Focus on The Nordics

Focus on

The Nordics

Astrid Lindgren, Sweden’s most famous writer, wrote 34 chapter books and 41 picture books. All together, they have sold 170 million copies and have been translated into more than 100 languages. In addition, Astrid’s wellknown characters – Pippi Longstocking, Ronja, the Robber’s Daughter, Emil in Lönneberga and The Brothers Lionheart – have also been turned into 49 feature films, 22 TV-productions and countless stage performances.

The Astrid Lindgren Company’s

mission is to spread and protect Astrid’s stories worldwide. Several major new projects are lined up, the first one being Ronja, the Robber’s Daughter. Produced by NENT Group and Filmlance, this live action tv-series will premiere exclusively on NENT Group’s Viaplay streaming service in 2023 with 12 episodes across two seasons. The original novel about Ronja is published in Norway by Cappelen Damm, in Finland by WSOY, in Denmark by Gyldendal and in Iceland by Forlagid. The licensing program based on the original Ronja illustrations by Ilon Wikland is represented in the Nordics by Rights & Brands). The Astrid Lindgren Company represents all other licensing for the Ronja brand. An international Pippi Longstocking live action movie produced by acclaimed producer David Heyman and Studiocanal is in development, planned to premiere in 2024. Björn Ulvaeus and Pophouse in cooperation with circus company Cirkus Cirkör, Krall Entertainment and The Astrid Lindgren Company are celebrating Pippi Longstocking with the circus musical Pippi at the Circus, at the 19th century Cirkus arena in the Royal Djurgården district of Stockholm. The musical features song lyrics by Björn Ulvaeus and music by Benny Andersson and others, performed live by a flying circus orchestra! The show will premiere in 2022. 2020 marked the 75th anniversary of the first published Pippi Longstocking book. To commemorate this jubilee, The Astrid Lindgren Company and Save the Children launched the global campaign Pippi of Today, a collaboration to create awareness and raise money for Save the Children’s work for girls. In the Nordics, The Astrid Lindgren Company has partners including H&M, Micki & Friends, Happy Socks, Panduro, Martinex, Muurla, Åhléns, Egmont Publishing, Kavat Shoes, Adexi, Primus, Sjöö Sandström, Design House Stockholm. The Astrid Lindgren Company offers licensing programs for most of the famous Astrid Lindgren characters in various product categories. Another popular character, Emil in Lönneberga, will celebrate 60 years in 2023 with a new jubilee concept, ‘Mischief’s good’, with the message that being allowed to live like Emil, discovering the world in your own way, will make children wiser and happier.

Plus Licens is an independent licensing agency with HQ in Stockholm, Sweden that represents entertainment, lifestyle and design brands in Europe, the Nordics, and Central Eastern Europe, with Nordic brands being represented on a global basis. The portfolio includes entertainment brands from major studios, global icons, lifestyle, and design brands. Whilst often grouped together, there are five Nordic countries each with strong local licensees and retailers.

On the following pages, we take a look at the activities of some of the key companies working in the region.

2022 is looking to be a great year with multiple properties airing on free TV channels. Hit series Bluey anticipates an exciting year with product roll-out across categories including Moose’s master-toy program, storybooks and activity books from Gyldendal in Denmark, apparel, home, arts and crafts, outdoor play and meet and greet. Petronix Defenders, Gigantosaurus, Dino Ranch, and Paddington are all placed on the Nordic state TV channels. Care Bears continue to celebrate their 40th anniversary in 2022 and is rapidly increasing its presence at Nordic retail in the coming seasons. In November 2021, H&M’s department Divided released a special Care Bear drop. Additional partners and programs will hit shelves during 2022. UCLA is another brand in the Plus Licens portfolio. An integral part of the California lifestyle, its mission and values emphasize diversity and excellence, which is reflected in all endeavors – from student life to licensing partners. Zara released a new collection in November 2021 under the Join Life Label part of the Organic Cotton Accelerator project. The drop includes sweaters, t-shirts and hoodies for men and kids and are available online and stores worldwide. California based lifestyle icon Paul Frank with its namesake creator once again involved in its creative processes, are returning to shelves in Europe in 2022 with brand-new art and partners, paving the way for success. Plus

Licens represents UCLA and Paul

Frank in Europe.

Plus Licens represents Sanrio’s portfolio including the icon Hello Kitty, the depressed egg Gudetama, and the rageful office worker Aggretsuko. With the Gudetama collection released in October 2021, both Hello Kitty and Gudetama have presence at H&M, showcasing kawaii-style brands strengths. The Gudetama collection includes t-shirts, hoodies, PJ, sweater and more. A Nordic limited high-end Hello Kitty collab launched 202. Famed Nordic designer MaxJenny created a bespoke capsule collection with peplum jackets, long shirts, and sporty tights that is available online and in selected stores. Embraced on a global level with 90% recognition factor, Godzilla is an Asian top property. With the movie Godzilla vs. Kong (2021) and a new anime premiering worldwide and more content on the way, Godzilla is gearing up for the franchise’s 70th anniversary in 2024. The Asian influence is palpable in Sony’s Cobra Kai. Then series has grown into a hit show with a fourth season premiering worldwide on Netflix in January 2022. Nordic licensees include Hybris and H&M for apparel. Plus Licens also represents the spunky Korean character Pucca and the very cute and lazy bear Rilakkuma from San-X. Popular book series Handbook for Superheroes is another example of the power of value-driven properties, with its idea to empower bullied kids. Over one million copies have been sold in Sweden alone, and the books have been translated into German, Polish, Russian, Spanish, and more. Plus Licens represents two IP’s globally from Nordic game producer Tactic Games. Lumo Stars is a plush collection that has sold over five million pieces worldwide. With plush distribution in the Nordics, Europe, and North America and a product range of +250 SKUs that includes board games, sticker books, and more, Lumo Stars is a great Finnish export that takes inspiration from Nordic nature. The global hit Mölkky is a Finnish outdoor game. It is a sustainably made skittle-throwing game which has been embraced by families. From family picnics to World and Asian Championships - Mölkky has a broad target group and great promotional opportunities

Ferly Agency is a boutique licensing agency based in Helsinki and Stockholm and part of Ferly Co., an entertainment company based out of Helsinki, Stockholm, Vancouver and LA specialising in brand development through licensing, apps, publishing, animation, film and TV. Ferly Agency consists of a licensing, publishing and Creative Studio, all based in-house. They work with partners to build IPs in the Nordics and

also globally – for example last year they 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. In addition, 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 they have 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 – their mental health focused brand - is a prime example.

One trend worth mentioning is the interest in the APAC region for uniquely Nordic-styled brands. This has been seen through the success of CupOfTherapy and also in the creative inspiration behind their kids’ animated series Momolu and Friends, which is inspired by Asian design but retains a distinctively Finnish look. Momolu is Ferly’s own IP, a brand for preschoolers aged 2-4. With a shortform animation series and a game published they are now looking for partners for licensing our long-form series, Momolu & Friends, launching in 2022 in multiple territories. In terms of the Nordics, Ferly represent Moonbug Properties including Cocomelon, Blippi, and Morphle, True and the Rainbow Kingdom, Masha and the Bear and Molang. Worldwide, the company represent Star Stable, Angry Birds, CupOfTherapy, Laine, Littlephant, Maria Trolle, Yes Nonsense.

Rights & Brands is a 360 licensing and publishing agency bringing Nordic rights and brands to a global arena, with a strategic base in literature, art and design.

Using all aspects of character representation and branding, with a worldwide network of sub-agents and over 800 clients, R&B’s international insight and business capacity is unique. Rights & Brands represents iconic Nordic brands, artists and authors and is the worldwide master agent on behalf of Moomin Characters. Other representation includes Astrid Lindgren and Ilon Wikland, Stig Lindberg, Marius of Norway, Carl & Karin Larsson, Sara Sheppard and Mauri Kunnas. With headquarters in Stockholm and local branches in Helsinki, Oslo, Hong Kong and Tokyo, R&B was founded in 2016 by Moomin Characters and Bulls, combining over 70 years of licensing experience. In 2021, Rights & Brands opened Rights & Brands Asia together with Moomin Characters, Hong Kong based licensing agent PPW and Itochu, one of the largest Japanese general trading companies. Rights & Brands and Moomin Characters also entered a strategic partnership with Fiskars and signed an exclusive mobile games deal with Rovio. In 2022, Moomin Characters and Rights & Brands will continue to work with the new initiative Reading, Writing and the Moomins together with partners like Oxfam, The Red Cross, UNICEF, Pen International and more. Recent collabs include Polarn O. Pyret with Sarah Sheppard’s Dino Deluxe, with retail in the Nordic and UK. In addition, Bricmate + NOTE Design Studio’s tile collection with Stig Lindberg and Finnish lifestyle brand Billebeino’s collection with the Beatles. In terms of the Moomins, Skultuna’s collection of Moomin figurines has been a huge success and continues to grow with new characters added. Sarpaneva Watches’ second collection of watches, priced at 14,880 EUR a piece, was limited to 100 pieces and sold out within two hours after launching on S.U.F Helsinki’s webshop. UK lifestyle brand Cath Kidston also launched Moomin range for summer 2021 Finally, Arabia’s Moomin mugs continues to break records with the Moomin’s Day mug selling out in minutes and a rare vintage mug sold for over 23 000 Euros at an auction house in Sweden.

2021 has been another exciting year for Rovio Entertainment, full of game content, animated series and licensing programs – managed together with IMG who handles product licensing globally for Angry Birds, and Ferly taking care of publishing for the brand. The highlights of the year included winning awards with Topgolf, a collaboration that introduced an interactive golf experience. Also Rovio expanded its operations, establishing a new game studio in Toronto, Canada, and acquiring a studio in Izmir, Turkey. Closer to Rovio’s home, the Angry Birds collaborated with Finnish lifestyle brand, Billebeino, who introduced a capsule collection of casual apparel featuring a custom Angry Birds character designed after Billebeino founder and former NHL player, Ville Leino. Rovio’s long-term Nordic partner, Berner, also continued to deliver delightful Angry Birds shampoos and toothpaste for kids. During the first half of 2021, Angry Birds continued to perform strongly on Storytel’s audiobook platform with an Angry Birds book in their top 10 most listened audiobooks in Finland. The Angry Birds came crashing onto TV screens in the US when a Geico Insurance TV spot featuring the furious flock premiered on NBC during the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Earlier in the year Rovio teamed up again with Burger King with a collaboration that offered Angry Birds plush toys in their King Jr. meals alongside an Angry Birds web-based augmented reality experience. Angry Birds global loyalty promotional programs continue to be managed by TCC, with the

latest deal executed in Slovakia. Angry Birds animated content continues to perform well on many platforms! Angry Birds animated series are the 2nd most watched series among kids 4-16 years old in US households with access to streaming services. The Angry Birds YouTube channel celebrated the milestones of reaching 5 million subscribers and gaining over 1 billion views during the year. It was also announced that the birds’ first ever long-form animated series Angry Birds: Summer Madness will air on Netflix starting January. Rovio is working with their agents to build a consumer products program around the series with deals already signed across core categories including apparel, QSR and confectionery. Rovio’s portfolio of games continues to see success as well. After a successful soft launch in 2021, Angry Birds Journey, the birds’ first new slingshot game in seven years, will receive a global release in January 2022. Answering the call of their passionate fans, Rovio announced that a re-release of the original Angry Birds game will come to app stores in the first quarter of 2022 as a premium title. Angry Birds Reloaded also launched on Apple Arcade, the first Angry Birds game to appear in Apple’s subscription service. The year ended with the exciting release of Angry Birds Bird Island on Roblox.

Since being established in 2015, WildBrain CPLG’s Nordics team has assembled an extensive representation portfolio spanning entertainment and preschool brands, including My Little Pony, PAW Patrol, The World of Eric Carle, Little Grey Fergie, Brave Bunnies and Sesame Street, classic character brands such as Pink Panther, lifestyle brands including Chupa Chups and Mentos, and local brands such as Hatten Förlag’s Babblarna. Following the significant success of Hatten Education´s Swedish brand Babblarna in its home market, the property is now rapidly growing in the wider Nordic region with the largest growth seen in Norway. The preschool series is currently airing on public broadcaster NRK and has also achieved over 5.5 million views on its local Norwegian YouTube channel. The brand’s local publishing partner, Cappelen Damm, has issued six Babblarna titles to date, with the latest being Merry Christmas with Babblarna. In 2022, further product categories will launch in the market following new deals signed with licensees including COOP, Micki Toys, Story House Egmont and Teddykompaniet. The next focus is on growing the property and merchandise offering in Denmark and Finland. The Nordic team is also busy working on The World of Eric Carle, following a recently expanded European representation deal with the brand’s worldwide agent, The Joester Loria Group. The award-winning children’s author and illustrator, Eric Carle, has created over 75 picture books, with his most iconic being the timeless The Very Hungry Caterpillar, first published in 1969 and with over 55 million copies sold globally. WildBrain CPLG’s Nordic team is assembling a colourful cross-category merchandise range inspired by the artwork of The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Carle’s wider collection. ViacomCBS’s brand, PAW Patrol, continues to be a key focus for WildBrain CPLG in the Nordics. The agency is harnessing the popularity of the recent theatrical release PAW Patrol: The Movie in the region, with ranges from Skybrands and Contrast among others. The agency is also preparing for 2023 with the brand, as a second feature film, a new spin-off series and celebrations of the brand’s 10th anniversary are all in the works. One of Norway’s most-loved characters, Little Grey Fergie (locally known as Gråtass), has recently joined WildBrain CPLG’s Nordic roster. The agency is representing Little Grey Fergie on behalf of brand owner, Farmyard Stories Ltd, and the international kids’ IP consultancy, bRAND-WARD Services. Created in Norway by Morten Myklebust, Little Grey Fergie is a preschool live action series telling the story of a tractor who is not only alive, but also secretly set on helping on the farm where he lives. The series has been a huge domestic success since its first airing in 1998 on local broadcaster NRK. As Little Grey Fergie gears up to celebrate its 25th anniversary in 2023, WildBrain CPLG is building a cross-category consumer products programme. Also in the preschool space is Glowberry’s animated property Brave Bunnies (known in Swedish as ‘Modiga Kaniner’), which tells the story of two curious bunny siblings and their family travelling in their bus and seeking adventures. The series has a strong broadcast presence in the Nordic region, with local partners including

SVT, NRK and YLE. A master global toy range from Spin Master will launch in the Nordics from Autumn 2022, and WildBrain CPLG is assembling an engaging merchandise programme across wooden toys, publishing and apparel. WildBrain CPLG has recently secured a unique collaboration for Garfield, which sees the cat take centre stage in a new collection from Danish contemporary fashion and lifestyle brand Wood Wood. The collection comprises a range of apparel and accessories, including hoodies, t-shirts, jumpers and bucket hats.