Licensee Lookbook

In our annual Licensee Lookbook, we shine a light on some of the recent work of licensees around the globe. In what has not been an easy year for the industry, they have risen admirably to the challenge!

Shining the Spotlight on Licensees

Licensee Lookbook

Rainbow Productions are global leaders in manufacturing high quality bespoke brand and sports mascots, as well as the UK’s official supplier of licensed children’s characters for appearances. In response to the current climate and with new Managing Director and owner, Simon Foulkes, taking up the reins, Rainbow has created its new Adapted Character Engagement (ACE) and Global Experiences programmes. Rainbow have extensive experience in providing COVID-Safe character appearances, ensuring that they can be effectively managed with integrity and in line with government guidelines, whilst also enhancing the customers’ experience and providing much sought after away-from-the-home entertainment. Simon comments: “Not only does the ACE programme add to the customer experience, it also ensures that they walk away with that mantel-pieceenhancing memento. Each ACE can be adapted to our client’s venue and available space also ensuring that we are in control of the experience and it complements their existing Health, Safety and Hygiene policies.” The firm also manufacture bespoke mascot costumes for many of the world’s leading Licensing studios, International Sporting Associations and Tournaments, Brands, Leisure Attractions and Film Producers. During lockdown they invested in staff training and also acquired new innovative technology – a 3D printer and a RotaCaster. Simon explains “Up until now we have predominantly produced lightweight structured foam heads, but the addition of this technology will now give clients the option of lightweight solid resin heads.” New fabrics are also now available to clients, including a breathable synthetic mesh which is flexible, expandable and quick dry as well as 8-way stretch furs and Lycra’s which can cover curves without any seams. These investments provide Rainbow with a long-term global competitive edge and allows them to remain at the forefront of worldwide costume character manufacture. www.rainbowproductions.co.uk

Poetic Brands has been working hard during the pandemic and ensuring business is thriving. The company recentlysigned a deal to create a range of baby clothing and accessories based on the heritage children’s publishing property, Brambly Hedge. The new collection is set to include layette and fashion daywear along with nightwear, snow suits, sleeping bags, accessories and changing bags inspired by the adventures of the iconic community of mice in the idyllic countryside. Brambly Hedge joins a number of prestigious new children’s partners for Poetic Brands, as the licensee establishes its new Baby, Children’s Wear and Accessories division. In response to a growing interest in

Lookbook art in the licensed fashion sector, Poetic also recently teamed up with the National Gallery, which houses one of the greatest collections of paintings in the world, to create a range of adult apparel and accessories based on its impressive and extensive artworks. Incorporating a wide range of products including adult daywear apparel and outerwear, swimwear, flip flops, beach bags and towels, adult nightwear and essentials, and accessories including caps and luggage. Judith Mather, Buying and Brand Licensing Director, the National Gallery, comments: “We are very excited about the partnership with Poetic Brands which will bring old master paintings to a new audience. It is amazing to bring our collection to modern life.” In response to a growing interest in art in the licensed fashion sector, specialist apparel licensee, Poetic Brands, has teamed up with the National Gallery, which houses one of the greatest collections of paintings in the world, to create a range of adult apparel and accessories based on its impressive and extensive artworks. As Poetic Brands builds its portfolio of properties for its newly established Baby, Children’s Wear and Accessories division, the company has announced a deal with evergreen children’s property Percy the Park Keeper. The truly seasonal brand offers itself perfectly to apparel and will form a collection including babywear, layette and baby accessories including bibs, hats, scratch mitts, booties and muslin cloths, as well as baby changing bags. For children, there will be apparel and outerwear, swimwear and towelling ponchos, and nightwear and essentials. www.poeticgem.com

MeUndies’ Marvel collection dropped recently, with the signature softer-than-soft MicroModal fabric in men’s & women’s Undies, Loungewear, and Dog Hoodies. This limited-edition print features symbols representing Marvel’s Avengers including Iron Man, Thor, Hulk, Black Widow, Captain America, Black Panther, and Ant-Man. The Avengers teach us about teamwork, individualism vs. collectivism, and most importantly, the way an individual’s unique abilities and strengths are the true “heroes.” And MeUndies, is all about celebrating heroic individuality and authenticity, as well as supernaturally soft MicroModal. www.meundies.com

Erve Europe is a European leader in character licenses and brands. The company produces branded fashion and apparel featuring TV, film, cartoon and video game heroes. The Erve Group has six offices across three continents and controls the supply chain between raw materials and stores. Starting with its in-house global design team and portfolio of licenses/ brands/games, we source, produce, pack and transport collections at the request of major fashion retailers. With more than 35 years in the industry, the dynamic team values growth, transparency and customer focus. Erve’s quality and sustainable practices have earned the company a reputation for excellence. “We believe in an organization that operates in circles, giving everyone the chance to shine. If every individual has the opportunity to develop their full potential, we’ll be happier and more successful as a team. An open environment, collaboration and growing together is what we stand for. Step by step, better each time,” is the company ethos. Erve Europe is frontrunner in quality and compliance, brings innovative products and distributes all over Europe. info@erve.com

From Harry Potter to Batman, Spread Group is strengthening its position as a strategic licensing partner of Warner Bros. Entertainment. 14 brands will be available in four new markets in Europe, North America, and Oceania The new target markets are UK, USA, Canada and Australia. The corporate Group now owns the licensing rights for 14 brands, including Harry Potter, Batman and Friends. Spread Group and Warner Bros. have had a successful partnership in across many European countries since 2012. In these eight years, Spread Group has developed more than 1,700 designs with popular Warner Bros. heroes and symbols in Germany, the Netherlands, France, Sweden, Denmark, and Finland. The Warner Bros. brands are among the bestsellers on these European Spreadshirt marketplaces. “We are excited about the opportunity to use our know-how to launch into new markets and to strategically develop our partnership with Warner

Bros. In doing so, we will cover design, marketing and production, to the web presence on our Spreadshirt marketplace, as well as on Amazon and eBay - according to our 360-degree approach,” explains Ann-Katrin Hager, Head of Licensing Europe of Spread Group. This licensing deal will make Warner Bros. will one of Spread Group’s largest partners. It will offer over 1,000 Warner designs on the Spreadshirt marketplaces in the UK, USA, Canada and Australia as well as 1,500 item positions on Amazon.com. www.spreadgroup.com

For 2021, Danilo will be adding the following licenses to their extensive brand portfolio: Coco Melon - a combination of fun, colourful animation and classic nursery rhymes and kids songs. They have the no.1 kids YouTube channel in the world which has 98 million subscribers. Aimed at boys and girls aged 1 to 4 years, we are excited to launch a brand new range of official Coca Melon greetings cards, wrap and bags in 2021. Super Mario - a renowned, classic video game first launched in 1985 by Nintendo. Celebrating the 34th anniversary in 2020, over 300 million games have been sold since launch. Targeted at kids aged 6 to 12 years and families, Danilo will be creating an official range of Super Mario greetings cards, wrap, bags and calendars in 2021. Animal Crossing - a social simulation video game which first launched in 2001 but has become a massive success since March 2020. With a primary audience of kids aged 6 to 12 years, a brand new official range of Animal Crossing greetings cards, wrap, bags, calendars and diaries is coming in 2021. Animal Planet - the TV channel owned and broadcast by the Discovery Channel. Animal Planet enjoys an 81% global brand awareness level, with 60% of 4-11 year olds watching it with adults. As a show linked to sustainability, Danilo are delighted that next year will see a brand new greetings card, gift wrap, bag and calendar range for this popular brand. Mr Men and Little Miss - The brand celebrates its 50th Anniversary in 2021, and Danilo will be launching a new official range of greetings cards based on the strong nostalgic appeal for adults who remember the books & tv. The range will also include Gift Wrap, Bags, Calendars and Diaries. Elmer the Patchwork Elephant - Elmer remains one of the most iconic and widely read children’s book series of all time, selling over 10 million copies worldwide since it was first

Licensee Lookbook

Lookbook published in 1989. The new greeting cards, gift wrap and bags will be added to the world of Elmer the Patchwork Elephant next year. Featuring all the hottest movies for 2021, Danilo’s extensive calendar range for next year will have something for everyone. Including popular children’s animated films such as Peter Rabbit 2, Spirit, Luca, Paw Patrol and My Little Pony, as well as Minions 2. www.danilo.com

Hilco is looking forward to Easter and has announced a basket-full of treats for 2021, including KOOL-AID brand Jelly Bean Tube Topper and KOOL-AID brand Easter three-pack Popping Candy Peg Bag. Hilco provides affordable, fun and unique novelty candy. Quality candy and consumer satisfaction has always been at the top of Hilco’s priorities. Hilco is celebrating over 25 years of success and joy in bringing fun, affordable toy and candy novelties to the consumer. www.HilcoUSA.com

Mark Feldstein & Associates

(MFA) has developed a series of clocks for 2021 to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the influential Coca-Cola Hilltop Commercial and 90th Anniversary of the iconic Coca-Cola Santa. The products will be released for sale in 2021 to retailers, catalogs and e-commerce. Coca-Cola’s Hilltop Commercial that first aired in 1971 is widely considered to be one of the most influential and popular advertisements of all time with its themes of unity, inclusion, optimism and hope that perfectly captured the shifting cultural landscape of the 1970s. In addition, the commercial symbolizes a common connection that all people have with each other which is very relevant today as the world continues to battle the effects of the COVID 19 pandemic. Drawn in 1931, Michigan artist Haddon Sundblom’s Coca-Cola Santa Claus illustration firmly established the larger-than-life, grandfatherly Claus as a key figure in American Christmas imagery. So popular were his images of Santa Claus that they are still used today by CocaCola. Sundblom is often credited as having created the “modern image” of Santa Claus in a red suit. www.markfeldstein.com

Bioworld will be creating a range of apparel and accessories inspired by the fun, loveable Bears of Care-a-Lot. The ranges will target kids of all-ages across apparel lines and accessories. Established for an extraordinary 38 years, Care Bears continues to appeal to a wide-range of fans. Bulldog Licensing, which manages the rights for the brand in the UK, has been further building the property with a number of hugely successful deals. The new partnership with Bioworld is the latest in a line of leading licensees, which are each leveraging the universal love for the property among consumers. Bioworld are pioneers of pop-culture products and a leading global manufacturer of licensed apparel and accessories for 20 years. www.bioworldmerch.com

Wow! Stuff positions itself within the toy market as ‘Great Brands Brought to Life!’, reflecting its tier 1 licensed brand portfolio brought to life with product innovation. Wow! Stuff’s offices are located in Los Angeles, USA, Hong Kong and Wolverhampton, UK. Wow! Stuff has won multiple awards and global recognition for its unique tech-toys and world first inventions, is a 3 times TOTY (Toy Of The Year)

Hilco’s Easter Offering

award nominee and winner of the Innovation award at this year’s 2020 TOTY’s. For more information see Moonbug recently announced a multiterritory licensing partnership with Wow! Stuff, an award-winning toy manufacturer of the widely popular 3D animated series CoComelon. In 2021, Wow! Stuff will bring CoComelon to life through an innovative toy line based on the animated series. CoComleon, known for its educational, relatable, and upbeat content, has been a world-wide phenomenon this year, recently surpassing 100M YouTube subscribers and garnering over 100 consecutive days on Netflix’s Top 10 in the U.S. This toy line is yet another way for children to engage with their favorite CoComelon characters beyond the screen, providing parents an opportunity to teach and play with their children. www.wowstuff.com

Jazwares is a global leader in consumer products including toys, plush, action figures, collectibles and musical instruments. Jazwares’ portfolio includes a variety of dynamic, whollyowned and licensed brands like preschool powerhouses Blippi, Cabbage Patch Kids, CoComelon and Peppa Pig, action and gaming brands like Fortnite, Halo, Micro Machines, Nerf, Pokémon and Roblox. Jazwares recently announced the promotion of Laura Zebersky to president. A 15-year veteran of the toy industry, Laura most recently held the title of chief commercial officer, where she oversaw Jazwares’ global licensing, marketing, and sales efforts. Judd Zebersky will remain as chief executive officer, and they will continue to drive forward the success of the company together. Jazwares has also announced the promotion of several management executives across the company, including Kelly Deen to senior vice president of marketing, Gerhard Runken to senior vice president of brand for Jazwares’ boy brands and Kellytoy brands, and Jonny Taylor to senior vice president, Europe. www.jazwares.com

Far Out Toys reveals new brands planned for 2021 – including new toys under their successful Ryan’s World; Love, Diana; and Crash Circuit brands as well as innovative surprise product

From CandyRific

Licensee Lookbook

Lookbook introductions planned for fall. Love, Diana collectibles including dolls, pets and playsets debut in Spring 2021. The range includes Season 1 of the Fashion Fabulous 3.5” collection of dolls, pets and playsets and the Princess of Play 2.5” collection with collectible mini-figures and a birthday party themed 5-pack. In Fall 2021, these lines will expand into Season 2 with brand new surprise styles and scents, along with new play sets. All small dolls and figurines will come in ice cream themed packaging and include unwrappable surprises. With over 27 million subscribers on his popular YouTube channel, Ryan’s World is more popular than ever! To continue their line of Ryan’s World offerings, Far Out Toys has created the Ryan’s World Tour Board Game. Far Out Toys Inc. is a rapidly growing force in the global toy marketplace, with a mission to innovate to the outer reaches. Far Out Toys leverages its expertise and extensive relationships with inventors, global distributors, IP holders and mass retailers to launch brands across categories - including vehicles, games, licensed collectibles, electronic toys and more. www.farouttoysinc.com

Just in time for the movie debut of Ghostbusters: Afterlife on July 10, 2020, CandyRific has created a light & sound wand modeled after the Ecto-1, the famous 1959 Cadillac Miller-Meteor Ambulance featured in the 1984 Ghostbusters film. An Everyday item, this light & sound wand will also be part of the company’s Halloween 2020 offerings. www.candyrific.com

Finsbury Food Group is the leading speciality bakery manufacturer in the UK, producing a wide range of bakery products. Aside from its own label products, Finsbury has an established roster of licensed brands. Working with the likes of Mars, Diageo, WW (formerly Weight Watchers), Mary Berry, new Vegan brand BOSH!, character licensing brands such as Disney, Warner Bros. Hasbro, Nickelodeon, Universal, BBC, Beanstalk, Carte Blanche and not to mention its long standing, 20 year partnership with confectionary business Thorntons. Collaborating with such a large range of licensed brands means that Finsbury can operate in a number of different sectors within the cake industry. With innovation at the forefront, working alongside well-established household names over the past decade and more, developing bestselling celebration cakes, smaller popular household favourite tea-time cakes, food to go products, and more recently stepping into tasty, health-conscious treats. This year Finsbury celebrated its 20year anniversary partnership with well-known confectionary brand Thorntons. Working with Thorntons to create a range of well-loved cakes that have now become celebration staples. Blending the love for luxuri-

Far Out Toys holds a Ryan’s World License Bioworld brings Care-a-Lot to life

ous chocolate treats and cake, products such as Thorntons Triple Layer Chocolate Celebration Cake, Thorntons Sticky Toffee Celebration Cake and more recently Thorntons bites available in flavours such as, Caramel Shortcake and Milk Chocolate Brownie. 2020 saw a first for Finsbury, combining the nations love for confectionary with delicious cakes, whilst meeting demand from a niche yet growing consumer group. Working in partnership with Mars, Finsbury created its first ever gluten free cake in Autumn 2020. The current market for gluten-free celebration cakes was missing products from well-loved, confectionary favourites such as Galaxy Chocolate. To bring more variety to the gluten-free market, working with Finsbury’s allergen-free experts, the Galaxy Gluten Free Celebration cake was created to have the same, delicious, taste and texture of existing cakes in the range. Finsbury has a longstanding partnership with established alcohol business Diageo, parent company of brands such as Baileys Irish Cream, Guinness, Gordon’s Gin and more. The partnership has grown at speed since beginning in 2018, creating award-winning, alcohol-infused cake products known to fly off the shelves. Baileys is a key brand for Finsbury, developing products such as Baileys Strawberry and Cream Cake, Baileys Marble Cake, Baileys Chocolate Treat Bars, all launched in 2020, and Baileys Chocolate Yule log which has become a Christmas favourite, quoted as the ‘ultimate sweet centrepiece’ in national newspapers. As well, the unlikely pairing of iconic Irish stout Guinness and cake, which resulted in a B&LLA award winning Guinness Celebration Cake. Finsbury’s licensed partnerships are an integral part of its business, equating to 30% of Finsbury’s overall yearly income. With many exciting NPD in the pipeline, it shows no signs of slowing down in 2021, with a roster of new products and some exciting brand partnerships to be announced soon. www.finsburyfoods.co.uk

Licensee Lookbook

You can find a comprehensive list of global licensees in our Guide, www.totallicensingworld.com

LICENSING JAPAN

Licensing Japan 2020 was successfully held from October 21 to 23, 2020 at Tokyo Big Sight, Japan. Over 1,200 properties were gathered from all over the world and were showcased to 21,101 visitors. Licensing Japan has firmly established itself as an ideal place for quality business in Japan and one of the world’s leading market for licensed products. Organised by Reed Exhibitions Japan, the show was held at Big Sight in Tokyo alongside Content Tokyo 2020.

Business Matching System

Licensing Japan offered a Business Matching System - an online support

Licensing Japan, Reed Exhibitions Japan Tel: +81-3-3349-8507 licensing-japan.jp/en/

To Exhibit licensing-japan.jp/ex_en/ E: licensing-e@reedexpo. co.jp

Visitor Registration licensing-japan.jp/inv_en/ E: visitor-eng.licensing@ reedexpo.co.jp service which both exhibitors and visitors could search for potential business partners and send an appointment request. The number of visitor registrants reached 1,933, who were all keen to discuss with exhibitors about merchandising, media adaptation, introduction for sales promotion/ advertising, etc., and 374 appointments were set for 3-day show period. On site, lively meetings were conducted at every single booth.

International Business

Based on its unique culture such as Manga, Anime, etc., Japan has a mature market where people are familiar with characters. To appeal to visitors and the Japanese market, more and more international properties are showcased at Licensing Japan every year. This year, Licensing Japan Show Management offered a Remote Exhibiting Plan for international exhibitors unable to physically attend the show due to COVID-19 travel restrictions. The plan included bilingual staff and a tablet device to help exhibitors’ online meetings. There were two international pavilions, representing the IPs of their countries/regions using the Remote Exhibiting Plan: SBA Seoul Business Agency (Korea) and Taiwan Creative Content Agency (TAICCA) (Taiwan). One of the TAICCA pavilion exhibitors, IMK commented, “We had many meetings via the remote exhibiting system and discussed possible collaborations such as the Taiwan festival with one of the largest convenience store chains in Japan.”

Exhibiting under COVID-19

Licensing Japan 2020 took safety measures following the guidelines of the government, municipalities and the exhibition industry association. These included the use of personal protection equipment including face shields and masks, thermal screening for staff / exhibitors / visitors, and reduced seating for seminars to ensure social distancing. In addition, exhibitors also employed measures to preserve physical distancing through the use of barriers and decreased densities at their booth.

Expectations for the Next Edition

Backed by the success of the past ten years, Licensing Japan has become a must-attend show for those involved in the licensing business. If you are considering exhibiting, please contact Show Management as soon as possible. Exhibiting space is filling up quickly.

LICENSING JAPAN 2021

April 14 (Wed) to 16 (Friday) 2021

Venue: South Halls, Tokyo Big Sight, Japan Supported by: Character Brand Licensing Association (CBLA)

Concurrent Shows:

CONTENT TOKYO 2021 which comprises: 4th PR Design & Branding Expo 9th Production/Studio Expo 9th Content Distribution & Management Expo 7th Advanced Digital Technology Expo 7th Content Marketing Expo 10th Creators’ Expo