is expected to hit screens in 2026.

Ahead of its 25th anniversary, The Lord of the Rings franchise is entering a new chapter with the release of the first ever anime feature based on the Tolkien universe, The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim, plus new theatrical release The Hunt for Gollum is coming to the big screen.

Mercis Stand B166

In 2025, Miffy will be celebrating 70 years. Mercis Media has teamed with Studiocanal and Superprod Animation to produce a CGI series adaptation of the children’s animation classic, Miffy. The series will launch on French pay TV platform Canal+ in 2025 followed by a global roll-out.

Miffy was ‘born’ on 21 June 1955, when Dutch artist Dick Bruna first drew the character to entertain his young son while on a rainy seaside holiday in Holland.

The series of picture books which followed used simple illustrations and rhyming text to explore the universal experiences of childhood, immediately earning Dick international critical acclaim as an author, illustrator and graphic design artist.

Miffy books have sold more than 85 million copies, and are currently published in over 50 languages. Merchandise is available across five continents and highly integrated business units in the fields of publishing, media and licensing support Miffy’s global explorations.

WBDGCP has collaborated with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for consumer products programmes featuring the Looney Tunes characters with product rolling out now through 2028.

Additionally, WBDGCP partnered with National Olympic Committees (NOCs) from eight countries including the Italy, Poland, Spain, the US, Australia, New Zealand and Mexico to create country specific Olympic Team X Looney Tunes merchandise, plus Paralympic Team X Looney Tunes merchandise for the US and Brazil.

There will also be a focus on Beetlejuice following the release of the new movie, while the development of horror as a genre is a priority with franchises including IT and The Conjuring Universe each releasing new content in 2025.

New TV event moments including the third season of The White Lotus (due in early 2025) create opportunities for luxury licensing, while nostalgia remains a big hit with audiences, with films like the 1980’s cult classic Gremlins offering significant opportunities.

The Pokémon Company International Stand C171

Currently the number three property YTD in the UK (source: Circana) Pokémon continues to display strong growth across Europe.

Jazwares’ toy line continues to thrive, with its latest innovative release August’s Battle Spinner Arena Set, where trainers can spin, launch and battle with their chosen Pokémon character spinner. Its plush range is a particularly strong performer – currently up YTD from 2023. The popularity of the Squishmallows collection also continues to grow, with a host of new characters recently added. There have been new launches at Funko too, with more than 20 new collectables released across the year to date. Plus Mattel is offering a new Scrabble Pokémon 2-in-1 Game, a spin on the classic word game that combines the board gameplay with the spirit of Pokémon battles.

In addition, Pokémon continues to innovate across a wide range of categories: consolidating its status as a global fashion icon with apparel and accessories; offering fun homewares, stationery and collectables; tasty food, snacks and drinks promotions; and musical collaborations with leading artists.

Left: WBDGCP will be hosting a ‘show stopping’ slate.

Above: Miffy will mark 70 years in 2025.

Above: Pokémon continues to display strong growth across Europe.

Rebellion Stand C235

This year Rebellion will be focusing on its core IP covering gaming, publishing, TV and film. Core gaming properties include Sniper Elite and Zombie Army with both IPs having a strong, loyal dedicated fanbase, with longterm plans.

Jazwares Stand C211

New gaming IP, Atomfall is a single player survivalaction game set in Northern England in the early 1960s and is produced by the creators Sniper Elite and Zombie Army series.

When it comes to publishing, comic book characters have become ingrained in pop culture, influencing everything from fashion to movies and TV. 2000 AD is Britain’s longest running and multiaward winning weekly sci-fi comic and has been at the cutting edge of contemporary pop culture since 1977. Monster Fun, meanwhile, entertains kids with fun and mischievous characters like Kid Kong, Draculass, Gums, Witch Vs Warlock, Rex Power and more.

Finally, in film, get ready for Rogue Trooper in a new original movie. Directed by Bafta award-winning director Duncan Jones, the movie is co-produced by Liberty Films and Rebellion Productions.

Universal Products and Experiences Stand A171

Leading the UP&E line-up is the highly anticipated cinematic event of the year, Wicked. A double licensing opportunity, the movie will be released in two parts with the first premiering on 22 November 2024, with part two planned for autumn 2025.

DreamWorks Animation’s Gabby's Dollhouse continues to build upon its success - multiple consumer touch points will underpin the strong foundations of the franchise. Highlights include a new feature film, Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie, coming to theatres in September 2025. Also from the DreamWorks Animation portfolio, Shrek 5 is the first new movie in the series since 2010.

From Universal Pictures, the How to Train Your Dragon franchise is set to soar once again with the first live action adaptation of the property in June 2025.

Jurassic World continues its dinosaur domination with an all new event film set to release in July 2025. In addition, Jurassic World: Chaos Theory is currently streaming on Netflix with a second season planned for autumn.

The Squishmallows brand has grown exponentially in the last 12 months, with over 100 consumer product partners now on board globally.

Building on the success in fashion, Squishmallows’ partnership with H&M has dropped a third collection this summer and is still a consistent top seller at NEXT and C&A. It has also recently seen new product launches at NAME IT, George and New Look. Stand out success has also been secured with sportswear brand PUMA.

Success has also been enjoyed with Winning Moves’ Squishmallows Top Trumps collection; Blueprint’s stationery range; and Panini’s Squishmallows collection which has shipped over 1.4m units to date. Q4 also saw the McDonald’s Happy Meal launches.

Expanding into new product categories for AW24, the licensing programme will include hair accessories and jewellery with Hunter Price; oral care with new brand Ordo; and lighting and bedroom accessories with Fizz Creations. Horizon USA will also bring its number one selling toy on Amazon US (Feb 24), Squishmallows compounds to Europe.

Jazwares will also introduce 1-inch Squish-a-longs in AW24, with over 150 Mini-Squishmallows that kids can take on the go.

After becoming the first animated franchise to cross $5 billion in the worldwide box office, fans can look mischief on shelves as UP&E looks to expand further into the food and beauty care categories.

The Universal Vault archive of classic favourites spans over 100 years of film and television, including anniversaries of iconic IP, like the 50th anniversary of JAWS in 2025. Universal is also the home to horror –creating scares on-screen with the teams at Monkey Paw and Blumhouse, making Chucky a year-round nightmare, the classic Universal Monsters taking it back to where it all began, and the annual Halloween Horror Nights experiences at Universal theme parks around the world.

Left: Gabby’s Dollhouse is one of the fastest growing preschool brands of the streaming era.

Above: Rebellion will be focusing on its core IP covering gaming, publishing, TV and film.

Below: Squishmallows now has over 100 CP partners.

Miraculous Corp Stand B200

The newly announced Miraculous Corp is the joint venture between Mediawan and ZAG that unites all facets of the Miraculous franchise.

Attracting audiences across 150 territories since its 2015 debut, Miraculous - Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir has a robust presence on platforms including Disney Channel and Disney+, Globo, TF1 and Netflix, where it is the number one non-preschool animated kids’ series. A fourth special is in production for Q3, and season six of the series will start to be delivered in Q4 this year.

With 600+ licensing partners around the globe, plans will be shared at BLE for the brand’s 10th anniversary in 2025.

The first global Miraculous Day event will launch on 28 September and will include special programming events with media partners, retail

SEGA Stand A181

This year, SEGA has achieved significant year over year growth across EMEA, expanding key categories such as toys, home and apparel, and launching new direct to retail partnerships.

and digital activations, instore displays and experiences and more.

Global toy partners for Miraculous include master toy partner, Playmates Toys and Playmobil. Miraculous was also the first brand to feature on the new Miraball from Wyncor, a collectable toy with two ‘little and legendary’ surprises that boasts new patented technology to reveal hidden secrets.

Blue Zoo Licensing Stand C131

Blue Zoo Licensing will be introducing its new preschool series, Mojo Swoptops, an action-adventure buddy show which combines the thrill of vehicles with magical transformations.

This summer, Sonic Team energised fans across EMEA with in-person activations, including a custom Shadow-themed motorcycle at MotoGP Silverstone and a demo of Sonic X Shadow Generations game in Germany. Collaborations with LEGO, TikTok, Samsung and Paramount Germany are building anticipation for Sonic the Hedgehog 3, hitting cinemas on 26 December.

In apparel and home, SEGA renewed key global partnerships, ensuring continued double-digit growth. The toy category remains a focal point, with new Sonic LEGO sets launching this autumn, alongside a plush partnership with ToyTopic and new products from Character Options, Carrera and Winning Moves.

This autumn, SEGA introduces a Sonic the Hedgehog magazine with Story House Egmont and new publishing formats with Harper Collins, including the first Sonic the Hedgehog Annual. Additionally, a global partnership with Panini will bring Sonic-themed trading cards and sticker albums to fans worldwide.

New DTR partnerships, such as Calzedonia Group and Marks & Spencer, will further expand Sonic’s reach.

The show – which follows Mojo and best friend Bo - is due to launch globally with the UK first to air on CBeebies in October, as well as other platforms including YouTube and across the app stores. Based on the original Ladybird book series by Cindy Black and Rich Ward, publishing and toy discussions are underway with further categories being explored. There is also more to come with new Blocks shows in the pipeline. Just as they’ve done for colour with the Colourblocks, reading with the Alphablocks and maths with the Numberblocks, fresh episodes will expand the award-winning Blocks Universe story.

Lisle Licensing Stand D211

On the character and entertainment side of its portfolio, Lisle welcomed The Dogfather, Graeme Hall, to its portfolio earlier this year covering the UK and Australia/New Zealand.

Widely known as the personable presenter of the hit Channel 5 show Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly, the team is focused on a strategy spanning Pets in the Home and Pets on the Go consumer products which appeal to global consumers at category entry levels.

In addition, the Mood Bears licensing programme continues to evolve following the recent announcement of master publisher, Igloo Books. Lisle takes the brand of eight colourful plush bearswhich reflect human emotions - to BLE, aiming to build the Mood Bears’ licensing programme and has recently signed Hunter Price for stationery, arts and crafts and jewellery.

Left: Playmates Toys is expanding its Miraculous line with new launches this year.

Above: Sonic’s presence continues to flourish across EMEA.

Swoptops and Blocks.

Below: The Dogfather.

WildBrain CPLG Stand B171

WildBrain CPLG will be bringing its 50th anniversary celebrations to BLE.

The agency’s ‘House of Teletubbies’ world tour targets cross-generational fans with events from autumn into 2025, while Strawberry Shortcake’s 45th anniversary sees new products highlighting her multigenerational legacy.

The Beagle Scouts feature as Peanuts celebrates its 75th anniversary in 2025 with an extensive licensing programme for the UK, EMEA, APAC and China, while as global master licensee for Playmobil, WildBrain CPLG is targeting new categories. An expanded partnership with Supercell sees global rights representation (excluding China) to gaming franchises The World of Clash and Brawl Stars, while it has also added Unicorn Academy to its Spin Master partnership for Iberia, Nordics, Italy and Benelux.

Xilam Animation Stand A130

Headlining Xilam’s BLE slate is Piggy Builders – a preschool series which follows a trio of charismatic and curly-tailed piggy siblings. The first season will launch on European broadcasters including BBC, ZDF and France Télévisions in 2025.

Also featuring is Oggy Oggy, a preschool spin-off from its Oggy and the Cockroaches franchise. In January 2024, Xilam launched an Oggy Oggy activity book and storybook with Hachette.

Where’s Chicky? 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. Xilam is looking for plush, toys and games, educational apps and accessories partners.

Xilam will also bring iconic properties Space Goofs and Ratz, alongside animation comedy Zig & Sharko

Partners continue to be secured for Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch, and The Cat in the Hat ahead of the animated movie in 2026; SEGA’s Sonic the Hedgehog continues momentum with Knuckles, and the upcoming Sonic the Hedgehog 3; while MGM’s Wednesday builds ahead of season two on Netflix.

WildBrain CPLG is also driving opportunities for Pink Panther and Rocky, Sony’s Ghostbusters, Cobra Kai and The Boys, Hasbro’s Peppa Pig and My Little Pony and Paramount’s PAW Patrol and SpongeBob SquarePants. It is exclusive master agent for the Fuggler brand in key markets globally.

The Wyld Bunch Stand A188

Unleash the power of social media and influencer marketing is the message coming from The Wyld Bunch at BLE.

The Wyld Bunch stands at the forefront of digital marketing, delivering bespoke social media and influencer marketing solutions tailored for the global brand licensing sector.

Its innovative platform, Clout, introduced in 2023, delivers superior engagement, thanks to its unparalleled understanding of the licensing industry's unique demands.

The company serves an international clientele, offering end-to-end campaign management across organic and paid channels. Visitors to the stand at Brand Licensing Europe will be able to explore how The Wyld Bunch can elevate a brand's visibility and drive consumer intent to purchase.

Banijay Kids & Family Stand C232

Banijay Kids & Family’s licensing division supercharges international commercial opportunities for its portfolio of brands including the globallyloved comedy classic Mr Bean, which is currently in production for a fourth animated series; and international hit spy-fi animation Totally Spies! which has enjoyed a successful reboot, with another season on the way and a liveaction version in development for Prime Video.

The children’s brand Topo Gigio, which was originally created by Italian puppet artist Maria Perego in 1959 will also be on display, alongside the upcoming animated comedy quest adventure series, Super Happy Magic Forest, based on the books by Matty Long, with BBC, Rai, ZDF and Canal+ as commissioning broadcasters, and ABC picking up the series for Australia. New 3D preschool animation Miniheroes of the Forest, meanwhile, is based on the books of the same name, by French publisher Auzou, and will be heading to Rai Kids and France Télévisions.

Left: WildBrain CPLG is targeting cross-generational fans with its Teletubbies programme.

Above: The first season of Piggy Builders will air in 2025.

Below: The Wyld Bunch will be on hand to help visitors unleash the power of social media and influencer marketing.

Above: Totally Spies has enjoyed a successful reboot.

AWARD-WINNING ANIMATION

FASHION BRANDS

SURFACE PATTERN

ARCHIVES

PHOTOGRAPHY

COLLECTIONS

ARTISTS

Aardman Stand E164

Premiering on the BBC in the UK and Netflix globally this winter, and joining the Wallace & Gromit family of films, Aardman will be celebrating upcoming feature film Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance

Most Fowl which sees the much-anticipated return of supervillain Feathers McGraw.

The pop culture icons have partnerships with Skinny Dip London and Funko in the UK, and Caco in Taiwan for apparel, while Feathers McGraw has become a breakout character in his own right with the Half Moon Bay water bottle going viral on Instagram and TikTok.

The Shaun the Sheep brand has been further supported by an ever growing portfolio of attractions and live experiences around the world.

Loved as a lifestyle brand in Japan, Shaun the Sheep recently collaborated with indie rock band Hitsujibungaku to launch a cover of the show’s theme tune alongside a music video featuring Shaun and a bespoke merchandise collection much to the delight of fans. In addition, Aardman’s brand team is supporting a range of initiatives that encourage participation in activities that will enhance and sustain our own world and lives. Under the banner One Farm the initiative includes partnerships with Veg Power, Natural England’s The Countryside Code, and The National Forest.

Erve Stand E161

Erve, a major name in licensed clothing and accessories, will be showcasing a strong selection of collections at BLE 2024.

Visitors can expect a wide range of popular and famous brands. This includes FIFAe, which combines the spirit of competitive gaming with cool designs, perfect for both casual wear and gaming sessions. Fans of the horror game Poppy Playtime will also be attracted by unique and spooky designs on t-shirts and PJs.

In a creative move, Erve is also introducing a line inspired by the Bored Ape Yacht Club NFTs, mixing digital art with physical products. For those who love action, the Monster Jam collection offers bold and colourful designs that capture the excitement of monster trucks, appealing to thrill-seekers of all ages.

With 39 years of experience from Erve Group, the company uses its strong reputation to work with key UK retailers, delivering high-quality licensed products.

Sanrio Stand B151

Hello Kitty’s 50th anniversary celebrations are reaching their climax as 1 November (the lifestyle icon’s birthday) approaches. After being part of Somerset House’s successful CUTE exhibition and launching high profile new partnerships, the party is far from over. New episodes of her animated series, Hello Kitty: Super Style, have been recently released across Europe, along with dozens of new collaborations.

Sanrio will also showcase its array of characters including Kuromi and My Melody, which are gearing up for an exciting year as 2025 will mark the 20th and 50th anniversaries, respectively.

Mr. Men Little Miss has much to celebrate too. This summer, the brand debuted at Helm Gallery with an art exhibition called Mr. Men Little Miss Reimagined and welcomed two new entries to the family of 90+ characters: Mr. Fibs and Little Miss Surprise. New books will be hitting stores from September.

STUDIOCANAL/ The Copyrights Group Stand B182

More detail will be unveiled on Paddington in Peru, which is due to release on 8 November 2024 in the UK and 17 January 2025 in the US.

STUDIOCANAL’s biggest film to date will feature new characters like Olivia Colman’s Reverend Mother and Antonio Banderas’ Hunter Cabot. A range of licensed products will launch globally including toys, arts and crafts, publishing and more alongside themed activations at retail including a new pop up at Paddington Station and branding across travel retail. New apparel collaborations with major global players and an innovative gaming partnership are planned to further engage fans worldwide.

Attendees can also learn about the success of the Jo Malone London x Paddington collection, reaching one billion viewers in the first two weeks post launch.

The team will showcase global ambitions in the experiential space. The Paddington Bear Experience, the immersive attraction has delighted fans, selling more than a million tickets since opening in May 2024. More about the 2025 plans will also be revealed including Paddington’s Play Experience in Hong Kong’s 11 SKIES and the launch of Paddington: The Musical, developed by Sonia Friedman Productions.

Below: The Erve team is ready and waiting to meet BLE visitors.

Above: Half Moon Bay’s Feathers McGraw water bottle went viral on social media.

is back on the big screen in November.

50th anniversary celebrations will continue at BLE.

Pyramid International Stand C121-7

This year sees Pyramid International breaking new ground as it exhibits at BLE for the first time, within the Licensee Pavilion.

Rocket Licensing Stand A205

During the show it will be presenting some of its new spring/summer 2025 collections. These will include Lilo & Stitch, Squid Game part two, Minecraft, Wednesday/MGM, Care Bears, Sanrio collections, new Harry Potter looks, Hot Wheels, Beetlejuice, Mario and more.

Pyramid has a number of new product formats which it will be presenting for the first time including bags, giftable boxes, new hydration products and stationery. Martin Withers will be covering UK sales, while Lee Eckworth will be looking after international customers.

All3Media International Stand D201

Following The Traitors’ hit return to BBC earlier this year, All3Media International has cemented the brand’s offscreen success, with a bestselling board game and card game, an interactive book rocketing into Amazon’s top 40 charts and cloaks and t-shirts selling out. There’s much more to come with more apparel lines, gifts and an immersive experience.

Set to journey far and wide at BLE is Race Across The World. The award-winning travel series, equally entertaining and inspirational, is the biggest factual title across all platforms so far this year. Five pairs travel across countries and continents with the cash equivalent of an airfare and without smartphones, internet access or credit cards.

From All3Media International’s drama catalogue, the world of All Creatures Great and Small holds huge offscreen appeal. Filled with heart and humour, it is based on the internationally bestselling books and chronicles the adventures of a young vet in the picturesque Yorkshire Dales. With its celebration of community life, endearing characters (both human and animal), and stunning English countryside, it offers a much-needed feel-good tonic.

Other highlights among a diverse slate include evergreen game shows Lingo, The Cube and Catchphrase, gardening programmes such as Garden Rescue and Love Your Garden, and hit food and restaurant

entertainment formats Great British Menu and Kitchen Nightmares

Rocket Licensing’s eclectic portfolio includes Miffy, which is celebrating 70 years in 2025; Christmas tradition, The Elf on The Shelf and Little People, Big Dreams, with its stories of great men and women. Kawaii brand Fuzzballs will also line up alongside Horrible Histories and fellow brand, Horrible Science

The European Space Agency’s varied licensing list continues to reach for the stars and will be celebrating 50 years in 2025.

Mega film hit Dune, a new Tomb Raider animated movie, along with classics, Godzilla, Rocky and Legally Blonde, are just a few of the high profile entertainment brands in Rocket’s varied portfolio, which includes another visual classic, Kodak, with its iconic logo, extensive archive of captivating designs and stunning photography.

Larkshead Licensing Stand A150

Larkshead Licensing will be showcasing two new brands, plus a roster of ongoing brand licensing partnerships. New additions to the portfolio include an ecofriendly food brand and Nicole Elders, an artist with a flair for words.

Having announced a worldwide licensing portfolio partnership with Sweet Cherry Publishing at BLE last year, Larkshead will be revealing details of new deals and product launches. With new style guides available, licensing is initially focused on award-winning children’s book author Steve Smallman and his series Maggie Sparks, plus the yoga-based stories that feature in Mula and friends, and the dedicated SEND imprint Every Cherry – the home of accessible reading.

Flying in for a return visit will be Q Pootle 5

The Animated Series - with messaging around recycling and sustainability.

A trio of contrasting British-based female artists are also being showcased: Claire Louise with artwork featuring whimsical animal parodies and florals; Sophie Jonas Hill’s alternative artwork inspired by folk tales, myths and legends; and Julia Broughton’s Scatterbrain Studios including her brand mascot, Mr Kitty

Below: The offscreen success of The Traitors has been cemented this year.

Above: Pyramid will be showcasing new Harry Potter looks at the show.

revealing new deals and product launches for Sweet Cherry Publishing.

Rocket’s eclectic portfolio.

CAA Brand Management supports talent and brands through the expansion of product categories, experiences and territories. A division of Creative Artists Agency, CAA Brand Management has 26 offices across 20 countries.

Penguin Ventures Stand C164

has cemented his position as the ‘ultimate Easter bunny’.

A strong spring has placed Peter Rabbit at the heart of family celebrations and cemented his position as the ultimate Easter Bunny. The World of Peter Rabbit is seeing exponential growth across all markets as a result.

Penguin Ventures welcomed

The World of Eric Carle into its UK portfolio last year; beloved by generations of families, there are endless opportunities for licensees to take Carle’s iconic artwork off the page and on new adventures.

The World of The Snowman offers magical experiences every year, from afternoon teas to live shows, ensuring that the timeless property remains central to annual festive family traditions.

A new exhibition for Flower Fairies launches at Watts Gallery this autumn, bringing the exquisite illustrations to new and diverse audiences. Meanwhile, loveable puppy Spot is starring in a touring theatrical show for preschoolers this year reaching family audiences across the UK and Tom Fletcher’s Who’s in your Book? series continues to build foundations for a fun and engaging programme roll out in 2025 and beyond.

Rainbow Stand A161

Now in its 20th year, Winx Club continues to cast a spell. The announcement that an enchanting new animated series is set to air in Rai in Italy and on Netflix worldwide in 2025 was followed by the news that Giochi Preziosi and Playmates Toys have been appointed as master toy partners and will handle the global distribution of a collection of fashion dolls, accessories, role-play sets and play-sets inspired by the new series.

Moonbug Entertainment Stand A131

Moonbug Entertainment is bringing CoComelon, Blippi and Morphle back to BLE, celebrating a year of special milestones for the brands.

Mobile app CoComelon - Learn and Play with JJ has just launched for Apple and Android users, while the brand has also teamed with US kids’ magazine Highlights to launch the first-of-its-kind Highlights CoComelon mini magazine with each issue filled with songbased adventures.

Playmates Toys will handle sales, marketing and distribution in North, South and Central America, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, the Middle East and South Africa, while Giochi Preziosi will handle Europe and the UK.

Meanwhile, Rainbow is diving deep into the ocean for its new series, Mermaid Magic, which splashed onto Netflix worldwide in August. It aims to push the boundaries of animation to deliver stunning visual content in an immersive underwater setting. A mix of magic, action, humour and emotions, the series shines a spotlight on issues such as ocean conservation. Finally, Gormiti – The New Era is a reboot of recognisable franchises. The series, produced in collaboration with Giochi Preziosi, returns as a live action series with CGI effects.

Meanwhile, CoComelon Playdate – a new family entertainment experience – will open at the Mall of America, North America's largest shopping and entertainment destination, and will aim to blend the charm of a children's museum with the excitement of a kids' play zone.

Blippi is celebrating 10 years with new consumer products partnerships, fresh content and guest appearances, as well as new live shows and meet and greets. Collaborations and partnerships include Reebok, Build-A-Bear and tonies among others.

Moonbug and Disney recently launched Morphle and the Magic Pets, a new animated series on Disney Junior and Disney+, based on the YouTube hit My Magic Pet Morphle.

Dependable Solutions Stand E250

Dependable Solutions arrives at BLE having been named the industry’s Most Impactful Service Provider at the 2024 Licensing International Excellence Awards.

The company delivers advanced technology and expert services which put operational efficiency and powerful insights at the core of its clients’ licensing operations.

Dependable Solutions offers a comprehensive and flexible suite of software and complementary services. Through a team of 40 industry experts in the US, Europe and Asia, Dependable Solutions provides support to licensors, licensees and licensing agencies.

with a host of activity.

Above: Winx Club is now in its 20th year.

Service Provider at the 2024 Licensing International Excellence Awards.

Minecraft Stand A251

Minecraft creator Mojang Studio returns to BLE, led by Federico San Martin, senior director of Minecraft consumer products, to connect with international and global partners to further expand the franchise.

4 April 2025 brings the big screen release of its first-ever live-action adaptation with A Minecraft Movie, from Mojang Studios, in collaboration with Legendary Pictures, Warner Bros. and Vertigo Entertainment. Mojang is working in conjunction with Warner Bros. to deliver a comprehensive global licensing and promotional programme to launch alongside the film.

Minecraft has also joined forces with Netflix to produce a new CGI-animated series set in Minecraft’s blocky universe. The series, currently in development

Studio 100 International Stand D145

Vegesaurs looks to offer a fresh twist on the dinosaur genre with unique characters and standalone comedic adventures. Season three premiered on ABC Kids (Australia) this June, with a CBeebies UK release set for September, supported by apps like Get Creative and Story Time.

The series won the Bologna Licensing Award 2024 for Best Promotion/Loyalty Campaign with LIDL across Austria, Spain and Denmark. A major highlight for the end of this year is a Vegesaurs immersive experience in Australia, with plans to go global.

Studio 100 is also reviving a number of classic characters through its Heroes of Childhood brand including Heidi, Maya the Bee and Vic the Viking. A YouTube channel is hosting the nostalgic adventures, while a fashion collection is available on Zalando and Amazon among others, blending modern street style with iconic series elements.

Finally, the company has expanded Heidi’s world with new trend books for licensing, showcasing her in styles tailored to various audiences. Plans for 2025 include themed console games and a CGI adventure movie, Heidi – Rescue of the Lynx

at WildBrain, will tell an original story with new characters and reflect the world of Minecraft in a new light.

Finally, the first immersive location-based experience from Minecraft - Minecraft Experience: Villager Rescue –will launch in Dallas, Texas with plans to expand across the US and globally, including Europe.

Minecraft Experience is an immersive, interactive adventure that uses large-scale projections, physical sets, music, sound and lighting effects to bring the game world to life.

emoji Stand C190

The emoji brand aims to offer an ‘electrifying fusion’ of pop culture relevance, creativity and ‘boundless’ potential.

The company will be showing how, by partnering with emoji, licensees will be not just joining a collaboration, but they will be embarking on a journey ‘into the heart of global expression’.

There are 200+ style guides and a vast IP library available for global licensing. Recent activity includes a brand loyalty campaign with Aldi, a jewellery partnership with Gnoce and a new collection with underwear brand, OddBalls among others.

Bravado Stand B180

Bravado once again has the privilege of presenting some of the most iconic artists in music across a roster of global superstars as diverse as The Rolling Stones, Post Malone, Elton John, Tupac, Olivia Rodrigo and The Spice Girls to name just a few.

The show is shaping up to be another busy one, with Bravado discussing a number of milestones and events. These will include 60 years of The Who, 50 years of punk with The Sex Pistols and celebrating what would have been Bob Marley’s 80th birthday.

In addition, plans are underway for Billie Eilish’s global tour, which will be landing in Europe in summer 2025. There will also be further news around new music releases, tour announcements, milestone celebrations and a number of new signings.

Left: A live action movie, a new animated series and location-based experience will expand the Minecraft universe even further.

Above: Heroes of Childhood sees a number of classic characters revived.

Below: emoji has a vast IP library available for global licensing.

number of milestones and events.

© 2024 Hasbro.

©2024 Wizards.

©2024 Hasbro.

Boat Rocker Stand D184

CAA Brand Management Stand A251

CAA Brand Management has expanded into new consumer product categories, experiences and territories - partnering its clients with the world’s leading manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers and operators through licensing, strategic partnerships and joint ventures.

The premium scripted spin-off series from Boat Rocker’s award-winning Orphan Black franchise, Orphan Black: Echoes has reclaimed the original series’ dedicated fanbase and expanded its global reach with a raft of worldwide sales. The series launched on Stan in Australia in November 2023 and was a top 10 series on the broadcaster. In addition, the series launched on ITVX in May 2024, with the broadcaster announcing notably strong viewership for June. This summer it launched on AMC, AMC+, and BBC America in the US to a strong audience response and has been sold to NBCU’s Syfy channel where it will air across multiple EMEA territories.

A licensing deal with Heathside Trading sees a range of products from Q4 2024 onwards launched through selected retail partners across fan memorabilia, collectables and gift categories to engage with the brand’s loyal fanbase. Reality dance drama for tweens, powerhouse brand The Next Step is now on its ninth series and is celebrating its 10th anniversary year in the UK. Having recently aired on CBBC and iPlayer in the UK and CBC in Canada, the ninth series chronicles the trials, tribulations and triumphs of national dance champions A-Troupe as they prepare for a showdown at an international competition. The successful collaboration with Pineapple Dance Studios continues to be popular, with The Next Step dance workshops and an associated clothes line.

Bulldog Licensing Stand A190

Busy Bulldog has a lot to highlight at the show, kicking off with Care Bears which continues to show growth across multiple categories.

Me To You and its signature characters Tatty Teddy and Tiny Tatty Teddy have delivered strong sales for multiple licensees and a growing network of international agents, while Moose Toys’ Magic Mixies hit toys range has inspired streaming shows and a variety of licensed products. Sesame Street offers an expanding line of licensed preschool products and holds significant appeal for the adult market, while Beyblade X – the fourth generation of the toy brand which has sold over 500m lifetime

A snapshot of the brands that it will be showcasing at BLE include Minecraft, Coca-Cola, Porsche, McLaren, Ford, Playboy, Bobcat, Budweiser, Stumble Guys, Ms Rachel, The Cheesecake Factory, Skechers, Draper James and League of Legends

It operates 26 offices in 20 countries, with the local teams providing broad functional expertise in each region, and business development boots on the ground in all countries ensure strong in-market relationships and expertise.

Rights & Brands Stand C181

Rights & Brands and Moomin Characters will once again be stand sharing at the show. Outside of Moomin, R&B will present other big Scandinavian brands including Stig Lindberg, Astrid Lindgren & Ilon Wikland, Carl & Karin Larsson, Maxi & Helium, Alfie Atkins, Pettson & Findus and more.

The Scandinavian licensing agency continues to expand its international network with the opening of a new office in London.

The new branch marks the agency’s first step into the UK market, where R&B has also signed a new UK brand representation, Roobarb & Custard

units – is flying off the shelves everywhere. The fastest iteration of the iconic toy is supported by high profile TV placement for the anime series, as well as a huge through the line marketing campaign.

The animated spy-fi series Totally Spies appeals to a strong adult nostalgia market, while the new animated and live action versions will introduce the brand to a new generation of fans.

For legendary comedy character Mr Bean, Bulldog is targeting multiple categories including homeware, stationery, t-shirts, toys, collectables, bags and greeting cards.

That’s Not My… the bestselling touchy-feely book series for babies and toddlers, has inspired multiple licensed products in the UK market and strong interest in the US, Australia and New Zealand. Popeye, TV dartsbased quiz show Bullseye, the definitive gay magazine attitude, and hit toy brand Tamagotchi, underline the strength and diversity of the Bulldog Licensing offering.

Above: Orphan Black: Echoes has secured a raft of worldwide sales.

Above: Care Bears is continuing to show growth across multiple categories.

Barnes & Noble is the first major retailer to carry Moomin products in the US.

Magic Light Pictures Stand B205

Another dynamic year for Magic Light includes a raft of vibrant activity for favourites old and new. Preschool series Pip and Posy continues its growth with a long-term commitment from broadcasters. Master toy partner Bandai has just launched plush and toy figurines, and publishing partner Nosy Crow is launching new TV tie-in titles throughout 2024. Pip and Posy visit high-footfall shopping centres nationwide in October for meet and greets, with more live experiences to be announced. Additionally, Tonies is launching a range of favourite Pip and Posy stories narrated by Giovanna Fletcher.

Evergreen family favourite The Gruffalo is celebrating its 25th birthday this year with a packed programme of activity and a growing international presence. Special events and collaborations, limited edition product launches and new partnerships mark the occasion.

Seminal Stand B266

Seminal is aiming to ‘revolutionise’ the art and licensing industries, bridging the gap between world-class studio artists and global brands, retailers, manufacturers and ad agencies.

Meanwhile, the 12th film from Magic Light’s long-running collaboration with Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler screens on the BBC this Christmas as Hannah Waddingham, Lolly Adefope and Rob Brydon breathe life into the story of the little fish with a big imagination - Tiddler

As The Gruffalo’s European footprint builds, (with licensing agents in Germany, Italy and Benelux) new European toy partner Simba launches plush in Germany this autumn, with further European roll-out planned. Germany has also seen live events, cinema screenings and a sponsored run. Plans for next year include a trail at a leading holiday destination.

Cloudco Entertainment Stand B231

Visitors to the Cloudco stand can explore the latest from the Care Bears, including new campaigns and partnerships that continue to inspire sharing, caring and positivity among multi-generational fans.

The brainchild of 24 year old Ward Williams alongside Ian Woods, a seasoned industry leader and former svp of licensing consumer products at Warner Bros. Discovery, Seminal is looking to set a new standard for artistic representation and brand collaboration. Unlike traditional galleries and collector networks that focus on selling physical pieces of art, Seminal exclusively represents the intellectual property of artists, ensuring their media and creative rights are safeguarded while expanding their reach.

With a team of over 50 experts, Seminal manages an extensive catalogue of artists, all hosted on a cutting-edge, online system available exclusively to licensing partners.

This platform is described as ‘the world's largest digital style guide’, a one-stop solution for brands seeking unparalleled access to a diverse array of top-tier artistic talent.

“By partnering with an artist through Seminal, you unlock a unique, authentic way to elevate your brand and make a lasting impact in today’s crowded marketplace,” commented Ward.

There will also be the chance to dive deeper into the world of Madballs, the classic gross-out toys that are gearing up for their 40th anniversary with new releases and collaborations. The squishy, collectable balls, known for their outrageously fun and grotesque designs, have remained a pop culture staple, continuously attracting new fans while satisfying the nostalgia of older generations.

Also, see what's new with Holly Hobbie as the company looks to revitalise the classic brand for today's audience, maintaining the essence while making it relevant for the modern era.

Stor Stand A151

For kids’ tableware and drinkware specialist, Stor, BLE is a chance for it to showcase the new IP in its portfolio including The Simpsons, Unicorn Academy, Moana, Demon Slayer, Wednesday, Naruto, Stitch, Wicked, Beetlejuice and Chucky The licensee will also be showing new designs and product development across core lines including a number of Disney properties, plus Barbie, Batman, Bluey, CoComelon, Fortnite, Friends, Gabby’s Dollhouse, Game of Thrones, Harry Potter, Hello Kitty, Hey Duggee, Hot Wheels, L.O.L. Surprise, Minecraft, Moomin, PAW Patrol, Spider-Man, Squishmallows, Star Wars and Stranger Things among many others. product

Left: The Gruffalo has seen a number of special events and collaborations this year.

Above: Seminal manages an extensive catalogue of artists.

up a trio of treats on its stand.

Call sign

The Call of Duty franchise is one of the most enduring in video games history. It has a 20+ year legacy, an engaged and passionate fan base and has also succeeded in building a consumer products programme which is completely authentic and relevant.

“We’ve had to consistently evolve and approach the licensing and development of consumer products for Call of Duty very differently than we would other franchises,” explains John Friend, head of Xbox Gaming Consumer Products. “Historically, Call of Duty has launched a new game annually. Because of this launch cadence we had to look at the business with two lenses.

“One was to ensure we were supporting our new launch - which at times can pose its challenges with a new game/look/sub-franchise each year and

translating that into a successful and meaningful licensing business. Traditionally this is how we’ve always approached the business, leaning into the key launch logos and assets for the given launch year while supporting our live ops side of the game with Call of Duty: Warzone seasonal drops.”

John adds: “On the other hand, and most recently, the team has taken a refreshed look at the overall franchise that Call of Duty is and the power of its 20+ year legacy.

“With this new way of approaching our outlook, we’ve been able to explore and push the boundaries into new categories such as making a real-life COD plush bunny with Mister Peeks and leaning into fashion looks that represent the larger impact COD represents within our gaming communities.”

Inset: John Friend, head of Xbox Gaming Consumer Products. Top: Black Ops 6 launches on 25 October and has a story set in the early 1990s.

The fact that COD is such a fan driven franchise also means that the team gets to have fun and be creative with core in-game elements, in addition to the traditional ‘boots on the ground’ assets, giving fans a unique product mix.

Key activity this year includes a Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 apparel and accessories line launching at Asda from Fashion UK; limited edition collectable vinyl figures from Yootooz which celebrates the characters and themes from the franchise; Performance Thumbsticks and Thumbgrips from KontrolFreek; and peripherals from Corsair including a desk mat, mouse, controllers and wave mic among others.

John continues: “The Black Ops series is known for its mind-bending narrative and blockbuster action, and Black Ops 6 is no different. Since the reveal, we’ve seen a ton of hype and anticipation throughout the community, and we are excited to be bringing world class products to life alongside this epic campaign.”

John sees plentiful opportunities for further growth in the CP space, too. “Our direct to fan e-commerce store COD Shop is still in its infancy only having launched in 2021,” he says. “With a few years of testing and learning with our fans, we’ve been able to grow into new categories such as high-end collectable replicas from in-game, and fan and lore driven graphics.

“It’s such a wonderful experience to see how our fans feel so connected to our products and the genuine passion and appreciation for the care we put into the CP space. Our team is continuously working with the studios and game teams to find

Call of Duty: Need to know

ways that we can connect the fan’s digital experience to the actual physical product, for example via in-game content and seasonal drops. We see growth in expanding into the fashion apparel space and high-end collectables. We are continuously pushing the limits of where gaming and fashion can intersect in the streetwear space.”

While the short-term aim is making sure the licensing programme celebrates and represents the excitement for the launch of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 in October, there is also an eye on the longer term and continuing to connect with fans.

“We want to push how we find those connection points with tying the products closer to the game every step of the player journey,” John explains. “We know our products represent so much more than just the clothes our fans wear, collectables they display in their homes, or gear to deck out their gaming stations. Rather, our products represent this larger fandom, and we get to be that physical extension of this amazing community we’re all so immersed in, that is largely digital. Our products are our way of sharing that passion for Call of Duty and along with our playersbecause let’s be real - we’re fans of the game too! Being a part of the business that can participate with the fan love and passion is an incredible honour for our entire team to work on every day.” entire team to work on every day.”

“Call of Duty - published by Activision - is a critically acclaimed, award-winning video game franchise that offers a variety of best-in-class experiences, featuring nonstop action and thrilling gameplay that has entertained a massive global player community,” explains John. “The upcoming instalment, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, developed by Treyarch and Raven Software, and which launches on 25 October this year, is an epic blockbuster with an immersive story set in the early 1990s, a period of transition and upheaval in global politics characterized by the end of the Cold War. With a mind-bending narrative campaign, a best-in-class signature Black Ops multiplayer experience and the return of round-based Zombies, Black Ops 6 delivers one of the most breathtaking and spectacular iconic Black Ops experiences to date.”

The Call of Duty franchise has sold over 425 million premium games, with franchise revenue over $30 billion, life to date. In addition, there have been over 650 million Call of Duty: Mobile downloads globally since launch.

Above: The Yootooz line of collectable figures celebrates characters and themes from the COD franchise.

Growth mindset

With new licences on board, an industry-leading creative team in place and a can-do cultural mindset, Brand Alliance is pursuing fresh opportunities across both adult and childrenswear. Commercial and licensing director Rob Broadhurst gives LSB the lowdown.

Well on its way to its fifth consecutive year of growth, licensed and private label fashion specialist Brand Alliance is clearly doing something right. But according to the company’s commercial and licensing director Rob Broadhurst, the best is still to come.

team and work alongside joint ceos Kirk Hannaford and Simon Hills. The company has also pivoted in terms of its output, with licensed product overtaking non-licensed by a significant margin.

“One of the things that attracted me to Brand Alliance was its ambition,” he says. “I could see how much they’d done already, and I could also see how many untapped areas there still were. And I thought, if you’ve reached this level already, just imagine what we could do next!”

Over recent months the company has undergone structural change, with Rob joining from Aykroyds to strengthen the senior

“The split is now about 75/25 in favour of licensed,” Rob explains. “However, we are still a fashion business at heart, and that gives us advantages in the market. We have 30 or so incredible designers, with their finger on the pulse of trends, and our teams that work purely on fashion and those working purely on licensing feed into each other and are constantly exchanging ideas.”

“Creativity, creativity, creativity,” is Brand Alliance’s USP, Rob asserts.

“It’s not just in the designs we produce, it’s in the way we present, how we take things to market, the use of technologies such as AI… I truly believe

Above: Brand Alliance was a key part of Primark’s Hello Kitty activation earlier this year. Inset & below: VW and other automotive brands have proved popular for the company.

Below left: In-house brand Saturday Society launched last year and specialises in sustainable licensed collaborations.

we can set the standard in the industry for design.”

The company’s creative is certainly award winning. At this year’s B&LLAs, Brand Alliance won Best Brand Licensed Adult Apparel for its 2023 Coca-Cola Motorsports range for Primark. It was also shortlisted for the first time for a Licensing Award, for this spring’s smash-hit Primark Hello Kitty collection.

“We have a wonderful relationship with Primark,” Rob says. “We were privileged to be a huge part of their recent Hello Kitty activation, and we’ve also worked with them on other campaigns, including The Grinch at Christmas.”

Delivering “wow” moments in-store is another of Brand Alliance’s strengths, Rob believes. “There is obviously 365 business working directly with the different departments, but what really gets our retail and licence partners excited is when we present entire collections and activations. We are able to deliver a holistic creative vision including instore concepts, marketing ideas and cross-category integrations; we act almost as a creative agency in that respect. This is a service we want to roll out to more of our retailers, both here in the UK and in Europe.

NASCAR, VW and Jeep. Recent portfolio deals include Netflix, Warner Bros. and Mattel, as well as brands in the kids’ space such as Pip and Posy, Roald Dahl, Bing and Pinkfong’s Bebefinn.

The extended licensing portfolio has many major trends covered. “Americana is red hot right now, which involves anything automotive, sports and music,” says Rob. “Next year we’re expecting big things for Stranger Things, but also for brands that are affiliated with the show – such as Dungeons & Dragons, Coca-Cola and, again, music properties. Looking further ahead, Universal is bringing Shrek back – which we’re really excited about – and there’s a live-action Monopoly movie in the works. However, we can strategise all we like but we also have to be ready to jump on opportunities as and when they arise. Things like TikTok have changed the game in terms of how quickly trends come and go. We’re not in control of the brands and how they land with the consumer, so it’s much more important to be reactive and agile.”

“Not every in-store activation can be a platinum level one, but we can show retailers how we can give a brand the same sort of treatment but on a smaller scale, developing elevated capsule collections that really stand out. We love to make things ‘pop’ in store.”

With a view to further growth, over recent months Brand Alliance has significantly bolstered its licensing portfolio, adding new properties to an impressive roster of entertainment, lifestyle, collegiate, automotive and F&B brands that includes Coca-Cola, Paramount, Hasbro, Universal, Yale and Harvard,

Changing consumer tastes aside, Brand Alliance is in a strong position for anything the future might bring. “We’ve got the positioning, which is our retail relationships; we’ve got the toolkit – which is our expansive suite of brands – and we’ve got our secret sauce, which is our creative execution. Now all those things are in place, we can make anything happen,” says Rob. “We all have the same end goal in our sights. We still debate exactly how we should get to that point, but we’re all facing the same direction, and when one of us has an idea, the rest of us say, ‘Why not?’. That sort of cultural mindset allows creativity to flourish.”

Right: Rob Broadhurst, commercial and licensing director.

Above & left: Collegiate brands such as UCLA now form a key part of the portfolio.

Founded in 2017, The Insights Family is a market leader in helping brands and organisations understand the behaviours of children and parents. Now, with the results of its multimillion-pound investment bearing fruit, the company has announced NextGen Insights, a new 19-30 product which provides real-time market intelligence on the next generation.

Below:

Bridging the

generation gap

Wsix continents

and 22 countries, including industry giants such as Hasbro, LEGO, Mattel, Nike, Pokémon and Warner Bros. Discovery, The Insights Family has more than made its mark in the seven years it’s been in business. However, thanks to the £5.6m it secured in funding in December 2023, the company is now poised to significantly accelerate all parts of its business and further its global growth, says founder Nick Richardson.

“With all the things we’ve put in place this year –the new portal, the new products, the new team members that we’ve been recruiting – we’ve established a well-oiled machine,” he says. “One significant thing we’ve been able to do postinvestment is strengthen the support we give to clients so they can get the most out of our service.

We now have a team of seven in London looking after our EMEA clients, and a team of four

not-too-distant future.”

Every year The Insights Family speaks to around 700,000 kids, teens and parents from 22 countries, collecting market intelligence on more than 56,000 brands and IPs. Adding new product NextGen Insights – data tracking young people from the ages of 19-30 – to its portfolio was a logical move.

“Over the last seven years we’ve become experts in this cohort,” Nick explains. “When The Insights Family started they were 11, and we’ve followed them through to the age of 18. It felt natural to follow that generation forward.”

With the average age of becoming a parent for the first time across the G20 being 29.6, NextGen bridges the gap between the company’s Kids Insights and where its parent data kicks in. “It enables us to capture and analyse crossgenerational trends, preferences, behaviours and attitudes from ages 3 to 30 and into parenthood, helping organisations tailor their products, services and marketing strategies to better meet the needs and expectations of young adults,” Nick explains. “NextGen will give companies an insight into the burgeoning kidult market. If you look at LEGO’s business, for instance, the adult, collectable side of things is a strong sector for them, and other brands seem to be following that path, too.”

Nick hopes the company’s NextGen data will start to educate companies as to why they should be looking at younger consumers. “Companies such as sports brands might not consider

Inset: Nick Richardson, founder of The Insights Family.

The Insights Family speaks to c.700k kids, teens and parents from 22 countries every year.

themselves as ‘for kids’, but if you look at the age at which someone decides who their favourite team is, it’s typically 8, 9 or 10.”

It’s important for companies marketing to adults to understand where consumer preferences begin, Nick believes. “For instance, it’s vital to understand Roblox. Its fastest growing sector is 17 to 25 year olds. With our data, you can look at the Roblox audience and it will tell you they’re six times more likely to prefer x, or five times more likely to do y. If you’re a big fashion brand or an automotive brand, a pharmaceutical or finance company, if you can understand what’s going on in that audience’s world and how their attitudes are being shaped, you’ll be better placed to communicate with them as adults.”

collaborations would be valuable, not necessarily traditional licensing deals or advertising deals, but wider, more strategic collaborations to pull in that audience and create products that will succeed.”

The way companies operate is undergoing transformational change, Nick believes, and 2025 will see “exciting” developments.

Likewise, when it comes to kids’ brands, gone are the days when companies could make decisions based on demographics, Nick asserts. “Audiences are so fragmented now, it’s no longer enough to say a brand is for 7, 8 or 9 year old girls; a scattergun approach aimed at hitting the whole cohort will involve so much waste. With three clicks of a button in our portal, you can see how Barbie fans are different from L.O.L. Surprise! fans, or how Manchester United fans differ from cricket fans. If you can find out exactly who your market is, the engagement and content pieces you put out in the spaces they exist in are more likely to build advocacy and fandom.”

Tapping into specific markets is one reason collaborations have become key to licensing, Nick believes. “Our portal is a great way of seeing where fans over-index in having shared interests; for instance, when we launched the business we could easily see kids who go to McDonald’s are three times more likely to say Kinder is their favourite chocolate bar. It can indicate where

“In our survey of industry professionals, 80% said they don’t believe their industry will be operating the same way in the next few years. 3D printing, AI and other innovations are starting to make their mark. Licensing is already a growing industry, and if technology can help it become more agile, with faster approvals and more efficient production, then we all have a very exciting and prosperous future ahead.”

To book a meeting at BLE with The Insights Family (D218), scan the QR code or visit go.theinsightsfamily.com/ble2024.

Above: The Insights Family’s latest product is focused on the 19–30 age bracket.

Inset: NextGen Insights is aimed at helping companies gain an understanding of Gen Z and late Millennials’ attitudes and behaviours.

THE BEST OF BOTH

Management of complex projects

• One point of contact

Innovation & Ideation • Brand Strategy

IP Development • Trend Direction & Mood Boards

Core, Trend & Seasonal Style Guides

Tool Kits & Flash Packs • Branding & Logo Design

Graphics, Badges & Patterns • Packaging & Point of Sale

Character Assets & Icon Illustration

• 2D & 3D Illustration

Key Art, Marketing & Sales Assets • Product Concepts

Hardline & Softline Product Development

2D & 3D Product visuals • Retail Solutions & Strategy

Brand & Product Sizzles • Episodic Animation

Publishing Content Creation • Editorial & Writing

Location Based & Experiential Design

Bespoke Sampling & Mock-Ups • Fabric Swatch Packs

What makes the Products of Change Conference (formerly SiLC) so different to the rest of the crowd? Quite simply, it’s where actions speak louder than words and industry leaders mean business.

Whe sustainility means business

The thing with the global brand licensing industry is it’s never boring. Even when it’s at its most serious, and you don’t get much more serious than tackling climate change. Regulatory changes and their impacts upon business; the chemical composition of bio-based polymers and their impact on domestic recycling infrastructure; metrics for measuring scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions… For the past five years, all this – and more - has been Products of Change’s bread and butter.

And given the rate of change and rapidity with which new learnings and discoveries are being landed upon across the world of ‘sustainability’ day after day, well… it’s just as well we love bread and butter.

But no matter how serious these conversations become; you’ll never find them becoming dull. Because at the centre of it all is an industry built on some of the most recognisable, most revered, and most cherished brands on the face of the planet. And we’re all here to secure our place and the future of our children upon it.

Celebrating Climate Champions

Maintaining momentum right now is crucial. And what better way to encourage continued community collaboration than with the return of the Products of Change Member SDG Awards? Following its successful 2023 debut, the awards will be making its return to once again spotlight the pioneering brands and businesses making those impressive strides forwards in the name of sustainable development in alignment with the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals.

2024 winners will this year join ‘hall of famers’ like Wastebusters and the Tesco team which earned recognition at last year’s awards for their collaborative Recycle to Read plastic toy collection scheme; the Asda team for its concerted steps towards the repair, refurbishment, reuse and resale of items and consumer goods; The LEGO Group for its tireless commitment to cross-industry collaboration and partnership in the pursuit of sustainable development; and Carousel Calendars celebrated for its dedication to mapping its impact, sharing its processes and becoming the first in the greetings sector to set science-based targets for emissions reduction.

Inset: The panels are already taking shape with Primark, Tony’s Chocolonely and The LEGO Group the first names to be confirmed.

So, what’s on the menu for Products of Change Conference 2024?

Having established its reputation as the only industry event dedicated to the sustainable development of the global sector through education, collaboration and connection, the Products of Change Conference will be heading to the Royal Geographical Society in London on Wednesday, 6 November where it will deliver a jam-packed agenda to both in-person and digital attendees.

There to provide some of the most exciting industry updates is yet another roster of speakers, discussions and panel sessions featuring the brands, businesses, retailers, and leaders currently shaping the future sustainable landscape of business right now.

Which is why Products of Change is incredibly excited to be delivering its annual sustainability event, the Products of Change Conference to the breadth and depth of the brand, licensing, product, and retail industries once again. Known over the years as the Sustainability in Licensing Conference, the Products of Change team has officially unveiled a new brand identity for this agenda-setting and era-defining educational and inspirational extravaganza, done so to better reflect the scope of the industries and business sectors our far-reaching platform touches. And for 2024, the Products of Change Conference – Sustainability in Brands, Licensing, Product and Retail will be setting that very tone with a line-up of speakers and representatives of some of the biggest, furthest reaching, and most impactful brands, retailers and product manufacturers on the planet.

Primark, Tony’s Chocolonely and The LEGO Group are among the first names confirmed for the 2024 line-up, bringing new conversation around supply chain transformation and transparency; stakeholder and value chain collaboration; and the power of IP, branding, and storytelling when it comes to influencing a global audience of retail partners and customers to engage with social and environmental causes.

Invited this year to deliver an opening keynote exploring its efforts to end child labour and modern slavery in the global cocoa supply chain, Tony’s Chocolonely will talk about its role as a social impact organisation ‘wrapped up as a chocolate company’ through pioneering levels of supply chain transparency and its call to action across the cocoa industry – including its recent plunge into brand licensing with Ben & Jerry’s – to deliver real-world impactful change.

Building on its reputation as “the most important industry event for decades”, the Products of Change Conference will go on to dive into critical subject areas including the latest wave of global legislation and regulation – from Ecodesign for Sustainable Products and Extended Producer Responsibility to the incoming Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism and beyond – set to transform the business landscape as we know it; call on the international publishing sector (including FSC Blockchain, DK Books, and Carousel Calendars) to explore the EU’s new Deforestation Regulation and its impact on those industries built on wood fibres and paper; and embark on a thorough exploration of the high street fashion retailer Primark’s strive towards affordable sustainability – whether that’s through its special new partnership with The Walt Disney Company or its lean into regenerative farming through Primark Cares’ own Sustainable Cotton Programme.

“As Products of Change enters its fifth year, we are honoured to showcase the industry’s innovative solutions and achievements not just of the last 12 months, but in a cumulation of the past five years of industry development, too,” says Helena Mansell-Stopher, founder and ceo of Products of Change. “By continuing to push the boundaries of what is possible, we demonstrate the power of collaboration and highlight the incredible potential within our industry.”

Don’t miss your chance to be a part of the industry’s sustainable future.

To take part in the biggest conversation on Earth right now, book your tickets at: www.productsofchange.com/poc-sustainability-conference/

Inset: The POC Conference will return to the Royal Geographical Society in London on Wednesday 6 November.

for club 1.5

With legislative demands now piling on the pressure and the realities of all those 2030 ambitions sinking in, the next five years are going to be critical for the global brand licensing industry’s pursuit of sustainable development. But with community and collaboration at its heart, Products of Change is in the strongest position possible to tackle it all head on.

To get a firm understanding of just how critical the next five years are going to be for businesses across the global brand and licensing industry, we’ll be required to cast our minds back almost a decade.

It was on 12 December 2015 that the Paris Accord – a legally binding international treaty on climate change and its overarching goal to hold the increase in the global average temperature at 1.5ºC – was formally adopted by 196 nations across the globe.

Analysis and research in the years that have followed has brought us the shared belief that to limit warming to 1.5ºC will require a peak in global greenhouse gas emissions before 2025 (at the very latest) followed by a sharp decline thereafter of 43% by 2030.

framework that will shift itself to a circular economy. Known as the European Green Deal, with it comes a barrage of legislative measures –including the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive, the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation, the EU Deforestation Regulation, and more - that are about to turn the international business landscape on its head.

In its ambition to shoulder its responsibility for global emissions and reach net zero by 2050, the European Union – acting on behalf of its 27 Member States – has begun to introduce the

The way that businesses respond and react to these measures and their ability to rewire operations accordingly is therefore going to be mission critical. For everyone.

Five years in the making

We operate in a $340.8bn global industry, developing product and experiences that touch upon the lives of millions. It’s a privilege that comes with a cost. Recent calculations carried out by POC put greenhouse gas emissions from across a pool of our biggest, leading brand names at 29,671,583 metric tonnes. Not an inconsequential number.

Inset: Products of Change was established five years ago this summer.

Below: Over the past five years, POC has hosted roundtables and discussions on topics including carbon emissions and sustainability in the sport and music sectors.

Recognising the scale of our industry’s carbon footprint, Products of Change set out – five years ago this summer – on a mission to drive positive and sustainable change across an industry that touches almost every area of consumer product development.

Half a decade on from an initial meeting of minds, and Products of Change prides itself on an everexpanding community and a succession of critical wins along its pathway towards the sustainable transformation of our vibrant business landscape.

The successes along the way have been numerous – from the collaborative creation of the industry’s first global framework for sustainable development (brought together through the unified efforts of names like The LEGO Group, Paramount, BBC Studios,

PowerStation Studios, Golden Bear, Asda, and others) to piloting circular systems for used toys at retail with Wastebuster and Tesco while working with the United Nations to launch the first ever UK Water Week. But each of them has been a stepping stone towards a bigger aim: preparing the industry for what the coming five years, between now and 2030, has in store for us all.

Helena Mansell-Stopher, ceo and founder of POC, says: “The next five years will be about collaboration and implementation as we map our progress. The efforts, scale and partnership that will be required to achieve this is going to dwarf everything that’s come before. We really are at the start of the journey of the next, crucial five years. But, with the strength of the community we have built since 2019 until now, we couldn’t be in a better position.”

Emissions: Possible – Widening an industry scope

It was at the Sustainability in Licensing Conference 2023 (now officially renamed the Products of Change Conference for 2024 and beyond) that POC Advisor, James George told attendees that “the problem with low-hanging fruit is it’s all been picked”, an analogy cast in relation to (among many things) the industry’s collective efforts to reduce greenhouse emissions.

Reducing scope 1 (direct) and scope 2 (indirect) emissions is usually the first port of call for companies taking their initial steps towards sustainable development. But believe it or not, it is the easy win. Ignoring the issue of scope 3 emissions – where between 85% and 90% of a business’ overall environmental impact actually sits – will only get you so far. The problem is, addressing them will involve asking the global brand licensing industry the kind of questions it simply hasn’t had to field before.

Which is something the Products of Change community is sympathetic to.

“This really is an international effort,” says Helena. “There is such limited international guidance on the carbon emissions data a brand owner needs to be calculating when it comes to licensing. And until now, the guidance we have had fails to capture licensing as a business model.”

It’s why, for the last year, Products of Change has been working with experts in the field of carbon emissions to build a methodology for the brand and licensing industry to start tracking, measuring, and ultimately reducing those scope 3 emissions.

“There are some very big names to have been a part of the consultation process on this and we will share more at the Products of Change Conference – Sustainability in Brands, Licensing, Product and Retail in November this year,” she continues.

“It’s been a huge part of what we have been working on at Products of Change and really will help this industry shift gear as together we set a new pace of operating to meet the demands of the coming five years.”

Inset: The winners of the inaugural POC Awards. Below: (from left) Katy Newnham, founder of Wastebuster, the UN’s Caroline Petit and POC’s Helena Mansell-Stopher.

Supercell Oy.

“Working at a company with such a legacy is a privilege, and understanding all the great things the company has done over the last 50 years is humbling. Our greatest asset has always been our people – they’re smart, engaging and experts in each of their respective fields.

As part of WildBrain, we are unique in our set-up, with our 360° ecosystem containing three main pillars: Content Creation, Audience Engagement and Global Licensing. These work together across WildBrain’s owned franchises such as Teletubbies and Strawberry Shortcake, but also for our partner brands. We can tap into this expertise across the company and that is unique in our industry. Besides that, we have an entrepreneurial spirit combined with a drive to innovate and be creative.

Over the last few years, we’ve been continuously pivoting to improve our global structure to make it easier for our licensors to work with a global licensing partner, to improve our internal structures and systems to give us a competitive edge and increase speed to market, and to build strong relationships with our licensees and retailers to streamline processes and

Five ftastic decades

As WildBrain CPLG turns 50, Maarten Weck, evp of global partnerships and licensing at WildBrain, reflects on the company’s journey so far and the qualities that give it the edge within an ever-changing business landscape.

the business.

We will also keep looking to expand our offerings for our partners. We launched our location-based entertainment (LBE) business last year to tap into the growing trend of consumers wanting to experience brands in person. This has become a key component in our 360° offering and has strengthened our integrated in-house capabilities. Other notable trends in the market include sustainability and the fact that brand collaborations are becoming more the norm. There’s been a significant shift in the industry towards a more creative and collaborative approach between brands, transcending the traditional licensing model.

On top of that, there are also more ‘single brand’ owners entering our industry. With the increased accessibility of social media and short form content, consumers are much more in control, embracing new trends and new brands at speed. Original ideas, stand-out creative execution and ‘stickiness’ are much more relevant today than they’ve ever been.

Licensing is in rapid change and while it faces certain challenges, it also holds great opportunities. It's an amazing industry, where people make the difference and relationships are key. So, embrace the change, whatever it is. Put in the energy and work, and it will come back to you. Here’s to the next 50 years!”

Inset: Maarten Weck, evp of global partnerships and licensing, WildBrain.

Ben Peace, vp APAC

View from the top

“We now have nearly 40 people based in seven locations and managing 12 territories in APAC, bringing local experience, expertise and management capability to our partners in every major Asian market.

LSB asks four WildBrain CPLG senior executives to tell us about some of the company’s most impactful brand partnerships and activations of recent months, and what’s coming down the line in 2025.

Recent successes in the retail space include a Peanuts activation with SM Megamall in the Philippines and Shinsegae in Korea, and the amazing Teletubbies and Bangkok Pride partnership with Siam Piwat. These events have driven highest-in-category sales for our licensees in many core categories including Padini in Malaysia and Starwave in the Philippines. We’ve also expanded our brands into new categories like the Teletubbies digital MetaPals launch.

Through the rest of 2024 and into 2025 we have more exciting highlights coming, including some amazing product and promotions with Supercell’s Brawl Stars, which is gaining significant traction in Korea and building across the region. There’s more to come from the Teletubbies, with new colourful collaborations planned, and for Peanuts, as part of the celebration of the brand’s 75th anniversary in 2025, we’re launching some of the biggest programmes we’ve ever undertaken. We’re also continuing to grow our team and build our capabilities with new hires across the region.”

Pau Pascual, vp Southern Europe, MENA and South Asia

“At WildBrain CPLG, we’ve been building consumer products programmes for well-known brands for 50 years now, so we really know the business. WildBrain CPLG has evolved and grown considerably in that time, not least with our new offices in India, China and APAC. We are a truly global agency, but with local expertise across 23 offices, meaning we can harness deep local insights to augment a global vision for our partners. We offer an end-to-end process powered by our global strategy within WildBrain’s 360° approach across content creation, audience engagement and global licensing.

One of the keys to our success is having talented and passionate people in every corner of the world through our local offices, giving us up-to-theminute insights on new innovations, trends and products. With a truly global remit and local expertise, we curate best-inclass partners to launch coordinated local activations at retail within the overarching global plan. We’re seeing this approach work successfully for brands such as Peanuts, MGM’s Wednesday, PLAYMOBIL and SEGA’s Sonic the Hedgehog.”

Above: Pau Pascual.

Right: Max Kids’ Sonic childrenswear has been a hit in MENA.

Inset: Snoopy was part of a recent Peanuts activation at SM Megamall in Manila.

Below: Ben Peace.

Evi Sari, vp LBE

Meike de Vaere, vp partnerships and business development

“Building strong partnerships is the cornerstone of successful licensing programmes. Ensuring we fully understand our partners’ overall needs and brand objectives allows us to tailor our licensing programmes to fit both global and specific market needs, resulting in more effective and impactful campaigns.

When appropriate, we can also provide partners with strategic access to WildBrain’s wider capabilities across content creation and audience engagement. The partnerships team is an integral part of WildBrain CPLG’s strategy as we expand our global footprint, enter new markets and drive new opportunities across the 100-plus territories we serve worldwide.

WildBrain’s owned brand Strawberry Shortcake is celebrating her 45th anniversary this year with an array of partnerships, including a line of toys and collectables from The Loyal Subjects, available in 3,900 Walmart stores in the US. Peanuts turns 75 in 2025, so we are bringing an extensive line-up of partners onboard in the UK, EMEA, APAC and China to mark this milestone. A limited edition Snoopy plush collection from Steiff has already launched.

Regarding our partner brands, the recent launch of an Adidas x The Cat in the Hat shoe, inspired by the iconic Dr. Seuss property, garnered extremely positive results and exposure. More generally, our focus will be on further integrating our creative capabilities, which is a true competitive edge for us.”

“We’re dedicated to creating high quality location-based entertainment (LBE) by partnering brands with premium developers and leveraging our global network to deliver impactful experiences rooted in a deep understanding of local consumer preferences. Our aim is to be a full-service partner in LBE, managing the whole life cycle of experiential projects to give fans a best-in-class brand experience.

For WildBrain’s Teletubbies we’ve partnered with NeoBio, a premium family entertainment centre (FEC) chain with 42 locations in top malls across China, for a summer activation featuring character photo opportunities and interactions, themed food, beverage and merchandise offerings.

In partnership with China’s Max-Matching Entertainments, we’re also bringing beloved brands like Peanuts, Teletubbies and In the Night Garden to life with the opening of multiple FECs, starting from 2025. These flagship IP experiences will be part of new retail, dining and entertainment destinations in three cities, including Beijing and Zhongshan.

One exciting trend is the seamless integration of technologies such as AR, VR and MR (mixed reality), which expand storytelling and enhance overall immersion and interactivity. In the coming months and years, we expect to see more personalised, tech-enhanced experiences that cater to diverse audiences. Additionally, hybrid formats are gaining popularity. These include FECs combined with high-quality dining, themed retail with show and play experiences, as well as gamified social experiences.”

Above: Meike de Vaere.

Top: Steiff has produced a limited edition Beagle Scout Snoopy plush for the European market.

Top right: Evi Sari.

Above right: NeoBio offered Teletubbies activities and merchandise across its FECs in China this summer.

CONGRATULATIONS ON 50 YEARS OF SUCCESS

To become a world-leading agency takes world-class talent, and WildBrain CPLG is proud to count some of the licensing industry’s brightest and best among its alumni. LSB catches up with five of them to find out what made their time memorable at the agency, which, prior to 2019, was called simply CPLG.

A Class above

“Like a considerable proportion of the UK licensing industry, I had my time at the ‘Licensing University’ that was CPLG, having joined in 2003 as publishing manager and left in 2013 as European publishing director – and what a brilliant time it was! I was fortunate enough to work alongside some of the best people in the UK and European licensing industry and learnt so much that I’ve been able to use throughout my career.

Working in the publishing category often put me in direct contact with the production teams who were bringing to life the films and TV shows that we were representing. I had the opportunity to be on calls with the likes of Illumination founder Chris Meledandri [Minions] and JJ Abrams [Lost and Star Trek], which felt like such a privilege.

CPLG was so full of memorable moments that it’s hard to pick a standout, although persuading CBS to send out a press release in Klingon for one of the Haynes Manuals was a bit bonkers, as was having dinner with Elmo, and going to a primary school with John Cena to talk about reading to kids. I think lots of my friends and family thought I didn’t have a ‘real’ job.”

Susan Bolsover, md/founder, Lightbulb Licensing

“I originally joined CPLG as UK managing director in the early 2000s, then returned as vp business development in 2010, remaining for 11 years. My role was to secure new representation for the group and, together with my business development team and the territory offices, work with major brand owners on the strategy and development of their licensing programmes.

We had really fantastic teams across the various markets and went through major expansion over the years I was there. I was fortunate to work with great ceos, including the late Chris Protheroe, then Peter Byrne and Maarten Weck, who has really led the company to incredible heights. Added to that, we were fortunate to represent some really amazing brands and I loved seeing consumer products programmes develop.

There were so many highlights, but two stand out. When I was first at CPLG as UK md, we represented the Mr. Men. The Hargreaves Organisation was a joy to work with and we celebrated a major milestone for the brand with a fabulous dinner with all the Hargreaves family, who we always felt very close to. The second is Minions – there hadn’t been an appetite from licensees or retailers for Despicable Me prior to the movie opening, but the Minions captured the public’s imagination and created so much desire for consumer products. It was by far the largest licensing programme I’d ever worked on.”

Steve Manners, head of global marketing and UK managing director, Licensing International

Far left: Susan Bolsover. Left: Steve Manners.

“CPLG changed my life! I was at Hasbro and worked closely with LucasFilm on the retail execution of the Star Wars reboot. Tim Wills introduced me to Kirk Bloomgarden and Steve Manners, and before I knew it, I joined as retail director. The world of licensing opened up before me and it felt like coming home.

I was with CPLG for 12 years all told, 10 of them as UK md. I’m grateful not only for my break into the industry but also for the lifelong friendships made, the laughter, the spectacular anecdotes, the belief shown in me and the opportunity to forge my own path.

I’m most proud of the impact we were able to make as a team and the way we built a reputation for expertise, credibility and strategic thinking in rights and partnership management… and having the best time while doing it!”

Vickie O’Malley, managing director, Rockpool Licensing

“I joined CPLG as the director of legal affairs following a management buy out in 2002. As sole legal counsel of what was then a much smaller company, I was involved in everything, from the agency and licence agreements to leases, HR, corporate secretarial, PR, financing, branding – whatever needed a legal eye.

Over the years of my tenure, the Force was with us, we Lived Long and Prospered, surfed the yellow Minions tide, got kicked around by Donkey from Shrek and climbed the Spider-Man heights; we saw clients (and staff!) leave, come back, merge; and we went from a flat-structured European entity to grow into a multi-layered international company renamed WildBrain CPLG in 2019. It was a blast. I learnt so much about the industry and all aspects of running a business. It was terrific representing (or sparring with and learning from) many of the legal greats, and it was a true joy to have led a brilliant legal team that continue to inspire with their positivity, good humour and hard work.”

Adrienne ‘Scottie’ Mirviss, solicitor/attorney-at-law

“Congratulations to all at WildBrain CPLG on the 50th anniversary of this fantastic company. Back in the 1990s, the founders David Cardwell and Richard Culley had the vision to open offices across Europe, an innovative move and the foundation of the current 20+ CPLG offices around the world. It was a very entrepreneurial strategy and worked because of the drive, trust, engagement and, most of all, the brilliant team spirit of everyone involved.

My fondest memories of my time as ceo are about the people driving the business, and how we were united by a common goal. We had the privilege to work directly with creative geniuses like George Lucas, Charles M. Schulz, Jeffrey Katzenberg, and Roger and Adam Hargreaves, to name a few. Those meetings, naturally very well prepared for, were always thrilling and exciting. We did countless pitches to potential licensors, sometimes we won and sometimes not, but we never lost our love for our business.”

Katarina Dietrich, entrepreneur

Left: Vickie O’Malley. Right: Adrienne ‘Scottie’ Mirviss. Below: Katarina Dietrich.

Adam Bass, md of Golden Goose, on why brand owners should do everything in their power to help those building new supply chains for their brand to be successful.

FIT’s A licensee’s world

rom an outsider’s perspective, brand owners and retailers seem to top the licensing food chain - choosing categories, partners and deal terms before deciding on a product’s suitability to go on shelf, while the lowly licensee, lucky enough to be granted rights and pay royalties for someone else’s valuable intellectual property, is at the bottom of the pile. However, having spent the last 10 years launching my own brand into FMCG, I have had a revelation: It’s a licensee’s world, we just live in it.

As an agent starting out on my licensing journey, it was the brand owner that commanded my respect and attention. After all they held the key to the IP and when we were appointed by our first client all those years ago, it felt like the start of everything. However, since launching my own brand as a learning exercise back in 2014Providence Deli (www.providencedeli.com), a delicious range of chilled and ambient dips and dressings, now available in Tesco, Waitrose, Sainsbury’s and independents - my respect for licensees has increased a thousand fold. Having experienced, on a very small scale, negotiations with retail buyers and the terror of filling a warehouse with shortdated stock that arrives late going out of date, I now stagger around Spring Fair amazed by the

number of companies that make licensing work. You can send intellectual property around the world with a few clicks of a mouse, but it’s not so easy with hummus or any other consumer product for that matter. Real goods still have to be designed, made, packed, labelled, barcoded, stored, insured, shipped, tagged, analysed, measured, logged, passed through customs and warehoused, way before they hit a retail shelf. Each of these steps costs a few pennies in margin, increases the risks of something going wrong, and paves the way for another expensive mistake, or ‘learning opportunity’.

As a licensing agent who started in licensing with nothing but a pocket full of ambition, learning was incredibly time consuming but, overall, relatively low risk. 18 months after choosing the wrong partner or product you would find out, at launch, that those forecast royalties were going up in smoke and the contract terms were wrong. Even then, with a bit of luck, there were still minimum guarantees to collect and the opportunity to go again in the category with another partner. Learning licensing as a

Below: Hummus Man was a character created by Providence Deli during lockdown.

Left: Adam launched the Providence Deli brand back in 2014 as a ‘learning exercise’.

licensee takes just as long but can be a lot more painful: failure means, at best, you end up with a warehouse full of unsellable stock, at worst it can be game over for the entire business.

Like the brave souls that laid the first railways, licensees lay new supply chains. These supply chains span the world, combining ingredients, pieces and parts into products that consumers buy again and again. Keynes called this the market’s ‘invisible hand,’ but, if you’re a licensee, there’s nothing invisible about it. Supply chains only exist because someone, somewhere has taken the risk on some stock, paid a factory and shipping –usually in advance - and is hoping that they’ll be able to get paid and make a margin before new stock is required.

If I asked 100 people to lend me £100,000 to pay a factory for stock on the basis that I’d pay it back once I’ve received payment from Tesco, the

percentage who would stump up the cash (like the net profit margin) is not likely to be in the double digits. Even when a product generates a good margin and achieves a strong rate of sale, there’s no guarantee of success. Something always seems to come along quicker than you can say Brexit/Covid/Ukraine/cost of living crisis. Oh and by the way, I need another £100,000 for more stock before I can repay you. This cash flow dilemma matters even for the biggest brands: Shoedog – the story of Nike - is mostly about how hard it was for Phil Knight to raise money to pay for stock. Having learnt how hard it is to be the licensee you might expect me to be a pushover when negotiating MGs and royalty rates but, instead, you’ll probably have to work harder as a licensee to convince me that the project is going to be commercially viable.

The biggest learning from having my own brand is that, while it might be possible to command massive MGs and royalty rates, minimising the risk of failure is the job of everyone in the supply chain, from brand owner to licensing agent to retailer to licensee. Anyone that fails to recognise this will soon find that royalties are hard to collect, no matter how regal your brand. In conclusion, having built a brand and a supply chain and experienced just how hard it is, my advice to brand owners is to do everything in your power to help those building new supply chains for your brand to be successful. Anything else is just a load of hummus.

Above: Like the brave souls that laid the first railways, licensees lay new supply chains.

Left: Adam Bass, md, Golden Goose.

Below: Shoedog – the story of Nike - is mostly about how hard it was for Phil Knight to raise money to pay for stock.

5SOS

BACKSTREET BOYS

THE CHEMICAL BROTHERS

NAUGHTY BY NATURE

MISFITS

LENNY KRAVITZ

IRON MAIDEN

SLAYER

OZZY OSBOURNE OASIS

5 SECONDS OF SUMMER

ALICE COOPER

ANTHRAX

ASHNIKKO

AVENTURA

BACKSTREET BOYS

BEHEMOTH

BUSH

CROWDED HOUE

CULTURE CLUB

DIO

ERIC B & RAKIM

EVANESCENCE

FALLING IN REVERSE

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH

GHOST

HALSEY

HIM

HOLLYWOOD VAMPIRES

ICE NINE KILLS

IRON MAIDEN

JANES ADDICTION

JUDAS PRIEST

KINGS OF LEON

MUSIC

LAMB OF GOD

LENNY KRAVITZ

LEWIS CAPALDI

LIMP BIZKIT

MARILYN MANSON

MASTODON

MEGADETH MISFITS

MÖTLEY CRÜE

MOTÖRHEAD

NAUGHTY BY NATURE OASIS

OZZY OSBOURNE

ROB ZOMBIE SLAYER

SLEEP TOKEN

STONE TEMPLE PILOTS

THE CHEMICAL BROTHERS THE CULT

THE LIBERTINES THE LIVING TOMBSTONE THIN LIZZY

TWIN TEMPLE

LIFESTYLE

ARMY OF APES

BEAVERTOWN BREWERY

BLACKCRAFT

BILLBOARD

DEFECTED RECORDS

FENDER

GLITTER BOX

GORDON RAMSAY HELL’S KITCHEN HOUSE OF 1000 CORPSES

ROLLING STONE MAGAZINE

SPINAL TAP

THE RAINBOW BAR & GRILL VARIETY

WHISKY A GO GO

SCAN BELOW FOR OUR FULL ROSTER:

COME VISIT US AT STAND C151 OR GET IN TOUCH TO DISCUSS NEW OPPORTUNITIES:

LSB takes a look at some of the latest collaborations, launches and initiatives in the brands, lifestyle and heritage sector.

Lifestyle changes

Sisters ‘most ambitious’ project to date

A new partnership with Tesco confirmed in August by Lisle Licensing and the Style Sisters has been described as the duo’s ‘most ambitious’ project to date.

The celebrity organising and styling duo –Charlotte Reddington and Gemma Lilly – secured an exclusive deal with Tesco for their first homewares collection, which launched in over 200 stores across the UK earlier in August.

The Style Sisters’ budget-friendly Tesco collection –which has been personally designed and curated by Charlotte and Gemma, with their signature passion for monochrome at the heart – features 18 homeware items, with prices ranging from £5 to £25. Included in the range are ‘luxe for less’ candles, diffusers, vases, knitted cushions, photo frames and of course, a selection of practical storage boxes.

“Given the success of their previous launches, we anticipate this homewares range will be a standout in-store as we transition from summer to cosying up our homes for the colder months,” commented Francesca Lisle, md at Lisle Licensing

The royal treatment: head to toe

Pink Key Licensing welcomes

Tiptree

Pink Key Licensing has been appointed as the exclusive UK licensing agent to represent the popular Tiptree brand.

Wilkin and Sons – the owner of Tiptree – has a history dating back to the 1700s and began making its iconic jam in 1885. A family business with a royal warrant, it is an integral part of its local community and has expanded into multiple businesses such as baking, spirits and its own tea rooms across the county.

At the core is a strong brand of world-famous jams and marmalades, all made in their artisan factory in the village of Tiptree, Essex.

Pink Key will be looking for licensee partners for both food and non-food categories

“We’re absolutely delighted to have Tiptree as part of our portfolio,” commented Richard Pink, md at Pink Key Licensing. “It’s a brand that we love, with a proven track record of success, and so much potential. It is a traditional brand, but with a very progressive outlook and some amazing assets that can be used as part of the programme.”

Historic Royal Palaces has launched into the health and beauty category through a new partnership with British haircare brand, Percy and Reed

The Royal Blossom collection offers a range of hair and body care which takes inspiration from London’s Kensington Palace. Each fragrance note has a story to tell, tying into Floriography, the ‘language of flowers’, as well as the botanicals found in the royal palace gardens.

Top notes include British Honey, Ivy, Orange and Mandarin for endearment and friendship; heart notes include Orange Blossom, Rose, Jasmine and Neroli for love and joy; while English Oak, Cedar and Musk for strength make up the base notes.

Products include Royal Blossom Wonder Balm, Dry Shampoo in full and travel size, full size Royal Blossom Shampoo, Royal Blossom Conditioner and a gift set of Royal Blossom hair and body travel friendly wonder shampoo, conditioner, body wash and body lotion.

The deal was secured by The Point.1888.

Inset: The new homewares range launched in over 200 stores across the UK.

Below: Pink Key Licensing will be looking at growth in both food and non-food categories for Tiptree.

Right: The Royal Blossom collection takes inspiration from London’s Kensington Palace.

Blackbird Jewellery takes flight with RSPB

UK-based jewellery brand, Blackbird Jewellery has teamed up with the RSPB on a new collection inspired by British birds.

The collection celebrates the beauty of nature while supporting vital conservation efforts through a partnership with the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.

The Bird Collection features a number of pieces, starting with three iconic birds: the Robin, Wren and Blackbird. Each item is handcrafted in the UK using recycled materials, reflecting Blackbird Jewellery’s commitment to sustainability and high quality craftsmanship.

As part of the initiative, 10% of all sales from the Bird Collection will be donated directly to the RSPB.

Louisa Skevington, product licensing manager at RSPB, said: “It’s wonderful to bring together our shared values in this partnership with Blackbird Jewellery – celebrating and support nature while championing sustainability. The pieces in the initial collection are beautifully detailed and delicate and we are excited to see them launch.”

National Trust debuts outdoor line with Craghoppers

Craghoppers and the National Trust have unveiled a new outdoors collection, marking the start of a long-term collaboration which celebrates the great outdoors.

The range – which is largely made from 100% recycled materials – includes men’s and women’s outdoor essentials such as fleeces, packable jackets, heavyweight jackets and active legwear, with prints and autumnal hues inspired by landscapes cared for by the National Trust.

The collection also offers several outdoor accessories such as co-branded insulated bottles, mugs, waterproof hats and packable over trousers.

10% of net sales from the collection will be given to the National Trust in support of vital conservational projects such as peatland restoration in the Peak District.

“We’re proud to collaborate with Craghoppers and are excited by their desire to champion the care of the great outdoors for future generations,”

said Becky Stanford, head of brand licensing for the National Trust

Del Monte teams with Urban Outfitters

Canned fruit brand, Del Monte has launched an exclusive new range of merchandise in collaboration with Urban Outfitters, featuring its recognisable badge logo. The collection builds on the current trend of graphic tees and includes both a women’s and men’s logo t-shirt. The deal was secured by Golden Goose

The women’s Daisy Street baby vintage tee style top is available in a washed jersey fabric, featuring a crew neck, short sleeves and a shrunken fit, finished with a distressed version of the iconic Del Monte logo on the chest. The men’s version is an oversized, navy blue graphic t-shirt, cut from cotton jersey in a crewneck design with drop shoulders and short sleeves, finished with the classic Del Monte badge front and centre.

“We are incredibly excited to see this new merchandise range at Urban Outfitters,” commented Thierry Montange, senior marketing director at Del Monte Europe collaboration allows us to celebrate our history and connect with our consumers in a fresh and fashionable way. We can’t wait to see our fans embrace the collection and wear our logo.”

Inset: The new line is a nostalgic nod to the rich heritage of Del Monte.

Above: The collection aims to celebrate the beauty of nature.

Top right: The new long-term collaboration will celebrate the great outdoors.

The brands and lifestyle sector continues to flourish and this will definitely be evident at ExCeL for the three days of Brand Licensing Europe, with a host of exhibitors highlighting properties in this space. LSB takes a look at what some of them will be showing.

Bnd

Pink Key Licensing Stand B269

together

Pink Key Licensing is continuing to focus on developing food and non-food programmes for its stable of brands.

The agency will be looking for additional licensees across Europe for brands including SLUSH PUPPiE – a property which has been distributed into all major UK retailers and has enjoyed success in homewares, confectionery, frozen pouches and other food products; The Laughing Cow; Babybel; Pan Am; Pringles (where Pink Key is particularly keen on brand collaborations); and Kellogg’s brands such as Krave, Pop Tarts, Frosties (with the irrepressible Tony the Tiger), Coco Pops and Corn Flakes).

Start Licensing Stand A234

The company will also be highlighting its newest signing, Tiptree, which is famous for its jams and marmalades. Pink Key will be looking for licensees for all the relevant products and has a significant body of assets with clearly defined design directions.

Start Licensing will be presenting a focused roster of brands across the heritage, art and brand licensing sectors. Nadiya Hussain’s licensing programme goes from strength to strength, with FMCG brand Schwartz recently adding a new range of Nadiya-branded spices, sauces and recipe kits to its existing products. The new range focuses on flavours from around the world and has been initially launched into Tesco. Other Nadiya licensees include Meyer which has a full range of cookware.

Start also represents artist Kendra Dandy and her brand Bouffants and Broken Hearts which has proved popular in categories such as stationery and cards. Country Diary by has a new style guide which is attracting lots of interest, not least because of Edith’s focus on nature and the natural world.

Start’s representation of The Ashmolean Museum has proved a great success with licensees like Park Agencies securing strong retail listings. Other brands in the roster Britvic Soft Drinks, Spirit of Concorde and Jane Devonshire. Start also carries out bespoke consultancy projects for brand owners and is happy to discuss consultancy projects.

Start also continues to work with Aardman and Asterix on the character and entertainment side of the business.

the brands being discussed by Pink Key Licensing.

Left: The licensing programme for Nadiya Hussain continues to go from strength to strength.

RHS Stand C273

As well as highlighting the strength and growth of its licensing programme, the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has a special launch planned for BLE. A new style guide called RHS Flora and her Friends has been created in response to requests from licensees and retailers for a simplified collection of botanical assets that will translate into product design for the home, gifts and apparel product categories, introducing a fresh, modern feel. The move further supports RHS’ plans for licensing expansion both in the UK and across Europe –and, in the longer-term, globally.

The artwork comes from the famous 19th century plant watercolourist Caroline Marie Applebee, some stunning Japanese works, and a selection of additional drawings featuring birds, insects, flowers and foliage. The imagery has been reworked and a collection of ready-to-go patterns developed which provide instant designs for licensees to use – or, as is the case with all RHS guides, they can choose from nearly 500 images in the new guide to create their own unique patterns.

The RHS will also be showcasing a new partnership with Esselle Retail Limited: the first RHS collection of wallpaper and made-to-measure home furnishings –featuring artwork from the RHS Lindley Collections. Finally, it will also be launching something slightly different: a collection of light-hearted and humorous artwork.

Natural History Museum Stand B255

In the year that saw the Natural History Museum transform its gardens into a wildlife haven and urban oasis, the Museum’s licensing team has continued its own mission to create advocates for the planet by creating innovative products that have been inspired by nature.

Early launches included ROKA London and Galt Toys, while the Age of Dinosaurs stamp collection was developed with the Royal Mail. The Museum also wants to empower

English Heritage Stand C255

Exhibiting in partnership with Golden Goose, English Heritage will be showcasing high-quality design and attention to detail through its network of trusted licensees and looking for new partners to make products that celebrate timeless English design and nostalgic English flavours.

As a trusted historic charity that cares for over 400 sites, English Heritage carries out vital conservation work at sites across the country so that they’ll continue to inspire millions of people for generations to come. Whether it be the furniture inspired by Darwin’s Down House, historic patterns on a new bedding set, or the cornice on a kitchen ceiling, you can take a piece of history into your home with English Heritage licensed homewares. Some categories are still available to potential partners looking to help consumers make new connections with heritage through their homes. Potential English Heritage food and celebration licensees can also take inspiration from the success of the English Heritage range of crisps, beers and spirits, all celebrations of classic English flavours and nods to historic recipes.

Inset: English Heritage cares for over 400 sites.

younger audiences to connect with nature, and this is evident in some of the team’s more recent launches including the collaboration with tonies, as well as the first childrenswear collection alongside personalised preschool specialist, My 1st Years. The already established programme with the adult market is also continuing to flourish, perhaps best demonstrated by the new capsule collection with British heritage jewellery, accessories and sleepwear brand, Fable England

With a flurry of new licensees coming onboard in recent months - including Ohh Deer, Palava Clothing and MT Productions - the programme continues to grow from strength to strength.

Inset: The collaboration between NHM and tonies is targeting a younger audience.

Above: The new style guide introduces a fresh, modern feel.

Art Ask Agency Stand C275

Visitors to the Art Ask Agency stand are sure to have a vibrant experience checking out its line-up.

The company will be showcasing renowned Mexican artist and feminist icon, Frida Kahlo, as well as TVBoy, the street artist whose urban artworks aim to convey powerful messages on global warming, wars and political and social conflicts.

Greeting cards design company, House of Turnowsky presents sophisticated patterns and timeless designs which come to life across a raft of product categories, while fantasy and gothic artist Anne Stokes has built up a 500,000 strong fan base across the UK, Europe and the US.

Finally, the agency will be unveiling the latest addition to its portfolio, The Recipe Thief which is looking to captivate food enthusiasts and attract a diverse range of food licensees.

V&A Stand B263

Visitors to the V&A’s stand will be able to see products which celebrate a brand range of patterns and motifs from the museum’s rich and diverse archive.

Notable highlights will include the museum’s eclectic William De Morgan-inspired apparel collection with FILA, as well as its recent luggage collection with Samsonite which includes travel cases and bags.

Santoro Stand A202

This year’s show will see Santoro present a series of strategic new brand launches and expansions.

Bangoberry – the company’s new animal brand - will be a key feature on stand A202, having launched at retail this May across 14 countries. The brand is being well received and can be found across a variety of retailers including Cartoidea, Carturesti Librerii, Ciela, Giocolibreria Semola & Kleine Eland.

With re-orders already coming in, Santoro is now kicking off the licensing programme with licensee Chaks S.A.R.L set to launch a Bangoberry partyware collection in January 2025 across France, Germany, Scandinavia, Benelux, Switzerland and Austria. Santoro is now actively seeking licensees for Bangoberry in the categories of collectables, plush, back to school, games, apparel, publishing, confectionery and homewares.

In major news for Italy, Santoro has acquired the Smemoranda brand, having taken on the licence earlier this year. The company is aiming to continue Smemoranda’s legacy while bringing new energy to the brand. The 2025 diaries have already launched under licence, with plans for further product development and a selective licensing and collaboration programme in the works for 2025.

Santoro’s Gorjuss is expanding in North and Central America, with new licences signed in Mexico for stationery, colouring books, gift bags, greeting cards and mugs. In North America, Santoro is developing a limited edition range of Gorjuss dolls, with additional categories poised for future licensing deals.

Van Gogh Museum Stand B246

For over 50 years, the Van Gogh Museum, located in Amsterdam, has been home to the world’s number one largest collection of renowned artist, Vincent Van Gogh.

Also on display will be the fourth apparel range with Love & Roses, a collection that honours the timeless allure and natural beauty of botanical art – a true celebration of lavish floral decoration.

Longstanding licensees Museum & Galleries and Fells will also be on display, highlighting the licensing programme’s broad appeal across categories and territories around the world.

The museum has a clear mission: to inspire a diverse audience with the life and work of Vincent van Gogh, all over the world. The licensing programme plays an important role in this mission through strategic partnerships and collaborations – with the work being recognised at the Brand & Lifestyle Licensing Awards (with the museum

Below: Art Ask Agency will be presenting a number of vibrant art-based properties.

Above: A broad range of product will be on display from the V&A.

Above: The Gorjuss brand is expanding in North and Central America.

Launched in Spring 2024, The Museum & Heritage Book is distributed in print and digital format to retailers, licensees of museum & heritage merchandise and museum & heritage brands, as well as at key licensing trade shows including Brand Licensing Europe.

SCAN HERE TO READ:

ADVERTISING:

The publication comes from the licensing stable of Max Publishing – the team has over 50 years’ experience in the licensing industry, and also owns and organises The Licensing Awards and The Brand & Lifestyle Licensing Awards, as well as publishing The Licensing Source Book, The Licensing Sports Book and LicensingSource.net, as well as an array of other market leading titles.

Editorially the Licensing Museum & Heritage Book covers all areas of museum and heritage licensing including heritage institutions, museums, gardens, estates, charity and historic brands (50 years plus).

picking up Best Licensed Heritage or Institution Brand, plus the Sustainability Brand Licensed Product or Range award for its sneaker collection with Cariuma (from a deal secured by Licensing Link Europe)) and the Licensing International Excellence Awards.

The museum encourages licensees and partners to tell authentic stories through their products and collaborations - delivering education, provenance and added value.

Recent new partners include Jeep Lifestyle and POP Mart in China; Maium and Secrid in Benelux; and WonderFold Wagon, Shoe Palace and Sole Bicycles in the US.

The Ashmolean Museum Stand C121-2

Following four years of active growth in the licensing arena, the Ashmolean Museum (University of Oxford) is exhibiting for the first time at BLE.

As the University of Oxford’s Museum of Art and Archaeology and the world’s oldest public museum, the Ashmolean has much to offerfrom Egyptian mummies to contemporary art, telling human stories across cultures and across time.

Having attended the show as visitors for several years, the team at the Ashmolean feels that now is the right time to exhibit as it looks to further build on its success in licensing with new partners.

It will be using the show to display some of its work to date, highlighting what the collection has to offer, with real-life examples of how it can inspire new products. It is looking to work with a wide range of licensees of all sizes and reach, to further help to bring the brand and the collection to new and diverse audiences.

The Ashmolean is in the top 40 of the most visited attractions in the UK, with over 900,000 visitor every year.

Lisle Licensing Stand D211

Alongside its entertainment brands, Lisle Licensing will be showcasing several lifestyle and art-based properties.

Charlotte Reddington and Gemma Lilly – aka the Style Sisters – have enjoyed a strong 18 months, expanding into new sectors including storage solutions, fragrance and home décor, while their first homeware collection launched in Tesco for AW24. The girls will also be on Lisle’s stand to meet licensees and retailers with a view to expanding in further categories in 2025.

Meanwhile, luxury interiors brand, Poodle and Blonde is generating enthusiasm among retailers and licensees, with its bold, maximalist, stylish nostalgia and timeless designs having the potential to transfer into a high-end consumer products programme.

In the art and design category, Studio Blom has already attracted Widdop and Co, which is developing products spanning gifting, dinnerware and drinkware, crafting, home accessories, candles and home fragrance. Also in this category, Lisle continues to represent both the Kate Smith Company and Lucia Heffernan

The National Gallery Stand A271

Founded in 1824, the National Gallery houses the nation’s collection of paintings in the Western European tradition from the late 13th to the early 20th century. The collection of over 2,300 paintings includes works by Artemisia Gentileschi, Bellini, Cézanne, Degas, Leonardo, Monet, Raphael, Rembrandt, Renoir, Rubens, Titian, Turner, Van Dyck, Van Gogh and Velázquez.

On 10 May 2024, the bicentenary celebrations began, with the Gallery celebrating the past and looking forward to the future with a year-long festival of art, creativity and imagination as it enters its third century. Everyone is invited to join the celebration as part of an ambitious programme of events and exhibitions that extends from the Gallery into Trafalgar Square, across the nation, and to the world. From seeing a real work in the context of local museums or galleries, to enjoying a dive into the virtual history of the nation’s collection, everyone can find new ways to connect with art.

The team will be highlighting ways licensees and partners can get involved with celebrating the milestone.

Inset: Ashmolean has enjoyed a successful collaboration with Topman.

Right: Luxury interiors brand Poodle and Blonde has been generating excitement among licensees and retailers

Inset: The Gallery is marking 200 years of bringing people and paintings together.

Beanstalk Stand C241

Brand Licensing Europe is set to be an exciting event for Beanstalk as the agency welcomes its newest clients: Monster Jam, the actionpacked motorsports brand; TED Conferences, the non-profit devoted to curiosity, reason, wonder and the pursuit of knowledge; and Tonino Lamborghini, the luxury Italian lifestyle brand, with additional new clients to be announced from the show floor.

Other brands on display will include Procter & Gamble (Braun, Pampers, Vicks, Febreze, Lenor), Stanley Black + Decker, Diageo (Guinness, Baileys, Gordon’s, Pimm’s), Audi, Bentley, Volvo, The Ohio State University, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, WeightWatchers, WK Kellogg Co (Coco Pops, Krave, Frosties, Crunch Nut), Kellanova (Pringles, Cheez-It, Pop-Tarts) and TGI Fridays. The agency also handles Xbox Game Studios (Xbox, Halo, Sea of Thieves), Ubisoft (Just Dance, Farcry, Rabbids, Rayman) and Atari.

Brandgenuity Stand C254

It’s been a busy year so far for Brandgenuity – the agency signed new global clients, grew existing ones and opened a new office in Japan.

Building on its automotive expertise, Brandgenuity is managing and accelerating growth across the Nissan licensing programme, including iconic sports cars (Z, GTR, Skyline), innovative electric vehicles (Ariya, Leaf) and Nissan Motorsport (NISMO) around the world.

The programme for the Royal Shakespeare Company, meanwhile, will extend to categories including fashion and accessories, lifestyle collaborations, home and textiles, beauty and grooming, gifting, collectables and stationery (see page 164-165 for more). The BMW licensing programme has also recently been boosted with the PUMA x BMW M Motorsport Alexander Calder collection, based on the BMW Art Car designed in 1975.

Brandgenuity also looks after Hawaiian Tropic, Kahlua, Hang Ten, Dr. Scholl’s, Rachel Roy and C&C California.

The Royal Pavilion at Brighton Stand A275

Golden Goose Stand C255

Gulf Oil’s orange and blue brings on-trend vintage cool to licensed products. French apparel has launched alongside leather jackets and a limited edition E-bike.

With t-shirts in Urban Outfitters, Del Monte is establishing itself within the fashion space. Further fashion launches are in store, as well as a variety of new food partners in development.

The Original Stormtrooper licensing programme keeps on growing, and with the 50th anniversary looming in 2026/7 expect to see further deals in the pipeline.

Other clients represented by Golden Goose include Mississippi BBQ sauce, Twisted Food, Mother & Baby and Revolution Bars, while Rocky Horror Show has 30 licensees launching products in 2024/5.

The Royal Pavilion at Brighton is making its debut at BLE this year. King George IV as Prince Regent gave his name to the Regency period and his spectacular party palace, The Royal Pavilion, renowned for its extravagant architecture and lavish interiors, embodies the elegance and sophistication of the Regency period. It offers a unique opportunity for brand collaborations that capture the grandeur and fun of this historic period.

The Royal Pavilion will use BLE to showcase its historic but fashionable designs and products inspired by its rich heritage, intricate patterns, bold colour palettes, whimsical motifs and luxurious materials. The brand offers a range of possibilities and inspiration for licensed merchandise including fashion, home décor and stationery. By blending traditional craftsmanship with modern trends, The Royal Pavilion aims to captivate new audiences and inspire innovative product lines, giving partner brands the opportunity to associate with grandeur and history, bringing a touch of regal splendour to their offer.

Above: Beanstalk will be revealing additional new clients from the show floor.

Above: The Royal Pavilion is making its BLE debut in 2024.

Above: The Nissan licensing programme includes iconic sports cars, electric vehicles and Nissan Motorsport.

Above: Gulf Oil is looking to bring a ‘vintage cool’ to licensing products.

shakespeare spotlight on

One of the UK’s leading cultural institutions, a global centre of excellence for theatre and an innovative charity, the Royal Shakespeare Company has been sharing its inspirational productions with a worldwide audience for over 100 years. Now, in partnership with licensing agency Brandgenuity, it’s venturing into licensing for the very first time. LSB finds out more.

The RSC has an incredible history but it hasn’t been offered for licensing until now. It’s brand new to market and it’s really exciting to bring partners something they haven’t seen before,” says Brandgenuity’s md Teri Niadna. And there’s a lot to see. The RSC’s vast archive – all available to licensees for inspiration – contains well over 100,000 pieces, ranging from posters, prints, playbills and photographs, to dresses, jewellery, suits of armour and props such as daggers and skulls. What’s more, it’s a treasure trove that’s constantly updating, as

new productions are staged by new directors.

“I'll never forget my first time with the team going up to Stratford-upon-Avon and looking at all the beautiful and astonishing things that the RSC has,” says Teri. “What impressed us most was that you can walk around and watch the craftspeople at work. There are costume designers and milliners there; there’s even an armoury producing weapons. It’s a place like no other, dedicated to preserving theatre crafts and acting as a global centre of excellence for how to create the worlds that we, the audience, see on stage.”

Promoting excellence in craftsmanship is just one strand of the RSC’s mission. Its key purpose is to ensure that Shakespeare is for everyone, a goal it pursues through live performances and via its extensive education department and global outreach and

Inset: The RSC’s productions, such as this spring’s Love’s Labour’s Lost, reach a global audience.

Above right: Teri Niadna, md of Brandgenuity.

Below: The RSC’s archive contains over 100,000 items, including posters and programmes from past productions.

digital platforms programme, which reach consumers as far afield as India, Australia and China. Add in the nascent licensing programme, and the RSC is poised to connect Shakespeare and his works with a wider audience than ever before.

About the RSC

■ Based in Stratford-upon-Avon, the Royal Shakespeare Company was founded in 1961, and stages productions in the town’s Royal Shakespeare and Swan theatres.

■ More than 900,000 theatre lovers attended an RSC production in 2023.

■ Last year, the RSC broadcast four Shakespeare productions across the globe to 28 countries through Live from Stratford-upon-Avon cinema screenings, including in 250 cinemas in China.

from Shakespeare in new environments,” says Teri.

An initial style guide, produced with Skew Studio, has distilled the essence of just some of the archival treasures to give would-be licensees a glimpse of the product design possibilities, and features Tudor tapestry-like patterns, quotations in distinctive fonts, and ripped-up playbills with punk-esque splashes of neon. Licensees can also explore the archive themselves – much of it is digitised, and searchable by key words – and are welcome to make their own creative suggestions.

■ Each year the RSC reaches more than 1,200 schools and 500,000 children and young people through its education works.

■ The RSC has 1.2 million global supporters on its online social channels.

“The timing is perfect,” Teri asserts. “Period TV shows like Bridgerton have fuelled public interest in historical drama, and ‘Regencycore’ products are everywhere. Theatrical licensing is another trend, and museums have become an evergreen category of licensing. Also, we know from our research that younger consumers are looking for authenticity in the brands they engage with, they want to know that those brands are contributing positively to the world. With its cultural and educational mission, the RSC certainly does that.”

Young people aged 18+ who are “interested in culture, and who are drawn to the stories and characters and the timelessness of Shakespeare’s words”, are a key target demographic for the licensing programme, along with a core audience of (largely female) literature fans aged 35 and over, and existing fans of the RSC’s work. “We think we can surprise and delight all these consumers by showing them elements

Above: A rare First Folio edition of Shakespeare’s works is a jewel in the RSC’s crown.

Below: Licensees can take inspiration from everything from Shakespeare’s key characters to the RSC’s costume, armour and jewellery collections.

“The RSC is a very creative and forward-thinking institution,” says Teri. “Ideas from partners are welcomed.”

As a heritage brand, the RSC is a natural fit for lifestyle categories. Brandgenuity will be focusing initially on fashion, beauty, stationery, collectables and beverages. “Given all the fantastic decorative elements in the archive and the style guide, we believe the brand would work really well in the home category, too,” Teri adds.

Key markets for the first wave of licensing are Europe and the US, where the RSC has a long history of touring, with product hitting shelves at the back end of 2025.

“There really couldn’t be a better time for the RSC’s licensing debut,” Teri concludes “With so many consumer trends aligning, we think the market will embrace this. Shakespeare’s universe is rich with heroes and villains, and with romance, comedy and tragedy. There truly are characters and themes for every occasion and we could not be more excited to give consumers new ways to experience these iconic heroes and stories. You have Juliet, Lady Macbeth, Hamlet… It’s easy to see how even one of those characters could inspire a whole range of products. We’re excited to dig in.”

Amuch-loved institution as well as a globally respected voice in the informal science education sector, the Science Museum Group welcomes millions of visitors every year to its five national museums. Together, the five museums attracted 4.3 million people in 2023/4. But if people can’t come to the museum in person? Then the museum will come to them.

Scice on show

museums. It’s a huge step change in terms of us being able to share our philosophy of learning through play with more and more people all over the country. And from a licensing point of view, it’s hugely valuable in terms of brand recognition and brand extension.”

In February 2024, working with Mark Thompson Productions, the Science Museum Group launched its first ever licensed show: Science Museum The Live Stage Show. Currently touring until 30 October with more dates to be announced, and taking in lesservisited locations like the Isle of Man, it’s part of the Museum’s wider mission to spread the love of science beyond its walls and promote STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) learning through play.

“The show is brilliant fun,” enthuses Amy Harbour, the Science Museum Group’s head of licensing and commercial partnerships. “There are exploding balloons, custard powder is set on fire... Basically, it takes what we do in our Wonderlab galleries –hands-on experiments and spectacular demos –and brings it to audiences outside our

The licensing team worked closely with the Group’s learning team on developing the stage show. “Through that process we gained a far deeper understanding of the skills and the educational expertise that the learning team bring to the organisation, and that, in turn, has been the inspiration for our new STEM badge,” Amy says.

Drawing on the Science Museum Group’s role as a STEM ambassador and a leading authority within informal science education, the badge – part of the Science Museum’s packaging refresh – is a mark of quality assurance for purchasers that the interactive products that carry it will be both fun and educational.

“A real USP for us is that education institutions trust us as the place to come to get real added value in a fun way as part of the delivery of the national curriculum,” Amy explains. “The data supports this; of the 15 museums funded by the Department for Culture, Media & Sport, the Science Museum has

Inset: The Wonderlab galleries are based at the London, Bradford and York museums.

Below centre: The new STEM badge is a mark of quality assurance for purchasers that the interactive products that carry it will be both fun and educational.

Bottom: Product bearing the STEM badge will roll out later this year.

historically led in visits by under-18s in formal education.”

To gain the badge, products have to meet certain key requirements, but the licensing team has developed a very clear process to help guide and support licensees.

Five museums in one

The Science Museum Group is the world’s leading alliance of science museums, welcoming millions of visitors each year to its five sites: the Science Museum in London, the Science and Industry Museum in Manchester, the National Railway Museum in York, the National Science and Media Museum in Bradford and Locomotion in County Durham. It houses a fascinating and diverse collection of 7.3 million items spanning science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine, while its Wonderlab galleries, based at the Science Museum, National Railway Museum and National Science and Media Museum, allow visitors to experience the excitement of science in action through immersive experiences, and live shows and demonstrations.

“We have unrivalled expertise in ageappropriate science communication, so we can help our partners talk about their product in ways that we know will be impactful,” says Amy. “In turn, purchasers who buy a STEM badge product know that they won’t just be buying, say, a lava lamp or a plasma ball, they’ll be finding out the science behind how it works.

“One other thing we can do for our licensees is advocate on their behalf with our retail outlets in all five of our museums. Likewise, we get information from our retail team about what works well in our shops and insights from our colleagues about our visitors, which we can use to better inform our licensing partnerships. It’s a holistic process, we’re all working towards the same goals. Our partners’ success is our success.”

The first products bearing the STEM badge, from trusted partner Funtime, are scheduled to reach the Museum Group’s shops later this year. “With the new badge, we are representing our learning team

colleagues who have been doing what they do for a long time, and we are proud to uphold their good work,” Amy says. “The badge will hopefully continue to build the trust that people have in the Science Museum as a place that understands the value of play in science education, and which has been providing that successfully for many years.”

Meanwhile, Amy and the team are open to approaches from potential licencees.

“We’re responsive to all sorts of ideas, from the wonderful to the weird,” she says. “There are so many niches in science and so many interesting angles. So, let’s have a conversation. We’ll do our best to understand what you’re trying to do and give it our best shot.”

sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/brandlicensing

Inset: Science Museum The Live Stage Show is part of the Museum’s wider mission to spread the love of science beyond its walls and promote STEM.

Below: The Science Museum Group attracted 4.3 million people across its five museums in 2023/4.

In memory

“She understood the industry as an extended family”

Licensing industry PR guru, Jane Garner passed away on 10 May after a short illness.

Jane had been at the heart of the licensing industry for over 35 years, starting her career –like so many stalwarts did – with time at CPLG.

LSB pays tribute to three friends and colleagues who the licensing and toy industries have sadly lost this year.

Having honed her PR and marketing skills over two decades, she established her own public relations company, Kilogrammedia, over 20 years ago. Jane and Kilogram became key players in the licensing industry, representing among many others over the years Bulldog Licensing, Rocket Licensing and the RHS, as well as doing an extraordinary job in contributing to the success of both The Licensing Awards and the B&LLAs via internal and external media contacts.

from the briefest of introductions, gave you the feeling she had been a part of your life forever. She was gracious, she was kind, she was thoughtful and she was equable… but most of all, she was fun. She began her own PR agency over 20 years ago, building up a business which was recognised by all as one of the very best in the industry. And she understood the industry as an extended family, grasping its important and unique nature which goes beyond the simple commercials.

Rob Corney, md at Bulldog Licensing, shared some of his memories: “Jane was the kind of person who,

“She carried with her the respect of all in licensing journalism, capable of thinking on her feet in a meeting and steering the conversation to its best possible conclusion. She was unique, intelligent and quick to share her caring nature to make the world a little better for everyone.”

“He was well loved and respected”

Dolph Zahid, owner of the WITHIT brand, passed away peacefully at home on Tuesday 11 June. He had been struggling with heart issues complicated by his past battle with cancer. He was in his favourite place, overlooking the sea in Brighton, surrounded by friends and family.

The following is part of a tribute paid by Dolph’s business partner, Brad Caines: “Dolph had an infectious smile and was able to strike up a conversation with anyone. But what stood him apart was his constant determination to keep driving forward, to never give up. Dolph’s charm and charisma enabled him to talk to some of the biggest names around. Generous to newcomers in the industry with advice, he was a well loved and respected man in both licensing and retail worlds.

“Later he would fight his biggest battle ever, with cancer. Diagnosed with Hodgkin Lymphoma he was hospitalised and endured extensive chemo that permanently damaged his body, meaning he would always need a stick to walk. Yet he still attended trade shows, at the disbelief of his doctors, driving forward the many varied brands that they developed over time. He was tenacious and unbeatable in everything he put his mind too.”

“A true gentleman whose loss we all feel immensely”

Clive Wooster passed away unexpectedly at home on Saturday 18 May.

The following is an excerpt from a tribute by his friend and colleague, Nikki Jeffery: “Clive dedicated his entire career to the toy industry. Well-known within the industry for his kindness, humour and endless stories, Clive’s presence ensured that any room was filled with laughter and conversation. He was approachable and always willing to help. Clive inspired many through his mentorship and formed strong relationships with colleagues across the companies he worked for over the years.”

Roland Earl, director general of the BTHA, said: “Clive was a distinguished Council member and a tremendous contributor across the board on all matters for the benefit of the BTHA membership and wider toy industry, that he loved and served with such distinction. Clive was someone who sought nothing for himself and put all his energies into supporting the industry he spent his life working in – a true gentleman whose loss we all feel immensely.”

LicensingSource.net is the go-to resource for finding out what’s happening in the global licensing industry.

Including news, interviews and analysis, as well as an event diary, a hugely successful jobs board and more, The Source is the central hub of information for the worldwide licensing community.

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.

NEW BRAND LICENSING STYLE GUIDE INSPIRING DESIGN

Historic Royal Palaces’ award-winning licensing programme has much to offer our current and new licensing 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 storytelling

NEW STYLE GUIDE – introducing new designs, patterns and packaging toolkits

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: licensing@hrp.org.uk or visit our Brand Licensing page

Rights & Brands is the go-to art, literature and design brand agency globally.

Rights & Brands is a Scandinavian based agency promoting art, literature, and design brands that aim to inspire a global audience with stories and a vision for a better world.

The agency represents iconic brands, artists and authors and is the worldwide master agent on behalf of Moomin Characters. Other representations includes Stig Lindberg, and our newest brands - Star Stable and Roobarb & Custard.

The National Gallery is one of the greatest art galleries in the world. Founded by Parliament in 1824, the Gallery houses the nation’s collection of paintings in the Western European tradition from the late 13th to the early 20th century. The collection of over 2,300 paintings includes works by Artemisia Gentileschi, Cezanne, Leonardo, Monet, Rembrandt, Titian, Turner, and Van Gogh.

On May 10th, 2024, we came together to start celebrations of the National Gallery’s Bicentenary – marking 200 years of bringing people and paintings together. We are celebrating our past and looking forward to our future with a year-long festival of art, creativity and imagination.

Our key collaborations during this special year are with The Royal Mint, Dr. Martens and M&S. With The Royal Mint we have a created a collectable £2 coin. Skilfully designed and inscribed with a founding principle ‘MAIORVM GLORIA POSTERIS LVMEN EST’, translated as ‘The glory of our ancestors is a light to our descendants’, conveying the notion that great artists of the past inspire those of the future.

Our second range in the series with Dr. Martens has been inspired by Harmen Steenwyck’s painting Still Life: An Allegory of the Vanities of Human Life (about 1640), which has hidden details and symbolic imagery. Images of the painting are applied onto the 1460 boot, the 1461 shoe and the leather backpack, with signature features including yellow welt stitching. Engineered for art enthusiasts, resonating the meanings of the painting with an alternative approach to art and ideology.

We continue from autumn 2024 with our first collaboration with M&S, bringing two heritage brands together steeped in history and curation, into the nation’s homes. Inspired by floral masterpieces in the Gallery, by artists including Ambrosius Bosschaert the Elder, Jan van Huysum and Rachel Ruysch, the 34-piece home and gifting range includes exclusive lines in textiles, accessories, lighting and tableware, alongside accent furniture. Gifts include home fragrance, beauty sets, and festive decorations.

It is an exciting time to join us during our milestone occasion by becoming part of our licensing programme. With multiple opportunities to access and apply images of some of the best-loved paintings ever created, across all major products categories, services, and experiences.

LICENSING CONTACT

Amy Horlacher

amy.horlacher@nationalgallery.org.uk

Head of Brand Licensing and Picture Library +44 (0) 20 7747 2419 • nationalgallery.org.uk

PROPERTY

National Gallery Global Limited, London

Nature, beauty, history. For everyone, for ever.

The National Trust is Europe’s largest conservation charity. We create licensed products that promote a sustainable future and give back to the environment.

Come and be associated with the UK’s most trusted* brand to benefit from a long-term, profitable partnership together. Support our conservation work in nature and heritage by giving back in an authentic way. Discover bespoke ways of working with world class art, collections and architecture in our historic houses or take inspiration from our botanical gardens and landscapes of natural beauty.

5.7 million members and over 44,000 volunteers

The Natural History Museum is an iconic heritage brand known and loved all over the world. Its award-winning licensing programme inspires a love of nature through innovative product ranges. The Museum’s licensing department teams up with prestigious brands and retailers which share its vision of creativity and sustainability both within the UK and globally.

Naturally inspiring

Now is the time to grow with us

The RHS is the UK’s leading gardening charity, helping people and plants to grow so that we can all live in a happier, healthier world.

We work with carefully selected partners, developing products that align with our ethical, environmental and sustainable aims to delight consumers around the world – naturally.

We support and nurture our licensees providing inspirational artwork and opportunities. Our latest style guide RHS Flora and Her Friends takes inspiration from our world famous RHS Lindley Collections and includes simplified cut-out botanical images and a selection of ready-to-go patterns with a fresh, modern feel.

If you want to get involved with a brand that is growing places, come and talk to us, we’re at BLE 24-26 September Stand C273

Scan the QR code to find our more or email licensing@rhs.org.uk rhs.org.uk/shop/licensed-products

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.

Character Clothing Specialists

SUPPLIERS OF LICENSED FASHION

DAYWEAR | NIGHTWEAR | ACCESSORIES | FOOTWEAR | ESSENTIALS

UNLEASH CREATIVITY WITH TRENDING LICENSES AND BLOCKBUSTER RELEASES

Autumn-Winter's must have launch: Fan favourites. Year-round creativity

•Top licenses: Disney, Harry Potter, Star Wars, Marvel, DC, Paddington and more

•New releases: 21 Crystal Art ® Buddies, 11 Bag Charms, XL Buddies. Paint by Numb3rs Buddies and more

•Award-winning: Recognised for innovation and creativity

Lilo & Stitch 2025

Kids’ Food & Beverage

Ready to go back to school

Different lunch. The same box.

Back to school is sorted, with Mepal’s range of children’s lunchboxes and bottles. Designed specifically with children in mind, they are perfect for food on the go whether it’s lunches at school, in the playground or even on holiday.

Variety is the key to getting children to eat well and healthy. The Mepal lunchbox includes a separate bento food box and a removeable fork, offering plenty of options with the same box. All Mepal drinking bottles and fruit boxes are leakproof and can go into the dishwasher, so they are ready for lunch the next day.

And thanks to Mepal’s collaboration with Disney, you’ll be able to find a lunchbox / bottle that features your child’s favourite character. Whether it’s Stitch or Mandalorian from Star wars, or choose a design from the many other famous Disney characters featured in the Mepal range.

The Mepal range of sustainable lunchboxes, fruit boxes and drinking products are made in The Netherlands, BPA-free and 100% recyclable. The sturdy products are built to last and replacement parts are available. That’s how Mepal enriches everyday life with smart well-thought-out solutions that make everything a little easier and more carefree, allowing you more time to enjoy life.

To discover more about Mepal’s range of children’s on-the go products, or other product ranges, contact j.stalder@mepal.com or call 07384 317364

To discover more about Mepal’s range of children’s on-the go products, or other product ranges, contact j.stalder@mepal.com or call 07384 317364

Licensed Merch

Marvel (Spiderman)

MUG with PLUSH WRAP

Licensed Sports Merch

DATE: TUESDAY 12 NOVEMBER 2024

LOCATION: ROYAL LANCASTER, LONDON

JOIN US FOR THE PROGRESSIVE PRESCHOOL AWARDS 2024

The Progressive Preschool (PPS) Awards is the premier event for the preschool product and retail sector, bringing together over 400 industry professionals to celebrate outstanding achievements. This hugely popular ceremony is the perfect opportunity to network, honour excellence, and reflect on the past year’s successes.

WHY ATTEND?

The nomination and voting process is conducted via external voting as well as in-person judging panels, leveraging the expertise of the industry’s own professionals to ensure the highest levels of integrity - as well documented.

FINALISTS ANNOUNCEMENTS

BOOK YOUR TICKETS

Secure your place at the PPS Awards 2024 today!

To book tickets or tables, contact Clare Hollick at Createvents - clare@createvents.co.uk or reserve your tickets online via the Max Publishing digital Box Office - scan the QR code below.

Stay tuned - finalists for each category will be revealed soon on Preschoolnews.net. Make sure to keep an eye out for the announcements!

Questions?

Talk to the team: Rob Willis - robw@max-publishing.co.uk

Samantha Loveday - saml@max-publishing.co.uk

Jo Cassidy - joc@max-publishing.co.uk

Capabilitie s

Imagine8 Accessories

Imagine8 specialise in licensed character merchandise.

Accessory licensee

Cross-category licensee

In house c reative

One-stop supply c hain

Product i ntegrity

QA/ QC

Logistics

25 years of experience taking care of our partners.

Back to School Bags

Cold/Warm Weather Accessories Hair Accessories Homeware

Plush Accessories

And many more....

MAX PUBLISHING

The leading specialist publishing house for the licensing and consumer products sectors, offering 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 offers 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.

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 DEVELOP PRODUCTS & CREATE RULES FOR BRAND GUIDELINES

WE DELIVER BRANDS & PRODUCTS TO GLOBAL RETAILERS

PRODUCTS & PACKAGING

‘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

START LICENSING

Start Licensing are an award winning Licensing Agent who represent companies such as Aardman Animations, Britvic Soft Drinks and The Ashmolean Museum as a Licensing Agent.

They also offer Licensing Consultancy services.

Consultancy clients have included Channel 4, The Royal Mail, The National Gallery and Rebellion Publishing.

Start Licensing are experts in licensing. Combining a strategic approach with commercial acumen and creative vision.

For more information and to have an initial chat please call

Ian Downes on 07776 228454 or email ian@startlicensing.co.uk

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