2022 anniversaries and milestones

It’s a huge year for anniversaries in the licensing world in 2022. LSB chats to just some of the brands honouring key milestones to find out what they have planned to mark the occasion.

Aardman’s Shaun hits 15

Some 26 years ago, we first met Shaun the Sheep in Wallace & Gromit’s A Close Shave and in March 2022, Aardman is marking 15 years since the character took centre stage in his own TV show which now spans 170 territories, with six series (170 episodes), two TV specials and two movies. After a busy Christmas – which saw the character appear in many key broadcasters’ schedules with The Flight Before Christmas, as well as starring in the festive windows at Fenwick – this year will see the release of the new Shaun the Sheep Augmented Reality trails, a first collaboration with V&A for the Chinese market and a global programme of activity with Woolmark. The Shaun the Sheep Circus Show launches at the Sydney Myer Bowl in Melbourne, followed by dates in Sydney ahead of a UK tour, while a Shaun the Sheep Flock this Way exhibition will launch in partnership with the Minnesota Children’s Museum and the on-board tie-up with P&O will continue on its new ship, Iona. “We will use the anniversary to keep the love flowing for the world’s favourite sheep through our global communities, while we continue to develop fun, contemporary products for all the family,” Rob

Goodchild, commercial director at Aardman,

explains to LSB. “Shaun the Sheep has always been a big priority for Aardman’s creative teams and despite all the content that has been produced, there are still many ideas flowing through the studio. “As a concept, it is grounded in nature and we are now actively looking to partner with licensees,

brands and live events partners to encourage The birthday brigade sustainability under Shaun the Sheep’s ‘One Farm’ banner, this year focusing on ‘fun with food’ as a theme.” Alongside all of this, Aardman will also be kicking off activity in Q4 to mark Wallace & Gromit: The Wrong Trousers turning 30 in 2023.

Preschool perfection

WildBrain will be celebrating 25 years of Teletubbies and 15 years of In the Night Garden this year, with a host of activity on the cards for both brands. A year-long celebration is being created for Teletubbies which, explains Michael Riley, Above & below: A host chief brands officer, will “tie-in of activity will be marking the Teletubbies to our DNA of silliness, and In the Night Garden anniversaries. campy humour and diversity, which will bring joy across fashion, art and music for both parents and Gen Z alike. Teletubbies will be the brand that turns the mundane into something delightfully unexpected and fun.” The celebrations will kick off with experiential events in the US and UK around Teletubbies Day on 31 March. Activity will continue throughout the year including events and partnerships around Pride Month and New York Fashion Week. WildBrain and WildBrain CPLG will also be working

Many hoppy returns

Throughout 2022, Penguin Random House will be celebrating 120 years of Peter Rabbit – and it’s shaping up to be one busy year. “The World of Peter Rabbit will come to life this year in a multitude of new and exciting ways,” says Izzy Richardson,

global owned brands director at

Penguin Random House Children’s. Activity kicks off in February with the Above: Experiential activations will be among the activity launch of the Share the Love campaign, while in spring there will be a taking place around the 120th birthday of Peter Rabbit. purpose-driven PR and digital campaign, working with new partners and ambassadors in the outdoors space. Peter Rabbit’s role as children’s ambassador for the Queen’s Green Canopy will also see the character supporting celebratory, Jubilee tree planting initiatives during the summer. This will be complemented by a ‘Picnic for Peter’ drive, with themed birthday picnic parties supported by a celebrity chef ambassador who will help to inspire families to create some Peter Rabbit-themed foodie fun. Licensing wise, Penguin Ventures has confirmed a programme of new experiential activations in the UK, offering families immersive events across the year. These include a Peter Rabbit Story Time Trial launching in March and touring libraries and gallery spaces across the country. A new deal with children’s party entertainer, Captain Fantastic, will see themed entertainment parties launching combining party games, magic and Peter’s trademark mischief. A new stage production – Happy Birthday Peter Rabbit – will also be launching at the World of Beatrix Potter attraction in the Lake District. “We are always exploring opportunities to bring The World of Peter Rabbit to life, to reach family audiences in new and surprising ways,” comments Susan Bolsover, global licensing and consumer products director at Penguin Ventures. “From immersive world-building experiences, brand collaborations, digital and social content, licensed products and publishing, the contemporary consumer is always at the heart of our offering.” In addition, the company will also be commemorating ten years of The Snowman and The Snowdog, as well as 40 years of the original The Snowman animation, with more information to follow from The World of the Snowman.

with current partners and new collaborators on product ranges that will be available throughout the year. Discussing the secret to the property’s longevity, Michael says: “As a brand that’s embedded in pop culture and inspires love and optimism, the Teletubbies represent diversity, silliness and big hugs throughout our marketing efforts to both Gen Z and parents. The Teletubbies characters are each uniquely creative with a diversity of colours, styles and playful personalities, and invite and encourage everyone to be themselves and celebrate kindness.” In the Night Garden, meanwhile, will see UK toy partner, Golden Bear, celebrating its anniversary all year long with dedicated in-store signage and call outs on packaging. New product offerings will again be created with both existing and potential new licensees. Michael continues: “The In the Night Garden brand continues to be an important part of children’s bedtime and naptime routine. The series remains a top UK show and has maintained its coveted CBeebies bedtime slot. The brand is also hugely popular on YouTube, where it’s managed by WildBrain Spark, and achieved an average of 15 million monthly views on the platform in 2021.”

E.T. takes flight at 40

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial forever altered the pop culture landscape when it was released in June 1982, with Steven Spielberg widely considered to be at his creative best. “Interestingly, the original film was one of the first global blockbusters to leverage consumer product tie-ins and the new campaign will be Above: E.T. is an “outstanding example” of great replete with content being timeless, says Universal’s Paul Bufton. nostalgic references,” says Paul Bufton, vp EMEA at Universal Brand Development. To mark 40 years of the classic, a curated mix of special screenings, new consumer products, digital and social media campaigns, as well as unique retail activations will aim to capture the magic and the timeless appeal of the movie. UK licensees on board include Poetic Brands, Crib Star, Sleep No More, Fashion UK, Danilo, Pyramid, Posh Paws, RMS and Nobel. Across EMEA, Mini Rodini, Difuzed, LPP and TOMY have confirmed, while global partners include Mattel, Fisher-Price, Funko, Wow Stuff and Ravensburger. “Great content is timeless and E.T. the Extra Terrestrial is an outstanding example of this,” Paul continues. “It is simply a masterpiece and through universal themes of trust, courage and friendship, it still invokes a strong connection and reaction from global audiences.

40 years of Caring

“Personally, I love working on a brand that I remember from my own childhood,” says Sophie Yates, licensing executive at Bulldog Licensing, when asked what it means to be working on a brand with such heritage as Care Bears. “There have been numerous looks and styles of the bears over the years, but the rainbow colours, main characters and their unique belly badges are still instantly recognisable. “The core messages and heart of the brand remains, and I think that is what has given it the longevity.” Marking 40 years in 2022, Sophie promises that the anniversary will be a true celebration of the brand. Existing UK licensees are busy developing product for the anniversary and beyond, while Sophie explains that there are a number of special collaborations planned across fashion and food. An anniversary logo has also been created for licensees to use on product launching this year, while new style guides will help to give products and exclusive feel. “A new bear – Care-A-Lot – features in some of these guides,” says Sophie. “She’s the very first bear to exist in the magical Kingdom of Caring, and she possesses the most magic of all the Care Bears. Her belly badge depicts the Care-A-Lot Castle being illuminated with a beautiful rainbow – keep an eye out for products featuring her.” As for further growth for the brand, as well as adult softlines, Sophie points out that Care Bears will see expansion in other categories including accessories, home, stationery and a substantial gifting range. Growth is also being predicted in the kids and baby markets, with Care Bears: Unlock the Magic already a favourite on Pop and Tiny Pop, while the series of 46 original Care Bears: Unlock the Music available on YouTube is bringing the brand straight to today’s children. On top of this, the Basic Fun range continues its growth in the toy aisle.

Above: New style guides have been created, along with an anniversary logo.

Blonde bombshell

First released in 2001, Legally Blonde quickly became something of a pop culture phenomenon, leading to a series of films – Legally Blonde 2: Red, White and Blonde in 2003 and a 2009 direct to DVD spin off, Legally Blondes. The first two movies grossed $266 million at the global box office. In addition, Legally Blonde: The Musical premiered in 2007 in San Francisco, opening in New York later that year. Legally Blonde 3 is planned for release next year, with Reese Witherspoon reprising her role as Elle Woods.

“The Legally Blonde Turns 21 licensing celebration is built around the movie’s key tenets - empowerment, education, humour and pink fashion, of course,” says Robert Marick, evp global consumer products and experiences at MGM. “We have some exciting licensees on board, such as Olympia Le Tan, Park Agencies and Funko and will also be launching a movie-themed concert tour later this year to celebrate the fun music of this widely loved franchise.” In addition, the first ever Legally Blonde mobile game will launch this year, combining puzzle and choice-based narrative mechanics with the empowering themes and positive messages of the films. “There is also a brand new style guide featuring special artwork and anniversary logo branding for licensees to draw inspiration from during the milestone year,” adds Robert. “Elle Woods has become a symbol of women’s empowerment and hope. She is a pop culture and style icon and one of the most quotable movie characters of all time. Those values will always resonate with audiences, young and old, and provide a real feelgood factor.”

Below: Robocop continues to be seen as one of the best action films of all time.

“Your move, creep!”

Since the first film in 1987, the satirical sci-fi thriller Robocop - known for explosive action and smart-mouthed one-liners - has been celebrated by fans and critics. Robocop’s success launched a massive franchise with three film sequels, a live-action and animated television series, video games, books, ‘inspired-by’ media campaigns and comics. The four films grossed over $350 million at the worldwide box office. It continues to have a global presence and reach with on-going programmes in the US, UK, Japan, China and the Nordics. A lead property in MGM’s sci-fi portfolio, 35th anniversary plans for Robocop are expected to be fully revealed soon. “Expect to see an expansion of our highly successful licensing programme for the iconic property within the realms of gaming, merchandising and more,” says MGM’s Robert Marick. A new style guide has been created for licensees to draw inspiration from, including artwork from pop cultural Japanese art styles, character art and a wide range of icons, patterns and logos. Robert continues: “MGM will be celebrating the 35th anniversary in a big way with 35+ licensees spanning apparel and accessories, toy and collectables, publishing and partworks, gift and novelty, plus interactive with partners in the US, Europe, Latin America and Asia. “Robocop continues to be seen as one of the best action films of all time and it is supported by a global community of hardcore fans. From kick-starter campaigns to viral fan-made remakes and interpretive artwork, fans express their love of Robocop across the digital space and in pop culture.”

Star gazing

Hit television series Stargate SG-1 turns 25 this year, having launched three years after the film premiered and was the longest running sci-fi TV programme. “Stargate SG-1 has been the first introduction for many fans into the Stargate universe,” says MGM’s Robert Marick. “Stargate has become a

cultural

phenomenon, capturing the imaginations of sci-fi lovers and inspiring legions of fans around the world. The Stargate Above: Stargate SG-1 is the franchise includes three TV first introduction for many fans into the universe. series, three films, an animated series and a web series. More than 56 million Stargate DVDs have been sold, as well. Living well beyond the screen Stargate has found its way into games, comic books, trading cards and more.” Robert explains that MGM will be leaning into the gaming category for the property with recent launches including Stargate: Timekeepers and Astrokings x Stargate. In addition, the company also collaborated with Hero Collectors for an official line of Stargate ship collectables. “Stargate and the beloved television series Stargate SG-1 are supported by incredible storytelling and compelling characters that new generations of fans enjoy engaging with. The themes of the franchise and TV series feel timeless and relevant to viewers no matter when they first become acquainted with the storyline,” Robert concludes.

Left: Robert Marick, evp global consumer products and experiences, MGM.