Licensing Source Book Summer 2021 by Max Publishing: Print, Digital Media + Events (London)

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SUMMER 2021

Lifestyle

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Sports Merchandise & Licensing Show

S M L S

Monday 11 October 2021 Stamford Bridge

Visit our website or contact us for information on exhibiting or visiting.

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Leader

Inset: (Left to right) LSB’s Jakki Brown, Rob Willis, Samantha Loveday and Ian Hyder.

book shows that demand for their product is s we passed the half way mark of 2021, clearly there and the outlook is positive, however, the licensing business seems to have once again, it is factors beyond their control settled into the steady rhythm of its new which are having a huge effect on getting ‘normal’. The re-opening of non-essential retail product on to shelves. and the end of restrictions was warmly welcomed From a Licensing Source Book point of view, the from all quarters and feelings on navigating the second half of 2021 sees a return of our live events – new landscape, while still challenging, are our sister title, Progressive Greetings, kicked things cautiously optimistic. off in July with the successful return of the PG Live Indeed, a number of the licensees, licensors and trade show and it’s full steam ahead for The agents that LSB spoke to for this issue reported Licensing Awards in September and the B&LLAs in ‘surprisingly’ strong starts to the year and there is October. You can check out the finalists on pages definite positivity going into the second half. As 46-51 and 66-77 respectively. one licensee told us, Covid took away the It’s also encouraging that plans for Brand opportunity for people to do many things, but Licensing Europe are continuing apace and, in not the demand to do so. more good news, the popular character Shipping has become the biggest talking point – parade will be back. Another tick in the lack of containers and significantly inflated WITH ‘normality’ box. prices are putting pressure on margins for THIS ISSUE: It goes without saying that we licensees across all categories. Licensees The Point.1888 Special cannot wait for the industry to be are encouraging customers to place orders Publication & back together again, celebrating early and many confirmed to us that they Celebrating 30 years of Sonic the everything that, collectively, we’ve are exploring all opportunities and Hedgehog Special been able to achieve during a period of possibilities with their supply chains to Publication such disruption. And that doesn’t seem ensure stock is in place for the key Q4 period. that far away at all now. Stock this season is clearly going to be king, The LSB team and one apparel licensee voiced their Samantha Loveday, Jakki Brown, Ian Hyder, frustrations that, in effect, they’re in a similar Rob Willis. position to this time a year ago – a bumper order

Samantha Loveday - Editor Ian Hyder - Joint Managing Director Jakki Brown - Joint Managing Director and Editorial Director Rob Willis - Publishing Director Tel: 020 7700 6740 E-mail: hello@max-publishing.co.uk Copyright 2021. 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.

PUBLISHERS OF

ISSN 25158643.

@licensingsource

LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

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CONTENTS

What’s Inside? 8-11

State of the Nation: Corporate

14-17

Licensee Feedback – Half time report

18-19

Kids Insights

22-23

Retail Round-up

24-27

Licensor Feedback - hopes for the remainder of 2021

28-29

The Big Interview: Guru Studio

30-31

Trend Focus: The 1990s

34-35

SILC21 – the key takeaways from this year’s sustainability 66-77

conference 36-39 40-43 44-45

Awards 2021: The Finalists

Fashion UK Global Licensing’s European growth

Brand & Lifestyle Licensing

80-81

The Big Interview: English Heritage

World in motion – an international view of the industry

84-85

State of the Nation: Sports

In Conversation With… Rainbow

88-121

The Licensees’ Showcase

Group 46-51

The Licensing Awards 2021: The Finalists

52-53

In Conversation With… Abysse 55-57 Event Focus: Licensing Expo Virtual 60-63

State of the Nation: Brands

LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

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STATE OF THE NATION: CORPORATE

Deal makers Inset: The new trend packs will allow TfL to move into new categories.

The great British summer is in full swing and the licensing business is embracing the second half of 2021. LSB takes a look at some of the latest activity.

TfL drives ahead

BBC Studios reorganises licensing team BBC Studios has confirmed several changes within its licensing team following the departure of Rikesh Desai, the company’s licensing director for UK & EMEA. Mandy Thwaites, director of magazines, will take on additional responsibility for the merchandising team, and Mat Way, global director of live entertainment will now also lead the gaming and interactive team. Both will continue to report to Stephen Davies, BBC Studios’ managing director of consumer products and licensing. “Rikesh has been a driving force behind our merchandise and gaming licensing activity for the last few years and he generated a significant amount of new business and growth for the company, the recent ground-breaking Doctor Who game releases and

LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

Transport for London has launched an updated core style guide and four new trend packs as part of its continued engagement with the licensing industry. The new creative was launched at a special TfL London Lines event, which showcased the many ways TfL and global licensing agent TSBA have worked with licensing partners to take TfL’s rich archive and use it across product categories, showing how brands and licensees can be part of TfL’s future. The new trend packs draw on assets taken from TfL’s more than 150-year history. While the Underground roundels and tube map continue to be prominent, moquette seat patterns and station architecture also take centre stage. The new packs are named New Iconic, Fashion Forward, New Classic and On the Move. TfL is keen to see new brand partners blend its heritage with the brand’s future, using the colours and themes to inspire new takes on classic iconography and designs. “TSBA developed a licensing strategy for the brand which these new trend packs support, allowing the brand to move into new sectors of the market including homewares and home décor, and products for cycling, walking and wellbeing,” said Jo Edwards, head of global licensing at TSBA Group.

the tidal wave of Bluey merchandise deals to name a few,” commented Stephen. “It’s fair to say that he has left those businesses in terrific shape.” “I am delighted that Mandy and Mat have agreed to take on additional responsibilities. [They] both bring passion, energy and commercial nous to carry on the excellent work taking place across the consumer products and licensing division here at BBC Studios.” Above: Mat Way and Mandy Thwaites have both taken on additional responsibilities.

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STATE OF THE NATION: CORPORATE Below: A collection of lighting products with NBCUniversal are among Fizz’s new launches.

DPI eyes further growth

Fizzing with opportunity Ambitious Fizz Creations has launched 12 new licensed ranges so far in 2021, which has seen it take a huge leap forward with its licensing ambitions. Among the new additions is a collection of lighting products with NBCUniversal for films including Minions, Trolls, Back to the Future, E.T and JAWS. A summer gifting range for Where’s Wally? includes a 500ml double-walled metal water bottle, a heat changing mug and a three-piece dinner set, plus a trio of games and puzzles. In addition, the licensee is helping Sonic the Hedgehog celebrate his 30th anniversary this year with a new range of gifting and lighting which is due to arrive in the autumn. “Each and every one of our team has pulled together in a phenomenal manner to bring together our biggest launch of licensed product to date,” said Lawrence Boon, md of Fizz Creations.

Drew Pearson International is aiming to become the one-stop-shop for all types of licensed headwear and accessories. The company’s sales director, Michael Ball, told LSB that, despite the pandemic, it has been an exciting year at DPI. “We have taken on some great new, talented people in design, sales management and administration, all with a wealth of experience in the headwear and accessories business,” he said. “We have added three new factories to our existing manufacturing base as well as new customers, exciting new licences and new product categories.” DPI has partnered with Hasbro in the headwear and accessories category, while it has also signed with Xbox for headwear and from spring 2022 it will be the exclusive licensee for sports and lifestyle brand Patrick. Other new signings include Hey Duggee, CoComelon, Blippi, Team GB and Battersea Dogs & Cats Home. Michael continued: “We are known for our expertise in headwear, but we also have sunglasses and bag factories and a wealth of design experience for all categories that we hope to introduce to our key retail partners in the very near future. “We want licensors to think of Drew Pearson International first when they are considering the right partner to work with on new licences - a trusted partner who will not only be able to develop exciting and innovative new products and ideas, but will reliably deliver them to retail and accommodate every buying team’s requirements.” Above: It’s been a strong 2021 for DPI so far.

Recycle to Read boosted HarperCollins has joined forces with Wastebuster on its toy and tech recycling programme, Recycle to Read. The campaign aims to develop a UK wide infrastructure for the recycling of hard to recycle plastics and engage children in environmental education by showing them the value of their old and unwanted toys. Phase one of the programme, which is currently in the pilot stage, will see toy and tech take back collections organised in schools throughout the UK. HarperCollins will be rewarding participating schools with a hand-picked list of fiction and non-fiction selected for the Recycle to Read campaign. Books from the Collins, Farshore and HarperCollins Children’s Books imprints are included, all available at 30% less than RRP for all schools collecting old toys and tech in exchange for vouchers to pay for books. “It’s fantastic to be able to announce that the Recycle to Read campaign will be working with HarperCollins to reward schools with books for their participation in the scheme,” said Katy Newnham, founder of Wastebuster. “We are now looking forward to inviting the toy industry to join us on the next phase of this exciting journey, to help give children the tools and mindset to work towards a more sustainable future.”

Below: HarperCollins is rewarding schools taking part in toy and tech take back collections.

LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

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STATE OF THE NATION: CORPORATE Inset: Nivo Management will operate as a standalone business.

Nivo Management debuts MDR Brand Management has launched a global esports and interactive entertainment division, NIVO Management. Operating as a standalone business, NIVO Management is currently working on three strategic platforms: representing elite professionals in contract negotiations; developing bespoke strategies to maximise brand opportunities, including sponsorship and endorsement deals; and providing holistic management support utilising an extensive network of specialist advisors – from nutritionists and performance coaches to private client and legal expertise. The business has been set up in response to the growing demand for player centric management that is transparent, and free from conflicts of interest. NIVO represents players across a wide portfolio of games including Valorant and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO), who will have access to MDR Brand Management’s global network of brands and commercial relationships. NIVO also consults for brands looking to enter the strategic esports market. NIVO is headed by Tom Murray, a lawyer within the Sports Group and Esports Group at Mishcon de Reya, working closely with MDR Brand Management ceo, Daniel Avener. Inset: New designs feature Matilda and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

Oasis blooms with RHS The RHS has revealed a new partnership with British fashion brand Oasis, with the exclusive limited edition 27-piece collection of contemporary women’s apparel celebrating the joys of nature and horticulture. Using imagery from the RHS Lindley Collections, the Oasis design team worked closely with the RHS to select and adapt a handful of the most striking drawings. The team then re-sketched the chosen images by hand, incorporating these prints into a new collection that it describes as ‘full of romance and timeless appeal’. The 27-piece collection includes 11 prints in all. The styles include maxi dresses featuring classic magnolias or bold multi-coloured blooms; corseted midi dresses and tailored separates featuring unique bird prints; and bohoInset: The new collection inspired pieces. is ‘full of romance’.

Bing is London Zoo bound Acamar Films is teaming up with ZSL London Zoo, further growing the presence of its Bing brand in the live events and experiential sector. ZSL London Zoo will host a variety of themed activities, free to its visitors, from 20 September to 31 October 2021. These include interactive storytime sessions throughout the day where young children can join Bing and Flop in learning about animals, with fun actions for them to join in with. Inset: The ZSL London There will also be a Zoo partnership includes themed self-led Activity Trail around an activity trail. the zoo which features a series of clues and interactive activities at each station, plus a character photo opportunity at the end.

Roald Dahl back at M&S The Roald Dahl Story Company is continuing its successful collaboration on childrenswear with Marks & Spencer. A new collection features popular characters from Matilda and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, with items including sweatshirts, t-shirts, jeans, dresses and pyjamas. “Whether wondering what to read next like Matilda or dreaming of winning a golden ticket like Charlie – we know how much children enjoy immersing themselves in the worlds of Roald Dahl stories, and we’re delighted that now they can wear their favourite characters too,” commented Rebecca French, senior licensing manager at The Roald Dahl Story Company.

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STATE OF THE NATION: CORPORATE

All dressed up

The Point.1888 expansion continues

Above and below: The Point.1888 has welcomed a raft of recent new hires.

The Point.1888 has completed the expansion of its marketing division, while also welcoming new hires across its commercial, retail, product development and finance teams. The ambitious agency has appointed Chris Brinkworth as marketing manager, who will be supporting director of marketing, Sarah Crimes. In addition, Andrea Inglis (account manager) and Sophie Loader (junior marketing executive) are also on board, joining Sarah, plus head of partnerships Martin McLaughlin and marketing executive, Ellen Fazakerley. Meanwhile Rosanna Cousins brings with her several years’ of buyer experience at John Lewis and Harrods as the agency’s newest retail manager, reporting to head of retail and sport, Hannah Stevens. Sophie Fennessy joins as senior PD executive; Naomi Serradimigni will focus on the health and beauty categories as the company’s new senior commercial executive; Max Pilcher joins from ViacomCBS as commercial executive, reporting to senior commercial manager of soft goods, Becky Langer; while Mia Wakeling joins as finance assistant.

WildBrain CPLG has secured a deal for British contemporary artist, Charlotte Posner with UK fashion brand, Never Fully Dressed. The summer collection features Charlotte’s hand drawn illustrations – including peace and love signs – across classic satin style dresses, a wrap top, Jaspre skirt and an organic t-shirt. “With their use of vibrant colours and versatile styles, Never Fully Dressed is the ideal partner to kick off our design-led licensing programme for Charlotte Posner,” said Jennifer Gould, brand and retail manager at WildBrain CPLG. Lucy Aylen, founder of Never Fully Dressed, added: “The Never Fully Dressed x Charlotte Posner collaboration was born in 2020, a year where we were in some lights starved of creativity, fashion and fun. Charlotte’s fun prints offer escapism featuring extravagant, glamorous scenes showcased through her beautiful art.” Above: The range features Charlotte’s hand drawn illustrations.

Pokémon heads to Harrods The Pokémon Company International has taken over Harrods’ toy floor for a month of activity, as part of its 25th anniversary. The branded area is in the toy department on the store’s fourth floor, featuring digital screens and displays themed with 24 first partner Pokémon from all eight Pokémon regions, along with the iconic Pikachu. A variety of themed activities will further enhance the experience. The monthlong pop-up features a wide range of Pokémon product across toys, the Pokémon Trading Card Game (TCG), stationery and accessories. Alongside toys from Jazwares distributed by Character Options, there are lamps from Teknofun, bespoke prints from GB eye, collectables from Wand Company and bags, backpacks and wallets from Difuzed. As well as the latest Pokémon TCG expansion, Shining Fates, fans can discover the unique board game Pokémon TCG Battle Academy. “As consumers return to shops, we wanted to provide an uplifting Pokémon experience to thrill and excite Pokémon’s many fans of all ages, so we are delighted to be returning to Harrods’ iconic store for a special 25th anniversary pop-up,” said Mathieu Galante, licensing director EMEA at The Pokémon Company International. Right: Pikachu will be taking over Harrods for a month. LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

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LICENSEE FEEDBACK

Half time report Now that we are over half way through 2021, LSB catches up with a selection of licensees to find out how the year has been for them so far, their big challenges and successes and the hopes they have for the remainder of the year.

Toby Davies, commercial director, Steamforged Games “Brexit took a toll on the speed we could get goods out to customers and that had a real knock on effect on their ability to re-order. I’m pleased to say we opened up a hub in the Netherlands mid June and we’re now able to deliver even better customer service to our EU trade partners Inset: Steamforged is in a good spot than pre-Brexit. heading into the Our biggest success in 2021 was second half of 2021, the Monster Hunter (licensed from says Toby. Capcom) Kickstarter in April, one of the largest of the year so far with a whopping £3.4 million. We’re in a good spot going into the second half as we had already factored much of the above in our budget and have some very exciting products launching in the next six months. I don’t think we’ll need to go into extra time to deliver decent YOY growth.”

Below: Stock this season is clearly going to be king, says Anthony.

Anthony Duckworth, md, Dreamtex “We’ve had a surprisingly great start to 2021 launching several really strong ranges into the market place. Xbox and Liverpool FC in particular have been incredible and these have bucked the market trend for sales in a period which is usually fairly flat. Non-essential retail opening has added to the strong supermarket and online business that carried us through the pandemic and given us a strong platform for AW21. Stock this season is clearly going to be king as shipping rates become more challenging, but we have found that by working in partnership with our customers, solutions can be found to ensure the consumer is not disappointed. We need to be fully focused on delivering our new ranges for this autumn and spring 2022 which includes BT21, Bluey and Among Us. Issues surrounding delivery schedules and extended factory lead-times remain prevalent as we investigate all solutions to try and keep production on time.”

Dan Grant, licensing director, Danilo “Given the massive challenges that everyone faced last year, Danilo actually ended the year in a healthy position. However there are still many challenges ahead as we move through the rest of 2021. Shipping has become the biggest talking point with the lack of containers and massively inflated prices putting pressure on margins. The welcome return of high street stores has been a relief. We also hope to see a much higher number of calendar stores open in 2021 to help drive distribution and sales across Q3 and Q4 this year following a tough end to 2020. We are positive about the rest of 2021 and expect the business to perform beyond the levels we experienced in 2019 when the business was showing good growth.”

Left: Dan says that Danilo is positive about the rest of 2021. LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

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LICENSEE FEEDBACK

Michael Ball, sales director, Drew Pearson International (Europe)

Above: DPI has remained flexible, says Michael.

“2021 has continued to throw moveable goals into our path and the business has had to be flexible to react quickly to changes. It has been great to see retail stores finally opening and trading again, while online retail has been key during the lockdown period and we will continue to develop this business further. The major supermarkets are still trading well in our product area, although pressure on price is, as always, a constant. Many retailers are ramping up the change to sustainable materials and our supply base has been able to react to this well. The sharp and continued increase in freight costs has put further pressure throughout the supply chain. We are working hard with our shipping department to minimise the impact, but there is no getting away from the effect this has already had on margins and shipments.”

Ben Lowe, account manager, Roy Lowe & Sons “Thankfully for us, demand for socks has remained strong throughout the period, and with the reopening of all bricks and mortar, we are seeing signs of a strong recovery for our business. Sales through our online channels have leapt to new heights, and we have increased our investment in these areas to support further growth. Gifting has been a key focus for us for a few years now, with last year’s B&LLA for our Kellogg’s Above: Ben says that Roy has been busy cereal box socks testament to Lowe building its gifting offer. our team’s efforts in this area. Through Roy’s Boys we have been able to bring families together with our matching sock gifting ranges which has been great to see. The addition of our baby and toddler leggings, personalised PJs, greetings cards and personalised gift messages has added real value to our online offer.”

Mel Beer, licensing director EMEA, Amscan “With all those postponed social gatherings now being scheduled in and all of Above: The launch of its sustainable costume portfolio has been a great those missed special achievement for Amscan, says Mel. occasions of last year, we’re expecting a long summer full of celebrations. We’re not sure there’s any place where Brexit wouldn’t have been a shock to the system given the ease of trading with the EU for so many years. However, we had spent the previous 12 months preparing for this situation, so we found ourselves fortunately better prepared than a lot of businesses. Even so with this preparation in place there had been many additional processes which we had to successfully navigate through to ensure continuity of supply to our valued customers. This is combined with the cost of distribution increasing and the need to ensure we carefully consider greater lead times. One of our greatest achievements has been being first to launch our sustainable costume portfolio, which after a seasonal trial, sees Warner Bros. licensed designs and classic themes added to the mix for this year.”

Hollie-Ann Robinson, marketing manager, Dennicci “The continued uncertainty has been difficult for many during the past 12 months. The whole supply chain has been affected, from the mills with their ever rising yarn prices through to freight and haulage shortages driving up prices, we’ve worked harder than ever alongside our suppliers, to provide a service that we are proud of in these circumstances. With the majority of our customers being grocers that have remained opened, we’ve managed to succeed through the pandemic and come out the other side with their support. The key for us as a group is ensuring we are forward thinking; the pandemic has changed how we have worked and we will continue to adapt as we return to some kind of normal. We hope to continue the year on a positive note, building upon our ever-growing relationships with our key partners, licensors and retailers.” Right: Dennicci will continue to adapt, says Hollie. LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

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LICENSEE FEEDBACK

Faye Rashad, design and licensing manager, Misirli “It’s certainly been a tough 18 months with a stop-start feeling. However, business has been fantastic, the team have and Above: Misirli is continue to work hard to play catch predicting a strong close of up from retailers been closed and year, says Faye. teams furloughed, securing some great business across all product categories both on licence and own brand. Containers are a challenge as ports are bottle necking, but the merchandise team is working hard to ensure we deliver. We are predicting a strong close of year with success on a number of new brands alongside our ever growing own brand generic business.”

Elliott Peckett, director, Smiffys “One of the main challenges we have faced in the first half of 2021 is rising freight costs and container shortages – container prices have increased over tenfold compared to previous years and delayed deliveries from China continue to affect stock availability. However, we’re combatting this by Above: Smiffys’ encouraging our customers to place Elliott is feeling very orders early for key events such as positive going into the second half of Halloween to ensure they have the year. stock coverage. The start of 2021 was tough for the industry and our high street customers in particular due to being closed for so long. Since reopening however, the positivity we’ve seen from our customers has been the uplift we’ve all needed after a hard year. Overall, we are feeling very positive going into the second half of 2021 as Covid restrictions look set to be lifted. Covid has taken away the opportunity to celebrate and dress up, not the demand to do so.”

Julie Jones, md, Redan Publishing “The children’s magazine market has held up well, especially as parents were looking for things to entertain Above: Children’s magazines their children with during the being under the spotlight for second home schooling period. plastic covermount toys has been another challenge, Despite strong sales, it has says Julie. been a particularly challenging time. We all know that shipping has been in a very unstable position. In a lot of cases, we’ve had to adjust our schedules and on sale dates, and move some covermounts around. Children’s magazines have also been under the spotlight for the plastic covermount toys, so we have spent a lot of time reassuring our retailers and licensors that we have already made great leaps to become more sustainable where both our packaging and toy covermounts are concerned and that we are continually researching and developing new ideas for more sustainable covermounts.”

Tim Kilby, brand and ecommerce director, Character World “2021 has had its fair share of challenges for everybody in the industry. We are working hard with our supply chain and retail partners to ensure we have stock availability, especially for the key Christmas period this year. Despite all this Character World is having a good year. Our core licensed business has grown with retailers in UK and Europe, we have launched some new innovative products in the wellness category and finally our licensed portfolio is Above: Tim says that Character World’s core licensed business strong across all key has grown with retailers in the demographics.” UK and Europe.

Livy Coare, licensing and marketing manager, H&A “Our new kids’ licensed signings including Super Mario, Batman and Crayola have given us a fantastic start to the year, adding to our already market-leading portfolio of Disney, Marvel, Warner Bros. and L.O.L. Surprise. Rising freight costs remain a big challenge for us, as with many other businesses, however we are very much weathering the storm and our expert relationships have enabled us to tackle this issue head on. H&A’s commitment to environmental change has meant that our packaging is now 100% recyclable, and we have also eradicated the use of PVC materials and successfully removed all plastic tags. With our gift 2021 ranges confirmed, we feel confident in delivering yet another successful year for our brands.”

Above: Rising freight costs are a challenge, says H&A’s Livy. LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

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LICENSEE FEEDBACK

Matt Reynolds, md, Little Brother Books “2021 has been a phenomenal year so far for us at Little Brother Books. However, we have experienced the same challenges as most in regards to unprecedented Above: Matt says rises in cost of goods, material LBB’s wins have availability and transport issues. outweighed its challenges. We have great relationships with all our suppliers, so we have worked with them to minimise the risks as much as possible. We understand they are in an equally challenging, so compromise and positive partnerships are the only way forward. However I am glad to say, our wins have definitely outweighed our challenges this year. 2021 is highly likely to be our biggest year to date at LBB with over one million copies printed for our Christmas season alone.”

Sue Stanley, licensing director, Brands In “2021 is shaping up to be a great year for us. It’s not been without a few challenges, but in general we’ve come through the global pandemic relatively Above: Neither the shipping or pricing challenges can be unscathed. We secured several resolved quickly, says Sue. new retail partners due to last year’s seismic shift of consumers purchasing clothing online, in addition to the up-lift in print on demand, which we were already focusing on as a growth area for the business. Two major new retail partners are on-boarding as we speak and this will be announced very shortly, and bring exciting opportunities for the business in the UK; in Europe we’re continuing to grow our distribution, particularly with the extension of our current licences. Our main challenges six months into 2021 have been shipping and pricing, neither of which can be resolved quickly, unfortunately. However, we ride these storms, as all businesses will have to do, but at the same time we are seeing there are some really great opportunities out there and we are keen to capture all of them over the coming months.”

Lawrence Boon, md, Fizz Creations “We took a huge leap forward in 2021 – launching 12 new licensed ranges from the iconic movies such as JAWS, E.T. and Back to the Future, right through to character fun with Above: Fizz Creations has a huge leap forward Minions, Trolls and Peter Rabbit taken this year, says Lawrence. and leading gaming titles such as Tetris and Sonic. Creativity and collaboration are at the core of Fizz; it’s what helps us design and develop awardwinning product so really, one of the biggest challenges is that we have had to work remotely. That said, while it has been our greatest challenge, it has equally been our greatest achievement – each and every one of our team has pulled together in a phenomenal manner to bring together our biggest launch of licensed product to date.”

Rob Broadhurst, sales and licensing, Aykroyd & Sons “As we navigated our way through the first half of this year, delivering on an extremely strong SS21 programme and building our biggest ever AW order book, the outlook was extremely positive, but tinged with caution due to the ever growing noise around container availability and prices – especially as we are still predominantly a landed supplier, which ironically is usually a strategic advantage for us and our retail partners. So far we are trying to manage/mitigate this in collaboration with our retailers, but it’s proving somewhat difficult as the situation is so volatile. In essence we won’t know until the end of the season what the actual impact has been. In effect we are sat in a similar position to where we were this time a year ago – the demand is clearly there for licensed apparel, our order book is testament to this, and the outlook is still clearly positive but we once again find that factors beyond our control are having a huge effect on getting product on to shelves to satisfy that demand.” Right: There is ever growing noise around container availability and prices, says Rob.

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Inset: Bluey peaked as the favourite TV show with 4-6s in April. Bottom: Bluey now encompasses the top five most requested CBeebies’ episodes on iPlayer.

THE INSIGHTS FAMILY RESEARCH

Strength in linear The Insights Family finds that, while linear TV may be facing fierce competition from streaming services such as Netflix, Amazon Prime and Disney+, traditional TV still holds a prominent role in children’s lives in the UK.

ith kids’ digital ecosystems becoming increasingly fragmented, linear TV has faced fierce competition from the likes of Netflix, Amazon Prime and Disney+ as more and more kids turn to streaming platforms for their entertainment. However, traditional TV still holds a prominent role in children’s lives. 15% of 3-18 year old kids in the UK have reported watching more linear TV than YouTube, Netflix, or Amazon Prime in the last three months. Although, +26% more have reported this since March 2021, indicative of the growing trend. Kids Insights data highlights that 3-5s (16%) and 10-12s (17%) are the age group most likely to watch more of this type of content since March this year.

LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

Something Blue Since launching in the UK, BBC Studios’ Bluey has achieved overarching success. Our data identifies 4-6 year olds as the sweet spot for the show, whereby among this demographic in April 2021, the TV show peaked as the favourite (5.4%). This coincides with the release of Bluey onto CBeebies in April, which ranks as the most watched channel of 4-6s. The show now also encompasses the top five most requested CBeebies’ episodes on BBC iPlayer. With the linear launch resulting in Bluey obtaining its most popular month ever, this is suggestive of the ongoing success of linear TV. Brands can utilise this to their advantage

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THE INSIGHTS FAMILY RESEARCH Inset: ITV has recently predicted a summertime ad spend boom on the back of the return of shows including Love Island.

through advertising and marketing strategies, as TV retains the title as the location in which kids in the UK are most likely to report seeing their favourite advert (40%). Among preschoolers, this increases to 42%, highlighting the lucrativeness of engaging these kids through traditional means of advertising. The popularity of linear TV is not subjected to the very youngest kids however. ITV has recently predicted a summertime boom in ad spend, with revenue increases of as much as +90% expected year on year. This comes on the back of the return of the European Championships, as well as hit show Love Island, airing on ITV2. Analysing historical Kids Insights data, we can determine an increase in ITV2 viewership at the time of the 2019 and 2020 Love Island series.

What this means to you Kid’s ecosystems become increasingly digitalised as they get older, suggesting to brands that the optimal audience to target linear TV related licensing and merchandise is at 3-9 years old. Hit shows and sporting events can successfully drive older kids back to consuming traditional TV. For brands, while TV still holds a prominent role, brands must retain cross-platform integration within their marketing as the digital lives of kids become increasingly fragmented. This includes the coverage of linear TV, VOD platforms and apps alike. The Insights Family has just released a brand new tool, the IP Index which enables brand owners, brand partners and retailers to identify the performance of their IP in relation to thousands of others, across multiple media types. With a score from 0-100, the IP Index shows the most popular characters and related purchase intent. The tool provides data to identify new partners, spot opportunities, benchmark properties, and engage stakeholders with independent data.

The postponement of several popular events and series over the last year is likely to result in higher than average ratings as kids, tweens and teens seek content they haven’t been able to engage with for a year. Left: The kids’ digital ecosystem is increasingly fragmented, but traditional TV still holds a prominent role in children’s lives.

The Insights Family is the global leader in kids, parents and family market intelligence, providing real-time data on their attitudes, behaviour, and consumption patterns. Every year the company surveys more than 362,100 kids and more than 176,800 parents. To learn more about IP Index and to get freemium access to The Insights Family real-time data portal, please visit: https://get.theinsightsfamily.com/ipindex..

LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

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Get in touch to join the celebrations, which include new product, partnerships, experiential, special edition comic, and year-long marketing and PR support.

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RETAIL ROUND-UP

Sales force Inset: The collection launched earlier this summer in Next stores and online. Right: The exclusive range includes 43 pieces including crop tops and tees.

Since the re-opening of ‘non essential’ stores in the UK in April, bricks and mortar retailers have been busy making up for lost time. And from a licensing point of view, the collaborations, partnerships and launches are continuing apace, both on the high street and online. LSB rounds up some of the latest news.

Next collaborates with Morris & Co Next is currently enjoying success with a new collection that it designed and created exclusively with the Morris & Co brand. The range comprises womenswear, menswear and childrenswear and features an ornate selection of iconic Morris & Co patterns, including Golden Lily, Pink & Rose, Sunflower and Honeysuckle & Tulip. “Morris & Co.’s iconic designs have truly stood the test of time, experiencing an enduring appeal which has continued for 160 years,” commented Claire Vallis, creative director at Morris & Co. “We’re absolutely thrilled to partner with Next, paying homage to William Morris’ own ethic of sharing great design as widely as possible. The joy of working with Next has been in bringing the brand to new audiences, reinventing favourite designs for Next’s well-established market position.”

ISAWITFIRST welcomes Clueless Online fast fashion retailer ISAWITFIRST is heading back to the 1990s, launching loungewear and nightwear celebrating Clueless. The exclusive 43-piece collection includes a range of pyjamas, crop tops and t-shirts, all featuring scenes from the film and bold prints, as well as the ‘totally clueless’ slogan. The launch follows on from the success the retailer enjoyed earlier this year with its Mean Girls collection, another movie from the ViacomCBS stable. “We are so excited to be launching our Clueless collection because we’ve seen first-hand from our shoppers that the demand for these collaborations is high, especially following the success of our Mean Girls and Hello Kitty launches,” commented Leanne Holmes, brand director at ISAWITFIRST.

Tu clothing sales ‘ahead of expectations’ Sainsbury’s is enjoying strong sales for its Tu clothing brand, with the grocer confirming it is running ‘ahead of expectations’. In its Q1 trading statement for the 16 weeks to 26 June, year on year sales for Tu were up 57.6% and full price sales were up 95%. Clothing sales were also 15.5% up on the equivalent period in pre-pandemic 2019. Sainsbury’s also reported strong growth in seasonal and womenswear ranges, gaining market share on both a value and volume basis. Total Q1 year on year retail sales (excluding fuel) increased by 1.6%, and were up 10.3% on 2019.

LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

Inset: Year on year sales for Tu were up 57.6% in Sainsbury’s Q1 trading statement.

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RETAIL ROUND-UP

H&M shows artistic side

Inset: The deal with H&M was secured via licensing agent Artestar. Below: The launch of the range was backed by a host of promotional activity. Below right: Primark sales reached £1.6 billion in the 16 weeks to 19 June.

H&M is continuing to collaborate with a variety of brands, with its latest being a menswear collection featuring prints from US pop art specialist, Keith Haring, via licensing agent Artestar. The Keith Haring x H&M streetwear range includes men’s hoodies, t-shirts, an oversized denim jacket and shorts, featuring some of the artist’s most recognisable artworks. The cartoon style illustrations can be found across apparel and accessories including a reversible bucket hat, a shoulder bag and trainers. Underwear and socks are also part of the collection. The marketing campaign was shot on location at the famous ‘Crack is Wack’ mural in East Harlem along New York’s FDR Drive.

Primark’s successful re-opening

Good sports Online retailer Character.com has launched its new Peppa Pig x Team GB collection. The line – which include t-shirts and outfit sets – aims to showcase the spirit of Team GB and the Olympics, while adding the fun and playfulness of Peppa Pig. Character.com worked closely with Hasbro to create the range, explained buying director, Karen Hewitt. “We’re so excited to launch our Peppa Pig x Team GB range,” she commented. “Working alongside our partners at Hasbro, as well as Team GB, we’ve been able to launch a range that really captures the spirit of the Olympics, and will hopefully inspire kids to get active.” The product launch was backed with a host of promotional activity including a special email campaign, a website takeover for Peppa Pig, a bespoke video and social media.

Selfridges celebrates Factory Records Fans and fashionistas alike can get their hands on a whole range of products celebrating Factory Records exclusively at Selfridges. In the early days, Factory was not just a record label but an ad-hoc, holistic enterprise that included posters, records, cassettes, films, concepts and concerts. Each of these was given its own individual FAC catalogue number starting with FAC1, Peter Saville’s first poster for the Factory Club in June 1978.

There’s been good news from fast fashion retailer and major licensing industry supporter, Primark, reporting that revenues had soared to £1.6 billion since re-opening. The easing of lockdown restrictions meant that the retailer put in a better than expected Q3 performance. It confirmed that sales in its value retail business in the 16 weeks to 19 June reached £1.6 billion. This compares to £600,000 in sales which were recorded in the same period last year. In addition, Primark’s like-for-like sales grew 3% on a two-year basis in the quarter. Parent company AB Foods also said that a number of new sales records were set in Primark stores, reflecting an increase in both consumer confidence and a willingness to spend. However, it did sound a note of caution, saying that volatility remained high and performance did vary from region to region depending on the levels of Covid-19 restrictions in place.

Warner Music Artist Services has collaborated with high-end fashion designers and homeware partners – including Palm Angels, Softcore, Raf Simons, Stain Shade, Bang & Olufsen, Cedar Lifestyle, MJB and Umbro – to delve into and reinterpret this iconic artwork. Merchandise includes t-shirts and scented candles (inspired by Joy Division’s Unknown Pleasures and New Order’s Power, Corruption & Lies), plus skateboards, homeware and fashion.

Above: Candles inspired by Joy Division and New Order albums are included in the range.

LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

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LICENSOR FEEDBACK

Hot Property LSB catches up with a number of brand owners to find out how 2021 has been so far, their views on the retail environment and the challenges and positives as we enter the second half of the year. Left: Spidey and his Amazing Friends is the first full-length Marvel series for preschoolers. Below: Paul Gitter, svp third party commercialisation for Marvel 20CS & ESPN, Consumer Products, The Walt Disney Company.

“We see retailers coming out stronger” “Our Marvel franchises have had a really positive first half of 2021,” Paul Gitter, svp third party commercialisation for Marvel 20CS & ESPN, consumer products, The Walt Disney Company, tells LSB. “A great example is our recent content on Disney+, which has fuelled tremendous opportunity and significantly broadened our audience reach to fans, families and beyond. “WandaVision, Falcon and the Winter Soldier and Loki have all amassed incredible buzz and new, dedicated fan bases have driven demand for inspired product lines across toys, collectables, softlines and home décor. It is so exciting to see how consumers are really gravitating towards, and celebrating our product lines.” The company has also been busy targeting the next generation of Marvel fans, with Spidey and his Amazing Friends launching in August on Disney Junior and later on Disney+, marking the first full-length Marvel series for preschoolers. “From a Marvel perspective, the appeal of our characters for licensees continues to grow,” Paul continues. “It has been a challenging 18 months for many, and our brand, with its legacy of creating amazing content that brings fans and families closer together brings inspiration and resilience. Our characters are known for often triumphing against the odds, leading to millions of highly engaged fans who seek out our products around the world. Their stories seem more

LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

pertinent today, than ever before.” Paul also sees more positivity when it comes to the health of the retail environment. “Covid definitely had an impact on retail due to widespread enforced closures of physical stores and the resulting focus and acceleration of ecommerce,” he says. “With a return to normal, we see retailers coming out stronger, and gravitating to established evergreen brands like Disney and Marvel with exciting and innovative retail marketing to welcome back shoppers. For Marvel in particular, we’re already seeing consumers purchasing our lines at a healthy rate at their favourite ecommerce sites and brick and mortar shopping destinations.” Paul is confident the positive momentum will continue into 2022 and beyond. “Our strategy for Marvel is all about character equity: who they are, what they stand for and how they connect with audiences. We want our licensing partners to connect their brand with the core attributes of Marvel’s characters, such as performance, strength and durability, as a way to differentiate their products on retail shelves. “Over the coming months, we plan to continue to add to our roster of partners in hardlines, softlines and consumables, as well as celebrate our upcoming theatrical releases including Black Widow, Shang-Chi, The Eternals and new Disney+ content in a big way across all of our retail and product collaborations. We are expecting the remainder of 2021 to be fairly strong, setting the stage for positive momentum into 2022 and beyond,” he concludes.

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LICENSOR FEEDBACK

“We continue to believe in what we have” Daryl Shute, brand director at Magic Light Pictures, believes that there are multiple macro factors that will shape the coming year. “Physical and mental, health, social habits, travel patterns and how financially stability for both individuals and the economy will have a role to play as we emerge from the past 18 months,” he says. “In light of this we have proceeded with caution and continue to believe in what we have. The Gruffalo is a cherished and trusted brand that has grown steadily year on year from the beginning. The real opportunity is to continue to build as a universe of characters under The Gruffalo brand family and incrementally grown shelf space with key retail partners. “We’re also working on our new preschool series so bringing new partners on board and announcing signings of Pip and Posy licensees will be a real focus.” Daryl adds that, despite putting “a red line” through last year’s budget in March 2020, Magic Light’s licensing business ended the year pretty much on the original figures. It also saw growth of +35% YOY in some categories and its apparel DTRs held position. The fact that the industry is seriously looking at the sustainability of products and making achievable steps with measurable changes is also something which Daryl believes has advanced in the past 12 months. He concludes: “The collective demand for action is now a real conversation happening across multiple global organisations which could lead to the significant change that is urgently needed.”

Right: Daryl says that Magic Light Pictures has seen growth of +35% YOY in some categories.

Above: Consumer appetite for live experiences remains high, says Stephen.

“Live events continue to carry challenges” “In spite of a challenging retail environment, we have seen strong performance across our portfolio of much-loved brands and licensed products,” begins Stephen Davies, md for consumer products and licensing at BBC Studios. Merchandise for hit preschool series, Bluey is hitting shelves and the company has renewed deals for Hey Duggee with MV Sport, HTI, Golden Bear, Fiddes Payne, Dennicci/Blues Clothing and Kinnerton. In addition, the partnership with Teemil for BBC Earth is continuing, while for Doctor Who, a new game – The Edge of Reality – plus immersive experience Doctor Who: Time Fracture are among the recent highlights. Stephen also says that the company has witnessed viewers falling back in love with physical discs and home entertainment during the pandemic, which is benefiting nostalgic shows such as Fawlty Towers and Only Fools and Horses. Stephen continues: “Live events continue to carry challenges. Clearly there are multiple moving parts, and where there has been so much uncertainty, it’s been challenging to optimise timings and all the other elements that go into creating live experiences. We’ve had to make some difficult decisions, particularly with indoor live shows where social distancing capacities have made productions unviable, and we feel strongly that quality shouldn’t suffer. Thankfully, consumer appetite for live experiences remains high, and we’re already starting to see strong results as events start to move closer to normality.” As well as Doctor Who: Time Fracture, CBeebies Land and Hotel is open again, Question of Sport Live is in theatres later this year, while Seven Worlds One Planet in Concert is scheduled for December as is Countryfile Christmas in the Park.

LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

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LICENSOR FEEDBACK

“We need to ensure we are where our consumer expects us to be” “For our licensing business, we have overcome many challenges,” begins Helen Genia, senior manager, consumer products at Mattel. “The continued lockdowns have affected many categories, but particularly party, dress-up and apparel. But since stores have opened, we have seen a return to health with apparel set to be in growth by the end of the year. Other categories have been very robust, so it has been a real mixed bag.” Helen says that she has been heartened to see how everyone across all sectors has pivoted to adapt to new agile working conditions, adding that Mattel is fortunate to have “great partners that have continued to push the boundaries”. “Just to name a few, our Very and SkinnyDip partnerships with Barbie continue to bring freshness to both our kid and adult fans. Our arts and crafts partnerships are delivering to our consumer needs, while publishing remains a cornerstone of our beloved Thomas & Friends franchise, where Above: Helen believes that the we are also innovating with new formats.” product Mattel is bringing to market is the best it has seen. From a hardlines perspective, Helen admits that, like so many other companies, things are challenging with cost increases in raw materials and worldwide shortage on IC chips, to the “ludicrous” cost increases in freight from the Far East or containers simply not being available. “We are fortunate that some categories can be airfreighted due to size and that others are coming from other regions across the globe,” she says. There are positives, too, however: “We are privileged to be in a position where our business is buoyant. The product that we are bringing to market is the best we have seen, due to the laser focus we have on our development, ensuring that we deliver best in class product to meet the demands of our consumers, allowing them to deepen their relationships through relevant brand extensions,” Helen concludes.

“There is light at the end of the tunnel” things are moving in the second half of 2021 as 2021 has already seen Boat Rocker Studios’ we continue to collectively work to come out the parent company, Boat Rocker Media, go other side of the pandemic. public, and Caroline High, director of “We have lots of positives to keep licensing, says it is now in “an us cheerful. We’ve been ideal position” to pursue a absolutely delighted by the range of expansion initiatives. reaction to Dino Ranch, both from New preschool series, Dino its young audience and Ranch, launched in the UK in commercial partners. Its straightApril on Disney+, and the out-of-the-gate ratings success is licensing programme is very exciting and testament to the growing with the introduction hard work and passion that has of Global Brands Group, gone into the project over the last Character World, Immediate couple of years. We’re also really Media and Ravensburger. They looking forward to celebrating the join existing partners Jazwares 40th anniversary of the world’s and Scholastic. Meanwhile, greatest secret agent, Danger Love Monster will see new Mouse, and have some exciting content launch at Christmas in activity planned, including a range the UK and Australia, and The of special 40th anniversary Next Step is continuing with its Above: Boat Rocker has lots of positives merchandise from a host of successful partnership with to look forward to, says Caroline. licensees, and showcasing 40 Pineapple Studios among original classic episodes on the other activity. Danger Mouse YouTube channel starting in “Overall, things are improving and there is September. We’re also thrilled to have new light at the end of the tunnel,” says Caroline, content on the horizon for Love Monster, with its discussing the challenges brought about by the second series coming early next year.” pandemic. “We’re confident in the direction

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LICENSOR FEEDBACK

“Nostalgia remains an important global trend” Hasbro has been busy working on a variety of location-based experiences including the August opening of Monopoly Lifesized in London. My Little Pony: A New Generation will premiere on Netflix in September and several softlines deals are in motion including Morgan Lane, Alex Woo and a capsule collection at Rue 21 stores. The company has also deepened its relationship with Reebok following its successful Power Rangers collaboration with upcoming launches for Peppa Pig and PJ Masks. “Early in the pandemic we were quick to pivot to a digital-first approach, working with ecommerce partners and enhancing our capabilities in the space - and we think those new strategies will continue to benefit us as the world returns to a new normal,” Claire Gilchrist, vp consumer products at Hasbro explains. She continues: “Like many industries, we have been challenged by container shortages and shipping delays and have been working closely with our licensees and retailers to manage. It is also difficult to forecast inventory needs accurately as consumers return to a new normal, so we have put more resources toward inventory management. “Another challenge has been to smartly navigate the highly competitive pipeline of delayed theatrical releases and tentpole events. We’re working closely with our partners and retailers to support them through delays, and drive consumer demand and engagement for the launches.” However, Claire is also keen to point out the positives: “Also, with optimism for a post-pandemic world, we’re finding that many of our retail partners are already seeing strong licensing growth and great momentum as we enter the second half of the

year and plan for 2022. There continues to be a strong demand for our beloved franchise brands across our portfolio. As consumers seek comfort during these uncertain times, it’s no surprise that nostalgia remains an important global trend that we continue to tap into.” Above: Claire Gilchrist, vp, Hasbro Consumer Products AMPAC. Below: Nostalgic brands, such as My Little Pony, will remain key going forward.

LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

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THE BIG INTERVIEW: GURU STUDIOS

Inset: True and the Rainbow Kingdom is proving popular on Tiny Pop in the UK.

True colours Guru Studio’s bright new preschool show, True and the Rainbow Kingdom, is already making waves in the UK, with its themes of kindness and compassion resonating with today’s young audience. LSB catches up with the Torontobased studio to find out more about the show and its licensing plans, as well as what else it has in its locker for 2021 and beyond.

ver the course of its 20-year history, Guru Studio has been involved with the production of numerous high profile series, but over the last few years in particular it’s been making significant in-roads with new original IP. True and the Rainbow Kingdom, having enjoyed a successful launch on Netflix, is now making waves on Tiny Pop in the UK, while new series Pikwik Pack is due to premiere on the channel this autumn, with bRAND-WARD looking after the licensing and merchandising for both in the UK. “In terms of licensing, True and the Rainbow Kingdom is leading the way,” Jonathan Abraham, vp of sales and business development at Guru Studio, tells LSB. “After a very successful launch on Netflix we’re seeing the show generate Inset and far right: Jonathan Abraham, vp of sales and business extremely strong ratings development, and Frank Falcone, president and executive creative as it airs on linear director, Guru Studio.

LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

television around the world. It’s very quickly becoming a top show with broadcasters and kids.” The licensing programme for the show kicked off in the US and Canada, with licensees including Chouette, Bendon, Aurora World and Spirit Halloween, while earlier this year the studio confirmed the appointment of United Smile as the exclusive master toy partner. It will be partnering with key companies in local markets for distribution, with Bandai picking up the mantle in the UK and Spain. In addition, Fashion UK Global Licensing is launching clothing and accessories, Aykroyds and TDP will be developing nightwear, Roy Lowe is on board for hosiery, Imagine8 is creating fashion and hair accessories, Smiffys has dress-up and Warner Music Group has launched a line-up of albums and songs based on the property. This has already had over five million streams on Spotify since the launch of the first album, True Tunes. “True and the Rainbow Kingdom is uniquely positioned as a colourful, vibrant preschool property with a core message that empowers children to be mindful, compassionate and respectful of all living things,” says Jonathan. “As a hero, True doesn’t wield a sword or wave a

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THE BIG INTERVIEW: GURU STUDIOS

wand, but it’s her kindness and compassion that makes her aspirational for boys and girls everywhere. Now more than ever, we’re seeing these themes really resonate with kids and their parents all over the world.” He continues: “As a show inspired by pop artists, we’ve been able to harness the brightness and vibrancy of the Rainbow Kingdom into our product offerings, creating a line look that really stands out online and on shelf.” As well as True, interest is also beginning to build in the UK for Pikwik Pack, while next year will see the arrival of new comedy adventure series, Big Blue, which follows sibling underwater adventurers Lettie and Lemo who lead a quirky submarine crew with a magical ocean fairy stowaway named Bacon Berry. Guru moved swiftly to keep its productions on track during the pandemic, explains Frank

Falcone, president and executive creative director at the studio, investing in IT infrastructure which also meant growth could continue in areas such as licensing, creative partnerships and development of new IP. “Thanks to our incredible leadership and the flexibility and hard work of our staff, we’ve been producing and delivering animation at the same rate as we were pre-pandemic,” says Frank. When it comes to Inset: Warner Music Group has had over further growth, five million streams on Spotify since the Jonathan points out launch of the first that being platformalbum, True Tunes. agnostic is becoming a top priority. “We’re also finding ourselves increasingly looking for unique content partnerships,” Jonathan concludes. “For example, our development team is actively working on a new IP in partnership with a leading toy company. Our studio is very busy and focused on meeting the growing demand, and we’re actively pursuing opportunities for new content and licensing partnerships.”

All about Guru Studio Toronto-based Guru Studio was founded and is led by president and executive creative director, Frank Falcone, and celebrated its 20th anniversary last year. “Over the last few years, our studio has experienced tremendous growth developing new, original IP,” says Frank. “We’re now in the fifth year of True and the Rainbow Kingdom and after a successful launch on Netflix, it’s very quickly become a top rated show on Tiny Pop in the UK. Building on that success, they’ve now acquired our newest series Pikwik Pack, which launched on Disney Junior US and Hulu last year, and is set to premiere on Tiny Pop this autumn.” On the partnerships front, the company has been tasked with bringing to life Dino Daycare for Netflix and is also in production on a new series with Sesame Workshop called Mecha Builders, the first animated spin off of Sesame Street for HBO Max. On top of this, Guru is in production on the eighth season of PAW Patrol for Spin Master and Nickelodeon. Over the course of the studio’s 20-year history it has brought to life a range of 2D and 3D shows such as Dino Paws for CBeebies UK and Treehouse in Canada, plus Mattel’s Ever After High, with the studio having now grown to over 400 artists. Frank continues: “Our aim is to continue being a world leader in storytelling for kids and find the best creative talent to bring these stories to life.” Right: United Smile is on board as the exclusive master toy partner, with Bandai distributing the range in the UK. LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

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TREND FOCUS: THE 1990S

Inset: 1990s favourites such as Jurassic Park and Rugrats are among TruffleShuffle’s top sellers.

Design of a decade

It was the decade defined by Brit Pop, New Labour and the emergence of new technology, as well as a host of movies, music and brands which are still having an impact on our lives today. LSB takes a trip back to the 1990s and finds out how it is continuing to influence licensing and merchandising programmes.

Popular products have been directly related to the lockdowns we have all experienced, with Lucy confirming that loungewear and nightwear, along with bags, t-shirts and sweats are all selling well. Lucy continues: “We have a strong and engaged following in their 20s, right through to well into he last decade of the 20th century was a their 40s. Many of this demographic will remember pivotal period in pop culture. From Brit the 90s licences first hand and will always Pop to New Labour, the rise of the appreciate their nostalgic appeal, plus the resupermodels to Dolly the sheep, the runs and new movies/series launches 1990s was a decade which ushered in targeting the younger customers spreads new technology, new leadership and a the reach. Therefore, we definitely intend to host of entertainment brands which launch plenty more 90s/00s product over are still hugely popular in 2021. the coming months. There is a sizable and While the retro vibe of the 1980s is still broad market out there, already keen, with us, it’s the 1990s which is now the ready and waiting to see the next go-to decade for fashion inspiration, new and unique offering for these TV and movie nostalgia and trend90s brands.” led creativity. For Groovy Chick – the brand “90s themed product has really introduced on hand printed t-shirts been performing well for us for the in the early part of the decade past few years,” Lucy Cornish, from Bang on The Door – the buyer at TruffleShuffle, tells LSB. arrival of a new organic cotton t“Our customers love a bit of nostalgia, shirt range on Asos from Daisy even more so over this past year. Street last September, catapulted Disney movies such as Hercules, it back into the spotlight, with the Hocus Pocus, Nightmare Before launch trending on Twitter. Christmas and Toy Story, bands such “Original fans were genuinely as Oasis and Nirvana, along with films Inset: The Groovy Chick organic cotton t-shirt delighted to see Groovy Chick like Jurassic Park and Clueless have range from Daisy Street landed on Asos in again and it started a lot of been selling well for us. Also toy brands September 2020, with the nostalgic conversations between like Care Bears and My Little Pony.” launch trending on Twitter.

LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

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TREND FOCUS: THE 1990S

Inset: Classics 1990s sitcom Seinfeld has been celebrated with a LEGO Ideas set. Below: Beavis and Butt-Head are one of the 1990s brands included in the Tommy Hilfiger ‘Blast from the Past’ capsule.

old friends,” says Andrew Levy at Licensingpages, the licensing agent for the brand. The bright, bold prints were made with bleach-free cotton and printed with water-based inks, and Andrew says the company has gone back to that ethos and is working with licensees to ensure product is as eco-conscious as possible. Misirli has produced Groovy Chick socks in organic cotton with FSC-approved cardboard headers, while Aykroyds TDP will be selling organic cotton pyjamas and casual wear. A new range of toiletries is also due to launch later this year. Andrew continues: “Everyone is looking for an element of calm and security in their lives and remembering brands they loved when they were younger is part of that process. You know what you are going to get with a Groovy Chick range. I think it is the hand drawing, humour and bright, bold colours. She’s always been considered wholesome, safe and evokes happy memories. The designs somehow remain fresh and appealing. Those equities endure.” One of the most high profile pop culture collaborations this year has been between fashion brand Tommy Hilfiger and ViacomCBS Consumer Products. The ‘Blast from the Past’ capsule features iconic characters and logos from Nickelodeon and MTV including Beavis and Butt-Head, MTV and Ren & Stimpy.

Big in the Nineties At the cinema: From Fight Club to Pulp Fiction, charismatic Chianti drinking serial killers to loveable slackers, the 1990s was a golden time at the box office. Just some of the big name blockbusters we flocked to watch on the big screen included Casino, Titanic, Swingers, The Shawshank Redemption, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, There’s Something About Mary, Schindler's List, Wayne’s World, Jurassic Park, Clueless, Scream, Seven, Toy Story, The Matrix and The Silence of the Lambs. On the small screen: It was the decade that we fell in love with Friends, Frasier and Seinfeld, introduced us to Will Smith in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, aliens became cool thanks to Mulder and Scully and vampires were slayed by Buffy. Saturday nights were given over to Baywatch, Beverly Hills, 90210 and Gladiators, while ER gave us George Clooney and Blossom introduced us to Mayim Bialik. In the charts: Singles boomed in the 90s, with every style of music represented in the charts at any given time in the decade. From Brit Pop to boy bands, grunge to girl groups, reggae to Euro pop, with even Teletubbies getting in on the action. Thank you for the music Oasis, Spice Girls, Blur, Take That, Pulp, Nirvana, Shaggy, Celine Dion, Mariah, All Saints, Boyzone, Hanson and many more.

“We’re always looking to partner with some of the brands that have made the biggest impact through a nostalgic lens, and Tommy Hilfiger has undoubtedly been a force in the fashion business for decades,” explains Jose Castro, svp licensing collaborations and specialty retail at ViacomCBS. “Nostalgia isn’t a trend, it’s here to stay, not just in fashion but in our everyday lives. With everything especially heightened this past year, there is a sense of security and comfort we feel from remembering simpler times. When people look at these trends – fashion, home décor, movies, reboots – all of this is about having a moment of innocence and fun.” LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

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SILC 2021

Inset: Significant gains have already been made by the licensing industry since SILC20, says Helena.

Transforming the industry Following the second successful Sustainability in Licensing Conference in June, Helena Mansell-Stopher, founder of Products of Change and conference director of SILC, looks back at the two-day event and how the licensing industry is continuing to work towards a more sustainable future.

sit down to write this piece at a hotel in Battle, a small town in East Sussex that houses the broadcasting studio where we have just wrapped up the final day of the Sustainability in Licensing Conference 2021. I had thought I would be in a swanky London bar celebrating our first physical SILC with the amazing individuals that were due to attend, but alas that was not to be due to Covid. However, I do sit here reflecting with great pride on the amazing journey and progress the industry has made over the last two years. During SILC20 only 22% of the audience were aware of the 17 sustainable development goals. Fast forward to SILC21 and 75% of attendees now have a team dedicated to driving sustainable practices within their business, and a further 73% were aware of the up and coming packaging and extended producer responsibility tax (EPR) due in April 2022 and 2023.

LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

At the heart of our industry is the brands we represent, with the latest McKinsey study stating that 86% of consumers feel that it’s the responsibility of business to build sustainable products. This was a key priority for us to highlight during the conference and we were so lucky to learn how Hubbub, an impact marketing agency, brought to life the latest food waste campaign with Tesco and the wonderful Lagom initiative with Ikea.

Toy momentum We are also seeing great momentum in the toy space, with the top three global toy companies committing to reducing their packaging, committing to 100% renewable energy, to reduce waste to landfill, to source more sustainable plastics (recycled or sustainably sourced bio-based). Zuru revealed plans during the conference to make its two largest global brands - Mini Brands and Mini Toys - to be 100% virgin plastic free through certified, traceable recycled plastic. Co-founder and ceo, Anna Mowbray stated that the move will prevent an estimated 180 tonnes of virgin plastics from entering the environment and will match the recent environmental moves made across its wildly popular Bunch O Balloons brand. Combined, the latest measures will prevent around 3,000 tonnes of virgin plastics from entering the environment.

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LEGO followed by Inset: ustwo got players thinking about nature highlighting its first to through its game, Alba. market LEGO Replay (reuse) Below: Hubbub brought to the latest food waste initiative, the trialling of paper life campaign with Tesco. packaging in its core product, as well as being the first major toy company to commit to sciencebased targets and the first to join the United Nations Global Compact. Outside of the vertical toy business, LEGO presented the strategic framework to influence sustainable change through its licensed arm, showcasing the sustainable packaging guide and work achieved so far to gain transparency across this area of business.

Gaming gains

Retail viewpoints Attending the conference was a collection of key retail partners including Tesco which brilliantly conveyed its strategic targets, Character.com showcasing the reduction in single use plastic and packaging achieved over the last year, George at Asda sharing the future technologies it is trialling to reduce waste impact and Dayrize, the new sustainability ecommerce platform dedicated to sustainable consumption. I know that we have a mountain to climb with only 2% of factories globally committing to sustainability standards as stated by Julia Redman of Buyers Eye. We have a long way to go in embedding circular economic principles and gaining transparency across the full value chain within the industry too, but I am extremely optimistic as the transformation has definitely begun. Throughout 2021, the Products of Change community will continue the amazing work achieved so far by the territory and category ambassador leads. An industry wide legal framework to provide parity within our licensing agreements is due to be released in September, while our packaging recommendation framework is also in the works to help small and medium sized businesses. The POC community is working on many other solutions for the industry and would love to open up the invitation for others to come and join this group of change makers on this transitional journey.

The conversation continued with a look at the impact the video games industry can have on positive environmental outcomes. “Games has a huge power to inspire,” said Daniel Wood, strategic projects lead at video games trade body, UKie, with the industry already showcasing some of its impact initiatives. Jane Campbell, studio operations lead at ustwo games, explained how the company aimed to tackle in-game action and inspiration and get people thinking about nature through its game Alba, which launched in December 2020. “We wanted to take the impact we’re making in the game into the outside eco-system and use Alba as a platform to take action in the real world and help make it different,” she said. To this end, ustwo worked on Alba’s Forest with Ecologi which Jane describes as becoming its “most impactful, most ambitious call to action”. For every copy of the game, which was bought or downloaded, ustwo pledged to plant one tree, with an overall target of one million trees. The company is already over halfway to achieving this goal, with the total currently standing at around 730,000 trees. Looking at the bigger picture there is land available globally to the size of the United States, that if we were to use this land to plant trees it would remove 70% of the carbon released into the atmosphere since the industrial revolution. Imagine if as an industry we planted more trees, what positive impact this could make!

Please contact helena@productsofchange.com or visit the hub at productsofchange.com for more information. You can also follow the industry’s transformation across social media. www.facebook.com/productsofchangeglobal twitter.com/products_change www.instagram.com/poc.global www.linkedin.com/company/37057347/admin

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FASHION UK GLOBAL LICENSING’S EUROPEAN GROWTH

High fashion Ambitious apparel licensee, Fashion UK Global Licensing has been steadily building up its pan-European network for a number of years. Now, as well as its HQ in the UK, it has operations in Germany, France, Iberia, Nordics, CEE and Benelux and continues to explore new markets. LSB finds out more.

Inset: Gaming licences have been performing strongly across all territories.

“The teams vary depending on the remit and the size of the markets – but it’s about the quality of our staff, not just the number,” he explains when discussing the size of the teams in each territory. “We have opted for the best in class in each marketplace. “Brexit has made us even more determined to make our panEuropean footprint even stronger. We want to continue to be ver the past three years, recognised now as the leading Fashion UK Global European licensee, offer impeccable Licensing has made some service to all of our excellent major steps in its goal of becoming customers and licensors and to a true pan-European licensee. continue team confidence.” As well as its UK office in Leicester, Top: Gurdev and Fellow md, Mickey Mattu, points out Mickey Mattu (Above) the apparel specialist now has want Fashion UK that a benefit of having a local presence Global Licensing to be operations in Spain, France, Belgium, means that the company can regularly accessible in all Netherlands, Germany, Poland, markets for brand meet all of its customers. The long-term owners and retailers. Romania and Italy… and UK md, goal, he says, is continued growth: “we Gurdev Mattu, tells LSB that the company is want to be accessible in all markets for brand continually exploring new markets. owners and retailers alike.”

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FASHION UK GLOBAL LICENSING’S EUROPEAN GROWTH

Madalena Mexia, sales manager, Iberia “We are growing across Iberia and working with best in class retailers. Evergreen licences do very well for us – gaming continues to be strong, while we are also seeing growth in anime licences. Our team in Spain consists of three designers, two account managers, two agents and three merchandisers. Local representation is so important to build our relationships and keep the customers interested and motivated. By the end of 2021 we want to be the number one licensee!” Right: Gaming and anime licences are strong in Iberia, says Madalena.

Ingrid Wojcik, sales manager, Benelux Inset: Marvel characters remain a key part of the licensee’s portfolio.

“Business has been challenging in general over the past 12 months, but stores are now re-opening and there is an appetite for licences, with gaming being a top performer. We opened the Benelux office in December 2020. Our team is extremely experienced: Isabelle Above: It’s really Delahaye worked in Benelux for important to have years in very well-known licensing representation on the companies as a design and sales ground, says Ingrid manager and I have been in the licensing industry for more than 15 years. It’s really important to have representation on the ground. Isabelle and myself are from Lille. We know Belgium and Netherlands very well. Each territory has its specificities. Benelux covers three territories (Belgium, Netherlands and Switzerland) with three different languages. The retailer landscape has its specificity: less mid-tiers and more high range and hard discounter stores. When permitted, it’s also important to be able to meet our customers and our licensors. Even if the meetings are on Zoom or Teams, they are really helpful and efficient – but people are missing meeting up in person.”

Frank Sandoebes, md, Germany “In a year with a lot of extremes, we have seen some great expansion in Europe and within the countries in Europe. A great creative team, paired with a ‘quality first’ approach is well received with existing and new customers. We have seen top performing licences in two different areas - classics are still strong, and we have seen a massive growth in all gaming licences. This trend only got stronger during the pandemic and lockdown. We started our European journey in 2018 with the founding of Fashion UK Germany. In 2020 an office in Poland was opened and in 2021 we just opened our permanent premises in Paris, France and in Barcelona, Spain. Next to the offices in Europe, we’ve also established local sourcing offices in China, Bangladesh and Turkey, while we still run our office in India. Local contact and being next to our customer are key for our service approach. Understanding the market and supporting the needs of local customers is important to us. Running everything from the UK would not have the same detail as being part of the market. Local contact, understanding the market, great creativity and quality first - this is what is driving us and we believe that with great service we can support our customers across Europe.” Right: Local contact is key, says Frank.

LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

17-19 NOVEMBER 2021 ExCeL London

BRAND LICENSING EUROPE RETURNS WITH NEW DATES AND FORMAT Join the licensing community for an in-person event from 1719 November at ExCeL London, followed by an online event on 30th November - 1st December.

FIND OUT MORE AT www.brandlicensing.eu

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FASHION UK GLOBAL LICENSING’S EUROPEAN GROWTH

Ewa Sawicka, sales manager, Nordics “The business has been very strong for us despite the pandemic and we continue with our expansion in the Nordics. The region comprises of four retail markets - Finland, Norway, Sweden and Denmark - each with their very unique needs. Some retailers seem to be more adventurous than others, and are having great success in trying a new licence or bringing to life smaller or currently less popular properties. However, we can actually see a lot of similarities across the region in regards to licence demand. Having said that, licences like Disney, Warner Bros. and Universal are always successful to us. Not to mention about key gaming licences, like Minecraft, Xbox, Nintendo, Fortnite just to name a few. It is fascinating to be able to offer specifically tailored designs to meet customer expectations and show the market difference. Our long-term strategy remains the same - we want to grow within our existing customers and continue to be their preferred licence partner. It is extremely important to us to have this dialogue with our retailers and to bring them valuable ideas and creative. This automatically leads to so many new opportunities. We are also talking to new customers and trying to expand our retail portfolio in Nordics.”

Eric Scemama, sales manager, France “We officially opened in January 2021, with a dedicated sales team of four people with more than 30 years experience in the industry. Our customers are already up and running, with more coming on board each week. Fashion UK Global Above: Each country has a different Licensing’s focus, strategy and DNA, says Eric strategy is to develop each country on the long-term run. The success of a country is to balance the company’s DNA (designs, licence strategy, service) with a dedicated team delivering a personal service to each customer. Communication and customisation are key - we need to have a daily basis contact with local office to provide the best service to our customers. Each country has a different focus, strategy and DNA. In general, the European market trend is moving in the same direction, but each customer has their own agenda in terms of timings, needs and speed. By the end of 2021, we would like to be a strategic and dedicated partner to the top three to four main customers in France, Germany, Eastern Europe and Spain. We would like to build dedicated teams for each of the customers in terms of design, communication, production and services.”

Above: Expansion continues in the Nordics, says Ewa.

Inset: Evergreen brands like Peppa Pig are still strong.

Ziv Shraiber, sales manager, CEE “We have two offices - one in Poland and one in Hungary – with a total team of five people, taking care of ten different countries in the region including Russia. We have also built a special stock programme (DOD) to be able to support the smaller retailers that have problems to meet production MOQ, and as well to support online retailers. The reason it is important to have local offices is because in each country there is not only language differences, but also mentality differences and in order to develop the business relations it is better with local people. As well from the practice side, all the technical aspects are in the local language, which make things easier if you are local. Some licences are strong in all countries and some are very local. The licensing business is dynamic and trends change all the time – right now, gaming licences are the strongest category.” Left: The CEE team takes care of ten different countries, says Ziv.

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AN INTERNATIONAL VIEW

While different territories are grappling with different levels of restrictions due to the pandemic, there are some universal challenges which unite us all. LSB catches up with some licensors and agents outside of the UK to find out how the first half of 2021 has been in their respective territories.

World in motion

hile our travel wanderlust hasn’t been able to be sated over the last 18 months, the global nature of the licensing business – and the proliferation of Zoom and Teams – has meant that we’ve been able to touch base with our peers, colleagues and partners outside of the UK on a regular basis. There isn’t a territory which has been left untouched by the impact of the pandemic, however – like in the UK – companies adapted their ways of doing business in the ‘new normal’ and there seem to be numerous green shoots across the world. For Jeremy Zag, founder and ceo of ZAG, the company behind Miraculous Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir, the past 12 months has seen the company sign with over 80 licensees in the US. Highlights include a tie up with Swatch subsidiary Flik Flak on a range of watches which will be available in over 100 countries on five continents, as well as strong success with its

Miraculous role-play game for Roblox, which is the first game based on a TV series to be developed on the platform. “The past year hasn't been difficult for us from a retail perspective,” Jeremy tells LSB. “We increased our business on ecommerce, which is why we established a new ZAG Global ecommerce division which manages all of our ecommerce efforts on a day-to-

Left and above: In the past 12 months, ZAG has signed with 80+ licensees in the US including Swatch subsidiary Flik Flak, says Jeremy.

The view from Japan “Japan has suffered at retail like elsewhere around the world, but there haven’t been the compulsory lockdowns like I’ve seen in other countries that prevent consumers from going out to spend money,” Roger Berman, founder of ZenWorks, tells LSB.. “Many large retailers, shopping centres and other non-essential retail did cooperate early on with voluntary shutdowns to dissuade people from congregating. Various levels of state of emergency provisions have seen shops close by 7pm and restaurants shut by 8pm. This has dampened spending but Uber Eats and similar services have been on a roll. E-commerce, DIY superstores, home electronics and other ‘stay-at-home’ lifestyle categories have done well.” Roger continues: “I think consumer product manufacturers in Japan are now looking beyond just surviving and are now planning for an uptick in trading next year. Hopefully that is the reason we have received increased interest in the brands we represent compared to the first half of 2021. I would like to submit a larger number of deal memos to our licensor clients as a result.”

Above left: CP manufacturers in Japan are planning for an uptick in trading next year, says Roger. LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

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AN INTERNATIONAL VIEW

day basis alongside our major partners, licensees and retailers. We can see that in some countries our business increased exponentially, for example by 266% in Mexico over the previous year.” Success has also come from the new toy line from Playmates Toys and ZAG Labs, while the company is now building towards its $100m theatrical release of Ladybug & Cat Noir: Awakening in the autumn, which it believes will further diversify its audience.

Inset: Animaccord is looking to continue momentum for Masha and the Bear.

The view from Russia

New projects “The first months of the year have been still challenging of course, due to the strong restrictions, especially at retail that have been relaxed only starting from May,” says Antonella Ceraso, director of consumer products at Planeta Junior, which has offices in Spain, France, Germany, Italy, Greece, Turkey and Eastern Europe. “Even so, and considering the experience learnt during the last year, Planeta Junior continued to work on new projects, ensuring new partnerships and diversifying the business, to be able to offer the best in class properties, products and services on a European base.” One of the main issues, says Antonella, was existing stock at retail in numerous categories, reducing available shelf space for new projects and launches. “On the other side, the big push to digital has brought new opportunities. Online business has become more relevant and offers a new space and new ways to reach the final consumer. The powerful combination between physical and digital has showed to be the key to meet the ‘new’ consumer exigencies.” Antonella continues: “Facing the last months of the year, we are already planning new activities

For Animaccord – the company behind the successful preschool brand, Masha and the Bear – 2021 began with optimistic reports, bringing a series of new significant global deals in both the media and consumer products market. For example, in the CP space, Animaccord secured deals with key fashion brands including Crocs and Havaianas. The company also reached a milestone in its global distribution of Masha and the Bear, introducing the brand to Japan with the first ever content release on a local TV channel, as well as signing a number of new CP deals for the market. This included one with leading Japanese publishing house, Kodansha, for licensed picture books featuring the original stories. Animaccord is looking to continue the momentum through the second half of the year, too. There are plans for its first ever mini movie with the special content featuring Masha and 12 new additional characters. “The studio will also continue creating new seasons of the original show, as well as a new educational musical spin-off for toddlers in 4K: Masha and the Bear: Nursery Rhymes,” comments an Animaccord spokesperson. “The company also dives deeper into the hospitality business, launching its first fully branded Masha and the Bear restaurant and playground at the end of Q3 2021 in Jumeirah Beach, Dubai, UAE.”

that, combining presence with virtual, will give back to retail its social function. In fact, malls and big retail are not only places where to buy, but also an important meeting point we all want to recoup as fast as possible.”

“This won’t define us”

Inset: Planeta Junior has recently signed up to represent 9 Story’s Karma’s World property in Spain, Portugal and Italy.

“I don’t think anyone can discount the impact of the global pandemic, but this isn’t going to define One Animation and it certainly isn’t something we would hide behind,” offers Rob Spindley, svp commercial development US & EMEA at One Animation, which has its headquarters in Singapore. “We’ve been nimble, proactive and pivoted extremely quickly to ensure our content creation, LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

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A source of new opportunities Right and below: Cyber Group Studios has continued to expand Gigantosaurus around the world during the pandemic, says Bruno Danzel D’Aumont, international licensing and marketing vp

omni-channel approach and future product developments have been maintained against our roll-out plan throughout the last 18 months. The challenges in shipping products internationally and the increased cost of meeting delivery schedules has probably been on every business’ radar of late, but again, planning, preparation and partnerships have enabled us to deliver on all of our retailer promises.” With different territories having different restrictions, there is no single answer to the current global climate, says Rob, so One Animation – which is the owner of the Oddbods brand among others - has been focused on working with its retailers and licensees to build out retail opportunities that are “innovative and meet the wants and needs of consumers”. “The enforced retail closures internationally have seen us focus on our online offerings and omnichannel solutions, and we’re now looking to replicate our success with Amazon in the US across Europe, as we’ve just launched with Amazon in Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Poland and the Netherlands,” Rob continues. Rob acknowledges that One Animation has been fortunate to continue growing through adversity, and that it has been key to support its retailers and licensees. “The path to rebuilding the ‘new’ retail environment is not cast in stone – we have an opportunity to shape the future and I expect we’ll see the brands who choose to work on delivering this new vision end up thriving. The rule book and game plan went out the window 18 months ago, so we’re very happy to explore the art of the possible and start building the future across retail, ecommerce and experiential.”

For Paris-based Cyber Group Studios, the expansion of its Gigantosaurus brand has been continuing around the world. The first series has now been launched across the majority of markets on free to air (including Spain, Japan and Australia), while series two is airing on Disney Jr in the US with the rest of the world following this summer. “We have all been very creative and such a crisis reinforces our agility in the business,” Bruno Danzel D’Aumont, international licensing and marketing vice president, explains to LSB. “One of the main issues has been the cancellation of the major physical markets and events during the first six months of the year, as well as the meetings in person with our business partners. The richness of our key property Gigantosaurus, as well as a great collaboration with our agents representing us over the world, allowed us to enhance our presence on the market. As everybody, we had to reinvent and adapt our model which is also a source of new opportunities.” Bruno also mentions shelf space as an issue due to the pandemic, but he is optimistic for the second half of the year: “First, we hope that we will get more visibility at retail and in the business overall. We are also looking forward to meeting our licensees and agents in person, as well as attending the major licensing and category shows. We are continuing to develop our licensing business thanks to great content which expands year on year and also thanks to all our business partners, namely our agents and licensees.”

Right: Rob Spindley, svp commercial development US & EMEA, One Animation. Below: Oddbods: Busy Bodies is the latest iteration of the hit One Animation brand and utilises a live action/animation hybrid format.

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IN CONVERSATION WITH... RAINBOW GROUP

Fairy brights O

ne of the biggest challenges for any evergreen brand is to also remain contemporary. For the Winx Club brand - which was originally created as an animated series back in 2004 – its ability to adapt over the years and remain relevant is also one of its greatest strengths. Brand owner Rainbow is now in the enviable position of enjoying a strong fan base across both animation – which targets a younger audience – and live action, which is currently a hot pick with the teen and young adult demographics on Netflix. “Winx has been innovative since its very beginning,” Cristiana Buzzelli, svp content and licensing at Rainbow Group, explains to LSB. “Values such as

LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

Inset: Values such as girls’ empowerment and diversity have always been the DNA of the Winx brand, says Rainbow.

It’s a major girls’ franchise which has successfully crossed demographics and generations, and now Winx Club is charming audiences on Netflix with its new live action series. LSB chats to Rainbow Group to find out how the licensing and merchandise programme has adapted alongside the programming, and why further growth is on the cards. Left: Cristiana Buzzelli, svp content and licensing, Rainbow Group.

girls’ empowerment and diversity have always been the DNA of the brand, since its origins. Now, these are top of mind values for new generations.” Indeed, the characters may have changed over the years, but Rainbow has succeeded in keeping true to the heritage of the brand. “The Winx characters keep their authenticity since they convey evergreen values,” Cristiana continues, “with messages such as girls’ empowerment, diversity in ethnicity, race, back stories and passions having been key drivers of the brand. Those values are as contemporary today, as they were revolutionary back then in 2004.”

Inset: Fate: The Winx Saga launched on Netflix in January, proving an immediate hit.

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IN CONVERSATION WITH... RAINBOW GROUP

The new live action series, Fate: The Winx Saga, has proved to be a huge hit on Netflix since its debut in January. Based on the Netflix Q1 2021 earnings report, the series reached 57 million households in its first 28 days which Cristiana describes as “a huge result”, positioning it among the top watched shows on the streaming platform in 2021 so far. The six episodes in series one will be joined by series two in 2022. The arrival of the new live action series has also meant an expansion for the licensing and merchandising programme. “On top of the licensees on board for the classic animated series, we have already signed

The Winx Club story Winx Club has been around since 2004 with the franchise first launching in Italy and Europe, followed by the US, Asia and Latin America. “It was immediately a great success, with more than 150 territories broadcasting,” says Cristiana. “The first animated series was immediately followed by more seasons - today we have produced eight seasons with 200+ episodes, two Netflix animated Originals, three theatrical movies and many different live events formats.” The consumer products programme for the brand is equally impressive, with more than 500 licensees on board. “Winx Club has always performed hugely well in fashion dolls and toys in general, but also publishing, stationery and textiles. They are categories that embody the DNA of the brand and its powerful storytelling,” Cristiana adds.

great licensing partners specifically focused on Fate: The Winx Saga,” says Cristiana. “These range from Scholastic to Panini, Clementoni to Hachette, Difuzed to Riachuelo and Don’t Call me Jennyfer, with more to be announced. The new season on Netflix will give a further boost to the L&M programme.” The licensing strategy now also reflects the double target of the different demographics

Left: Rainbow is also preparing a new series of the animation

attracted to the different versions of the brand, Cristiana continues. “On the one hand, we keep supporting our core kids’ target with dedicated animated content and licensing plans: bright colours, glitter and magic are the key elements of these product lines. “On the other hand, we address differently the young adult and teen demographics. Fate: The Winx Saga inspires a darker look and feel in the products, closer to an older target. At the same time, we are also offering a nostalgic approach to the original Winx Club brand, based on the iconic and highly recognisable character design, lyrics, catchphrases of the first animated seasons, since today’s young women used to be Winx young fans back in 2004 and they feel affection to a brand that represents their childhood legacy.” When it comes to the UK market, Rainbow is confident of another boost thanks to the live action series. “The second series of Fate: The Winx Saga will surely lead to another boost in the UK market, especially as a large number of the cast come from the UK. We are confident that UK fans will appreciate it,” says Cristiana. Indeed, confidence in further growth for the brand overall is high: “After more than 15 years, Winx Club has turned into a classic evergreen brand, able to conquer a very horizontal target, from kids to young women. This nostalgic young adult appeal has so much potential to grow and expand itself. “Winx is already one of the biggest girls’ franchise of all times, if not the biggest. And along with the new Fate: The Winx Saga season, we’re now preparing a new season of the animated series as well: stay tuned in 2022 for more to come,” Cristiana concludes. Left: The CP programme for the brand boasts over 500 licensees.

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THE LICENSING AWARDS 2021

THE UK RISING STAR AWARD This is a Licensing International UK award. The award is designed to recognise excellence among junior industry professionals in the United Kingdom under the age of 35. Abbie Burrows, category manager hardlines and FMCG of Hasbro UK & EMEA

On Tuesday 14 September, licensors, licensing agents, licensees and retailers will once again come together in The Great Room at the Grosvenor House Hotel, London to celebrate the achievements of our industry over the past 12 months. The Licensing Awards attracted a phenomenal number of entries and nominations this year across all the categories. Over 200 retail buyers formed the judging panel offering their expert input across the product categories. Various validation panels have convened to discuss, debate and validate all the other categories to arrive at the worthy finalists. And, there is a new addition this year. For the first time, a consumer award category will be part of The Licensing Awards - the What Kids Love Award, in collaboration with kids' market intelligence specialist, The Insights Family. “The Licensing Awards truly celebrate all that is great about the licensing community. The level of support and input has been incredible and we just can’t wait to get everyone back together at the awards event this year,” says Jakki Brown, joint managing director of Max Publishing. Ladies and gentleman, these are your finalists for The Licensing Awards 2021.

Jessica Campbell, licensing manager – Europe of National Football League (NFL) Janna Kirkby, associate licensing manager of Acamar Films Chelsea Schep, senior licensing manager of IMG James Barlow, export manager of Rainbow Productions Olivia Wiggett, associate commercial manager of The Point.1888 Lucy Williamson, manager brand management of Beanstalk

RETAIL CATEGORY FINALISTS BEST RETAILER OF PRESCHOOL LICENSED PRODUCTS (AGE GROUP 0-5) Character.com The Entertainer George@Asda Nutmeg at Morrisons Tesco Next

BEST RETAILER OF KIDS’ LICENSED PRODUCTS (AGE GROUP 5-16) Asda Character.com The Entertainer Next Smyths Toys Tesco

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THE LICENSING AWARDS 2021

BEST RETAILER OF ADULT LICENSED PRODUCTS

BEST LICENSED RETAIL MARKETING INITIATIVE

Asda ASOS Forbidden Planet HMV Primark Tesco

This award is for the most creative and effective marketing campaign run in a UK retailer to support a licensed brand or range of licensed products or individual product.

THE RADAR AWARD

MTV x River Island x British Fashion Council with Iceberg, Music Meets Fashion Competition

BEST LICENSED LIVE EVENT This award is for a licensed live event where the public needs to pay to participate, either by paying to enter a venue where the licensed event takes place or to participate directly in the licensed event itself. Free-toconsumer experiential marketing events are covered by the Licensed Promotions Campaign award.

This award is for retailers who have come on the radar on the licensing front as they have considerably upped their licensing activities in the last year (between 1 June 2020 and 31 May 2021).

Natural History Museum x Finisterre, The Resilience of Nature Campaign

B&M Card Factory The Hut Group The Range Studio.com Superdrug

Peppa Pig x Regatta at Next

Doctor Who: A Dalek Awakens at Resorts World from Escape Hunt

The Rolling Stones RS No.9 Carnaby Street Activity

The Gruffalo Adventures at Royal Botanical Gardens Kew Gardens

BEST OVERSEAS RETAILER

This award is for a creative and effective use of a licence in the promotion of another brand or service.

This award is for retailers of any discipline selling licensed products whose main retailing activity is overseas (ie not in the UK), but which also has a physical or online presence in the UK. The award is for the retailer’s activity on the licensing front over the last year (between 1 June 2020 and 31 May 2021). Aldi H&M Pull & Bear Uniqlo Urban Outfitters Zara

KFC and Comic Relief’s Merry Clucking Christmas Campaign Mrs Hinch Exclusively at Tesco Campaign

BEST LICENSED PROMOTIONS CAMPAIGN

Peppa Pig with National Children’s Gardening Week Campaign

The Crystal Maze LIVE Experience from Little Lion Entertainment Dennis & Gnasher's Big Bonanza at Royal Botanical Gardens Kew and Wakehurst Place

Peppa Pig Afternoon Tea Bus Tour from Brigit's Bakery Peter Rabbit Christmas Grotto at Centre:MK from Eskimo Jo Events Warhammer 40,000 Immaterium Escape Room from Escapologic Zog and the Quest for the Golden Star at Warwick Castle from Merlin Entertainments

PJ Masks Superhero Bedtime campaign for UNICEF UK Pokémon Happy Meals Promotion with McDonald’s Tom and Jerry and Xplora: The Movie Partnership (Agency: Lime Communications)

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THE LICENSING AWARDS 2021

Roald Dahl Pyjamas Nightwear for TU at Sainsbury’s from Aykroyd and Sons Super Mario Range for Zara from Fashion UK Global Licensing The Wizarding World Kids Fashion Range from M&S

BEST LICENSED TOYS OR GAMES RANGE Adventures of Paddington Toy Range from Rainbow Designs CoComelon Toys from Bandai The Gruffalo Master Toy Range from Wow! Stuff Maya Angelou Inspiring Women Barbie Doll from Mattel Mini Brands Collectables from ZURU Peppa Pig Wooden Mud Kitchen from HTI Back to the Future Range from Playmobil UK

BEST LICENSED PRESCHOOL APPAREL OR ACCESSORIES RANGE (0-5 YEARS) Elmer the Patchwork Elephant SS21 Collection from JoJo Maman Bébé

Harry Potter Boy’s Suitmeister Dress-up from OppoSuits Mog The Cat Deluxe Costume from Smiffys Peppa Pig Careers Dress-up Collection from Christys By Design Pokémon Dress-up and Partyware Collection from Amscan Roald Dahl’s Matilda Costume for Tesco from Smiffys Star Wars, The Mandalorian Costume for TU Sainsbury’s from Rubies Masquerade

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Harry Potter In The Style Sweatshirts from Brands In

Minnie Mouse Cookies Backpack and Headband Combo from Loungefly by Funko

Peanuts Collection from Cribstar Peppa Pig Collection from Regatta Outdoors

The National Gallery Collection for ASOS from Poetic Brands

Peter Rabbit Collection from Cath Kidston

Disney Princess Premium Range for Sainsbury’s from Smiffys

Friends Women’s Range from Tesco

The Jungle Book Collection x Baby World from Primark

Super Mario Range from The LEGO Group

Disney Princess Collection for George@Asda from Christys by Design

Dr Seuss Collection from Irregular Choice

Mickey Mouse Cares Range from Primark

Peppa Pig Toddler Girls Range for Tesco from Fashion UK Global Licensing

DC Superheroes Sustainable Dress-up Range from Amscan

Barbie 1959 Collection from Zara

The Gruffalo Footwear Range for Next from Brand International

Pokémon Toy Range from Character Options

BEST LICENSED DRESSUP OR PARTYWARE

BEST LICENSED ADULT APPAREL OR ACCESSORIES RANGE

Peter Rabbit Women’s Collection from Cath Kidston Pokémon 25th Anniversary Collection from The Hut Group

Peter Rabbit Classic SS21 Collection for Nutmeg at Morrisons from Dennicci

BEST LICENSED WRITTEN, LISTENING OR LEARNING RANGE

We’re Going On A Bear Hunt SS21 Collection for Asda from Jainco

Adventures of Paddington Fun to Learn Magazine from Redan Publishing

BEST LICENSED CHILDREN’S APPAREL OR ACCESSORIES RANGE Barbie x Very.com Powered by Kindness Girls Athleisure Range from Very LEGO x Adidas Children’s Footwear from Adidas LEGO Ninjango X Hype Collection from Global Brands Group

BBC Earth Blue Planet II Book from Penguin Random House Elf on the Shelf Magazines from Signature Publishing LEGO Explorer Magazine from Story House Egmont L.O.L. Surprise! Sticker Books from Centum Books Mr Men Little Miss Books from Farshore Books PAW Patrol Chase Tonie from Tonies

Miffy Collection for Next from Fashion UK Global Licensing

Peppa Pig Ladybird Range from Penguin Random House

Peppa Pig Girls Night Time Range for Tesco from Misirli

Timmy Time Ladybird Readers Beginner Level Books from Penguin Random House

Roald Dahl x Natural History Museum Extraordinary Explorers Clothing Range from M&S

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THE LICENSING AWARDS 2021

BEST LICENSED PAPER PRODUCTS OR STATIONERY RANGE Animal Crossing Villager Squares Stationery Collection from Pyramid International The Beatles Song Titles Greeting Card Range from Hype Associates Boofle Stay at Home Greeting Card Range from Moonpig The Gruffalo Stationery Range from Robert Frederick The Mandalorian - The Child Greeting Card Range from UK Greetings Minnie Mouse Positivity Collection from Hallmark Cards Only Fools and Horses 40th Anniversary Stamp Collection from Royal Mail Peaky Blinders Calendar, Diary, Greeting Cards and Gift Bag Collection from Danilo Promotions Spitting Image Greeting Cards Range from Emotional Rescue

BEST LICENSED GIFTWARE RANGE, HOME DÉCOR, TABLEWARE OR HOUSEWARES RANGE A Celebration of the National Trust Fabric Range from Sanderson Design Group Mickey & Friends Collection from Mad Beauty

BEST LICENSED FOOD OR DRINK RANGE

BEST SUSTAINABLE LICENSED PRODUCT

Barratt x Iceland Ice Creams from Ice Fresh

Alice Scott Gift Range for Tesco from H&A

Ghostbusters Candy from Rose Marketing

The Beano, Dennis’ 70th Anniversary Limited Edition Tartan from The Prickly Thistle Scotland

Harry Potter Confectionery for M&S from Kinnerton Confectionery Mr Men Little Miss Confectionery from Crème d’Or Original Stormtrooper Galactic Dry Gin from Blue Tree Peaky Blinders Wine from Vignobles Bardet Peter Rabbit Classic Chocolate Novelties Easter Collection from Cadbury’s Wallace & Gromit Biscuit Collection from Deans of Huntly Xbox Celebration Cake from Finsbury Foods

THE INNOVATION AWARD

Minecraft Gift and Homewares Range from Paladone Products

Batman Cape Backpack from Bioworld International

Monopoly Personalised Homewares and Gifting Range from Star Editions

Crayola Rainbow Toothpaste from H&A

Mrs Hinch Collection from Tesco

Ghostbusters Trap Incense Burner from Numskull Designs

PAW Patrol Coverless Carefree Bedding from Character World

Hey Duggee Plush Chair from 8th Wonder

Peanuts 70th Anniversary Homewares and Gift Collection from Cath Kidston

LEGO DOTS Range from Levi’s Marvel Battleworld Range from Funko

Pokémon 25th Anniversary Giftware from Abysse Corp Roald Dahl x Natural History Museum Extraordinary Explorers Range Homeware Collection from M&S The Wizarding World Collection from Wow! Stuff

Minecraft Block Building Light from Paladone Products Peppa Pig’s Clever Car from Wow! Stuff Scooby-Doo Products for Dogs from Fred & Ginger

Grand Designs Sofas from The Branded Furniture Company The Gruffalo Pop-out Play-set from Play Press Toys The Gruffalo Repreve Recycled Bedding Collection for ASDA from Dreamtex Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous Happy Meal from The Marketing Store) National History Museum The Resilience of Nature Range from Finisterre Peppa Pig Brand Threads Nightwear Range from Cooneen By Design Peppa Pig Eco Plush from Character Options

PROPERTY CATEGORY FINALISTS BEST PRESCHOOL LICENSED PROPERTY (AGE GROUP 0-5) Baby Shark Bing CoComelon The Gruffalo Hey Duggee PAW Patrol Peppa Pig Teletubbies That’s Not My… Thomas & Friends

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Licensing Awards the industry can be really proud of...

The UK Licensing Awards 2021 Tuesday September 14 2021 The Great Room, Grosvenor Hotel, Park Lane, London, W1K 7TN

For more information please contact Ian Hyder, Director of The Licensing Awards T: +44(0)725 634306 E: ianh@max-publishing.co.uk FOR INFORMATION ON RESERVING TICKETS OR TABLES TO THE EVENT PLEASE CONTACT: Clare Hollick at Createvents Ltd using clare@createvents.co.uk or calling +44(0)1183 340085

OR IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BOOK YOUR TICKET OR TABLE ONLINE GO TO - WWW.MAX-TICKETS.NET FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE AWARDS GO TO:

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THE LICENSING AWARDS 2021

BEST CHILDREN’S OR TWEEN LICENSED PROPERTY (AGE GROUP 5-12) Barbie Jurassic World LEGO L.O.L. Surprise! Miraculous NERF Trolls Wizarding World The World of David Walliams

BEST TEEN OR ADULT LICENSED PROPERTY Barbie Emoji Friends The Grinch The Mandalorian Marvel Universe Peaky Blinders Stranger Things Wizarding World

BEST GAMING LICENSED PROPERTY Animal Crossing Assassin’s Creed Destiny Fortnite Minecraft Pokémon Roblox Sonic The Hedgehog Super Mario Warhammer

BEST FILM LICENSED PROPERTY Cruella Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway Tom and Jerry: The Movie Wonder Woman 1984

BEST MUSIC OR CELEBRITY LICENSED PROPERTY The Beatles Billie Eilish BTS Hearts by Tiana Motörhead Mrs Hinch Queen The Rolling Stones

BEST SPORTS LICENSED PROPERTY Arsenal Football Club British & Irish Lions Chelsea Football Club England Football England Rugby Liverpool Football Club Manchester City Football Club Manchester United Football Club NFL NFL Players Association Tottenham Hotspur Football Club

Peanuts Roald Dahl Sesame Street Spider-man The Very Hungry Caterpillar Wallace & Gromit

HONORARY ACHIEVEMENT AWARD There are no finalists announced for this prestigious award. It will be given to someone in recognition of their contribution to the industry.

THE CLASSIC LICENSED PROPERTY AWARD This award is for properties that have stood the test of time (with at least a decade of licensing activity). The winner will join previous winners in The Licensing Classics Hall of Fame. Previous year’s winners are Barbie, The Beano, Peppa Pig, Peter Rabbit, Pokémon, Mickey Mouse, Miffy, The Snowman, Star Wars and Thomas & Friends. Batman In the Night Garden Me to You Minnie Mouse Mr Men Little Miss Paddington

KIDS LOVE NEW! WHAT KIDS LOVE AWARD This new consumer award category is joining The Licensing Awards 2021 in collaboration with kids’ market intelligence specialist The Insights Family. The company - which speaks to more than half a million kids and parents every year - has asked kids about their favourite video games, TV shows, movies and YouTubers for the new What Kids Love Award. It is utilising its Kids Insights dataset, which is the most comprehensive and dynamic available.

The Insights Family asked the kids whether they have bought - or intend to buy - anything related to their favourites. The list of options includes toys, clothing, books, magazines & comics, board games, food, stationery, stickers, toiletries, collectables, posters, homeware, greeting cards and face masks. To pick out the winners, The Insights Family's research and data science teams have analysed the brands with the highest purchase (or purchase intent) power for kids aged 3-12 in the UK, over the last year. This year’s finalists are: Avengers Batman Frozen Harry Potter Minecraft PAW Patrol Peppa Pig [The] Simpsons SpongeBob SquarePants Star Wars

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IN CONVERSATION WITH... ABYSSE CORP

The

French connection

Inset: Abysse has a strong entertainment slate, including brands from Disney, Warner Bros. and Universal. Bottom: Emily Aldridge, head of global licensing, Abysse Corp.

With its HQ in Rouen, France and ten other branches around the world, gifting specialist Abysse boasts enviable local market knowledge and retail relationships in all key territories, including the UK. With strong growth being driven by the sales teams and local branches, the acquisition of GB eye earlier this year has also added a further string to its bow. LSB finds out more.

ike many businesses, the last 12-18 months have been about adapting and adjusting for Abysse Corp. However, despite the challenges, the company has continued on its strong growth path, building on its portfolio of anime, gaming, film, TV and music properties. Solid performances from big anime names such as One Piece, My Hero Academia, Naruto and Dragonball Z have combined with new licences like Demon Slayer and Jujutsu Kaisen. Brands from Warner Bros., Disney and Universal have been key to Abysse’s entertainment slate, while gaming ranges from World of Warcraft and League of Legends have been notable successes. “We are also just making our first steps into the world of esports which I think could be very interesting,” Emily Aldridge, head of global licensing at Abysse tells LSB. “Music is now a focus for the company for the first time due to the vast experience in the area brought to the company by GB eye and we are really looking forward to building on the base that they have established.” Abysse acquired GB eye earlier this year, giving it a strong base in the UK with over 30 years’ worth of experience in the poster and wall art business. Emily continues: “The teams

LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

have all integrated really well, even with the obstacle of no one being able to meet face to face due to Covid travel restrictions. There have been some changes in roles and product strategy in order to make us the most efficient team possible and I’m really looking forward to seeing how things develop over the next few years, as we have really created a juggernaut of a company.” Abysse had been expecting a consolidated turnover close to €60 million for 2021, but a bumper first half performance has resulted in some revisions, as Emily explains: “We are on track and in fact the new projection is more like €65 million due to an incredible first half performance. The growth has come from huge investment in staff and growing our teams in all areas. This has led to amazing innovations in products, improvements in product quality and new retail doors opened by the teams.” As well as the head office in France’s Rouen, Abysse has ten other branches around the world, with Emily describing the sales teams and local branches as being the “driving force”

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IN CONVERSATION WITH... ABYSSE CORP Inset: The Abystyle brand was created in 2007 and has a store in the Espace du Palais shopping centre in Rouen. Below: One Piece has been among the anime success stories for the company.

really looking forward to behind the company’s About Abysse The Licensing Awards and growth. Abysse was originally founded in 2003 with the goal BLE and getting back to “The local sales teams to import licensed anime and manga products from Japan and the US and distribute them into France. seeing all the familiar faces can establish brilliant “As time went on, it was clear that there was more I’ve missed so much in the relationships with demand than supply and in 2007 we created the past 18 months.” retailers and can get to brand ‘Abystyle’ to create our own licensed products,” Emily has very clear goals know their markets Emily explains. “Our catalogue now spans over 150 licences covering all entertainment genres - anime, going forward on what she and the nuances that music, film, TV and gaming - and our product range is would like to achieve with are so important to vast to make sure that we create the right product for the business. make sure we are each licence. Our focus is on innovation and creating products that are made by fans, for fans. “My goal has been to offering the right “Our head office is in Rouen, but we have ten elevate the Abysse name products and designs other branches around the world giving us local among the UK licensors and for each country,” she market knowledge and direct retail relationships in retailers and make sure says. “The added all key territories.” everyone is aware of the complications caused amazing work we do. The lack of events has been by Brexit make this even more important as we a bit of a hurdle, but we have made really good are able to keep trading freely.” progress and by the end of the 2020 also really highlighted year I’d like to make sure that I’m the difference between being the first person people contact an FOB business and having a when they want to sign an alldomestic business model. round gifting partner.” Emily adds: “As we have the Longer term, the aim is to push latter, we have been able to on with the global strategy and carry on trading successfully increase Abysse’s presence in and have had the versatility some of its newer territories. and stock to be able to meet “The team at Abysse are all so the regular changing demands passionate about what they do and this is so of our customers as the landscape changed.” evident in the results we are achieving,” Emily Of course, there have still been challenges. “We concludes. “Our product strategy is unique and now know how quickly things can change and we everything that we bring to market is considered are conscious that the pandemic is still very much and created with the end customer in mind. We a factor in the foreseeable future,” she says. “This are unchallenged in Europe due to our direct makes projecting and planning very difficult – we relationships and domestic stock and so, for any are, all being well, exhibiting at Autumn Fair in licensors wanting a partner who can really September which will be amazing for everyone as penetrate all markets, then please don’t hesitate it will be our first integrated trade show and I think to get in touch.” will mark the return of ‘normality’. I’m personally LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

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LICENSING EXPO VIRTUAL

Inset: Informa Markets has invested in improving the virtual platform, offering more exposure to brands and IPs.

Expo essentials Preparations for Licensing Expo are continuing apace and, while they may not include digging out your passport and packing the factor 50 in anticipation of the fierce August Vegas heat, you should be checking out the virtual platform to get a handle on what will be happening – from big name keynotes through to meeting options with global, US and LATAM brands. LSB catches up with Anna Knight, vp licensing at Informa Markets, to get the lowdown.

BLE is back

Planning is continuing apace for Brand Licensing Europe, with the show due to return to ExCeL from 17-19 November. “In terms of the in-person event, we are currently working on elements that constitute this year’s theme, which I can’t announce just yet, but I can say it’s very forward looking,” Anna offers. “We will have three activations, one of which is in partnership with Products of Change. The Retail Lounge will be back, and we will be delivering content in-person and virtually to ensure everyone gets the best experience. It’s been two years since we were all together, and we just can’t wait to bring everyone back to BLE.” The team is confident that it will be able to run a very he countdown to Licensing Expo productive and safe BLE, and the reaction from the may look different this year, but industry to its return has been positive. Anna explains that certainly doesn’t mean that that where there is hesitancy, it’s more around the uncertainty relating to travel, whether that’s due to inAnna Knight, vp licensing, and her region or corporate restrictions. team in Informa Markets’ Global “When it comes to concerns about safety, these are Licensing Group are any less busy. very different to six months ago and I’d say of course As of 24 June, 139 exhibitors had it’s a concern, but there is more faith in the concept of live events now and also in our ability to put signed up for Licensing Expo Virtual the required measures in place to ensure a – which is running from 24-26 safe event.” August – and close to 200 are And there’s more good news from Anna expected by showtime. … the character parade will also be back: “I’m really looking forward to seeing the return of one of the cornerstones of BLE - I’ve really missed every single one of them.” Inset: Anna Knight, vp

licensing at Informa Markets.

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THE ONLY AWARDS TOTALLY DEDICATED TO AWARD BRAND AND LIFESTYLE LICENSING The 2021 winners will be unveiled on Wednesday 20 October 2021 A lavish afternoon event at Hilton Park Lane, London The B&LLAs bring together retailers, licensees, brand owners and representatives to celebrate excellence in brand and lifestyle licensing.

For information on reserving tickets or tables to the event, please contact:

Clare Hollick at Createvents Ltd using clare@createvents.co.uk or calling +44(0)1183 340085

For information on sponsorship or any other enquiries please contact: Ian Hyder, Joint MD of Max Publishing on +44 (0)7525 634306 ianh@max-publishing.co.uk

www.brandlicensingawards.co.uk Max Publishing, Unted House, North Road, London, N7 9DP T: +44 (0)207 7006740 W: www.max-publishing.co.uk

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LICENSING EXPO VIRTUAL Right: B&LIS North America will look to build on the success enjoyed by the European virtual event which saw key industry executives gather over three days in June.

Keynotes have started to be confirmed, including Pam Lifford and Robert Oberschelp from Warner Bros. Consumer Products, and more will be coming down the line imminently, together with the Licensing University programme and other on-demand sessions taking place during the event. The License This competition will also be part of Licensing Expo for the first time, with applications already flooding in. And in terms of visitor registrations, these are also off to a strong start, with retailers and licensees among the numbers signing up. Attendees get access to the platform six weeks before the event, giving them time to browse the exhibitor list and make plans. Video meetings will take place during the three days of the show and, in addition to those, there will be live IP and brand discovery presentations and keynotes, topical case studies and sessions. Post event, everyone will have three months to continue to browse the content and make connections. It’s fair to say that Informa Markets has learned a lot about hosting virtual events in a short space of time. “Firstly, the importance of keeping it simple and focusing on what matters most to the customers, which is finding brands to licence and arranging meetings around those brands. This is the number one aim of Licensing Expo Virtual,” says Anna. “We have invested in improving the platform, improving the search functionality and offering more exposure to brands and IPs.” Virtual or in-person though, the goal of the event remains the same, Anna points out: “To continue to provide business opportunities for our customers, which has always been our mission.” Looking ahead to 2022, Anna says there are exciting plans already in the pipeline. “Like BLE,

B&LIS heads to NY Following the success of B&LIS Europe in June, the event is due to make the trip to the US in October. B&LIS North America will run in New York on 27-28 October with day one focusing on Trends, Retail & Sustainability, and day two on Content & Digital Transformation. “I’m excited to see the North American version of the show,” says Anna. “We will have a slightly tweaked agenda that covers trends applicable to that market. But most of all, it will be brilliant to be back in person and benefit from face to face networking again. “We’re also adding in breakout category roundtables focusing on fashion, sport, food and drink, and entertainment trends, and we’re running several networking sessions including a day one drinks reception. It’s kind of B&LIS Europe plus. And it’s in New York, which is another plus.”

we’ll be theming Vegas next year. We’ve already chosen the theme, but it’ll be under wraps for a while yet, needless to say I am super excited about it - personally and professionally. We have done a lot of work over the last two years to create the best event that Licensing Expo can possibly be. One thing we never are is complacent. We know people will expect changes and improvements and that the experience of the live event is what really matters now. “After getting used to online events over the last 18 months – and they have performed brilliantly as a supplementary tool for continuing to do business during the pandemic – we know that ‘in person’ will really need to step up and it has to be creating an unforgettable experience that people will continue to talk about as well as generating business opportunities for everyone who participates,” she concludes. LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

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STATE OF THE NATION: BRANDS

A raft of new product and collaborations have been arriving from the brands and lifestyle space, from categories as varied as fine fragrance and greeting cards, through to ice cream and toiletries. LSB highlights some of the latest activity.

Fine art meets fine fragrance Floral Street launches its ‘first of its kind’ collaboration with Van Gogh Museum on 1 August. Entitled Sunflower Pop, the sustainable fragrance aims to bring to life the optimism of one of the world’s most famous masterpieces – Sunflowers, 1889. The fruity-citrus scent features natural bergamot, mandarin, honey accord and bellini accord as its hero ingredients, while Floral Street has also replicated Sunflowers, 1889 onto the recyclable bottle and packaging of Sunflower Pop. Both Floral Street and the Museum believe that the collaboration celebrates the timeless beauty of nature and is a ‘modern day interpretation’ of what Vincent van Gogh left as a legacy. "Our first launch from this collaboration had to be recognisable, it had to be positive and it had to be flowers,” the two companies explained to LSB. “This sustainable fragrance captures the vibrance and beauty of the South of France where Van Gogh painted his Sunflowers. It brings to life the radiance and optimism of this masterpiece.” For Ian Wickham, director of Licensing Link Europe – the UK & Ireland licensing agent for Van Gogh Museum responsible for brokering the deal – the collaboration is a “fantastic example” of real brand alignment. “Both parties are aligned in so many ways: strong ethical positions, a focus on sustainability, diversity,

LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

Inset: Floral Street has also replicated Sunflowers, 1889 onto the recyclable bottle and packaging of Sunflower Pop.

Brand leaders wellbeing, an acknowledgement that one can find beauty everywhere and of course a shared love for nature and flowers. That’s what makes this so special,” Ian told LSB. Partnerships such as the one with Floral Street also help with the agency’s remit of broadening the audience outside of the Museum itself and attracting new consumers. “Partnerships like the one with Floral Street absolutely do that and it opens retailer and licensee eyes to what can be achieved through well executed product, aimed at the right audience,” he continued. “We already have some incredible licensees in their fields delivering beautiful product and there is plenty more to come. Let’s also not forget we have the most incredible asset bank to work with and a hugely refreshing remit in how those assets can be utilised.” Sunflower Pop – which is available in 10ml, 50ml and 100ml – launches from 1 August on Floral Street’s website, in the Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam and Sephora US, followed by other retailers worldwide.

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STATE OF THE NATION: BRANDS Below: The classic blue raspberry and strawberry colours have been translated into ice cream.

Ice move for SLUSH PUPPiE The SLUSH PUPPiE brand has made the move into the ice cream category, with two lines available exclusively at Iceland. The classic blue raspberry and strawberry colours have swapped the slush machines for pint-sized tubs of ice cream, with Pink Key Licensing md Richard Pink saying it was a perfect fit for the brand. “We couldn’t be more excited about the appearance of SLUSH PUPPiE Ice Cream at Iceland,” he commented. “It’s a perfect fit for the brand and the initial response has been amazing. It is another great example of how well loved the SLUSH PUPPiE brand is in the UK and adds another great product to the fabulous range that is already in the market.”

National Trust eyes new categories

Below: The Wentworth Wooden Puzzles collection includes seven image designs.

It’s been a busy first half of 2021 for the National Trust with a number of new lines launching. Two highlights include a new collection of wooden jigsaw puzzles from Wentworth Wooden Puzzles and greeting cards from Woodmansterne. The new Wentworth Wooden Puzzles collection is made up of seven image designs, which are all photographs taken at National Trust locations. These include seal pups at Blakeney Point in Norfolk, swan on Lake Windermere and otters at Stackpole in Pembrokeshire. Each of the puzzles are available in 250 and 500-pieces, with five of the designs also available in 1,000-pieces. Meanwhile, the new Hi There collection from Woodmansterne looks to take a ‘warm, lighthearted’ creative approach and features a number of countryside and coastal creatures including barn owls, harvest mice, puffins, red deer and highland cattle among others. A minimum of £30,000 from the sales of the collection will help National Trust continue its work.

Making space

Above: Clementoni has added to its range of puzzles and games.

The Science Museum brand has welcomed a number of new signings across the apparel, toiletries and collectables categories. The museum has partnered with Poetic Brands on apparel, while Kokomo will be creating spacethemed toiletries and sets (including hair styling and dental categories) for launch in A/W22. Clementoni also has a new range of puzzles and games which feature images of space, as well as objects and people related to the museum including Helen Sharman’s space suit, the Mallard locomotive and Amy Johnson’s aeroplane, Jason I. A new line will also arrive in the popular Mechanics range, Mechanics Junior aimed at children aged 6+. Great Gizmos has also expanded its range to include craft kits and an astronaut backpack, while Root 7 will add to its ecological homewares range with reusable coffee cups and food pots. Finally, 2023 sees the centenary of the Flying Scotsman, with a revamped style guide due to be released imminently featuring new artwork and photography, as well as exclusive centenary packaging and a logo. New partners have already been signed for categories such as collectables, while Hornby is a key brand partner.

Haribo brings Goldbear to life Ahead of the Haribo Goldbear’s 100th anniversary in 2022, IMG has been busy securing a raft of collaborations. This kicked off with a worldwide launch with Puma, with the candy-coloured ranges infusing the Goldbears with some of the sports company’s classic footwear silhouettes. Additional upcoming products include Haribo-branded shoes for kids with European footwear retailer Deichmann; toys, collectables and plush from Jakks Pacific; and KidsOne tableware in Korea. “Every day and all over the world, little and big heroes face new tasks,” commented Andrea Kuhnle, head of global marketing at Haribo. “For all of them, we at Haribo create small, carefree moments of childlike happiness with our products.”

Above: The Puma range infuses the Goldbears with classic footwear silhouettes.

LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

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STATE OF THE NATION: BRANDS

This is Iris reveals Men’s Shed tie-up This is Iris is collaborating with The Men’s Shed Association, a charity which works to provide safe and welcoming spaces for men to get together and talk. Originally formed in 2013, there are now more than 500 sheds across the UK, with another 150 due to open fully as soon as it is safe to do so. “During the lockdown we have been building a number of new friendships with partners from a variety of new areas, looking at how – through licensing – we can come together to develop new, credible lines that help build awareness and all important funds for the organisation that works so tirelessly to support and inspire others,” commented Kaye Hunter from This is Iris. “We’ve also been talking with our amazing licensing partners and have been overwhelmed by their instant offers to support the charity and their unique ideas on how we can develop The Men’s Shed brand.” Right: This is Iris has received some ‘unique ideas’ on how The Men’s Shed brand can be developed.

LMI drives forward

Below: Rover is heading into the world of electric mobility.

Licensing Management International is continuing to build the British Motor Heritage brand, which features the classic car marques of MG, Austin-Healey, the original Austin Taxi, Morris, Rover and Wolseley. While die-cast models continue to be popular, the British Motor Heritage Marque Rover will also enter the world of electric mobility including e-bikes, e-motorcycles and e-scooters, with ranges currently in production from Asia Kingston. Elsewhere, a new motorcycle range is in development for BSA, while the list of licensees for International Space Archives is continuing to grow. Current programmes for Highclere Castle include Silentnight Group for bedding in the UK, US and China, Gascoigne Designs for furniture and dress perfumes, plus diffusers and towels from SD Biotechnologies in Korea.

Inset: The Vans collaboration will benefit Project CAT.

Vans roars with Discovery The Vans brand has partnered with Discovery on a line of footwear and apparel which is aiming to benefit Project CAT, Discovery’s effort to join the mission to double the world’s wild tiger population. Timed to Global Tiger Day on 29 July, the tiger-inspired collection of footwear, apparel and accessories will include items for adults, kids and toddlers. The hero style in the collection is the ComfyCush Sk8-Hi which features a photoreal print of two tigers on the quarter panel. There is also a Slip-On for kids and toddlers, while rounding out the collection is an apparel and accessories offering for children which includes a recycled cotton blend tees, a Vans x Project CAT pullover and a backpack.

ARTiSTORY teams with National Gallery ARTiSTORY has secured a new multi-year partnership with The National Gallery Company which will see it expand its licensing programme globally (excluding China). For ARTiSTORYs annual art and cultural themes and original design assets, inspiration will derive from masterpieces by artists such as Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Michelangelo, Cézanne, Gentileschi and Van Gogh held in the gallery. ARTiSTORY believes that there is a wealth of stories to share with licensees, to create a range of product collections from the art movements represented in the gallery. LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

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14:15

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25 years of

The original Gen Z's turn 25 in 2022. For nearly a quarter of a century, the iconic Teletubbies have been delivering great content for the youngest audiences and finding a humorous place in pop culture for all ages.

This brand new action-packed animated series from Moose Toys created in partnership with WildBrain Spark includes a global licensing programme across all categories following toy launch this summer.

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In a partnership between emoji company and WildBrain, emojitown® is a brand new digital-first series and consumer products extension of emoji® – The Iconic Brand.

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THE BRAND AND LIFESTYLE LICENSING AWARDS 2021

The Brand and Lifestyle Licensing Awards 2021 (B&LLAs 2021) shine the spotlight on all aspects of brand licensing, providing a platform for non-entertainment properties, products and retailing treatment to be truly celebrated. The B&LLAs attracted a phenomenal number of entries this year, from companies large and small, fanfaring all manner of licensed brands, from FMCG to heritage, fashion to talent IP, among others. Each and every product entry was judged by a panel that comprised entirely of retail buyers from right across the spectrum, including John Lewis, The Very Group, Tesco, HMV, TJ Morris, Matalan, FatFace, Sainsbury’s, DFS, Toymaster, Morrisons, Smyths Toys, Pets at Home and Asda. The following pages share the stellar line-up of the B&LLAs 2021 finalists, with the winners to be revealed at a lavish afternoon awards event on Wednesday 20 October, to be held at the Hilton Park Lane Hotel in London.

THE RETAIL AWARDS CATEGORIES The retail award categories were open to retailers with a presence in the UK who have shown a commitment to retailing brand licensed merchandise for the period 1 January 2020 to 31 December 2020. This could either be for a specific activity or ongoing treatment, either bricks & mortar and/or online.

BEST FASHION RETAILER OF LICENSED BRANDS ASOS BOOHOO FatFace H&M Missguided Primark Pull&Bear Zara

LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

BEST DEPARTMENT STORE OR MIXED RETAILER OF LICENSED BRANDS Argos B&M Fenwick John Lewis M&S Next Selfridges WHSmith

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THE BRAND AND LIFESTYLE LICENSING AWARDS 2021

BEST SUPERMARKET OF LICENSED BRANDS

BEST SPECIALIST RETAILER OF LICENSED BRANDS

Asda Co-op Iceland Morrisons Sainsbury’s Tesco Waitrose

Blue Diamond Group Boots DFS Dobbies Dunelm Homebase MADE.com Waterstones

THE LICENSED BRAND PROPERTY AWARD CATEGORIES The property awards were open to all brand licensed IP across the spectrum that have executed licensing activity (including in the UK) in the period 1 January 2020 to December 31 2020.

BEST LICENSED HERITAGE OR INSTITUTION BRAND

BEST LICENSED FOOD OR BEVERAGE BRAND

Historic Royal Palaces Morris & Co The National Gallery Natural History Museum National Trust Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Sanderson Van Gogh Museum Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A)

Baileys Barratt Coca-Cola Guinness Marmite SLUSH PUPPiE TGI Fridays

BEST LICENSED LIFESTYLE BRAND Country Living Crayola Goodyear HEAD House Beautiful LEGO NERF Transport for London Volkswagen

BEST LICENSED DESIGN-LED LIFESTYLE BRAND Emoji Hello Kitty House of Turnowsky I Like Birds PANTONE Scion Smiley

BEST LICENSED FASHION OR TALENT BRAND Emma Bridgewater Frida Kahlo Jane Asher Joules Julie Dodsworth Nadiya Hussain Sara Miller London Terry O’Neill Yvonne Ellen

• For tables and tickets for the Brand & Lifestyle Licensing Awards 2021, contact Clare at Createvents on clare@createvents.co.uk or call 01183 340085. LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

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THE BRAND AND LIFESTYLE LICENSING AWARDS 2021

BEST BRAND LICENSED FASHION ACCESSORIES OR LIFESTYLE PRODUCT OR RANGE

SPONSORED BY

OPEN TO: All brand licensed fashion accessories of lifestyle products or ranges (including eyewear, jewellery, scarves, watches, handbags, luggage, footwear and headwear) launched into UK retail between 1 January 2020 to 31 December 2020.

Coca-Cola rPET Bag Collection

Farah Footwear FROM FOCUS BRANDS

FROM KIPLING

Goodyear Timepieces Collection

Hello Kitty Footwear and Accessories Collection

LEGO ZX-8000 Running Shoe

FROM GUARDO WATCHES COMPANY

FROM DR. MARTENS

FROM ADIDAS

Morris & Co Watch Collection

RHS Spring Florals Footwear

V&A Bags and Accessories Collection

FROM AUGUST BERG

FROM HOTTER

FROM MULBERRY

LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

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THE BRAND AND LIFESTYLE LICENSING AWARDS 2021

BEST BRAND LICENSED FOOD OR BEVERAGE PRODUCT OR RANGE

SPONSORED BY

OPEN TO: All brand licensed food or beverage products (including fresh, ambient, dried, frozen, bottled or canned food stuffs plus non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages) launched into UK retail between 1 January 2020 to 31 December 2020.

Baileys Choco Leibniz and Squares Biscuits FROM BAHLSEN

Baileys Marbled Cake and Chocolate Treat Blondie Bars

Barratt Ice Creams FROM ICE FRESH

FROM FINSBURY FOODS

BOSH! Vegan Home Baking and Savoury Range

Coca-Cola Tic Tacs

Marmite x M&S Food

FROM FERRERO

FROM MARKS AND SPENCER

TGI Fridays Frozen Food Range for Iceland

Xbox Celebration Cake

FROM FIDDES PAYNE

River Cottage Kombucha FROM EQUINOX

FROM FINSBURY FOODS

FROM ICELAND FOODS

LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

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THE BRAND AND LIFESTYLE LICENSING AWARDS 2021

BEST BRAND LICENSED HEALTH & BEAUTY PRODUCT OR RANGE SPONSORED BY

OPEN TO: All brand licensed health and beauty products or ranges (including fragrances, bath and body, cosmetics, personal care items and vitamins) that were launched into UK retail between 1 January 2020 to 31 December 2020.

Calcot Spa Bath Accessories

Coca-Cola Cosmetics FROM MORPHE

FROM H&A

Cosmopolitan Eau De Juice Fragrance

Eve Sleep Well Slept Collection

Jolly Rancher Cosmetics Set

FROM LUXE

FROM IG DESIGN GROUP

FROM AMBER HOUSE

Joules x Boots Children’s Toiletries

RHS Lavender Garden

Smiley Cosmetics

FROM HEATHCOTE & IVORY

FROM CIATÉ

FROM BOOTS

LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

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THE BRAND AND LIFESTYLE LICENSING AWARDS 2021

BEST BRAND LICENSED ADULT APPAREL PRODUCT OR RANGE SPONSORED BY

OPEN TO: All brand licensed adult apparel products or ranges (including formal and casual wear, daywear, nightwear, underwear and sportswear) that were launched into UK retail between 1 January 2020 to 31 December 2020.

G2 Lifestyle Apparel Collections

LEGO Dots Collection FROM LEVI'S

FROM DIFUZED

National Gallery Collection FROM POETIC BRANDS

Natural History Museum Collection

Pantone x Boohoo.com FROM BRO TRADING

FROM FINISTERRE

Playboy x Missguided Varsity Collection

Smiley Streetwear Collection X Pull&Bear

FROM MISSGUIDED

FROM PULL&BEAR

TfL Cyclewear Collection FROM MILLTAG CYCLING

LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

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THE BRAND AND LIFESTYLE LICENSING AWARDS 2021

BEST BRAND LICENSED GIFTING PRODUCT OR RANGE SPONSORED BY

OPEN TO: All brand licensed gifting products or ranges (including gift-packaged products or kits, family games, greeting cards, calendars or stationery), that launched into UK retail between 1 January 2020 to 31 December 2020.

Battersea Dogs and Cats Home Collection

Emma Bridgewater Greeting Card Range

National Gallery Flower Bouquets

FROM MARKS AND SPENCER

FROM WOODMANSTERNE

FROM PRESTIGE FLOWERS

PUBLICATIONS

National Trust Wildlife Collection

Natural History Museum The Dinosauria Collection

RHS Calendar and Diary Range

FROM CJ WILDLIFE

FROM THE ROYAL MINT

FROM DANILO PROMOTIONS

TfL Jigsaw Puzzles and Games

V&A Kimono Stationery Collection

Van Gogh Stationery and Gifting Collection

FROM GIBSON GAMES

FROM PAPIER

FROM BLUEPRINT STATIONERY

LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

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THE BRAND AND LIFESTYLE LICENSING AWARDS 2021

BEST BRAND LICENSED HOMEWARES, KITCHEN & TABLETOP PRODUCT OR RANGE

SPONSORED BY

OPEN TO: All brand licensed homewares, kitchen & tabletop products or ranges (including tableware, cookware, glassware, cutlery & utensils, storage and cleaning items) that were launched into UK retail between 1 January 2020 to 31 December 2020.

Country Living Kitchens for Homebase

Emma Bridgewater Buttercups collection

FROM WHITSTABLE AND HASTINGS

FROM ELITE

I Like Birds Tabletop and Kitchen Collection

Joules Fine China Range FROM PURE TABLETOP

FROM MY GIFTS TRADE

National Trust Explore and Treasure FROM TOASTED CRUMPET

National Trust Vegan Food Wrap Collection

Sara Miller London Chelsea Collection

Yvonne Ellen Barware and Picnicware

FROM THE BEESWAX

FROM PORTMEIRION

FROM FIFTY ONE PERCENT

WRAP COMPANY

LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

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THE BRAND AND LIFESTYLE LICENSING AWARDS 2021

BEST BRAND LICENSED CHILDREN’S PRODUCT OR RANGE SPONSORED BY

OPEN TO: All brand licensed products or ranges aimed speciﬁcally at children (including apparel, accessories, toys, games, publishing, furniture and home décor items) that were launched into UK retail between 1 January 2020 to 31 December 2020.

Classic LEGO Bricks Collection

Crayola Bathtime Range FROM H&A

FROM ADIDAS

Formula E Panasonic Jaguar Racing Gen2 car and Jaguar I-PACE eTrophy Speed Champions FROM LEGO

Mini Brands FROM ZURU

Mother & Baby All Gold Mattress FROM CUDDLECO

Nadiya Hussain Bake Me A Story Children's Bakeware range FROM WILTON BRADLEY

National Trust Woodland Wanders FROM FRUGI

Nerf Christmas Range FROM FASHION UK

Roald Dahl x Natural History Museum Extraordinary Explorers FROM MARKS & SPENCER

LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

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THE BRAND AND LIFESTYLE LICENSING AWARDS 2021

BEST BRAND LICENSED ELECTRICAL & DIY PRODUCTS OR RANGE SPONSORED BY

OPEN TO: All brand licensed electrical and DIY products or ranges (including SDAs, DIY items, tools, home appliances, lighting and batteries, personal care products, smart tech, phones and sound, vision and computing ) that were launched into UK retail between 1 January 2020 to 31 December 2020.

Coca-Cola Tech Accessories Collection

Paul Smith Braun Collection

FROM CASETIFY

FROM ZEON

Goodyear Foot Pump & Air Compressor

Goodyear Gardening Tools FROM MIRALBUENO

FROM AVRON

National Trust Garden Tools

RHS British Meadow Collection

FROM BURGON & BALL

LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

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THE BRAND AND LIFESTYLE LICENSING AWARDS 2021

BEST BRAND LICENSED HOME DECOR PRODUCT OR RANGE SPONSORED BY

OPEN TO: All brand licensed home decor product or ranges (including soft furnishings, bedding, paint, wallpaper, furniture, textiles including kitchen textiles and bathroom) that were launched into UK retail between 1 January 2020 to 31 December 2020.

Historic Royal Palaces Great Masters Wallpapers

House Beautiful Collection FROM DREAMS

FROM COLE & SON

Morris & Co Nursery and Home Essentials

National Portrait Gallery Bespoke Murals

National Trust Celebration Fabric Collection

FROM DOCKATOT

FROM GRAHAM AND BROWN

FROM SANDERSON DESIGN GROUP

Natural History Museum Art Prints Collection

Sara Miller London Bedding Collection

Scion Living x Next

FROM MADE.COM

FROM ASHLEY WILDE GROUP

LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

FROM NEXT

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THE BRAND AND LIFESTYLE LICENSING AWARDS 2021

INSPIRED INNOVATION BRAND LICENSED PRODUCT OR RANGE AWARD

SPONSORED BY

OPEN TO: This award recognises truly inspired product creation involving a brand licence. Entries could be for a single product, range (of any type) or experiential in nature. It could involve collaborations, but a brand licence (non-entertainment) has to be part of this. The product will have been launched into UK retail between 1 January 2020 to 31 December 2020. All entries are judged on their inspirational innovation.

Barratt Ice Cream Sherbet Dip Dab

Formula 1 Fragrances Engineered Collection

FROM ICE FRESH

FROM SA DESIGNER PARFUMS

Goodyear Air Puriﬁer

Guinness Home Bar

FROM CLICKERLAND

FROM SHAMROCK GIFT COMPANY

Joules Mini-me Dog Collection FROM ROSEWOOD

Lamborghini Sian FKP 37 Lego Technic

Lenor Crease Releasers

Marmite Houmous

FROM STAR BRANDS

FROM FRESHPAK CHILLED FOODS

FROM THE LEGO GROUP

LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

Pringles-DPS-Advert-Artwork-297x210mm.pdf

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15:55

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BRAND LICENSING OPPORTUNITIES

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richard@pinkkey.co.uk | 07859 362 323 | www.pinkkey.co.uk

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BRAND FOCUS: ENGLISH HERITAGE

One of the UK’s best known and most respected heritage brands, it’s clear that English Heritage has huge potential within the licensing space. Licensees are able to take inspiration from a wealth of historic sites, properties and gardens, as well as curated artefacts, plus an expanding patterns and design archive and a 25,000+ photographic library. LSB finds out more.

English pride B

y March 2020, English Heritage was welcoming 10million+ visitors per year, its website was being visited by 20 million web users per year, it had a 1 million+ membership and it was organising 800+ events per year. All further supported by a growing social media following. All of which adds up to a strong brand profile platform for licensees, believes Helen Webster, who joined Golden Goose earlier this year to help develop the English Heritage and Tusk Trust licensing programmes. “English Heritage wants people to experience the story of England where it actually happened so their sites and properties offer an imaginative, true to the story,

LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

Above: Stonehenge is the best known prehistoric monument in Europe. Center: Helen Webster joined Golden Goose earlier this year to help develop the English Heritage licensing programme. Bottom: The palatial former holiday home of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, Osborne House is located on the Isle of Wight.

carefully curated hands-on experience aimed at inspiring people of all ages,” Helen tells LSB. “Alongside this, English Heritage works to ensure their sites and properties - which include Stonehenge, Osborne House, Kenwood House and Dover Castle - and their thousands of historic artefacts are conserved and expertly cared for so as to be enjoyed by future generations. “English Heritage is a brand with true relevance and purpose and that is what makes the licensing programme a very attractive proposition for retailers and consumers alike.” Helen believes that the pandemic has defined a new category of goods and activities – new essentials - and that consumers of all ages and demographics are increasingly looking for real authenticity, purpose and intrinsic value in the things they do, buy and the brands they support.

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BRAND FOCUS: ENGLISH HERITAGE

inspiration which can be “English Heritage Inset: Eltham Palace boasts 19 taken from its many embodies all of these acres of award winning gardens and a striking Art Deco mansion. historic sites, stately attributes; from their homes, castles and purpose to conserve gardens, so there is and present England's certainly a rich asset history for and to bank for licensees to future generations, create product from their status as a collections. heritage charity, from And notably, the first the quality and tentpole licensee authenticity of the working across fabrics, visitor experience at wallpapers and home their sites, events and décor internationally will be revealed soon, retail stores, to the quality of the products they teases Helen. want to offer today’s newly informed, aspirational “Our main aim with the English Heritage consumers,” Helen explains. licensing programme is to translate all that Since Covid-19, it’s undeniable that the home and represents the brand into products that, garden have become hubs for a myriad of ‘new depending on the product category and target normal’ activities based on feeling healthy, safe consumer, are beautiful, useful, fun and/or and comfortable. aspirational while also offering true, intrinsic value Helen continues: “Covid has also accelerated the for money,” she says. consumer’s wish to make a difference. English While Helen says she would like to have the Heritage leans in to all of these new normal trends phase one product categories in place with in a truly organic manner through its heritage, partners and into product development by the intrinsic value and purpose, all of which can give end of 2021, she also makes it clear that English consumers the comfort and pride in knowing that Heritage is a long-term – whether they are proposition in licensing, visiting an EH site or Across the demographics buying an EH licensed “There is plenty that English Heritage is already doing not just in the UK, but that appeals across the generations and actually, the internationally, too. product – they too can English Heritage membership profile and visitor “While it’s clear from past make a difference as spread spans a wider demographic with nearly activity that the English they blend history into 500,000 member households and just under one Heritage brand has their lives.” million members,” explains Helen. “Because the English Heritage experience is informative, fun and enormous potential, this is To this end, product steeped in the history of the site where that history really the first time that categories including actually happened, English Heritage is ideally placed licensing is receiving the soft and hard to cater for and is already benefitting from a growing number of families taking part in family days out at level of internal focus that furnishings, wallpaper, their stately homes, majestic gardens and medieval it needs to achieve décor, tableware, castles through an innovative programme of events significant scale,” Helen garden furniture, and dynamic interpretation on site. concludes. “Because we gardening, baby and “The licensed product programme is being envisaged with kids, as well as adults, in mind.” are working directly with nursery among others Kingston Myles (head of are some of the first to commercial development), we can leverage all of be discussed by Golden Goose. On top of this, the the English Heritage brand assets from the agency will also be looking at extending iterations trademark to the collections archive and on to the of the brand values in food and confectionary, as multi-channel commercial operation which well as greeting cards, stationery, toiletries, includes over 100 retail outlets, 35 cafes and a hobbies, plus arts and crafts for adults portfolio of holiday cottages. and children. “Having an expert point of contact with Kingston As well as the wealth of visitors – in-person and allows us to target the biggest potential online – English Heritage also has an expanding categories and opportunities, and that is what we patterns and design archive, a 25,000+ intend doing.” photographic library and, of course, the LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

LA LSB

LICENSING AWARDS BOOKING FORM The 2021 Licensing Awards will take place during an evening ceremony at the Grosvenor House Hotel, Park Lane London on Tuesday 14 September.

The 2019 awards were a great success and attracted over 1300 people. The Awards event itself will be an extravaganza that befits the dynamism of the industry. The Licensing Awards have really become accolades to strive for; their integrity is unquestioned as an endorsement of excellence. To confirm your attendance, please carefully complete this booking form and return to Createvents Ltd. For table bookings & event logistics

Contact: Clare Hollick +44 1183 340085 Email: clare@createvents.co.uk Mail: The Licensing Awards c/o Createvents Ltd 450 Brook Drive, Reading RG2 6UU

For entry nomination & sponsorship Contact: Ian Hyder +44 207 700 6740 Email: ianh@max-publishing.co.uk Website: www.thelicensingawards.co.uk

Please reserve the following:

EXCL VAT

Table/s of Twelve (12) ☐ £2,976.00

☐ £2,480.00

Table/s of Ten (10)

☐ £248.00

Single Places

INCL VAT @20%

£3,571.20

£2,976.00

£297.60

Please note: price includes drinks reception, three course dinner, celebrity hosted awards ceremony and entertainment. All other beverages including table wines are additional which are ordered with and charged by the venue directly. Full details can be found in your confirmation email, which will be provided following receipt of a signed booking form.

PAYMENT OPTIONS ☐ INVOICE ME Purchase Order ♯

Please note: ALL INVOICES MUST BE PAID 30 DAYS FROM INVOICE, TICKETS WILL NOT BE SENT UNTIL PAYMENT IS RECEIVED. This means that we can only process bookings that require us to issue invoices until 9 August 2021. For bookings made after this date either a cheque or credit card is required.

☐ CHEQUE to the sum of £

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Made payable (Including VAT) to: Max Publishing Ltd Please send to: The Licensing Awards 2021 c/o Createvents Ltd 450 Brook Drive Reading RG2 6UU

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Bookings will be confirmed upon receipt of a completed booking form. By signing this form you authorise Createvents Ltd on behalf of Max Publishing Ltd to proceed with your booking, and you acknowledge and understand the cancellation policy as follows: • Notification of cancellation must be made in writing to: The Licensing Awards, c/o Createvents Ltd, 450 Brook Drive, Reading RG2 6UU • No refund will be made/full payment will be required for Cancellations received after 9 August 2021. • Cancellations received on or before the 9 August 2021 will be accepted and refunds will be given less a 15% administration charge. • Please note all attendees must be 18 years or older.

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Licensing Awards the industry can be really proud of...

The UK Licensing Awards 2021 Tuesday September 14 2021 The Great Room, Grosvenor Hotel, Park Lane, London, W1K 7TN

OR IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BOOK YOUR TICKET OR TABLE ONLINE GO TO - WWW.MAX-TICKETS.NET FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE AWARDS GO TO:

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STATE OF THE NATION: SPORTS

A sporting

chance

2021 is in the midst of a glorious summer of sport – from the Three Lions’ stunning performance in Euro 2020, to the British & Irish Lions heading to South Africa and Team GB flying the flag at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. From a licensing point of view, it’s also been a busy time, with numerous new deals and collaborations.

Asprey speeds in with Formula 1 Formula 1 has revealed a special collection with British luxury goods house, Asprey, celebrating the sport’s new era, with a new car and rules and regulations introduced in 2022. Asprey – which is marking its 240th anniversary this year – previously partnered with Ferrari’s F1 team in the late 1990s on a premium collection of gold, silver and leather pieces. The new collaboration follows the launch of new 2022 F1 car, which was unveiled at Silverstone ahead of the 2021 Formula 1 Pirelli British Grand Prix. The exclusive collection is inspired by the design of the new 2022 car and includes sterling silver replica and sculptural models in 25cm, 18cm and 10cm sizes, as well as a range of small silver goods and silk products. Fine jewellery items including cufflinks, bracelets, charms and signet rings are set to launch later in the autumn.

LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

Inset: The new NBA store is being operated by Lids, the largest sports retailer in the US.

Fanatics and NBA team on first UK store The National Basketball Association has opened its first official store in the UK. The new two-floor store – which is located in Foubert’s Place, in the Carnaby shopping area of London’s Soho – is being operated by Lids, the largest licensed sports retailer in the US, which is partly owned by Fanatics. The London opening marks the first official NBA store operated by Lids as part of the NBA’s partnership with Fanatics. It will be followed up with three further stores around the world in the next 18 months. The outlet offers a wide range of official NBA and WNBA merchandise including exclusive NBA products, apparel, jerseys, toys, sporting goods, headwear and collectables from brands such as New Era and Nike among others. There will also be a customisation service. “Ahead of our 75th anniversary season, we are excited to welcome fans to the first NBA Store in the UK,” said Steve Griffiths, NBA EME director of global partnerships.

Inset: The exclusive collection is inspired by the design of the new 2022 F1 car.

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STATE OF THE NATION: SPORTS

Galloping ahead Ascot Racecourse opened its first online shop earlier this spring, while a new raft of licensed products for 2021 have also been launched in deals brokered by IMG. L.K. Bennett has launched ladies ready to wear silk dresses, jumpsuits, skirts and tops, suits and silk scarves, as well as Ascot’s first ever footwear collection featuring courts and wedges. Meanwhile, in the year that Royal Ascot permitted navy blue morning suits inside the Royal Enclosure, Favourbrook launched its first Royal Ascot collection featuring a navy morning suit in addition to the more traditional grey and black variants. The range Inset: Radley has 13 new styles in its Royal Ascot collection. also includes pinstripe trousers, waistcoats, ties and pocket squares. Radley’s 2021 Royal Ascot collection has 13 new styles including small leather goods for the first time, in shades of Chalk, Salt Lake Pink and Butter Brown. The silhouettes are inspired by traditional leather saddler techniques and one of the styles features hand-drawn illustrations. Charbonnel et Walker has created a bespoke top hat chocolate box, featuring a new flavour duo combination of milk sea salt and strawberries and cream truffles, while Christy’s London and Oliver Brown also have new Ascot-inspired collections.

WIT Fitness strengthened by CrossFit London-based sportswear retailer, WIT Fitness has secured a multi-year global ecommerce and retail partnership with CrossFit. WIT will create an online CrossFit store, selling CrossFit-branded apparel and other merchandise. It will ship globally and integrate its localised distribution in the US, EU, UK and future operations in Asia Pacific and South America. Meanwhile, the flagship London store will give customers the opportunity to explore, touch and try on CrossFit gear in person. WIT also has the opportunity to create custom retail stores at the CrossFit Games, future CrossFit events, and future physical locations globally. Below: WIT will create a flagship London store, as well as an online outlet.

Bravado links with Team GB Bravado has secured a deal with Team GB to design and distribute official, branded merchandise ranges to the UK retail market to coincide with the team’s participation in the 2020 Olympics this summer in Tokyo. The multi-layered offering will encompass online and in-store, as well as luxury, with highend capsule collections scheduled to run later this Above: Bravado is celebrating summer. Team GB this summer. The collections have been designed to ‘delight and inspire’ according to the company and will comprise athleisure apparel and accessories, featuring new, never been seen before designs. “We can’t possibly be more passionate and excited about this collaboration,” enthused Keith Taperell, vp retail and sales at Bravado UK. “With such a testing year behind us, we look forward to the creativity, optimism and patriotism that accompanies this project. The unity and inspiration the Games conjure the world over, is just what we all need.”

Animoca Brands scores with QPR Animoca Brands and Queens Park Rangers FC have joined forces to develop and launch non-fungible tokens (NFTs) based on the football team, starting with sets of limited edition collectables to be launched later in the year. Animoca Brands has secured a global licence through the club’s holding company, QPR Holdings. Euan Inglis, commercial director at Queens Park Rangers, said: “The opportunity to create digital assets that are unique and truly ownable by their holders really is particularly appealing for sports teams. Working with market leader Animoca Brands, whose track record speaks for itself, was an opportunity we could not miss. The concepts that we will develop through this partnership will create some real excitement with our fanbase.”

LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

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PROPERTY: ODO LICENSOR: Sixteen South E-mail: info@bulldog-licensing.com Website: www.bulldog-licensing.com

THE LITTLE OWL WITH BIG IDEAS A brand new comedy series for pre-schoolers, with a lot of heart! Series one is comprised of 52 x 7 minute episodes. Confirmed broadcasters include Milkshake, Kika, HBO Max, ABC Kids, Canal+, S4C and RTÉ. The show is created in 2D - with all the theatrical beauty of traditional two dimensional animation, but with added 3D lighting and a shading compositing stage to bring it to life. Odo teaches children to believe in themselves and is the epitome of high self-efficacy. Odo is a little owl that truly believes in himself and knows that he can accomplish great things. Odo is a gender neutral lead character. Sixteen South had the highest percentage of broadcasters and investors attend the Odo pitch at Cartoon Forum. Opportunity for first licensees to launch retail exclusives for AW22, with full market roll out in SS23. © Sixteen South & Letko 2021 Odo™ and Odo® Mark and logo, characters and elements are trademarks of Sixteen South & Letko. All rights reserved.

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LICENSEES

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.

LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2021

118mm

129.5mm

Accessories

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Apparel

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Apparel

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Apparel

DAYWEAR

•

NIGHTWEAR

•

FOOTWEAR

•

ACCESSORIES

© 2021 Activision Publishing, Inc. ACTIVISION, CALL OF DUTY, CALL OF DUTY BLACK OPS, and MODERN WARFARE are trademarks of Activision Publishing, Inc. All other trademarks and trade names are the properties of their respective owners.

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Apparel

2021 MARVEL

www.fashions-uk.com info@fashions-uk.com m.mattu@global-licensing.co.uk

Fashion UK 11 St Georges Way Leicester LE1 1SH 0116 2762929

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Apparel and Giftware

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Apparel and Giftware

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Bedding

+44 (0) 844 499 8465

enquiries@dreamtexltd.com @DreamtexDuvets

@dreamtexlimited

@dreamtexnews

@dreamtexlimited

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Bedding

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Children’s Publishing

© 2019 Rovio Entertainment Corporation and Rovio Animation Ltd. Rovio, All Angry Birds logos and characters are trademarks of Rovio Entertainment Corporation and Rovio Animation Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Avengers © 2019 Marvel. Baby Shark © Smart Study Co., Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Pinkfong® Baby Shark™ is a licensed trademark of Smart Study Co., Ltd. Captain Marvel © 2019 Marvel. Dumbo © 2019 Disney Enterprises, Inc. Fingerlings® and all product names, designations and logos are trademarks of WowWee Group Limited. Copyright 2016-2019 WowWee Group Limited. All rights reserved. LEGO, the LEGO logo, the Brick and Knob conﬁgurations and the Miniﬁgure are trademarks of the LEGO Group. ©2019 The LEGO Group. The Lion King © 2019 Disney Enterprises, Inc. © MGA Entertainment, Inc. L.O.L. SURPRISE! TM is a trademark of MGA in the U.S. and other Countries. All logos, names, characters, likenesses, images, slogans and packaging appearance are the property of MGA. Mary Poppins Returns © 2018 Disney Enterprises, Inc. Match Attax © TOPPS Europe Limited, 2019. All rights reserved. © 2019 Viacom International Inc. All Rights Reserved. NICKELODEON, NELLA THE PRINCESS KNIGHT are trademarks of Viacom International Inc. © 2019 Spin Master PAW Productions Inc. All Rights Reserved. PAW Patrol and all related titles, logos and characters are trademarks of Spin Master Ltd. Nickelodeon and all related titles and logos are trademarks of Viacom International Inc. Shimmer and Shine © 2019 All Rights Reserved. Nickelodeon, trademark of Viacom International Inc. Spies in Disguise™ and © 2019 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All rights reserved. Property of Fox. Spider-Man Into The Spider-Verse © 2018 Marvel © 2018 SPA & CPII. © 2019 Super Wings™ All Rights Reserved. The Nutcracker And The Four Realms © 2018 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Secret Life of Pets is a trademark and copyright of Universal Studios. Licensed by Universal Studios Licensing LLC. All rights reserved. DreamWorks Trolls © 2018 DreamWorks Animation LLC. All Rights Reserved. TM & © 2019 Ugly Industries Holdings, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Wonder Park TM & © 2019 Paramount Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

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Children’s Publishing

Publishing for a new generation

Centum Books 20 Devon Square, Newton Abbot, Devon, TQ12 2HR, UK. Ofﬁce: +44 (0)1626 337736 • Fax: +44 (0)1626 334580 • Books@centumbooksltd.co.uk

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Dress Up

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Dress-Up

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Party/Dress-Up

Costumes online now! SPACE JAM: A NEW LEGACY and all related characters and elements © & ™ Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. WB SHIELD: © & ™ WBEI. (s21)Ent

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Party/Dress-Up

Exciting new characters online now!

Pre-order costumes online now! SLUSH PUPPIE is a registered trademark of The ICEE Company, a Subsidary of J&J Snack Foods Corp.

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Games ®

Bringing Brands to the Tabletop Since 2014 View the full range on our website

www.steamforged.com

Get in touch

toby@steamforged.com emmab@steamforged.com

Games by fans, for fans

World Class Miniatures

Global Distribution

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Licensed Gifts

More licenses being added all the time...

Visit fizzcreations.com or email sales@fizzcreations.com Fizz Creations, 6 Commerce Way, Lancing, West Sussex, BN15 8TA Minions © UCS LLC, DreamWorks Trolls World Tour © DWA LLC. JAWS © UCS LLC. Back to the Future © UCS LLC and Amblin. E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial © UCS LLC. DreamWorks Where’s Wally? © DWA LLC. Character © DWA Dist. Ltd. Universal Monsters © UCS LLC. DreamWorks Shrek © DWA LLC. Chucky © UCS LLC. Mamma Mia! © UCS LLC. Bridesmaids © UCS LLC. Love Actually © UCS LLC. Casper © UCS LLC. Pitch Perfect © UCS LLC. Beatrix Potter™ © Frederick Warne & Co.,2021. The Grinch ™ & © 2021 Dr. Seuss. Tetris ™ & © 1985-2021 and Tetris Holding. Sonic the Hedgehog © SEGA. The Snowman © S E L, 2021. PAC-MAN © 2021 BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Inc. HARIBO™ & © 2021 HARIBO Holding GmbH & Co. KG.

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Greetings Cards and Calendars

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Nightwear

ETHD NG S N LO I

ICECT

LCHARA R FO

C WN ER RO ND

A DS

Nightwear Daywear Underwear Swimwear

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Nightwear

Character Clothing Specialists

MULTIFUNCTIONAL SNOOD ANTI-BACTERIAL . BREATHABLE . MACHINE WASHABLE

+44 16 1273 5213

www.cooneenbydesign.com Cooneen Group

@cooneengroup

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Nightwear

LEGO, the LEGO logo, the Brick and Knob

Nightwear

Daywear Underwear Swimwear

3-4 years 104cm

Actual Size

...bigger brands 109 107-110_LSB_Summer 2021_Lics.indd 109

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Nightwear

Character Clothing Specialists

wildest

Unleash their dreams with their favourite characters!

GET IN TOUCH! +44 16 1273 5213

www.cooneenbydesign.com Cooneen Group

@cooneengroup

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17-19 NOVEMBER 2021 ExCeL London

FIND OUT MORE AT www.brandlicensing.eu

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Nightwear, Underwear & Socks/Hosiery “Delivering innovation, “Delivering innovation, qualityquality and value on time....every and value on time....every time.” time.”

NIGHTWEAR

SOCKS

UNDERWEAR

TIGHTS

BABYWEAR

GIFTING

misirliu

For license enquires contact: Faye Rashad Email: faye@misirli.co.uk T: +44(0) 116 2645 860

@MisirliU

www.m

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Nightwear, Underwear & Socks/Hosiery

quality ry time.” e.”

misirliukltd @MisirliUKLtd

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10/09/2019 12:24

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Apparel

THE HOME OF COOL LICENSED MERCH

Discover more collections at www.pyramidinternational.com Sales Enquires? Contact Us Today! +44 116 284 3640

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Slip Mats,Mugs and Desk Clocks

SLIP MATS

MUG SETS

DESK CLOCKS

Discover more new product ranges at www.pyramidinternational.com Sales Enquires? Contact Us Today! +44 116 284 3640

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Licensing Source Advert DPS_Layout 1 12/01/2017 13:45 Page 1

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.

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Toiletries

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B&LLA LSB a5 Advert 2020.qxp_Layout 1 27/01/2021 09:11 Page 1

For information on reserving tickets or tables to the event, please contact:

Clare Hollick at Createvents Ltd using clare@createvents.co.uk or calling +44(0)1183 340085

For information on sponsorship or any other enquiries please contact: Ian Hyder, Joint MD of Max Publishing on +44 (0)7525 634306 ianh@max-publishing.co.uk

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LA LSB A5 2021.qxp_Layout 1 02/02/2021 10:21 Page 1

Licensing Awards the industry can be really proud of...

The UK Licensing Awards 2021 Tuesday September 14 2021 The Great Room, Grosvenor Hotel, Park Lane, London, W1K 7TN

OR IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BOOK YOUR TICKET OR TABLE ONLINE GO TO - WWW.MAX-TICKETS.NET FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE AWARDS GO TO:

www.thelicensingawards.co.uk IBC_LSB_Summer 2021.indd 42

30/07/2021 11:43

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Licensing Source Book Summer 2021

Articles inside

State of the Nation: Sports

The Big Interview: English Heritage

Event Focus

The Licensing Awards 2021 The Finalists

World in motion – an international

In Conversation With… Abysse

In Conversation With… Rainbow

Fashion UK Global Licensing’s European growth

Trend Focus: The 1990s

The Big Interview: Guru Studio

State of the Nation: Corporate

Licensor Feedback - hopes for the remainder of 2021

Licensee Feedback – Half time report

Kids Insights

SILC21 – the key takeaways from this year’s sustainability conference

Retail Round-up