Category Archives: Entertainment

LEGO and Universal Music Group unveil first product line-up for LEGO VIDIYO

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The LEGO Group has today unveiled the first range of products to arrive from its new LEGO Vidiyo platform, a collaboration with Universal Music Group that will enable kids to create their own music videos using LEGO Minifgures, new LEGO kits, and augmented reality technology.

Teased last month, LEGO Vidiyo brings digital and physical play together through the use of a series of BeatBoxes, Bandmatesm and BeatBits that, through the use of AR tech, come to life in a new app, available to download now www.LEGO.com/VIDIYO-DeviceCheck.

Inspired by an array of musical genres and musicians, the LEGO Vidiyo world offers a new product experience for families and LEGO fans, allowing them to play, create and produce their own music videos.

The first LEGO Vidiyo product drop consists of BeatBoxes, Bandmates, and BeatBits. Fans will discover six unique portable BeatBoxes that each hold a minifigure representing a specific music genre, a scanning stage, two special BeatBits, and 14 random BeatBits.

These BeatBoxes can transport up to 16 BeatBits and have a building plate that can be customised with a selection of LEGO tiles to suit the style of its owner.

The first wave of products also features 12 Bandmates, each of which comes with one special BEatBit and two random BeatBits. BEatBits are a creative system of audio-visual effects that can be combined in the app and in real life, printed like album covers on 2×2 tiles. Each represents a music effect, character dance move, or scene prob that come to life in the Vidiyo app.

BeatBits, like instruments, are played live during the performance. There will be 130 BeatBits launching in the first year.

The six BeatBoxes and 12 Bandmate characters introduced today are:

  • 43102 ‘Candy Pop’ in the Candy Mermaid BeatBox (Pop)
  • 43103 ‘Pirate Punk’ in the Punk Pirate Beatbox (Punk)
  • 43104 ‘Alien DJ’ in the Extra Terrestrial Dance Music BeatBox (ETDM)
  • 43105 ‘Party Llama’ in the Party Llama BeatBox (Tropicon)
  • 43106 ‘Unicorn DJ’ in the Unicorn DJ BeatBox (K-pawp)
  • 43107 ‘Robot Break-dancer’ in the HipHop Robot BeatBox (HipHop)
  • 43101 Bandmates: Red Panda Dancer; Cotton Candy Cheerleader; Shark Singer; Bunny Dancer; Discowboy Singer; Genie Dancer; Samurapper; DJ Cheetah; Ice Cream Saxophonist; Alien Keytarist; Banshee Singer; Werewolf Drummer

LEGO VIDIYO products will be available from March 1st and are the first of many to come, states LEGO. BeatBoxes are priced at £17.99 with the Collectible Bandmates priced at £3.99.

There will be around 30 songs from UMG’s unrivalled global artists, including chart toppers and ultimate classics, all available on the app from launch, with new tracks added frequently. Each song has been programmed to work intuitively with all the BeatBits to ensure they link in harmony, including special music effects that match the beat of the track giving children an incredible level of creative audio customisation.

As part of the Vidiyo app experience children can create their own bands for performances – select clothing, band names, and album covers. By taking part in regularly updated in-app challenges and scanning in products, points are earned which can be used to unlock additional customisation options such as costumes, accessories, choreography and stage layouts.

In addition to the initial launch, Universal Music Group label, Astralwerks has also signed a new artist – a live action human version of the DJ LLama minifigure from the Tropicon BeatBox who goes by the titles L.L.A.M.A.

Refusing to be attached to any one genre, L.L.A.M.A. aims to harness free-spiritedness to inspire curiosity.

VP marketing, Luke Armitage, Astralwerks, said: “It’s an honour to sign the first ever llama and LEGO minifigure to a global record deal. When L.L.A.M.A first played us the early demo of ‘Shake’, we all knew we wanted to work with him. The LEGO Group’s partnership with UMG completely aligns with our mission to surround the electronic music space with innovation.”

Fans can stay tuned to L.L.A.M.A and his plans via his social media channels @musicbyllama.

William Thorogood, VP and executive producer of LEGO Vidiyo, the LEGO Group, said: “Play and music are both universally appealing and have a fundamental impact on the development of children.

“With LEGO VIDIYO we can now provide a kid-safe space for children to express their playful creativity through music video making to develop these new skills.”

“The partnership with UMG brings with it innovation on so many levels, from an exciting new music centred product and app experience to ground-breaking ways of engaging fans with the signing of L.L.A.M.A. LEGO VIDIYO has been tested with over 1,500 families across North America, Europe and Asia and the response we have seen has been incredible, with children and parents all excited to be able to bring LEGO minifigures to life in their very own unique, creative Music Videos. Now that LEGO VIDIYO is out in the wild, I’m so excited to see what the young creators of today have in store.”

Joshua Burke, VP, strategic marketing and global partnerships, Universal Music Group, added: “It’s an exciting day for LEGO VIDIYO, finally revealing the full experience and topping it with the first ever record deal for a LEGO minifigure.

“Music goes hand in hand with creativity and plays a role in a child’s development, all these new products, BeatBits and characters will inspire young people as they discover music, artists and new sounds from around the globe. While expanding their creative and technical skills and having fun – children will be learning, experimenting and expressing themselves in their very own music videos.”

LEGO Vidiyo is aimed at children aged seven to ten and provides a safe universe where they can traverse the worlds of physical and digital play. As LEGO Vidiyo requires verified parental consent – along with anonymity – and with external moderation of all content uploaded to the App feed, parents can be reassured their child is unleashing their creativity while staying safe online.

Zavvi teams with DUST! to launch ultra-exclusive pop culture puzzles range

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The UK online retailer Zavvi has partnered with DUST! to launch a new limited-edition range of fully-licensed movie themed jigsaw puzzles, bringing the artwork of some of cinema’s best-loved cult classics to the jigsaw space.

The partnership witnesses the launch of 12 limited edition 1000-piece jigsaw puzzles, each featuring images and movie posters from a selection of popular film franchises, including Jaws, Back to the Future, Transformers, and Jurassic Park.

The limited edition puzzles are all 50cm by 70cm with only 1000 of each design in production worldwide, making the range ultra-exclusive. Each puzzle retails at £14.99.

The range is available to pre-order via Zavvi now. The retailer has urged fans to place their orders quickly before the limited product roll-out sells out.

Other designs in the collection include the 1982 sci-fi classic The Thing, a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Classic Comic Book design, a Back to the Future DeLorean Schematic, and a Twister Impossible puzzle, featuring the design of the classic party game of the same name.

Hasbro partners with Uber Eats to launch free Hasbro Toy Store to families this half term

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Hasbro has partnered with the home delivery app, Uber Eats, to launch a free toy store in time for the half term holidays, as UK parents continue to hunt for new ways to keep their kids entertained during lockdown.

The new collaborative effort arrives as 70 per cent of UK parents admit to feeling overwhelmed as they juggle work and home-schooling, while 56 per cent say they are concerned at the thought of spending a half term holiday with fewer activities to entertain their young ones.

The country’s current lockdown restrictions mean that where families would usually be spending time at the cinema, zoos, or on playdates, parents are now being forced to look for entertainment closer to home. Over half of parents claims their kids are now bored at home, and 50 per cent say they’ve run out of things to do.

In a bid to help busy parents, the virtual Hasbro Toy Store is now offering seven of the toy company’s best-loved toys and games for just the cost of delivery. The initiative will launch on the Uber Eats app from this Wednesday.

The toys and games available through the app – including Cluedo, The Game of Life, Play-Doh, and Yahtzee, were chosen because they encourage family time and imaginative play and offer something for children of all ages. Once ordered, they will be delivered – contact-free – to your door in around 30 minutes.

With the average parent spending £99.55 per week on activities to entertain their children, Uber Eats and Hasbro teamed up to give away the toys to ensure all parents could benefit. It launches as 71 per cent of parents state that they aim to spend extra quality time with their kids this half-term.

The toy store will be open in London and Manchester from Wednesday 17th to Saturday 20th February.

Toussaint Wattinne, general manager of Uber Eats, UK and Ireland said: “Being a parent is tougher than ever at the moment, so we wanted to do our bit to help bring families together and keep the children entertained while opportunities for days out are more limited. Uber Eats delivers items beyond food to help make people’s day-to-day lives that little bit easier.”

Anne Leonhardi,  Marketing Director North Europe at Hasbro, added: “Play is hugely important for children’s development, striking that vital balance between learning and fun. The half-term holidays are no different, so we want to make sure that children and parents get the break they desperately deserve during these difficult times.

“The games and activities in the Hasbro Toy Store are a great way of making sure families have a fun February half-term, whether they’re testing their wits with a game of Cluedo or getting creative with Play-Doh.”

Since the first lockdown in March 2020, Hasbro brands continue to resonate as people spend more time at home and parents look for fun activities to keep the kids entertained.

Animaccord inks major broadcast deal for Masha and the Bear with Italy’s kids’ channel Rai

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Animaccord has inked a new broadcast deal with the Italian public media company, Rai, for the fifth season of Masha and the Bear, produced in a new 4k UHD format.

The first episodes of the new season will air daily on Rai Yoyo and Rai Play starting from May 3rd this year, and occupying sme of the best slots on the channels.

“We’re excited with the technical innovations that have been implemented by Animaccord to produce and bring its new Season in 4K, making a breakthrough in preschool serial animation field,” said Annalisa Liberi, head of acquisitions at Rai Ragazzi.

“We’re happy to plunge kids to this Masha and the Bear’s fantasy world that is always close to their daily life & feelings as well as to amaze them with the new scripts and the undiminished energy of the character in exceptional premium quality.”

Alongside the launch of the core show’s new season, on February 27, 2021, Rai will also release Animaccord’s new educational musical project named Nursery Rhymes, where the world-wide famous character Masha leads babies and toddlers through a wonderful world of nursery rhymes, helping them to tap into their hidden talents and develop them. 

This year Animaccord marks the tenth year since the first media deal signed for Masha and the Bear Season one for Rai to premier the cartoon in Italy – the first country outside the home market where Masha and the Bear became a huge success.

New York | Toy of the Year awards underscores big year for children’s licenses

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Pokemon, Super Mario, Star Wars The Mandalorian, and PAW Patrol are just some of the leading children’s brands to have won big this weekend when the annual Toy of the Year awards hosted an all-virtual event to reveal its winners.

A tussle of the titans ensued as the awards – recognised as the ‘Oscars of the toy industry’ – watched global toy makers LEGO and Mattel emerge with no fewer than four award wins each, with the likes of LEGO’s Super Mario play-sets and Mattel’s The Mandalorian The Child Plush thrust into the spotlight.

License of the Year went to Disney for The Mandalorian, while the Pokemon Trading Card Game took home Game of the Year. Pre-school Toy of the Year was swept up by Spin Master and its PAW Patrol franchise, while Playmibile drove home at 88mph with the Vehicle of the Year award for its Back to the Future DeLorean play-set.

“It’s an exhilarating feeling to be recognized for our relentless drive to push the boundaries of play,” said Anton Rabie, Spin Master’s chairman and co-chief executive officer of the firm’s win in the Pre-school Toy of the Year category.

“Every year our incredibly talented team, in collaboration with our amazing community of external inventors, raises the bar on innovation with the purpose of developing magical moments and experiences for kids and families around the world. Together, we’re committed to reimagining where imagination can take us.”

Meanwhile, in a surprise announcement, two winners were chosen for the People’s Choice Award; Story Time Chess (Story Time Chess), a classic game re-imagined for the youngest of players, and The Original Spawn Action Figure and Comic Remastered (McFarlane Toys), a fan-favourite that has its roots in Kickstarter success.

Toy of the Year Awards were handed out in 16 categories. The winners are:

Action Figure of the Year: Fisher-Price #ThankYouHeroes Line (Mattel)

Collectible of the Year: LEGO Super Mario Character Packs (LEGO)

Construction Toy of the Year: LEGO Star Wars The Razor Crest (LEGO)

Creative Toy of the Year: Crayola Colors of the World Crayons (Crayola LLC)

Doll of the Year: Barbie Color Reveal (Mattel)

Game of the Year: Pokémon Trading Card Game Battle Academy (The Pokémon Company International)

Infant/Toddler Toy of the Year: Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Grow-the-Fun Garden to Kitchen (Mattel)

Innovative Toy of the Year: Star Wars: The Child Animatronic Edition Toy (Hasbro)

License of the Year: Star Wars: The Mandalorian (Disney)

Outdoor Toy of the Year: Ultimate Go-Kart (Radio Flyer)

Playset of the Year: LEGO Super Mario Bowser’s Castle Boss Battle Expansion Set (LEGO)

Plush Toy of the Year: Star Wars: The Mandalorian The Child 11” Plush (Mattel)

Preschool Toy of the Year: PAW Patrol Dino Patroller (Spin Master)

Specialty Toy of the Year: LEGO Ideas Grand Piano (LEGO)

STEAM Toy of the Year: Mega Cyborg Hand (Thames & Kosmos)

Vehicle of the Year: PLAYMOBIL Back To The Future DeLorean (PLAYMOBIL)

Steve Pasierb, president and CEO of The Toy Association, said: “From 117 outstanding finalists to this year’s TOTY winners, to Hasbro’s Toy of the Year Award and two unique People’s Choice winners, each underscores the joy of play in uncertain times, the togetherness of family game night, as well as the swiftly-evolving retail and e-commerce landscape.

“The TOTYs continue to reflect the toy and play community’s passion and perseverance, all while honoring the richly deserving Hall of Fame inductees. It also raises vital funding for The Toy Foundation as it embarks on impactful new programs supporting children’s hospitals and driving diversity, equity, inclusion, and access in the toy industry. We thank the independent expert judging panels and the tens of thousands of individuals who voted this year.”

During the event, four toy industry visionaries were also officially inducted into the esteemed Toy Industry Hall of Fame. This year saw Philip Bloom, founder and former publisher of The Bloom Report; William C. Killgallon, chairman of the board at The Ohio Art Company; Pleasant T. Rowland, founder of American Girl, a division of Mattel, Inc.; and the late Margarete Steiff, founder and creator of Steiff were all inducted.

Read more about the Hall of Fame inductees here.

More than 500 TOTY Award nominees poured in late last summer. Of those, 117 finalists were selected by a panel of expert judges. Category winners were then determined based on votes from toy retailers (mass and specialty), media, Toy Association members, and consumers.

The “Toy of the Year” winner was determined by an expert panel that discussed all the finalists before rendering a decision based on TOTY votes, holiday sales, and media buzz (traditional, online, and social).

The “People’s Choice” award winners were uniquely selected by online consumer votes. All results were audited for accuracy, including the judging and voting process, and The NPD Group validated marketplace acceptance. Descriptions of all TOTY finalists can be found at ToyAwards.org.

Pokémon and Post Malone to host virtual music concert as part of the brand’s 25th anniversary celebrations

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Pokémon has unveiled plans for a virtual music concert celebrating its 25th anniversary with the help of the headline act and Pokémon fan, Post Malone.

Taking place on February 27th – or Pokémon Day to the real fans – the event will take the form of an online party for all fans of music and Pokémon around the world. The virtual music concert will serve as the launch activation for the franchise’s year-long P25 Music programme – an initiative that has seen Pokémon team up with Universal Music Group to bring a host of music surprises to 2021.

As part of the P25 Music programme, Pokémon revealed last month that Katy Perry had been secured as its premier artist.

“I’ve been a Pokémon fan for a long time, so the opportunity to headline the Pokémon Day concert celebrating 25 years is awesome,” said Post Malone.

The concert will be free to view on the official Pokémon YouTube channel, Pokémon’s official Twitch channel, and on Pokémon’s 25th anniversary website beginning at 7:00 p.m. EST / 4:00 p.m. PST on February 27 (0:00 a.m. GMT on February 28) .

Pokémon will unveil more P25 Music details at the end of the concert, so fans will want to tune in for more upcoming collaboration surprises.

The pop-culture brand broke the news with help from headliner and Pokémon fan Post Malone in the video below.

https://youtu.be/Cdn_Fvug-hI

 

In anticipation of the concert, The Pokémon Company International will host several celebratory activations across the brand in the week leading up to the virtual music event. In addition to the previously announced Pokémon GO Tour: Kanto event on Saturday, February 20, The Pokémon Company International will distribute a special password on February 25 for players of the Pokémon video game franchise to add a special Pikachu to their Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield games.

In keeping with the music theme for the year, this Pikachu knows the move Sing, which it can’t ordinarily learn. On February 27, fans can tune in to Pokémon TV, either on the web or by downloading the app, for a curated selection of music-themed episodes of the popular Pokémon animated series as they prepare for the big Pokémon Day concert with Post Malone in the evening. Fans can expect more announcements that week from across the franchise.

Audio storyteller Tonies welcomes Disney’s Aladdin, Peter Rabbit, and Miffy to its licensed library

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The audio storytelling platform, Tonies continues to strengthen its licensed story portfolio with new additions from Disney’s Aladdin, Beatrix Potter’s Peter Rabbit, and Miffy.

Expanding its licensing partnerships with Disney, Penguin Random House, and Miffy brand owner, Mercis, Tonies has launched the three new additions to its growing collection of licensed story-telling figurines.

Each character can be placed on top of the Toniebox audio system for children to listen to their classic stories, as the firm offers children new ways to engage with their favourite characters through both screen-free play and storytelling.

Peter Rabbit introduces children to the world of Beatrix Potter with the inclusion of a collection of stories featuring The Tale of Benjamin Bunny, The Tale of Mr Tod, and The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies.

Meanwhile, Miffy’s Adventures features ten tales of adventure as Miffy and her friends learn to cope with difficult situations and discover new things.

The line-up is completed with Disney’s teling of its animated classic, Aladdin.

The latest additions have been made available to retailers across the UK from this week.

Asmodee acquires digital gaming platform Board Game Arena in latest global growth plan

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Asmodee has acquired the online multi-player board gaming platform, Board Game Arena in a move that will allow the tabletop giant to scale up its online play and allow players around the world access to some of Asmodee’s biggest games.

Founded in 2010, Board Game Arena has emerged as a global leader in online board games, providing official online versions of more than 250 games across 40 languages to more than five million members around the world.

Asmodee has suggested that the combination of the two companies will help to ‘bridge the gap in board game get-togethers created by the pandemic,’ while also offering that five million member base access to hit Asmodee titles including Catan, Ticket to Ride, and Pandemic.

Board Game Arena’s already expansive catalogue of games includes Asmodee hits Carcassonne, Jaipur and 7 Wonders, of which more than four million games have been played since its release on the platform in 2018.

The digital platform has been one of a number in the gaming space to have seen a surge in popularity driven by the pandemic last year, and in 2020 it registered a 600 per cent growth, indicating the scale of the current board game craze among families and single players.

To support its growth and pursue its development, Board Game Arena’s management team has chosen to join Asmodee in a move that will allow Asmodee to speed up the availability of its key titles on the platform.

Grégory Isabelli and Emmanuel Colin, Board Game Arena co-founders, said:  ”Working with Asmodee allows us to continue our massive growth, with a partner that shares our love and passion for board gaming.

“Asmodee fulfills a sine qua non criteria for us: that BGA is always run by absolute board game fans whose core business is board game.”

Thomas Koegler, head of strategy at Asmodee, said: “Our growth is based on one crucial commitment: offer the best gaming experience to consumers and bring our brands to the widest audience.”

“Having a platform that allows players from all over the world to meet, play their favorite games together or discover new games is a natural fit alongside our amazing catalogue of board games. Skull and Splendor will be in the coming weeks the first of a long list of Asmodee releases on the platform: we hope that players will enjoy them.”

As with other Asmodee entities, Board Game Arena will remain independent, and current management will remain at its helm. Pricing policies and editorial line remain unchanged, with Board Game Arena continuing to rely solely on the quality and popularity of games, offering its services to all publishers and market players.

Disney content and licensing hit hard by Covid-19 but consumer products offer glimmer of hope

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Content sales and licensing revenues at the Walt Disney Company have suffered big losses at the hands of the pandemic with dramatic decreases of 56 per cent and an operating income decrease of 78 per cent driven primarily by the closure of theatres, parks and experiences over the course of last year.

Lockdown restrictions and social distancing measures played a major role in significantly reduced theatrical distribution from the studio with many theatres across the globe either closed or operating at reduced capacity in the ongoing fight against the coronavirus.

As a result, Disney content sales, licensing and other revenues dropped by over half to $1.7 billion, while segment operating income decreased 76 per cent to $188 million.

Meanwhile, lower TV and SVOD distribution results were driven by the shift from Disney’s licensing of content to third parties to distribution via its own direct-to-consumer services like Disney+.

The studio has attributed the decrease in home entertainment results to lower unit sales, partially offset by lower marketing costs. The prior-year quarter reflected the performance of Toy Story 4, The Lion King and Aladdin compared to no significant titles in the current quarter.

The negative impact of Covid-19 continued to be felt across Disney’s Parks, Experience, and Products segment which saw Q1 2021 revenues plunge 53 per cent to £3.6 billion, with segment operating results dropping $2.6 billion to a loss of $119 million.

As a result of the pandemic, Disneyland Resort was closed and the company’s cruise business was suspended in the current quarter. Disneyland Paris closed on October 30, 2020 and Hong Kong Disneyland Resort closed on December 2, 2020. Walt Disney World Resort and Shanghai Disney Resort were open in the current quarter, but were operating at significantly reduced capacities.

Disney’s consumer products business has however offered the firm a glimmer of light, with operating income growth driven by an increase in games licensing revenue, reflected in the release of Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales.

‘The most significant impact on operating income in the current quarter from COVID-19 was an estimated detriment of approximately $2.6 billion at the Disney Parks, Experiences and Products segment due to revenue lost as a result of the closures and reduced operating capacities,’ explained Disney in its Q1 2021 financial  statement.

‘The impacts of Covid-19 on our Disney Media and Entertainment Distribution segment were less significant. Lower revenues due to the deferral or cancellation of significant film releases as a result of theater closures were largely offset by the related reduction in film cost amortization, marketing and distribution costs.’

Bob Chapek, chief executive officer, The Walt Disney Company, said: “We believe the strategic actions we’re taking to transform our Company will fuel our growth and enhance shareholder value, as demonstrated by the incredible strides we’ve made in our DTC business, reaching more than 146 million total paid subscriptions across our streaming services at the end of the quarter.

“We’re confident that, with our robust pipeline of exceptional, high-quality content and the upcoming launch of our new Star-branded international general entertainment offering, we are well-positioned to achieve even greater success going forward.”

Brand-Ward tapped to develop Germany’s Bibi & Tina for global audiences

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The licensing agency and consultancy firm, Brand-Ward has been brought on board to develop a strategy to launch the German children’s brand, Bibi & Tina to a global audience.

Owned by Kiddinx Media GmbH, a leading name in distribution and marketing for children’s audio plays and books, kids’ music, animated features, and apps, Bibi & Tina began life in Germany as a radio play spin-off of the Bibi Blocksberg brand. It was quickly developed into a TV series for ZDF as well as a range of audiovisual productions.

It follows the adventures of Bibi, a girl with special powers, her best friend Tina, and their horses Sabrina and Amadeus. Over its 30 year history, Bibi & Tina has become a major brand in the German market with over 20 million storytellers sold to date, 5.6 million videos sold, a number one soundtrack album, and 1.7 million books shifted.

The IP has been on air with 54 episodes on TV for the last 13 years, a live action series on Amazon Prime, and four feature films. Bibi & Tina has embraced the digital age with 105 million streams per month across all major platforms. 

The brand is celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2021, and Kiddinx has launched the 100th episode of the radio play in January. 

Holger Küchler, managing director at Kiddinx, said: “Internationalization has become a priority for our brands. We are pleased that we have found a committed and professional partner in Brand-Ward who will be accompanying us on this journey to bring a smile to every child’s face.”

Karl Blatz, head of international business development at Kiddinx, added: “Bibi & Tina always stood for equality and sustainability. These core values have been with the brand for thirty years and are now more important than ever before. We truly believe that Bibi & Tina provide captivating entertainment that children won’t be able to get enough of.”

Jean-Philippe Randisi, co-founder of Brand-Ward, said: “Quietly and discreetly, Kiddinx has created over the last decades, a number of gems for children with an incredibly enduring success. Bibi & Tina is a favourite brand for kids there, and we are delighted to help Kiddinx fulfil their ambition of making it part of kids’ lives not just in Germany but around the world.”