Category Archives: Highlight

Day 2 Licensing Expo keynote to focus on location-based entertainment

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Licensing Expo 2022, produced in partnership with industry trade association Licensing International, has lined up senior executives from Falcon’s Beyond, Robert L. Ward, and Moonbug as 2022 keynote panellists confirmed to speak at the Day 2 keynote.

Slated to be held on the expo floor in the Licensing U Theatre at 12-12:45pm on May 25 and accessible to all free of charge, the expert-led panel, moderated by Bay Laurel Advisors, brings together some of the most respected names in the industry for a trend-driven presentation titled “From Dream to Reality: The Power of Brand Licensing for Location-Based Entertainment.” To tune in to the keynote panel, register for Licensing Expo for free here.

Day 2 keynote presenters include:

  • Cecil D. Magpuri, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder, Falcon’s Beyond
  • Robert L. Ward, President and Chief Executive Officer, Robert L. Ward, Inc.
  • Susan Vargo, Head of Live Events and Location-based Experiences, Moonbug
  • George Wade, President, Bay Laurel Partners (moderator)

“It will be an honor to join my esteemed peers on-stage at Licensing Expo as a keynote moderator speaking to a topic that I’m incredibly passionate about,” says George Wade, President, Bay Laurel Partners and keynote moderator. “LBE tells stories through experiences and has the unique ability to bring people together, transcending generations and fanbases. It’s really a remarkable and expressive way for brands to build long-lasting relationships with their audience and reach new consumers – I hope the panel ignites new ideas and spurs continued innovation! I look forward to the keynote and reconnecting with the licensing community this May for much needed face-to-face conversation.”

Anna Knight, SVP of Licensing, Informa Markets, says: “We could not be more excited to share the first 2022 Keynote details with the Licensing Expo community. Keynotes are a cornerstone of Licensing Expo; our expert-led presentations bring to light new ways of doing business in a way that taps into consumer trends and arms the audience with inspiring ideas that will drive business forward in a meaningful way.”

This year’s keynote presentations are strategically designed to arm the licensing industry with actionable insights into the latest trends shaped by changing consumer habits and preferences and how brand licensing can be more strategically used as a marketing tool. The Day 1 keynote will be announced shortly.

In addition to keynote presentations, Licensing Expo and Licensing International offer robust educational programming to provide newcomers and experienced licensing professionals insights into the $292 billion licensing industry, with sessions geared toward arming attendees with new tools to drive business forward. The Licensing U agenda, now live and accessible here, spans a range of topics from the basics of licensing – the new rules of retail, to an exploration into the promising world of NFTs.

Only six weeks away, the event continues to attract new registrants daily – new and notable attendees include Fanatics, Kohl’s, Alibaba Group, Burlington Stores, Kimberly-Clark, Gamestop, Moleskine, Coppel, Hot Topic, Walmart, Hybrid Apparel, Mad Engine, Hallmarks Cards, Bioworld and more.

Learn more about Licensing Expo at www.licensingexpo.com

 

Laura Ashley taps IMG for global brand expansion

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Iconic brand Laura Ashley has appointed IMG to expand fashion, home and lifestyle products that reflect the British heritage brand in a fresh, modern way in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, China, India and the Middle East.

The multi-year deal will see IMG work with the brand to create new Laura Ashley apparel, footwear, accessories, beauty and homeware items through carefully selected licensing and retail partnerships and collaborations.

In 2021, Laura Ashley successfully relaunched a home collection with its main retail partner NEXT on a dedicated e-commerce platform and in over 50 NEXT stores across the UK.

Carolyn D’Angelo, Managing Director, Brands at Gordon Brothers and President of Laura Ashley, says: “We are excited to be working with IMG to expand the brand globally. Following the success of our spring home collection relaunch and fall fashion collaboration last year, it is clear there is a strong customer appetite for a new wave of Laura Ashley lifestyle products. We look forward to seeing the first designs of our 2023 fashion relaunch spring to life for the brand’s 70th anniversary and for the next generation of Laura Ashley customers.”

Tim Smith, Vice President, IMG, commented: “For almost 70 years, Laura Ashley’s iconic, quality-led designs, prints and patterns have continued to inspire the most coveted styles and fashion trends around the world. We are eager to leverage this rich heritage and the Laura Ashley archive, comprising more than 98,000 pieces of unique artwork, textiles and footage, to develop relevant new fashion and lifestyle products for existing and new fans of the brand.”

For more information on Laura Ashley, visit www.lauraashley.com.

For more information on licensing opportunities in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, China, India and the Middle East, visit www.imglicensing.com.

Sprayground partners with Hershey’s for sweet fashion collab

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Sprayground, the streetwear brand known for its artistically designed backpacks, accessories and apparel, is teaming up with America’s number one chocolate brand, Hershey’s, to create a mouthwatering crossover set to delight those who have a sweet tooth for chocolate and an eye for fashion.

Known for collaborations with notable celebrities and companies, including Marvel, Nickelodeon, Star Wars, Spike Lee and Shaquille O’Neal, Sprayground will be introducing a hyper-realistic backpack that features an augmented-reality Hershey’s chocolate bar, featuring the iconic Hershey’s chocolate bar “pips”, as well as Sprayground’s iconic shark bite that fans know and love.

Sprayground has integrated functionality into the backpack design with designated partitions for USB sticks, wires, cables and a laptop, a velour pouch  and zippered compartments.

Founder and Creative Director of Sprayground, David BenDavid, says: “The Sprayground and Hershey’s collection is the perfect pairing of style and sweetness. Bringing our iconic brands to life beyond the chocolate shop and into the world of streetwear is an exciting way to connect with our fashion-forward customers who like to think outside of the box!”

“Expanding Hershey’s beyond the candy aisle and into fashion creates a unique opportunity to connect chocolate lovers and fashion seekers nationwide,” adds Ernie Savo, Senior Director, Licensing, The Hershey Company. “Partnering with David and the team at Sprayground to create a mouthwatering, almost edible Hershey’s backpack confirms that this will be a must-have accessory of the summer.”

The collection will be available from April 15 at www.sprayground.com and exclusive U.S. stores nationwide, including Hershey’s Chocolate World.

Sonic the Hedgehog speeds into Roblox

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Leading professional game developer and publisher Gamefam, in collaboration with SEGA of America, Inc., today announced the launch of Sonic Speed Simulator, an all-new game featuring SEGA’s entertainment icon, Sonic the Hedgehog.

The game is now available on the Roblox platform and marks the first time that a world-renowned, AAA gaming character has been officially featured on Roblox.

In the game, players will be able to level up and gain speed by running through multiple unique worlds while racing against friends to earn rewards, including pets that can increase stats and Sonic character skins. Players can also expect regular weekly updates and will earn an exclusive community Sonic the Hedgehog skin once the game has received 10,000 “likes” from players.

This is the latest in a long line of partnerships in which Gamefam has been entrusted to unlock the metaverse for well-known brands. The company previously worked with leading global innovators including Ubisoft, Mattel, Sony, MGA and more to create highly engaging experiences for players, helping brands to connect with Roblox’s rapidly expanding user base.

For more information on Gamefam, including details around the company’s recent $25M Series A funding round led by Konvoy Ventures, visit https://gamefam.com/ or follow the company on Twitter at @gamefamstudios.

Peter Rabbit’s birthday celebrations continue with community gardening campaign

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To mark 120 years since the publication of Beatrix Potter’s much-loved children’s classic The Tale of Peter Rabbit, publisher Penguin Random House Children’s has today announced a three-year partnership with non-profit garden designers Grow2Know CIC, on behalf of Frederick Warne & Co. (owners of The World of Peter Rabbit).

A pioneering non-profit dedicated to reconnecting people with nature and each other through the creation of community gardens, Grow2Know reclaims blank spaces and transforms them into gardens designed to contribute to local residents’ health, happiness and wellbeing.

The seed for Grow2Know was sown by North Kensington resident Tayshan Hayden-Smith (pictured) in response to the Grenfell Tower fire tragedy in 2017, when residents came together to green up spaces in the area to uplift and unify the community through nature – inspiring the creation of the Grenfell Garden of Peace.

The new Grow With Peter Rabbit initiative has been developed by Penguin Random House Children’s in partnership with Grow2Know to bring the benefits of gardening and spending time in nature to as many families as possible. Drawing on Peter Rabbit’s playful nature, as well as his insatiable appetite for vegetables, Grow2Know’s founders – semi-professional footballer, community activist and TV presenter Tayshan Hayden-Smith, garden designer and TV presenter Danny Clarke (aka ‘The Black Gardener’), and Ali Yellop, agriculturist, chef and herbalist – will design and deliver three Peter Rabbit community garden makeovers between now and 2024.

The first Peter Rabbit-inspired garden is currently in development in a disused plot attached to St Clement & St James CE Primary School, Kensington: a school in the heart of the community where Grow2Know was founded, and the borough in which Peter Rabbit’s creator, Beatrix Potter, was born on 28 July 1866. The garden will be unveiled just before the school breaks up for the summer holidays. An illustration showing the design inspiration for the garden, by visual artist Kai McKim, is revealed today.

Interactive areas for children to read, play, grow and learn, inspired by the adventures of Peter Rabbit and friends, have been incorporated into the garden, which can be used by the local community to host workshops and events from this summer onwards.

Members of the public from across the UK will also be encouraged to Grow With Peter Rabbit from home during National Children’s Gardening Week 2022 (28 May to 5 June) when a series of filmed How-To videos, led by Tayshan Hayden-Smith, will be released.

TV presenter and farmer JB Gill will take part in the challenge on his social media, as will married couple Jake and Hannah Graf MBE, named by the Guardian as one of the UK’s most influential LBGTQ couples, who – alongside their current careers and parenting responsibilities – are vocal advocates for the trans community. Along with their families, they will be joining in with the Grow With Peter Rabbit challenge to demonstrate how easy and fun it is to grow your own vegetables at home using simple, upcycled objects and a packet of seeds.

In addition, primary school teachers across the UK will have access to specially created Grow With Peter Rabbit learning resources, meaning multiple opportunities for parents and children to engage with the 120th-anniversary campaign.

Supporters of Grow With Peter Rabbit include garden centre retailer Dobbies and London-based non-profit organisation Octavia.

Dobbies, the official garden centre partner for The World of Peter Rabbit this year, will be donating plants and materials for the school garden in support of the initiative, as well as hosting free Peter Rabbit workshops in stores nationwide.

Octavia, founded by the Victorian philanthropist Octavia Hill to support Londoners of all ages, is providing a contribution towards the build through its Better Lives Community Fund, which supports projects which reduce loneliness and isolation amongst young people in London.

The London Sock Exchange puts best foot forward with TfL Collection

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The London Sock Exchange has launched its TfL Collection – a range of socks developed in collaboration with Transport for London, celebrating the city’s most iconic transport through the medium of yarn. The deal was secured by TSBA Group, TfL’s global licensing agency.

The London Sock Exchange team has worked closely with the TfL brand and design team to create six distinct pairs of socks. The socks have been knitted using The London Sock Exchange’s signature 200-needle knitting process – giving each pair a finer, stronger, more comfortable finish, and next-level detail in design. The socks are available in single pairs (£12) or special edition giftboxes (£30 or £60) from thelondonsockexchange.net.

  • The Tube Inspired by the London Underground trains – this pair features a Tube train spiralling around the wearer’s ankle.
  • The Routemaster Inspired by the world’s most famous bus: the double-decker red Routemaster – this pair features an all-over pattern made of buses rendered in isometric, 3D form.
  • The Platform Inspired by the platform safety graphics including yellow and white lines, and the ‘Mind The Gap’ mantra – this pair features a simple monochrome graphic with yellow and white lines.
  • Tickets, Please Inspired by London’s Oyster cards, travelcards and railway tickets – this pair features an all-over pattern built up of colourful tickets familiar to any Londoner.
  • The Gingerline & The H&C Inspired by Harry Beck’s iconic map of the London Underground. These socks feature repeat patterns made up of interchange stations as represented on TfL’s line diagrams – creating a polka-dot style sock with a London twist.

A promotional campaign featuring striking photography shot on the TfL network is set to run across national and social media.

“TfL owns a unique, vibrant and rich history, represented by iconic design such as the roundel and tube map,” says Jo Edwards, Head of Global Licensing, TSBA Group. “At their British studio, The London Sock Exchange took these assets to create exclusive designs which feel playful, contemporary and full of charm.”

Ellen Sankey, Brand Licensing Manager at Transport for London, adds: “This creative collaboration celebrates the instantly recognisable and historic design of London’s transport network, showcasing classic British heritage with a twist. By using eye-catching designs such as the iconic Routemaster bus, as well as modern designs like the Oyster card in the range, these new products are a great way for people to take a little bit of London with them wherever they go.”

To view the socks, visit  https://thelondonsockexchange.net/pages/tfl-lookbook , and http://thelondonsockexchange.net/

For more information on the collaboration, or to find out how you can partner with the TfL brand, contact TSBA at enquiries@tsbagroup.com.

Lalique Group to create fragrances for Superdry

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Lalique Group has announced a worldwide perfume licensing agreement with global fashion brand Superdry, in a deal brokered by IMG.

Under the terms of the agreement, which will initially run through 2032, Lalique Group will exclusively create and distribute a collection of women’s and men’s perfumes for Superdry, with the first fragrance being launched in spring 2024. Building on Superdry’s reputation within key markets including the UK, US, Europe, and Asia, the fragrance will be distributed and marketed through Lalique Group’s global distribution network.

Founded in the UK in 2003, Superdry has a significant global presence. It operates in over 50 countries with 228 physical stores, around 480 franchisees and licensees, and Superdry’s digital experience superdry.com retailing to over 100 countries worldwide.

Roger von der Weid, CEO of Lalique Group, says: “We are delighted to be Superdry’s exclusive perfume partner. Working with this young, dynamic brand with its distinctive style offers us a great opportunity to further expand our brand portfolio and to increasingly target the young generation as part of our client base.”

Julian Dunkerton, CEO of Superdry, adds: “We’ve got great momentum in our brand and its distinct style choices. These will be complemented by our new Superdry fragrances and I am excited to be partnering with Lalique Group, a premium partner very consistent with our brand. Importantly, our agreement also includes strong commitments on the sustainability of how the fragrances are produced and packaged.”

With the new licence for Superdry fragrances, Lalique Group is expanding its existing perfume portfolio, which includes the brands Lalique Parfums, Brioni, Jaguar Fragrances, Bentley Fragrances, Parfums Grès, and Parfums Samouraï.

WildBrain CPLG rebrands lifestyle division as ASPIRE

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Entertainment, sport and brand licensing agency WildBrain CPLG has rebranded its rapidly growing Lifestyle division under the new name “ASPIRE”, with an expanded mandate to accelerate growth of the agency’s Corporate & Lifestyle brands portfolio.

The dedicated group and new brand, flying under the WildBrain CPLG banner, reflect the agency’s commitment to growing meaningful opportunities for existing and new partners in the Corporate and Lifestyle space. ASPIRE will focus on building long-term strategic partnerships for leading global brands across such categories as art and heritage institutions, FMCG, fashion and lifestyle, hardware and automotive. As part of the rebrand, the agency has today unveiled a dedicated logo for the ASPIRE division.

Under the continued leadership of Victoria Whellans (pictured), who takes on a new role as Commercial Director for ASPIRE (previously Group Brands Director, Lifestyle), the rebranded division will aim to develop innovative, relevant and authentic brand extensions, creating new consumer touchpoints and opening incremental revenue streams for partners. Whellans will work closely with Jasen Wright, VP North America, to drive the global strategy for ASPIRE, with a focus on North America as a key territory of initial expansion.

The ASPIRE group will grow with new hires in key locations worldwide, including New York, Europe and APAC, supported by international and local sales teams.

Whellans says: “The launch of ASPIRE underlines our commitment to delivering dedicated, best-in-class global partnerships to harness the huge opportunities we see in the growing Corporate and Lifestyle sector. Since we launched our Lifestyle division two years ago, we have generated new revenue streams for multiple licensor brands, extending them into new areas through our global reach and leading capabilities in licensing and brand management. We look forward now to building on this strong foundation with the ASPIRE brand.”

Jasen Wright adds: “The licensing of Corporate and Lifestyle brands continues to see meaningful growth as brands explore new paths outside of their core use to reach consumers at retail. We see significant opportunity to expand this part of our business and look forward to opening up new avenues for our partners to help build their brands for the future.”

ASPIRE’s diverse Corporate & Lifestyle brand portfolio includes recently signed partners such as Sauber Motorsports and its Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN, The Master Lock Company, the University of Southern California and internationally renowned artist Romero Britto. Its partners also continue to launch innovative collections, with recent highlights from OSPREY LONDON X Sitting Spiritually, who have launched a premium garden furniture range this month; a new OSPREY LONDON Spring-Summer footwear collection from 33 Joints; a Karcher role play toy range in development from Simba Dickie Group; and a Yale University apparel and accessories collection launching at Reliance Fashion Lifestyle, India’s largest fashion retailer.

Additional new deals across the portfolio include University of Southern California and Truecare Kids in India for apparel and accessories, and Kikkoman and Park Agencies for apparel, nightwear, accessories and home gifting for UK, Eire, Germany, Poland, Denmark and France.

Find out more at  www.cplg.com/aspire

 

FIBA appoints IMG as FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023’s global master licensee

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FIBA, the International Basketball Federation, has appointed IMG, a global leader in sports, events, media and fashion, as global master licensee of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023, taking place 25 August – 10 September 2023 in Japan, Indonesia and the Philippines. This is the first time in the history of the competition that multiple countries will host the global tournament, which will feature 32 national teams.

The quadrennial tournament, which is the International Basketball Federation’s flagship men’s event, has grown exponentially since the first event in 1950, with a record 32 national teams (increased from 24) competing in 2019 in host country China, across eight cities, where Spain were crowned champions for the second time.

The multi-year deal will see IMG work with FIBA to develop an extensive range of merchandising products celebrating the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023. A broad line of products featuring the event logo, its brand identity and marks, the Naismith Trophy, the mascot and the host countries collection will be available for fans in a variety of items, sizes and colours. The programme will include products in key licensing categories such as apparel, toys and games, souvenirs, accessories, stationery, homeware, bags and luggage, and more.

These items will be available on-site at official promotional events in the lead-up to the World Cup and at all five venues hosting the 2023 competition, as well through other promotional and FIBA partner activities during the event. They will also be available at official fan shops and retailers in the Philippines, Japan and Indonesia and via the official online store.

David Crocker, FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 Executive Director, says: “The Global Master Licensee is an important component in the build-up to the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 and the road to the Philippines, Japan and Indonesia. Basketball fans are very passionate, and we want their World Cup experience to be engaging, memorable and exciting, and one they will never forget.”

Bruno Maglione, President of Licensing at IMG, adds: “The FIBA Basketball World Cup is the pinnacle global event of one of the world’s most popular sports. Basketball at the national team level has grown increasingly competitive with an ever-widening number of countries having a realistic chance to win the top prize – generating more passion, excitement and fan engagement. We will capitalise on that, working with FIBA to create an all-encompassing merchandise and retail programme for fans in all three host countries, as well as those tuning in from around the world.”

For more information on licensing opportunities, visit www.imglicensing.com.

Black Lives Matter expands licensee base with tonies

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As part of its growth efforts, BLM Licensing Committee is expanding its licensee base.

The groups’ growth has been accelerated further with a partnership with kids’ audio system tonies. Through this partnership, the Black Lives Matter Licensing Committee will work closely with tonies on their product development strategy and creative development.

Saphia Maxamed, founder of Black Lives Matter Licensing Movement, says: “Our group has identified an area where they can help move the industry forward by being a voice on how to diversify product ranges to ensure both authenticity and inclusivity. We are aware that not every category can carry our licence, after all, the products and partners need to make sense. However, we are extremely happy the industry is open to working through how they can best support the movement and make the changes needed to be supportive of the black community. Being able to give guidance to such an important partner in our industry is incredible, and we’re looking forward to working together.”

All monies received from the partnership will be donated to a beneficiary that will be announced in due course.

Liz Peters, Head of UK & Eire Portfolio at tonies, comments: “We are really happy to be working with the BLM Licensing Committee. Here at tonies, we are committed to diversifying our portfolio and it is extremely important to us to make sure we are getting the look and feel of the product, as well as the content, right. The advice and support we have received from the team at BLM Licensing has been invaluable to us in developing our portfolio of Tonies and we are delighted that our fee will be going back into the community.”