Hasbro relaunches sports collectibles brand Starting Lineup

Hasbro has announced a partnership with the National Basketball Association (NBA) and National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) for the highly anticipated re-launch of Starting Lineup, an iconic sports collectibles brand.

Launching this autumn in partnership with Fanatics, the global digital sports platform, the Starting Lineup brand will feature legendary NBA superstars as part of its first wave of figures and will be available for pre-order starting September 22 exclusively on Hasbro Pulse and across the Fanatics network of online sites, including Fanatics.com, and official league stores. The Starting Lineup collectible will also include an exclusive, officially licensed Panini NBA trading card.

“The NBA and NBPA are tremendous partners for the return of the Starting Lineup brand, and we cannot wait for fans to experience some of the biggest names in the league as action figures,” says Eric Nyman, President and COO of Hasbro. “The return of one of the most beloved sports collectibles brands of all time would not be complete without the inclusion of fan-favourite NBA superstars.”

The revamped Starting Lineup brand will continue its legacy of bringing fans and collectors their favourite athletes in action figure form but with design like never before in a highly articulated 6” scale.

“We look forward to the relaunch of Starting Lineup in the coming months as we meet the excitement of our fans and additionally introduce a new generation to these collectibles,” says Brian Keegan, Head of Trading Cards, Memorabilia and Hardgoods at the NBA. “Through our partnership with Hasbro, these figures provide our fans a unique opportunity to build upon their connection to our game and their favourite players.”

“We are thrilled to be partners with Hasbro and Panini in relaunching this iconic brand,” adds Inky Son, VP of Licensing for THINK450, the innovation engine of the NBPA. “Working together, we hope to continue to reimagine the possibilities for sports collectibles and action figures while also amplifying our collective players’ profiles on these platforms.”

The original Starting Lineup brand developed a massive following for more than a decade by bringing sports enthusiasts figures of their favourite superstar players accompanied by a trading card, and the introduction of notable NBA players will be the first of an all-new era of major athletes joining its classic heritage. Hasbro is also working with OneTeam Partners, a Washington, D.C.-based firm, on the athlete and creative marketing campaign.

For more information on the upcoming launch of the Starting Lineup brand, visit Hasbro Pulse | Where Fans Come First.

The Hut Group debuts new Swizzels collection

DTC platform The Hut Group has added Swizzels Matlow to its portfolio of brands.

Brokered by Blonde Sheep Licensing, the deal includes multiple sweet-inspired products including apparel, homewares, gift, and more, which first launched in February with ranges on www.IWOOT.com, www.zavvi.com  and www.veryneko.com.

Swizzels is the largest independent British-owned manufacturer of sugar confectionery in the UK and is still run by members of the families who founded the business back in 1928. The company makes a range of well-known products including Love Hearts, Squashies, Refreshers, Drumstick Lollies, Rainbow Drops, Double Lollies and Fruity Pops.

“It’s great to see the range of on-demand products available through various websites,” says Natasha Dyson, Managing Director at Blonde Sheep Licensing. “The Hut Group is recognised for selling the biggest on-trend brands, so we’re thrilled to be part of their portfolio, which offers the opportunity to get Swizzels products directly into the hands of fans both old and new.”

Blonde Sheep Licensing continues to investigate other opportunities for Swizzels in categories including jewellery, toys and food.

 

 

Rocket Licensing gears up for Beano’s 85th anniversary

Having begun its story in 1938, Beano has become one of the most recognisable British brands of all time. In 2023 it celebrates a momentous 85 years since it first hit newsstands, and Rocket Licensing is preparing a celebratory range of consumer products to mark the milestone.

Now the world’s longest-running weekly comic, Beano has recently reported its fifth year of consecutive sales growth, and with more than 28 million Brits having read the comic as kids, it’s unsurprising that it boasts 84% brand recognition amongst children, and a whopping 94% recognition amongst adults.

The special birthday will be commemorated by the brand across the year with a special comic issue, a national press and media campaign, schools’ activity and special appearances from the comic’s celebrity fans. More details of the celebrations will be announced soon.

Rocket Licensing, which manages the rights for the property in the UK, is preparing an exciting schedule of consumer products and events not only to mark Beano’s birthday, but to celebrate Roger the Dodger, Minnie the Minx and the Bash Street Kids, who will be celebrating their 70th anniversary milestones, and The Numskulls, who will be marking their 30th anniversary.

The celebrations follow in the wake of Dennis’s 70th celebrations, which saw fans young and old join in the anniversary fun and Dennis trending worldwide on Twitter across the year. Beano also won the inaugural Children’s Magazine of the Year at the 2021 PPA awards.

Beano will, as always, be supporting World Book Day 2023, with licensed products and categories planned to feature in-store during this important seasonal window including new Beano book releases from Farshore, dress-up from Rubies and nightwear from Aykroyds.

Charlie Donaldson, Joint MD at Rocket Licensing, says: “Beano is part of the culture of Britain, and we’re thrilled to be able to honour the brand’s 85th birthday next year. Dennis’ 70th anniversary in 2021 was a huge success and the nation celebrated in style with a range of fabulous products and events. We’re planning even more excitement for 2023 and are looking forward to working with existing and new partners to ensure the anniversary is one to remember.”

Vanessa Andreis, Franchise Planning and Partnerships Director, Beano Studios, adds: “2023 is going to be Beano’s biggest year yet! Kids and their families won’t be able to miss our celebrations as we commemorate both the iconic comic and our incredible characters which are so loved.”

As part of the celebrations, the brand is also delighted to launch Beano: The Outdoor Game, in partnership with the Outdoor Gaming Company, for families all over the country. Starting with London and Dundee, followed by other major towns and cities over the coming months, the game will see families help Dennis find Gnasher in their local town or city by solving clues, completing tasks, and answering questions.

 

Floral Street expands Van Gogh Museum partnership with home fragrance collections

In 2021, the collaboration between British “clean” fragrance brand Floral Street and the internationally renowned Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam, introduced vibrant vegan fragrance Sunflower Pop to the world. Following its success, the partnership is extending, in summer 2022, into two ethical home fragrance collections.

Once again inspired by Van Gogh’s iconic Sunflowers (1889), and also by his Almond Blossom (1890), Floral Street and the Van Gogh Museum have endeavoured to capture the mood and emotion of these renowned masterworks through the sensory experience of home fragrance.

“So many loved our bright and happy Sunflower Pop fragrance, that they wanted their homes to smell like it too,” says Michelle Feeney, Floral Street’s founder. “But this time we have also been inspired by Van Gogh’s Almond Blossom, creating two different facets of his masterworks. Van Gogh brought the plants to life visually and we are bringing them to life in our clean fragrances.”

Bursting with optimism, the new Sunflower Pop home collection evokes the warmth of Provence, while the serene Sweet Almond Blossom range boasts a fresh aroma reminiscent of the first buds of spring, bringing a tranquil and mellow ambiance to the home.

Ian Wickham, director at Licensing Link Europe – which represents the Van Gogh Museum in the UK and Ireland – is excited to see the home fragrance collections’ impact at retail. “This extension to the Floral Street range has been as carefully planned, researched and considered as the launch of our Sunflower Pop fragrance, so we are all hugely excited to see the reaction when the range goes live,” he says. “The team have done an incredible job.”

The collections include vegan wax candles made from sustainably sourced rapeseed and coconut oil, with unbleached cotton wicks; naturally derived vegan oil diffusers; 100% plastic-free scented reeds and non-toxic, alcohol-free room fragrances, with products presented in exclusively designed FSC certified recyclable packaging.

Marijn Veraart, Licensing Manager at the Van Gogh Museum, says:  “We’re so proud of this range extension to the already incredibly successful Sunflower Pop parfum. Moving into home fragrances was the obvious next step and we are all hugely excited by these new developments. A huge thank you to an amazing team who have worked so hard to make this a reality.”

 

 

 

Superclub joins forces with Bundesliga to launch new board game

Superclub, the football manager board game, today announced it has partnered with the German football league Bundesliga to launch a new official licensed expansion pack, in a deal facilitated by IMG on behalf of Bundesliga International, subsidiary of the DFL Deutsche Fußball Liga.

Set to launch October 2022, the Bundesliga-branded expansion pack will include licensed player cards depicting players from all 18 Bundesliga teams, and also introduce an entirely new way of playing the game by mixing the Bundesliga players with the beloved Superclub characters in the main game. The game can also be played using only Bundesliga players for the most authentic Bundesliga season experience.

The Bundesliga is easily one of the best football leagues in the world with some of the best world-class players,” says Kjetil Hetlevik Johansen, CEO of Superclub. “Were looking forward to working with Bundesliga and are excited to collaborate on this new product. Superclub has enjoyed an incredible reception from football fans since it was first launched in English in October 2020. The first licensed club expansions followed a year later, and league expansions are a natural next step.”

Audun Egenberg, Creative Manager of Superclub, says: Managers can choose whether they want to play a Bundesliga-only game, or if they want to mix the Bundesliga IP with the original Superclub game. Naturally, the main game is being translated into German, but the Bundesliga expansion pack will also be playable in other languages. We cant wait to share our game with the Bundesliga faithful around the world.”

We are proud to have connected Bundesliga with a partner who has football expertise and the passion to create a game that allows consumers to play football as its meant to be’ and to recreate the amazing Bundesliga atmosphere at home,” says Sven Thierhoff, VP of Licensing at IMG.

IMG will also play an important part of the game development and launch strategy in the months to come.

To find out more about the game, visit www.superclubgame.com.

 

Three new publishing deals for ‘eatertainment’ brand Chefclub

Chefclub, the eatertainment brand, has announced three new publishing deals inspired by its internationally broadcast video content: in France, Chefclub has launched its new Super Veggies illustrated kids’ cookbook; in Germany, Panini Verlags GmbH is launching a one-off, standalone Chefclub Kids magazine; and in Italy, Vallardi Editore is publishing a family cookbook.

Super Veggies is Chefclub’s brand-new cookbook concept designed to help young chefs discover and love vegetables by casting them as superheroes. Much easier to digest than a nutrition lecture, the 25-recipe book illustrates seasonal vegetables in action with their secret weapons: vitamins to become invisible to viruses, calcium for indestructible teeth, and so on.

Marie-Laure Marchand, SVP Global Consumer Products & Business Development, Chefclub, says: “Being a content-driven company, publishing represents one of our core pillars for building a long-lasting brand. We have internally developed more than 25 titles for a family and kids audience, and have sold over 700,000 units so far. We are very happy to partner with renowned partners such as Panini and Vallardi and look forward to encountering the same success in Germany and Italy.”

In Germany, leading publisher Panini is launching a one-off Chefclub Kids magazine as a special edition of the well-established lifestyle magazine LandKind. An initial run of 55,000 copies was launched in kiosks starting this spring. In the 60-page magazine, the Chefclub Friends entertain young cooks with lots of fun activities and games that allow them to discover ten Chefclub Kids’ recipes. With 100 million monthly views, Chefclub is an extremely strong brand in Germany, where it won the 2021 Digital Licensing International Award for Best Digital Brand.

Finally, this September Italian publisher Vallardi Editore will launch Cucina da Leccarsi i Baffi (“Mouthwatering Cuisine”), a richly illustrated book featuring 100 recipes, including appetisers, main courses and desserts, all based on the popular video-recipes conceived, produced and distributed by Chefclub on social media.

Marcella Meciani, Editorial Director of Vallardi Editore, says: “​We are very happy to collaborate with Chefclub, a dynamic, original and innovative company, to bring cooking enjoyment to every Italian family. The book will feature Chefclub’s most popular video recipes which are ideal for kids, parents and grandparents to cook together.”

The publishing agreements follow a number of strategic moves by Chefclub into streaming, FAST and linear platforms. In April, the brand partnered with Pluto TV in the US, Latin America, Spain and the UK to stream 100 hours of eatertainment content in both English and Spanish; in December 2021 it launched a standalone FAST channel in France and Switzerland with Samsung TV, and a first animated series starring the popular Chefclub Kids animated mascots is in development.

Since its launch in 2016 Chefclub has become the No.1 cooking brand in the world on social media, winning three Licensing International Awards for Best Digital Brand in France (2021, 2019) and Germany (2021).

Teletubbies celebrate Pride with ellesse and GoGuy fashion collab

WildBrain, a global leader in kids’ and family entertainment, has teamed up with Italian sports and lifestyle brand ellesse and festival and streetwear clothing brand GoGuy for a limited-edition Teletubbies adult fashion collection to celebrate Pride 2022.

The gender-fluid collection launched on Friday, 24 June and encompasses five colourful trend stories, reflective of each Teletubby character, and a hero sticker print. The deal with ellesse was brokered by WildBrain’s dedicated licensing agency, WildBrain CPLG.

The launch of the Teletubbies x ellesse x GoGuy range will be celebrated by an influencer launch event in Manchester, UK, social media activity and featured appearances at Pride in London. The collection was designed by GoGuy’s founder and director, Sophie Guy, who leads an all-female team of four creatives.

The five trend stories featured in the collaboration are:

  • A Tinky Winky purple range inspired by ellesse’s tennis heritage, with pleated skirt and crop-top combination.
  • A Dipsy range that nods to the Teletubbies’ roots and Dipsy’s favorite hat, with a bold green and monochrome graphic cow print on cargo pants, bucket hat and cropped vest.
  • Laa-Laa’s iconic sunshine yellow is encapsulated in the ‘Big Love’ dress, a celebration of all love and unity.
  • Po’s red range is in recognition of GoGuy’s festival roots, with crop top and co-ord tracksuit featuring the signature ellesse jet strip detail.
  • The fifth part of the collection is a bold and vibrant print, which includes all elements of the collaboration—a mash-up of Teletubbies’ imagery as well as GoGuy and ellesse logos are emblazoned across a shirt, shorts, head scarf and fan.

The collaboration is part of WildBrain’s year-long celebrations to mark the 25th anniversary of the Teletubbies, with activity encompassing fashion, art and music, all reflecting the unique brand DNA of unexpected joy, childhood development and diversity, while engaging fans both young and young-at-heart.

Melissa Goodrich, Director of Brand Management at WildBrain, says: “The Teletubbies are recognised around the world as icons of inclusivity, togetherness and acceptance, so we’re hugely excited to once again be embracing Pride and celebrating with fans in true Teletubbies style. Ellesse and GoGuy have done an amazing job at capturing the joy and ‘love who you are’ spirit of the Teletubbies and creating a range that is on-trend while brimming with fun and playfulness. We can’t wait to see fans wearing this ‘tubbytastic’ collection during Pride celebrations and beyond.”

Head of Marketing for ellesse UK, Jennie Bianco, adds: “The idea of a collaboration between ellesse and Teletubbies actually began as an April Fools’ prank a few years ago, but we ended up having such a high demand from ellesse customers that we decided to make it happen. We have also been keen to team up with GoGuy for a while, and to all work together on something to celebrate Pride 2022 has been so exciting. As they are celebrating their twenty-fifth anniversary this year, the Teletubbies are working their way back into our hearts and now our wardrobes!”

“Pride is something I have always been passionate about, as I am a proud member of the LGBTQIA+ community,” says GoGuy’s Sophie Guy. “The collection is gender fluid and has been designed with everyone in mind. I believe if you love it, you should wear it no matter what the gender! Teaming up with my favorite major sportswear brand and my childhood icons has not disappointed, and I’m sure you will feel the same after seeing the collection. Do dreams come true? YES, THEY DO!”

The collection is now available to purchase at www.goguyclothing.com.

PAC-MAN and Eastpak partner for travel collection

For the first time, dot-munching, cherry-picking cultural phenomenon PAC-MAN and his fellow maze-dwellers BLINKY, INKY, PINKY and CLYDE have teamed up with yet another icon that went global in the 1980s: Eastpak.

 

The PAC-MAN x Eastpak collection is a playful and colourful range of travel and lifestyle accessories, in three colourways and six styles. The collection comprises the famous Eastpak Padded Pak’r backpack, Springer bum bag, Tranverz S luggage, Out of Office daypack and Benchmark pencil case, and also includes a newly created PAC-MAN Pouch that comes in the shape of the ghosts who pursue PAC-MAN through every level of the world-famous video game.

As an added feature, each item in the PAC-MAN x Eastpak collection comes with a special jacquard keychain embroidered with the iconic phrase: “Game Over”.

The PAC-MAN x Eastpak collection is available now from Eastpak.com.

Myprotein and Vimto collab back by popular demand

Myprotein is collaborating with iconic drinks brand Vimto once again this summer, after becoming one of the most in-demand flavours of 2021.

Back by popular demand, the extended Vimto range includes Myprotein Limited Edition Vimto Clear Whey Isolate, a fruitier, lighter alternative to traditional whey protein, and Myvitamins Limited Edition Vimto Multivitamin Gummies, a gummy multivitamin containing real fruit juice and eight key nutrients.  

The Myprotein Vimto Clear Whey Isolate containing real fruit juice powder will be available in two limited-edition flavours: Orange, Strawberry and Lime, and Original Vimto flavour, Grape, Raspberry and Blackcurrant. Myprotein Clear Whey Isolate uses high-quality hydrolysed whey protein isolate, which boasts 20g of protein for just 84 calories. Both flavours can be purchased in full size at £28.99 and sample size at £2.49 on Myprotein.com.

Later this year, Myvitamins will also permanently launch Vimto Multivitamin Gummies in Original Vimto flavour. The eight key nutrients in the limited-edition gummies include vitamin D to support bone health, vitamin C to maintain immune function, vitamin A to maintain a healthy complexion, biotin to support the condition of hair and nails, and vitamin B6 to reduce feelings of tiredness. The gummies will be available for purchase at £13.99 on Myvitamins.com.

Both flavours of the Vimto Clear Whey Isolate will also be available in a taster pack containing sample size portions alongside a limited-edition Vimto collaboration protein shaker at £9.97 on Myprotein.com. 

WB Shop debuts House of the Dragon exclusive merch

Providing a sneak peek at the aesthetic from the highly anticipated prequel to Game of Thrones, fans can now purchase apparel, home goods and collectibles showcasing the new series, House of the Dragon – which premieres on August 21 on HBO and HBO Max – at digital retail destination WB Shop.

Inspired by the fiery Targaryen family and the quest to claim the Iron Throne, the WB Shop range includes the “Dreams Didn’t Make Us Kings. Dragons Did” Capsule Collection, featuring posters, t-shirts, hoodies, and mugs adorned with the bold statement; the Dragon Eye Capsule Collection of striking new accessories, apparel and housewares adorned with a red dragon eye reflecting the new Iron Throne against a black background, and the Dragon Crown Capsule Collection, showcasing the House of the Dragon crown design on fashion, accessories, collectibles, and more.

Outside the WB Shop, official House of the Dragon products will also debut from a variety of partners including Vintage Wine Estates, Treasury Wine Estates, and Mikkeller Beer. New merchandise will roll out throughout the summer and into the autumn on the WB Shop and at other retailers.