Category Archives: Highlight

The Adventures of Paddington coming to MENA

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Paddington, the lovable bear who stole the show at the recent star-studded Platinum Jubilee concert in London, is coming to MENA, thanks to family entertainment media company Spacetoon.

In collaboration with STUDIOCANAL, Spacetoon will broadcast season 1 of 3D animation series The Adventures of Paddington on its Spacetoon TV Channel and Spacetoon GO online streaming service, in September this year. The series will be available with Arabic dubbing.

STUDIOCANAL’s Beatriz Campos, SVP Global Sales and Production, Financing, says: “We are delighted that Paddington, the world’s favourite bear, will be travelling to the Middle East to embark on exciting overseas adventures thanks to our friends at Spacetoon. He is adored by millions, both young and adult audiences, and we are sure his kind, optimistic and easy-going stories will charm all viewers throughout the region.”

 

New senior role for Steve Manners at Licensing International UK

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Licensing International has announced that U.K. managing director Graham Saltmarsh will be leaving the organisation. LI’s current global marketing head Steve Manners will add U.K. managing director to his remit as Licensing International intensifies its focus on the U.K. 

“We are incredibly grateful to outgoing U.K. managing director Graham Saltmarsh for bringing back LEC live and in person, launching the retail programme and for all of his hard work throughout the pandemic, righting the ship and steering our U.K. members through Covid,” says Maura Regan, president, Licensing International.

Based in London, Manners will be responsible for supporting Licensing International’s UK members and expanding the U.K. membership through educational programmes, expanded retail initiatives, and the Young Professionals Network (YPN). He will continue to collaborate with Informa on joint initiatives including BLE and Licensing Expo, as well as overseeing Licensing International’s marketing. This role expansion will become effective on July 18.

“It has been a joy working with the Licensing International team and I am thrilled to continue those efforts with a focus on strengthening our strategy in the U.K., which is a key market for the global licensing community,” says Manners.

Manners first joined Licensing International in January, overseeing global marketing efforts for the trade organisation. He brings extensive industry experience to the role, having held senior management positions at leading companies including 20th Century Fox, Universal, Beanstalk and WildBrain CPLG. His expertise includes a deep understanding of all aspects of licensing, both from a licensor and agent perspective.

BOSS expands Legends series with Freddie Mercury collection

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BOSS has launched a unique capsule collection celebrating the attitude, vision and spirit of iconic singer, songwriter and performer Freddie Mercury. 

Inspired by icons past and present, the BOSS Legends series launched recently with a collection inspired by Muhammad Ali and will continue over the coming months. Each collection is inspired by an iconic individual, with a portion of profits donated to a charity close to their heart.

This June during Pride Month, BOSS presents a limited collection that pays tribute to game-changing performer Freddie Mercury. The capsule contains statement essentials printed with black and white photos of some of his renowned performances, each accompanied by his autograph or a specially created combined BOSS logo and autograph motif. A standout item from the collection is a T-shirt printed with a quote from Freddie that perfectly captures the spirit of the BOSS Legends series: “I’m not going to be a star. I’m going to be a legend!”

The exclusive designs are available in black, white, or a bright yellow inspired by the jacket worn by Mercury during his last tour with Queen in 1986.

The collaboration was made possible by Bravado, Universal Music Group’s brand management division, in partnership with Mercury Songs Ltd. The Freddie Mercury capsule collection is available online and in BOSS Stores globally now, with a portion of all proceeds going to the Mercury Phoenix Trust.

 

Woodlodge partners with Pantone to brighten up British gardens

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Gardenware specialist Woodlodge has teamed up with Pantone, the universal language of colour for designers, brands and manufacturers, for its latest licensed outdoor collection.

Inspired by Pantone’s most popular shades, the new collaboration offers a contemporary and on-trend range of planters designed to appeal to a wider range of consumers. Buyers can get the first glimpse of this exciting partnership at outdoor living show Glee next week.

Featuring the instantly recognisable Pantone logo, the new portfolio aims to inject colour into sales areas and tap into the popularity of bold shades in the home.

The new outdoor planter collection is available in eight different designs which include glazed terracotta, reinforced concrete and fibreclay planters in an array of colours, bringing Pantone’s expertise, vision and design to the gardener.

Pioneering the way in stand-out garden design for 2023 are the Woodlodge and Pantone Dipped Pots. Sleek, modern and aesthetically minimal, the straight-edged planters are available in seven different colours with a bare rim providing a contrasting design. The two-tone finish adds depth and looks great in contemporary and transitional homes, whilst the stone-like texture makes these planters’ equal parts striking and functional. Complete with the iconic Pantone logo, the simple design allows the plants to pack a real punch and reflects the aesthetic sensibilities of the Gen Z and Millennial audience.

Michael Wooldridge, Director of Woodlodge, says: “Pantone is highly recognised both within and outside of the design community and now Woodlodge is bringing it into the garden. The brand has a huge influence on interior design and fashion;Pantone’s Colour of the Year announcement is always influential in trends that are to come. This collaboration will bring a new audience to the garden retailer, as well as appeal to buyers who increasingly believe that interior fashion and design can play an important role in the garden too. We are delighted to add the Pantone licensed range to our ever-expanding portfolio and continue to lead the way in cutting-edge garden decor.”

Woodlodge will be exhibiting the Pantone range in Hall 20 at Glee (28–30 June, NEC Birmingham). For more information on Woodlodge’s new ranges for 2023, visit www.woodlodge.co.uk.

Verdy x Minions streetwear collection to launch this week

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Inspired by the new Illumination film, Minions: The Rise of Gru, the Minions, in collaboration with Universal Brand Development, have teamed with graphic artist Verdy – the founder of streetwear labels Girls Don’t Cry and Wasted Youth – to launch the Verdy x Minions capsule collection, now exclusively at Universal Studios Hollywood, and at Universal Studios Japan beginning June 24.

To celebrate the initiative, celebrity guests were treated to an early preview of the collection at a private party at Universal Studios Hollywood on Thursday, June 16, which featured music by DJ Zack Bia, access to the “Despicable Me Minion Mayhem” ride and the Super Silly Store – where the collection will be available for purchase – as well as photo ops with Illumination’s Minions and Verdy’s Vick character, signature cocktails, appetisers and more.

Pairing two global brands, both with massive appeal, the Verdy x Minions collection reunites the mischievous Minions with Verdy’s signature character Vick after a record-setting sell-out collaboration between the two style icons in 2020. The limited run will feature tees, hoodies, long-sleeve shirts, hats, accessories, and skate decks brought to life with graphics featuring new Minion Otto paired as a duo with Vick. Additional designs include the larger-than-life Minions featured on long-sleeve tees, as well as graphic tees and jackets with a re-imagined design of Verdy’s yellow rose in a can with the Minions creating mayhem around it.

Verdy x Minions is available exclusively at Universal Studios Hollywood, and at Universal Studios Japan beginning  June 24, 2022, with a special limited edition launching July 1, the same day Minions: The Rise of Gru arrives in cinemas, on www.verdyxminions.com.

“I’m happy to continue my relationship with Illumination’s Minions,” says Verdy. “Having my character Vick made into a mascot and interacting with the Minions characters at the Universal Studios theme parks in Hollywood and Japan seems unreal. It is a dream come true.”

“Illumination’s Minions are global icons, and they’ve profoundly influenced pop culture and fashion worldwide,” says Scott Schiraj, Director, Franchise Management, Universal Brand Development. “Our first Verdy x Minions collaboration sold out in under 60 seconds. With fans asking for more, we’re thrilled to collaborate with Verdy on a new capsule inspired by Minions: The Rise of Gru and have strategically partnered with our Universal Studios theme parks in Hollywood and Japan, to exclusively launch the collection – serving fans with early access to these coveted limited-edition drops.”

Verdy, a graphic artist based in Tokyo, has worked with brands such as Nike, Human Made, Instagram, Levi’s, Louis Vuitton, Dover Street Market and more. In 2021, he entered the contemporary art world by having his first solo show at Takashi Murakami’s gallery, Kaikai Kiki in Tokyo.

Animation Café and WildBrain Spark team up for Sunny Bunnies sing-along series

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Media I.M. Incorporated, a London-based content distribution company specialising in premium animation and family entertainment, has announced that Sunny Bunnies Sing-Along, a new spin-off from the hugely popular Sunny Bunnies preschool series, will go into production this month, with the first episode due to be released in August.

The new series of 26 x 2.5-min episodes is a co-production between kids’ and family AVOD network WildBrain Spark, and Poland’s Animation Café, which took over the production and rights to the preschool phenomenon in March this year. The partnership will see Warsaw-based Animation Café ramp up production of the new Sunny Bunnies music sub-brand, which is being developed off the back of the global success of the Sunny Bunnies series, now in its sixth season. Sunny Bunnies has amassed more than 3.8 billion views and 2.6 million subscribers since it launched on YouTube in 2015.

Animation Café aims to produce two new episodes for Sunny Bunnies Sing-Along per month from mid-August. Launching initially on the official Sunny Bunnies YouTube channel, each episode of the new series will feature a popular nursery rhyme, which will be ‘Bunnified’ with funny new lyrics, musical arrangements and the brand’s signature animation. US-based children’s animation veteran Michael Mennies (The Fixies; Kit ‘n’ Kate; Take My Muffin) has been named as the music producer on the new series. Sunny Bunnies Sing-Along is already poised to become a YouTube hit, following the release of a Sing-Along pilot series of 6 x 2.5 mins in July 2021, which has since generated 32 million views.

Media I.M., which manages global distribution rights for Sunny Bunnies and Sunny Bunnies Sing-Along, has also extended its agreement for WildBrain Spark to continue managing the official Sunny Bunnies YouTube channel, as well as distributing both shows via its global network of hub channels for the next five years. WildBrain Spark has been the driving force behind the success of Sunny Bunnies on YouTube since 2016.

Andrei Ledzianeu, Director of Animation Café, says: “While developing a new Sunny Bunnies spinoff, we wanted to add a musical aspect to the franchise. One obvious complexity is that none of the characters in the series can sing; however, we came up with a solution which fits perfectly with the overall feel of the show. We are really excited to have our little fans enjoy this new musical content – the Sunny Bunnies Sing Along.’’

Matt Rennie, VP Content & Operations at WildBrain Spark, adds: “The global success of Sunny Bunnies is testament to the strength of our YouTube network to drive the growth of a kids’ brand – especially one with such captivating and engaging stories and characters. Exploring the development of a sing-along series was a natural extension for the brand, and we’re excited to be working with Animation Café and Media I.M. on the creative execution of new original content as we continue to build the Sunny Bunnies brand on YouTube and beyond.”

Maria Ufland, co-founder of Media I.M. Incorporated, says: “WildBrain Spark has been a very supportive partner to us since we started to manage Sunny Bunnies and has helped us grow the brand into a truly global phenomenon. WildBrain Spark’s endorsement not only speaks to Sunny Bunnies’ creative excellence but also confirms that the brand is highly valuable and highly investable IP – and we have five strong years of YouTube data to prove it.”

Launched in 2015 on YouTube, Sunny Bunnies was picked up in 2016 by Disney Channel, Disney Junior and DisneyNOW in the US. A wave of high-profile sales across Europe and Asia-Pacific followed, as the preschool animation’s popularity built around the world. It now airs in more than 160 countries and is supported by a comprehensive L&M strategy encompassing toys, publishing and apparel.

Sunny Bunnies are five beaming balls that can appear anywhere there is a source of light, from sunshine to moonlight. In each episode, the cheeky creatures bring their fun and games to a different location – a circus, a sports stadium, a park – embarking on mischievous adventures and spreading laughter and happiness. And at the end of every episode, the fun continues with a collection of bloopers.

 

 

 

 

 

AC Milan celebrates 60 years of The Rolling Stones with capsule collection

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With British rock icons The Rolling Stones set to hold a concert at San Siro tonight, Tuesday 21 June, AC Milan has launched the AC Milan x The Rolling Stones capsule collection

The capsule collection is now available in all AC Milan stores and on The Rolling Stones official online shop. The collection consists of five pieces, including two t-shirts, a hoodie, a canvas bag and a gym sack. Each piece bears the iconic “tongue” of The Rolling Stones, which, for this occasion, has been redesigned in red and black, merging the British band’s historic logo with the famous Rossoneri colours to create a one-time special logo. The shirts also feature the text “Sympathy for the Devil”, one of the band’s most famous songs, which references the Devil, a symbol of AC Milan.

This special collaboration – brought together by Bravado, Universal Music Group’s leading brand management division – fuses together the worlds of football and music, which are united by the sheer passion of their fans and the emotional attachment that both can generate, most notably through matches and concerts.

The AC Milan x The Rolling Stones collection is a further step in a process of real growth for the Club off the pitch, with AC Milan particularly active with projects and important collaborations in the world of fashion and entertainment.

 

 

 

Derry Girls star joins voice cast for Aardman’s Lloyd of the Flies

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Multi-award-winning independent animation studio Aardman has launched a new teaser from its latest comedy series, Lloyd of the Flies, to celebrate Insect Week. The studio has also announced Jamie-Lee O’Donnell as a new addition to the voice cast.

Lloyd of the Flies shines a light on the weird and wonderful world of insects. The series follows the adventures of Lloyd B Fly, a housefly and the middle child of 453. Lloyd lives with his parents, his little sister PB and their 225 maggot siblings inside a compost bin. In the series, Lloyd is always accompanied by his best and only friend, Abacus Woodlouse, PB, and eccentric tag-along, Cornea Butterfly. Together they explore the strange world beyond the compost bin, where there is no shortage of lessons for Lloyd to very nearly learn.

 

Developed in-house and supported by the BFI-managed Young Audiences Content Fund (YACF), the new series is Aardman’s first “in-house” CGI production. The studio is working to develop a broad range of partnerships around Lloyd of the Flies, developing the brand’s presence across all major touchpoints including consumer products, attractions and interactive entertainment. An AR experience app will be launched to coincide with the series.

Jamie-Lee O’Donnell (Derry Girls, Screw) also joins the cast as the voice of Louse Hunter, a spider who only hunts woodlice for the challenge and thrill of the chase, and Yard the bumble bee who regularly frequents the local Pancake Diner.

She stars alongside Tom Rosenthal (Friday Night Dinner, Plebs) who voices Lloyd, Alex Lawther (The End of the F***ing World, Black Mirror), who voices Lloyd’s best friend Abacus, and Lauren Patel (Everybody’s Talking About Jamie) who takes on the role of PB. Teresa Gallagher plays Cornea Butterfly, with Callum Scott Howells (It’s A Sin) voicing Lloyd’s nemesis, Berry.

Sean Clarke, Managing Director of Aardman, says: “Launching our first in-house CGI series marks an exciting new development for Aardman as well as the advent of new talent from the studio bringing their ideas to life. With a host of incredible voices alongside exceptional crew, drawn from all over the world, we can’t wait to share Lloyd of the Flies with audiences from this autumn. This comedic new series will entertain the whole family and we are sure that it will create a real buzz in living rooms.”

The 52 x 11’ animated sitcom series will be premiering on CiTV in September 2022.

Layer launches digital marketplace to shake up licensing in the gaming space

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Australian start-up Layer has launched a dedicated digital licensing marketplace to shake up how licensing deals between brands and games companies are managed.

Layer acts as a matchmaking platform between IP holders looking to extend their licensing activities into the games industry, and game developers and publishers seeking licensable IP to include in their games. With major titles like Fortnite leading the way and leveraging well-known brands to attract and retain players, securing IPs has become a vital part of the business of gaming. On the other hand, IP holders are realising its value and increasingly exploring opportunities in games. The whole idea behind Layer is to make the process of finding the right deal and getting it agreed “so simple that anyone can do it”.

The concept for Layer came about after one of the company’s founders, Rachit Moti, successfully licensed a song from his now-defunct band into a NASCAR racing game. Chris was struck by the legal complexities and opaque nature of the licensing process. In 2021, Rachit, together with Chris Illuk, founded Layer to democratise IP licensing by streamlining and simplifying the whole process. Part of this ambition is to enable as many game creators around the world as possible to work with their favourite brands and characters.

Rachit Moti, CEO & Co-Founder at Layer, explains: “Layer matches game developers to IP holders’ profiles based on commercial requirements, audience overlap and thematic fit. For instance, a developer working on a new game aimed at children can join the platform and be matched with popular children’s characters based on the parameters they set. Once two companies are happy with a match, they can proceed to the negotiation phase to agree commercial terms, all of which is handled within the platform.

“With character skins, themed seasons, or co-branded DLC and other in-game purchases, there are so many more ways well-known IPs can get into the gaming space nowadays. Despite interconnected metaverses potentially being years away, we’re already seeing major brands take their first steps inside these virtual worlds, and this trend will only accelerate.

“Historically, securing an IP was a very complex, labour intensive legal process that was normally reserved for large publishers with the capital and right know-how – something I believe is antiquated and no longer fit for purpose in the modern entertainment landscape. We’re here to change that and give developers of all sizes a seat at the table.”

Signing up to the platform is free. Plus, the Layer team also offers licensing advice to companies that may not be familiar with the licensing process.

The Layer marketplace is already home to over 50 gaming companies and more than 150 well-known brands spanning automotive, celebrity, children’s books, comics, fashion, film and TV, and toys. It’s free, and quick, to sign up, while Layer’s onboarding team provides a white-glove experience setting up each new profile to ensure the highest quality matches for game creators and IP holders.

To sign up or learn more, visit: https://www.layerlicensing.com/

 

 

THE INSIGHTS FAMILY I Why embracing multiple touchpoints is key for kids’ IPs

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A global leader in kids, parents, and family market intelligence, The Insights Family surveys more than half a million kids and parents every year, providing real-time data on their attitudes, behaviours and consumption patterns.

In its latest feature for Licensing Biz, the company explains why targeting multiple touchpoints is key to the success of kids’ IPs.

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Creating appeal to the family in today’s marketplace requires understanding a range of behaviours, attitudinal preferences and purchasing influences.

Not only this, but once created, appeal must also be sustained in the long term to achieve maximum engagement. Understanding not only what kids and families like but also ‘where’ they are and how they interact with their favourite brands is essential.

The content that is attracting licensed purchases is constantly changing. While toys related to the favourite TV shows of kids aged 3-9 remain the most popular licensed product category (43%), this category has experienced the lowest year-on-year across all the mediums we track globally (+8%).* The highest growth area is in fact toys related to video games (+25%), while YouTuber related toys are also experiencing a significant level of growth (+14%). In the UK, licensed toy purchases in relation to the favourite video games amongst kids aged 3-9 have grown by +18% in the last 12 months (25%).

As kids are exposed to more content touchpoints, there are more opportunities for new characters and IPs to enter the content ecosystem from different mediums. IPs can be adapted to suit numerous touchpoints that resonate across generations. Batman is a great example of this. Ranking as a top 10 favourite character across all ages from 5-18 when we look globally at our data, various iterations of the character, from LEGO Batman to the Batman Arkham games, have all helped provide a reference point to the character to all age groups. This allows the character to grow and change while still resonating as recognisable IP to this changing audience.

There are also more touchpoints where creators have more autonomy over their content. YouTube and TikTok are prime examples of spaces where kids are now able to enter the market place and build their own brands. Ryan’s World is a prime example of kid creators licensing their likeness to produce toys for their audience. On average, he is the second most popular YouTuber globally amongst 3-5s on account of his presence in the UK, US and Canada. Creators now have more ability than ever to leverage their likeness in other industries. In the UK, YouTuber related toy purchases have increased +62% year-on-year among 3-9 year olds, compared to the +17% growth in the case of films. This shows how content is shaping the kids ecosystem, in terms of attitudes, behaviours and consumption patterns, highlighting the importance of understanding the next generation.

The Insights Family’s content report discusses the importance of embracing multiple touchpoints in further detail. It also looks at today’s popular IPs, the linear TV vs streaming battle and the issue of platform saturation, exploring these trends and how they are impacting content creators and companies in the industry. Sign up to download your free copy of our report here: get.theinsightsfamily.com/content2022.

* All statistics taken from the last six months of Kids Insights data (November 2021 – May 2022)

Kids Insights surveys 7,780 children every week aged 3-18. Parents Insights surveys more than 3,800 parents of children between the ages of 1 and 16 every week. Both services operate in 22 countries across six continents and in total survey more than 469,040 kids and 228,800 parents a year. This means that the company interviews a new family member somewhere in the world every 45 seconds.