Pokémon launches permanent space in KaDeWe Berlin

The Pokémon Company International has launched a permanent Pokémon space in Berlin’s iconic KaDeWe  department store, as the year of celebrations for the globally popular brand’s 25th anniversary concludes with a flourish.

Following a successful two-month pop-up installation in KaDeWe that ended in October, the partnership has been made permanent. The new branded space features a wide range of Pokémon toys, licensed merchandise and Pokémon Trading Card Game products.

Pokémon is the fastest growing property within the German toy market and was the third biggest toy property in October. The latest TCG expansion, Pokémon TCG: Sword & Shield—Fusion Strike, launched last month.

Toy highlights include Jazwares’ product line, distributed by Bot-I, that boasts a variety of 25th anniversary silver plush and silver action figurines.

Mattel’s MEGA CONSTRUX™ line features a special 25th anniversary Celebration Pikachu complete with a party hat and cake.

Ravensburger’s Labyrinth game features paths that players must skillfully navigate in order to catch a variety of hidden Pokémon as quickly as possible.

Mathieu Galante, licensing director (EMEA) for The Pokémon Company International, said: “We are delighted to make our collaboration with KaDeWe a permanent one with this exciting new Pokémon space. Their celebrated store is the perfect partner for our iconic brand. And this makes a wonderful ending to our fantastic 25th anniversary year, offering a great experience for Pokémon fans old and new to enjoy now and into the future.”

Pokémon video games are likely to be featured in the new space as well. The eagerly awaited new Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Pokémon Shining Pearl video games launched last month, and 2022 will get off to a sensational start with the release of Pokémon Legends: Arceus.

 

Fanattik strengthens senior team with new appointment

Pop culture brand Fanattik, a licensing partner for Hasbro, Universal Studios, Capcom, Bethesda, Studio Canal, Konami and many more leading video game and film studios, has appointed Melissa Tudor as Creative Director. She will take control of the company’s creative strategy which is integral to the company’s continuing success.

Anthony Marks, M.D of Fanattik, says: “I am delighted to announce Melissa’s new role. She has been with Fanattik for more than three years, helping to shape our creative team, which in turn has made Fanattik into a fan favourite brand within the world of pop culture.”

The promotion comes at the end of a year that has seen phenomenal growth for the award-winning gift and collectible manufacturer, which supplies gift retailers throughout the UK, Europe and beyond with everything from SpongeBob Squarepants bottle openers to Jurassic Park playing cards, and sees them in good stead for 2022, the company’s self-proclaimed ‘Year Of Export’.

Fanattik strengthens senior team with new appointment

Pop culture brand Fanattik, a licensing partner for Hasbro, Universal Studios, Capcom, Bethesda, Studio Canal, Konami and many more leading video game and film studios, has appointed Melissa Tudor as Creative Director. She will take control of the company’s creative strategy which is integral to the company’s continuing success.

Anthony Marks, M.D of Fanattik, says: “I am delighted to announce Melissa’s new role. She has been with Fanattik for more than three years, helping to shape our creative team, which in turn has made Fanattik into a fan favourite brand within the world of pop culture.”

The promotion comes at the end of a year that has seen phenomenal growth for the award-winning gift and collectible manufacturer, which supplies gift retailers throughout the UK, Europe and beyond with everything from SpongeBob Squarepants bottle openers to Jurassic Park playing cards, and sees them in good stead for 2022, the company’s self-proclaimed ‘Year Of Export’.

New Angry Birds consumer products programme to accompany Netflix series

Ahead of the global debut of Angry Birds: Summer Madness on Netflix on 28 January 2022, Rovio Entertainment is working with IMG to build a consumer products programme for fans of the popular franchise.

The 32 x 11-minute and 4 x 22-minute special episodes is the latest collaboration in a long-term partnership between Rovio and independent entertainment company CAKE, which includes international distribution rights to Rovio’s expanding library of non-dialogue shorts.

Angry Birds: Summer Madness will see sparks and feathers fly when a teenage Red, Chuck, Bomb and Stella spend a wild summer together with other Angry Birds at Camp Splinterwood. Explosive antics, improbable pranks and crazy summertime adventures will see the birds pushing boundaries and breaking all the rules while fending off the brash, obnoxious Pigs on the other side of the lake.

IMG has signed deals across core categories including apparel, QSR, confectionery and promotions in location-based experiences in the US and Europe and is now targeting other licensees in key categories including F&B, promotions, apparel, plush, hardlines and more.

Sam Barker, Senior Licensing Director at IMG, says: “Following the global success of the movies, Angry Birds: Summer Madness marks an exciting new step in Rovio’s evolution of this iconic franchise and is a fantastic opportunity for brands and licensees to become part of it. The new series promises to deliver a fresh perspective on these globally loved characters, and even more fun for fans, with the same humour of the movie franchise.”

 

The WildFlower Group launches e-commerce division

Brand licensing agency The Wildflower Group (TWG) has launched an e-commerce division, a 360-degree service that helps its brands build and operate their own online storefronts.

TWG already powers the online stores of well-known brands including Peanuts, Coraline’s LAIKA Studios, Discovery’s Shark Week, Moonbug’s CoComelon and Blippi, Matthew Berry’s Fantasy Life, Konami’s Yu-Gi-Oh! and MotorTrend, among others.

Michael Carlisle, Founder and Principal of TWG, says: “Retail brands have had their own e-commerce sites for years, often with a larger assortment than you can find in stores, but it’s been almost exactly the opposite for licensed brands, where product is spread out across retailers, and the websites that do exist generally have only a small collection.

“Our e-commerce division not only helps brands create their online store, but also build a robust product assortment and then run the operation from logistics to marketing. The end result is a one-stop online shop for your brand along with the backend support needed to deliver a top-tier customer experience.”

“Building a website is only the first step,” explains Josh Wormser, SVP, Product Sourcing and New Business, TWG. “What sets TWG apart is all the things we do after the store is built – managing and evolving the product assortment; handling logistics and shipping; running the digital advertising campaigns that bring in customers; and keeping those customers happy throughout the process. These are the things that make an e-commerce operation successful, and we manage all of it for our clients.”

For more information on TWG’s e-commerce division, contact michael@thewildflowergroup.com.

Cityneon to deliver DC and Wizarding World immersive art experiences in 2023

Cityneon Holdings has announced a partnership with Warner Bros. Themed Entertainment to produce two new, unique global touring themed art experiences inspired by DC and the Wizarding World, slated to launch in 2023.

Audiences around the globe will be able to engage in an all-new way with their favourite Super Heroes and the much-loved Wizarding World, through immersive themed art environments. Both experiences will fuse cutting-edge media, sound and technology together to create a truly sensorial visitor experience.

Ron Tan, Executive Chairman & Group CEO of Cityneon, says: “This strategic relationship is a testament to our determination to scale greater heights in the arena of IP experiences. With Cityneon’s strong track record of delivering large-scale and innovative experiences globally, I am confident that the DC and Wizarding World experiences will be truly unique and immersive experiences that fans of all ages will enjoy.”

“We are thrilled to be partnering with Cityneon on these two new cutting-edge immersive themed art experiences,” adds Peter van Roden, SVP Warner Bros. Themed Entertainment. “Each of the new experiences will help us further continue to reach our DC and Wizarding World fans with fresh, innovative and immersive experiences where guests can interact with the franchises like never before.”

Additional details will be announced at a later date.

TheSoul Publishing confirms global distribution deal with Believe

Becoming the first global media publisher to reach 100 billion social media views in 2021, TheSoul Publishing is now expanding into music, having announced the signing of a distribution deal with Believe, one of the largest music distribution platforms in the world.

This autumn, TheSoul’s music division successfully launched its first independent digital music artist, Polar. Polar’s new track, “Close To You,” recently premiered at an exclusive Viewing Party in the game Avakin Life and was viewed by more than 660,000 players in the game itself, with the music video topping one million views on YouTube. Polar’s TikTok channel is also attracting more than 10,000 followers a day.

Believe, the owner of TuneCore and various music labels, as well as its own-branded indie services platform, recently successfully completed an IPO in Paris. Launched in 2004, Believe now supports 850,000 artists worldwide and is one of the largest music partners on YouTube.

Utilising Believe’s groundbreaking in-house technology and data organisation, this new partnership will support the distribution and global promotion of TheSoul Publishing’s brand new and rapidly expanding music division across the leading music platforms including Spotify, Deezer, Apple Music, Amazon Music and more than 200 digital stores and music services worldwide.

Victor Potrel, Vice President of Platform Partnerships at TheSoul Publishing, says: “We’ve been tremendously excited to build on our experience in digital media by expanding into music. As we continue to grow into all areas of the digital entertainment space, TheSoul Publishing needs to partner with innovative and forward-thinking companies, who share our goals and ambitions. Believe feels like a perfect fit for us as we continue to evolve and grow beyond our 1 billion followers.”

TheSoul Publishing’s universe of well-known channels includes 5-Minute Crafts, Bright Side, 123 GO!, Avocado Couple, La La Life, Slick Slime Sam and Teen-Z. Its most-viewed channel, 5-Minute Crafts, is the number one DIY digital brand in the world and the only brand to rank among the Top-10 of all YouTube channels and among the Top-10 of all Facebook pages.

Current initiatives include expansion across additional social media, podcast and streaming platforms — such as TikTok, Instagram, Snap, Roku, Apple, Spotify, Amazon Prime and Chinese platforms including Xigua, Douyin and Bilibili — as well as the continued growth of its global production team.

TheSoul Publishing hires BuzzFeed leader to spearhead expansion

 

 

Azerion welcomes Teletubbies into the Habbo and Hotel Hideaway metaverses

Azerion, the digital entertainment and media platform behind the popular online games Habbo and Hotel Hideaway, is welcoming the Teletubbies to the metaverse in celebration of the brand’s upcoming 25th anniversary in 2022.

Under a new partnership with WildBrain, owner of the Teletubbies and a global leader in kids’ and family entertainment, the collaboration will include the exclusive release on December 14 of virtual products in Habbo and Hotel Hideaway.

Products available for purchase with virtual currency include Teletubbies-branded avatar onesies based on Dipsy, Tinky Winky, Laa-Laa and Po, as well as custom furniture, including the Tubby Toaster, Custard Machine and Noo-Noo the vacuum cleaner, for players to decorate their rooms in the game.

Established in 2000 by Finnish company Sulake as the first metaverse of its kind, Habbo is a user-generated virtual world and social gaming platform with a distinctive pixel-art style, available across nine language communities and attracting young adults (Gen-Z/Y) from over 150 countries. Hotel Hideaway is from the same makers and offers a 3D role-playing experience with seamlessly integrated creative events, full of opportunities to meet, create and share.

The Teletubbies brand partnership and launch is managed by Bare Tree Media, a leader in digital engagement for brands and the global digital licensee of Teletubbies, in collaboration with WildBrain’s leading licensing agency WildBrain CPLG.

“We’re excited to work together with Bare Tree Media and WildBrain CPLG on welcoming the iconic Teletubbies into our virtual worlds,” says Madelon Smittenaar, Business Development Manager of Azerion. “This partnership demonstrates the many possibilities when it comes to brand partnerships and immersive experiences in this space. The values the Teletubbies embody will really resonate with the diverse and inclusive communities of Habbo and Hotel Hideaway.”

“We’re thrilled to bring the Teletubbies into the metaverse in the form of virtual goods for avatars and virtual spaces within Habbo and Hotel Hideaway,” adds Robert Ferrari, President of Bare Tree Media. “The nostalgia that the Teletubbies evoke as true pop culture icons is a perfect fit for the game demographics and we look forward to further releases throughout 2022.”

 

Semaphore partners with Cubles to create collectables based on clients’ online characters

Semaphore, an influencer marketing agency that provides an end-to-end suite of services to many of the world’s leading content creators, has announced an exclusive partnership with Cubles, the company that has turned 3D paperboard characters into a fun-filled play category and fan collectible. The partnership will offer unique, foldable, collectible toys based on the online characters of Semaphore’s clients.

“We’re excited to partner with Semaphore to bring their clients’ brands and beloved characters to fans with a unique collectible experience,” said Cubles Chief Strategy Officer Mike Horn. “We know these content creators have a dedicated fan base and we’re thrilled to introduce them to the world of Cubles.”

Part origami, part puzzle, part action figure, Cubles are made in the U.S. from 100% recyclable paperboard. With easy-to-follow instructions, users can create three-dimensional, collectible figures created in the image of their favorite characters. Minecraft influencer Tyler Pappas is the first Semaphore client to offer his customised Cubles to fans of his LogdotZip and Craftee channels — just in time for the holidays. LogdotZip Cubles retail at $10 and can be purchased on the Cubles website today; Craftee Cubles will be live in just days.

“It’s been a dream of mine to expand my merchandise and bring the LogdotZip and Craftee characters to life in new, exciting ways,” Pappas says. “I love that I can offer my own action figures to my followers while also giving them something that stimulates their brains and their creativity.”

Semaphore is responsible for creating and managing a host of innovative licensing opportunities for its clients. Its teams work with top designers and manufacturers to develop authentic and quality products that truly represent clients’ brands. Cubles is a perfect example of how family-friendly content creators can extend new offerings to their followers, while bringing awareness to a new, sustainable, U.S. manufacturer.

“It’s the ultimate win when we can identify mutually-beneficial deals to clients and manufacturers we believe in,” says CEO and Co-Founder of Semaphore Mike Bienstock. “Our goal is to continue delivering strong and strategic opportunities to our clients, so they can always offer something new to their fans, while forging long-standing relationships with the world’s top manufacturers and retailers.”

The next series of Cubles featuring Semaphore clients will be available in January. Visit www.semaphorehq.com to see which new media stars are coming next.

 

 

 

Four new licensing partners for BRAVE BUNNIES

Glowberry, creator of the popular preschool animation series BRAVE BUNNIES, and Big Picture Licensing (BPL), its exclusive licensing agent for UK & Eire and master-agent across EMEA and APAC, plus Centa IP, the licensing agent for ANZ region, have signed agreements with four new partners for a range of products that will expand the offerings for the hit kids’ brand.

New deals for the BRAVE BUNNIES brand include Caprice Australia, PMI, Five Mile Press (the publishing division of Regency Media) and Roy Lowe & Sons.

In Australia and New Zealand, Caprice is on-board for apparel, footwear, bags, and home décor. The deal with Five Mile Press includes sticker books, activity books, colouring books, novelty books, flap books and educational books.

The PMI deal spans a wide range of products, including Homeware, BTS/Stationary and Collectables to launch worldwide. Roy Lowe & Sons have signed on for the UK in their specialist category.

Dan Frugtniet, MD at Big Picture Licensing, says: “Big Picture Licensing is very proud to have been working with BRAVE BUNNIES for the last two years… to appoint key strategic partners, licensing agents and new licensees around the world for this beautiful preschool property.

“Our first-wave licensees include Spin Master, Penguin Random House and DeAgostini/Planeta Libra; they are all aligned and launching their products in 2021-22, and now PMI, Roy Lowe & Sons, Five Mile Press and Caprice are all aboard the Bunny Bus for launch in 2022 across Global, UK and Australia/NZ respectively. We are thrilled to welcome to them to the BRAVE BUNNIES family!”

BRAVE BUNNIES, created by Glowberry in coproduction with the leading animation studio Anima, tells the story of the curious and courageous Brave Bunnies Family. They go on a BIG Journey to explore the diverse world around them and find new friends. A unique aspect of the show is its focus on helping children with their first socialization through various games. It also teaches kids to accept the differences of others and be courageous in exploring the world around them.