Licensing Source Book Europe – Summer 2022

Licensing Expo Special Edition

Summer 2022

Visit us at LicensingExpo Booth #E154 or contact Victoria Whellans, Commercial Director, ASPIRE victoria.whellans@cplg.com © MENTOS 2022/© Sauber Group/© Motul/© Britto/© 2022 Master Lock Company LLC. /OSPREY LONDON is the registered trademark of Graeme Ellisdon Ltd and is subject to trademark registration worldwide./© 2022 KIKKOMAN CORPORATION. / © 2022 University of Southern California./ Copyright © 2022 Yale University. All rights reserved./ MALIBU® and The Palm Tree Logo are Registered Trademarks Used Under License. © The Absolut Company AB./ © 2022 Alfred Kärcher SE & Co. KG / © 2022 Revolution Beauty./ © Chupa Chups 2022 / © 2022 Master Lock Company LLC.

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LEADER

Inset: The LSB team were thrilled to welcome everyone to the B&LLAs in April.

Howdy I

n some senses, it feels like everything and nothing has changed these past few months. It seems impossible that it can be May already, but equally the seemingly neverending bad news cycle of the crisis in Ukraine, the continued affects of Covid, rising inflation and the rising cost of living can wear heavy.

However, what also hasn’t changed is the licensing industry’s reaction. After the past couple of years, we are well used to it not being ‘business as usual’ and licensors, licensees and retailers all have their own coping strategies.

Encouragingly, many of the licensees we spoke to for this issue, by their own admission, had set themselves ambitious targets for 2022. Almost half way through the year, and they are well on the way to meeting them, too.

The main challenges are undoubtedly still with shipping lead times and external delays from factories, but these have been factored into annual forecasts and plans have been made ahead of time for Q3 and Q4 to head off any surprises. This means that many licensees feel a lot more in control and have more visibility than they’ve had over the previous year or so.

While the summer period is key, many licensees will also be heading to Las Vegas to gen up on new and upcoming properties and emerging trends so that they can keep that product pipeline moving.

The excitement from the UK trade about the return of Licensing Expo has been palpable this past month or so and, judging by our exhibitor preview in this issue, there will be a lot to take in on the

showfloor of the Mandalay Bay. Of course, the visiting Brits will be sure to keep up their end on the networking front, too.

Speaking of networking, this year’s Brand & Lifestyle Licensing Awards was another huge success, with congratulations going out to all those who made the shortlist, as well as the worthy winners. Our attention now turns to The Licensing Awards, with entries and nominations open until 1 June.

The eagerly anticipated double header of the Brand & Licensing Innovation Summit and Sustainability in Licensing Conference is also coming up on 21-22 June. The confirmed speakers for both events are sure to deliver some thought provoking content on issues ranging from the metaverse and driving social change, through to the ever-changing content landscape and what is required of business to be ‘future fit’. Both are well worth checking out.

Until then, safe flights and we’ll see you in Vegas.

The LSB Team Samantha Loveday, Jakki Brown, Ian Hyder and Rob Willis.

Samantha Loveday - Group Editor Ian Hyder - Chief Executive Officer Jakki Brown - Managing Director and Editorial Director Rob Willis - Chief Operating Officer Mark Grayson - Creative Director Tel: 020 7700 6740 E-mail: hello@max-publishing.co.uk Copyright 2022. The publishers cannot accept legal liability for any errors or omissions, nor can they accept responsibility for the standing of advertisers nor any organisation mentioned in the text.

ISSN 25158643.

@licensingsource

PUBLISHERS OF

WOMEN / MEN / KIDS D a ywea r - N ig h t we ar - Lo u n gewe ar - Ac c e s s o r i e s

WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO BEING BACK IN LAS VEGAS AT THE LICENSING EXPO.

www.br andsin.co.uk P lease contact sue. st anley@ b r and sin. co. u k i f yo u wo u ld li ke to m e et u s t h e re.

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CONTENTS

What’s Inside?

10-11

State of the Nation: Corporate

12-17

Licensee Feedback: The opportunities and challenges from 2022 so far

18-19

Retail Round-up

22-23

The Big Interview: Matthew Primack, svp international business development, Fanatics

27-29

51-53

The Insights Family:

72-73 76-77

State of the Nation:

78-79

Sustainability Victoria Whellans, commercial director, ASPIRE by WildBrain CPLG

48-49

Licensing International UK

In Conversation With… Fizz

82-87

State of the Nation: Brands

90-93

B&LLAs 2022: In Pictures

94-101

B&LLAs 2022: The Winners

104-105

The Big Interview: Blues Group

In Conversation With…

The Big Interview:

In Conversation With… Erve Creations

The Big Interview:

Character World

In Conversation With…

Rocket Licensing

Innovation Summit

44-45

BBC Studios on the growth of Bluey

A look ahead to SILC and Brand & Licensing

42-43

Sam Ferguson at Jazwares talks Squishmallows success

71

the metaverse

37-39

Licensing Expo 2022 Exhibitor Preview 69

Licensing in 32-33

Licensing Expo 2022 Nuts & Bolts

56-65

108-109

State of the Nation: Sports

112-113

The Big Interview: The Open

115-147

The Licensees’ Showcase

LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2022

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miffy moments Licensing Expo 2022 Las Vegas Visit us at booth L204

info@mercis.nl

miffy supports:

www.miffy.com © Mercis bv

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© Mercis bv, 1953-2022

follow Miffy online:

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STATE OF THE NATION: CORPORATE

Inset: Little Road Co has launched a new apparel and accessories range.

Head for business From range extensions and acquisitions, through to growth overseas and generous charity donations, LSB rounds up some of the latest news from the licensing industry.

Peter Rabbit hops into new US retail destinations In celebration of Peter Rabbit’s 120th birthday year, Penguin Ventures has partnered both with new licensees as well as expanded ranges with current partners in the US, and key global markets.

New partners to the Classic Peter Rabbit programme in the US include Little Road Co which recently launched an apparel and accessories range, as well as Dreamland Baby which will launch weighted sleep suits, pyjamas, bedding and toddler blankets in August. In the play and learning space, Phidal has a range of Classic Peter Rabbit titles and will be launching four books later this year.

The new licensee portfolio is rounded out with the addition of Craft Buddy, which has a diamond art painting range in the UK and will continue to expand in key global markets including the US. Aspinline also has a range of Peter Rabbit fabric badges and pin badges.

In addition, new and expanded ranges with current partners includes Kids Preferred, Pottery Barn, Williams Sonoma and Zrike on homewares.

Creative Artists Agency acquires CAA-GBG Entertainment and sports agency Creative Artists Agency has acquired full ownership of the business of CAA-GBG Global Brand Management Group.

Prior to the transaction, the brand management agency was operated through a joint venture formed in 2016 between CAA and Global Brands Group (GBG).

CAA’s newly named CAA Brand Management division has immediately been integrated into the day-to-day operations of the agency.

The division – which is currently handling brands including Budweiser, Coca-Cola, The Cheesecake Factory, Formula One, Jaguar Land Rover, the Bob Marley Estate, Minecraft, Netflix, Playboy, Red Bull Racing, Riot Games and Skechers among others – will be co-led by Perry Wolfman and Noah Gelbart, with some 160 employees across its network of offices.

Formula E brings licensing in-house Formula E - the world’s only electric single-seater race - has been busy strengthening its in-house licensing team, as it looks to speed ahead with its licensing plans.

All of the in-house team have extensive experience within the sports category and are focused on building on what the licensing campaign has already achieved.

Simon Lilley, retail and licensing director, brings experience from Arsenal, London 2012 and UEFA; Charlotte Hughes, senior licensing manager, has previously worked at The FA, Arsenal and Chelsea; while retail and licensing manager, Constance-Rose Manson is formerly of IMG. "With licensing back in-house and investment into a licensing team, we will be focused on developing a premium and innovative licensing programme in line with Formula E brand values, while also building stronger direct relationships with our licensees,” explained Charlotte.

With 40+ broadcast partners and 150+ broadcast territories, there is a huge audience for the team to reach with its CP. It has recently signed Stichd, part of the PUMA Group, as its new retail partner, which will produce a core apparel line to Formula E’s sustainability standards and deliver its global ecommerce and at track retail channels.

Left and above left: Charlotte Hughes and Simon Lilley have big plans for Formula E.

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STATE OF THE NATION: CORPORATE

The Light Fund’s strong start After five months of 2022, industry charity The Light Fund has already raised £22,000.

The sum has been reached through three events – the Northern Quiz Night, the comedy night and the raffle at the Brand & Lifestyle Licensing Awards.

“After all the WFH Zoom life during the pandemic years, I'm pleased to say that the industry couldn’t wait to be back together and raise much needed money for The Light Fund,” Trevor Jones, chairman, told LSB. “The first three events have all been sold out and an amazing start to what looks like will be one of our biggest years so far. We all know what a friendly Above: The Northern Quiz Night industry we work in, but the response has been overwhelming and there is still lots more took place in March at Hotel Football in Manchester. to be involved with this year.”

The main fundraising event of the year is, of course, the English Channel Relay Swim (30 June-3 July), but there are also upcoming events on dry land. The Treasure Hunt returns to London this year on 14 July, while the Southern Quiz Night has been dated for 13 October at Lords cricket ground.

For full details on upcoming events, simply check out www.lightfund.org.

Aardman expands US presence Aardman’s presence at this year’s Licensing Expo brings focus to its US-based attractions.

Minnesota Above: A Shaun the Sheep Immersive Children’s Museum has Experience is currently in development. joined forces with the studio to develop a new touring exhibit - Shear Genius - debuting on 28 May ahead of a US tour.

In addition, Aardman has partnered with Electric Gamebox to create its first immersive gaming experience. Shaun the Sheep and the Mossy Bottom Farm Championsheeps opened in four UK venues in 2021 with two more venues planned this summer, plus eight venues in the US and another three opening this year. There are further plans to expand the experience in Europe.

The award winning 4D theatre experience – The Bear and The Squirrel – is now featured at attractions across the US, while a new Shaun the Sheep: Immersive Experience is in development.

The project has allowed the studio to creatively explore and develop its characters in new worlds within a real-time engine.

Floral Street blossoms with Van Gogh Museum Floral Street Fragrances is building on its award winning collaboration with Van Gogh Museum, with two ethical scented home collections launching in the summer.

The move follows the success of the Museum’s first fragrance – Sunflower Pop – which won Best Brand Licensed Health & Beauty Product or Range at the B&LLAs 2022.

Floral Street has once again been inspired by the artist’s iconic Sunflowers 1889, as well as his Almond Blossom 1890 masterpiece. The ranges include candles with vegan wax made from sustainably sourced rapeseed and coconut oil and unbleached cotton wicks; naturally derived vegan oil diffusers; 100% plastic free scented reeds and non-toxic, alcoholfree room fragrances. All are presented in exclusively designed FSC certified recyclable packaging.

“Van Gogh brought the plants to life visually and we are bringing them to life in our clean fragrances,” said Michelle Feeney, founder of Floral Street.

Marijn Veraart, licensing manager at the Van Gogh Museum, added: “Moving into home fragrances was the obvious next step and we are all hugely excited by these new developments.”

Ian Wickham, director of Licensing Link Europe, the Museum’s agency in the UK & Ireland, continued: “This extension has been as carefully planned, researched and considered as the launch of our Sunflower Pop fragrance, so we are all excited to see the reaction.”

Inset: Floral Street has taken inspiration from Sunflowers and Almond Blossom for the new home collections.

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LICENSEE FEEDBACK

Now that we are approaching half time in 2022, LSB asks a selection of licensees if the year is panning out as they anticipated in terms of opportunities and challenges, and what is the one thing they would like to achieve by the time we reach the all-important Q4 period?

Talking shop

Mordy Benaiah, licensing director, Pyramid International

Above: The summer period is key to the success of 2022, says Mordy.

“At the start of the year Pyramid set itself very ambitious targets for 2022. We knew that importing from China was still going to be a challenge and let’s face it, we are still paying a high price for containers, plus the lockdowns which have been happening in several regions in China have caused delays.

As long as you can manage timings and try and keep costs to a minimum, then there is light at the end of the tunnel. We had just started as a business to make breakthroughs in Russia which has now completely stopped. Other negatives affecting most people across Europe are cost rises and inflation.

Back to the positives, Pyramid had a surprising and very strong Q1. We are delighted with the sales and it comes down to the sales team’s hard work backed up with some great film releases like The Batman and Fantastic Beasts 3 leading the way in the cinema. TV streaming is also strong with Disney+ titles bringing fans further into wanting merchandise.

For us, the summer period is key to the success of 2022.”

Allana Holmes, home and lifestyle brand and sales director, Hunter Price International “We have a vision to become the retailers’ choice for innovative and design-led consumer products and we’ve carved out three clear product divisions to provide focus for the business: Home & Lifestyle, Stationery & Craft and Toys & Activity. We began the year on a huge high after our most successful Spring Fair to date. Our home & lifestyle division took centre stage, as we launched our first collection for the Style Sisters and also debuted the new brand we developed for TV personality, Billie Faiers, Chapter B. We achieved our major objective of securing our launch retail partners, as well as starting conversations with our potential 2023 partners.

These launches have been the perfect springboard to our year and as a result we’ve opened some very exciting doors, across all of our divisions. We’ve been able to turn the continuous challenges around shipping and rising costs into opportunities, by demonstrating we can create new, inspiring and engaging brands during an unprecedented time.

We’ll also be announcing a series of exciting new partnerships throughout the year - a key objective will be to bring these new collaborations to life through industry leading NPD innovation.”

Left: Hunter Price enjoyed its most successful Spring Fair to date, says Allana.

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LICENSEE FEEDBACK

Norman Thompson, md, Imagine8 “The year is panning out better than expected, and I would like to believe the reason is because of a simple choice. When faced with all the uncertainty through the pandemic, my heart reminded me that life is precious, Above: Norman wishes us all kindness, friendship and that we are not invincible. We collaboration. learned new ways to connect, do business, collaborate, learn, serve, spend with our families and lead fulfilling lives.

Choose to be kind, do something that makes you happy, is good for you and good for others.

There are always opportunities and challenges; what are you focused on, and are things happening to us or for us? When choosing to be kind, like attracts like, partner with people you like, take care of each other, be grateful and have fun along the way. Kindness, friendship and collaboration are my wishes for you all.”

Anthony Duckworth, md, Dreamtex “We’ve found that the main challenges are still with shipping lead times and external delays from factories. We have factored these challenges into our annual forecast and prepared accordingly to avoid any surprises. Q3 & Q4 planning is well under way as orders are being placed well in time for stock to arrive for the busy sales period.

Above: Q3 and Q4 We want to maximise the planning is well fantastic licences we have and hit underway at Dreamtex, the retail deadlines for promotions says Anthony. already booked during this period.

We’re looking forward to making further progress with our new venture, Dreamtex Earth and completing more of our sustainability goals. We also have some exciting new launches which are currently behind the scenes, we can’t wait to release them into the market.”

Georges Ghougassian, group director licence and brands, Rubies Inset: Amscan is enjoying a strong performance on dressup, says Mel.

Mel Beer, licensing director EMEA, Amscan “Despite the backdrop of challenges now familiar to us all (eg stock, freight and increasing costs), Amscan International is having a fantastic 2022 – currently up YOY across all our licensed ranges, with a particularly strong performance on dress-up.

We’re excited for Q4 when stock will start arriving for the new licences we have secured for Halloween (Squid Game) and World Book Day 2023 (Roald Dahl, Bluey, Pip & Posy and Miffy), with more licences to be announced very soon.”

“We’ve started 2022 strongly thanks to big theatrical releases with The Batman and the halo affect off the back of Spider-Man: No Way Home. World Book Day played a huge part in the accomplishments of a healthy first quarter. As official corporate partners, we were delighted to see the event celebrated across the nation and with this, an impressive influx of orders as consumers rushed to get costumes for their little ones.

One thing we’ve successfully achieved and continue to maintain is the availability of our products and distribution across EMEA. We want to continue making sure our stock availability is optimal for key seasons fast approaching in Q4, as it is fundamental to the roll out of our 365 strategy and enhancements to our ever growing ranges. There are already very positive signs with stock coming in and the flow is set to be steady and available in the run-up to the busiest time of the year.”

Above: Georges says that Rubies has maintained the availability of its products and distribution across EMEA.

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LICENSEE FEEDBACK

Terry Lamb, licensing director, Corsair “This year is certainly going as expected, with regard to increasing raw material costs and the ongoing shipping issues. While these are likely to continue to throw up challenges for some time yet, thankfully we’d anticipated this and planned ahead. We have a lot more control and visibility than we had over the previous year or so.

We spent a good deal of time through 20/21, developing new suppliers both here in the UK and in mainland Europe - this has led to shorter lead times and less reliance on shipping from the Far East. I’m really pleased with how this is working out, in particular with our ability to supply directly into our EU customers. As a result of this, we have had a few new opportunities come our way.

We do still find one or two Brexit driven challenges thrown at us, but are now finding ways to alleviate these.

We’re fortunate in having some strong properties and strong retailers; the order book is looking very healthy, particularly Q3/4.

The one thing we want to achieve by Q4 is an empty warehouse with all deliveries being made in full and in good time! Overall we’re confident in how this year should end up.”

Above: Terry is confident on how the year should end up for Corsair.

Barry Hughes, md, Golden Bear

Sue Stanley, licensing director, Brands In

"We are living in a rapidly changing world and this will always give rise to many opportunities and indeed challenges.

By Q4 I would love to see continued growth for all our major licences and I would love to have seen further great strides made in our sustainability journey.”

Above: Barry is eyeing continued growth for Golden Bear’s major licences.

Right: Brands In is working to bring changes in the sustainable space, says Sue. Below World peace and stability are on Lisa’s wish list.

Lisa Shand, md, Blueprint Collections “The year is going to plan in terms of sales opportunities, however challenges just keep coming in with rising costs and logistical problems. By Q4 I would like to see world peace and stability.”

“2022 is a year of two key focus areas for our business, which will represent pillars of growth across all that we are doing.

The first is a combined one: offering great product at the right price across our traditional fast fashion routes and also through our print on demand and personalisation capabilities. We are expecting personalisation to be even more popular for 2022, especially over the key Christmas gifting season. Our print on demand for click and collection in-store or next day mailing has really turned a corner for us and it’s very important that we have the ability to manage demand in the key selling seasons.

Our other focus is on offering sustainability. As part of the fast-fashion industry we know only too well that we need to do our part, as our sector has been a major contributor to the challenges that now face the sustainability debate. We are working hard internally to bring to market some exciting changes in this space.”

Ashley Holman, director, ToyTopic “Despite some interesting shipping challenges mid-way through Q1 caused by various Chinese ports being closed due to Covid restrictions, we are happy to have got all of our new ranges to retail and will start to see them on shelves from mid-May onwards which is exciting for anyone, but especially for a relatively new company such as ourselves.

As we go through the summer, understanding consumer spending habits given the huge recent rise in the cost of living and how that affects purchases and therefore repeat orders is key, as we then build to the all important Q4 period.

For us, making sure we don’t let down any of our retailers is the number one priority for sure, especially with China still in varying degrees of lockdowns even now.”

Left: ToyTopic has managed to get all of its new ranges to retail, says Ash.

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LICENSEE FEEDBACK

John Packard, publishing director, Farshore “Children’s books as a category continues to perform really well both for ourselves and market wide. We Above: Farshore is seeing saw growth in licensed standout success with its gaming titles, says John. characters and annuals last year which showed a return to tried and tested properties and formats. I expect this trend to continue into late 2022, and our initial conversations with retail partners have been positive, especially in the annuals category where we have over a third of the market. Some standout opportunities for us include our Disney and gaming titles in this format.

We’ve been especially pleased with our performance on PAW Patrol on the preschool side. Another area where we’ve seen strong double-digit growth is gaming books. We’re launching innovative new gaming titles for all ages, and we’ve substantially increased our Pokémon rights.

Last year was plagued by logistical issues in getting stock into stores, but we weathered it better than most thanks to our fantastic production team. This year I’m confident we’ve got really robust plans in place to make the most of every opportunity.”

Lauren Shipman, group brand and marketing director, Posh Paws “We have had a very positive start to the year and with us entering the big summer movie months for Jurassic World Dominion and Minions: The Rise of Gru - which we have stock available for customers to order now - we’re expecting this momentum to grow throughout Q3.

Our Swizzels Love Hearts gifting collection continues to open new opportunities for us at retail, both in-store and online.

The ongoing issues with production and shipping times from the Far East haven’t gone away and they don’t look like they will any time soon, but we’re not alone in this and we have worked tirelessly to ensure we had volume stock of key lines on the ground for key trading months and we continue to do so with new product launches (like Gabby’s Dollhouse) coming later this year.

We remain in constant communication with our suppliers to make sure we’re on top of the situation and can work closely with our retail partners to create solutions (if needed) to ensure continued supply of product.”

Above: Lauren says Posh Paws has worked hard to ensure volume stock of key lines on the ground for key trading months.

Left: Gabby’s Dollhouse plush is launching from Posh Paws later this year.

Left: World Book Day was another big success for Smiffys this year.

Below right: Elliott is hoping for another record Halloween for Smiffys.

Elliott Peckett, director, Smiffys “World Book Day was another success for us and the feedback from customers has been very positive. We are looking forward to a summer season how it should be – back to partying! We are expecting our festival and hen and stag do season to be busier than ever.

The industry continues to face supply chain challenges with production and shipping lead times from China significantly longer than normal, not to mention the continuing product cost increase and UK inflation at record levels. We are, however, feeling incredibly positive about the second half of the year, as we have received a record number and value of forward orders for Halloween and Carnival 2023.

We have also had the opportunity to grow our licence portfolio rapidly in the past year and we look forward to the launch of a number of new collections.

By the time we reach the Q4 period, we will have our stock levels optimised after placing record volumes of orders in China. This will allow us to cater for a bumper summer and prepare us for what we hope will be another record Halloween.”

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RETAIL ROUND-UP

In-store stars From licensees launching concept stores and successful collaborations being expanded, through to George @ Asda making a major statement with Netflix, innovation at retail continues to prosper, as LSB discovers.

Fabric Flavours opens London concept store Baby and kids brand, Fabric Flavours has opened a two-storey concept store in Hampstead, North West London.

The store stocks the full Fabric Flavours collection including signature licensed tees, hoodies, joggers, swimwear and jackets, as well as bags, caps and beanies.

In addition, there is also a comprehensive range of Micro scooters and Frog bikes, as well as custombuilt velorooms where children can try them out, which were built in collaboration with Four One Four Skate Parks.

The concept store – which is located in Cricklewood Lane, NW2 and is by appointment only – was previously a DIY and paint shop which was built circa 1920 and underwent extensive refurbishment by Fabric Flavours. The original staircases were removed and replaced by reinforced walk-on glass to provide a glimpse into the Velorooms below, while the original concrete floor was polished and restored to its former glory.

Above: The concept store was previously a DIY and paint shop.

George @ Asda teams with Netflix George at Asda has launched a major new collaboration with streaming platform, Netflix.

The partnership currently includes Squid Game, Stranger Things, The Above: The collaboration marks a first for Asda and George in how it has presented Witcher, Money Heist, Sex Education, Emily in product in-store to customers.

Paris and Cobra Kai among others.

George will also be adding more titles in future product drops and refreshes.

Product available includes clothing, footwear, accessories, stationery, mugs, board games and collectables, marking a first for Asda and George in how it has presented product in-store to the customer.

The concept store in Milton Keynes is offering a front of store experience, changing rooms and product areas which include the full breadth of product available.

There will be 12 stores which will also offer a multiproduct format, plus a further 38 stores stocking clothing and accessories.

George is supporting the partnership through various marketing channels including working alongside influencers and promoting the collaboration on its social media channels. It also had a home page banner on George.com to take over the website to support the launch. Further activity around the Netflix partnership is also currently being planned.

Little Home at John Lewis adds Harlequin brand A range of bedroom textiles and accessories for children has been launched in a new creative collaboration between Little Home at John Lewis and the Harlequin brand.

New for SS22, the retailer has added to its existing collection with the brand’s Just Keep Trucking design.

Children can join the ride over mounds, under bridges and across roads, with primary coloured diggers and sports cars and everything in between, popping off a neutral background. Items in the range include bed linen, curtains and accessories.

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Above: Harlequin’s Just Keep Trucking design stars on bed linen, curtains and accessories.

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RETAIL ROUND-UP

Funko heads to Dubai

Right: The store is a significant step in expanding Funko’s channel network outside of the US.

Funko is bringing the United Arab Emirates a one-stop retail shop destination for pop culture and lifestyle merchandise.

Monkey Distribution has been appointed as the franchise operator of the store which is located in the newly constructed Dubai Hills Mall.

The new outlet will enable visitors to experience Funko products including Pop!, Gold, Loungefly and Funko Games.

“The opening of Funko's first franchise location in the metropolitan city of Dubai is a significant step in expanding our channel network outside of the US,” said Andy Oddie, md of Funko EMEA. “The growth we are experiencing across the world is clearly indicative of the extraordinary demand for our products. By introducing stores outside of the US, we are creating a unique shopping destination for Funko fans and pop culture enthusiasts."

Right: The new line has been inspired by the Barbie Extra bold fashion dolls.

River Island unveils second Barbie collab River Island is continuing its collaboration with Mattel and Barbie, launching a second collection called RI x Barbie Just Be Extra.

The new kidswear collection has been inspired by the Barbie Extra bold statement fashion dolls, with a range of apparel which includes playful and over the top slogan t-shirts and matching lounge sets among other items.

The Just Be Extra collection marks the second collaboration for the brands, following the sell-out success of their first partnership.

The collection campaign also includes an influencer takeover on River Island’s social channels.

Below: Artestar brokered the deal between the Keith Haring brand and H&M.

New Keith Haring drops in H&M Fashion retailer H&M has launched its second streetwear collection featuring iconic artworks by Keith Haring, in a deal brokered by Artestar.

The first range featuring prints inspired by the artist – who was a fixture of the underground art scene in New York during the 1980s – launched in 2021 to much acclaim.

The new collection – which has been inspired by ‘passion and playfulness’, key elements of Keith’s timeless visuals – features a selection of relaxed tees, shirts, joggers and hoodies in muted colours, along with trainers and accessories.

New additions for the second drop include a printed pile jacket, underwear and a slip-on canvas sneaker.

Foot Locker names first president of global brands American sportswear and footwear retailer, Foot Locker has welcomed its first president of global brands – appointing a former Hasbro executive to the role.

Samantha Lomow previously served as president of branded entertainment at Hasbro and brings with her over 25 years of experience across consumer products, entertainment and licensing.

In her new role at Foot Locker, she will oversee its global brand portfolio and operating divisions across North America, EMEA and APAC. She will work closely as part of the exec team to advance Foot Locker’s long-term strategies to position it for continued innovation, growth and profitability.

Below: The new flavours further expand on the successful Iceland and Barratt relationship.

Iceland underlines licensing commitment Iceland is continuing to build its presence in the licensing space – expanding its partnership with The Point.1888 on its exclusive Barratt ice cream range.

A new selection of classic sweet flavours have joined the range including Dolly Mix, Cherry Cola Bottle, Giant Strawberries, Wham Rocket, Milk Teeth and Refreshers, as well as Mini Poppets ice cream bites in mint and salted caramel flavours.

The new flavours are an expansion of the original range, created in 2020 and follow further growth in 2021, where eight skus were added to the ice cream range including Cola Bottles, Foam Banana, Milk Bottles and Sherbet Fountain.

There were over 3.4 million units of the ice cream sold in 2021.

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THE BIG INTERVIEW: FANATICS Inset: Fanatics vertical commerce model means it can flex and supply demand regularly as teams and players become popular or successful.

Below: Matthew Primack, svp international business development, Fanatics.

Fan favourite

As well as being the world’s largest seller of licensed sports merchandise, Fanatics has been busy expanding into a multi-platform company – helping value to more than double in the past 12 months. LSB catches up with its new svp international business development, Matthew Primack, to find out more on how the company – and sport in general – is in a purple patch.

W

hen asked how he would sum up his experience since joining Fanatics in January, Matthew Primack – the company’s svp international business development – confidently states: “Exciting, optimistic, invested.”

Fanatics has been well positioned to adapt and take advantage of the shift in consumer behaviour towards buying online during the pandemic. The company is building the leading global digital sports platform, which includes a licensed merchandise business, a collectable and trading cards business, a sports betting and iGaming division, NFT company Candy Digital and 50% ownership in physical sports retail giant, Lids.

Matthew, who made the move to Fanatics after 15 years at IMG, has certainly arrived at an exciting time for the business as a whole.

“We believe we have an opportunity that no one else in the sports world does – to leverage our database of 80+ million fans, our DTC prowess,

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our leading tech and digital marketing expertise, our incredible relationships with partners worldwide and a trusted brand – to expand the business beyond merchandise to better serve sports fans across the world,” he tells LSB. Fanatics currently partners with 1,000+ sports organisations and clubs in the world including the likes of NFL, NBA, MLB, Manchester United, Chelsea, The FA, England Rugby and Formula One. It recently announced one of the biggest sports merchandising deals in history with Paris Saint-Germain, plus a deal with the Dallas Cowboys, the first ever official online Olympic store, a wideranging deal with WWE and a new deal through Topps (which it acquired in January, significantly strengthening its trading cards offer) with UEFA. “With trading cards and collectables being a significant pillar of our longterm plans to become the leading digital sports platform adding a leading trading cards company like Topps to build out our

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THE BIG INTERVIEW: FANATICS

Inset: England Rugby is among the 1,000+ partners which Fanatics works with.

Below: Partners such as the NBA are very fan-focused and know they need to think innovatively to stay ahead, says Matthew.

business was the logical thing to do,” says Matthew of the Topps acquisition. “It’s an iconic brand, has excellent product quality and a worldwide presence which allows us to immediately serve our partners and their fans with incredible trading cards and collectables immediately.”

Fanatics also recently completed a round of new financing, raising $1.5 billion which now values the company at $27 billion. Of this round, more than half came from strategic partners, including sports leagues, players’ associations and team owners.

Matthew continues: “Fanatics can immediately deliver growth and enable the game changing fan experience and global reach in merchandising with a level of quality and professionalism that the clubs can be proud to associate with. I do think that most of the clubs and leagues we work with - like PSG, Atletico, Bayern Munich, Manchester United, the NBA, etc - are very fan-focused and realise that to stay ahead they need to think innovatively and need to have a state of the art ecommerce system, global distribution and the product agility to move quickly if needed.”

Matthew believes that it’s an amazing time for sport in general at the moment – all to the benefit of Fanatics.

“With the log-jam of sport catching up on schedules that were delayed by the pandemic, it seems like there is something major happening almost every week. For example, F1 is thrilling, the EPL race for the European spots is incredibly close, cricket, golf and tennis are all very unpredictable at the moment. Overall, I’m a fan of drama in sport and we seem to be in a purple patch. Generally speaking, when there is drama there is interest and when there is interest there is fandom which is in turn a good paradigm for licensing,” he concludes.

Growing gains Matthew believes that the opportunity for growth for the international Fanatics business is still huge.

“The obvious one is working with football clubs across Europe to serve the international markets effectively – there’s no reason top clubs don’t do 50% or more of their sales outside of their home country… that’s far from the reality for most clubs in Europe, and this has been a massive unlock Fanatics has been able to offer clubs,” he says. “Paris Saint-Germain for example have sold merchandise in more than 144 countries since we signed our new partnership less than two years ago.

That’s the easy one though, then it’s about growing the market and expanding the assortment and identity of what fan gear is.”

Matthew continues: “Today, in Europe for a typical club, 70-80% of the merchandise sold is the kit. In other regions of the world, the jerseys or kits make up less than 50% of the sales. There is a whole untapped fashion and fan gear category that is being underserved at multiple price points.

“Lastly, as the world evolves toward ecommerce, there are regions where 90% or more fan gear is purchased at physical stores. This is quickly evolving, and the pandemic has expedited that shift toward ecommerce.

A shift toward ecommerce enables product agility and more active fan engagement. We are the best ecommerce solution for this industry, no question… we know the market is big, we know the clubs are looking to tap it and we know we’re the best solution to help them do it and grow their business.”

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Top Global Gaming Franchise

#1 Video Game Movie of All Time*

SEGA Ranked #1 Games Publisher**

Over 1.3 BILLION Games Sold & Downloaded

New Content in 2022-2023 Games, Movies & TV

AAA Promotional Partnership Programs

* According to US domestic box office ** According to Metacritic, March 2021 FOR LICENSING OPPORTUNITIES CONTACT: EUROPE, MIDDLE EAST & AFRICA: Jason Rice Email: jason.rice@sega.co.uk Tel: +44 (0) 208 996 4568 www.sonicthehedgehog.com

@Sonic

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US, CANADA & LATIN AMERICA: Alex Gomez Email: alex.gomez@segaamerica.com Tel: +1 (747) 400 2410, ext.203 @sonic_hedgehog

/sonicthehedgehog

/sonic

REST OF THE WORLD: Yoichi Kawamura Email: yo_kawamura@home.segasammy.co.jp Tel: +81-3-6864-2457 www.SEGAShop.co.uk

©SEGA

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THE INSIGHTS FAMILY RESEARCH

The Insights Family on how kids are not only open to the concept of the metaverse, but are already engaging with it and what this could mean for brands.

Licensing in the metaverse T

he younger generations are primed for the metaverse. Although their parents have witnessed the development of the digital age, the on-demand generation have grown up with the internet at their fingertips. The amount of time that kids are spending within digital worlds, coupled with their desire to express themselves through their purchases, demonstrates that not only are they open to the concept of the metaverse but they are already engaging with it.

There are, of course, some obstacles facing brands which are looking to explore the metaverse.

Firstly, there is the challenge of IP ownership when considering content licensing in the metaverse. Digital objects, ads, media, characters and experiences are being created by a number of different creators, making it hard to keep track of who has rights to what. This is where NFTs have been used to determine ownership of a property, allowing brands to monitor their assets. Secondly, the current cost of AR/VR units is slowing down the transition to the metaverse. However, in the UK, year-on-year ownership of VR devices among tweens has more than doubled since 2020. Over 1 in 10 of kids aged 10-12 in Europe now have access to VR digital environments. With the rise of the metaverse comes the promise of a world of

Inset: A Vans World skatepark experience launched on Roblox last year, helping to further boost the popularity of the sneaker brand.

augmented reality. 2021 ended with Facebook committing itself fully to AR by changing its name to ‘Meta’ and tech giants such as Apple are investing in an AR/VR headset. We have only seen the start of the endless possibilities to uncover in the metaverse.

Kids are already immersed in virtual reality gaming environments. Gaming is now on average the number one hobby globally among kids twice as popular as the second-most, football. As gaming continues to win the attention of kids, the prominence of in-game advertising will become increasingly important and more opportunities will arise in the licensing world. The popularity of in-game advertising grew across all European markets covered by Kids Insights and was the location which saw the largest growth in 2021. Nearly 1 in 10 tweens aged 10-12 across Europe now say that they first saw their favourite ad in a video game.

It’s natural that as kids spend more time engaging with a particular medium, they are more likely to translate their activity into purchase behaviour.

As a result, brands are harnessing the power of these platforms in order to reach this digitally enabled audience.

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FOR LICENSING OPPORTUNITIES CONTACT: EUROPE, MIDDLE EAST & AFRICA:

US, CANADA & LATIN AMERICA:

REST OF THE WORLD:

Jason Rice

Alex Gomez

Yoichi Kawamura

Email: jason.rice@sega.co.uk

Email: alex.gomez@segaamerica.com

Email: yo_kawamura@home.segasammy.co.jp

Tel: +44 (0) 208 996 4568

Tel: +1 (747) 400 2410, ext.203

Tel: +81 3 6864 2457

28 www.SEGA.co.uk

/SEGA

@SEGA

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/SEGA

/SEGAEurope ©SEGA

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THE INSIGHTS FAMILY RESEARCH

Surprise game was launched on the platform in Globally, the popularity of licensed toys related to April 2021, with its target audience being slightly the gaming industry among kids aged 6-9 has younger, at age 7+. Players were encouraged to grown by +23% on average in the last year. One create the perfect life for their dolls with a more popular strategy to engage kids on gaming social element. Following this partnership, Kids platforms is through the creation of licensed inInsights data indicates that UK girls aged 6-12 have game content such as character skins. Disney has reported a +33% rise in incorporated imagery popularity of L.O.L. Dolls as a from its IPs into favourite toy.

Fortnite, for example Over the last year, new characters from the gaming IP such as Among Us Marvel Cinematic and Fall Guys has displayed the Universe. As a result, power of immediately kids in the UK aged 13recognisable imagery in the 15 who state that their world of licensing. UK tweens favourite video game is who play Among Us are 2.5x Fortnite are more likely than the average kid considerably more their age to buy licensed video likely than the average game collectables. In gaming, collectables are a kid their age to like Iron Man (+69%), Spider-Man particularly significant licensing category, aimed at (+41%) and Captain America (+66%). a slightly older demographic of kids who are some The top three video games among tweens globally of the most engaged members of this audience.

- Minecraft, Fortnite and Roblox - have co-creative The world of VR also promises some huge elements which enable users and brands to create opportunities for streaming platforms and smart immersive worlds for kids to engage with. There TVs, both in terms of marketing and content. 3 in 5 have been recent examples of virtual concerts on kids in the UK report these platforms, such having access to smart as Travis Scott in TVs. For manufacturers Fortnite and Lil Nas X like Samsung and LG, an in Roblox, which increase in product sales allow artists to reach suggests a huge growth their audience across for their free, adthe world, despite supported streaming pandemic restrictions. services. These Since then, there has projections shed light on been an influx of the drive behind Amazon brands looking to solidifying its smart TV create immersive instrategy. As interest in game experiences, Inset: Travis Scott hosted a ‘one of a kind musical AR/VR continues to grow, we expect providing digital touchpoints on journey’ in Fortnite, helping him to reach his audience across the world despite the pandemic. to see TV and streaming platforms, platforms where their target services and providers look to incorporate new audience are natives, inspiring the next generation interactive technologies into their products, of consumers. contributing to the rise of the metaverse.

Roblox is the second most popular mobile game among 6-9s globally. In September, sneakers brand The Insights Family is the global leader in kids, parents, and family Vans launched the Vans World skatepark market intelligence, providing real-time data on their attitudes, behaviours and consumption patterns. Kids Insights surveys 7,780 experience on Roblox. Users could interact with the children every week aged 3-18. Parents Insights surveys more than brand by buying virtual merchandise for their 3,800 parents of children between the ages of 1 and 16 every week.

Both services operate in 22 countries across six continents and in avatars and practicing skating tricks. Following the total survey more than 469,040 kids and 228,800 parents a year.

This means that the company interviews a new family member launch of this metaverse experience (compared to somewhere in the world every 45 seconds.

Q2 2021), Kids Insights data has shown a +79% For more real-time insights, visit: try.theinsightsfamily.com/lsb.

(All statistics taken from the last six months of Kids Insights data growth in the popularity of Vans as the favourite (September 2021 – March 2022). sneaker brand in the US. Meanwhile, the L.O.L. LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2022

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A self led immersive trail.

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EVENT FOCUS: B&LIS & SILC22

June will see two major European licensing conferences come together to offer two days of education on crucial industry issues - from sustainability to retail, the metaverse to driving social change, the ever-changing content landscape to what is required of business to be ‘future fit’. LSB takes a closer look at what to expect from Brand & Licensing Innovation Summit and Sustainability in Licensing Conference.

A meeting of minds T

he countdown is well and truly on to the uniting of two leading European licensing conferences this summer – with the Brand & Licensing Innovation Summit (B&LIS), organised by Informa Markets, and the Sustainability in Licensing Conference, presented by Products of Change, set to take place on 21 and 22 June at London’s Royal Geographical Society.

The resulting multi-faceted event marks a critical date in the diary for global leaders and decision-makers from the world of brands and consumer products to enjoy panel discussions, live Q&As and roundtables, as well as a lively networking reception on both evenings to build new connections in-person.

B&LIS will kick off the two-day conference package and will spotlight retail and future trends through interactive panel discussions as it tackles next-gen topics such as NFTs, the metaverse, the ever-changing content landscape, breakthrough licensing categories and how to maximise opportunities at retail.

A raft of speakers have been confirmed from companies including Liberty, Sainsbury’s, Hasbro,

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Above: Confirmed B&LIS speakers (top row from left) Daniel Avener, Emily Fawcett, Jeremy Orriss, Ruth Golightly, Marianne James, Allana Holmes, Hannah Craggs. (Bottom row from left) Nicolas Loufrani, Helena Mansell-Stopher, Will Stewart, Sian Rider, Susan Bolsover, Jalil Rahman, Trevor George, Abi Wilson Below: SILC will bring sustainability to the fore on 22 June.

Penguin Random House, The Smiley Company, Abysse Corp, Difuzed, MDR Brand Management, TrendBible, The Point.1888, KidsKnowBest, Hunter Price and Asda.

“Retail disruption. Supply chain challenges. SVOD. Metaverse.

Influencers. NFTs. Representation. Changing consumer trends. Meaningful retail experiences. Our industry is going through a transformation like we’ve never seen before, all led by an increasingly complex and demanding customer,” comments Anna Knight, svp licensing at Informa Markets. “The European Brand & Licensing Innovation Summit brings together 300+ brand licensing leaders and delivers thought-provoking content and networking opportunities to help drive the industry forward and get the business insights to address some of these critical topics.”

Anna continues: “B&LIS and SiLC share the same ethos: a desire to deliver genuinely thoughtprovoking, action-led content that has the power to challenge leaders and drive positive and

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Right: The Products of Change team, Rob Hutchins and Helena Mansell-Stopher.

profitable decision-making in relation to everything from product development and distribution to consumer engagement and commerce. Uniting the two events means we can create a key moment in the summer when European licensing leaders can connect, learn and share, while also saving on time and travel.”

Sustainability in Licensing Conference, organised and owned by Products of Change, will make its inperson debut on 22 June, following two successful years as a virtual event.

Representatives from the United Nations will join a host of confirmed speakers including the global retail powerhouse Walgreens Boots Alliance and Primark Cares by Primark.

Delivering a talk on how businesses can be implementing the 17 Sustainable Development Goals within their day-to-day operations, Caroline Petit, officer in charge and deputy director of the United Nations Regional Information Centre will highlight the many ways in which the UN is partnering with businesses to drive awareness of its global framework.

“We are so excited to welcome Caroline from the United Nations to the Sustainability in Licensing Conference this year. It’s been a dream of ours to have the United Nations help convey the importance of sustainable development in business at the conference since its launch two years ago, so this is a wonderful moment for us,” said Helena Mansell-Stopher, founder and ceo of Products of Change.

“It also goes to highlight the power and global influence that the licensing and retail landscape holds when it comes to the subject of sustainability in business. By heeding the message that Caroline will be delivering the licensing industry can play a key role in facilitating the positive and sustainable

transformation of business the world over.”

Joining Caroline on the speaker roster will be George @ Asda’s sustainability and compliance expert Jade Snart and her colleagues Jessica Brown, design specialist and Helen Scobie, product development expert. Also taking to the stage will be Lynne Walker and Sarah Hawkins, director and manager respectively of Primark Cares; Richard Lim, ceo of Retail Economics; Elizabeth Eaves, senior sustainability engineer, quality compliance EMEA at Mattel; Lucy Murphy, director of kids content at Sky (UK and ROI); Paul Earnshaw, senior packaging manager, Tesco; Gary Pope, founder of Kids Industries; and Tanya Aston, head of sustainability, global sourcing at Walgreens Boots Alliance among others.

Helena continued: “We are so proud to announce our incredible line-up of speakers and business leaders at this year’s Sustainability in Licensing Conference,” continued Helena. “We’ve got such a strong roster of inspiring leaders and pioneers in sustainability from across the landscape, we know conference attendees will be leaving charged with as much excitement to start their sustainable journeys as we are in delivering this year’s event.”

Below: B&LIS will address topics ranging from the metaverse to maximising opportunities at retail.

B&LIS one day tickets are priced at £275 and can be purchased from www.brandlicensinginnovationsummit.com. SiLC one day tickets are priced at £275 and can be purchased from www.sustainabilityinlicensing.com. POC and Licensing International members can enjoy a 20% discount on these rates (non-cumulative). Alternatively, two-day tickets can be purchased from either site for the discounted rate of £525.

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BRITIAN’S OLDEST AND MOST ICONIC DOG AND CAT CHARITY, WITH A FRESH LICENSING OPPORTUNITY • 50% of UK households own a dog or cat, making Battersea a hugely commercial and relevant brand • Beautiful style guide comprising stylised illustrations and photography of Battersea’s finest residents • The perfect family brand, with product opportunities for 2 and 4 legged consumers alike Want to talk licensing agreements?

Please get in touch with Rosanna Cousins, email rosanna.cousins@thepoint1888.com

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Deep Dog Duvet -

Dog Bed

Homeware and gifts

Rope bone - Dog Toy

Every Day Greetings Cards

NEW DOG & C ALPHAB AT ET A new style guide perfect for gifting

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STATE OF THE NATION: SUSTAINABILITY

LSB takes a look at some of the latest sustainability developments from across the licensing industry, including from some members of Products of Change.

Green smiles Inset: The museum's iconic Charles Darwin statue was transformed for the event.

Gaming plays lead role in NHM Lates event The role that games and gaming has to play in raising awareness of conservation, nature and the environment was cast into the spotlight when the Natural History Museum hosted its Playful by Nature evening in March, a late-night event devised to place natural sciences at the centre of the pop culture scene today.

Its first since the onset of the pandemic, the Lates event witnessed gamers and pop culture fans fill out five of the Museum’s eventing spaces, where they got the chance to explore nature through video games and board games, while chatting with developers and scientists.

Guests of the event were given the chance to play video games such as Ustwo Games’ Alba: A Wildlife Adventure. Ustwo Games is a certified B Corp games studio, as well as an active member of the Playing for the Planet initiative. Through this platform, the team has made a commitment to reduce its carbon footprint by 30% by the end of 2022 and work to move to sustainable energy sources within its corporate offices. It's also made a commitment to inspire action among its audiences.

Inset: Grow2Know was founded by Tayshan Hayden-Smith in 2017 in the wake of the Grenfell Tower tragedy.

Peter Rabbit launches gardening campaign Penguin Random House is marking the 120th anniversary of Beatrix Potter’s first book - The Tale of Peter Rabbit - with a new gardening initiative that will design and develop three Peter Rabbitinspired community garden makeovers between now and 2024.

The campaign – called Grow with Peter Rabbit – will draw on the character’s insatiable appetite for vegetables while conveying the environmental, social and mental benefits of being outdoors with nature.

The three-year project is a partnership between Beatrix Potter’s publisher Penguin Random House Children’s and Grow2Know, a charity established in the wake of the Grenfell Tower tragedy in 2017. The first garden will be in a disused plot attached to St Clement & St James CE Primary School in Kensington – near to Grenfell Tower and in the same borough where Beatrix Potter was born in 1866.

Families across the UK will be encouraged to join the Grow with Peter Rabbit challenge during National Children’s Gardening Week this year and grow vegetables at home using upcycled materials and a packet of seeds.

RSPB adds commercial environmental specialist The UK’s leading conservation charity-turnedlifestyle brand, the RSPB has welcomed the qualified marine Above: Freddie will initially focus on getting the charity up to speed with biologist and former the new Plastic Packaging Tax. industry marketing and retail executive, Freddie Hack to the newly created role of commercial environmental specialist.

Freddie joins the team as the RSPB sets out aims for introducing new and expanding existing sustainability measures up and down the company, from day-to-day business operations to its licensing LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2022

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STATE OF THE NATION: SUSTAINABILITY

and CP output. His initial aim is getting the charity up to relevant speed with the Plastic Packaging Tax introduced in April.

Following this, he will then extend his remit into other areas of sustainability and ethical sourcing across the business.

“It’s exciting to see how much the conversation around sustainability is growing,” commented Louisa Skevington, product licensing manager at the RSPB. “We are finding increasingly that prospective suppliers and licensees have sustainability at the front of mind, and this really opens up opportunities for new conversations, partnerships and product ranges.”

Golden Bear underlines sustainability commitments Golden Bear is Inset: Explore and Snore continuing to build its Camping with Duggee is collection of recycled among the recycled plush. plush – with the company saying that it is passionate about being part of the change for a more sustainable future.

“The Golden Bear ethos is if there is a more sustainable material we could use, we should challenge ourselves and drive positive change,” explained Rebecca Henchey, the company’s product and innovation director. “We are working hand in hand with our supply chain, learning together and setting ourselves some challenging timelines. We know that to make change you need to be bold and make tough decisions in the short-term to see benefit in the longer term.”

Hey Duggee was the first licence to be delivered as recycled plush, and it has also now rolled out across Mr Tumble and The Baby Club.

Rebecca continued: “Sustainability is no longer a nice to have, it will soon be an expectation and we are passionate about being part of the change. We all have a role to play, as individuals, as businesses and industries, and toys is no different.

“We are committed to positive change and we will continue to challenge ourselves on what more we can deliver,” she concluded.

Mattel sets new plastic packaging goal Mattel has set a new goal to reduce plastic packaging by 25% per product by 2030. The new target has been listed within the company’s 2021 Citizenship Report, providing an update on Mattel’s

“There is no right time to make a change, just change” Dreamtex has been outlining its sustainability ambitions for 2022, while also sharing some advice on how companies can start their own journeys.

“By the end of 2022 Inset: Dreamtex has partnered with big we want to have successfully launched names including National Geographic and Bluey. our first BCI cotton collection, implemented new company policies regarding energy saving initiatives and staff training on greener practices and taken our first step towards reducing the company’s carbon footprint,” said Anthony Duckworth, md of Dreamtex.

The licensee – which is a proud supporter of Products of Change and SILC22 – began its sustainability journey using Repreve fabric on bedding, towels, blankets and cushions for brands such as National Geographic and The Gruffalo.

Since then, it has expanded its Repreve collections and developed fully recyclable duvet sets, towels and curtains in 100% BCI cotton. Its BCI launches this summer include Bluey bedding and towels.

Anthony continued: “There is no right time to make a change, just change! We recognise that we have a responsibility to increase the wellbeing of people and the planet with our products. This is why we have developed Dreamtex Earth which is our longterm sustainability strategy designed to reduce the environmental impact of our activities and help to create a greater shift towards sustainability within the licensing industry.”

Environmental, Social and Governance strategy and established goals.

With its new packaging goal, Mattel is focused on reducing plastic materials from product packaging, including polybags, window sheets and blister packs as part of its packaging strategy and reduction approach.

“We are proud of the progress we have made in the past year toward our ESG goals and recognise that there is much more to be accomplished,” said Pamela Gill-Alabaster, svp global head of sustainability and social impact at Mattel. “Our new plastic packaging goal responds to increasing global attention on single-use plastic packaging waste, and addresses changing consumer preferences.”

Above: Mattel will aim to reduce plastic packaging by 25% per product across the portfolio by 2030.

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© 2022 Moose.

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Property Licensing Agent

Magic Mixies Mixlings Bulldog Licensing Ltd 203-204 Metal Box Factory 30 Great Guildford Street London SE1 0HS Tel: +44 (0) 20 8325 5455 Email: info@bulldog-licensing.com www.bulldog-licensing.com

New collectable Mixlings launching across retail this month Following 2021 launch Magic Mixies achieved: No.5 Item in Total Toys in the UK - December 2021 No.5 Item in Total Toys in the UK - Q4 holiday season 2021 No.1 New Item in Total Toys in the UK - Q4 holiday season 2021 No.4 New Property in the UK - December 2021 Interactive Toy of the Year (UK Toy Industry Awards) Continued strong performance into 2022

RY SA ER

15 YE AR

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15 YEAR ANN IV

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THE BIG INTERVIEW: ASPIRE BY WILDBRAIN CPLG

Inset: ASPIRE has recently started representing Sauber Motorsports, which owns and operates the Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN racing team.

Right: There are currently over 15 brands in the ASPIRE portfolio.

Below: Yale is just one of the iconic US institutions that the agency has in its portfolio.

Driving ambition Having rebranded its lifestyle division to ASPIRE by WildBrain CPLG earlier this year to further underline its integral importance to the business, the agency has bold plans for even more growth. LSB catches up with commercial director, Victoria Whellans, to find out more.

“It’s a hugely exciting time for WildBrain CPLG and ASPIRE,” begins Victoria Whellans, commercial director of the newly named lifestyle division of the agency.

First created two years ago when the agency recognised the need to have a dedicated team that was focused on maximising the revenue of its growing corporate and lifestyle portfolio, the division has become an integral pillar in the business, with over 15 brands in the roster.

“The rebrand of the division further reflects our commitment to supporting our corporate and lifestyle partners and makes a clear distinction between brands that fall under ASPIRE, and those that sit within the entertainment or sport sectors,” explains Victoria.

“ASPIRE is aspirational in name and expresses our desire, ambitions and commitment to developing this part of

42

our business to generate long-term revenue. The ASPIRE portfolio is wideranging, but we have clear objectives in place for each brand and will be focused on developing tailored and aspirational licensing programmes.

“This is just the start of our plans for ASPIRE. We’re in discussions with several potential new partners and have meaningful plans for ASPIRE to contribute a significant part of the agency’s revenue over the next three to five years.”

The division is currently a tight-knit team of four – Victoria and senior sales manager, Jennifer Gould, plus a new senior sales manager and partnerships manager. “We’ll also be utilising our sales teams on the ground across the world to secure local licensing and retail opportunities,” Victoria adds. “I’m also working closely with Jasen Wright, our vp of North America, as a key priority is to grow our portfolio of Left: Victoria Whellans, commercial director, ASPIRE by WildBrain CPLG.

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THE BIG INTERVIEW: ASPIRE BY WILDBRAIN CPLG

corporate and lifestyle brands and programmes within the North American market.”

Corporate and lifestyle licensing has certainly grown in importance and stature over the past few years across the industry, and Victoria believes that it provides meaningful opportunities for even further growth.

“If you can get it right, the licensing of these brands is a great way to bring long-term sustainable revenue, without the unpredictable elements that may come from entertainment brands that are focused around tentpole moments,” she says. “More companies in the corporate and lifestyle space are open to licensing than ever before, to increase their product range, add value, open new channels and connect with new audiences in a way that is relatively low risk.

“There’s been huge growth over the last few years in many categories including art, fashion, celebrities and institutions. We’re seeing tremendous demand and growth for collegiate brands. Many FMCG companies are also now looking at how they can licence their IP to support their core business and drive further growth and brand engagement.”

As ASPIRE is at the start of its licensing journey for a number of new brands, Victoria explains that the remainder of 2022 will be focused on signing core

Inset: This summer will see the return of frozen Malibu ‘poptails’ in the Netherlands, while the category will also expand into other markets.

Left: The Master Lock Company is the leading home security brand in North America.

categories for these properties. “I’m also keen to have a full international team in place who are working closely with our partners to build brand extension programmes with long-term revenue potential. It’s an exciting time for the portfolio as many of these brands are just at the beginning of their licensing journey, but by the end of 2022, we’ll have core categories in place to build the foundations of our licensing programmes.”

Victoria concludes: “We’re a unique agency in terms of our global reach and creative resources, which gives us a strong advantage to build impactful, strategic and successful programmes.”

Property highlights ASPIRE’s portfolio spans numerous industries – FMCG, institutions, art, hardware and fashion.

It has recently welcomed US home security brand, The Master Lock Company, as well as Sauber Motorsports, which owns and operates the Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN racing team. “It’s a really exciting addition to our portfolio and we’ll be assembling a strategic cross-category merchandise range for the F1 team, as well as exploring licensing opportunities for Sauber Technology,” says Victoria.

It has also signed renowned international artist Romero Britto, for which it is currently building a design-led programme inspired by his vibrant and colourful artwork, plus the University of Southern California, utilising its Californian roots and ‘SoCal’ graphics to build a merchandise offering.

Victoria continues: “For the luxury British leather goods brand OSPREY LONDON, we have deals for bedding, wallpaper and cushions in development for later this year, and we’ve recently launched a range of premium garden furniture with Sitting Spiritually. For Yale University, we have India’s largest fashion retailer, Reliance, launching an extensive collection under their brand Team Spirit next month. We also represent cleaning technology brand Kärcher and in partnership with the Simba Dickie Group, the brand is in development on a range of role-play toys. For Malibu, this summer will see the return of frozen Malibu ’poptails’ in the Netherlands and we’ll be expanding this category into other markets. We’re also in advanced discussions with partners in the chocolate category.”

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In Te M In Li R B

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THE BIG INTERVIEW: CHARACTER WORLD BRANDS

World in motion

It’s gearing up to celebrate its 25th anniversary in 2023, and Character World will also be gradually rolling out a new name, logo and branding in the coming months. LSB catches up with joint md, Danny Schweiger, to find out more on the licensee’s plans, how he sees further opportunities on the horizon and why, after a quarter of a century, the most exciting time is yet to come.

“25 years and we are about to enter the most exciting time for the business,” begins Danny Schweiger, joint md of Character World Brands, looking ahead to the company’s 25th anniversary in 2023.

Like all businesses, Covid-19 presented some real challenges for the licensee, however Danny says that it has been able to adapt and achieve growth by pivoting and leaning into the way that consumers have been shopping.

“The team have done an amazing job of working virtually over the last two years due to Covid-19, and have demonstrated absolute trust in each other while working through the uncertainty,” Danny tells LSB. “We’re seeing a real appetite and ambition to push forward into a period of more

Above & below: Joint mds Danny and Mark Schweiger, with James Walker (centre) who joined Character World Brands as ceo in January.

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Inset: Expansion into new categories has seen the launch of the Rest Easy Sleep Better and Coverless Carefree Bedding ranges.

optimistic growth and opportunity, which in turn creates a great vibe and buzz, and an even stronger desire to grow.”

One of the key areas of focus for the licensee is developing and delivering against a robust product, channel and territory strategy. Looking back at its almost 25year history, Character World has developed from a predominantly UK-based business to a Europeanwide operation, with one of its main strategic pillars being the growth in territories. “On the geographical front, mainland Europe is Character World’s biggest growth area currently, with plans for 2022 to be a record year,” says Danny. “We are also focused on expanding and developing existing retailer partnerships. Our channel strategy is simple - we want to ensure that we’re offering something for all consumers, making products accessible and also affordable. Our plan is to closely analyse the retail landscape and work with our current partners to develop our depth of range and optimise our listings. With those retailers with whom we’re not optimising opportunities, we will explore how we might collaborate on a product offering suited to their consumers’ needs.”

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THE BIG INTERVIEW: CHARACTER WORLD BRANDS

Inset: The Hugzee oversize wearable fleeces are just one of the latest innovations from the company.

There is also an opportunity for growth in ecommerce, as James Walker – who joined as ceo in January – explains: “If you have the right tools to capitalise on it, then ecommerce is essentially a borderless world in which geography disappears, and the opportunities are many. There is a real opportunity to look at the broader categories and offerings within our product areas, and to deliver a better proposition for all our key partners as well as consumers.”

Danny adds: “A digital-first approach for us is very much about being nimble in the marketplace. We have been consciously approaching this over the last few years having made great progress and optimisation of omni-channel selling. Via marketing, photography, video content and the technical aspects such as seo and metatags, we have been able to support retailers and brands throughout the Inset: Preschool is just one of the categories that digital landscape.” continue to perform well.

New categories and product Below: The company has hinted at further innovative areas have also helped to fuel new launches for AW22 and beyond. growth, with the Rest Easy Sleep Better range being one example.

Danny adds: “We are seeing the same success building for our Coverless Carefree Bedding range too, and are currently developing further newness for AW22 and beyond.”

The final strategic pillar is CSR, something which is already at the “heart and soul” of the business, Danny points out. “The company has a focus on its sustainability policy, its manufacturing base, how we work as a team and how we look after our people.

We want to keep leading the way as an organisation, and to preserve our point of difference.”

“We offer a robust portfolio” “We are always on the lookout for new or emerging brands to collaborate with; they could be from entertainment, toy, lifestyle or anywhere,” says Danny.

“Our brand portfolio is always evolving, but it is anchored in great content or narrative. Our unique portfolio ensures that we can offer a robust portfolio across key consumer ages and stages.”

Preschool, entertainment and gaming licences continue to perform well, while there has also been an increase in demand across EMEA for products that reflect favourite toys, such as Barbie, LEGO and Rainbow High.

Danny continues: “Also it’s great to be offering Disney products again, we are anticipating success with these lines as well as all our others.”

While Danny is well aware of the challenges in business at the moment, he also sees some exciting times on the horizon: “There are a lot of factors contributing to the challenges that we are all facing in 2022, however we are not letting any opportunities pass us by. If we can bring a new brand or product to market we will, if we can get a promotion live with a key retailer we will. Nothing is off the table at this point.”

With the 25th anniversary celebrations about to be ramped up, the company will be gradually rolling out its new look, logo and branding assets across its B2B communications and its D2C platforms over coming months.

“We wanted a name, logo and branding that felt more representative of what we do, who we work with and what we are known for, while still keeping a firm link to our heritage,” concludes Danny. “The timing seemed right as we start gearing up for our 25th celebrations next year. We have never been a business to miss an opportunity to celebrate so we are definitely looking forward to marking the occasion within the industry.”

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IN CONVERSATION WITH… LICENSING INTERNATIONAL UK

International initiative As the industry trade body, Licensing International is here to help companies grow their business across all product areas and with all retailers. LSB catches up with Graham Saltmarsh, UK md, and Steve Manners, head of marketing, to find out more about the organisation’s plans.

Inset: Licensing International is “constantly battling for the good of the licensing industry as a whole” says Graham.

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tarting a new job in the middle of the Covid pandemic is something many executives have experienced over the past two years.

But when your new job is as UK managing director of the trade body whose very raison d'être is supporting its interests in every way, there is even more pressure.

Graham Saltmarsh, however, is not your ordinary industry executive, and, having joined in September 2020, he has picked up the baton of heading up Licensing International in the UK and run with it. “I am the first point of contact for all our UK members (and people who want to be members),” he tells LSB. “I organise the educational sessions and, most importantly, talk to people in the licensing industry to make sure we give them the support they need.

Having worked with many licensees, licensors and retailers, I know what they need and when they need it, which really helps me support their efforts.

“Interestingly, I am working much more closely with the army of support companies that really keep the industry ticking, including the legal companies (not every company has a big in-house legal team), the design agencies, agents, and of course research companies.”

Graham is also supported in the UK by Steve Manners, who joined in January to head up marketing and also works closely with president Maura Regan and the team in New York to spearhead global marketing initiatives.

“Having been a member of LI for many years, I know how important it is to have a trade organisation that not only supports its members but also helps further the industry as a whole,” Steve says.

A number of initiatives for the UK market are now underway, kicking off with the return of the Young Professionals Network - aimed at under 35s - events in March.

Graham explains: “The Young Professionals Network was established to help younger brand licensing

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IN CONVERSATION WITH… LICENSING INTERNATIONAL UK

Member focus “We now have over 100 members in the UK and are the second biggest market outside of the US, which is a great start,” says Graham. “Members are from across the industry, not just the big licensors and licensees but also the support companies, football clubs, galleries, museums, agents big and small, and also some fantastic brands.”

Steve adds: “We always want to encourage new members and part of my role is to promote the benefits of joining Licensing International. As well as the initiatives Graham has mentioned, we also offer research and consumer insights, scholarships, diversity and inclusion initiatives, and wellness programming.”

Inset: The Young Professionals Network events returned in March, aimed at younger brand licensing professionals (under 35) to help expand their skill base and network.

outreach - retailers can join Licensing International professionals to expand their skill base and network. and get access to all the research and educational Your network will be there throughout your working elements we create. Additionally, they gain access life to support you and, sometimes, just to have a to our directory, so they can see who represents drink with and bounce a few ideas around. Octane5 which properties, a question we get asked a lot, and is sponsoring both the Young Professional Network who to contact.” and the Licensing International Mentoring Program, Graham is also focused on as they also Lockdown legacy educating the wider world understand the When asked how the role of trade bodies such as on the benefits of being importance of having Licensing International has changed since the pandemic, part of the licensing a strong network to Graham says: “During the endless lockdowns our role, in industry: “Licensing seems call on when addition to supporting members and the wider industry in to be one of the best-kept needed.” general, was just making sure people were okay. We focused on sharing information and knowledge, but also secrets and most people The popular building up the community and just doing everything we stumble into it, so I have Licensing Essentials could to help people through it. I think the additional also embarked on a series Course is also back in communication made us much more aware of members’ needs and this in turn has helped us to be much more of talks to schools, colleges, May – the one-day relevant and useful to the industry.” and universities to promote intensive course gives Steve continues: “We are very aware of the impact the the industry to a new a thorough pandemic has had on members, which is why we have generation. I am also background on just launched our new wellness project with BetterHelp that is specifically aimed at supporting individuals focused on growing our licensing, with across all markets.” outreach projects and the speakers from across Pre-pandemic, the focus has also been on demonstrating exciting thing is that the industry giving the value Licensing International brings to the industry every day. “We have a number of initiatives underway that members of the YPN have short sessions on we will be unveiling throughout the year that continue to volunteered to come along their given area of elevate the industry as a whole and bring value to our and share their stories of expertise. Meanwhile, members,” Steve adds. how they found licensing.” the Global Mentoring As Graham succinctly Programme is a new puts it, LI is “constantly battling for the initiative, with the UK having ten good of the licensing industry as a whole”. mentors and ten mentees in its Asked about long-term aims, he first year. concludes: “We will continue to talk to our On top of this, the Brand Licensing members and adapt our education and Retailers’ Academy, which is training sessions to suit their needs. And, exclusively for retailers and gives speaking of education, wouldn’t it be them a unique opportunity to ask fantastic if taking a degree in licensing questions about the industry, has was seen as an exciting option?” also launched.

Graham continues: “This Left Steve Manners joined as head of marketing in January, bringing with him is part of a broader retail almost 35 years of industry experience.

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LICENSING EXPO 2022

Inset: Licensing Expo is back in Las Vegas this year for the first time since 2019.

Below: Anna Knight, svp licensing, Informa Markets.

Expo essentials T

he countdown is well and truly on to Licensing Expo’s return to Las Vegas for the first time since 2019, with a healthy roster of brands exhibiting, sustainability commitments underlined and showfloor activity and networking opportunities confirmed.

The in-person event will take place from 24-26 May at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center, Las Vegas.

Produced in partnership with industry trade association Licensing International, Licensing Expo has locked in cross-category brands from around the world – from sports to gaming, entertainment, corporate brands and artists, with 17 countries represented to date.

With more than 230 exhibitors signed on, this figure certainly indicates the appetite and confidence for the event’s return.

"Licensing Expo returns in-person for the first time since 2019, and excitement among the industry is palpable,” says Anna Knight, svp of licensing, Informa Markets. "This is a businesscritical time in the calendar for brands, manufacturers and retailers alike – they're coming with a pen in hand ready to ink new deals and discover the new trends that will line their shelves in the coming years, but also to reconnect in-person possibly for the first time

For the first time since 2019, the licensing industry is heading back to Las Vegas for Licensing Expo. LSB highlights some of the key activations, events and themes to look out for during the three-day gathering. since the pandemic. The licensing industry is built on relationships, and we’re delighted to be able to provide a safe and comfortable environment for people to reconnect, strengthen existing partnerships, celebrate successes and do business at scale face-toface for the first time in three years.”

Anna continues: “We’re also extremely excited to showcase Location-Based Experiences as the event’s theme, creating even more opportunities for brands to engage and inspire attendees in new ways."

Networking fun A host of free to attend networking opportunities have been confirmed for the show, kicking off on Monday 23 May with the Licensing International Excellence Awards which will take place from 5.30pm in the LIGHT Vegas Nightclub.

This will be followed on Tuesday 24 May by the Opening Night Party (in association with ATLUS and sponsored by Banijay Brands and Konami Cross Media NY) from 6pm at the Daylight Beach Club at the Mandalay Bay. "For the first time, the Opening Night Party is free of charge for all Licensing Expo registrants to encourage everyone to reconnect in person after being apart for three long years,” Anna continues. “It's a chance to celebrate our industry’s resilience, see familiar faces, and unwind after a busy first day back at the live event. Licensing Expo is back - we couldn't be more excited and look forward to an evening of fun and camaraderie."

In addition, the Exhibitor Drinks Reception on Wednesday 25 May will take place from 5.30pm in the Eyecandy Bar & Lounge.

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For more information contact: NewTradeEnquiries.EMEA@funko.com

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LICENSING EXPO 2022

Sustainability focus Licensing Expo 2022 has underlined its commitment to sustainability, with an expanded partnership with Products of Change, bringing sustainability initiatives to the forefront following the programme’s success at BLE last year.

The new expanded initiative will see Licensing Expo and POC deliver two free to attend sessions at the show in the live theatre: • Sustainability 101: A deep dive into the science behind why sustainable transformation is vital for business future prosperity. Helena Mansell-Stopher, founder of Products of Change, and Andrea Green, principle at Globally Green and POC’s US ambassador, will explain why Above: Licensing Expo has expanded its partnership we need to transition business and fundamental with Products of Change. guiding principles to build a sustainable framework.

• Sustainability in Licensing: Manufacturers and brand owners will share their sustainability journey Licensing U agenda The 2022 Licensing U content agenda has been thus far, their strategic plans and areas of developed and produced by Licensing International collaboration to move the industry forward. and, for the first time, content will be available both In addition, all attendees and exhibitors will have live and on-demand. access to the Sustainability Business Lounge to Sessions will range from The New Rules of Retail, Press Play on YouTube and TikTok and WTF is up with arrange 121 clinics with POC experts and NFTs, through to The Lowdown on International consultants, and receive free counsel on where to Distribution Law. focus their long-term sustainability efforts.

Check out www.licensingexpo.com for how to As well as the education streams, Licensing Expo purchase passes.

“We're in a trend-driven industry," says Anna. "Our and POC are also dedicating significant resources attending and exhibiting communities rely on to bringing sustainability and DEI to the forefront.

Licensing U every year to discover new ways to These include measuring and reducing carbon creatively address current challenges and dig deeper into exciting trends to better leverage brand extension footprint with top line commitments including as a strategic tool.” managing waste streams, from significantly Meanwhile, the first keynote has been confirmed for reducing carpet on the expo floor to identifying day two of the show. The Power of Brand Licensing digital alternatives to signage and printed materials. for Location-Based Entertainment will see executives from Falcon’s Beyond, Robert L Ward and Moonbug Helena Mansell-Stopher, take part in a discussion on the trend, moderated by founder of POC, says: “It’s Bay Laurel Advisors. been great to work with the Keynotes are free to attend for all registered guests.

Global Licensing Group on ways they can make their events more sustainable. From the ‘Better Stands’ initiatives to a reduction in printed materials, through to the significant reduction of carpet at Licensing Expo, this year is a huge step in the right direction for the events’ industry and one that we highly commend Informa Inset: Licensing U sessions will aim to dig deeper into Markets for taking as market trends. market leaders.”

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LICENSING EXPO EXHIBITOR PREVIEW

Welcome to Nevada

Over 200 companies will be exhibiting at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas for the return of Licensing Expo from 24-26 May. LSB highlights a selection of companies across the character, entertainment, lifestyle, sports and art categories to find out what they will be showing.

Universal Brand Development Universal Brand Development will be showcasing a rich portfolio of properties from its film and TV creative partners including Universal Pictures, Illumination, DreamWorks Animation, Peacock, as well as nostalgic Vault properties.

A key focus will be Jurassic World Dominion; with products already at retail ahead of the movie arriving in cinemas, fan anticipation is high. Minions: The Rise of Gru also makes it worldwide debut this summer and should be a hit with visitors.

Upcoming from DreamWorks Animation is the latest instalment in the Trolls franchise, arriving in 2023. On the TV front, the studio’s homegrown preschool Right: UBD will have plenty to attract visitors at the show

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Inset: Dino Ranch is now emulating its US success in the UK.

Boat Rocker MEETING ROOM J101 Preschool brand Dino Ranch – which combines two strong play patterns for the age group, dinosaurs and cowboys – is now emulating its US success in the UK. A hit on Disney+ since launch in April 2021, it is now available to a wider audience on Tiny Pop. Master toy partner Jazwares begins the roll out of its new range this summer, with Scholastic’s story and sticker books also available.

Meanwhile, huggable hero Love Monster raised his profile as the face of Comic Relief’s widely distributed early years fundraising packs for Red Nose Day. The company will also be talking about The Next Step which is set for an eighth series.

animation, Gabby’s Dollhouse, continues to build a global audience, consistently debuting among Netflix’s top ten kids shows.

2022 also marks the 40th anniversary of E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, with celebratory products and activities planned. Looking to 2023, and the 30th anniversary of Jurassic Park and the 40th anniversary of Scarface are both in the calendar, while JAWS will hit 40 in 2024.

Moonbug Entertainment BOOTH R212

Visitors to Licensing Expo will be able to learn more about hit shows CoComelon, Blippi, Little Baby Bum, My Magic Pet Morphle, Lellobee City Farm and the newly acquired Little Angel.

All of the shows have different core themes and propositions, but they all share the company’s core values such as kindness, empathy and resilience.

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LICENSING EXPO EXHIBITOR PREVIEW

Jazwares BOOTH O214 Jazwares will be making its Licensing Expo debut this year with the wildly popular Squishmallows plush brand.

As Squishmallows continues to evolve into a global lifestyle brand, Jazwares will be snuggling up to new UK licensing partners, teaming with best-in-class licensees to create meaningful fan-first product extensions for UK fans and collectors (see page 69 for more).

UK Squishmallows sales doubled in 2022, while ranking as the second fastest growing property on UK NPD. It also picked up the US toy industry’s top honour earlier this year, the Toy Association’s overall Toy of the Year Award.

Right: Squishmallows was named Toy of the Year in the US earlier this year.

calendar of activity. Chip and Potato will stand out with plush from Jakks Pacific and homewares from Betesh, while the agency is also representing Moose Toys’ Magic Mixies in the US. Its recently launched ASPIRE division (see pages 42 and 43 for more) will also highlight its corporate and lifestyle portfolio.

TSBA Group Above: Moonbug’s portfolio currently stands at 29 IPs.

Moonbug’s shows are on more than 150 platforms globally including YouTube, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Sky, Super RTL, BBC iPlayer, HBO Max, Tencent, Youku and Roku. Its portfolio currently stands at 29 IPs available in 32 languages.

WildBrain CPLG BOOTH E154

WildBrain CPLG arrives in Las Vegas having recently bolstered its US operations, opening an office in India and revealing plans for Asia Pacific including expansion in Shanghai and new offices in Singapore, Taipei and Seoul.

Strawberry Shortcake, Teletubbies and Chip and Potato headline a robust slate. Supported by the original new animated series, Berry in the Big City, Strawberry Shortcake is backed by a master toy range from Moose Toys, publishing from Penguin Random House, a new Roblox game and an extensive franchise programme. In addition, classic Strawberry Shortcake is also enjoying a new surge in interest.

Meanwhile, Teletubbies is celebrating its 25th anniversary with a colourful Left: Teletubbies is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year.

BOOTH F124 The TSBA team will be discussing its raft of sporting and heritage brands currently in its roster.

Above: TSBA will be discussing its roster These include the of sporting and heritage brands. oldest and most prestigious golf championship in the world, The Open (turn to pages 112-113 to find out more on its upcoming plans); Transport for London; the National Portrait Gallery, which houses the most extensive collection of portraits in the world; and the FIA World Rally Championship, described as an epic motorsport adventure of man and machine against the elements.

TSBA is part of the Cre8 Group of companies, working in tandem with its sister companies to create licensing programmes that resonate with consumers worldwide.

SEGA BOOTH Q226 Hot on the heels of a successful and record breaking movie sequel – Sonic the Hedgehog 2 – there is high anticipation and excitement building for Licensing Expo at SEGA. With a growing stable of top tier partners across multiple categories, the company also has an exciting pipeline full of new multimedia content including new flagship multi-platform games, a Netflix original animation and a confirmed new movie.

Left: Sonic the Hedgehog 2 has been a hit at the cinema.

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

The UK Licensin Licensing A Awards d 2022 Tuesday September 13 2022 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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LICENSING EXPO EXHIBITOR PREVIEW

Warhammer BOOTH H230 Warhammer is the largest and most successful hobby miniatures brand in the world.

The growth of the brand over the past few years has been strong, and the company is now looking to take further advantage of the exponential demand for sci-fi and fantasy IP. It is planning to do this via its franchise strategy, with each franchise Inset: Warhammer will be celebrating its anchored to either a AAA video game or entertainment project.

40th anniversary in 2023.

The first two franchises are Total War: Warhammer, the final game in the trilogy launched in February, and Warhammer 40,000 Darktide which launches on 13 September.

Looking ahead, and 2023 marks the 40th anniversary of Warhammer and plans are already afoot to celebrate and bring the brand to the attention of new audiences. It is also gearing up for the next big franchise video game launch – Space Marine 2 – with the launch trailer having been viewed live by a worldwide audience of 85 million people.

Warner Bros. Consumer Products BOOTH N180

WBCP – which is part of Warner Bros. Discovery Global Brands and Experiences - will be showcasing the studio’s biggest franchises from DC, Wizarding World, Looney Tunes, Hanna-Barbera, Game of Thrones, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim and more.

Additionally, in 2023 Warner Bros. will be celebrating the iconic studio’s 100th birthday and its legacy of a century of storytelling. WBCP will gear up for this tentpole event by highlighting an array of categories and opportunities at Licensing Expo, including a peek inside the Warner Bros. vault.

Spin Master BOOTH U232

Global children’s entertainment company, Spin Master is promising a fun and interactive booth showcasing growing properties and evergreen brands including Rubik’s, which is marking its 50th anniversary in 2024.

The puzzle has sold more than 450 million units worldwide and has a staggering 98% global awareness.

In addition, Spin Master will also be highlighting its global battling franchise Bakugan, Kinetic Sand, fingerboard leader Tech Deck and preschool hit PAW Patrol, as well as a sneak peek of other upcoming Spin Master Entertainment properties.

ZAG BOOTH O192 ZAG will be arriving at the show following a strong two years for flagship brand Miraculous – Tales of Ladybug and Above: Retail sales for Miraculous hit US$1 billion as of the end of 2021.

Cat Noir, while it will also be presenting its newest property, Ghostforce.

As of the end of 2021, retail sales for Miraculous hit US$1billion dollars with over 400 licensing partners on board around the world and more than 230 million products sold during the past four years. Season five of the series starts to roll out Q3 2022 and the $US100M+ animated feature will premiere later this year.

The movie release will be supported by a raft of consumer products and activations including a QSR programme, an expanded toy line from ZAG Lab and Playmates, plus the first Miraculous console game among others.

Meanwhile, Ghostforce is an original comedy action series that follows three junior high school students who form a secret team to defend their city from the ghastly ghouls haunting it. Again, ZAG Labs and Playmates will handle toys, while deals have also been signed for publishing, apparel and costumes.

Left: Spin Master is promising a ‘fun and interactive’ booth at the show.

Rainbow Group BOOTH A170 Among the new brands for Rainbow is its adaptation of the children’s classic, Pinocchio and Friends. The series is due to premiere on CBeebies from 30 May and its appeal has already led to the company signing a number of partnerships in the licensing space.

Also on show will be preschool show, Summer & Todd Happy Farmers, which is continuing to gain momentum, plus two recently added third party licences from artistic scene, Lucia Heffernan and Jack Ottanio, both of whom the group represents internationally.

The on-going success of the live action format – FATE: The Winx Saga - on Netflix has sparked a new licensing chapter for the Winx Club brand, meaning it now spans across two target audience strategies: girls and young adults. Finally, preschool brand 44 Cats completes the portfolio.

Above: Pinocchio and Friends will debut on CBeebies on 30 May.

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Sesame Workshop BOOTH J126 Sesame Street Mecha Builders is the first of many new Sesame Workshop Inset: Just Play is now on board as originals for WarnerMedia’s multi-territory master toy licensee Cartoonito preschool for Sesame Street. programming block.

The show reimagines Elmo, Cookie Monster and Abby Cadabby as robot heroes-in-training who use their STEM superpowers to solve wacky larger than life problems.

Meanwhile, Bea’s Block will launch later in the year, introducing viewers to a new world where vibrant and diverse wooden block characters tumble, stack and roll their way through adventures. Elmo and Tango will also star in animated holiday special, Sesame Street: The Nutcracker.

The company will also be continuing with its innovative collaborations with lifestyle brands, while Just Play is on board as multi-territory master toy licensee for US, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Right: Brandgenuity will have its wide ranging portfolio on display.

In February, NFL player branded lifestyle apparel launched with ASOS, while the NFLPA programme has welcomed new partners including Great Branding and Stone Kids.

The Ed Stafford programme is also putting in a solid performance – including sold out bushcraft camps for kids and families hosted by Camp Wilderness – while the Hawaiian Tropic fragrance mists have expanded in continental Europe and Australia. The Unilever lifestyle programme has four licensees, with launches in stationery and apparel leading the way throughout the year.

Penguin Ventures

Dr. Seuss Enterprises

BOOTH E115

BOOTH D196

Lindsay Pearl, head of international licensing at Penguin Ventures, will be attending Licensing Expo and is looking forward to meeting up with both familiar faces Above: Pottery Barn is and new partners. celebrating Peter Rabbit with a homewares collection.

Penguin Ventures – part of Penguin Random House UK – represents a portfolio of classic literary brands including Peter Rabbit, which is celebrating 120 years this year; The World of the Snowman, which celebrates ten years of the animated sequel, The Snowdog this year; heritage brand Flower Fairies; and the classic Spot.

At the show, Dr. Seuss Enterprises will continue to celebrate the importance of literacy and creativity with the roll out of new product lines, programmes and initiatives, as well as growth of its entertainment and content portfolio.

Above: Dr. Seuss is eyeing categories including toys, food and From expansion within beverage and infant and baby. several categories including entertainment, food and toys, to the development of a new back to school programme in 2023, the company is promising an ‘exciting’ look ahead.

There is also likely to be further news on the entertainment and content deals which will see its characters come to life with Warner Brothers Animation, Netflix, The Dr. Seuss Experience, Seuss Studios, The Jim Henson Company and Dapper Labs.

Brandgenuity BOOTH C154

In Europe, Brandgenuity is continuing to develop licensing programmes for clients including Kahlua, Southern Comfort, Paramount, NFLPA, Unilever and MINI. Below: Wednesday will debut on Netflix later this year.

MGM BOOTH J214 MGM will focus on showcasing programmes for its portfolio of iconic films including Pink Panther’s 60th anniversary launching late next year and the debut of Netflix’s Wednesday series later this year.

It will also put the spotlight on Creed, with the third instalment hitting cinemas in November 2022, and an expansive Vikings: Valhalla licensing programme tied to the recently debuted Netflix series.

MGM is also set to highlight the expansion of its sci-fi portfolio with Robocop’s 35th anniversary and Stargate SG-1’s 25th anniversary this year, along with its extensive catalogue of classic horror films like the recent box office hit Candyman and Killer Klownz.

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Spotlight Licensing and Brand Management BOOTH D188 The NY-based agency will be showcasing its portfolio of art/character, entertainment, publishing and digital properties.

These include British TV series All Creatures Great and Small; canine social media sensation Boo The World’s Cutest Dog; Downton Abbey; historic adventure TV series, The Last Kingdom; classic family brand Little House on the Prairie; and sentiment brand, Precious Moments.

It will also be talking to visitors about animated TV series, Samurai Rabbit and comic book series, Usagi Yojimbo among others.

Left: Samurai Rabbit is a new brand for Spotlight.

Above: Visitors to the company’s booth are promised immersive and interactive technologies ‘like no other’.

Falcon’s Beyond BOOTH U188

Falcon’s Beyond is an expert at creating worlds where imaginations can fly free, giving IP owners the freedom to expand their brands into the realms of immersive destinations, entertainment content and consumer products.

Falcon's will transport guests and fans into imagined worlds using its storytelling prowess and

Jewel Branding & Licensing BOOTH C142 Jewel’s booth will prominently feature its cause-related brands that tell a story including the New York Botanical Garden, the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation and the National Wildlife Federation.

Jewel will also be featuring some of its Above: CreativeIngrid has top art influencers and teamed with Tervis for drinkware. designers who are having great retail success including EttaVee, Bouffants and Broken Hearts by Kendra Dandy, CatCoq, Nikki Chu, Alja Horvat and CreativeIngrid.

New clients on show, meanwhile, will include Simplified by Emily Ley, Tania Garcia, Planet Cat and Shannon Snow.

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patented technologies, many of which will be showcased at Licensing Expo.

Visitors to the company’s booth will experience immersive and interactive technologies like no other through a tour of Falcon’s Licensing’s XLab. By appointment, the X-Lab will offer a 20minute demonstration of a handful of Falcon’s groundbreaking products. These include SpectraVerse, Falcon’s Vision, ON!X Theater, and other themed attraction systems leveraging real time gaming technologies and metaverse integrations.

The company will also preview its original IP in development at the show.

King Features Syndicate BOOTH J136

The world’s most iconic sailor man, Popeye and the famously fabulous Olive Oyl are taking over the runway with new fashion collaborations worldwide. From WROGN to Iceberg, Moncler and Intimissimi Above: Popeye has featured on a number of new fashion collaborations worldwide.

Uomo, Popeye and Olive Oyl’s unique styles are inspiring collections from high-end and streetwear designers.

The viral music sensation, Crazy Frog recently joined King Features’ roster of licensed properties and is making a comeback and growing its reach with new songs and music videos, a short-form YouTube series and smartphone games. The US merchandising programme has already begun with a collectables drop from Youtooz.

Meanwhile, gaming brand Cuphead is debuting new products and partners tied to Netflix’s The Cuphead Show.

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Genius Brands International BOOTH C178 Genius Brands will debut two new properties at the show – Shaq’s Garage and the Stan Lee celebrity brand.

Inspired by NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal’s real life love of cars, Shaq’s Garage will premiere next spring and is a modern day animated adventure series where Shaq brings his family of cars to life. A global CP campaign will kick off with the toy category, with additional sectors including apparel, accessories, party, home, stationery, publishing, games and collectables among others.

Meanwhile, Genius Brands acquired the rights to the Stan Lee brand, which included rights to many unfinished works he left behind, as well as the rights to his name, physical likeness and signature, through a joint venture with POW! Entertainment called Stan Lee Universe.

The company will be celebrating what would have been Stan Lee’s 100th birthday this year by creating a curated product capsule – The Stan Lee Centennial Collection – featuring a range of product categories.

Right: The Stan Lee Centennial Collection will mark the iconic comic book writer’s 100th birthday this year.

Fox Chapel Publishing BOOTH A136

Fox Chapel Publishing will be representing Ninja Kitties at the show. Packed with messages of goodness, kindness, and empathy, the Ninja Kitties - seven royal kitties who transform into ninja kitties to save the day make their debut through a combination storybook/activity book Above: The new storybook/activity series this spring. book series is due to launch this year.

Aimed at ages 4-8, the brand is aiming to teach children meaningful messages that build character and self-esteem, while also instilling important lessons about the power of teamwork, believing in themselves and never giving up among others.

TheSoul Publishing BOOTH Q192

A first time exhibitor at the show, TheSoul Publishing has more than one billion followers and subscribers across social media and is now looking to dive into the merchandising world.

Its top channels offer connections to a variety of product categories including Above: TheSoul believes that it is in a completely beauty, toys

and publishing. Its flagship brand, 5-Minute Crafts, is the world’s top DIY brand and the only channel that consistently ranks among the top ten channels on both YouTube and Facebook.

TheSoul will be looking to link up with partners to connect with the brand’s global audience who want to emulate the crafting creations on the channel.

The company will also be talking about its other brands 123 Go!, La La Life, Avocado Couple, Polar, Baby Zoo, Muffin Socks and Teen-Z.

Perfetti Van Melle BOOTH D316 This year, Mentos is the brand in the spotlight for Perfetti Van Melle. A new style guide has been created which not only includes a fresh approach to the brand icons, but also fashion trends and vintage holiday designs.

The company is also seeing success in the F&B aisles thanks to innovative collaborations with the signature flavours of its brands. Chupa Chups’ sparkling drinks with Korean licensee, Namyang are award nominated, with Mentos jelly drinks next on the menu.

Visitors to the booth will also be able to check out images of themed installations that have been created with Mentos and Chupa Chups in Asian malls and other venues. Finally, the company has also been tapping into the toy category for further growth.

Below: Mentos is the brand in the spotlight for 2022.

unique position as a licensor.

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20-22 SEP 2022 ExCeL London

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THE RISE OF SQUISHMALLOWS

A Mallow moment The Squishmallows brand is on a roll – one of the fastest growing properties on NPD in the UK, from a launch line-up of eight characters in 2017, the range is now 1,000+ strong and includes celebrities such as Lady Gaga and Kim Kardashian among its many fans. And now the aim is a full-scale lifestyle CP programme, as LSB discovers.

“Squishmallows is a true phenomenon; we have something really special with this brand and our aim is to cultivate it for long-term success,” begins Sam Ferguson, vp global licensing at Jazwares.

The brand – which was launched in 2017 by Kellytoy – began with eight characters, and now features more than 1,000, each with a unique name and bio.

There are over 12 sizes, ranging from two to 24 inches. Jazwares acquired a majority stake in Kellytoy in 2020, and since then the brand has continued to grow exponentially with plush, branded entertainment, consumer products and metaverse gaming with Squishmallows on Roblox.

It is currently the number one traditional plush manufacturer according to NPD in the US and one of the fastest growing brands on NPD in the UK. There are over 180 Squishmallows hitting the UK market this year, Sam explains: “Huge demand has also resulted in multiple fan-

Inset: The ultimate aim is for Squishmallows to be an established lifestyle brand across all of its touchpoints.

Inset: Sam Ferguson, vp global licensing, Jazwares.

inspired and trend-led line extensions, including FlipA-Mallows, Fuzz-A-Mallows and Squishville by Original Squishmallows. We are very excited about launching licensed brand collaborations in the UK which will see well-known characters transformed into collections of Squishmallows.”

The global CP programme kicked off last year in the US, and an extensive UK programme will debut shortly with licensees due to be revealed across multiple categories including bath and beauty, swimwear, apparel and bedding.

Social media has played a huge part in the success of the brand. Sam adds: “Fan engagement and the viral nature of the content our fans create are key.

The organic reach of celebrity fan posts from Charli D’Amelio, Lady Gaga and Kim and Khloe Kardashian is incredible but more important, are the 6B+ organic social mentions from the wider community. The social media channels have ballooned to more than 827,000 followers and nearly 100 global and local Facebook groups have been created by fans. Our fans are incredibly important to the development of the brand.”

In addition, Jazwares has joined forces with CAA to fully take advantage of the momentum behind the brand, with the agency delving more into the storytelling around the characters through film, TV, gaming, publishing, live touring and beyond.

Sam concludes: “The vision is for all the various brand verticals from licensed products, to gaming and content to reach the heights of the success of the plush in the toy aisle, in a sustainable way.”

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Sign up to Curated Meetings today Get in touch with us at exhibitor@autumnfair.com

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BRAND FOCUS: BLUEY

2021 was a stand out year for preschool brand Bluey in the UK, culminating in it being named the number one new toy brand according to NPD data. LSB catches up with BBC Studios’ Mandy Thwaites to find out how the company is planning to continue the upward trajectory for the property from Down Under.

True Blue f you’ve yet to come across Bluey, the six year old Blue Heeler pup, her younger sister, Bingo, and her parents Bandit and Chilli, it certainly seems like you’re in the minority.

Smashing viewing records in its home nation of Australia, it is also the number one Disney Junior show in America while, in the UK, Bluey was the most watched programme on CBeebies in January 2022 and is also available on Disney+.

This success is also being repeated in the consumer products space, as Mandy Thwaites, director, magazines and consumer products, UK division at BBC Studios, explains. “It’s been fantastic so far and we had some great results last year – capped by Bluey being 2021’s number one new toy brand according to NPD data.

The UK is covered by global deals with master toy partner Moose Toys and master publisher Penguin Random House as well as multiterritory deals with Crayola, VTech and Hasbro.

“Other UK deals include Character Options, Danilo, Blues, Aykroyd & Sons and TDP Textiles, William Lamb, Roy Lowe & Sons, Amscan, H&A, MV Sports, Stor and others. It’s a strong and rapidly growing programme in the UK and other territories.”

Mandy says that perhaps while the speed at which Bluey’s success has grown has been unexpected, the team has always had complete belief in the quality of the show. “We’ve worked very closely with Ludo Studio who produce Bluey, and it’s been amazing to see fans around the world fall in love with the show

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Right: Bluey ended 2021 as the number one new toy brand according to NPD data.

Left: Mandy Thwaites, director, magazines and consumer products, UK division at BBC Studios.

Below: BBC Studios is looking to further build on the success Bluey enjoyed in 2021.

as we did when we first saw it.

“Bluey really is something special.”

The aim now is to continue building on the existing success. Bluey is now airing in over 60 territories with top tier partners including Disney and free to air broadcasters. This has enabled BBC Studios to bring on board licensees in multiple territories and appoint licensing agents to serve local markets. In EMEA, the focus is currently on core markets including France, Italy, Spain, Nordics and others, but Mandy says there should be a full scale partnership programme in place across EMEA, US and LATAM by the end of the year.

“We want to build on the success we had in 2021 - it was such a good year for Bluey in the UK and we want to sustain that growth to make it the must-have brand for licensees and retailers,” Mandy continues. “I think it’s clear to see that we’re very excited by Bluey. We don’t want to get carried away in that excitement though and there’s a lot of hard work that we’re putting in behind the scenes to build a very solid foundation for the long-term growth of the brand globally. From the team that we’ve put together here at BBC Studios, to our selection of partners who share our goals and values, we have a clear strategy for Bluey that we’d like to deliver on for years to come.”

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15 YEARS OF ROCKET LICENSING

From Beano to Vikings, Rocket Licensing has built a packed portfolio of brands over its 15 years in business – a milestone it is marking this year. LSB catches up with joint managing directors, Charlie Donaldson and Rob Wijeratna, to find out more.

Rocket men rriving on the scene in 2007, Rocket Licensing is marking 15 years in business this year… and joint managing directors, Charlie Donaldson and Rob Wijeratna are certainly proud to be among the independent licensing agencies currently successfully operating in the UK market. Even more so considering the challenges of the last couple of years. “[2021] was a challenging year for us, as it was for many,” begins Rob, “but we were able to be fast and flexible, adapting some new practices and pivoting slightly in some areas.”

Highlights included the agency acquiring the rights to represent the European Space Agency, plus its first experiential tie-up with Kew Gardens and Wakehurst for the Easter Beano Dennis & Gnasher’s Birthday Bonanza trail – which was nominated for a Licensing Award. It also developed new licensing relationships for its brand portfolio, notably

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Inset: The tie-up between Deliveroo and The Very Hungry Caterpillar was award nominated.

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Above: Rocket Licensing’s joint managing directors, Rob Wijeratna (left) and Charlie Donaldson.

another award nominated tie-up between Deliveroo and The Very Hungry Caterpillar. 2021 also saw the first Fuzzballs product launch in the UK market – a brand which Rocket is predicting will make a big impact at retail this year.

So, what does the agency look for in a brand?

Rob continues: “Brands need to have lots of elements to be licensable. Desirability, they need to be compelling enough to make fans really love them; a platform to give them good exposure and keep them front of mind; and of course elements that can be translated into great product. We look

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for these elements in any brands we take on and, most importantly, we need to really connect with the brands and enjoy embarking on what are often very longterm relationships.”

Rocket has certainly been lucky enough to establish long-term relationships with a number of licensors and brands including MGM – which it has represented since 2008 – and Above: The second movie in the The World of Eric Carle, which it began working Oscar winning Dune series is due to arrive in 2023. with in 2010. “The hope is that the harder we work market: “Independent at building successful programmes for our partners agencies are the heart and seeking out new opportunities, the luckier we’ll Above: Rocket is looking forward to and soul of the licensing building the product range based on get,” says Charlie.

MGM’s Vikings: Valhalla. industry, as we are While the past few years have brought a positive, fast moving, flexible, creative, passionate, succession of real-world challenges, affecting fun and always embracing businesses across many different change. We - and our fellow industries – Brexit, Covid and now independents - offer a service the Ukraine crisis – the licensing dedicated and focused both on landscape has also changed in the licensed sector and an other ways over Rocket’s 15 years. individual licensor’s brand. We Charlie continues: “When we don’t own brands or have other started Rocket, one of our key areas of our business that take retail relationships was with that attention away from making the ‘one stop shop’ Woolworths and brands we represent successful.” online retailing was in its infancy.

As for the next 15 years, the duo Look how the retail landscape has believe that the future is bright. now changed, with the hollowing Above: Rocket is predicting out of the mid-market and huge growth that Fuzzballs will make a big By the end of 2022 they would like to impact at retail this year. achieve “continued success of our brands, in online retail offerings. This is coupled along with continuing to build our great licensor, with the enormous changes in entertainment, with licensee and retail relationships, and the industry the rise of the streamers, social media, the sheer recognition that winning a licensing trade award volume of content and how consumers view and brings, would be great”. And in the next 15? “We will enjoy that content, has changed massively and continue to successfully develop the brands in our continues to do so.” portfolio, build our partner relationships and have Both Charlie and Rob are unequivocal in their lots of fun,” they conclude. belief in independent licensing agents’ place in the

2022 so far

Right: There are plans to continue the growth of perennial Christmas classic, The Elf on the Shelf.

“2022 has been great so far and it was fantastic to be back at Toy Fair and Spring Fair, finally having face to face meetings,” says Charlie.

Rocket is looking forward to building the product range based on MGM’s Vikings: Valhalla and future seasons following its launch on Netflix in February, while there will also be some 35th anniversary activity for RoboCop. The Very Hungry Caterpillar Easter trail at Kew Gardens and Wakehurst was also a huge success, with sell out crowds and coverage on BBC News. There are also plans to continue the growth of perennial Christmas classic, The Elf on the Shelf.

Rob continues: “We also have some very exciting announcements to make about new brands, ranges and deals we are representing in the next couple of months. New ranges to launch this year include additional lines of the hugely successful Horrible Science and Horrible Histories brands, with Galt and University Games. A fantastic range of The Very Hungry Caterpillar housewares and wonderful picnic set also launched from DNC. Look out also for some great Godzilla and Kodak apparel ranges to be launched at retail from Bioworld.”

Planning will also be taking place ahead of Beano’s 85th anniversary in 2023, while Rocket is anticipating strong interest in the second movie in the Oscar winning Dune series, also in 2023.

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IN CONVERSATION WITH… ERVE EUROPE

Value added rve Group was established in 1985 in Brussels and has grown into one of the biggest European licensed apparel suppliers. It now has 70+ licences in its portfolio – reaching across TV, film, cartoon and gaming categories - and eight offices across three continents. Its mission – boldly stated on its website – is to increase value without compromise.

“Since our launch in January, we have been very active in the marketplace, and we continue to grow our portfolio of licences and brands,” Tom Rossi, md of Erve UK & Ireland, tells LSB. “In addition, the UK & Ireland team has expanded as we bring in more exceptional talent to further improve our service offering for our retailers and end consumers.”

When asked what differentiates Erve UK & Ireland, Tom responds: “Our economies of scale and purchasing power ensure retailers can maximise

Established over 35 years ago in Brussels, Erve Group has grown into one of the biggest European licensed apparel suppliers.

Now, with a permanent base and team in the UK & Ireland, the company is eyeing further growth. LSB finds out more.

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their margins without compromise.

We have full control of our supply chain between raw materials and stores, allowing us to be a market leader in quality, control and compliance.”

He continues: “We have highly skilled designers, with over 20 people in eight countries focused on ensuring we enable our customers to meet market demands with the best products at the right time.

Inset: Erve’s new UK & Ireland showroom is on Great Portland Street, London, while its HQ is in Brussels (top).

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IN CONVERSATION WITH… ERVE EUROPE Right: Some of the Erve UK & Ireland team (top to bottom) Tom Rossi, Brian Mulcahy, Lisa Reynolds and Nick Dierickx.

Inset: The company’s portfolio is a healthy mix of character licences, gaming, anime and brands.

“Our long-term focus, risk-based approach and global reach has allowed us to invest and grow. You can rely on us for the long-term; growth is what we stand for.”

Lisa Reynolds, head of licensing at the company, explains that its portfolio of brands and licences is continually growing as it builds on its existing and new relationships with licensors and brand owners. “Our experience of working for brand owners allows us to fully understand the importance of brand value,” she says. “Our mission is to increase brand owner value in line with their brand and business expectations.”

Lisa is also keen to point out that being part of an established network means that Erve can offer improved market coverage to meet its licensors’ objectives. “Erve UK & Ireland is part of Erve Group which has been established for more than 35 years,” says Lisa. “This means we have the knowledge, support and expertise of the successful Erve Group which allows us to produce and distribute exceptional quality apparel for retailers within UK & Ireland. We can offer a full range of categories in daywear, nightwear, socks, swimwear, accessories and infant wear.”

One of the key categories and areas cited for further growth for Erve is with video games properties.

Brian Mulcahy, gaming advisor at the company, explains to LSB: “Erve’s gaming lines continue to

sell well. Even at the biggest retailers in Europe, gathering momentum all the time as buyers develop confidence in gaming after seeing collection after collection deliver for them with their consumers.

Erve have identified gaming as a key strategic pillar and our portfolio of gaming continues to expand.

“Licensors who want to see their brand recognition grow and build the footprint of their IP in Europe have the greatest opportunities with Erve.”

Nick Dierickx, head of licensing, marketing and design EMEA at the company, reiterates that Erve is all about supporting brands in the long-term.

“For the EMEA market, our portfolio is seeing significant growth, both in well-established franchises and in new and upcoming gems,” he says. “We have a healthy mix between character licences, gaming, anime and brands.

Signing new franchises is always a long-term investment, and that is exactly where Erve stands for.”

When it comes to marketing, too, the company is there to support its partners. “Our in-house marketing team is a huge support for the whole company. We think along with our sales team, to support their upcoming customer visits. We build, together with the brand owners, the presence of our licences in our market. We show our initiatives and business insights via our social channels and we keep our partners up to date with our newsletters,” Nick concludes.

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IN CONVERSATION WITH… FIZZ CREATIONS

Fizzical fitness It’s been a busy last 18 months for Fizz Creations, not to mention an award-winning start to 2022.

The licensee’s innovative lighting and food machines have won it an enviable reputation, one which it is keen to build on further going forward.

LSB catches up with marketing manager, Zoe Ryan, to find out more.

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he past 18 months has been something of a whirlwind for Fizz Creations. To start with, it has brought 11 new licensed gift ranges to market – with key licences including Tetris, Sonic the Hedgehog, Back to the Future, Minions, Peter Rabbit and The Grinch.

On top of this, the company also established Fizz Creations GmbH in 2021, opening a dedicated distribution centre in Germany and allowing it to better service the needs of its customers in the EU in a post Brexit world.

Indeed, much of the company’s development over coming years will be across Europe and the US, Fizz Creations’ marketing manager, Zoe Ryan, explains to LSB when we catch up.

Talking about the licensee’s successes, she says: “The iconic SLUSH PUPPiE machine’s popularity just seems to grow year on year since its initial launch in 2017 and is a global success for Fizz.

Inset: Minions was among the 11 new licensed gifting ranges brought to market by Fizz in the last 18 months.

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LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2022

Inset: The new range of tubez lites are launching later this year.

Above left: Zoe Ryan, marketing manager, Fizz Creations.

However, 2021 saw some new heroes, in particular our licensed lighting products featuring logo lights and mood lights.

“I should also mention The Grinch - in addition to our own sell-out range, we also curated exclusive collections for retailers such as Primark and Asda and are currently in the production process of 45 new Grinch products for Christmas 2022.”

So far this year, Fizz has been working with Bulldog Licensing and Magic Light Pictures and is looking forward to launching new product ranges for Care Bears and The Gruffalo. In addition, it will be launching some Dragonball Z housewares and also extending its work with SEGA to include Mega Drive.

When it comes to what the company looks for in a partner, Zoe explains: “As a business, Fizz Creations have always been about fun and we

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IN CONVERSATION WITH… FIZZ CREATIONS Inset: The company is extending its work with SEGA to include Mega Drive.

look for licences that align with our values. We have an enviable reputation in both lighting Trends and innovation and food machines, so combining a licence Innovation is clearly at the forefront for Fizz Creations, but what are some of the main elements that the company considers with these product categories means we have before creating new product? an established route to market and a “As a gifting company, there are three audiences we need to successful product launch. It’s all about playing consider - our customers (retailers), the person buying the to our strengths to deliver a mutually product and ultimately the end user,” explains Zoe. “Ticking the boxes across all three is the secret to a successful product - it beneficial relationship.” needs innovation, it needs to look good and it needs to deliver.

The company’s reputation has certainly While trend is a key driver in terms of which brand to work with, played a part in it receiving a host of award perhaps more important to our quest for innovation is finding the white space, new categories and something a bit different. nominations and wins for some of its lines. Its “As previously mentioned, our expertise in food machines and Tetris Tetrimino Waffle Maker was nominated lighting have allowed us to bring newness such as our waffle in two categories at the recent Brand & makers, Logo Lites and, launching later this year, tubez.”

Lifestyle Licensing Awards 2022 – for Best Brand Licensed Electrical &/or DIY Products or combat this by working much further in advance Range, while it walked away with the accolade for with our customers to ensure on time delivery.

Inspired Innovation Brand Licensed Product or “Perhaps more significantly the redesigning and Range Award. size reduction of our packaging – allowing us to In addition, it also has two nominations in the maximise container space, reduce costs at the same Licensing International Excellence Awards 2022 - in time as delivering on our own sustainability goals.”

Best Licensed Product Appliances, Electronics & Having described the last 18 months as being Housewares for a Corporate Brand for its Tetris “phenomenal”, the aim for Zoe and the rest of the Wafflemaker and its Tetris x Samsung Fridge team going forward is quite simple… more of the Storage Stackers – the results of which will be same. She concludes: “More of what we have been announced at Licensing Expo on 23 May. doing… reaching new buyers, “It’s quite overwhelming really,” says Zoe, when onboarding new licensing and asked about the nominations. “Of course, we think continuing our phenomenal we make some pretty impressive products but growth globally.” seeing numerous products from our Tetris range receive attention, Inset: The Tetris both domestically and on the Tetrimino Waffle Maker won Inspired international stage, is really Innovation Brand exciting. It is also a testament to Licensed Product or Range Award at the work the team here has done the B&LLAs in creating such innovative and fun products that attract the attention of the industry.”

When it comes to challenges, however, Zoe is quick to acknowledge that shipping continues to create difficulties globally, not just in terms of costs but also in lead times. “Our team have worked super hard to LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2022

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STATE OF THE NATION: BRANDS

The growth in the brands, lifestyle and heritage sector is continuing on its exponential trajectory and, as the collaborations, deals and partnerships become ever more innovative, 2022 could be the strongest year yet for the category. LSB takes a look at some of the latest activity.

I’m with the brand Inset: Scion’s Mr Fox is just one of the designs in the new collection.

Below left: IMG will grow the Laura Ashley brand in fashion, home and lifestyle.

Let’s go outside New for SS22, Brink & Campman is launching a new collection of outdoor rugs and cushions in collaboration with British interior brands Harlequin, Scion, Sanderson and Morris & Co. Featuring iconic designs such as Morris & Co’s Blackthorn, Sanderson’s Dandelion Clocks and Scion’s Mr Fox, each collection comprises outdoor rugs and mix and match cushions in a series of bold and playful prints.

HRP celebrates the Platinum Jubilee

Laura Ashley taps IMG Laura Ashley has appointed IMG to expand fashion, home and lifestyle products that reflect the British heritage brand in a modern way in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, China, India and the Middle East.

The multi-year deal will see IMG work with the brand to create new Laura Ashley apparel, footwear, accessories, beauty and homeware items through carefully selected licensing and retail partnerships and collaborations.

“Following the success of our spring home collection relaunch and fall fashion collaboration last year, it is clear there is a strong customer appetite for a new wave of Laura Ashley lifestyle products,” said Carolyn D’Angelo, md of brands at Gordon Brothers and president of Laura Ashley. “We look forward to seeing the first designs of our 2023 fashion relaunch spring to life for the brand’s 70th anniversary and for the next generation of Laura Ashley customers.”

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Historic Royal Palaces is celebrating HM The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee with Superbloom at the Tower of London from May to September.

There will be 13,500 sqm of flowers and 20 million seeds planted in the moat, with up to two million flowers in bloom. There will also be other smaller Superbloom gardens showcased at Hampton Court Palace, Kensington Palace and Hillsborough Castle and Gardens.

Licensed product to mark the 70th anniversary of the Queen’s accession to the throne on 6 February 1952 includes a new bespoke tea blend with Harney & Sons. This uses a traditional Earl Grey black fine tea, combined with bright bergamot silver tips and a dash of royal purple lavender.

In addition, a new jewellery collection will be launching with Clogau to reflect the colourful florals on display.

The floral theme continues to inspire a Lily of Valley jewellery range including earrings, a ring, pendant and bangle. This is one of the Queen’s favourite flowers and featured in her wedding bouquet and will be on display in a Platinum Jubilee Tribute Garden.

Above: Harney & Sons has created a new bespoke tea blend for the Platinum Jubilee.

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Right: The new line combines Sanderson’s hand-drawn prints with Paige’s bestselling silhouettes.

STATE OF THE NATION: BRANDS

Sanderson heads to California Sanderson has revealed a new collaboration with Californian lifestyle brand, Paige.

Comprising a capsule collection of seven exclusive styles, the launch includes a matching t-shirt and denim set, dress, two blouses and a suit, each featuring Sanderson’s heritage prints.

The collection combines Sanderson’s hand-drawn prints with Paige’s bestselling silhouettes, with items available from retailers including Harrods and Selfridges.

Below: Two jewellery stores opened in collaboration with Chow Sang Sang.

V&A eyes East Asia growth The V&A is continuing to grow its product offering and its global reach, with over 1,400 products launching last year. The number of licensees grew to 95, with distribution networks to 72 countries across the UK, Europe, US and APAC. East Asia has been a key focus for global expansion.

As part of a new collaboration, V&A Beauty was launched in Korea with a planned global roll out due in 2022/2023. This sits alongside four new fashion collaborations including LEDiN and Cocoon in China, as well as two new collaborations in South Korea with new golfwear ranges with Ping and Pearly Gates. In addition, the V&A collaborated with Aardman’s Shaun the Sheep to deliver a range of children’s clothing for Italian sportswear label, FILA. The museum also cemented a 15-year collaboration with jewellery retailer Chow Sang Sang by creating two ground-breaking jewellery stores. The first opened in K11 Musea, Hong Kong and the second at The Londoner Hotel complex in Macau, each with a never-before-seen jewellery shopping experience. The new concept stores feature modern jewellery presented alongside examples of European art and design that conjures up the romance, sentiment and craftmanship that inspires it.

Artistory spotlights new trends and themes ARTiSTORY has revealed its 2023 spring/summer global arts and cultural trends and themes to licensees, retailers and DTC brands across the world.

An online event held in April presented new collections inspired by trend research and the wealth of artists and artefacts in the archives of ARTiSTORY’s museum partners: The National Gallery, London; The Brooklyn Museum, New York; The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; The National Palace Museum, Taipei; Dunhuang Inspiration, China and the ThyssenBornemisza National Museum, Spain.

The four trend-led themes launched are Marvellous Menagerie, She Created, Glitz and Glam, plus a refreshed collection for ARTiSTORY’s popular Botanical Affairs theme.

ARTiSTORY also used the event to reveal a collaboration with the Benaki Museum, Greece for a multi-year, global licensing programme, as well as announcing its new partnership with the Parsons School of Design in New York which will work with its Global Artists Programme.

LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2022

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STATE OF THE NATION: BRANDS

Retreat with RHS

Best foot forward for TfL

Inset: The RHS Garden Retreat boasts a ‘green’ living roof across three planting schemes.

The RHS and The Posh Shed Company have expanded their relationship, with the RHS endorsing a new shed which is designed to ‘enhance and support’ the changing lifestyle of gardeners and non-gardeners.

Called The RHS Garden Retreat, the brand’s licensing manager, Cathy Snow, said that it can “provide a stylish, comfortable sanctuary in your garden to pursue hobbies or work from home while connecting with nature”.

Measuring 4m x 2.5m, it is fully insulated and double-glazed, under a vaulted living, or ‘green’, roof with a cedar shingled surround. Three planting schemes are available catering for woodland shade, dry sunny or coastal settings.

The London Sock Exchange has launched its new TfL Collection – a range of socks developed in collaboration with Transport for London, celebrating the city’s iconic transport system through the medium of yarn.

The deal was secured by TSBA Group, TfL’s global licensing agency.

The team at London Sock Exchange has worked closely with the TfL brand and design team to create six distinct pairs of socks. These have been knitted using the company’s signature 200-needle knitting process and are available in single pairs (£12) or special edition giftboxes (£30 or £60).

A promotional campaign featuring photography shot on the TfL network is set to run across national and social media.

Left: The range includes six pairs of socks celebrating London’s iconic transport system.

Ebury gets cooking with Heinz Ebury is to publish the first ever official Heinz cookbooks, including gift books for lovers of Ketchup and Baked Beanz.

The licensing partnership launched with The Heinz Cookbook and will be followed by four ingredient-led gift titles. Elizabeth Bond, publishing director for Ebury Partnerships, acquired the world rights (excluding North America) from Claire Potter, md at Metrostar.

The Heinz Cookbook will be a collection of 100 specially-commissioned, ingenious and delicious recipes, featuring over 30 of the nation’s favourite products as the star ingredients. It will be followed in late 2022 and 2023 by the first ever official Ketchup, HP Sauce, Beanz and Lea & Perrins books.

Left: The Heinz Cookbook is the first title to launch under the partnership.

Pink Key Licensing’s new deal haul Busy Pink Key Licensing has revealed a number of new collaborations for its SLUSH PUPPiE, Kellogg’s and Pringles brands.

First up, a SLUSH PUPPiE beauty tie-up with influencer Jake-Jamie and Revolution Beauty comprises ten pieces including blue raspberry and cherry cleansers, bubblegum and lemon and lime lip scrubs, headbands and cosmetic bags. The collaboration has been two years in the making, with Pink Key Licensing’s Nancy Jones saying: “We have loved working on this project with Jake and the Revolution team. Watching their ideas come to life has been brilliant and the finished product is just simply a fantastic example of taking a much loved brand and using its assets to make truly original licensed product.”

In addition, Pyramid International – one of the first Kellogg’s licensees when the programme launched in Europe – will revisit the licence, developing a range of housewares, tableware, stationery and wall art using contemporary and vintage assets, along with the archive of characters and vintage advertising.

Smiffys is also on board as a licensee for Kellogg’s and Pringles, while CRC Innovations has added a cone and ice lolly to its SLUSH PUPPiE collection, including blue raspberry and strawberry split, plus lemon and strawberry spiral lollies. The move follows on from the success of its SLUSH PUPPiE ice cream tubs in Iceland.

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Above: The collaboration between SLUSH PUPPiE, Jake-Jamie and Revolution has been two years in the making.

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STATE OF THE NATION: BRANDS

Cool deal for Brand of Brothers Brand of Brothers has partnered with the Hershey Company to launch an exclusive range of ice creams across all of Iceland’s outlets in the UK, Iceland online and The Food Warehouse.

The range is available in over 1,000 stores nationwide. This marks the first time that Brand of Brothers has partnered with Hershey’s. The range launch is complementary to MDR Brand Management’s wider partnerships across frozen desserts.

The ice cream product development by the Brand of Brothers team plays homage to the iconic Hershey’s Cookies ‘n’ Creme chocolate bar in creating an indulgent white chocolate coated stick with a creamy, cookie filled ice cream.

Completing the range are Hershey’s Cookies ‘n’ Creme and Hershey’s Strawberry Cookies ‘n’ Crème.

“Hershey’s is a fantastic addition to our growing portfolio in ice cream and we are delighted to work closely with them and Iceland for its debut in the UK,” commented Greg Ovenden, product and marketing director at Brand of Brothers.

Inset: The range launch is complementary to MDR Brand Management’s wider partnerships across frozen desserts.

Kate Smith Company powers into second year Kate Smith Company is celebrating its first year of UK licensing activity as a result of appointing Lisle as its licensing agent and is looking ahead to further growth in 2022.

The brand – which focuses on positivity and creating joyful moments with happy faces from simple phrases and uplifting tones – has seen Hallmark Cards become the UK licensee for greeting cards, Moonpig for print on demand and greetings, plus Carousel Calendars for wall calendars and diaries, all of which launched in 2021.

Looking further into 2022, Kate Smith Company and Lisle Licensing will focus on expanding the distribution of existing licences and broaden the seasonal collections including Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and Christmas. Lisle will also turn its attention to expansion of the Kate Smith Company brand into secondary categories.

English Heritage teams with Designers Guild Designers Guild has revealed a new licensing collaboration with English Heritage which will launch in September 2022, in a deal arranged by Golden Goose.

Designers Guild will design, produce and distribute collections of fabrics, wallpapers and home accessories directly inspired by the portfolio of English Heritage properties and its archive collections in a move which chimes with both organisation’s knowledge and passion for English history and classic design.

The initial collections will include printed fabric and wallpaper collections that are directly inspired by the archive of historic wallpapers held by English Heritage. The collection of over a thousand historic wallpaper fragments has been rescued and conserved by English Heritage from important properties throughout England.

Above: The brand focuses on positivity and creating joyful moments.

Frugi grows with National Trust Sustainable children’s clothing and accessory brand Frugi has teamed up with Europe’s largest conservation charity, National Trust, to create a fourth capsule collection for spring/summer 2022.

The Garden Growers unisex collection for babies, toddlers and children up to the age of eight aims to encourage little ones to put on their wellies, grab their tools and get their hands dirty by learning how to plant and care for a variety of vegetables, flowers and the creatures that live among them, such as ladybirds and bees.

Frugi’s design team have brought the nation’s gardens to life with a busy print of sunflowers, daisies, carrots, strawberries and apples, as well as watering cans, spades, trowels and flowerpots.

Items include a pair of reversible shorts, two applique t-shirts, a Snuggle Fleece, the bestselling waterproof Rain or Shine Jacket and the all-in-one Rain or Shine suit with Puddle Buster Wellies and socks. There is also a roll-up picnic blanket and a variety of accessories made from recycled materials.

Right: The Garden Growers collection is Frugi’s fourth with National Trust.

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WE STIR EVERY SPIRIT TO INSPIRE AND PROVOKE CHANGE Historic Royal Palaces is the independent charity that cares for the Tower of London, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Hampton Court Palace, Banqueting House, Kensington Palace, Kew Palace and Hillsborough Castle and Gardens.

Our award-winning licensing programme has much to offer our licensed partners, including: Brand longevity with global recognition and appeal Unique association working with an iconic British Royal Brand Over 1,000 years of inspiration and authentic story telling Commercial opportunity to create innovative product and design Conservation of our cultural heritage for everyone, now and in the future For licensing opportunities please contact: Emma Saunders, Senior Licensing Manager emma.saunders@hrp.org.uk or licensing@hrp.org.uk

WWW.HRP.ORG.UK

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B&LLASAWARDSPARTYPAGES

The Brand & Lifestyle Licensing Awards 2022 was a celebration of the achievements, initiatives, passion and innovation from the brand licensing community over the past year. Hosted by Ed Gamble, some 400 industry executives headed to the Hilton Park Lane in London for an afternoon of networking and honouring some of the best in the business.

LSB shares a flavour of the event.

Inset: The glittering trophies ready and waiting to be collected by the winners.

Below: The awards were presided over by stand up comedian and podcaster, Ed Gamble.

Right: Each guest got to take home a Campo Marzio journal, gifted by The Insights Family, while there was also a chance to win a bundle of great Mentos goodies in the inaugural B&LLAs competition.

Above: Rick Lowe (left) and Sue Stanley from Brands In, with Poetic Brands’ Elliott Matthews (right).

Below: Around 400 guests headed to the Hilton Park Lane in London for the glittering event.

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B&LLASAWARDSPARTYPAGES

Inset: The Light Fund English Channel Relay Swim team looking resplendent in their kit (from left Mark Bezodis, Stephen Gould, Anne Bradford, Kevin Langstaff, Mark Kingston, Tasmyn Knight, Rhys Fleming, Simon Gresswell and Katie Price.)

Above: The team from Sara Miller London - including the lady herself (centre) - celebrate the win for Best Licensed Fashion or Talent Brand.

Below: The RHS created the first ever B&LLAs centrepiece - and bloomin’ great it was, too.

Inset: President of Licensing International, Maura Regan, and Dan Fruginet, md of Big Picture Licensing were responsible for drawing the raffle.

Inset: From left, POC’s Rob Hutchins; June Kirkwood, Nutmeg Licensing; Martin Rees-Davies, Carousel Calendars; Eden Project’s Tracey Smith; James George from Pyxera Global; POC’s Helena Mansell-Stopher; and Carousel Calendars’ RuthAnne Hurst.

Right: It was cheers all round at the after awards drinks.

Above: Amy Austin, junior buyer at DFS, was the proud winner of the Nadiya Hussain Prestige non-stick saucepans in the raffle.

Right: Warren Traeger, licensing manager at Battersea (left), and Cardology’s David Falkner certainly made an effort with their attire.

LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2022

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B&LLASAWARDSPARTYPAGES

Above: Left to right, The Hershey Company’s Max Carter and Andrew Paladino; Brandship’s Lisa Shapiro; MDR Brand Management’s Michaela Seligman and Daniel Avener; Sally Britton, Mishcon de Reya; and Maude Loy, MDR Brand Management.

Below: From left, Discovery Consumer Products’ Antonia Walker, Asha Bogle and Charlotte Payne.

Right: The team from the V&A added another trophy to its already packed B&LLAs cabinet.

Inset: Rebecca Tootell and Sophie Palmer from FatFace enjoying the preawards reception.

Inset: Michelle Feeney, founder of Floral Street (far left), proudly shows off her award with Marijn Veraart and Albertien Lykles-Liivius from Van Gogh Museum, and Ian Wickham, director of Licensing Link Europe.

Inset: The team from Laura Ashley celebrated their win for Best Licensed Design-led Lifestyle Brand with a cocktail.

Inset: Joules’ Josie Will is all smiles with the award for Best Brand Licensed Gifting Product or Range.

Right: It was a double award winning afternoon for Iceland’s Oliver Gilding (left).

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BRAND&LIFESTYLELICENSINGAWARDSWINNERS2022

BEST BRAND LICENSED FASHION ACCESSORIES OR LIFESTYLE PRODUCT OR RANGE WINNER Left: Francesca Lisle, managing director of Lisle Licensing announced the winner.winner of The B&LLAs 2021.

sponsored by

Right: (second left-right) CAA Brand Management EMEA’s senior brand and product manager, Eleanor Parry and Sasha Lerner, vp brand management, collected the award on behalf of Reebok from Francesca Lisle, managing director of Lisle Licensing, sponsor of this award.

Jelly Belly Sneakers from Reebok

BEST BRAND LICENSED FOOD OR BEVERAGE PRODUCT OR RANGE WINNER

TGI Fridays Frozen Appetisers and Desserts from Iceland

Right: (Centre) Oliver Gilding, trading manager of exclusive brands at Iceland collected the trophy from Daniel Avener, ceo of MDR Brand Management, sponsor of this award.

sponsored by Left: Daniel Avener, ceo of MDR Brand Management did the honours of announcing the winner.

BEST BRAND LICENSED HEALTH & BEAUTY PRODUCT OR RANGE Left: Sara Miller, founder and ceo of Sara Miller London was all smiles as she announced the winner.

sponsored by

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Right: (second left-right) Marijn Veraart, licensing manager of the Van Gogh Museum joined Michelle Feeney, founder of Floral Street Fragrances on stage to collect the trophy from Sara Miller, founder and ceo of Sara Miller London, sponsor of this award.

LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2022

WINNER

Van Gogh Museum Sunflower Pop from Floral Street Fragrances

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BRAND&LIFESTYLELICENSINGAWARDSWINNERS2022

BEST BRAND LICENSED ADULT APPAREL PRODUCT OR RANGE

WINNER

Right: Victoria Whellans, commercial director of Aspire was delighted to announce the winner.

sponsored by

Morris & Co. Apparel Collection from Next

Rght: (right-left) As sponsor of this award, Victoria Whellans, commercial director of Aspire presented the trophy to Fleur Neal, head of partnerships of Sanderson Design Group, Dhamina Mistry, partnerships coordinator and licensing manager Liz Bonnert.

BEST BRAND LICENSED GIFTING PRODUCT OR RANGE Left: Lou McArthur, head of licensing, lifestyle at Hearst UK at the lectern ready to the announce the winner.

Far right: (Centre) Josie Will, licensing manager of Joules was delighted to collect the trophy on behalf of A2V from Hearst UK’s head of lifsetyle licensing, sponsor of this award.

sponsored by

WINNER

Joules Crafting Range from A2V

BEST BRAND LICENSED HOMEWARES, KITCHEN & TABLETOP PRODUCT OR RANGE WINNER V&A Reflect Series from Richard Brendon

sponsored by

Right: Richard Pink, managing director of Pink Key Licensing, sponsor of this award, presented the trophy to Lauren Sizeland, head of business development and licensing at the V&A, who collected the award on behalf of Richard Brendon.

Right: Richard Pink, managing director of Pink Key Licensing announced the winner.

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BEST BRAND LICENSED CHILDREN’S PRODUCT OR RANGE

WINNER

Left: Start Licensing’s director Ian Downes announced the winner.

sponsored by

Right: (second and third left and second right) George@Asda’s Venetia Hammonds, Nicola McIntyre and Vicki Radford went on stage with (third right) Cathy Snow, licensing manager of RHS to collect the trophy from Start Licensing’s director Ian Downes, the sponsor of this award category.

RHS Collection from George@Asda

BEST BRAND LICENSED ELECTRICAL &/OR DIY PRODUCTS OR RANGE WINNER

sponsored by

National Trust Lighting Collection from Anglepoise Above: Adam Bass, director of Golden Goose did the honours with the winner’s announcement.

Right: (second right-left) Simon Terry, managing director of Anglepoise and Michaela Davies, brand licensing manager of National Trust collected the trophy from Adam Bass, director of Golden Goose, sponsor of this award category.

BEST BRAND LICENSED HOME DECOR PRODUCT OR RANGE WINNER Left: Maxine Lister, head of licensing for the Natural History Museum announced the winner.

sponsored by

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Far right: As category sponsor, Natural History Museum’s head of licensing, Maxine Lister (far right) presented the trophy to (second right) DFS’ Kellie Wyles, head of brand and product development and (second left) junior buyer for upholstery, Amy Austin was joined on stage

by Hearst UK’s Lou McArthur (third right) and licensing partnership’s manager Alexandra Bovey.

LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2022

Good Housekeeping Sofa Collection from DFS

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INSPIRED INNOVATION BRAND LICENSED PRODUCT OR RANGE AWARD

WINNER

Right: Discovery Consumer Products’ (right) Alison Paye, senior director of international creative & business development and Charlotte Payne, international strategy & marketing director jointly announced the winner.

sponsored by

Tetris Tetrimino Waffle Maker from Fizz Creations

Far right: (second left-right) Fizz Creations’ Louise Sprinks, new product development and head of marketing Zoe Ryan collected the trophy from Discovery Consumer Products’ international strategy & marketing director, Charlotte Payne and its senior director of international creative & business development, Alison Paye, sponsor of this award category.

THE SUSTAINABILITY BRAND LICENSED PRODUCT OR RANGE AWARD Left: Helena Mansell-Stopher, founder and ceo of Products of Change announced the inaugural winner of this new B&LLAs award.

sponsored by

WINNER

Far right: (centre) Tracey Smith, commercial manager of Eden Project International collected the trophy on behalf of Fresh Coffee Shop from Helena Mansell-Stopher, founder and ceo of Products of Change, sponsor of this award.

Eden Project Compostable Coffee Capsules from Fresh Coffee Shop

BEST FASHION RETAILER OF LICENSED BRANDS WINNER Primark

sponsored by

Right: (second left-right) Primark’s license co-ordinators Victoria Baker and Nicole McGovern were presented with the trophy

by Serena Sibbald, vice president and cohead of brand development at Beanstalk, the sponsor of this award category.

Right: Beanstalk’s vice president and co-head of brand development Serena Sibbald did the honours at the lectern.

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BEST DEPARTMENT STORE OR MIXED RETAILER OF LICENSED BRANDS WINNER

Left: Claire Potter, managing director of Metrostar ready to annouce the winner.

Right: Paul Sheldon, Next’s head of licensing was delighted to be presented with the trophy by Metrostar’s managing director, Claire Potter, sponsor of this award category.

Next

sponsored by

BEST SUPERMARKET OF LICENSED BRANDS WINNER

sponsored by

Iceland Foods Right: Oliver Gilding, Iceland’s trading manager of exclusive brands collected the retailer’s second trophy of the B&LLAs 2022 from Jo Edwards, TSBA’s head of global licensing, sponsor of this award category.

Above: Jo Edwards, TSBA’s head of global licensing announced the winner.

BEST SPECIALIST RETAILER OF LICENSED BRANDS Left: Teri Niadna, managing director, Europe of Brandgenuity at the lectern ready to reveal the winner.

Far right: (third right) Homebase’s Samantha MacGregor, marketing director and buyer Matthew Clarke made their way to the stage to collect the award from (far right) Teri Niadna, managing director, Europe of Brandgenuity, sponsor of this category. Joining them on stage were Hearst UK’s (third left-right) Sharon Douglas, Lou McArthur and Elspeth MonroSmith.

sponsored by

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WINNER

Homebase

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BEST LICENSED HERITAGE OR INSTITUTION BRAND

WINNER

Right: Greg McDonald, account manager of Brand Licensing Europe announced the winner.

Natural History Museum sponsored by

Right: Maxine Lister, head of licensing of the Natural History Museum was delighted to be presented with the trophy by Greg McDonald, account manager of BLE, sponsor of this award category.

BEST LICENSED LIFESTYLE BRAND WINNER

sponsored by

Above: Rhys Fleming, sales and marketing director of Dependable Solutions announced the winner.

House Beautiful

Above: The stage filled with happy smiley faces as Hearst UK’s (second left-right) Alexandra Bovey, Sharon Douglas, Louise Pearce, Lou McArthur, Elspeth Monro-Smith came up to collect the trophy from Rhys Fleming, sales and marketing director of Dependable Solutions, sponsor of this award category.

BEST LICENSED DESIGN-LED LIFESTYLE BRAND WINNER

Laura Ashley

Right: Laura Ashley’s vice president Poppy Marshall-Lawton (second right) and licensing manager Holly Somerville collected the trophy from Paul Coleman, design director of Poetic Brands, sponsor of the award category.

Right: Paul Coleman, design director of Poetic Brands did the honours in revealing the winner.

sponsored by

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BEST LICENSED FOOD OR BEVERAGE BRAND Left: Tom Rossi, managing director UK & Ireland of the Erve Group announced the winner.

sponsored by

WINNER

Right: (second right) Andy Paladino, The Hershey Company’s senior manager of global licensing went on stage to collect the award from (far right) Tom Rossi, managing director UK & Ireland of the Erve Group, sponsor of this category, joined by (second and third left) MDR Brand Management’s ceo Daniel Avener and its head of brand management, Michaela Seligman.

The Hershey Company

BEST LICENSED FASHION OR TALENT BRAND WINNER

sponsored by

Sara Miller London Right: A delighted Sara Miller, founder and ceo of Sara Miller London, having been presented with the trophy by Livy Coare, licensing and marketing manager of H&A, sponsor of this award category.

Above: Livy Coare, licensing and marketing manager of H&A.

BRAND LICENSING AMBASSADOR OF THE YEAR Left: Denise Penn, managing director, EMEA and vice president client success of Octane5 at the lectern.

Far right: Rightfully proud. Adam Bass, managing director of Golden Goose was presented with the trophy by Denise Penn, managing director, EMEA and vice president client success of Octane5, sponsor of this important award.

sponsored by

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WINNER Adam Bass Founder and managing director of Golden Goose

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BRAND LICENSING AMBASSADOR 2022 WINNER

An excerpt of the speech Samantha Loveday, group editor of Max Publishing, gave:

Adam Bass, founder and md, Golden Goose Adam shared how it felt to win the award: “Everyone in licensing deserves an award for having the courage to see what isn’t there and pursue their vision until it becomes a reality. I’d only really fantasised about winning ambassador of the year and having actually won, it’s definitely a highlight in a career that has spanned everything from Harry Ramsden’s Mushy Peas to RAC pressure washers and now English Heritage wallpaper.

None of my achievements would have been possible without the support of my family, industry connections and most importantly my fantastic team who share this award with me. Together we have developed an almost magic formula for successful licensing which is driven by our unchanging mission to work with brands we love to make consumers love them more.”

“This year, we honour a true strategic thinker – someone whose ability to challenge preconceived ideas is hugely valuable to anyone who engages with them.

Our recipient began their career in publishing, before an early entry into the just beginning to boom dot.com sector in the mid 1990s showed their ability to spot an opportunity and turn it into a fully-fledged business.

It was once this company was sold on to a large PLC, that our recipient turned their attention to the licensing sector, and in 2002 their boutique licensing agency made its debut. From the very beginning, rather than representing an ever widening variety of disparate brands, the focus of the agency was on growth by delivering for a select and exclusive set of existing clients.

Once again, our recipient’s ambition and determination, coupled with an original and innovative creative approach sometimes erring on the unconventional side - saw them turn opportunities for brands which had never previously considered licensing into viable deals.

Personable and charming, he not only has the ability to be able to disarm someone in a tense negotiation, but also to put a lighthearted humorous spin on things when they aren’t necessarily going according to plan.

A true ideas man, he has the enviable ability to think quickly on the spot, while his brain is Left: Adam gave a suitably emotional and passionate speech after accepting his award.

Above: Samantha Loveday, group editor of Max Publishing, praised Adam’s ambition, determination and inventiveness in her speech.

always turning with what’s coming next and which brands would work best with which partners. And while some of his ideas can be really off the wall, he can always be relied upon to come up with an absolute corker when it matters.

And what would the licensing industry be without a few off the wall ideas anyway…

His desire to explore and arrive at a solution also led to his agency establishing its own licensing admin system in 2020, as he not only sought to make licensing life less complicated but also even more enjoyable for himself and those around him.

Further proof that after two decades in licensing, he is still looking to grow and take on new challenges.

From Men’s and Women’s Health to RSPB, Del Monte to Oasis Fashion, Tetley’s to Mother & Baby and, more recently, The Tusk Trust and English Heritage, he has been steadfast in his vision for each of the brands he has worked with. From planning a business strategy to coming up with ideas for a new product category, he is always considering the bigger picture.

Perhaps one of the best comments I’ve heard about him is that his ability to go from initial business concept through development to launch borders on the alchemical.

In the year where the agency he founded celebrates its 20th anniversary, it is more than a fitting time to honour this brand licensing magician.”

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LA LSB

BOOKING FORM The 2022 Licensing Awards will take place during an evening ceremony at the Grosvenor House Hotel, Park Lane, London on Tuesday 13 September 2022.

The 2021 awards were a huge success and attracted over 1,000 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. Allocation of tables is made on a first come first served basis.

For table bookings & event logistics: Contact: Clare Hollick, 01183 340085 Email: clare@createvents.co.uk For entry nominations and sponsorship enquiries: Contact: Ian Hyder, 0207 700 6740 Email: ian@max-publishing.co.uk http://www.thelicensingawards.co.uk/

Please reserve the following: Excl. VAT

Table/s of TWELVE (12) Table/s of TEN (10) Single Places

Incl. VAT

£3,060.00 £3,672.00 £2,550.00 £3,060.00 £255.00 £306.00

Please note: price includes drinks reception, 3 course meal and celebrity hosted awards ceremony. All other beverages, including table wines are additional, which are ordered with and charged by the venue directly. Full details in your confirmation email which will be sent to you following receipt of a signed booking form.

Tickets will not be sent out until payment has been received.

PAYMENT OPTIONS: CREDIT CARD The quickest way to book! Please go to:

https://www.max-subscriptions.net/tickets/ INVOICE ME Please note: ALL INVOICES MUST BE PAID BY RETURN, TICKETS WILL NOT BE SENT UNTIL PAYMENT IS RECEIVED. This means that we can only process bookings that us to issue invoices up to Tuesday 16th August 2022. For bookings made after this date, a credit card is required.

CHEQUE Please make payable (including VAT) to: Max Publishing Ltd Please send to: The Licensing Awards 2022 c/o Createvents Ltd 450 Brook Drive, Reading, RG2 6UU

BOOKING CONTACT INFORMATION: Name:

________________________________________________________

Position: ________________________________________________________ Company: _______________________________________________________ Address: ________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ Postcode: _______________________ Date: ___________________________ Signature: _______________________________________________________

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 6U. No refund will be made/full payment will be required for cancellations received after Tuesday 16th August 2022.

Cancellations received on or before Tuesday 16th August 2022 will be accepted and refunds will be given, less a 15% administration charge.

Max Publishing Limited will use your information for administrative purposes and analysis. We may share your information with carefully selected third parties. We, or they, may send you details of other goods and services which may be of interest to you. The information may be provided by letter, telephone or other reasonable method of communication. [ ] Please tick this box if you do not want your details to be shared with carefully selected third parties. Max Publishing, United House, North Road, London N7 9DP

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

The UK Licensin Licensing A Awards d 2022 Tuesday September 13 2022 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 BIG INTERVIEW: BLUES GROUP

Inset: Mike believes that the company’s great design helps it to stand out.

Right: Mike Coles, group md, Blues Group.

The Blues name has been a familiar one for many years within the children’s licensed apparel space, but there are also four other equally well-known names in its overall group, all with their own individual specialisms. LSB catches up with group md, Mike Coles, to talk design excellence, being able to adapt your business at lightning speed, top performing licences and being at the top of your game.

Dressed for success

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THE BIG INTERVIEW: BLUES GROUP

W

hen it comes to licensed apparel, Blues is a name which has been synonymous with the category for many years. It has enjoyed success with a host of character and entertainment licences across numerous Above: Disney licensors, and enjoys an brands are among the company’s top enviable reputation in performers Right: The five the business. companies within the group all But there’s a lot more concentrate on to the group it is part of their specialist areas. than simply the Blues name, with Blues Group also housing babywear specialist Dennicci, Blues Nightwear, Brecrest Fashion and Cohen & Wilks (see separate box out).

“We have not changed anything significant within the group, other than to remove crossover from each business, to allow them to concentrate on their specialist areas, utilising the skillset and factory base focus to enhance their offer within the category,” explains Mike Coles, group managing director. “The Blues name in licensed clothing has been a recognised brand for years and for many of those it was the go to company for licensed apparel to the high street and grocers.”

When it comes to top performing licences across the group over the past year, Mike lists some familiar names including Peppa Pig, Peter Rabbit, Hey Duggee and PAW Patrol, as well as the Disney and Warner Bros. catalogues.

And for new launches in 2022, all eyes are currently on Bluey, Octonauts and Tusk.

So where does Mike see further growth for the

group coming from? “The width of product in fashion we can now offer,” he confidently states.

“Nightwear and loungewear is still in a period of growth. We are concentrating all our efforts to be top of our game for the UK and Irish market.”

There are challenges, but Mike and the team have also identified opportunities, too. “There are very few new properties that have come through over the last few years, mainly due to Covid and reduced investment,” he points out. “So, we have invested all our resources and efforts into the licences and brands we have already partnered with. This has presented us with new opportunities and areas of growth.”

On the subject of the last two years, when asked what is the biggest lesson that the business has learnt, Mike offers: “The need to adapt and change your business at lightning speed. This is something that we can do within the group, as we are directors and owners, so decisions can be made instantly.”

The sectors that Blues Group works in are notoriously competitive, of course, and Mike believes that it is the company’s great design which helps it stand out, with licensors, retailers and consumers: “We have one of the largest design teams of any company in licensed apparel.”

To conclude, looking towards the rest of 2022, as a group what would Mike most like to achieve by the end of the year? “A return to some degree of normality… whatever that is!” he says succinctly.

Who’s in the group?

The group is made up of five companies, all with their own particular specialism, as Mike explains.

“Dennicci is the UK’s number one licensed babywear specialist, producing award winning collections featuring a range of characters; Blues Clothing is the children’s licensed daywear business; Blues Nightwear was previously called Smithy Green Apparel and is the children’s and adult licensed and non-licensed business, with products ranging from wovens to knits with embellished graphics, fluffy dressing gowns and novelty hoodie onesies; Brecrest Fashion focuses on baby and kids sportswear; and, finally, established in 1974, Cohen & Wilks is the specialist outerwear business.”

Part of the Blues Group

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STATE OF THE NATION: SPORTS

Good sports From the racetrack through to the UFC ring, the first part of 2022 has proved to be a busy time in the licensed sports category.

LSB rounds up some of the latest highlights.

Inset: The deal allows authentic, race-used memorabilia to be sold through www.f1authentics.com.

Below: The countdown is on to the Rugby World Cup 2023.

Below left: New Era is backing France Rugby with the new collection.

The Memento Group lines up with McLaren Racing

New Era on board with France Rugby IMG and France Rugby have launched an initial collection with global leader in lifestyle and sports headwear, New Era. The line features France Rugby’s iconic blue, white and red logo across five pieces of merchandise, with bestseller Blue NEW ERA Heritage 9Forty. Available online through the France Rugby and New Era official websites, prices range from €22 to €33. A new collection with New Era will be released shortly.

RWC 2023 heads online Ahead of the Rugby World Cup 2023 tournament taking place in France, its online store has launched, through deals brokered by IMG. The website features official products for the major sports competition including supporter ranges, with new products available on a regular basis and product offering increasing leading up to the tournament.

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Sports licensing, retail and memorabilia business, The Memento Group has confirmed a new multi-year licensing deal with Formula 1 team, McLaren Racing.

The deal allows authentic, race-used memorabilia to be sold through www.f1authentics.com – F1’s official memorabilia platform.

The multi-year licence agreement will extend the relationship between McLaren Racing and The Memento Group until the end of the 2024 F1 season and is the largest commitment the F1 team has made to date to the F1 Authentics ecommerce platform.

Under the terms of the agreement McLaren Racing will release official components and bodywork for the first time, alongside heritage items and racewear pieces that have been available on F1 Authentics since 2019.

Fanatics body slams in with WWE WWE and Fanatics have confirmed a long-term sports and entertainment partnership across ecommerce, licensed merchandise, trading cards and NFTs. This summer will see Fanatics exclusively re-introduce a new ecommerce and mobile destination – WWE Shop – giving fans access to an assortment of merchandise across all categories including apparel, hard goods (such as title belts), headwear and accessories.

In addition, Fanatics Collectibles – the company’s trading cards and collectables division – will also become the exclusive provider of licensed WWE physical and digital trading cards, which will bear the Topps logo.

Also under the pact, later this year Fanatics’ next generation digital collectables company, Candy Digital, will become one of WWE’s primary NFT partners.

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STATE OF THE NATION: SPORTS

Le Mans movie marks 50 years In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the movie Le Mans (1971), 24 Hours Le Mans has launched a dualbranded leather collection by Classic Legend Motors with Steve McQueen and Le Mans, in a deal brokered by IMG. Available in Europe, UK, Switzerland, US and Japan, best sellers include the weekend bags and jackets among the global collection of leather products.

Below: José Mourinho is on board as Topps’ EURO Ambassador.

Tokyo Time gets ahead with UFC

Topps scores with UEFA Euro 2024 The Topps Company has confirmed its partnership with UEFA as an official licensed partner of UEFA Euro 2024.

Topps will now be the exclusive partner, providing official stickers, trading cards and collectables connected to the UEFA EURO and other UEFA national team competitions.

Already the official partner of the UEFA Champions League and all other UEFA club competitions, Topps and UEFA will also now team up on UEFA EURO 2024, UEFA EURO 2028 and other UEFA national team competitions including the UEFA Nations League Finals and the UEFA Women’s EURO 2025.

To help announce the partnership, Topps – which earlier this year became part of Fanatics - signed José Mourinho as its EURO Ambassador to personally select the players which will be included in the Topps collections.

In a humorous campaign film #TheSpecialSelection, José is presented as the official Sticker Manager of all the national teams for Topps and the Road to UEFA EURO 2024 collections. First and exclusive products will be released in summer 2022.

British headwear brand Tokyo Time has secured an official long-term headwear partnership with the UFC. The new collection will release three official ranges as part of the new partnership: Tokyo Time Heritage Pack, Tokyo Time Core Pack and Tokyo Time Retro Pack. The initial UFC range consists of a small line of headwear including caps, snapbacks and Beanies.

“This huge partnership will allow us to showcase our products globally through the biggest and best fighting organisation in the world,” commented Paul Davison, ceo of Tokyo Time.

UFC returned to London in March after an absence of three years.

Poetic Brands rides in with Tour de France Poetic Brands has secured a deal with Tour de France, to design a wide range of apparel based on the 119 year old epochal cycling race.

The new collection will comprise t-shirts, Above: The apparel line hoodies, sweats, beach wear, will include motivational nightwear and underwear for slogans such as ‘Allez!’ men and women.

Designs for the new range use the instantly recognisable contrasting yellow and black logo, along with silhouettes of cyclists, motivational slogans such as ‘Allez!’, ‘La crème des crèmes’ and ‘Jaune d’esprit’, as well as key milestones from along the world famous race including Mont Ventoux, Iseran, Izoard and Le Galibier.

The deal was brokered by SGLP’s Simon Gresswell.

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NO.1 ALL ELECTRIC FIA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP THE FIRST NET-ZERO CARBON SPORT FAN INTEREST GROWING FASTER THAN ANY OTHER MOTORSPORT 190+ TERRITORIES REACHED THROUGH BROADCAST AND DIGITAL CHANNELS To discuss global licensing opportunities, contact: Charlotte Hughes – Senior Licensing Manager Email: chu@fiaformulae.com www.fiaformulae.com

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THE BIG INTERVIEW: THE OPEN

Driving force The oldest golf tournament in the world, and arguably the most prestigious, The Open is marking the 150th playing at St Andrews this year. Ahead of the Championship teeing off in July, LSB catches up with The R&A and TSBA Group to find out more on how the licensing programme for the brand is gathering pace and how it’s looking to capture the attentions of the golfers of tomorrow.

Inset: American Golf, the biggest golf retailer in Europe, will be launching its first products in May.

men’s, ladies’ and children’s apparel, along with golf he Open is viewed as the absolute pinnacle in bags and a number of golfing accessories.” golf, so understandably it is key for the The landmark of the 150th Open also means that a licensing programme and its partners to host of licensees are launching product prior to the match this gravitas. Not only that, but 2022 marks Championship in July. These include adidas (golf the 150th year of playing of The Open at St apparel under the Adicross brand); New Era (caps); Andrews, meaning that The R&A and its licensing Manors Golf (golf apparel); Vessel (high-end golf agency, TSBA Group have plenty of aces up their bags and luggage); Wellputt (training aids); Harper sleeve for the brand.

Collins (commemorative book); Dean’s of Huntley’s “The Open has so much history and so many (shortbread); Pittenweem Preserves layers to it,” begins Jo Edwards, head of (whiskey marmalade); In The Sands Golf global licensing at TSBA Group. “These (commemorative gifting); elements were translated into and the English Pewter creative assets and a style Company (traditional gifts), guide with the objective of while Playdemic will hold a developing two key areas for nine-hole, The OpenThe Open licensing branded tournament on the programme: golf specialty and Golf Clash app. commemorative and gifting.

Jo offers: “Above all, we look The first focuses on building a roster for partners with whom we of licensees that are well known in can collaborate to take the the golfing world and have strong storytelling of The Open and distribution into green grass and weave this into product, sports retailers. The second packaging and promotion to capitalises on more traditional create compelling product licensing product categories to befitting of The Open and provide a presence for The Open Above Jo Edwards, head of global licensing at TSBA its heritage.” brand at high street retail.”

Group, and Matt Tomlinson, head of retail, merchandise The Open is also a truly Jo continues: “In addition to this, and licensing at The R&A. international brand, as Matt Tomlinson, head of we wanted to secure a strategic retailer for the retail, merchandise and licensing at The R&A, brand - we announced last year the partnership explains: “The Open is broadcast into 198 countries with American Golf who, with 96 stores, are the and 600 million households, and golf fans travel biggest golf retailer in Europe. Their first products from around the world to be present at The Open. launch this May with a comprehensive range of

T

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THE BIG INTERVIEW: THE OPEN

As such, The Open is a truly international brand. There is an established licensing programme in Japan and Korea (with IMG) and we are actively looking to expand into further territories, particularly the US, Europe and China.”

Matt says that moving into 2023 the focus will be on building with existing partners and welcoming new ones “to continue to tell the story of The Open through compelling product and associated promotional campaigns. We also want to bring the game of golf to a wider and particularly younger audience, and we will look at products, services and distribution channels to help build this awareness.”

Jo agrees, commenting: “The Open is the absolute pinnacle in golf and we want to help The R&A get their message of growing the game to a more diverse audience across the globe from grass-roots up.

“As the governing body of golf, The R&A is here to make golf more accessible, appealing and inclusive, and to ensure it’s thriving 50 years from now. This is a focus as we look at building out the licensing programme with additional product categories and partners. We will also look at experiences that will resonate with the golfers of today and capture the imaginations of the golfers of tomorrow,” she concludes.

The Open facts The 1st Open was played in 1860 in Prestwick, Scotland with 11 golfers taking part. Today, 156 golfers qualify to play at The Open Championship selected through a series of qualifying events that are run around the world.

However, you don’t have to be a professional golfer to compete at The Open – it is the only Championship that is open to amateurs, too. The last amateur to win The Open was Bobby Jones in 1930.

The unpredictability of playing on a roster of links golf courses provides much drama at The Open. Next year the Championship heads to Royal Liverpool where two titans of the game, Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, were crowned the most recent Champions.

Inset: The 1st Open was played in 1860 in Prestwick, Scotland with 11 golfers taking part.

Top left & right: Official product marking the 150th Open ranges from commemorative publishing through to shortbread.

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We are swimming the English Channel for THE LIGHT FUND because others less fortunate need our collective help.

justgiving.com/fundraising/thelightfundenglishchannelrelayswim2022

@lightfundchannelswim22

LightFundChannelSwim22

company/light-fund-channel-swim-22

#LightFundChannelSwim22 114

Press enquiries to Jane Garner at Kilogram Media: jgarner@kgmpr.com

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115_Licensees Section Break.qxp_NEW LSB 2008 GRID 04/05/2022 14:02 Page 115

LICENSEES

Ó

Licensees

LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2022

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.

115

THE GREATEST COLLECTION OF GREETING CARDS IN THE WORLD

Here’s what people thought of the 2021 show!

Well, that has to be the best come back show of all time! We have definitely missed the excitement of PG Live!

Miles Robinson, co-owner of House of cards, seven shops in the Home Counties

We had a wonderful time at PG Live. It was really great to be out meeting brands again and seeing new ranges in person!

Steph Lloyd buyer for Utility

SAVE THE DATE Don’t miss PG Live 2022

Tuesday 7 - Wednesday 8 June Business Design Centre, London +44 (0) 7734 111633 www.progressivegreetingslive.com @PGLiveLondon #pglive2022

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What a warm and welcoming show.

PG Live was the perfect kickstart to trade shows for us.

Mark Janson-Smith, managing director of Postmark, a group of five shops in London

THE FUTURE OF GREETINGS BOOK YOUR FREE TICKETS NOW www.progressivegreetingslive.com

05/05/2022 14:46

118mm

129.5mm

Accessories

Contact us T: 0208 863 5628 E: michael.ball@dpieurope.co.uk W: www.dpieurope.co.uk

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Apparel

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Apparel

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Apparel

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Apparel

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BLUES GROUP ADVERT 245x165mm - 3 MAY NEW IMAGES .pdf

Apparel & Accessories

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Apparel

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Stationery, Drinkware and Gifting

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Licensing Source Advert A5_Layout 1 12/01/2017 13:21 Page 1

@LicensingSource

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.

For the very best information...

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NEWS

ADVERTISING

Samantha Loveday saml@max-publishing.co.uk

Rob Willis robw@max-publishing.co.uk

Jakki Brown jw@max-publishing.co.uk

Ian Hyder ianh@max-publishing.co.uk

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Apparel – Adults and Childrens Licensed Apparel

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Apparel – Adults and Childrens Licensed Apparel

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Apparel – Adults and Childrens Licensed Apparel

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Bedding

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Bedding

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Children’s Publishing

P

© 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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Shark © Smart rademarks of King © 2019 Mary Poppins tional Inc. mer and Shine 2018 SPA & icensing LLC.

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

62A e Knight ys (Trade)

GRESSIVE PARTY May 2022 Page ON JOHN

1

05/2022

03mm x 216mm 7mm x 210mm

s & Conditions)

7 Contract Proof Colour Check

© 2022 HST GLOBAL LIMITED

n Stock

UK: Freephone 0800 590 599 / sales@smiffys.com | Export Sales: +44 1427 619 799 / export@smiffys.com

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Dress Up/Party

Exciting Licenses new for 2022!

Dress up like your favourite Youtuber!

Costumes and balloon online now!

Party with Duggee! Head online to see our selection of party, balloons & costumes!

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Dress Up/Party

Available to order online now!

Celebrate your next occasion with the fun-loving Baby Shark! View our range of party, balloons & costumes!

Available for children and adults!

Celebrate with everyones favourite pup, Blue s Clues!

View online now!

©Amscan 2022, ©Anagram 2022. All Rights Reserved.

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Games

®

Steamforged Games is led by a love of the craft and a mission to deliver compelling tabletop experiences that capture people’s emotions. From small beginnings in the corner of a hobby gaming store, the team has gone on to create authentic tabletop versions of some of the biggest video games around. And with original

titles like Epic Encounters, which Forbes called the “Blue Apron [of] Dungeons & Dragons”; the highly-rated skirmish wargame, Godtear; and their star-studded upcoming dungeon explorer, Bardsung, Steamforged is fast building a reputation as a producer of their own excellent IP’s.

WANT TO GET IN TOUCH WITH STEAMFORGED? For trade enquiries, reach out to toby@steamforged.com

For retail enquiries, reach out to jo@steamforged.com

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Giftware

TETRIMINO WAFFLE MAKER

Tetris™ & © 1985-2022 and Tetris Holding

ENJOY TETRIS™ AT HOME

WITH FIZZ CREATION’S FUN TETRIS PRODUCTS

TETRIS STACKERS

STORAGE CONTAINERS

Visit fizzcreations.com or email sales@fizzcreations.com Fizz Creations, 6 Commerce Way, Lancing, West Sussex, BN15 8TA

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We are swimming the English Channel for THE LIGHT FUND because others less fortunate need our collective help.

justgiving.com/fundraising/thelightfundenglishchannelrelayswim2022

@lightfundchannelswim22

LightFundChannelSwim22

company/light-fund-channel-swim-22

#LightFundChannelSwim22 140

Press enquiries to Jane Garner at Kilogram Media: jgarner@kgmpr.com

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Greeting Cards, Gift Wrap, Calendars & Diaries published by

www.danilo.com

Greeting Cards, Gift Wrap, Calendars & Diaries published by

www.danilo.com published by

www.danilo.com

AMAZING BRANDS & AWARD-WINNING PRODUCTS

sales@danilo.com 01992 702 900 www.danilo.com /danilocalendarsuk

@CalendarsUK

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/danilocalendarsuk

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1 1

28/04/2022 10:22

Mugs

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Posters

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Nightwear, Underwear & Socks/Hosiery

“ D eliv ering innov ation, quality and v alue on time....ev ery time.”

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Nightwear, Underwear & Socks/Hosiery

@misirliukltd @misirliuk @misirliuklimited For license enquires contact: Faye Email: faye@misirli.co.uk

www.misirli.co.uk

T: +44(0) 116 2645 860

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Licensed Sports Merchandise

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Licensed Sports Merchandise

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20-22 SEP 2022 ExCeL London

Next stop London...

Discover the widest range of brands for license in Europe FIND OUT MORE brandlicensing.eu

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