Category Archives: Highlight

Natural History Museum appoints TSBA as international licensing agency

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The Natural History Museum’s mission to create advocates for the planet is set to be amplified to a global scale as the Museum announces it has appointed specialist brand agency TSBA as its international licensing agent.

The appointment of an international licensing agency will enable the Museum to expand its hugely successful programme around the world. Housing more than 80 million specimens, the Museum’s collection tells the incredible story of our planet’s natural history, which is also helping to unlock answers to the big issues facing humanity today. It is this invaluable IP and the Museum’s international reputation that TSBA will employ to build licensing partnerships that resonate with a global audience. The Museum will continue to run the UK licensing programme directly. 

Maxine Lister, Head of Licensing, Natural History Museum, says: “We are so excited to embark on this journey with TSBA. This is a significant milestone for the licensing programme as we seek to build brand awareness in international territories. We are delighted to be expanding the programme internationally to build relevant collections that will genuinely resonate with today’s consumers.”

Ian Mallalue, CEO, TSBA Group, says: “We are thrilled to be working with the Natural History Museum to extend their brand, and awareness of the invaluable work that they do, to a wider audience around the world. The calibre of partnerships already in place in the UK is a fantastic benchmark for the extension of the licensing programme into new territories.”

TSBA will be exhibiting at the Licensing Expo (booth F124) and available to meet with interested parties to discuss opportunities for the licensing of the Natural History Museum brand. Please contact enquiries@tsbagroup.com for more information or to book a meeting.

BBC Studios expands Bluey global licensing programme

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Bluey, the Emmy Award-winning sensation that has been winning over preschoolers and families worldwide, is expanding its licensing programme with new partners. The new agreements include:

  • Ten new partners and renewal US & Canada licensing deals
  • New Latin America licensing agents appointed for Brazil, South and Central America
  • Five new UK licensing deals announced
  • Licensing agents appointed for Israel as 13 new EMEA licensing deals unveiled, including Ravensburger (France, Italy and Nordics) and a pan-European deal with HTI Toys (inc. UK)

These licensing agreements follow closely on the heels of the announcement of BBC Studios’ new global partnership with Hasbro for co-branded Monopoly Jr. and Trouble games along with Play-Doh. VTech has also announced details of its Bluey products which are set to go on sale this year in the US, Canada, Australia and the UK, with New Zealand and France to follow.

Widely lauded by parents and press alike for its heartfelt and funny portrayal of family life and celebration of play, the series follows Bluey, a 6-year-old Blue Heeler dog, who loves to play and turns everyday family life into extraordinary adventures that unfold in unpredictable and hilarious ways, bringing her family – including younger sister Bingo and parents Bandit and Chilli – as well as friends and community into her world of fun and discovery.

Season three of Bluey debuted on ABC TV in Australia in November 2021 and is set to be released globally on Disney platforms later this year.

U.S. and Canada

BBC Studios has shared new details on deals with Ball Bounce & Sport inc. dba Hedstrom, Berkshire Fashions, Centric Beauty, Daytime Enterprises, Disguise, Fathead, Heys International, Horizon Group, Mad Engine and Party City Holdings inc. for a range of new products spanning multiple key categories. From apparel and arts and crafts to party supplies, and more, the Bluey introductions will begin rolling out to major retailers across the US and Canada this spring.

Suzy Raia, SVP Consumer Products and Business Development, BBC Studios Americas, says: “Love for Bluey continues to soar all across the globe, and we’re excited to be teaming up with each of these category-leading companies to provide many new ways for preschoolers and their families to experience the fun and imaginative adventures that make the series such a standout.

“Consumer demand for Bluey products is very strong and we look forward to working with these partners to develop offerings that will enhance fans’ connection to the brand every day.”

New Bluey partners to introduce product this year include:

  • Ball, Bounce & Sport inc. dba Hedstrom – playballs, hoppers, sport ball, over the door hoop and bowling sets (US)
  • Berkshire Fashions – headwear, cold weather and rain accessories etc. (US)
  • Centric Beauty – bath and cosmetics (US)
  • Daytime Enterprises ­– costume character appearances to be led by Nelvana (Canada)
  • Disguise – new costumes and accessories following multi-year renewal agreement (US)
  • Fathead – wall graphics, standees, peel & stick wallpaper and decals etc. (US)
  • Heys International – bags & luggage, backpacks and lunch bags etc. (Canada)
  • Horizon Group – arts & crafts (US)
  • Mad Engine – apparel and accessories (US); apparel, sleepwear, underwear, hosiery and winter accessories, via Nelvana (Canada)
  • Party City Holdings inc. – party goods, balloons, Halloween costumes and accessories (US & Canada – via Nelvana in Canada)

In the US, Bluey has been a runaway hit since its 2019 debut. The standout series was Disney Junior’s #1 ratings driver with kids 2-5 in 2021. It also ranked as the #1 most-watched TV series in 2Q21 and a top 3 show every quarter in 2021. In addition, Bluey owned two of the top 10 cable telecasts of 2021 with kids 2-5.

In Canada, Bluey continues to rank #1 on Disney Junior with children 2-11 and kids 2-5 on La Chaine’s Disney Junior (Canadian French language channel). Bluey was also the #2 programme with children 2-5 on Disney Junior and kids 2-5 on Disney Channel’s Junior block.

Latin America

To further extend the footprint of the global hit through the region, BBC Studios appointed as its licensing agents Panaderia for Mexico, Lotus Global for Brazil and Tycoon for South and Central America (excluding Mexico and Brazil).

In Mexico, the Bluey licensing programme keeps expanding into other categories following Bandai’s very successful toy launch last year. Starting this June and extending into the autumn, new licensed assortments ranging from party goods to apparel and publishing will launch in Mexico, with the following partners: Granmark, Ruz, Stor, Union Kids, Novelty Corp and Penguin Random House.

The Bluey toys produced by global master toy licensee Moose Toys are distributed locally by Candide in Brazil and are expected to launch in Q3 2022. Apparel, accessories, publishing and party items will follow to market in time for Christmas. Later this year, even more fun and engaging Bluey products will be distributed locally by Imexporta in Chile and Peru; Caffaro in Argentina and Boing Toys in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay, Central America and the Caribbean islands.

Australia and NZ

In the series’ homeland, Australia, the well-established Bluey brand is booming, and continues to add to an impressive portfolio of partners across ANZ. 2022 kicked off with an incredible ‘Only On Airbnb’ partner experience which saw the iconic Heeler home recreated ‘for real life’ in Brisbane (generating 60 million+ social impressions), and was followed up with announcements that Bluey is the first ever Australian brand to partner with Colgate, won Preschool License of the Year at the Australian Toy Awards for the third year running, and that the Aussie-made stage show would be touring the U.S. following a wildly successful Australian run – with more major announcements to come soon in the FMCG space.

In Australia, Bluey remains the number one kids show on broadcast television and is the most-watched series ever on ABC iview. With season three already airing in Australia, the show has performed 2.3 times above timeslot average audience (total audience) and the new episodes achieved 14 of the top 20 broadcasts on free-to-air TV in 2021. Just this week, it was announced that 11 more Series 3 episodes will air in Australia from mid-June.

“Australia is the home of Bluey and fans here are absolutely buzzing about the new June episodes,” says Kate O’Connor, Head of Licensing and Brands, BBC Studios ANZ. “The second half of 2022 will bring more exciting Bluey news that we can’t wait to surprise our fans with!”

UK

Bluey is hugely popular with audiences in the UK. It was the most-watched programme on CBeebies for Q1 2022 with toys from both Moose Toys and Ravensburger making Bluey one of the hottest brands since its launch in shops last year and gaining the title of number-one new preschool toy brand in 2021 according to NPD data. Earlier this year Crayola released products in the UK, with sales already exceeding expectations. Building on this success, BBC Studios are announcing new deals with 8th Wonder (wooden toys), Spin Master (wooden puzzles – extending their US range into the UK), Moonpig (cards and gifting), Drew Pearson (accessories) and an expanded deal with Ravensburger (details below in EMEA section).

“8th Wonder is delighted to be working with BBC Studios on such a prestigious property,” says Louise Tyrer, Managing Director, 8th Wonder. “The Bluey wooden toy range will be fun, educational and produced using FSC certified wood. All product and packaging will be designed with sustainability in mind. With over 25 years’ experience creating distinctive, innovative wooden toys, we look forward to delivering an award-winning range through this fantastic brand.”

In addition, BBC Studios has just signed a new pan-European deal (inc. UK) with HTI Toys for large role play, cases, bubbles and outdoor toys.

Alison Downie, Global Licensing and Brand Director for HTI Group, says: “We are thrilled to be partnering with BBC Studios once again on another hugely popular preschool show. Bluey will be made very welcome here at HTI Toys and we are excited to develop a range of toys that complement Bluey’s love of play.”

Partners launching products in the UK this year include:

  • Character Options – Weebles and arts & crafts
  • Danilo – calendars, cards and gift stationery
  • H&A – health & beauty
  • MV Sports – wheeled toys
  • Stor – lunchboxes, bottles and tableware
  • William Lamb – footwear and bags

EMEA

Bluey continues to grow its licensing programme in EMEA and existing licensee Ravensburger has signed a new agreement with BBC Studios to cover France, Italy and Nordics and to expand its range of products in the UK including the introduction of proprietary games including Memory and Labyrinth.

 “We are delighted to extend our UK and Ireland contract for Bluey to France, Italy and the Nordic markets and to extend our very long standing and excellent partnership with BBC Studios,” says Tim Hall, Managing Director, Ravensburger. “We launched Bluey in the UK last autumn/winter and our puzzles were immediately best sellers in all the accounts where they are listed and that success continues to build. Bluey is a special property that young children and their parents adore. We look forward to further growth in the UK and Ireland and establishing the property in the new territories.”

BBC Studios has also newly appointed Mediogen as licensing agents for Israel; joining CLM (South Africa), France tv distribution (France), Maurizio Distefano Licensing (Italy), Partner Plus (Greece) and Plus Licens (Nordics, Baltics and CEE).

New Bluey licensees in EMEA include:

  • Diramix – stickers, sticker albums and cards (Italy)
  • Dolfin – seasonal confectionery (Italy)
  • Dulcop – bubbles (Italy)
  • Educa Borras – wooden puzzles and arts & crafts (France)
  • Grabo – balloons (Italy)
  • Graffiti – back to school and stationery (Greece)
  • Halantex – home textiles (Italy)
  • HTI Toys – large role play, cases, bubble toys and outdoor toys (pan-Europe inc. UK)
  • Liniex – scooters and scooter accessories (Nordics)
  • Multiprint – stamps, stationery sets and colouring sets (Italy)
  • Ravensburger – puzzles and games inc. Memory and Labyrinth (France, Italy and Nordics)
  • Showagent – meet & greet (Nordics)
  • Skybrands – apparel and home (Nordics)

LICENSING EXPO: Q&A with Elan Freedman, EVP, Surge Licensing

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Entertainment development company Surge Licensing represents a wide roster of brands, including Diane Alber, Spy Ninjas, WEBTOON, Epic 7, Stanley Kubrick, Fiesty Pets, Munchkin and more. Licensing Biz caught up with EVP Elan Freedman ahead of Licensing Expo to talk about the company’s latest deals, and what we can expect to see over the coming months.

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Can you tell us, in a nutshell, what Surge Licensing does? What’s your USP? Do you have a particular area of expertise?

Surge Licensing is an IP development and brand management company.  Our ultimate goal with our partners is to evolve their nascent and growing brands into fandoms and franchises. While we engage as agents and advisors and absolutely focus on licensing rights strategies, we see ourselves as a business that helps creators and licensors enhance and fill out their operations to achieve our shared goals.

Can you tell us some of the brands Surge Licensing represents? Which brands will you focus on at Licensing Expo?

Our portfolio of brands is completely community driven. Diane Alber’s publishing brands have an incredible community of parents and teachers seeking the best SEL content for their children and students. WEBTOON has a massive community of manga readers that love to read their titles the way users scroll TikTok or Instagram, and the Stanley Kubrick Archive’s fandom is filled with film buffs and creatives who have been eternally inspired by his work.

We’re presenting Spy Ninjas, which has 46m YouTube subscribers who participate in the videos by finding clues and commenting below the videos. Epic 7 has a diehard fanbase of mobile game players, who make every Twitch stream a #1 viewed event.  We have several vinyl toy properties, like Thimblestump Hollow, where collectors look forward to every single product drop.

Can you tell us what makes WEBTOON so exciting, and such a good fit for Surge Licensing? Are there any deals in the works yet, or is it still early days?

Pardon the repetition, but we seek ways of working with fandoms to deliver the programmes they desire. The WEBTOON community is massive and loyal, and it couldn’t be more exciting to build a programme for this audience. It’s a digitally native business, affording a direct relationship with our readers and data to help understand where they are and what they want. Fifteen million U.S. monthly active users, 11.5 billion global monthly page views and a constant stream of innovative content make WEBTOON the ultimate springboard for franchise behemoths (plural)!

Can you tell us more about Spy Ninjas, and how the licensing programme is progressing?

The programme has been growing beautifully. Soon, we’ll be able to share our media plans around animation, a live tour, family entertainment centres and additional YouTube formats. Expect to see Spy Ninjas everywhere shortly. We already have fantastic key partners in Playmates, Scholastic, Event Merch, Bentex and more, but the sky is the limit for Chad, Vy and Ninjas team.

The TOMY [global master toy] deal for Diane Alber is pretty big news. Where else would you like to take the brand?

The TOMY programme is just the beginning of the partnership business.  Diane is selling millions of books per year through Amazon, and we will be scaling the publishing programme globally through key partnerships.  Parents and teachers are demanding arts and crafts, school supplies, apparel, sleepwear, bedding and more. Now that TOMY is anchoring the programme and widening retail support, we’re going to begin diving into these new categories.

What are your goals at Licensing Expo? If you have your ‘dream’ show, what would that involve?

This year’s Licensing Expo is all about finally seeing all of our friends and colleagues. We’re going to gauge success by how many people are hanging out and connecting in our booth. Hopefully we meet plenty of new people as well. Ultimately, we’re looking forward to the party that will be the Licensing Expo show floor. Come by booth J120 and interrupt our meetings! It happens anyway, so let’s all lean into it!

Does the licensing industry ever get old? Or are you seeing any trends/innovations that are exciting you? Experiential/live events? The metaverse? NFTs?…

It truly never gets old. It’s a business driven by creative innovation AND product innovation, so there is never a short supply of inputs and outputs to craft opportunities. Going forward (and currently), we are going full throttle into Web3, but with a long-term approach. We view Web3 as a great disruptor, in the sense that the technologies afford direct communications with consumers/fans in ways never seen before.  We believe Web3 becomes the engine to offer unique experiences, content and product directly to fans who are seeking them. The data capture and direct communications create a flywheel, allowing brand managers to build hyper-targeted programmes, requested by the community.

Surge Licensing will be at Licensing Expo, Mandalay Bay Convention Center, Las Vegas, from 24-26 May 2022. 

Golden Goose appointed to help The Rocky Horror show celebrate a licensing timewarp

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Global stage and film phenomenon The Rocky Horror Show has appointed Golden Goose to develop an international licensing programme in time to help celebrate the brand’s 50th anniversary.

Since its debut at the Royal Court Theatre in London back in 1973, The Rocky Horror Show has been ever-present on stage and in cinemas, spanning the globe with its infectious concoction of sexual liberation, b-movie pastiche and rock’n’roll.

Andy Leighton, the show’s music publisher, says: “The original production’s rallying cry of ‘Don’t dream it, be it’ helped to build a community of people otherwise excluded from mainstream culture. With continuous revivals of the show across the globe, the movie (the longest-running screened production in history) and the 50th anniversary coming up, multiple generations are ready to rediscover the wonderfully liberating effect of The Rocky Horror Show. We are very excited to see where Golden Goose takes us on our licensing journey and can’t wait to get started.”

Lisa Shapiro, lead consultant for Golden Goose, says: “The Rocky Horror Show is known around the world for its exuberance, boldness and a storyline that was light-years ahead of its time. A licensing programme that creates fantastic products featuring these iconic characters, lyrics and graphics for the massive fanbase is well overdue.”

Adam Bass, Director of Golden Goose, adds: “With the show’s message of liberation now effectively having been delivered, The Rocky Horror Show is set to stand out on-shelf as a fun, socially relevant, multigenerational brand, that also features transexual aliens.”

Interested potential licensees and international sub-agents should contact Golden Goose for more information.

Bravado and Epic Rights centralise licensing roster, with Lisa Streff at the helm

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Bravado, Universal Music Group’s merchandise and brand management company, announced today the centralisation of both Bravado and Epic Rights’ licensing rosters. Bravado acquired Epic Rights in 2019 and the new structure includes the expanded purview of Epic Rights’ SVP Global Licensing, Lisa Streff, to oversee global licensing strategies across both companies.

Streff will work closely with the existing Bravado and Epic Rights retail and brand management teams and will report to Jesper Poulsen, General Manager, Bravado.

Bravado’s president Matt Young states: “We are continuing to grow our global licensing and retail business with a more unified and complementary strategy across both Bravado and Epic Rights, while maintaining individual strategies and priorities. With Jesper leading the team as General Manager and Lisa driving global licensing strategy, we have the right team in place to ensure growth for our artists in this area.”

Jesper Poulsen adds: “I have had the pleasure of working with Lisa for close to 10 years and proud of how our team built Epic Rights’ global retail footprint. Lisa has been instrumental in developing innovative campaigns, and creating unique licensing opportunities and partnerships with best in class licensed products for our artists and their fans. Creating this strategic alignment of our retail and licensing teams gives us a competitive advantage unmatched in the industry.”

“Since joining Epic Rights, it has truly been an incredible ride to play an integral role in the growth of what was essentially a start-up organisation to now being part of the biggest global merch company,” says Lisa Streff. “This is a magical time to be in music licensing and merchandising. I am honoured and excited to collaborate with Matt, Jesper and the Bravado team in this expanded role and to work with some of the biggest artists in the world under the Bravado banner, while continuing to spearhead the programmes for our Epic Rights’ talent.”

Streff joined Epic Rights in 2014 as SVP of Licensing. In 2019, Bravado acquired Epic Rights with an artist roster including KISS, AC/DC, Def Leppard, David Bowie, John Lennon, Britney Spears, and NSYNC, among others. Streff will continue to spearhead the development of global merchandising licensing programmes for Epic Rights’ artists while adding the oversight of programmes for Bravado’s clients, such as The Rolling Stones, Black Sabbath, Sex Pistols, Run DMC, Beastie Boys, Spice Girls, Avril Lavigne and many more.

BLE closes applications for Retail Mentoring Programme after record intake

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Brand Licensing Europe (BLE) has officially closed applications for its Retail Mentoring Programme (RMP) for the first time in its 12-year history, following a record uptake with 82 buyers from 19 different retailers. 
The annual programme kicked off last week when 78 RMP delegates attended Licensing International’s Licensing Essentials course in central London. This year’s programme will culminate at BLE after a day hosted by a brand owner or agent, and another licensing for retail conference in September. Hosts this year are selected from BLE exhibitors and include Acamar, Beanstalk, Bulldog, Bravado, Hasbro, NHM, TSBA, The Point 1888, Warner Brothers and Wildbrain CPLG.
This year’s RMP participants are as follows, including first timers Next, Pets at Home, DFS and New Look:
1.      Asda George
2.     Character.com
3.     DFS
4.     Fat Face
5.     John Lewis
6.     M&Co
7.     Marks & Spencer
8.     Matalan
9.     Moonpig
10.   Morrisons
11.     New Look
12.    Next
13.    Paultons Park
14.   Pep & Co
15.    Pets at Home
16.   Sainsbury’s
17.   Tesco
18.   The Entertainer
19.   Truffle Shuffle
Truffle Shuffle Brand Director Aby Sollitt-Davis says: “After 10 years working in licensing there is always something new to learn. Even if it is how to get a better deal. You have to know what to look and ask for in the deal memo to be able to make it work best for you. Business is a two-way street, and all agreements require both sides to understand what is at stake for both parties to come to a happy agreement. Finding creative freedom in a world of rules needs a course like the Retail Mentoring Programme to allow creative minds and business sense to come together in a fun and relaxed environment.”
A further 27 delegates, the majority RMP alumni from retailers including Tesco, Selfridges, The Very Group, Sainsbury’s, Groupon, character.com, Pep & Co, Marks & Spencer and The Entertainer, were also in London on 12 May to attend the first ever Brand Licensing Retailers’ Academy masterclass.
BLRA is a joint partnership between BLE and Licensing International and attendees heard sessions on children’s licensing from experts including:
·       Jenny Kieras, Chief Revenue Officer and Matthew Smith, Head of Industry Foresight at Insights Family
·       Gary Pope, Co-Founder and CEO at Kids Industries
Plus, a panel on toys featured Andrea Gornall, Sales and Licensing Director, 8th Wonder; Melanie Beer, Licensing Director EMEA, Amscan International and Richard Hollis, Licensing Consultant.
Head of Retail, Licensing at Global Licensing Group, Laura Freedman-Dagg says: “We’re delighted with the range of retailers on the Retail Mentoring Programme this year. It’s the biggest group we’ve ever had, and the buyers have already shown such enthusiasm for licensing. The Licensing Essentials Course was the perfect start to the programme, and I know that the licensor host days will once again be a highlight.
“It was also exciting to host the first Brand Licensing Retailers’ Academy, which we launched in partnership with Licensing International earlier this year. The majority of the academy delegates have previously completed our mentoring programme so it’s fantastic to be able to provide ongoing learning opportunities in the lead-up to BLE. I’d like to thank all of the retailers who took the time to attend – we know how difficult it can be to secure time out of the office, but I hope they returned to work feeling reinvigorated and ready to discover their next big licensing opportunities.”

Rocket Licensing to rep Miffy in the UK and Eire

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Mercis, which manages the works of Dick Bruna, has appointed Rocket Licensing to represent global icon Miffy in the UK and Eire.

Mercis has been keen to secure a new home for Miffy after previous manager DRI Licensing’s decision to wind down the company.

Marja Kerkhof, MD of Mercis, says: “Our mission is to share Dick Bruna’s work, and Miffy, with as many people as possible, but always with respect for art and the world of a child. It is never easy to make this kind of decision when working with someone’s oeuvre, but it is my belief that Miffy will be in good hands with Rob, Charlie and the Rocket team. We look forward to this collaboration and the exciting possibilities it could bring. But first let’s focus on 2023, Ýear of the Rabbit!”

Rob Wijeratna, Joint MD of Rocket Licensing, adds: “We are so excited to welcome Miffy on board at Rocket Licensing. She is a classic design brand and is instantly recognisable across generations, cultures and languages. Her iconic status is largely down to the simple, impactful design and the key core values of fun, imagination and simplicity.

“Miffy’s licensing programme spans all ages and categories and has featured some exciting collaborations and experiential events, and as we approach the Year of the Rabbit in 2023, our team is really looking forward to building on that and taking the consumer products programme to the next level.”

Universal Brand Development taps Moose Toys for Trolls collectibles

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Moose Toys has entered a multi-year global partnership with Universal Brand Development for DreamWorks Animation’s blockbuster Trolls franchise. Under the agreement, the toymaker will develop a range of collectible figures to arrive at retail in autumn 2023, to support the highly anticipated release of the newest Trolls movie in cinemas on 17 November 2023.

In addition to creating the official Trolls collectibles for the movie, the agreement allows for cross-collaboration with original brands from Moose.

“Universal Brand Development tapping us to create collectibles for the Trolls franchise is an extraordinary opportunity,” says Menal McGrath, vice president global licensing, Moose Toys. “We cannot wait to infuse our Moose magic into movie collectibles and to bring the vibrant, colourful, diverse and inclusive Trolls into several of our key original brands.”

Moose has built a reputation for its hyper-creative collectibles and for delivering a depth within each of its brands that keeps the narrative fresh and ever-expanding. As the popularity grew for its original brands, licensing became the next logical step for the toymaker. The licensing agreement with Universal Brand Development will include an expansive line of Trolls collectible figures highlighting new characters introduced in the new film, plus evergreen movie favorites like Poppy and Branch. The line will feature a deep variety of colours, finishes and hair and range of products that will be supported by a robust marketing campaign.

“Moose is an incredible partner with a keen understanding of what makes the Trolls franchise so beloved by fans,” says Joe Lawandus, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Global Toys, Hardlines and Publishing, Universal Brand Development. “Throughout the process, they demonstrated a clear and creative vision for not only our movie-inspired collectibles, but some truly innovative thinking about how to infuse Trolls into their popular brands. Extending the Trolls narrative beyond the film and collaborating with Moose is a tremendous value-add. We could not be more delighted about this new partnership.”

The addition of DreamWorks Animation’s Trolls expands Moose’s licensed portfolio, which already includes Bluey, Octonauts and Strawberry Shortcake.

Macmillan Children’s Books swoops in to acquire publishing for Odo

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Macmillan Children’s Books has acquired the publishing rights for Odo. The warm-hearted and funny animated series about a little owl and his forest friends was commissioned by Milkshake (Channel 5) in the UK, who premiered the series in August last year, and KiKA in Germany. The series has also been sold in to more than 150 other territories across the world including  HBOMax in the USA, Canal+ in France, ABC in Australia, SVT in Sweden and NRK in Norway and RTE in Ireland.

The series is a co-production between BAFTA winning Belfast-based Sixteen South and Polish animation studio Letko.

This latest acquisition is a key new property for Macmillan Children’s Books, strengthening its list of preschool licensed brands. It follows a deal with Lego for preschool novelty publishing, which launched in August 2021.

Nicole Pearson, Publishing Director, Brands & Media, Macmillan Children’s Books, bought world rights in all languages for six books, with an option to acquire further formats and titles, from Vicky Miller, Licensing Director at Bulldog Licensing. The first tranche of picture books will launch in the UK in March 2023.

Nicole Pearson says: “We are delighted to be working with Bulldog and Sixteen South on the delightful Odo – we were captivated by the beauty of the animation, how comedic and warm the stories are and, above all, by Odo’s strong central message of self belief and respect for others. With such an impressive array of international broadcast partners already on board, we believe Odo has real global potential and look forward to seeing this little owl spread its wings far beyond its forest home.”

“Finding the right publisher for Odo was incredibly important for us – a partner who recognised and shared the important values and ethos of the show, and with whom we could build a long-term partnership,” says Bulldog’s Vicky Miller. “We are delighted to be partnering with Macmillan Children’s Books as our global master publisher. The team at Macmillan Children’s Books impressed with their plans, creative ideas and passion for Odo. I can’t wait to see our first titles hit shelves next year.”

Belinda Ioni Rasmussen, MD, Macmillan Children’s Books, adds: “We continue to invest in key licensed properties where we know that MCB can bring something unique and exciting to a brand, and publishing innovative and exciting formats that will engage children and families. This is exactly one of these properties and we are very pleased to be working in partnership with Sixteen South Studios on developing Odo’s world through our preschool publishing.”

Sixteen South’s preschool series Odo prepares to take flight in the US and Latin America

Bulldog signs new licensees for Care Bears

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Bulldog Licensing has added two new licensees to the consumer products programme for much-loved heritage property Care Bears, providing new categories for the brand’s many fans across the globe.

Character World is bringing its fashion-forward style on board to offer a range of bedding and soft furnishings for fans, allowing them to recreate their very own Care-a-Lot clouds in their bedrooms.

Meanwhile, Eat Glitter and Shine has partnered with the property to design a collection of homewares featuring the globally recognised bears. The range of FDA-approved kids’ and baby dinnerware will include melamine dishes, bowls, plates, and cups. The products will be dishwasher safe, and will bring the likes of Cheer Bear, Bedtime Bear, and Love-a-Lot Bear to mealtimes.

First created in 1982, Care Bears is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. The Care Bears have grown through various looks and styles, but the rainbow colours, main characters, and unique belly badges, along with the core messages of kindness and caring, remain the same.

Care Bears is loved by all generations, from children who watch the Care Bears: Unlock the Magic animated television series, to their parents and grandparents, who are able to relive the magic from their childhoods, and everyone in between.

Sophie Yates, Licensing Executive, Bulldog Licensing, says: “For a property to still be partnering with new licensees for fresh, modern collections in its 40th year is incredible. Care Bears continues to spread relatable and important messages of kindness, care and love, and as such, has a place in the hearts of so many. We are careful to select best-in-class licensees to really portray the core of the Care Bears, and we are certain that Character World and Eat Glitter and Shine will be fantastic new partners for Care Bears as it celebrates its milestone anniversary.”

Roubina Tchoboian, VP of International Licensing, Cloudco Entertainment, adds: “Our 40th anniversary year continues to offer Care Bears’ fans new, fun, and exciting collaborations with like-minded partners that share our core values. We look forward to seeing how our global audience will react to the Eat Glitter and Shine collections.”