Spotlight on Nordic licensing

China - growing licensing business

Spotlight on the NORDICS

Total Licensing takes a look at some of the key players in the Nordics market

Plus Licens report increasing activity for Peanuts. Dedicated, the sustainable clothing brand from Sweden will bow a Peanuts collection in Spring/ Summer. The purpose-driven company has been fighting the good fight since 2006; producing ethically and responsibly and using their voice to push for sustainable development in the clothing sector – from cotton fields, to politics. The cotton is GOTS & Fairtrade certified and when it comes to polyester – they work with recycled plastic bottles. Pop culture is an important part of Dedicated’s identity, and the brand is always looking to spice up their collections in new innovative ways. For SS21 they are teaming up with an American classic, Peanuts. In 2020, the Peanuts comic strip celebrated 70 years since its first publication on October 2, 1950. The strip ran in thousands of newspapers worldwide and was read by millions – making it one of the most popular and influential comics in history! “There is so much common ground between Dedicated and Peanuts. Both are based on strong values of friendship, positivity, creativity as well as responsibility towards people and planet. In this time of uncertainty and rapid changes, it feels nice to reconnect with these familiar characters and soak up the good vibes,” commented Johan Graffner, CEO. On a different note, the Soulland meets Peanuts collection offers 12 styles ranging from 100% organic Tshirts, hoodies and crewneck sweatshirts to silk pieces. The selection of silk pieces with all-over print consists of a menswear short sleeve shirt with bowling collar and relaxed pants, while a transparent maxi dress and a fitted shirt in organza silk makes a strong debut for the first Soulland womenswear collaboration. With the collection, Soulland celebrates the Peanuts comic strip’s 70th anniversary and focuses on some of Schulz’ hand-drawn vintage and classic artwork, assembled in a collage style. “I love Charles Schulz’ work! The ability of the art to remain relevant across generations and age groups really amazes me!” Silas Adler, Co-founder & Creative Director at Soulland. Adler continues, “Snoopy, Charlie Brown and the rest of the Peanuts gang are great characters for kids clothing and still hold relevance on the most luxurious garments. The focus of my work was to source exclusive materials like silk organza to create a grown-up and extravagant feeling, while still remaining humoristic and true to the Peanuts universe.“ Peanuts continues to be popular at H&M where the Snoopy and the gang have appeared for 25 consecutive years. There are Peanuts collections in most departments and 2020 saw six Peanuts marketing activations. Finally, from January to Summer

Snoopy is appear on BabyBag. The bag is handed out to parents of newborns at hospitals and maternity wards in Sweden. The initiative began in 2017 and Snoopy is the first licensed character to be featured on the bag.

2020 was another big year for Rovio! Angry Birds content continued to soar – led by new animated content, licensing initiatives, and the continued success of Angry Birds mobile games, with over 4.5 billion lifetime downloads. In August, Rovio appointed IMG as the exclusive worldwide consumer products licensing agent for the Angry Birds franchise, providing a global partner to further develop one of the world’s leading consumer brands. Angry Birds publishing continues to be handled by Ferly, delivering books, comics and more to fans around the globe. Rovio’s commitment to producing diverse animated content continued this year, headlined by the Angry Birds YouTube channel, which now has over 4.4 million subscribers. A new season of the live-action series Angry Birds on the Run premiered in June, and the new short-form animated series Angry Birds Bubble Trouble debuted on Amazon Kids+ in September. Angry Birds had a record-setting year on streaming platforms. The Angry Birds animated series and Angry Birds Movie emerged as the most-watched show and movie among kids aged 4-16 in U.S. households with access to streaming services, according to data from digital media agency Kids Know Best. The excitement will only continue in 2021 with the Netflix debut of the long-form animated series Angry Birds: Summer Madness, which follows teenage Red, Chuck, Bomb and Stella’s wild summer at Camp Splinterwood! Based in Espoo, Finland with studios in Stockholm and Copenhagen, Rovio has a robust licensing presence in the Nordics with tons of local partners. Some of Rovio’s most notable partnerships in the Nordics have included Angry Birds Candy collaborations with Fazer and Halva, Angry Birds snacks from Kaslink, and Angry Birds LEGO sets. Among the many fun collaborations for the release of The Angry Birds Movie 2 last year, Rovio teamed up with Jungle Juice Bar to create a line of limited-time Angry Birds signature smoothies named after Red, Bomb, Chuck and Leonard! Angry Birds is also on a wide range of Nordic-based foods, toys, accessories, and apparel available, including Angry Birds decor from Björna, Angry Birds mugs from Martinex, and Angry Birds pastas, porridge and more from Myllyn Paras! Many of Rovio’s current global licensees -- such as Pez, Jazwares and Youtooz collectibles -- are active in the region, too. Rovio is also continuing its partnership with retail marketing leader TCC, which manages Angry Birds’ global loyalty promotional programs. One of Rovio’s most successful ongoing Nordic partnerships is with Berner, delighting fans with exciting Angry Birds shampoos and toothpastes. Location-based entertainment continues to be an important part of Rovio’s licensing strategy. Fans can visit several Angry Birds parks in Finland, including Angry Birds Land in Särkänniemi, one of Finland’s most popular amusement parks, and Angry Birds Activity Park at Holiday Club Saimaa! Rovio also began a multiyear partnership with Tallink Silja in 2019, bringing Angry Birds summer centers to Silja Line cruise ships. One of Rovio’s latest partnerships is with Rodeco, creating playgrounds that combine physical play with interactive environments to stimulate children’s imagination. Angry Birds experiences have thrived outside the Nordics, as well: Angry Birds Not So Mini Golf opened at the new American Dream mall in North America in October, and in August, Rovio launched a partnership with Topgolf to create a one-of-a-kind Angry Birds game at selected Topgolf venues (in the US) using their exclusive Toptracer ball-tracking technology.

Probably the most famous Nordic author, Astrid Lindgren wrote 34 chapter books and 41 picture books, that all together have sold 165 million copies and been translated into more than 100 languages. In addition, Astrid’s characters have also been turned into 49 feature films, and 22 TV productions and countless stage performances. The Astrid Lindgren Company is zealously working on making Astrid Lindgren’s work accessible through various TV and film productions. Several major projects are in development and first in line is the Pippi Longstocking live action movie which is planned to premiere in 2022/2023. The film will be produced by acclaimed producer David Heyman (Harry Potter, Paddington). 2020 marked the 75th anniversary of

Pippi Longstocking – the strongest girl in the world and the most well-known of Astrid Lindgren’s characters. To celebrate this, The Astrid Lindgren Company have, together with Save the Children, joined forces in a campaign called ‘Pippi of Today’, focusing on raising money for girls on the move to help them find a way to a brighter future. A number of companies, including Google, Happy Socks, Unilever, Houdini Sportswear, Micki & Friends, Design House Stockholm, Annas Pepparkakor, Dr Oetker, Maria Nilsdotter, Kavat and many more have chosen to support Pippi of Today by donating part of their sales to the campaign. The campaign will be active until December 2021. In addition to Pippi Longstocking, The Astrid Lindgren Company has licensing programs available for most of the famous Astrid Lindgren characters. They currently have partners on-board such as H&M, Micki & Friends, Dedicated Brands, Ottod’Ame, Martinex, Muurla, Åhléns, Egmont Publishing, Ravensburger, Kavat Shoes and many more, developing strong and sustainable products for their brands.

Since being established in 2015, WildBrain CPLG’s Nordic office has grown from a “one woman show”, with support from WildBrain CPLG’s Head Office and Benelux team, to a team of six based in Sweden with an office located outside of Stockholm. WildBrain CPLG’s portfolio in the Nordics covers entertainment and preschool brands, including My Little Pony, PAW Patrol, and Sesame Street; alongside classic character brands, such as Pink Panther; lifestyle brands, like Chupa Chups and Mentos; and local brands, such as Babblarna. Recent successes from the WildBrain CPLG Nordic team include a retail partnership with Coop for Hatten Förlag’s beloved Babblarna brand. The collaboration saw the launch of a branded range of Babblarna diapers and baby care products, which are designed to encourage language development. Customers can access the Språkbyggarna web platform via a QR code on all product packaging, and on sign material in Coop’s stores, to unlock tools and information about children’s language development. WildBrain CPLG’s Nordic office has a long-standing relationship with Hatten Förlag and has established a strong licensee base for its Babblarna property, which includes Micki, Egmont and Euromic. The Nordic team also manages WildBrain CPLG’s successful global relationship with fashion retailer H&M across deal negotiation, retail execution and product development. Sesame Workshop recently awarded WildBrain CPLG Nordic with ‘Retail Partnership of the Year’ for its popular Sesame Street collection at H&M. Additionally, a SpongeBob SquarePants x H&M collaboration was launched in December 2020 following a partnership secured by WildBrain CPLG’s Nordic team. The collection of over 15 pieces was showcased in H&M’s flagship store windows across major markets and supported by an extensive social media campaign including a bespoke Snapchat filter. Beyond fashion, the Nordic office has a strategic focus on gaming products with a dedicated sales executive looking after the category on a global basis. Gaming expert and Sales Account Manager Martin Åberg is in discussions with multiple partners across both physical slot machines and online gaming opportunities. Also in the digital space, WildBrain CPLG Nordic’s Commercial Director Jenny Strehle is championing e-commerce across the WildBrain CPLG teams. WildBrain CPLG Nordic will continue to grow the presence of its licensor brands in the market with exciting collaborations and tentpole events in the pipeline for 2021. holm, Vancouver and LA specialising in brand development through licensing, apps, publishing, animation, film and TV. As a result of their background in building Angry Birds (through Rovio), they also specialise in digital distribution which allows them direct access to target demographics and helps build audiences for new brands. They do not need to rely on somebody else to broadcast and distribute since Ferly consists of a licensing, publishing and Creative Studio, all based in-house. That said, they work with partners to build promising and popular IP – for example this winter they have had a great response to their partnership with Star Stable Entertainment and their popular online horse game with over 10 million subscribers worldwide and a heavily engaged fan base. This past year Ferly has really doubled down on their belief in the importance of building brands which can expand into not just a franchise, but a universe. They have also explored further the potential of the activist brand, especially important since consumer attitudes have continued to show they expect brands to help change the world. This is something Ferly has always tried to keep at the heart of what they do. Their brands are created to educate, inspire, entertain, and help develop well-rounded individuals equipped with the emotional skills to tackle modern life, and modern issues. CupOfTherapy is a prime example, Ferly’s mental health focused consumer brand. One trend worth mentioning is that there has been a lot of interest in the APAC region for uniquely Nordic-styled brands. Ferly has seen this through the success of CupOfTherapy and also on the creative inspiration

behind their kids animated series Momolu and Friends, which is inspired by Asian design but retains a distinctively Finnish look. This fusion of styles has been a delight to explore – keeping the strengths of both regions and appealing to a wider audience because of it. Lastly, they are keen that nobody should look at the Nordics as a single territory. There are five similar, but at the same time very different, countries within the Nordic region each with strong local licensees and retailers. A truly Nordic licensing program should consist of a mix of multi-territory licensees working with local, specialized ones. Ferly Agency’s publishing department is connected to publishers across the globe and sells kids’, middle grade, teen, and adult book rights and licenses. Ferly’s Creative Studio can also create content for your brand’s publishing needs. Ferly’s Creative Studio develops bestin-class visual materials for brands and franchises. Whether you need style guides, visual guidelines, assets, publishing or digital content, Ferly’s Creative Studio is the place to look! With an experienced licensing team and content professionals in-house, we know what your licensees and partners need to support your brand 100%. In terms of brands, Ferly represents a number on a global basis including Star Stable the world’s most popular online horse game with over 10 million players. In addition they represent Momolu, a brand for preschoolers with shortform animation and CupOfTherapy which combines illustrations with thoughtful texts. Ferly is also the Master Agent for Angry Birds publishing. Laine is a design and lifestyle brand from the Nordics, that began as a highquality Nordic knit & lifestyle magazine, and Littlephant, a Nordic lifestyle brand created by Camilla Lundsten. Further brands include Maria Trolle, a design and publishing brand from Sweden, Kit and Kate, a Russian series of animated shorts, Deer Little Forest, a lifestyle brand created by Jo Rose and Yes Nonsence, a co-project between Finnish illustrator Ossi Pirkonen and Ferly Agency. In terms of Nordic representation, Ferly handle Russian hit brand Masha and the Bear, L.O.L Surprise, No-NoNo Surprise and Little Tikes from MGA Entertainment and Molang from Millimages.

Founded in 2004 in Copenhagen, NLC covers the Nordic and Benelux regions. Services include specialized category management, brand guidance and product development, retail activations and brand marketing, contract administration, forecasting, royalty reporting and invoicing. For Nordic Licensing, a leading Nordics and Benelux licensing agency, the trend toward classic brands has supported success for the firm and its licensors, including Warner Bros. Consumer Products (with HBO and Turner), Mattel, HIT Entertainment, and top European sports brands, including the Tour de France. Some of the popular classic brands in NLC´s portfolio are: Harry Potter, Batman, Bugs Bunny, FRIENDS, Barbie and Hot Wheels. “Navigating through 2020 was challenging for everyone, but our focus on representing a select group of strong licensors and our close relationships with licensees and retailers helped us deliver impressive results for these iconic brands,” says Kirsten Gyde, NLC Managing Director. “Our team at NLC goes the extra mile every year, but this year was truly remarkable, considering the challenged retail landscape.” Kirsten says the massive regional success of Harry Potter’s Wizarding World in 2020 is proof that the magic continues. As two examples, Pandora expanded their Harry Potter product offering with successful launch campaigns in July and

November. And, in August 2020, H&M quickly sold out of many items in their Harry Potter X H&M Back to School campaign. NLC helped celebrate Bugs Bunny’s 80th anniversary with a fun campaign on Instagram and YouTube. Batman, the Superhero with the highest awareness among boys aged 6-9 in the region, was also a big hit in 2020, as NLC launched Batman toys in the Nordics with Spinmaster, a new master toys licensee. For girls, Barbie proved her worth during the pandemic: The Barbie toy lines from Mattel delivered once again a year with strong growth and NLC launched together with Kappahl in Sweden a Barbie T-shirt range that instantly sold out. Brands NLC expects in the licensing spotlight throughout 2021 are Harry Potter, Batman, Space Jam, Game of Thrones, Barbie and Tour de France.