Peter Rabbit Hops into Interactive Experience in London and Celebrates the Year of the Rabbit in Asia

Penguin Ventures together with Histrionic Productions are thrilled to announce The Peter Rabbit Easter Adventure in the heart of London’s iconic Covent Garden Piazza this Easter. Through a captivating mix of live performance and puppetry, visitors will be transported back to a Covent Garden of old, teeming with fresh flowers, fruit and vegetables as Beatrix Potter heads out on a mission to rescue Jemima Puddle-Duck from the clutches of Mr. McGregor. David Sprei, Commercial Director, Penguin Ventures “We’re delighted to be working with Histrionics again. The Peter Rabbit Easter Adventure is a perfect example of the calibre of off the page experiences we seek to create with licensees. At Penguin Ventures we’re privileged to manage the licensing programme for some of the world’s best-known children’s literary characters, including Peter Rabbit, The Snowman and Spot. These stories have been shared and passed down through generations and our live programme enables us to continue our storytelling legacy, offering families the chance to create new memories together by stepping inside these magical and familiar worlds.”

Adam McKenzie Wylie, Founder, Histrionic Productions said: “After a hugely successful inaugural outing at Blenheim Palace last summer for The Peter Rabbit Garden Adventure, Histrionic Productions is delighted to be staging The Peter Rabbit Easter Adventure at Covent Garden this Easter holiday.

“The combination of Peter Rabbit, the inspirational surroundings of London’s original fruit & veg market and Eastertime is perfect theatricalalchemy for an all-new, urban, family, immersive experience for 2023 and we are delighted to once again be working with our friends at Penguin Ventures to bring this family-favourite to life in the heart of old London.”

Thomas Merrington, Creative Director, Penguin Ventures said: “Experiential is an important part of our licensing business at Penguin Ventures, enabling us to bring our classic brands to family audiences in fresh and exciting new ways. So I’m thrilled that our partnership with Histrionic Productions has evolved to bring The World of Peter Rabbit to central London this Easter. Covent Garden is the perfect location for this all-new Easter Adventure, providing a stunning backdrop to the incredible, immersive experience that Histrionic has created. I cannot wait to see how audiences will respond to stepping back in time with Peter Rabbit and his friends, brought to life for a new generation this Spring.”

The show will be adapted by Calum Finlay, directed by Barney McElholm and designed by Tina Torbey. Between them, the creative team bring the experience of working at the National Theatre, Royal Shakespeare Company, National Theatre of Scotland, Shakespeare’s Globe, The Almeida, Theatre Royal Bath, Manchester Royal Exchange and Birmingham REP amongst others. Alongside the experience, The Easter Adventure Shop has recently opened in Covent Garden’s iconic Market Building.

Included in the ticket will be an ‘Activity Burrow’ for creative crafting for all ages including letter writing to Beatrix Potter and a Peter Rabbit reading corner. Additional activities available on site include Mr. McGregor’s Obstacle Course. Captivating generations of children around the world, The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter has sold over 46 million copies since it was first published over 120 years ago by Frederick Warne. Developed in association with Penguin Ventures on behalf of Frederick Warne & Co. (now a part of Penguin Random House Children’s UK) this all-new experience has been created especially for Covent Garden, following Histrionic Productions’ acclaimed Peter Rabbit™ Garden Adventure at Blenheim Palace in the summer of 2022.

CAA Brand Management, Penguin Ventures’ appointed brand licensing agent for China and parts of Asia, has launched a successful programme of activity for The World of Peter Rabbit across the region during the Lunar New Year celebrations to welcome the Year of the Rabbit. This follows an incredibly strong year for Penguin Ventures (the licensing and consumer products team at Penguin Random House Children’s UK) who celebrated 120 years of Peter Rabbit in 2022, delivering +70% year on year net revenue across key global markets including China.

The World of Peter Rabbit has a strong and engaged fanbase across Asia with an audience that differs slightly to the UK market. The licensing programme caters to young adults as well as children and is led by fashion and accessories, food and beverage and health & beauty categories. Peter Rabbit has been the star attraction at major festivals and events this year including the Taiwan Balloon Parade and the Skymall event in Shanghai and will feature in a recently announced partnership with global hotel group The Peninsula.

Romel Maranon, VP Brand Management at CAA said: “As the Year of the Rabbit happens only once every twelve years, we wanted to make 2023 very special for Peter Rabbit. With the support of Penguin Ventures, we’ve launched an extensive programme of charming products and exciting activations with our diverse licensees and brand partners. This year, our collaborations include collectible stamps from China Post, beautiful tea gifting ranges by Twinings, sumptuous jewellery from

Hefang and 3D-Gold and new accessories for Fujifilm Instax. Events, such as our World of Peter Rabbit display at Skymall Shanghai, have attracted significant attention, whilst our high-profile partners, including Broadcast, Broadcute and NEIWAI, have brough the joy of Peter Rabbit to their customers via a number of new and creative offerings. These include a first-of-its-kind men’s collection with Peacebird Men and even a pampering LED Light Therapy Mask by Currentbody Skin. This is just the beginning, and we have a compelling pipeline of partnerships launching this year as we want to mark the Year of the Rabbit, not just during the Lunar new year, but to make it a true year-round affair!”

David Sprei, Commercial Director at Penguin Ventures said: “We have worked closely with CAA on an incredible series of high-profile brand collaborations and partnerships which launched during the Lunar New Year celebrations. Our creative director Thomas Merrington has overseen the production of a bespoke Year of the Rabbit style guide, which has been utilised by CAA and Penguin Random House China across all Peter Rabbit marketing and retail activations and has been executed so brilliantly this year by the CAA team. There is still so much more to come including an exclusive global partnership with The Peninsula, which will offer families themed stays, gifting and a twist on their world-renowned afternoon teas. More exciting new experiences will be announced later this year and will continue to bring Peter Rabbit to families across China and Asia.”

The World of Peter Rabbit publishing programme continues to grow across Asia following the publication of the Frederick Warne & Co. Complete Collection of Original Tales by Penguin Random House China at the end of 2022. The publisher will continue to promote this official and authorised Peter Rabbit series throughout the year as a key priority and together with CAA have launched a new campaign “My Reading Time with Peter Rabbit” to promote the Chinese language versions of the classic stories.

Throughout the Year of the Rabbit, Penguin Ventures and CAA will elevate The World of Peter Rabbit on a global scale, reaching children, families and consumers with innovative products, experiential activations and educational resources to drive further growth and engagement with the world’s first licensed literary character during a celebratory year.

The World of Peter Rabbit has a strong and engaged fanbase across Asia with an audience that differs slightly to the UK market.

HANNA-BARBERA CHARACTERS ON FUNKO RANGE

and Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products are releasing a new nostalgia-inducing wave of Digital Pop! collectibles featuring classic Hanna-Barbera characters, including Huckleberry Hound, Mr. Jinks, Mighty Mightor and more. The newest Funko Digital Pop! collab will be available on March 28 via the Droppp.io platform.

Funko Digital Pop! integrates non-fungible tokens into digital trading cards that feature Funko’s uniquely stylized Pop! figures. Cards can be purchased in both standard and premium collectible packs. Each pack’s offering will be limited to 18,250 packs. Every pack purchase offers fans the opportunity to reveal a rare Funko Digital Pop! Collectible, which can be redeemed for one of five corresponding limited-edition physical collectibles. Redeemable Digital Pop! in Hanna-Barbera Series 1 include Mighty Mightor (Mighty Mightor), Birdman (Birdman and the Galaxy Trio), Mr. Jinks with Pixie and Dixie (The Huckleberry Hound Show), Huckleberry Hound (The Huckleberry Hound Show) and Freddy Funko as himself. Funko Digital Pop! x Hanna-Barbera Series 1 will be available through the Droppp.io platform, and fans can purchase the collection using a credit card, Apple Pay or Google Pay.

Moonbug Sign With Vidio

Moonbug Entertainment, has announced a streaming partnership agreement with Vidio, the largest OTT service in Indonesia, marking the global entertainment company’s further expansion into the Southeast Asian market. Vidio, a division of the Emtek Group, began offering Moonbug programming on its platform in February. The agreement is the first major OTT streaming deal in Indonesia and comes as Moonbug looks to expand its reach in the Indonesian market.

All Moonbug IPs will be featured on the services including global hits CoComelon and Blippi along with other established series such as ARPO, Go Buster, Lellobee City Farm, Morphle, Little Angel and Oddbods.

Toikodo Builds Pinata Smashlings Program

Toikido is building the licensing programme for Piñata Smashlings and has recently signed a new partnership with Cooneen who will create nightwear, swimwear and underwear featuring the brand. Pinata Smashlings comprises a Roblox game, together with a series of animated shorts, music, toys, collectables, trading cards, books, plush and play-sets all due for release in summer.

On a different note, Ladybird has announced it has acquired a license from Toikido to publish the first Piñata Smashlings books.

The new Piñata Smashlings Collector’s Guide will publish in November 2023, with the three-year license covering World rights and all languages.

The first IP created solely inhouse by Toikido, Piñata Smashlings is set to take the gaming and toy sector by storm, with a unique and exciting Roblox game in production, and a series of animated shorts, music, suite of toys, collectables, trading cards, plush and playsets all scheduled for release this summer.

Underpinned by a deep character driven story which will be integrated into the first Piñata Smashlings book, the ‘Piñataverse’ is home to hun- dreds of playful characters, including Smashlings - cheeky little creatures and playful Piñatas - who love to have fun and are always on the lookout for new Smashling arrivals.

Leanne Gill, Publishing Director, Ladybird said: “It’s rare we see a brand that so instantly captures the imaginations of everyone across the business, so we couldn’t be more excited to be joining Toikido on this smashing new adventure into the Piñataverse, starting with our Collector’s Guide to the Piñata Smashlings just in time for Christmas this year.”

Jouda Fahari-Edine, Head of International Rights, Penguin Random House Children’s added: “We are proud and excited to unveil the Piñataverse to our international partners at the upcoming Bologna Bookfair. Piñata Smashlings has all the makings of an international success: playful and engaging collectible characters rooted in a colourful and carefully crafted universe, all roaming with endless combinations and possibilities.”

Discussing this latest licensing agreement, Darran said, “Piñata Smashlings is an exciting and immersive IP that will provide children with the opportunity to truly connect the online play with the offline toy.

“The new Piñata Smashlings Collector’s Guide is an excellent example of this and will play a fundamental role in encouraging children to continue to engage with Smashlings off screen. As such, we are delighted to be working with such a reputable brand as Ladybird and look forward to delivering the first Smashlings book to children across the globe this autumn.”

Chester Zoo Welcomes Bing

Acamar Films, the independent production and distribution company responsible for the animated series, Bing, have formed an exciting new collaboration with Chester Zoo, the UK’s most popular charity zoo, to launch a brand-new Bing experience for families with young children.

Between the 17th April and 26th May 2023, visitors to Chester Zoo will enjoy a range of activities inspired by

Tourettes

join zoo conservationists for the storytime sessions which will run at intervals throughout the day in the zoo’s Madagascar Basecamp, offering young visitors a chance to learn more about some of the 27,000 animals Chester Zoo is home to.

Kirsty Southgate, Director of Experiential & Promotions at Acamar Films said: “Bing is a curious explorer, keen to discover all that he can about the world around him. Bringing young children and their families an entertaining and educational experience such as this, will not only serve the conservation aims of Chester Zoo but also enthrall and inspire visitors.” the award-winning pre-school series, including a self-led activity trail and interactive storytime sessions.

Along the Bing trail, little ones will meet the adorable and rare Sumatran tiger cubs born at the zoo in January, discover what warty pigs eat, learn how endangered tree kangaroos climb, practice flapping their arms like a hornbill, and make noises like a critically endangered orangutan.

Bing and Flop costume characters will

Dominic Strange, Commercial Director, at Chester Zoo said: “As a world leading conservation and education charity, we’re always finding new ways to connect young children with nature. Bing, with his enthusiastic approach to the natural world, is a great way to highlight some of the incredible species we share our planet with, inspiring a whole new generation of conservationists.”

The collaboration with Chester Zoo follows Acamar Films’ successful partnership with ZSL London Zoo in 2021 and complements the ongoing Bing experiences at Alton Towers Resort and Gulliver’s Theme Park Resorts, creating truly special days out for Bingsters and their families.

Poetic Brands Collaboration

Poetic Brands and Brand Collective have announced they will be forming a collaboration to extend the potential leverage of both businesses. Being part of the PDS Multinational Group and already hugely successful as separate enterprises, the coming together of Poetic Brands and Brand Collective will see these two sister businesses making the most of each other’s skills and experience. With exciting plans to widen the licensing reach of both agencies, Brand Collective brings product development and its award-winning tech, toys, gifts and gadgets to the table. It is known for its strong background in innovative design development and sourcing in the Far East with years of experience in creating distinctive and bespoke products for worldwide retailers and licensors. Between the two businesses, they will now be covering categories such as luggage, footwear, gaming, tech accessories, beauty, toys and gifts. Poetic Brands, known for its expertise in developing, designing and delivering all ages of apparel, will be able to add a plethora of new products to its clothing ranges. Elliott Matthews, Managing Director of Poetic Brands, commented, “As likeminded businesses we are aiming to plug the gaps not already covered by our own individual reach.”

Tourettes Action, the support and research charity working to improve the lives of people living with Tourette Syndrome (TS), has appointed Story.1888 as its exclusive marketing partner for this year’s Tourettes Awareness Month, which runs from 15 May to 15 June. Designed to raise awareness of TS and help the 300,000 Brits who have the condition, the awareness month relies on the support of a wealth of charities and organisations. This year, Tourettes Action wants to destigmatise TS, showing the general public what the reality of it looks like and dispelling some of the myths that surround it.

To meet this goal, it will be working with Story.1888, the sister company to retail-first brand licensing agency The Point.1888, to launch the world’s first TikTok docuseries in which real people will tell their own story of living with Tourettes. This will be part of a multi-channel campaign called It’s What Makes Me Tic, which will also include outdoor /social media activity.

TS is an inherited, neurological condition, the key features of which are tics, involuntary and uncontrollable sounds and movements. It is a complex condition and a large number of people with it will also experience co-occurring features and conditions.

Emma McNally, CEO of Tourettes Action, said, “Tourette’s is quite possibly one of the most misunderstood conditions out there. Whilst most have heard of Tourette’s there still remains huge misconceptions about the condition. The majority of people think Tourettes is rare and comedic and that everyone with the condition shouts out obscenities, all of which are untrue! We want to show what TS really looks like. Together with Story.1888 we can deliver an important campaign designed to challenge the misconceptions surrounding the condition and educate people across all areas of society.”

A Q&A ON DEBUNKING WEB3 AND THEIR INNOVATIVE NEW MODEL OF LIMITED FASHION

When Hybrid Meta contacted Total Licensing, we were again intrigued by their innovative business model that has found a way to bridge the gap between traditional licensed apparel and the rise of Web3 that has both captivated and confused in equal measure for most of us.

Hybrid Meta is an eco-system for creating digitally-connected fashion and merchandise for officially licensed brands and IP. Hybrid Meta work exclusively with Big Picture Licensing to sign the global IP for their business model and have now launched with Bloomingdales as their inaugural retail partner with further limited-edition drops planned for their wave #1 brand partners in Q2, followed by strategic new license partners in Sports and Entertainment in the pipeline for Q3 onwards.

To find out more, we organised a Q&A with Dan Frugtniet, MD & Founder of Big Picture Licensing & Ben Nolan, CEO & Co-Founder of Hybrid Meta to find out more about debunking Web3.

Total Licensing (TL); How does Web3 differ from Web2?

Ben: “In simple terms, Web2.0 refers to the 2nd generation of the World Wide Web. Web2.0 websites allow users to interact, share and collaborate with each other, as well as to create and publish their own content online. Examples of Web 2.0 include social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn. Web3.0 on the other hand, represents the next stage of the evolution and is often referred to as the decentralized web.Web3.0 is designed to be more secure, private, and transparent compared to Web2.0. It leverages the power of decentralized technologies like blockchain and peer-to-peer networks to create a more equitable and secure internet. In Web3.0, users have complete control over their personal data and information, and they can interact directly with each other without the need for intermediaries.”

TL; How can Web3 benefit consumer products?

Dan: “Across fashion and merchandise,Web3 has the potential to revolutionize the way products are created, marketed, and sold. Here are a few key use cases of Web3 in the fashion and merchandise sectors:

Web3 enables the creation of decentralized marketplaces where users can buy and sell products directly, without the need for intermediaries. This not only reduces costs, but also provides a more secure and private buying experience for users. It allows for the creation of tokenized ownership of products. This means that a product’s ownership and provenance can be recorded on blockchain, providing a secure and transparent history of the product. It provides the ability to authenticate products with the use of smart contracts and provenance technology. This reduces the risk of counterfeit products in the market and increases consumer trust in the brands they purchase.

Web3 enables the creation of ethical and sustainable fashion brands that can be transparent across their production processes and materials sourcing. Consumers will have more confidence in the products they purchase and their environmental impact..”

TL; How can NFTs be used in the Fashion and apparel sector?

Dan: “In recent times, NFTs have been misused, such as exploitation of their scarcity to manipulate prices and their excessive energy consumption. For consumers to trust NFTs, it’s important to establish clear standards, increase transparency, and educate on the benefits and limitations. NFTs have a lot of potential in providing a new way for consumers to prove the authenticity of their purchase, and for companies to track their supply chain. The utility for apparel is mainly related to their ability to provide verifiable proof of ownership and authenticity, to enable new business models and revenue streams.

One use case for the fashion sector is the creation of digital fashion collections. Designers can create virtual collections and consumers can purchase and own these items for their avatars in digital environments such as video games or a metaverse platform. They can also authenticate physical fashion items and create a digital certificate of provenance for products. This certificate can be transferred and traded, just like the physical item, and provides a secure way for consumers to verify the authenticity of their purchase. They can also help create a transparent supply chain, providing consumers with the ability to track the materials and production methods used in their production to prove sustainability credentials. This increased transparency will enable consumers to make informed decisions based on the environmental and social impact of their purchase. This is key to the Hybrid Meta DTC & retail models.”

TL; How does this fit into Hybrid Meta’s model?

Ben: “A significant use case for NFTs is as a digital authentication system within the fashion and merchandise industry, specifically with regards to the ability to create limited fashion and one-of-a-kind products. This technology creates a sense of exclusivity, increasing the value of the item because it is unequivocally provable as to its origin, authenticity and rarity, thus driving consumer demand. This is at the core of Hybrid Meta’s business model.”

TL; What is a Direct-to-Avatar model?

Ben: “Imagine a world with no physical goods, shipping, and storage. Instead, you sell direct-to-avatar, the digital representations of us that roam the metaverse! With no need to worry about stock, shipping, or the challenges of traditional retail listings, one can simply open their virtual retail channel and sell direct-to-avatar. This opens a whole new world, like virtual ‘try-ons’, AR experiences, and gamifying the retail experience and isn’t just about people walking aimlessly around a metaverse environment.”

TL; Can Hybrid Meta react to real-time events with merchandise?

Dan: “In short, absolutely we can. This approach can work well with the Entertainment and Sport sectors by providing a way to react, create and sell products related to a specific event and moment in-time. For example, if a music artist releases a surprise hit, a smart factory could quickly produce and sell merchandise DTC in real-time, capitalizing on the hype and buzz. In Sports, it can be produced in response to an athlete or team’s victory. By leveraging the speed and efficiency of smart factories on a DTC model, Hybrid Meta can create unique and relevant merchandise items that engage fans and drive incremental revenue for brand owners. All of which is why I love Hybrid Meta and its innovative approach to consumer products!”

Hybrid Meta is the world’s first ecosystem for licensed brands and talent to enter Web3 for Fashion and merchandise. The company comprises three core divisions; a smart factory that produces physical apparel and art; a Web3 blockchain-authentication platform for consumers to verify their product and access a digital collectible version; a phygital-design studio to create stunning limited-edition fashion and merchandise for the real world and for the virtual world including metaverse platforms. The company uses NFC chip technology that is embedded into each product in its smart factory to offer unrivalled proof of provenance, authenticity and rarity for every single product created. Hybrid Meta aims to the market leader in officially licensed digitally-connect merchandise.

For more information: www.hybrid-meta.com or contact Dan Frugtniet, SVP

Global Licensing,

dan@hybrid-meta.com