News

HEAD EXPANDS PRODUCT PORTFOLIO

HEAD has announced it has expanded its product portfolio. The leading manufacturer of tennis and ski equipment is launching Stand Up Paddleboards (SUP) together with co:sports as the official licensee. The inflatable boards are now available from selected sports retailers and online. The three paddleboards from the 2022 collection cover all possible usage scenarios. The “epic” is an extra wide board for young people and paddlers who are standing on a SUP for their first time. The “sublime” is considered an all-rounder for various purposes. The almost 4 meter long “grand” is ideal for extended tours. As a result of technical features such as a double outer skin (Double Rail Construction) or seams welded under high pressure (Fusion Generation 2 Technology) the HEAD boards offer maximum safety and stability on standing or flowing water. The boards can be easily folded and transported in the backpack that comes with them. The inflatable stand up paddleboards were developed by co:sports GmbH from Rheine, Westphalia. The company acts as an official licensee and has exclusively secured the Europe-wide marketing rights for the HEAD Paddleboarding brand. “Our team’s many years of experience in the SUP sector found the ideal partner in HEAD to take Stand Up Paddling to the next level. Our boards are characterized by the high quality and safety you are used to from HEAD, without sacrificing excellent riding dynamics,” says Ralf Kämmerling, Managing Director of co:sports. “Since HEAD stands for performance and innovation, among other things, we are very happy to have won a selected expert in the field of SUP with the company co:sports. We deliberately chose a partner who can offer state-of-the-art solutions for both ambitious beginners and experienced paddlers. co:sports shares this positioning with us and that’s why we’re really looking forward to the launch of the new HEAD SUPs in specialist stores,” said Giuseppe Faranna, Vice President Division Manager Licensing at HEAD Sport. While many manufacturers are currently experiencing delivery bottlenecks due to ongoing delays in the supply chains, HEAD’s SUP boards have been available in Europe from selected sports retailers and on online since April.

TFL SOCK COLLECTION

The London Sock Exchange has announced it has launched its TfL Collection – a range of socks developed in collaboration with Transport for London, celebrating the city’s most iconic transport through the medium of yarn. The deal was secured by TSBA Group, TfL’s global licensing agency. The London Sock Exchange team has worked closely with the TfL brand and design team to create six distinct pairs of socks. The socks have been knitted using The London Sock Exchange’s signature 200-needle knitting process – giving each pair a finer, stronger, more comfortable finish, and next-level detail in design.

ICON AVATAR FASHION FOR SMILEY

Epik bridges the gap between real-world brands and digital ecosystems by connecting Ready Games, the leading distributed web3 gaming ecosystem on mobile, and Smiley Company, the lifestyle brand and original creator of the iconic smiling emoticon now celebrating its 50th anniversary.

In honour of Smiley’s half-century, the brands have launched a bespoke virtual fashion line of SmileyWorld branded merchandise for Ready Games’ app, ‘Icon Avatar Fashion Universe’. In the app, players can now choose up to 21 unique SmileyWorld pieces to add to their avatars’ virtual fashion closets. “Ready’s innovative NFT technology provides brands and creators the opportunity to elevate fashion collections in the digital space,” says Christina Macedo, COO of Ready Games. “Our vision is for players to be able to express themselves through clothing and in-game accessories. Smiley’s iconic symbol of universal happiness is the perfect fit for our first animated and textured NFT fashion collection. The whole collection feels fresh, playful, and wonderfully iridescent - truly brilliant!” “Launching a collection of SmileyWorld virtual fashions with Ready Games is an exciting leap into the metaverse for The Smiley Company,” says Lori Heiss-Tiplady SVP of Digital at The Smiley Company. “The Icon app is the perfect launching pad for digital fashions from our lifestyle brand born in the digital universe and built on self-expression. The animated patterns and avatars made possible by Ready’s ground-breaking technology will allow users to express their moods in a bold new way with SmileyWorld.”

MGL’S EXPANDING PORTFOLIO

Over the past 30 years, MGL has become one of the leading global art licensing companies representing over 50 artists and working with over 300 licensees globally. The art licensing industry has never been so buoyant with so many companies now looking for great art for their products that will stand the test of time as well as being able to reflect growing and emerging trends. With the rapid growth of e-commerce, it’s clear

that consumers now have much more choice as manufacturers can offer a wider array of product than they could at traditional retail. This variety naturally means that licensees now need to expand their offering beyond the traditional ‘easy sell’ entertainment and popularity driven brands. MGL are happy to offer a wide variety of art and design to cover this growing need. MGL doesn’t just serve as an image ‘library’ by just licensing imagery, in fact, quite the opposite. They strive to build artists popularity and brand them rather than just serve as a ‘stock’ source. One of their main strengths has been the fact that they can work closely with their licensees creating illustrations to briefs, as well as developing in house designs based on upcoming trends. In other words, they can be equally pro- and re- active to market needs. On the subject of ‘strengths’, their main strength is being fortunate to represent some of the world’s best commercial artists and studios, such as Archive by Portico, which is having great success with John Lewis in the UK as well as a number of retailers overseas. Other design-based artists they represent such as, Valentina, Aimee Stewart and Sharon Turner continue to be as strong as ever due to their ever-increasing portfolio, and on trend look. MGL are fortunate to represent artists that cover most of the artistic spectrum, which range from contemporary to fantasy to wildlife to patterns and all the way to kids’ illustration and photography. One thing they have realized in the last 30 years, is the importance of not only working closely with their partners to help target their customers, but also the importance of being flexible and rapid response time to art call outs. As always, MGL sees the future of art licensing to be very positive, and they are looking forward to another strong year for their licensees and artists.

KELLOGG’S COSTUMES FROM SMIFFYS

With the help of Pink Key,Kellogg’s and Smiffys are coming together to create a new collection of costumes and accessories. The Kellogg’s brand is instantly recognisable worldwide and Smiffys are excited to launch a collection featuring their iconic logos and characters. The deal includes Pop Tarts, Coco Pops, Snap Crackle and Pop, Kellogg’s Cockerel, Toucan Sam and the iconic favourite Tony the Tiger. “Kellogg’s portfolio includes a massive selection of vintage and contemporary characters and brand logos that will translate perfectly into costume and accessories. We are delighted to be adding Kellogg’s to our range of licenses.” Dominique Peckett, Director at Smiffys. “We are thrilled to welcome the Fancy-Dress Costume legends Smiffys as Kellogg’s licensees. We have long wanted to work with them on our brands. We love their products and the fun they bring to everything they do. We cannot wait to see what they have planned for our Tony the Tiger & friends!” Nancy Jones, Pink Key Licensing. Smiffys first range of Kellogg’s costumes and accessories for adults and kids is set to launch in Q1 of 2023. Smiffys Kellogg’s collections will be available in EMEA, Australia, UK, Ireland & Channel Islands.

ABG PARTNERS WITH MACY’S FOR REEBOK SPORTSWEAR

Authentic Brands Group (ABG) has announced a partnership with Macy’s for Reebok sportswear and activewear for men, women and kids. Through the agreement, Macy’s will deepen its assortment of Reebok apparel on macys. com, the Macy’s app and its stores plus develop exclusive product offerings. Product will be sourced from Reebok Design Group. Jarrod Weber, Group President Lifestyle and Chief Brand Officer at ABG, added, “Reebok is experiencing a resurgence with its greatest days ahead. We are pleased to partner with Macy’s in offering Reebok’s core and special products through all of their doors.” “Macy’s is a destination for style and inspiration. Our partnership with ABG will expand our assortment and offer our customers high-quality styles from Reebok apparel in the U.S.” said Sam Archibald, General Business Manager of Apparel, Macy’s. Macy’s will introduce an enhanced Reebok assortment starting spring 2023. Expanding Reebok’s assortment with Macy’s furthers ABG’s global strategy of assembling a network of leading partners who are committed to offering quality products and upholding the brand’s integrity.

FINSBURY DEBUT NEW GIN CUP CAKES

The UK’s leading specialist baker Finsbury Food Group continues to grow its longstanding partnership with global drinks giant Diageo, after announcing a second collaboration with the best-selling gin brand Gordon’s.

Following on from last summer’s successful launch of one of the brand’s signature distilled gins in cake form, Gordon’s Premium Pink Cake, Finsbury Food Group have added Gordon’s gin inspired cupcakes to its growing portfolio with the drinks brand. Available online and in-store at Tesco from late April, the Divine Duo Cupcakes - Inspired by Gordon’s – are topped with gin flavour frosting and finished with edible decorations. Each pack contains three pink vanilla flavour sponges topped with gin flavour frosting and dried raspberry pieces, and three vanilla sponges topped with gin flavour frosting and lemon sugar sprinkles. Within the celebration cake category, cupcakes are in 34 per cent growth, driving over a quarter of the total growth of the category. Emma Hamilton, Brand Manager at Finsbury Food Group, comments, “After seeing consumers flock to purchase the Gordon’s Premium Pink Cake last summer, we knew that there was further appetite to combine Diageo’s much-loved portfolio of drink brands with our expertise and bring to market innovative products in new formats. By launching the Divine Duo Cupcakes, we are confident that we can replicate the success of our previous collaboration. Not just appealing to gin lovers, each cupcake comprises delicious flavour combinations to make this treat suitable for all to enjoy. “With the strength of the Gordon’s brand and the exceptional products that Finsbury is known for, we can’t wait to see how consumers react to the newest edition in our range, when the cupcakes land in Tesco this spring.” Declan Hassett, Senior Licensing Manager at Diageo, added, “After the triumph of last summer’s Premium Pink cake, Diageo have continued to work with our partners at Finsbury to once again bring something new and exciting to the supermarket aisles. We are excited to see the enjoyment our new cupcakes bring to consumers this Spring!”

LISLE TO REPRESENT CHEF LILLIE FARROW

Lisle Licensing has announced it has been appointed as the exclusive licensing agent for professional chef, Mum of three and aspirational Instagram influencer, Lillie Farrow. The agency will represent Lillie in developing her brand and bringing to life her connection with young families, parents and foodies who are inspired by healthy eating, family connectivity, and a lifestyle which empowers strong physical and mental health. As a Mum with young children, Lillie joined Slimming World to lose weight. Having lost five and a half stone she started a blog to share her renewed love of cooking alongside her personal viewpoint on life as a Mum, and a woman who wanted to express her day-today feelings with those who were interested in her personal journey. After all, Lillie had started her career as a Chef, won the acclaimed Young Chef Award 2011 but knew only too well how hard it was to combine a healthy personal lifestyle alongside feeding three young children, a career, and the upkeep of a family home. Today Lillie has a following of more than 92k Instagram followers which increases week on week, a website which delivers strong brand engagement and partnerships which include the likes of Fujifilm, Tesco Food, Pyrex, Green & Black’s, and Osmo modern learning. Most recently she was a key partner in a live ‘Cooking and Lifestyle Show’ by Finish, alongside Bake Off star, Manon Lagreve.

LMCA PARTNER WITH UK LAW FIRM

International brand licensing agency LMCA is expanding its global footprint into Europe by entering a unique partnership with Stobbs, a Cambridge-based brand-focused law firm with an extensive international client base. LMCA, which is headquartered in New York with regional offices in Asia and Latin America, announced the partnership with Stobbs as a pillar in their global expansion. “This is a very exciting alliance coming in LMCA’s 35th anniversary year. The combination of LMCA’s global strategic brand licensing capability and Stobbs’ extensive trademark and IP service provision will deliver a comprehensive and compelling offering to both new and existing clients of both organizations,” commented Ciarán Coyle, CEO of LMCA. “This is all about enhancing the services we provide our clients globally. Stobbs is at the cutting edge of holistic and strategic brand management with its breadth of capabilities addressing all brand-related issues, including trademark portfolio management, online brand enforcement, anti-counterfeiting solutions and brand valuation. We are proud to be partnering with them.” Esther Jolley, currently IA Director at Stobbs, will lead the new initiative in Europe as Managing Director. Jolley, an expert with 20 years’ involvement in the brand licensing industry, has extensive experience on both agency and licensee sides of the business, working with some of the world’s leading brands including Procter & Gamble, Coca-Cola, Jaguar Land Rover, Mercedes-Benz, Hershey’s and Harley-Davidson. The new partnership will have offices in both Cambridge and London, UK.