Category Archives: Highlight

Licensing chatter: 10 questions with Riverside Brands’ Ashley Holman

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In these unprecedented times for the global community, it’s nice to keep connected – and for an industry as reliant on peer to peer networking as the licensing business, maintaining those connections with our industry colleagues is paramount. That’ why Licensing.biz is kicking off a new series of interviews to get to know a bit more about the people driving it forward.

Continuing our Licensing Chatter interview series, we catch up with the founder of Riverside Brands and Licensing.biz Power 50 alumni, Ashley Holman

Hello Ashley, hope you’re staying safe and well! to kick us off, can you tell us how you got into the licensing business?

I’m one of the few people that actively looked to get into licensing from the outset. While studying for a degree in Marketing at university I was introduced to a number of people by my father in all sorts of industries from Banking to Specialist Ship Insurance Brokering. One introduction was to David Scott from Rainbow Productions who invited me for a beer with Ian Downes from Start Licensing and himself one half term…

They gave me an overview of the industry, the different roles that existed and how it all fitted together as an industry. Following a visit to Brand Licensing Show Europe in 2003 as a visitor I was amazed at the scale of the industry and the size of the commerce but at the same time the fun nature of the subject matter …….(including the Roy Lowe & Son boys walking around in Elvis suits for good measure).

I then knew that it was licensing over insurance for me… Following my graduation, I then managed to secure a role selling advertising into the industry with LicensingPages which gave me a great network and experience before a stint at Coolabi in my first licensing role. From there I moved to Nickelodeon where I had various licensing roles over a 12 year period before setting up Riverside Brand at the end of 2018.

That must have given quite a varied perspective of the industry – what have been the biggest changes you’ve seen in the space over that time?

I’ve spent most of my career in the kids’ space of the industry and the main shift there has been the sheer level of competition. Previously for kids content, consumer products was seen as the icing on the cake commercially but now with so many shows, so many different platforms, CP is a core revenue driving element to a kids IP from the outset.

More day to day in the workflow; retail is now the first element to onboard, with licensees then much more likely to partner once they know there is demand. This is in contrast to around 2005 to 2007, when it was a much more licensee first approach.

What then Ashley, has been the proudest moment of your career to date?

The day I got the Companies House registration certificate for Riverside Brands Limited. Setting up my own business is something I have wanted to do since the very first moment I started my career and I came very close a number of times over the years in doing it, however to have finally taken the plunge and received the industry support that I have been lucky enough to have been afforded has been incredible and I am truly thankful.

Have you got a favourite licensing deal/partnership on the CV – what makes it stand out for you?

Tough one to answer this as I have been fortunate to work on a number of great partnerships from multi-million dollar strategic partnerships which are exciting to be a part of, to smaller yet innovative ones too. A couple that stand out have to be:

My first deal at Nickelodeon was for a range of SpongeBob Real Musical Instruments with John Hornby Skewes and Sons. It was their first foray into licensing, it went on to win a number of awards, was a great commercial success for both them and Nickelodeon and they were still a partner nearly 12yrs later when I left…

Of course, the first licenses which I signed as Riverside Brands on behalf of ZURU for its brand Rainbocorns were very special too which were with Danilo, Fashion UK and Roy Lowe & Sons. I am grateful for their support so early on and the other partners that are now onboard with all the brand I work on.

What are some of the biggest hurdles the licensing business is facing at the moment?

Given we are in the midst of frankly an unbelievable moment in time, aside from the immediate issues of stores being shut, the longer term impact is likely to be the reduction of support of new/smaller brands in or coming to the market. Retailers will likely be incredibly risk adverse for a considerable period of time as they look to rebuild themselves. This will have a big impact into the licensing world with IP that perhaps would have been given shelf space, now likely to get a reduced opportunity to show it can work.

Therefore online will become even more important to get right to ensure you stand out from the crowd.

What conversation do you think the industry needs to be having right now?

Aside from the obvious of when will stores re-open, it will be around how do all sides involved work together with fairer commercial terms for all to ensure everyone can survive the coming 18months or so.

No one knows what the full impact will be or when things will be ‘back to normal’, if indeed they ever do so open dialogue will be key.

Retail is one of the biggest topics of talk at the moment – what do you think the future relationship between retail and licensing looks like?

There is always the balance between own brand/label and licensed brands and the margin mix buyers try to achieve between the two. However there is no denying that with the right brand, you will sell more of the same generic product so it’s about better partnerships between all those involved which is a term that gets thrown around a lot but if done properly will ensure there is a great long term relationship between retail and licensing for years to come.

If retailers get burnt time after time after a ‘big sell in’ and promise, then licensed space will only get less and less.

What would be your dream brand to work with or licensing deal to establish?

If I could work on Peppa Pig / Hey Dougie and Fireman Sam / PJ Masks right now, then I would be a hero in my household. Failing that, there are a number of gin licensed deals being done at the moment so I’d love to get a partnership away in that category… not just because I’m a gin fan, of course.

What is the best part of your job?

We get to talk about fun things like cartoons and toys, yet it is part of a huge commercial industry where no two days are the same. I love working on bringing products to market through a great working partnership between the brand owner, licensee and retailer and ultimately seeing a child’s joy through the product they are using / playing with. That gives great satisfaction.

What advice would you give to anyone starting out their career in licensing?

The industry is really welcoming and there are a lot of people out there that will offer you great advice and help you as much as they can (as they did for me all those years ago) so don’t be afraid to ask.

Also, put yourself out there as much as you can, this is a very sociable and close industry. Hard work gets rewarded but be patient and try and get involved and learn as many of the different aspects to the business even if that is informally from colleagues and peers as it’ll give you a greater perspective of the way it all fits together.

Finally, you’ve got to enjoy what you do otherwise you’ll never be good at it if you don’t.

Horace & Co celebrates World Autism Awareness Week with BookrKids digital library

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It’s World Autism Awareness Week, and to champion the recognition and understanding of the condition among children across the UK, Horace & Co, the popular publishing property from Flossy and Jim, has just partnered with the BookrKids digital library.

Created by Lynette Dare, the co-founder of Flossy and Jim, when she began writing her own stories for her autistic son, Horace & Co uses its stories to encourage children to try new foods, meet new friends and prepare to visit new places.

The books aim to help all children relate to everyday scenarios and understand how the world works, as they discover that everyone has qualities that are different.

The BookrKids App is an easy to use library application for children aged two to ten years old and features a vast library of interactive, educational stories. The library has been curated by a panel of children’s literature experts and each is enriched with animation, narration, and text highlighting.

BookrKids also features a number of games related to particular stories, as well as sound effects and music.

“It’s proven that using the application helps children improve reading skills and develop a good relationship with stories and quality literature, while thanks to the special features, the traditional books are presented to them in a form that they can easily find attractive,” read a statement from the firm.

Opinion: “COVID-19 isn’t the culprit, the truth is: we are” – Russell Dever

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The virus is redefining us as a nation. I am seeing kindness and caring on a scale that I have never witnessed and that is heartening. But let’s not forget that past this crisis there is still a much, much, bigger one playing out and yes, we are just as much in that together as we are now.

Sitting in my study looking out over a timeless landscape that has not changed much since there was a Roman Villa on the rise of the hill opposite, you could be forgiven for thinking that everything is alright with the world. Just three miles away from where I am writing is reputedly the smallest church in Yorkshire. It was the Parish church of the village of Led, a medieval village that disappeared off the face of the earth at the time of the great plague. I think you know where this is going….

The Great Plague was the last major epidemic of bubonic plague to occur in England between the years 1665 to 1666. It originated in China.

Between January 1918 and December 1920 we suffered another pandemic the H1N1 Virus we called the Spanish Flu. A misnomer as it also originated in China.

I am not picking on China, but it is not a coincidence that the current pandemic of COVID-19 also originates there. The speculation being that traditional live markets bring humans into very close contact with animals in such a way that viral infections like Bubonic Plague and Corona Viruses such as Spanish Flu, Bird Flu, SARS and the rest effectively ‘jump,’ from the animal kingdom into the human world.

This time, this particular epidemic has brought the developed world to a screeching halt and in a way that has reminded me of what happened to the village of Led in the mid 17th Century. We have seen that the virus brings with it economic collapse, devastating the foundations of society, the isolation of millions across the globe and for some poor individuals an unpleasant death.

Looking at the ‘fall-out’ from the Virus it is not likely that we will recover quickly. Some companies, some industries may not even recover at all, or if they do, it will be a very long and difficult journey. I doubt that this generation of humanity is going to forget the pandemic as the way we interact socially, economically, politically, and as sovereign states will never quite be the same again.

Good. Yes, I do mean that! Because the word that Coronavirus has suddenly displaced from our worldwide newsfeed and collective psyche is ‘sustainability.’

Just a month ago, the associated industries within Licensing, Toy, Games, Apparel, Media, and Entertainment were buzzing around that word. What it meant to develop sustainability. Now it’s all about the Virus and in the short term so it should be. But in the long term, what we are learning from the Virus is just what the worldwide landscape could look like if we do not get a grip and take control of the planet right now. Virus or otherwise. Because what COVID-19 is presciently showing us is just what our world could look like if we don’t.

You won’t have to worry about shortages of toilet paper because in the extreme, society will have broken down and collapsed to the point where there won’t be a sewerage system. There simply won’t be enough people to run what we have come to regard as normal civilised society.

That is because the entire infrastructure of the planet is already right on the very brink of collapse and COVID-19 is giving you a taste of what that world looks like and its terrifying.

This time will pass. The flu Virus will mutate as it has done in previous decades, scientists will find a suitable vaccine, it will be defeated. But when we all come out of forced hibernation, will we remember just how devastated we felt? Will we recall that it was symptomatic of our failing ecosystem, that in just a few short years we are facing a threat to our world that cannot be reversed as we will have already passed the tipping point? (As many scientists now believe has already happened in the Amazon Delta. Take some time to read about the Aral Sea, that’s where we are headed…)

So, lets in a very strange way be glad of circumstances that give us the opportunity to experience what life and death could be like in circumstances where we ignore all the warning signs. Yes, we are living in unprecedented times. But this is nothing but a walk in the park compared to what is to come if we do not push COVID-19 to one side and replace it with that word ‘sustainability’ once more.

We have a very tiny window in which we can turn the clock back and bring urgent recovery to the natural world. If our Government can, in a few short days, effectively nationalise the UK payroll it only goes to show what we can do if we set our minds to the urgent task of ensuring that we do not end up like the village of Led. A few almost forgotten marks in abandoned fields with a sad monument to what was once a thriving community of living souls.

The virus is redefining us as a nation. I am seeing kindness and caring on a scale that I have never witnessed and that is heartening. But let’s not forget that passed this crisis there is still a much, much, bigger one playing out and yes, we are just as much in that together as we are now.

Let’s put the word ‘sustainable’ back where it belongs. Right at the very top of our respective agendas. You saved lives and protected the NHS by staying home and staying safe. What more could you do as an individual? more so, what more can we do as an industry to save lives and protect the fragile world in which we live?

Russell Dever is the Managing Director of Those Licensing People, a proponent for sustainable growth and change within the global licensing community.

Mattel launches a free online resource for parents and children, Mattel Playroom

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Mattel has detailed the launch of the Mattel Playroom, a new, free online resource that features activities and content from across the company’s portfolio of brands, designed to encourage kids to keep playing while handling school closures, social distancing and self isolation measures.

American Girl, Barbie, Fisher-Price, Hot Wheels, and Thomas & Friends all feature in content delivered across the new platform that includes play-from-home information and tips for parents and caregivers. The Playroom will be updated in the coming weeks with additional content and experiences.

“Our mission to inspire, entertain and develop children through play is more important than ever,” said Richard Dickson, president and COO, Mattel. “We believe in the power of play and how essential it is for child development, especially in these difficult times when so much is in flux for kids and families. We recognise the unique challenges that parents and caregivers are facing right now both working and playing from home and have designed the Mattel Playroom to be a valuable resource for them.”

The Mattel Playroom will be updated weekly. At launch, the resource gives parents and caregivers easy access to content from Mattel brands including printable colouring pages and activities, free and ready-to-play games, crafting and DIY projects, animated, stop-motion and live-action videos and downloadable apps.

The new online hub will also feature learning-at-home tips in partnership with The Toy Association and insights from Mattel’s play experts.

Parents and caregivers also have the opportunity to join the social conversation by using #KeepPlaying.

Magic Light Pictures secures another award win for animated adaptation Zog

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Magic Light Pictures’ animated adaptation Zog has scooped the International Emmy in the Kids Awards Best Animation category at this year’s International Emmy Kids Awards.

The most recent accolade follows Magic Light’s win in the same category at the International Emmy Kids Awards in 2018 with Revolting Rhymes, and marks the second award in as many weeks for the animation. Magic Light also took home the Best Children’s Award at the RTS Awards held a fortnight ago.

Zog is an animated action adventure feature based on the popular book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler. The adaptation was directed by Max Lang and Daniel Snaddon and produced by Michael Rose and Martin Pope of Magic Light Pictures, with animation services by Triggerfish Animation.

The half-hour special premiered on BBC One on Christmas Day 2018 and was the fourth-highest rated programme on the day, achieving 8.8m viewers (including repeat). The courageous tale of a keen but accident-prone dragon who gets into all sorts of mischief while at Dragon School, Zog enjoyed the highest share of any programme in the week 24-30 December.

Magic Light Pictures co-founder Michael Rose, said: “We are honoured that Zog has been recognised with this prestigious award, especially considering the quality of the competition from across the globe. It’s a testament to the wonderful work of directors Max Lang and Daniel Snaddon and to the whole, hugely talented crew who worked on the film.”

The International Emmy Kids Awards are the world’s pre-eminent platform for global excellence in television. Winners of the 8th annual awards were announced on the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences website and social media channels on Tuesday 31 March 2020 following the cancellation of the awards ceremony.

Zog is also proving popular internationally. ZDF Germany is a key partner and the film has also been sold to major broadcasters across Europe, Asia and Australia.

The film is the latest in a distinguished line of award-winning festive family specials from Magic Light for BBC One that have become a Christmas tradition on the channel, including such favourites as The Gruffalo, Room on the Broom, Stick Man, The Highway Rat, Revolting Rhymes and last year’s The Snail and the Whale.

Asmodee Entertainment stikes deal with Dark Horse Comics to develop tabletop art book series

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Asmodee Entertainment is secured a new partnership with Dark Horse Comics to create a series of licensed art books for three of the tabletop gaming titan’s leading gaming properties.

Under the new deal, Dark Horse has tapped into Asmodee’s portfolio of over 300 gaming IPs to curate a collection of unique art books showcasing the artwork from the worlds of Android Universe, Arkham Horror, and KeyForge through a collection of never-before-seen art and commentary.

Delving into the games from the renowned games studio, Fantasy Flight Games, the first of the three art books will debut at the end of this year, or early next year. Dark Horse’s art books have been billed as ‘the perfect companion piece for fans of these beloved game universes.’

“With their amazing range of top-quality art and background books, Dark Horse is a natural partner for capturing the richly detailed and very stylistically different worlds of Arkham Horror, KeyForge and the Android Universe through this first series of artbooks,” said Andy Jones, head of Asmodee Entertainment.

Dark Horse Comics editor, Ian Tucker, added: “As a tabletop gamer with many an Asmodee product populating my overflowing shelves, I’m beyond excited to be working with Asmodee and the rest of the Dark Horse team to bring these books to life.

“Our goal is to showcase these diverse and exciting properties in all their glorious detail, and we can’t wait to share the fruits of this partnership with readers, players and fans.”

Universal Brand Development and LEGO unveil first Fast and Furious LEGO set

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The LEGO Group and Universal Brand Development have unveiled the first LEGO set to be inspired by the global blockbuster franchise, Fast & Furious with the LEGO Technic Dom’s Dodge Charger.

The new build is a 1,077-piece replica of the film franchise’s fearless street racer Dominic Toretto’s 1970 Dodge Charger R/T, which promises to provide a new building challenge as fans gear up for the latest instalment in the Fast saga – F9, scheduled to hit theatres around the world beginning in April 2021.

Once the build is complete, fans can try out Dom’s cool stunts and recreate the daring high-speed chases from the Fast & Furious movies with the model. And when the streets need a rest, the model can be displayed in its famous wheel-stand position.

The authentic replica of Dom’s all-time favourite car is packed with the same realistic details seen in the films. Just like the full-size version, the hood of the LEGO Technic Dom’s Dodge Charger pops open to reveal the iconic V8 engine. Fans can fixing up the project as they build moving pistons, double wishbone suspension, a wheelie bar to show off the car’s best moves and (of course) put the nitro bottles in the trunk.

Inspired by the action-packed scenes from the Fast saga, the 1:13 scale LEGO Technic Dom’s Dodge Charger is designed for builders aged 10 and upwards. The set will be available to pre-order from 30 March from LEGO.com and to buy globally from 27 April 2020.

Samuel Tacchi, designer of LEGO Technic Dom’s Dodge Charger, said: “The high-octane action of the Fast & Furious franchise has captured the hearts and imaginations of petrol-heads the world over. We want to inspire people of all ages to explore their creativity through building whatever their passion is, and we know fans of LEGO Technic and the blockbuster franchise love cool cars and adrenaline-fuelled fun.

“Brought together by that same passion, we worked really closely with the Universal team to bring Dom’s Dodge Charger to life in the most minute detail to inspire Fast & Furious fans and LEGO Technic builders around the world.”

Mattel takes up arms against COVID-19 as it focuses production on face masks and PPE

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Mattel has become the latest toy company to join in the fight agains the deepening COVID-19 pandemic, dedicating a slice if its production line to face masks in order to meet the urgent demand for medical supplies in the US.

In a post across social media, Mattel’s president and COO, Richard Dickson announced the company’s intentions, stating that its design and development teams in El Segundo, California, and East Aurora, New York will be producing face masks from Barbie and Fisher-Price fabric ‘to help meet the significant demand.’

Mattel is also prototyping personal protective equipment, such as face shields, for medical workers – many of which have been faced with the ongoing efforts of caring for those with COVID-19 without the appropriate safety or protective wear.

Mattel now joins a slew of toy companies who have taken up arms in the global fight against the coronavirus in the past week, including the likes of Zimpli Kids and Crazy Aaron who have dedicated portions of their manufacturing processes to the production of hand sanitiser.

Meanwhile, MGA Entertainment’s CEO Isaac Larian launched Operation: Pac-Man to bring supporters together to equip hospitals and healthcare workers with the supplies they need to protect themselves as the global fight against Covid-19 continues.

Speaking of the firm’s own efforts, Mattel’s Dickson, said: “As companies all over do what they can during these uncertain times, we are doing our part. Our design and development teams in El Segundo, CA and East Aurora, NY, are producing face masks from Barbie and Fisher-Price fabric to help meet thee significant demand for these supplies. We are also prototyping personal protective equipment such as face shields for our heroes in the healthcare profession.

“I am inspired by our people at Mattel, as well as the amazing contributions from the toy industry and companies all over the world.”

Edutainment Licensing named distribution UK, Australian and New Zealand distribution partner for Tiny & Tony

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Edutainment Licensing has been appointed as the distribution partner for Riki’s Tina & Tony series in the UK, Australia and New Zealand, as well as worldwide for school and library digital platforms.

The 3D series for pre-school boys and girls follows the adventures of baby hippo Tony and baby elephant Tina, two best friends who love playing games together.

They live in Cookie village with their good friends Foxy, Rabbit, Bear, Piggy and Clever Mouse – this cozy world is a reflection of games which happen inside the children’s rooms, where they make their own rules and where their favourite toys come alive.

In each episode they invent a new game following their imaginations and discover themselves in situations similar to those of real life preschool children.

There is an emphasis on the warmth and trust between the two friends and how they worry about each other which helps children develop empathy for each other.

The series is voiced by children and each episode is a complete story containing an educational adventure from which both parents and children can take away a lesson.

LEGO launches #letsbuildtogether and donates $50m to children in need in fight against coronavirus

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The LEGO Group and LEGO Foundation have joined forces to address the critical needs of children as the globe continues to battle the COVID-19 pandemic, including a $50m donation to kids most in need and the launch of the #letsbuildtogether campaign.

The initiatives have been established to aid all children, from the most vulnerable in refugee camps and war-torn countries, to those currently waiting out a community quarantine.

The LEGO Foundation has donated $50m to support children in need and ensure they have access to learning through play. The donation will be split between three groups of partners, including Education Cannot Wait – a charity that provides education for children caught in emergencies; a selection of existing LEGO Foundation partners whose work is under pressure from COVID-19; and charity partners serving communities where the LEGO Group has a significant presence.

Niels B Christiansen, CEO, the LEGO Group, said: “We know it is difficult that children are away from their classrooms and their regular learning environments. We want to help parents and families do their best and we know that when children play, they learn.

“They learn life-long skills such as collaboration, communication and problem solving. We’re committed to continuing to support, develop and inspire children through this tumultuous time.”

John Goodwin, CEO, the LEGO Foundation, added: “We cannot let COVID-19 setback a generation of children. Research shows that while learning through play is vital for children’s psychological, emotional and cognitive health and development, it also hones the resilience they need to overcome adversity and build their futures.

“We must support all children, including the most vulnerable in society, to ensure they continue to have access to education and develop skills critical for them to thrive in a constantly changing world. We are honoured to be able to collaborate and support Education Cannot Wait and our other partners who are working extremely hard in unforgiving circumstances to bring education, hope and a future to the most vulnerable children.”

This latest donation adds to the $212 million in grants the LEGO Foundation has made during the past 18 months to bring learning through play to children affected by crises. This includes a US$100 million grant awarded to International Rescue Committee and its consortium of partners in December 2019; a $12.5 million grant awarded to Education Cannot Wait in September 2019 and US$100 million grant awarded to Sesame Workshop in December 2018.

Yasmine Sherif, Education Cannot Wait Director, said: “We are grateful that the LEGO Foundation has stepped forward as the first private sector partner to contribute to our COVID-19 response. This generous donation will allow Education Cannot Wait to scale up its support of a coordinated response among governments, UN agencies and civil society organisations to bring a glimmer of hope to children of all ages in the most crisis-affected countries in the world.

“Learning must continue in the midst of the pandemic. The LEGO Foundation’s commitment to learning through play is a shining example of what’s possible and we encourage more philanthropic, private sector and government donor partners to come forward.”

Meanwhile, LEGO has established a second initiative, inspired by the impact of the crisis on children’s education and following estimates from UNESCO that over 160 countries have implemented nationwide school closures during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Figures suggest that more than 1.5bn school-aged children are currently out of school.

To address this, LEGO has assembled its designers, STEM gurus, creatives, and play experts to come up with new ways to provide play-based learning ideas to children and parents. The firm hopes to alleviate some of the strain and stress for families while keeping children engaged and curious.

As a result, LEGO has developed its www.LEGO.com/letsbuildtogether and launched #letsbuildtogether across its social channels as a way to share building ideas, daily challenges set by LEGO designers, retro builds, and live build-a-longs with fans everywhere.

Play experts from the LEGO Foundation will also share ways to inspire learning through all types of play which will help children develop life-long skills such as critical thinking, creativity, and problem solving while out of school.

The hope is that while communities may not be able to meet physically, they can connect, share their creativity and inspire each other.

Julia Goldin, chief marketing officer, the LEGO Group, said: “We’ve been amazed by the creativity shown by children and adults around the world while they stay at home. We’re grateful for the calls, emails and messages from fans who say LEGO play is helping to comfort them.

“It’s more important than ever that we find ways to stay connected, supported and inspired in order to safeguard our health and wellbeing. Play is a great way to do this, and we want to support LEGO fans of all ages to build and play.

“The amazing team at the LEGO Group came up with the idea for #letsbuildtogether as a way to offer support and inspiration to parents as they face the challenge of keeping children engaged and educated at home while juggling their own work and wellbeing.” 

David Pallash, LEGO Play Agent, concluded: “With many parents worried about juggling work with childcare and schooling, play could be one of the easiest, and most fun ways of supporting a child’s education and development. Children say they learn best when activities feel like play, while nine in 10 parents feel that play helps their child develop key skills such as resilience, collaboration, creativity and communication.

“Not only is play essential to a child’s development, but it benefits the whole family too. Parents say that playing with their child is good for their own wellbeing and happiness and importantly in tough times, it also helps them relax and connect with their children.”