Category Archives: Lifestyle

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.

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.

 

 

 

Simon’s Cat fans to create the purr-fect product

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Banijay Brands has announced a new partnership for internationally loved digital animation Simon’s Cat, with leading social commerce platform Spring. The latest collaboration offers Simon’s Cat fans the opportunity to help design the ultimate Simon’s Cat plush that will go into production later this year.

Building on the success of previous Simon’s Cat collaborations with Spring, including the sell-out Baby Simon’s Cat plush, this latest project will, for the first time, give fans control over the design of the new product. Voting via the Simon’s Cat social media platforms, fans can determine the body shape, facial expression and packaging of the new range. Once the design has been finalised, the plush will go into production and be available for pre-order ahead of delivery in time for Christmas 2022.

Alice Bernardi, Director of International Brand Licensing, Banijay Brands, says: “This is a really unique venture that connects fans with upcoming products like never before. We are already seeing strong engagement and interactivity for the project, with the first poll last month generating over 20,000 votes.”

Simon’s Cat (part of Banijay UK) is one of the biggest YouTube sensations in the world. From a single free-to-air, two-minute cartoon, it is now a major global success, with over 3bn online views and nearly 20m fans across TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

The Simon’s Cat brand also enjoys international success across multiple categories including gaming, publishing and apparel. There have been more than 90 million digital sticker downloads, in excess of 20 million mobile gaming downloads and over 2 million books sold across 30 countries.

Funko teams with Hasbro for My Little Pony NFTs

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Funko has announced the upcoming release of a new collection of NFTs based on Hasbro’s iconic My Little Pony characters, including Pinkie Pie, Princess Luna, Rainbow Dash, and more.

The My Little Pony x Funko Digital Pop! NFTs will be released on 28 June on NFT platform Droppp.io

Funko Digital Pop! are non-fungible tokens, or NFTs, in the form of digital collectibles featuring Funko’s unique stylised figures. My Little Pony Funko Digital Pop! will be available for $9.99 USD for the Standard Packs and $29.99 USD for the Premium Packs, with both limited to 18,000 copies available each for a total of 360,000 NFTs.

Each pack of Digital Pop! gives buyers a chance to reveal one of the rare Funko Digital Pop! when opened, which can then be redeemed for a free, limited edition, physical vinyl collectible.

Funko Digital Pop! will be available to purchase through the Droppp.io platform using a Droppp account and a credit card.

Blu Goblin releases Danger Mouse collectibles to raise funds for KidsOut

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Direct-to-consumer online platform Blu Gobin is releasing a Danger Mouse original figurine collection to mark the character’s 40th year on our screens, with proceeds helping to support the charity KidsOut.

Blu Goblin creates premium, limited edition, exclusively licensed collectible models, replicas, figures and art, from nostalgia to modern day, across the worlds of entertainment, sport and gaming. Proceeds from every single transaction raise money for good causes.

Blu Goblin’s products, packaging and associated certification are ethically sourced and sustainably manufactured. Each limited edition is available exclusively through www.blugoblin.com, having been created to celebrate a specific event, anniversary, launch or major milestone. Every Blu Goblin drop is unique and availability is strictly limited.

Danger Mouse, one of the stars of The Queen’s Jubilee Pageant, is the centrepiece of an exclusive, limited edition, original figurine collection designed and developed by Blu Goblin to celebrate his 40th year on our screens. Supporting KidsOut, the collection was premiered at the star-studded KidsOut London Question of Sport evening last Thursday. Blu Goblin donated one set of these exclusive figurines to the fundraising auction; the winning bid was an incredible £1,000 towards the amazing fundraising total for the evening of over £50,000.

Gordon Moulds, CEO of KidsOut, says: “We are thrilled to be part of Danger Mouse’s 40th Anniversary. We would like to thank Blu Goblin for bringing together the partnership and developing the exclusive products, and for Boat Rocker’s support in granting the licence for the Danger Mouse figurines to be sold on Blu Goblin’s website. Proceeds from the figurines will go to supporting children who have escaped serious domestic violence and found sanctuary in a women’s refuge”.

Danger Mouse, based on the 1960s TV series Danger Man with Patrick McGoohan, was originally created by Cosgrove Hall and voiced by Sir David Jason. The new generation of the cartoon series is owned by Boatrocker Studios, with Danger Mouse voiced by Alexander Armstrong.

Nicola Herrmann VP, Brand Management & Licensing (UK, AUS, EMEA) Boat Rocker, says: “This partnership with Blu Goblin is a great example of how brands can connect to support charitable causes and we are delighted to be embarking on this exciting new mission that supports KidsOut.”

“We are delighted to have brought together Danger Mouse and KidsOut,” adds Grant Morgan, CEO of Blu Goblin. “The world has changed dramatically, as have consumer habits. Brands must now demonstrate that they care and stand for more than just profit. Consumers want the brands they love to commit to positive social and environmental impact, to make a meaningful contribution to the quality of their lives, while also helping others. Charitable causes benefit from perfectly matched brand partnerships, like this, which bring PR, donor acquisition and most importantly funds to deliver their services.”

 

BlackMilk Clothing to release Stranger Things collection

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Stranger Things fans will be able to turn their fashion game “upside down” with BlackMilk’s latest capsule collection, featuring monsters and icons from the hit television series.

Following on from its Squid Game collaboration in 2021, BlackMilk has once again teamed up with Netflix to celebrate Stranger Things’ epic fourth season with clothing that captures the show’s ghoulish monsters and totally rad ’80s charm.

The 14-piece collection features imagery of the well-known Demogorgon along with new monster the Demobat, alongside iconography related to the Hellfire Club, Hawkins High’s DnD club that is central to much of the events of season four.

Stranger Things x BlackMilk will be available for purchase at 7am (AEST) June 21, and the full collection can now be previewed on the BlackMilk website.

 

Budweiser strikes snacktastic deal with Humdinger

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Humdinger, the multi-category healthy snack company, has partnered with the King of Beers, Budweiser, to launch three brand-new flavours of peanuts, in a deal brokered by IMG.

Available in all-American flavours including Smokey Texan BBQ, Buffalo Chicken Wings and Flame Grilled Ribs, the crispy-coated peanuts have been crafted to pair perfectly with the leading beer brand. Set to launch from 26 June at select UK supermarkets, prices will range from £1 for a 60g bag to £1.75 for a 150g bag.

Emma Perrett, Marketing Controller at Humdinger, Zertus, says: “We are delighted to join forces with the Budweiser team to bring these products to market. This category has enjoyed strong sales in recent years and the increase in social gatherings and events like the FIFA World Cup coming up, this will no doubt continue. We are hoping to introduce new shoppers to nuts with this iconic brand and these exciting, bold flavours that are the perfect snack to enjoy with an ice-cold Bud.”

Georgia Doe, Senior Brand Manager at Budweiser, says: “We are thrilled to be working with Humdinger to launch our very own crispy-coated flavoured nuts. Expanding into more occasions is hugely important for the brand and these nuts were developed to pair perfectly with the smooth, crisp taste of Budweiser.”

Natalie Horne, Associate Vice President of Licensing at IMG, adds: “We are excited about this new collaboration between the famous Budweiser beer and Humdinger. Combining one of the world’s favourite premium beers with the quality, integrity and sustainability values of Humdinger, we believe shoppers will love this new snack and we are looking forward to its launch next month.”

Budweiser is the official sponsor of the 2022 FIFA World Cup and of the England Football team, and the official beer partner of the Premier League.

Founded in 2001, Humdinger began when a group of ambitious people decided to create their own natural snack company and bought a factory in Hull. Today, they employ more than 200 people in the UK across three sites in the East of England. Now operating as part of Zertus, a German food company, Humdinger is a key part of a family of businesses committed to developing high quality food within growing market niches.

 

Surge Brands to develop retail programme for Cigarette Racing Team

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Surge Brands is partnering with offshore racing-boat legend Cigarette Racing Team to develop a sophisticated global lifestyle retail programme based on the iconic high-powered luxury performance powerboat brand.

For over 50 years, Cigarette Racing Team has specialised in custom-made, hand-crafted, high-performance powerboats, and has built a reputation for impeccable engineering and exquisite design.

As the appointed global licensing agent for Cigarette Racing Team, Surge Brands will develop a retail programme focused on luxury and performance-based goods that reflect the sophistication and design that have become synonymous with the brand. Initial product categories will include apparel, accessories, swimwear, fragrance, watches, jewellery, eyewear, spirits and more.

“The Cigarette name itself evokes a jolt of energy to those who know or who have experienced the thrill of an open-water high-speed ride,” says Ari Freedman, Vice President, Surge Brands. “There is simply no other boat brand that can come close to delivering the level of performance, sophistication, attraction, and sex appeal of a Cigarette Racing boat.

“Cigarette Racing has built its reputation on building the finest high-performance powerboats in the world, and our new line of branded merchandise for this American offshore legend will represent the level of luxury and sophistication that fans of Cigarette know and love.”

“We are launching our iconic brand into a new era,” says Johnny Ruiz, COO of Cigarette Racing Team. “Through the development of a diversified line of products, we aim to reach a new wave of Cigarette enthusiasts. We look forward to working with Ari and the Surge team to develop and deliver innovative, stylish, sleek and cutting-edge goods to our legions of fans around the world in the coming years.”

Headquartered in Miami, Florida, Cigarette Racing Team was launched in 1969 by Don Aronow, a passionate racer and businessman from South Florida. The brand became a household name thanks to the Miami Vice TV series, which ran from 1984 to 1990. Some notable boat owners have included President George H.W. Bush, King Juan Carlos of Spain, the Sultan of Brunei, King Hussein of Jordan, Princess Caroline of Monaco, and the King of Sweden.

MotoGP teams with Fanatics to serve fans worldwide

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Dorna Sports has announced a long-term strategic partnership with Fanatics, a leading provider of licensed sports merchandise and global digital sports platform, to significantly enhance the shopping experience for MotoGP fans.

The deal will see MotoGP enjoy Fanatics’ innovative vertical commerce model, with Fanatics acquiring exclusive global e-commerce rights and obtaining the licence to create MotoGP apparel, increasing the range of merchandise available to fans, wherever they may be in the world.

MotoGP is the world’s first motorsport World Championship, having begun in 1949. Now racing in five continents over 20 races a season, the sport welcomes millions of fans through the gates each year at the track and reaches nearly half a billion homes across more than 200 countries – enjoying a truly global fanbase.

The newly revamped online MotoGP store, store.motogp.com, which launches today, ensures fans have access to a new, technology-laced e-commerce platform powered by Fanatics’ industry-leading Cloud Commerce Platform. The global nature of the MotoGP fanbase will see Fanatics launch the site in six different languages: English, Spanish, Italian, French, German and Japanese. The transformed site will provide MotoGP fans with a best-in-class shopping experience, whether shopping online or via mobile, featuring hi-resolution product displays, frictionless checkout, and the quickest access to new product offerings.

Fanatics, which has offices and distribution centres in 13 countries, partners with more than 900 of the most recognised and successful sporting organisations in the world, including the NFL, NBA, Manchester United, Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, England Rugby and Formula One.

Marc Saurina, Senior Director of Global Commercial Partnerships at Dorna Sports, says: “We’re delighted to partner with Fanatics to revolutionise the shopping experience for our fans around the world. The new store looks incredible and we look forward to working together on creating an even wider range of MotoGP merchandise, with something for every fan. With our sport enjoying such a global audience, Fanatics is the perfect partner for MotoGP thanks to their global presence and vast experience.”

Matthew Primack, Senior Vice-President of International Business Development at Fanatics, adds: “We are proud to partner with MotoGP to help serve its passionate global fanbase. We’ll work closely with the great MotoGP team to create a comprehensive offering that will provide fans with the widest assortment of on-trend, quality merchandise. With our experience, global capabilities and passion to serve fans with the merchandise they want, when they want it, MotoGP fans will enjoy an assortment of quality products, wherever they are shopping in the world.”