Hot Properties

2022 was another year when licensed merchandise made a valuable contribution to the toy market. While figures weren’t available for the final weeks’ trading before this issue went to press, the numbers up to the start of the festive season were highly encouraging.

According to NPD, licensed product continued to outperform the overall toy market, as it has for the past three years – last year it accounted for 29% of toy sales, up from 23% in 2019.

Interestingly, looking at the top growing licences of 2022, they came from a variety of platforms – movies, terrestrial TV, computer games and streaming services – and covered the entire age range from Infant & Pre-school to Kidult.

Cinema made a welcome return in 2022, with the result that licensed merchandise related to movies represented around 40% of the overall licensed toy market and a whopping 82% of licensed toy growth. It was a particularly good year for Universal’s Jurassic Park / World, while Batman and Sonic the Hedgehog also found their enduring popularity boosted by new films. 2023 will see a host of major movies released, several of which I am genuinely excited about from a toy perspective – especially Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem and the Barbie movie. Each of these movies is predicated on an iconic toy brand which has been established for decades. These properties are all loved across the generations, and – crucially – the footage I have seen from each film looks fresh, exciting and extremely toyetic. The ranges from Hasbro, Playmates / Character Options and Mattel also look amazing, and there is so much there from a creative point of view for other licensees to work with. I am expecting big things from all three brands in 2023.

Another major property which will benefit from the launch of a new movie is Paramount’s Paw Patrol. In addition to Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie, the brand is celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2023, so it’s no surprise there will be a celebration theme running across the year in its marketing and in-store activations. The last movie year (2021) saw a tremendous uplift, both in terms of sales and content viewership. For an evergreen brand with longevity like Paw Patrol – as with Transformers, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Barbie – new movie content can give a huge boost to the franchise as a whole, both ahead of and following the release of the film.

Other movies to watch out for in 2023 include the new Trolls movie (currently known as Trolls 3 until its official title is released), while the Warner Bros movie slate also looks strong, with Flash and Shazam notable highlights.

Boosting the core theatrical release, the success of some movie brands is increasingly being enhanced by its appearance on other platforms. Encanto enjoyed a decent year in 2022, but arguably largely as a result of its appearance on Disney+; its initial theatrical release had a negligible impact on toy sales, and several toy retailers told me they had returned to their stores after Christmas last year with the intention of clearing their ranges, only to find massive fresh consumer interest had been sparked after the movie made its debut on the streaming platform on Christmas Eve.

Encanto wasn’t the only property to benefit from the burgeoning streaming platforms: alongside other Disney franchises such as Star Wars and Marvel, the surprise toy hit of the year had to be Netflix sensation Stranger Things. While at first glance it may not appear entirely toyetic, the show certainly inspired devotion across fans spanning a wide range of ages. As the Kidult category becomes increasingly important to the toy market, expect to see more of these ‘leftfield’ brands making an impact in the coming years – for example, watch out for Netflix’s latest hit show, Wednesday, which has all the hallmarks of a programme that would translate perfectly into licensed ranges.

Computer games continue to provide a rich source of content for toy companies looking for new licensed ranges. According to NPD, this segment grew by 16% in 2022, and is now worth double when compared to 2019 figures. Gaming brands such as Among Us and Minecraft were both firmly entrenched in the top 10 fastest-growing licences of 2022, with more to come on both brands this year. Keep an eye on Toikido’s Pinata Smashlings this year, which is poised to become a hit in both the digital world and the toy market.

Also making an appearance towards the upper echelons of the fastest- growing licences list for 2022 was Bluey – the BBC Pre-school property that originated in Australia and has gone on to become a global success story. Having seen Moose’s expanded range for 2023, there seems little doubt that this year will be even bigger for the brand.

Bluey continues to have strong competition in the Pre-school category, with the aforementioned Paw Patrol, Hasbro’s evergreen Peppa Pig and Moonbug’s CoComelon all remaining immensely popular, while Universal’s Gaby’s Dollhouse made a massive impact in its first year, with arguably the single most in-demand toy line of 2022 in Spin Master’s Purrfect Dollhouse playset.

In addition, Acamar’s Bing, Silvergate’s Octonauts and Boat Rocker’s Dino Ranch all offer compelling opportunities for licensees and retailers in the category, while Warner Bros’ new Pre-school introduction – Batwheels – is poised to introduce the Batman franchise to a whole new audience. NPD points out that only 22% of Pre-school sales currently come from licensed merchandise, suggesting that this offers tremendous growth potential for the category as a whole.

Classic evergreen brands also continue to resonate across the ages; this year sees Beano celebrating its 85th anniversary and Aardman’s Wallace & Gromit celebrating 30 years since The Wrong Trousers, while Penguin Random House is designating 2023 “the Year of the Rabbit” (that is, Peter Rabbit) mirroring the Chinese year system.

Touching Base - Hot Properties

Branding together

Licensors told us which properties they are tipping for success in 2023 and why they enjoy working with these brands.

Rob Goodchild - Commercial director, Aardman

We are lucky enough to be working with the talented team at LoveLove Films, which has just launched its brilliantly crafty pre-school show, Pop Paper City. Premiering on Channel 5’s Milkshake! and the My5 App, this 52x11 series will air throughout 2023.

Pop Paper City focuses on a group of unique friends who live within the titular city, the capital of a captivating paper world. Kids should get ready to get crafty as they join us on an incredible journey to a city where literally anything is possible. As one of the series’ key themes is ‘doing as well as viewing’, there’s definite appetite to expand the Pop Paper City brand through a merchandise programme aimed at a core children’s audience. We’re anticipating a big take-up from licensees and customers.

Like the series itself, the merchandise will be focused on creativity and will inspire fans to get crafty either by themselves or with family and friends. We’re excited to see what paper creations are thought up, especially by our emerging Gen Alpha fans.

Marianne James - Vice president EMEA & Asia Licensed Consumer Products, Hasbro

We’re excited to showcase Peppa Pig, as we gear up to celebrate the beloved brand’s 20th anniversary in 2024. We have many exciting firsts for Peppa, including launching the first range of Limited Edition Peppa Pig children’s tableware with Bamboo Bamboo and opening the firstever Peppa Pig Play Café in China, as well as our first collaboration on true baby with Mori on a babywear range.

We have engaging new content planned for Peppa Pig through 2027, so viewers can expect to indulge in all-new onscreen stories that are near and dear to parents and kids. This year will also be monumental for the brand as we launch ‘Learn with Peppa’ – a major new worldwide brand extension that builds on Peppa’s natural alignment with learning and brings the power and fun of Peppa to early years development. We’ll be rolling out a comprehensive publishing programme, app and more based on ‘Learn with Peppa’ to help young learners understand the world around them. This initiative opens a brand-new lane for Peppa and has the potential to create its own universe of branded entertainment experiences themed to Peppa and the importance of learning.

Since launching in the UK almost 20 years ago, Peppa Pig has become a global phenomenon. Available in 180 countries, Peppa is a friend to all around the world, supporting pre-schoolers and their families through everyday life situations. Peppa is a force to be reckoned with as she helps pre-schoolers explore and expand their understanding of their own world through her experiences.

Natalie Harvey - Executive director of Sales, Acamar Films

We are fortunate as a company to be able to focus entirely on Bing and we are hugely excited for the year ahead.

As producers and a licensor of the international award-winning pre-school animated series, Acamar Films will deliver additional territory launches, an explosion of new content, new partnerships, retail activations, campaigns and a new communications strategy as part of our long-term investment in Bing. There’s a lot planned for 2023.

Following some incredible achievements in 2022, we are committed to Bing’s growth on a global scale and see fantastic opportunities on the horizon in France, Germany, US and Canada, Latin America and Japan in particular. We have signed new agreements with Disney+ in Italy and extended our Amazon Prime Video deal for the UK, Ireland, Spain and Italy, so momentum continues in our established markets.

Ensuring that Bing is a pre-school frontrunner in discoverability and accessibility, we have announced the development of new, high quality Bing content across the next five years, significantly increasing our multi-platform output and offering more opportunities to delight and support our audience worldwide.

Our new communications strategy aimed at grown-ups will clearly demonstrate the careful thinking behind the show as Bing continues its global expansion, launching into new markets and on new platforms, as well positioning Bing beneficially for future partnerships.

We have exciting new products on the horizon with new hero plush and play sets expanding Bing’s world. Our fantastic trend guides are inspiring stunning new apparel designs, and we are looking forward to working closely with retailers, finding new and customer first ways to enhance their connection with Bing.

Matteo Corradi - President and CEO, Mondo TV

It will come as no surprise that the team here is thrilled with the continuing popularity of its environmentally themed animated kids’ show MeteoHeroes. We’re expecting further growth in 2023, not least in licensed products.

Now in its third year of success, the first series of MeteoHeroes, co-produced by Mondo TV S.p.A and the leading Italian weather forecasting centre Meteo Operations Italia (MOPI), is available in 180+ countries and 22 languages. In its first market, Italy, it’s among the most successful Cartoonito children’s series. However, it’s also been a big hit in Spain and has successfully launched in much of Europe as well as Latin America, MENA and Singapore. In the US, MeteoHeroes arrived on PBS in April 2022 with an exciting Earth Day Special. A second season of MeteoHeroes and four 26-minute TV movies are rolling out this year and next.

The show undoubtedly benefits from the interest in environmental issues among young people. It’s also exciting, funny, beautifully designed and inclusive: its six superpowered heroes - three boys and three girls who can all control weather phenomena - hail from six continents.

Among the recent MeteoHeroes products of note is the videogame MeteoHeroes – Saving Planet Earth, available worldwide on PlayStation and PC (STEAM platform) and launching soon in retail stores. In Italy, where licensing is managed by Mondo, a beautifully designed and developed toy line has been produced by licensee Play Around. The next step will be to select distributors to bring the products to shelves in those countries where the show is on air.

Outside Italy, Mondo is already working with best-in-class agencies like ELC and Lisans for Turkey and eastern and south-eastern Europe, with more territories to come. As awareness grows, 2023 will see significant expansion of the MeteoHeroes licensing programme. It will be linked not only to the show but also to initiatives – especially educational initiatives involving schools – building on the global growth of the only cartoon in the world dedicated entirely to climate and environmental issues.

Thomas Merrington - Creative director, Penguin Ventures

Building on the success of our 120th anniversary celebrations for Peter Rabbit last year, 2023 is the Year of the Rabbit so I am really excited about our plans for this classic character.

We have some fantastic new live experiences launching. Histrionic will be bringing back The Peter Rabbit Garden Adventure following its successful inaugural launch at Blenheim Palace, and we will have trails in place at various locations across the UK. We’ll also be announcing a global partnership with a hotel brand in the lead up to Easter with an afternoon tea, in-room amenities and more, all supported by bespoke marketing creative across all locations.

Long term licensee Enesco will be fully launching its new plush collection after the initial range scooped several industry awards. I’m particularly excited about this one: we’ve been working with the wonderful team at Enesco for over a year to get these toys just right and I think they are some of the best looking plush we have ever developed.

Another of our long-standing toy partners, Rainbow Designs, will be launching a new Peter Rabbit Bedtime Cuddles night-light toy, along with some fantastic new developmental comforters. We have also expanded the signature collection. This range of heirloom style Peter Rabbit toys will see some new characters join the long-standing Peter and Flopsy collections.

Our quilting partworks in Japan have been working incredibly well and we’ve just launched the most amazing dolls house with Hachette, something I’ve wanted to develop for Peter Rabbit since joining the business back in 2013.

We have some excellent retail partners, Peter being one of the top nursery brands in the UK. Marks and Spencer delivered an amazing 120th collection and will continue to build its ranges in 2023. Our agents in China and Japan have secured some fantastic high end fashion collaborations too. I can’t wait to see these arrive at retail.

Following the successful launch of our Snowman webshop with Star Editions, Peter Rabbit will be hopping into the online shopping space with his very own dedicated shop launching later this spring, reflecting our strategy to drive further eCommerce growth.

There are some other fantastic partnerships in the works but, as is always the case, I can’t say too much about these at the moment.

Gaby Dior - EMEA Licensing manager, BBC Studios

Bluey has had great success across EMEA, where we have launched our master toy range by partner Moose Toys and local distributors. The next year will see us consolidate those successes and work with our existing partners and newly appointed agents to achieve sustainable growth in key markets. This will involve us signing new deals with partners who share our vision for the brand as well as rolling out new product lines. EMEA is a key part of our global licensing programme for Bluey, and we can already see it following the trajectory of our successes in Australia/NZ, US and UK.

Karen McNally - Licensing director, Blue Zoo Animation

This year is going to be all about the growth of our newly launched, pre-school brand, Colourblocks. It’s a fabulous, funny, animated show that uses the proven magic of our Blocks brands to help three- to sixyear-olds dive into colour and understand the world they see around them. Colour is a key search term for parents and a touchstone learning topic for pre-schoolers because it offers an instantly accessible and exciting way to explore and understand the world around them. We’re on a global mission to carve out new ways of teaching children about colour, just as we’ve done for reading with Alphablocks and for maths with Numberblocks. The show is made by the same successful teaming of Alphablocks Ltd and the multi award-winning Blue Zoo animation studios and was commissioned by the BBC’s for the CBeebies channel.

Our creators, Joe Elliot and Dave Bowman, have developed Colourblocks in consultation with international colour experts and infused it with a real love and passion for colour, so that every episode is bursting with the same unforgettable blend of entertainment and learning that has won the rest of the Blocks Universe millions of fans.

The show has all the loveable characters, show-stopping songs, humour and adventure you would expect from this world-leading team, plus children will learn colour recognition, colour names, meaning and signifiers, mixing, mark making, contrasting colours, light and dark and all kinds of patterns – and that’s just for starters. There’s lots more to come.

Colourblocks will build on the huge success of Alphablocks and Numberblocks on CBeebies, at the app stores and on YouTube, where the shows have notched up over 6.7b YouTube views and is set to join the other Learning Blocks shows on learningblocks.tv as a welcome learning resource for both parents at home and teachers in the classroom. I can’t wait to work with our partners and create products across all categories that will support this brilliant brand and help it take it's place alongside our otherworld-leading Blocks brand.

Duncan Tate - Head of Hardlines, Moonbug Entertainment

At Moonbug we have many great kids and pre-school properties but looking at 2023, I’m particularly excited for our plans around CoComelon.

In a really short period of time, CoComelon has grown to be one of the top Toddler/Pre-School properties in the world. Its mission to inspire positivity and nurture a growth mindset for kids has really caught the imagination of licensees and retailers, not to mention the enthusiastic fanbase it has amassed. It’s been a privilege and a lot of fun partnering with our licensees to make award winning products, which parents and kids from around the world are enjoying. We are incredibly excited for what’s to come in 2023 as we further broaden our offer and deepen engagement with families.

Over the past year, the CoComelon franchise has seen expansion and diversification with new shows launching (It’s Cody Time and CoComelon Animal Time) as well as new product offerings coming on the market, such as the new CoComelon video game, stage shows and award-winning products.

Looking forward, we have exciting plans for new content development, such as CoComelon Lane, which will be airing exclusively on Netflix in 2023. As a team we have been working closely to ensure our partners reflect the very best of the content back into products, bringing the show to life with products infused with music, role-play and learning. The content breadth has also allowed us to extend our ranges with new characters, locations and vehicles. Cody, our lead character JJ’s best friend in the show, continues to be a hit with audiences and a popular character for products. This past year we developed some great product lines with our master toy partner Jazwares, including the My Friend Cody Doll, which has become one of the top sellers in the range.

From a personal point of view, I have a soft spot for these characters as both of my kids have grown up enjoying and learning from CoComelon, as have many children across the world.

Rob Glenny - Head of Commercial & Business Development, Beano Studios

I’m very excited that this year we’ll be shouting about the Beano property and our full squad of brilliant characters. We know from our fans young and old that everyone has their own special favourite, reflecting the diversity and uniqueness of our audience.

I’m particularly excited to celebrate Minnie, our No. 1 rebel girl in 2023. She’s incredibly popular with parents and their kids (both boys and girls), who tell us how much of a role model she is. She’s unique, unstoppable and very funny, just like the kids who love her. Minnie’s never one to slip into the background, and in December 2023, she’ll be charging to the front as we celebrate her 70th anniversary. Ever since she crashed onto the pages of Beano in 1953, she has been inspiring kids to do things their way and I can’t wait for her to have her moment in the spotlight.

Beano is one of those rare brands that is shared across the generations. We’ve been delighting kids for 85 years and we’re now seeing how kids, parents and grandparents are exchanging their own Beano memories. We leave our mark on every kid who interacts with us and they leave their mark on us.

That’s how we’ve been able to evolve - kids have always been the secret of our success. They still love fart gags and strong characters but the world they occupy and their views and place within it have changed massively. We talk to our audience every week to ensure the Beano brand and characters resonate with modern kids, which has helped us grow our audience. We’ve also expanded beyond the comic to appear in all the touchpoints of their lives, giving them creative, funny content across TV, YouTube, books, online, live events like our ‘comiconcerto’, and creating partnerships with heroes they admire, such as Marcus Rashford in 2022.

Beano has a special place in Britain’s heart. It’s trusted and familiar but enjoys unique positioning as the funniest, most creative brand in class. This year’s going to be our biggest, and we can’t wait to celebrate with all our fans, young and old – plus some new recruits too.

Hot Properties

Blippi - Moonbug Entertainment

Blippi has become the most popular fact-based, presenter-led show in the world, with more than 1b monthly views on YouTube and 50m fans around the world. The franchise has expanded rapidly since it was acquired by Moonbug Entertainment in 2020. Blippi is available in more than 20 languages, including ASL, and is distributed by more than 30 global broadcast and streaming partners around the world including Netflix, Warner Discovery and the BBC.

In November 2022, Moonbug announced an expansion of the Blippi franchise with an increased investment in Meekah, Blippi’s beloved best buddy. The company spun off the Meekah character with a dedicated YouTube channel, merchandise items, a music album and a streaming distribution deal with Netflix.

Each episode of Blippi takes kids on a series of field trips during which they explore kidfriendly, interactive destinations. These adventures elevate play time into a learning experience by introducing audiences to new people, exploring new worlds and learning fun facts associated with the places they visit. The show has struck a chord with parents and kids thanks to its engaging, inspiring and accessible content, successful toy line and sell-out live shows. Blippi has enjoyed great momentum, with continued distribution expansion bringing the content onto new platforms as well as the launch of new content formats, such as the Blippi Wonders animated show. Moonbug has been working closely with Jazwares, the master toy partner for Blippi, to ensure this momentum is reflected in the product line, as well as exploring new opportunities to expand into new and relevant product categories in the future.

Little Angel - Moonbug Entertainment

Little Angel was Moonbug’s first acquisition since becoming part of Candle Media and it is one of the fastest growing kids’ channels on YouTube. Since the acquisition, Moonbug has been working on delivering an innovative and truly unique pre-school offering that ties into to the core themes and attributes of the show. The company is now looking to continue the development of the brand across new categories in the coming years.

The animated pre-school show Little Angel is an irreverent comedy about the wacky and fun reality of growing up: sometimes it is messy, but it is always fun. Baby John and his family, who take on everyday adventures as seen through the eyes of little John, are at the heart of this beloved show, which has been captivating families around the world with its irreverent humour, catchy and upbeat songs, and nursery rhymes.

CoComelon - Moonbug Entertainment

CoComelon’s mission is to inspire positivity and nurture a growth mindset for kids across the globe. The franchise models good behaviour and supports pre-schoolers’ learning through music. The brand has become a perennial leader on major streaming platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, Roku, and Netflix, where it continues to set records for consecutive days in the Top 10 Most Watched TV Shows.

CoComelon is a fun show about childhood that celebrates the big moments for little kids. The show follows JJ and his friends and family as they share their everyday adventures, exploring and learning through relatable situations and toe-tapping songs. CoComelon is the No.1 most-watched kids brand on YouTube globally with more than 4.3b monthly views and more than 163m subscribers.

CoComelon has grown quickly to become one of the biggest properties in the toddler and pre-school market, offering young CoComelon fans the opportunity to relive their favourite shows in the real world. Moonbug has successfully developed an extremely strong consumer products programme with offerings in all major licensed categories including Toys & Games, Apparel, Party Goods, FMCG, Arts & Crafts, Home and more. In a relatively short amount of time, the company has built a world-class portfolio of best-in-class licensees and continues to build upon these relationships with new categories and brands. The programme has delivered several top product awards, culminating in CoComelon being awarded the Best Licensed Brand (entertainment, character) at the 2022 Licensing Expo in Las Vegas.

In October 2022, Moonbug launched its first ever CoComelon video game with Outright Games on Nintendo Switch. Fans are now able to experience the world of CoComelon in a new way, playing as JJ and exploring his house and garden as well as interacting with different locations, objects, toys and characters.

Pinocchio and Friends - Lisle Licensing

Since it arrived on CBeebies at the end of May last year, Pinocchio and Friends has not only found its perfect broadcast partner in the UK, it has also become a ratings winner. The property has secured a loyal fan base amongst children and parents who adore the world’s most famous wooden puppet, with his long nose and insatiable appetite for curiosity.

February 2023 sees the launch of the master toy range from Flair GP, which proved to be very popular when it was first shown to buyers at BLE back in September 2022. The range will also be showcased at London Toy Fair. Licensee enthusiasm has been encouraging, with a continuing flow of agreements including Smiffy’s, Ravensburger, Fashion UK and Kennedy Publishing, the latter of which has already launched its first title. Buyers wary of investing in new IPs in the current climate should find this delightful series a more risk averse choice for 2023 and are advised to get on board now. In Q1, Lisle is keen to secure new partners in audio boxes, puzzles and games as well as wooden toys.

With licensed dress-up and apparel lines launching soon after the toy range this spring, Lisle is positioning the brand for a year of growth which will be supported with PR and marketing activity. This will include social activity on TikTok, a promotional campaign in Family First magazine, which reaches the school bags of KS1/2 children across the UK in February, and a nationwide partnership which Lisle hopes to confirm in the new year.

Iginio Straffi, Rainbow’s CEO and founder, always aspired to revitalise the much-loved timeless and classic novel about the wooden toy Pinocchio, who longed to be a real boy. As an original Italian story, it is fitting that a modern-day adaptation should stem from a well-respected producer of children’s content who also grew up in Italy. Iginio has set the classic story in modern times and created new adventures and locations, as well as new characters such as Freeda, the pirate doll, one of Pinocchio’s greatest friends. The storylines appeal to today’s young, global audiences. The result is a hybrid show which marries a timeless classic that parents and guardians know, trust and love, with modern CGI animation techniques and a style and upbeat tone which appeals to today’s children. The ratings success Pinocchio and Friends has earned in the UK on CBeebies and in

Tetris - Lisle Licensing

2023 is just the beginning of what Lisle expects to be a fantastic two years for the Tetris brand. The company is accelerating the celebratory licensing plans it has in store for the iconic video game’s 40th anniversary, which will run throughout 2024.

Lisle is proud to be a long-standing partner of The Tetris Company and to grow its UK licensing programme year on year, particularly in new categories such as novelty gifting, and with new licensee and retail partners in the apparel category.

The foundations of Lisle’s licensing programme are product innovation and championing the Tetris brand’s incredible heritage, so Lisle’s focus for the next 18-24 months is on signing additional new partners and launching products using the specially curated anniversary style guide. The company will also begin planning 40th anniversary marketing activity in the months ahead that will run alongside the licensing programme.

With an award-winning 2022 behind it, and product launches continuing to add a new layer of fun to the brand, Lisle is looking forward to the year ahead. New lines from recently on-boarded licensees Poetic Brands, The Hut Group and Moonpig will join existing ones from long-standing partner John Adams, which is also launching a new game in time for Easter. The slate of licensed product coming through for this year demonstrates the Tetris brand’s ongoing popularity with families and fans of all ages.

The enduring appeal of the Tetris brand lies in its ability to remain relevant. The brand has evolved for almost 40 years, retaining its very earliest fans since the game was created in 1984 whilst continually finding new ones. Tetris’ current UK partners are tapping into the brand’s heritage as well as the iconic Tetrimino shapes and bright colours as they gear up to celebrate the 40th anniversary. The brand’s versatility means there is a wealth of licensing opportunities to explore beyond the usual: now is the perfect time for Lisle to talk with licensees who think they can introduce something unique to the Tetris portfolio during the trade fair season.