If there’s one thing Pyramid International – part of The Art Group – knows how to do well, it’s licensed giftware, an attribute that has carried the firm well over the past 12 months, and helped it maintain its position of strength throughout the choppy waters of 2019.
It’s possibly the breadth of Pyramid International’s portfolio that has helped
it achieve the success it enjoys today, tapping into a spectrum of audiences, from the Netflix-watching pop culture fans of things like Stranger Things, to those in search of the more niche animé brands like My Hero Academia, all the way through to the mainstream and the audience for DreamWorks’ Trolls World Tour.
It’s true that there really is something for everyone among the Pyramid portfolio, and 2020 will be no different. ToyNews catches up with Pyramid International’s marketing executive Robert Ling to find out what the company is bringing to Spring Fair this year.
How was business for you guys through 2019? It was a big year for pop culture licensing, how did this impact on your success over the past 12 months?
2019 was a good year for Pyramid, despite the tough retail landscape. When looking at releases in 2020 we saw success with Stranger Things in the summer and Frozen 2 at the end of the year. As well as these we also had continued success with Harry Potter and Nintendo. We also saw good success with Steven Rhodes, a new license to our license portfolio, whose dark humour style of art is very on trend and a perfect pop culture fit.
What can we expect from Pyramid for 2020? Can you talk us through some of the new licenses you’ve secured and the product lines that you will be launching at Spring Fair?
2020 will see Pyramid keep adding to our already impressive catalogue of product ranges. Visitors to our stand at Spring Fair will be able to enjoy our new collection for the upcoming Trolls World Tour, including our Sequin Flip notebook and Pencil case which we think is going to be hugely popular for consumers.
Our super cute The Child (Baby Yoda) range for the Mandalorian will also be on display. We’ll also have some of our Anime products on show, including Dragon Ball, and My Hero Academia as we expand into this hugely popular area of entertainment. Of course, our line of classics will be available across Harry Potter, Nintendo, Disney, Star Wars, and Music, to name just a few.
What will the product and license line-up be bringing to the gifting/ merchandise scene for 2020? How are you guys continuing to push for innovation in the pop culture sector?
We’re always looking for ways innovate our products. We are examining a host
of new avenues to add the wow factor at retail… but I can’t say too much – you will have to wait and see.
What makes Spring Fair an important date in the calendar for you guys?
It’s the first UK show we attend, so it provides us a good opportunity to connect with our customers, showing them what we have coming through and strengthening relationships.
Ultimately It kicks off the new year positively for our UK operations. It also provides a good opportunity to show off our portfolio to new prospects.
What do you think 2020 holds for the pop culture licensing scene and its presence at retail?
I think pop culture licensees will continue to be a popular choice at retail, especially as people look for different ways to express themselves and the things they are fans off; and as we are spoilt with more and more content from the VOD services, I think people are going to be actively searching to show off their fandom, because there is a lot of it out there now.
What will be fuelling the space for 2020 and beyond?
At the moment, Baby Yoda looks to be one of the stand out characters coming into 2020, dominating internet searches. I also think nostalgia will continue to be popular, especially with uncertainty still in the air and people looking for the comfort of yesteryear.
Anything you would like to add?
Pyramid International is able to offer a one stop solution across retail for the biggest licenses around, so be sure to come and visit our stand to see the depth of license and products for yourself, and talk to us about how we can support you through 2020.
