Toy World caught up with Nigel Cook, VP Brand Commercialisation and Retail at Disney Consumer Products EMEA, to discuss recent launches for the Star Wars franchise.

“Star Wars has brought epic adventures and relatable human storytelling to audiences for almost 50 years. Its timeless themes and compelling characters have enthralled fans across generations and leave us in no doubt about Star Wars’ continued strength as an evergreen property,” explains Nigel. “What’s more, its rich landscape of storylines and character relationships allow for the creation of new adventures across the galaxy that have instant appeal from kids through to adult fans.”

One of the greatest recent successes has been The Mandalorian, and the titular character’s relationship with his foundling companion, Grogu. In 2024 Disney will also mark the 25th anniversary of Lego Star Wars.

“We’re very proud of what’s been achieved with Lego and the creativity and dedication fans continue to express through their builds,” adds Nigel. “It’s a true testament to the game-changing product that can be created when we combine such rich IP with our industry-leading licensees.”

Lego Star Wars featured heavily as Disney kicked off the ‘March to May the 4th’ campaign recently with a dynamic light show on the Empire State Building, honouring the iconic villains featured throughout the Star Wars saga. The launch event included museum-quality life-sized Star Wars villains built from Lego bricks, and an immersive retail experience featuring the latest Hasbro Black Series helmets and FX Elite or Kyber Core Lightsaber adult and kid collectibles.

To find out more about what’s to come from Star Wars in the Toy space, click here to access the full feature, which appeared in the May edition of Toy World.

Amy Harbour, head of Licensing and Commercial Partnerships at Science Museum Group, tells Toy World how the new live stage show is reinvigorating the museum’s licensing programme.

The London-based Science Museum is part of the Science Museum Group, which also counts the National Railway Museum (York), National Science and Media Museum (Bradford), Science and Industry Museum (Manchester) and Locomotion (AKA: National Railway Museum) in Shildon among its sites.

Being spread across the UK is an important part of the group’s DNA: the group firmly believes everyone should be able to access the learning opportunities it offers regardless of where they live. It was for the same reason that the Live Stage Show was created, which, until the end of October 2024, is visiting theatres everywhere from Southampton and Cardiff to the Isle of Man and Aberdeen.

The Science Museum has partnered with professional theatre promoter Mark Thompson Productions on the show. The three-year deal gives the group a way of reaching more families than ever before as well as a way to expand its brand far beyond the Science Museum, which itself welcomes an average of 2.5m visitors every year.

The deal is also a chance for existing and potential licensees, retailers and manufacturers to experience first-hand the impact the museum has on kids and families and gain a deeper understanding of how those in the audience end up becoming consumers of Science Museum products.

To read the full feature, which appears in the May issue of Toy World, click here.

Anna Knight, SVP of Licensing, Informa Markets, shares how this year’s Vegas Licensing Expo is shaping up and how exhibitors and visitors should be preparing for the occasion. 

“We’re really happy – we’ve got over 300 exhibitors confirmed, the most we’ve had since Covid, and an amazing roster of brands lined up to appear on the show floor,” explains Anna. “All the big names are back, which is great to see, with really strong representation across Toys & Games as well as Gaming.”

“We’re also seeing some awesome visitor registrations coming through. Of course, the power retail triad – Amazon, Target and Walmart – are on the list, and this year it looks like we’ll be welcoming some big groups of buyers too. This reflects all the work we’ve done as a group on attracting more retailers. We’re pleased to see it’s paying off.”

When asked about how the Brands at Play theme will be brought to life across the show and why visitors should be keen to get involved in activities relating to it, Anna says that this year, more than any other, it’s important that anyone new to the licensing industry truly feels a part of it by the time they leave Expo.

“We’ll have people across the whole campus, including at our official pavilion, ready and willing to help attendees with any question or query they may have,” she added. “Happy Hours will be taking place between 3-4pm in all the cafes and bars during the show. Open to all, these are a great opportunity for people to mingle and network in a more informal, relaxed manner, especially if you don’t know anyone.”

Anna tells Toy World readers that in order to prepare for the show, they must first of all decide on what they want to get from the show, then go through the exhibitor list and brand directory and start booking meetings. Or they can check out all the talks and networking events and the various associations at the show to gain an overview of the industry.

To read the full Q&A from our May edition, in which Anna talks about more opportunities which this year’s theme presents for those in the Toys and Games category, among other interesting points, click here.

The collaboration between Rubies and Acamar Films will feature a collection of everyday dress-up costumes for the popular pre-school animation, Bing. 

Rubies has announced a brand-new addition to its pre-school property range by partnering with Acamar Films, to bring an everyday dress-up collection for the company’s multi-award-winning Bing animation.

With designs already in development, the new Bing range is designed for everyday role-play and will be available to pre-order at the tail end of this year, perfect for trade retailers looking to stock up on the latest toddler costumes.

Bing offers a shared experience between grown-ups and toddlers, providing the tools to support the social and emotional development of pre-schoolers worldwide. Bing has been impressing children for years with established pre-school content across EMEA, consistently topping the listings across various streaming platforms.

Fran Hales, head of Portfolio and Marketing at Rubies, commented: “It’s incredible to think that Bing, a character that originated from a series of pre-school books, has now become one of the most well-known characters globally within the last decade. We are thrilled to be working with Acamar to re-invent the dress-up range for Bing, play our part in children’s early development and encourage their everyday play. On top of all of this, we’re overjoyed to be introducing the dress-up in Bing’s 10th anniversary year, recognising the impact he’s had on little ones for a whole decade now.”

Katie Rollings, chief licensing officer at Acamar Films, said: “Rubies is an expert in its category and we are delighted to be working with the company as we continue to build Bing in the UK and across Europe. We look forward to offering our young fans a beautiful range of dress up – a crucial play category for pre-schoolers and one that closely aligns with Bing’s ethos, as the show encourages children to use their imaginations and express their creativity.”

Rubies can be contacted on 01491 826 500 or customerservices@rubiesuk.com.

The Flower Fairies Afternoon Tea has launched at Grosvenor House London in partnership with Penguin Ventures.

The Flower Fairies will come to life through a botanically inspired afternoon tea at JW Marriott Grosvenor House London.

The Afternoon Tea is developed under licence from Penguin Ventures on behalf of Frederick Warne & Co., publisher and brand owner of the Flower Fairies and an imprint of Penguin Random House Children’s. The original books have been translated into 20 languages and have sold over 7m copies worldwide. Taking inspiration from the Penguin Ventures archive of 170 original illustrations by Cicely Mary Barker, there will be five pastries and an amuse bouche masterfully created by head pastry chef Anthony Hurst.

Thomas Merrington, creative director at Penguin Ventures, said: “We are thrilled to be partnering once again with Grosvenor House London on a brand-new afternoon tea offering inspired by the Flower Fairies. The Grosvenor team has really excelled themselves in creating something truly spectacular by transforming the works of Cicely Mary Barker into three-dimensional form with these delicious and intricate pastries.”

Stuart Bowery, general manager, JW Marriott Grosvenor House London, said: “We are delighted to continue our partnership with Penguin Ventures and bring the Flower Fairies to life at Grosvenor House through an Afternoon Tea, which is inspired by the original drawings of Cicely Mary Barker and pays homage to the enchanting world of fairies and folklore she created over 100 years ago.”

Pastries inspired by the Flower Fairies are captured in watercolour form through a bespoke illustrative menu which will be offered to guests as a keepsake. In addition, the Park Room will transform into a wild fairy garden adorned with fresh, seasonal flowers, designed exclusively by the English Potted Plant Company. The wild garden features bespoke fairy costumes, created exclusively by world-renowned designer Vin Burnham, and loaned by the Penguin Ventures archive.

The Flower Fairies Afternoon Tea will be served daily in The Park Room from 13th May 2024 until mid-November 2024. Served between 1.00 pm and 6.00 pm from £70 per person, or £83 with a glass of Champagne.

To book the Flower Fairies Afternoon Tea, visit the Park Room website or to purchase a voucher, visit the vouchers page.

Ultimate Guard has announced a gaming accessories licence for Hasbro’s Magic: The Gathering, with art that ties into upcoming product set releases.

Ultimate Guard has announced a licensing agreement with Hasbro and its Wizards of the Coast division for a line of Magic: The Gathering gaming accessories. This enables the integration of art assets from the Magic: The Gathering brand into the product line starting in 2024.

“We are so excited to forge this relationship with the beloved and storied brand of Magic: The Gathering,” said Patrick Hildebrant, CEO of Heo America and general manager of Ultimate Guard. “This amazing opportunity opens the door to a wealth of creative possibilities.”

Beginning in 2024, Ultimate Guard will introduce products featuring officially licensed Magic: The Gathering art that ties into upcoming product set releases.

The first Magic: The Gathering set to be extensively accompanied by products is Bloomburrow. This Standard-legal set, marking the game’s first-ever exploration of the enchanting plane of the same name, is scheduled for release in August 2024. Ultimate Guard will launch a line of Sidewinder 100+ Xenoskin deck boxes featuring the Borderless Field Notes artworks of several Calamity Beasts of Bloomburrow, as well as a line of Zipfolio 360 Xenoskin binders. Further, there will be an Omnihive 1000+ Xenoskin, a sustainable RTE Boulder 100+ and a Play Mat, with a design that revolves around the set’s still secret main storyline.

Ultimate Guard looks forward to expanding and enriching its product range with works of art. “Self-expression is a very important value to us. Our hope is that the community will see a bit of their own passion and personality reflected in these products,” said Patrick. “We can’t wait to show you what we have in store.”

Pokémon has debuted monpoké, a new brand expression for kids and babies with an entertainment series, licensed merchandise and book titles.

The Pokémon Company International has unveiled that monpoké, an expression from the Pokémon brand featuring curated, Pokémon-branded baby and toddler offerings, has been released in additional markets around the world. Previously exclusive to Asia, the popular monpoké expression has expanded its footprint to reach the littlest Pokémon Trainers with engaging content, licensed merchandise and books highlighting fan-favourite Pokémon like Pikachu, Dedenne, Smeargle and more.

“Pokémon is an iconic cross-generational brand beloved by Trainers worldwide, with many having grown up with the brand and now sharing their fandom with their own children,” said Heather Dalgleish, senior director of publishing at The Pokémon Company International. “With the expansion of the popular monpoké expression into more markets, parents around the world will have another playful and adorable way to introduce the Pokémon world to their little ones. Monpoké reflects The Pokémon Company International’s latest efforts to deliver innovative products and experiences that appeal to our diverse fanbase, and we can’t wait to welcome a new generation of young Trainers to the growing Pokémon community.”

To help parents introduce their young ones to the Pokémon world, The Pokémon Company International released Fun Times on monpoké Island, a series of videos starring fan-favourite Pokémon as puppets. Available now on the official Pokémon YouTube channel, this series lets young Trainers join their new Pokémon pals on adventures across the island.

Parents and their little ones can discover monpoké with a ready-to-wear collection for newborns, babies and children, as well as a nurturing skincare line, created in collaboration between The Pokémon Company International and French luxury childrenswear label, Bonpoint. The Bonpoint skincare range is made in France and suitable for sensitive skin of all ages.

Capturing the playful nature of the monpoké expression with an elevated French touch, both collections are available now at Bonpoint limited locations, as well as www.bonpoint.com, with select items available at Pokémon Center in the US, Canada and UK. More information about this collaboration is available here.

Young Trainers can explore the Pokémon world with a range of engaging monpoké titles from leading global publisher Scholastic. Featuring soft and sweet illustrations, the monpoké titles introduce young children to new Pokémon friends in a fun and interactive way. The range of picture books and board books star beloved Pokémon including Pikachu, Eevee, Piplup, Dedenne and more. Learn more about the monpoké collection from Scholastic here. The next monpoké title, Pokémon monpoké: Meet the Friends, will release on 7th May and is available for preorder now where books are sold.

Additional experiences and offerings will be released in the future to provide more ways for young Trainers to immerse themselves in the Pokémon world.

The Steve McQueen estate has announced a raft of new licence agreements and global sub agent partnerships, brokered by Renaissance Licensing.

Chad McQueen, the only living son of legendary actor Steve McQueen, has expanded the Steve McQueen licensed product portfolio with a number of newly granted licences in recent months.

Brokered by Renaissance Licensing, the new partnerships include:

• A special edition chukka boot based on a design that Steve himself wore from The Original Playboy of Denmark.
• Automotive-inspired luxury timepieces from B.R.M. Chronographes of France.
• A special edition Desert Rider from Metisse Motorcycles of the UK.
• A limited edition co-branded Steve McQueen X Le Mans capsule collection with Automobile Club de l’Ouest for Diverse, one of the leading apparel companies in Poland.

These new partnerships speak to McQueen’s global appeal as one of Hollywood’s most famous leading men.

Chad McQueen said: “It is so gratifying to see the continued interest that people all over the world have in my dad. Each new partnership is a chance to reach a whole new generation of fans.”

To continue fueling the international expansion of the Steve McQueen brand, Renaissance Licensing has signed multiple sub agents for territories outside of North America, including:

• Blue Chip Brands for the Australian and New Zealand markets.
• Interactive Licensing Management for the Greater China, Japan and Southeast Asian markets.
• Gorian Consumer Products for the German, Swiss, Austrian, Netherlands, Belgian and Luxemburg markets.
• Infiniss for South Korea.

“Having local partners in key markets for the Steve McQueen brand is critical for our expansion strategy,” said Liz Van Denburg, partner at Renaissance Licensing. “We have worked with these agents for many years and are confident in their ability to bring best-in-class partners to the Steve McQueen family of licensees.”

Panini’s Official England Sticker Collection Tournament Edition 2024 is available now, with 387 stickers to collect.

Panini has announced the launch of the eagerly anticipated Official England Sticker Collection Tournament Edition 2024.

Featuring 100% official kits and packed full of past, present and future Three Lions stars, plus elite players from four of Europe’s greatest national teams, Panini says the collection is the ultimate companion to the summer of football.

The collection boasts 387 stickers, including 130 special stickers. Collectors can kick start their collection with a starter pack that includes an album plus five sticker packets.

Commenting on the collection, Katie Gritt, head of Marketing for Sport at Panini, said: “The Official England Sticker Collection Tournament Edition 2024 has landed, ready for football fans to collect their favourite England players ahead of what promises to be a memorable summer of football. As well as the current England squad – and the favourite players from France, Germany, Italy and Spain, all in 100% official kit – this must-have collection features England Legends, Next Gen players and amazing facts and stats on Europe’s biggest superstars. It’s the sticker collection to have this summer.”

Panini’s new collection features a Legends series with the likes of David Beckham, Paul Scholes and Wayne Rooney, all available to collect.

Former Liverpool and England star, Steve McManaman, who also features as a Legend in the series, said: “It’s a really proud moment being included as a Legend and those specific stickers standing out with a unique design. My 12-year-old boy will be talking to his mate about the stickers in the new collection, and now his dad is on one of them. For football lovers, sticker collections and the quest to try and fill up your book, is one of the great memories of growing up.”

The Official England Sticker Collection Tournament Edition 2024, is available now at www.panini.co.uk/englandstickers and retailers nationwide.

Heinz and Barbie have teamed up to release Barbiecue sauce, a limited-edition pink vegan mayo with BBQ sauce that will be available this month.

Heinz has teamed up with Mattel to launch the limited-edition Heinz Classic Barbiecue Sauce.

Available from today, this pink vegan mayo with BBQ sauce comes following last year’s continued Barbiecore craze, with Heinz teasing its fans about whether this dream condiment should be made a reality. The response from Heinz fans was overwhelming with one commenting: “If you make it happen, I’ll dye my hair pink.” Another said: “Please do this, I beg you.”

After huge public demand, Heinz and Mattel are now releasing Barbiecue just in time to celebrate the 65th Anniversary of the Barbie brand.

The smoky sauce, with beetroot extract to achieve that signature pink colour, is marketed as a fun addition to any spring/summer menu.

Thiago Rapp, director of Taste Elevation at Heinz, said: “Barbie well and truly won the hearts of Brits all over again last year, and after seeing the reaction this sauce brought to our fans on social media, we knew we had to make it a reality. We’re always looking for ways to innovate and give our fans what they want, and we’re thrilled to be able to bring this iconic partnership with Mattel to life.”

Ruth Henriquez, head of Consumer Products, Publishing and LBE Mattel EMEA, added: “This partnership with Heinz opens up another avenue for Barbie fans to bring home the world of Barbie. Last summer, we worked quickly with Heinz to bring to life the prospect of a Heinz Classic Barbiecue Sauce in digital form, so it’s now so exciting to be able to put the physical product into our kitchen cupboards. This collaboration embodies the spirit of innovation and fun that both Mattel and Heinz are known for, and we can’t wait for fans to enjoy this delicious and unique product.”

For those that want to be one of the first to try this limited-edition sauce, 5,000 bottles are now available on www.heinztohome.co.uk. A limited run will also be available in Tesco stores nationwide from 17th April, followed by Ocado and other retailers from May with an RRP of £3.39. Prices are at the sole discretion of the retailer.