Category Archives: Highlight

ARTiSTORY’s Seasons of Impressionists creatives set to travel the world with uin Footwear

Posted on by

Art and cultural IP specialist ARTiSTORY has licensed global creative rights excluding China to the Spanish footwear brand uin for launching a new collection in partnership with the National Gallery Company, London.

The DTC brand, known for its colourful art-inspired footwear, has chosen ARTiSTORY creatives inspired by timeless classics housed in the National Gallery, London, by the great artists of Impressionism: Vincent van Gogh, Claude Monet, Georges Seurat and Edgar Degas. The exclusive collection, entitled “A Timeless Journey”, combines ARTiSTORY’s contemporary take on masterpieces such as Vincent Van Gogh’s Sunflowers and Monet’s The Water Lily Pond  with uin’s innovative and comfortable footwear, perfectly showcasing their core passions – travel and art.

“uin Art Travel Shoes is determined to create a new category of travel shoes, combining simple but natural and comfortable products with creative artistic patterns,” says Fernando Acevedo, Cofounder and Chief Designer of uin. “We are excited to set forth on this timeless journey together with images of the National Gallery’s masterpieces.” 

Seasons of Impressionists is one of the 17 creative collections available to be licensed via ARTiSTORY’s unique “Artefacts to Merchandise” and storytelling model, inspired by the archives of its museum partners.

ARTiSTORY’s Founder and CEO Yizan He says: “We’re delighted to be working with uin on this collaboration with the National Gallery Company and look forward to joining this timeless journey with our partners, witnessing art stories travelling the world.”

DC and Warner Bros mark Black History Month with new comics, books and merch 

Posted on by

Throughout February, DC and Warner Bros Consumer Products will honour the artistic expression and contributions of Black comic creators, artists and characters by unveiling a new collection of comics, books and merchandise.

The company will also launch initiatives to support and develop Black creators and inspire a new generation of comic book professionals. In addition, Milestone Compendium One allows DC fans to explore the anthology of Black Super Heroes in a 1,300 page book available today.

Announced during DC FanDome 2021, The Milestone Initiative was created by DC and Milestone Media, along with Ally Financial Services, to identify, develop and mentor aspiring comic book professionals of colour. Applicants selected for the Milestone Initiative Development Program will receive both in-person tutelage from working comic book professionals, in addition to virtual education through the prestigious Joe Kubert School of Cartoon and Graphic Art. After study, attendees will be paired with other comic book professionals to create new, original stories within the Milestone Universe.

“Continuing our rich history of amplifying Black stories and talent, the launch of our Black History Month selection of new comics, books and merch celebrates the Black visionaries amongst us and collectively promotes and supports the telling of stories from the Black perspective,” says Anne Leung DePies, senior vice president and general manager of DC. “Focused on boosting representation of aspiring comic book professionals of colour and introducing them to positive apprenticeship in the art, The Milestone Initiative will pave the way for change by creating a place for individuals to be supported by mentors and connect over a shared love for comics.”

DC kicks off the celebration by releasing a series of new comics and books, as well as new Black History Month products at the DC Shop. In collaboration with Milestone Comics, titles Static Season One, Hardware Season One and Icon and Rocket Season One celebrate powerful DC Black Super Heroes, now available at participating comic book stores and digital platforms.

DC spotlights Black creators and characters in comic books including I Am Batman, written by John Ridley, NAOMI Season Two, co-written by Brian Michael Bendis and David F. Walker, with art by Jamal Campbell, Nubia and the Amazons, by Stephanie Williams with art from Alitha Martinez, released today, February 1, plus Aquamen, by Chuck Brown, Brandon Thomas, Sami, Basri and Adriano Lucas debuting February 22nd. Green Lantern, by Geoffrey Thorne, Tom Raney, and Marco Santucci, and Suicide Squad (featuring Amanda Waller) by Robbie Thompson and Eduardo Pansica are also all available at participating comic book stores and digital platforms.

DC released a new Young Adult Graphic Novel as well as Collected Editions including Milestone Compendium One, REPRESENT! on sale today and later this month Batwing: Luke Fox on sale February 15th.  Other titles featuring Black Super Heroes include The Other History of the DC Universe by John Ridley, Andrea Cucchi and Giuseppe Camuncoli; Green Lantern John Stewart: A Celebration of 50 Years, Mister Miracle: The Great Escape by Varian Johnson and Daniel Isles; and Nubia: Real One by L.L. McKinney and Robyn Smith, all available at participating comic book stores and digital platforms.

DC UNIVERSE INFINITE Digital Subscription Platform will feature a free selection of curated titles spotlighting Black DC Super Heroes. For more information and a free trial, fans can check out the website at www.dcuniverseinfinite.com.

The DC Shop today revealed designs featuring DC Super Hero and flagship Milestone character Virgil Hawkins, aka Static. Virgil takes front and centre on a collection of items, including tees, hoodies and sporting goods highlighting his electromagnetic powers. Also available exclusively on the DC Shop is a brand new skate deck featuring Static, retailing for US $99.

Additional merchandise coming to the DC Shop this month features the all-new DC Black History Month logo and key art by artist Alitha Martinez and the return of the popular Juneteenth key art by Milestone co-founder Denys Cowan.

Fans can delve into the history and enduring influence of Black characters and creators this month and throughout the year at https://shop.dccomics.com/en-US/collections/black-history-month.

Merchantwise Licensing secures Oodies for emoji – The Iconic Brand

Posted on by

Merchantwise Licensing has secured a Valentine’s Day partnership with The Davie Group’s Oodies for emoji – The Iconic Brand.

As the Australian licensing agent for emoji – The Iconic Brand, Merchantwise Licensing has brought together the two much-loved brands for a special Valentine’s Day collection for adults.

Featuring the eggplant emoji brand icon for the men’s Oodie design and the peach emoji brand icon for the female Oodie, the cheeky and playful range launches this month in time for Valentine’s Day. Each product can be found via the official Oodie website www.theoodie.com and will be available for sale across the Australia/New Zealand, European and UK regions.

To complement the emoji – The Iconic Brand X Oodies offering, the deal also sees The Davie Group launching a cheeky range of emoji brand socks and underwear in the coming months.

“The Davie Group is very excited to be partnered with the global icon that is emoji – The Iconic Brand.  We have some fantastic product in development and look forward to sharing it with the world throughout 2022,” says The Davie Group Founder, David Fogarty.

“We are pleased to have partnered the much-loved emoji brand with The Davie Group’s Oodies for this playful Valentine’s range. emoji – The Iconic Brand continues to be a very popular brand here in Australia and New Zealand as well as around the world so we anticipate this collaboration will be a resounding success,” adds Kerryn McCormack, Merchantwise Licensing’s General Manager, Licensing.

Marco Huesges, CEO and Founder of the emoji company, comments: “We can’t wait to see the eggplant and peach emoji brand icons come to life on Oodies for Valentine’s Day. We are thrilled to be partnering with The Davie Group for this fun collection and look forward to the roll-out of some great emoji branded underwear and socks for the family.”

Hello Kitty partners with eyewear brand For Art’s Sake

Posted on by

Sanrio has announced a new collaboration with U.K. eyewear brand For Art’s Sake, with the release of two unique styles of sunglasses and jewellery gift boxes in selected stores across China.

The limited-edition collection features iconic Hello Kitty details and nostalgic shapes, and with only 300 pieces of each style made, the collection is sure to be sought after by the brand’s many fans.

“Welcoming 2022 in style, we are extremely excited to announce our collaboration with Sanrio centered around the iconic and loveable Hello Kitty,” says Xiwen Zhang-Makridis, Creative Director, For Art’s Sake. “For the past five years, For Art’s Sake has striven to produce unique designs, handcrafted from luxurious materials, using innovative technology and bold details. So it only seemed natural to work with the Hello Kitty team and produce an exclusive and collectable collaboration, one of which features two totally unique styles.”

Available in three different colourways, Kitty One and Kitty Two sunglasses are accompanied by either a limited-edition 18-carat gold plated eyewear chain or bracelet and come presented in an opulent pink gift box, signed by Hello Kitty herself in the form of a golden bow. The gift box contains a secret jewellery compartment for storing your bracelet or chain, as well as the exclusive Hello Kitty x For Art’s Sake hand-made faux leather eyewear case.

The collection is available from I.T, PUYI Opticals and Shanghai Code Opticals.

To find out more about the collection, click here.

 

Gambling tech company Playtech teams with The Jockey Club

Posted on by

Playtech, the world’s leading gambling technology company, today announces a new five-year partnership with The Jockey Club, the largest commercial group in British Horseracing.

The exclusive agreement will see Playtech develop a range of cross-product content based on the famous races and racecourses operated by The Jockey Club. The deal was brokered by Creation i-Gaming and Metrostar.

Under the new agreement, Playtech will have rights to develop a range of content across its best-performing product verticals including Casino, Live Casino, Poker, Virtual Sports and Bingo. The first content from this partnership will be launched in time for this year’s Cheltenham Festival, including a RNG casino game that will be the latest addition to Playtech’s Sporting Legends suite.

The Jockey Club, founded in 1750, is the largest commercial group in Britain’s second-biggest spectator sport, operating 15 racecourses nationwide, The National Stud, Jockey Club Estates, Jockey Club Catering, Jockey Club Live, Jockey Club Services and its charity, Racing Welfare.

Alongside its industry leading products and services, Playtech has worked with its licensees to become synonymous with efforts to raise industry standards in responsible business and safer gambling. By partnering and working with the leading operators and suppliers in the industry Playtech led efforts to develop the industry’s first code of conduct on safer game design. Moreover, through Playtech Protect, Playtech has pioneered the use of research, data and artificial intelligence to develop products to identify at-risk customers and deliver tailored safer gambling interventions.

James Frendo, Casino Director at Playtech, says: “At Playtech, we are committed to developing the most engaging branded content. By partnering with an iconic sporting institution such as The Jockey Club, we are able to create a full range of exceptional and exciting cross-product content. Partnering with globally recognised brands is a key pillar of our branded content strategy as we look to deliver a unique and engaging responsible gambling experience to our customers.”

Charlie Boss, Chief Commercial Officer at The Jockey Club, adds: “We are delighted to partner with Playtech, whose industry leading software and expertise will help translate the success of our historic brands into the iGaming market for the first time. Playtech also share our values on putting safer gambling at the heart of their products.”

B&LIS & SiLC unite to create two-day licensing conference in June

Posted on by

Two leading European licensing conferences are uniting this summer with the aim of providing business leaders and decision makers with action-oriented, thought-provoking content on the future of the licensing industry and create a critical moment in the diary to enable knowledge sharing and networking.

Brand & Licensing Innovation Summit Europe (B&LIS), organised by Informa Markets, the team behind Brand Licensing Europe, and the Sustainability in Licensing Conference (SiLC), presented by Products of Change, will make their in-person debuts on 21 and 22 June (respectively) at London’s Royal Geographical Society following successful virtual programmes in 2021 attended by hundreds of international delegates.

B&LIS will kick-off the two-day conference on 21 June and will spotlight retail and future trends through interactive panel discussions as it tackles next-gen topics such as NFTs, the Metaverse, the ever-changing content landscape, breakthrough licensing categories and how to maximise opportunities at retail.

The following day, SiLC will bring sustainability to the fore on 22 June, deep-diving into crucial issues such as sustainable supply chains, driving social change through entertainment, leading brands, retail treatment and best practice from licensees and suppliers, showcasing what is required of business to be ‘future fit’.

The resulting event is set to be a critical date in the diary for global leaders and decision-makers from the world of brands and consumer products to enjoy panel discussions, live Q&As and roundtables, as well as a lively networking reception on both evenings to build new connections in-person.

“B&LIS and SiLC share the same ethos: a desire to deliver genuinely thought-provoking, action-led content that has the power to challenge leaders and drive positive and profitable decision-making in relation to everything from product development and distribution to consumer engagement and commerce,” says Anna Knight, VP of licensing, Informa Markets. “Uniting the two events means we can create a key moment in the summer when European licensing leaders can connect, learn and share, while also saving on time and travel.”

Amplifying Anna’s belief, Helena Mansell-Stopher, Founder and CEO at Products of Change, adds: “Never before has our industry needed to transition at the scale that is required to achieve the 2030 and 2050 Global Goals. This transition provides both an opportunity to create the future of how the industry operates, as well as commercially benefiting business. SiLC will bring visibility of new solutions, discuss how to implement and showcase new future technologies to lead the industry to a profitable and sustainable future.”

B&LIS one-day tickets are priced at £275 and can be purchased from Brand &Licensing Innovation Summit Europe.  SiLC tickets one-day tickets are priced at £275 and can be purchased from Sustainability in Licensing Conference. POC and Licensing International members can enjoy a 20% discount on these rates (non-cumulative). Alternatively, two-day tickets can be purchased from either site for the discounted rate of £525.

Lisle Licensing inks Sebnini deal for Style Sisters

Posted on by

Lisle Licensing has announced that Sebnini Trading, one of the UK’s leading experts in candles and home fragrance, will be the home-fragrance partner for aspirational lifestyle duo Style Sisters.

The luxury candle and diffuser specialists, who have more than 30 years of experience in developing bespoke candles and diffusers for the private label industry, are a perfect partner for the Style Sisters, who have created a brand followed by thousands, all keen to aspire to their expertise in home styling and eye for beautiful, yet functional, lifestyle products.

Sebnini will work with the Style Sisters – Gemma Lilly and Charlotte Reddington – to curate a range of candles, reed diffusers and room sprays that are synonymous with the design duo’s brand and vision. As discussed frequently by Gemma and Charlotte in their social media postings, Style Sisters believe that “Scents change everything in a room, whether it be a candle for the living room or bathroom or an everyday diffuser that draws attention to the room when you walk in.”

The range will focus on creating beautifully crafted sustainable vessels that are a joy to open, use and also gift.

Commenting on the appointment of Sebnini as Style Sisters’ candles and home fragrance partner, Deborah Haigh, Commercial and Retail Manager at Lisle Licensing says: “Both experts in their field, we are delighted by the Style Sisters and Sebnini partnership. Sebnini’s wealth of knowledge and experience shines through, and this makes them perfectly placed to create a range that’s so close to the girls’ hearts.”

Sebastian Schyberg, Sales Manager at Sebnini Trading, adds: “Sebnini is incredibly excited to work with the Style Sisters to create an innovative range of home scents that embodies the carefully curated brand that Gemma and Charlotte have worked hard to create. Gemma and Charlotte are great collaborators and their vision for the range is something Sebnini feels privileged to be able to bring to the market. We hope those who follow the Style Sisters fall in love with this range as much as we have.”

In the past 12 months since appointing Lisle Licensing, the duo have continued to grow their brand with high-profile celebrity home transformations, appointed Hunter Price for storage and organisation solutions, and attended Brand Licensing Europe in November for a Q&A session followed by a book signing of their coffee table title Helping You Live an Organised and Stylish Life.

Character World to continue sustainability drive in 2022 and beyond

Posted on by

Leading manufacturer and distributor of licensed home textiles and accessories Character World has reaffirmed its commitment to sustainability in 2022 and beyond. 

For the past two years the company has been working on and delivering against its sustainability plans, looking at all aspects from product to packaging, shipping to consumer care.

Adam Howarth, Character World’s Supply Chain Director, says: “We believe that a good night’s sleep doesn’t have to cost the earth. Sustainability is not just something that we have approached from a single angle or for a single range, we are looking at it across the whole business… We know that this is an ongoing project and a journey that will continue to develop and evolve in collaboration with our partners.”

Some key changes that Character World has made start with the products themselves. The company now uses only responsibly sourced BCI cotton, plus it is offering retailers the option of recycled polyester for their polyester and polycotton bedding products.

Character World’s latest development, Coverless Carefree Bedding, uses recycled plastic bottles for the filling, helping to reduce plastic waste and the subsequent amount of plastic in our oceans.

The company has also collaborated with Lego and JYSK for sustainable packaging options. The packaging for the Lego City bedding was developed using recycled card, is fully recyclable and contains no single-use plastic.

Mark Champkins, Learning Lead, LEL Sustainability Transformation at Lego, says: “Character World has been proactive in supporting us to work toward our aim that by 2025 all LEGO packaging will be made from renewable or recycled materials and will be easy for consumers to recycle, to avoid it ending up in landfill. We look forward to continue working with Character World towards our 2025 goal.”

In addition, Character World is committed to driving post-consumer purchase developments via its partnership with WRAP, who make it easy for customers to easily find their local recycling banks.

The company is also proud to be a member of Products of Change and one of the sponsors of the Sustainability in Licensing Conference, and is working within the licensing community to drive sustainable change by championing ideas and best practices across the industry.

“Character World is committed to helping make the world better for future generations, and we look forward to working in partnership with suppliers, licensors, retailers and consumers on the journey,” concludes Adam Howarth.

 

 

ZAG appoints Carlotta Caracciolo as Consumer Products VP for MEA

Posted on by

Animation studio ZAG has appointed former MGA Entertainment and Warner Bros executive Carlotta Caracciolo as its first VP, Middle East and Africa, to oversee the company’s consumer products strategy in the region.  The appointment was announced today by Julian Zag, SVP Global Operations and Head of Consumer Products, to whom Caracciolo reports.

In her new role at ZAG, Caracciolo, who will be based in Dubai, will focus on building a consumer products programme for the Middle East and Africa for properties in the ZAG Heroez portfolio, with an initial focus on Miraculous – Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir and the company’s newest series, Ghostforce.

Miraculous has broad reach across the Middle East, with the series available on Disney Channel and MBC, whose MBC3 channel for kids is the most popular and biggest in the region. Combined, Miraculous reaches kids in Arabic across Algeria, Bahrain, Chad, Cyprus, Djibouti, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, West Bank and Gaza, Qatar, Saudi, Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, United Aran Emirates and Yemen. In Turkey, the series is available on Disney Channel. South and Sub-Saharan Africa is covered by Disney; with MBC reaching Northern Africa.

“The Middle East and Africa have become a top priority for ZAG, and the Disney/MBC combination is a perfect duo for us to reach children and families across the region,” says Julian Zag. “Miraculous is garnering strong ratings, particularly in Saudi Arabia, where the series ranked in the number-one slot on MBC following its launch in 2018, and has remained among the top programmes ever since. Carlotta will lead our market expansion in the region and drive the development of licensing partners for our portfolio of brands.”

Caracciolo served for the past three years as Head of Sales and Licensing, Middle East and Africa, at MGA Entertainment, where she was instrumental in launching the licensing and toy programme for L.O.L. Surprise! across the region. Prior, she was a Category Manager at the licensing agency Shooting Stars, where she managed and developed the softlines accounts for clients including Warner Bros and NBC Universal for the GCC region, following her earlier role with Warner Bros as a category manager based in Italy. She started her entertainment career with Warner Bros in Italy in 2011 as marketing and retail assistant.

Caracciolo says: “I am thrilled to have the opportunity to work with ZAG, and I look forward to growing the licensing and toy footprint in MEA Region, bringing new and exciting collaborations  across multiple categories for consumers to experience the brand.”

Masha and the Bear ranked as top in-demand preschool show

Posted on by

Animaccord’s hit animation Masha and the Bear has reached new heights over the past 12 months, most notably reaching 100 billion views on YouTube.

According to Parrot Analytics, in 2021 Masha and the Bear was the number-one preschool show worldwide, with 36 times more demand than the average show – putting it in the top 0.2% of all TV series across all platforms.

The series was again ranked as a top-five show among children (0-18) for 2020-2021, being more in-demand with global audiences than PAW Patrol (34.9 times) and Peppa Pig (34.1 times).

The cartoon has been 101 times more popular outside of its home market than the average show and had 32.9 times more longevity, meaning that Masha and the Bear is still very relevant in its genre after over a decade. For the US and UK markets, the show is in the top three per cent of all shows and TV series.

In addition to its success in the preschool market, Masha and the Bear also stacks up against recent global hits such as Squid Game, Marvel Studios’ Hawkeye and Amazon Prime’s Wheel of Time, being ranked as twice more in-demand.

Animaccord launches Masha and the Bear e-shop