Tag Archives: Collectables

“Game changer” | Funko celebrates potential for NFT market with TokenHead acquisition

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Funko is strengthening its position amid the global collectables scene by making a play for the NFT space through the acquisition of a majority ownership stake in TokenWave, the developer behind TokenHead.

TokenHead is recognised as a leading mobile app and website for showcasing and tracking Non-Fungible Token or NFT, a blockchain platform for digital collectables that has picked up steam among audiences and media over the course of the year.

The financial terms of the investment have not been disclosed, but the move has gone to highlight the potential the NFT space has for licensing, as Funko approaches the market with a ‘clear strategy for its pop culture content across TV, film, sports, music, anime, video games, and comic books.’

TokenHead is currently available on iOS and Android and displays over 10 million NFTs, with more than 100,000 visits per day.

The investment accelerates Funko’s initial entry into the NFT market and will extend the Company’s pop culture platform to include digital assets. Funko expects to launch its initial NFT offerings in June, featuring a unique property each week at a starting price point of $9.99.

Products will be sold on the WAX platform, the leading decentralized wallet on the blockchain, which provides verifiable authenticity for purchases of Funko NFTs.

“Funko is thrilled to advance another platform that our fans and collectors will love and find valuable,” said Brian Mariotti, chief executive officer of Funko. “Our strategy in this space is clear – bring the value-added NFT opportunity to our licensing partners to leverage our broad range of existing pop culture content across Television, Movies, Sports, Music, Anime, Video Games and Comic Books.

“Our amazing licensing partners are excited about our entry into this new digital space and we believe the diversity of our licensing portfolio sets us up for long-term success.”

Mariotti has highlighted the ‘game changing potential’ that the deal now lends the pop culture specialist as the firm begins to draw clear plans to combine its new Funko Pop! digital NFTs with exclusive Funko Pop! Vinyl Figures.

“The marriage of digital and physical using WAX’s patented NFT technology known as vIRLs™ is powerful,” said Mariotti. “By backing the rarest of the Funko NFTs with exclusive redeemable Funko Pop!, we are poised to enter the NFT market in a very unique manner.

“Importantly, we plan to make Funko NFTs broadly accessible to our fans by providing affordable entry pricing. Utilizing WAX Blockchain technology, we have the opportunity to eventually bring Funko collectible NFTs to our millions of fans around the globe. The NFT world is all about content, and Funko has been connecting fans to the content they love for over 20 years.”

Topps partners with Toho to bring Godzilla and the cast of classic monsters to the NFT stage

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The collectables expert, Topps is celebrating Toho’s iconic Godzilla franchise by bringing the studio’s classic monsters to the NFT platform in the shape of a series of digital collectables. The new range will be hosted on Topps’ WAX blockchain from today (March 31st).

Topps has been a preeminent creator and innovator of physical cards and digital collectables for more than 70 years, providing generations of fans with cards to collect, trade, and show off across a number of categories. Its global popularity has quickly led to the rapid adoption of Topps’ sports and entertainment digital collectable apps, first brought to the market in 2012.

The firm has since played a hand in re-imagining the collectables world, helping to set the stage for NFT and the craze that is currently sweeping the globe.

The release of Godzilla Collection joins a rapidly growing portfolio of officially licensed Topps NFT collectibles, including the pop culture phenomenon and Topps’ owned IP, Garbage Pail Kids.

“We’ve been one of the first brands to fully embrace the potential of non-fungible tokens (NFTs),” said Tobin Lent, VP and general manager of digital at The Topps Company. “By partnering early with WAX and their state-of-the-art trading platform, we’ve been able to create a fun and accessible digital ecosystem for fans with all levels of experience. We are excited to debut our latest NFT set, featuring iconic imagery from the Godzilla franchise, and build on our initial successes of digital collecting to include interactive elements, increased security and transparent transactions.”

Lora Cohn, managing director, Toho International, added: “We are constantly looking for exciting new ways for fans to connect with the Godzilla brand, and the Topps Digital Godzilla collection is something we’ve never offered before.

“Topps Digital has been at the forefront of the physical and digital card collectible space, so we are thrilled to work with their team on this offering. It’s no secret that NFTs are exploding in popularity right now, so we’re excited to give fans the opportunity to expand their Godzilla collections through the blockchain.”

In May 2020, Topps announced a partnership with the Worldwide Asset eXchange (WAX). Since then, its portfolio on the WAX platform continues to be highly sought after. Through its new Toho partnership, Topps will introduce fans to Godzilla’s origins and the iconic monsters from the series such as Godzilla, Mothra, Rodan, King Ghidorah and Mechagodzilla.

There are over 160 unique pieces of art in the collection, including comic covers, motion cards, original illustrations, Chibi style animations, classic Topps “Rookie cards”, and more. Fans can collect, buy, sell and trade on the WAX platform in the knowledge that each collectible is a unique, one-of-a-kind digital asset that is certified, authentic and unchangeable through the WAX Blockchain.

Each Topps collectible will hold a uniquely minted number ID that can be found on the WAX Blockchain, proving each asset’s authenticity.

Millimages builds strong Molang licensing roster for 2021 spanning plush, collectables, and more

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Millimages has secured a raft of new licensing partners for its popular animated IP, Molang, spanning the plush and stationery aisles, as well as apparel, collectibles, and more.

Kicking off the slate, Millimages has tapped NICI to develop new Molang plush ranges to launch across Germany, Spain, Switzerland, and Austria this autumn. The collection will feature not only plush, but plush keyrings and special Molang stationery.

Meanwhile, this year’s fourth quarter will see Molang strengthen its presence in the collectables space with the launch of a new partnership with Panini. The deal will witness the arival of a Molang sticker book, completing a wider collection of books and a Molang magazine. The sticker book will launch in Germany and Spain.

Abysse will have the accessories sector tied-up with the launch of a series of cosmetic cases, acrylic figures, and 2d acrylic key chains, as well as a selection of mugs, all to be released this July. September will then see the launch of a line of Molang phone cases, pins, 2D and 3D keyrings, glasses, cookie jars, notebooks, and pens.

Molang has found recent succes in the publishing sector with the launch of the first Molang magazine earlier this month. A second issue will be released in June and will aim to help teach children about positivity and positive education. It will run a feature on yoga and kids’ meditation.

Across broadcast, Molang has secured new partnerships with a host of European channels, including Rai YoYo in Italy for seasons three and four, Tiny POP in the UK for season four, OCS in France for season three, and Canal Panda in Spain for season three.

UFC taps Panini America as its official collectable trading card partner

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The mixed martial arts organisation, UFC has entered into a multi-year licensing agreement with Panini America to become the brand’s official and exclusive collectable trading card partner.

Under the new deal secured by IMG, Panini America – recognised as the world’s largest licensed sports and entertainment collectables company – will launch its official UFC collection this April with the roll-out of the UFC Prizm collectable series. Panini will also add UFC trading cards to other popular product lines such as Select, Contenders, and Immaculate throughout the year.

“We are thrilled to welcome Panini America as UFC’s new official collectible trading card partner,” said UFC senior vice president of global consumer products, Tracey Bleczinski.

“Many of our fans use collectible trading cards to stay connected to our brand and to their favorite UFC athletes, and Panini America is the industry leader, creating innovative and unique products for our fans to enjoy.”

Panini America CEO, Mark Warsop, added: “This truly is a dream match-up that brings together the unquestioned leaders of trading cards and combat sports for a partnership that will excite and captivate UFC fans and collectors across the globe for years.

“We’ve watched with great interest over the years as UFC has grown into a major force on the mainstream sports landscape with some of the most marketable athletes in the world.

“We’re passionate UFC fans here at Panini America, and we’re excited about what we can do with the UFC brand and the athletes on our trading cards. We’re looking forward to this relationship.”

As part of the partnership, Panini America will capitalize on UFC’s biggest moments in real-time with the company’s direct-to-consumer Panini Instant platform. Panini Instant makes trading cards of UFC’s biggest fights, moments and milestones available just hours after they happen. These special cards will be available for a limited time and are made to order.

Panini ‘working to get more stickers into UK’ following sell-out success for Official Premier League Collection

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Panini UK has ‘been taken aback’ by the demand for the new Premier League Official Sticker Collection 2021, that – despite the current lockdown restrictions – has seen sales outperform the success of the 2020 collection.

The range has been such a hit at retail that customers in some parts of the country have reported difficulty in getting their hands on the sticker packets, with hot spots for the new collection to be Leeds and Birmingham in particular.

Panini suggests that sales in these areas have been driven by Leeds United and Aston Villa fans who have embraced the collection as the ‘perfect antidote to lockdown’ and not being able to see their teams play in person.

‘The Panini Premier League 2021 Sticker Collection has already established itself as – by a distance – the fastest selling collectable currently available in the UK and Ireland, with fans both young and old enjoying both the quality of the new album, the stickers (including plenty of shinies) and the amount of detail included for each team,’ read a statement from Panini UK.

‘Many are finding the sticker packets the perfect reward for children who work hard at “home school”!’

Panini UK has stated that it is now working hard behind the scenes to get more sticker packets into the country ASAP to meet the demand, and more stock available on its online store.

Starter packs, priced at £3.99 include an album which is packed full of facts, stats and analysis, plus four sticker packets. Each packet costs 70p and contains five stickers.

Panini ‘working to get more stickers into UK’ following sell-out success for Official Premier League Collection

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Panini UK has ‘been taken aback’ by the demand for the new Premier League Official Sticker Collection 2021, that – despite the current lockdown restrictions – has seen sales outperform the success of the 2020 collection.

The range has been such a hit at retail that customers in some parts of the country have reported difficulty in getting their hands on the sticker packets, with hot spots for the new collection to be Leeds and Birmingham in particular.

Panini suggests that sales in these areas have been driven by Leeds United and Aston Villa fans who have embraced the collection as the ‘perfect antidote to lockdown’ and not being able to see their teams play in person.

‘The Panini Premier League 2021 Sticker Collection has already established itself as – by a distance – the fastest selling collectable currently available in the UK and Ireland, with fans both young and old enjoying both the quality of the new album, the stickers (including plenty of shinies) and the amount of detail included for each team,’ read a statement from Panini UK.

‘Many are finding the sticker packets the perfect reward for children who work hard at “home school”!’

Panini UK has stated that it is now working hard behind the scenes to get more sticker packets into the country ASAP to meet the demand, and more stock available on its online store.

Starter packs, priced at £3.99 include an album which is packed full of facts, stats and analysis, plus four sticker packets. Each packet costs 70p and contains five stickers.

Wow! Stuff’s collectables range Wow! Pods tops the Amazon Best Seller Charts

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Wow! Stuff’s recently-launched and hit collectable range, Wow! Pods has risen to in the sales ranking to top the charts on Amazon’s Best Seller list in two categories, a result that the company cites as ‘all the more impressive,’ given that the brand’s TV ads haven’t even aired yet.

“We have some super TV commercials waiting in the wings which were due to air across the usual TV channels in the UK,” said Richard North, Wow! Stuff CEO. “We had seen the sell-through success in other territories and now at UK retail without any promotions at all, so decided to launch with our social media campaign from the KidsKnowBest team.

“The sales at our retail partners has beaten everyone’s forecasts and we’ve now sold out several times and are ranked number one in two categories across Amazon: Kids’ Play Action figures and Collectables Figures and Memorabilia.

“Facebook comments are extraordinary, fans just love them and 2021 will reveal loads of new great brands and rare models for fans to add to their collections.”

Marvel, DC, Harry Potter, and Pixar brands are among the leading licenses within the Wow! Pods collection, while Facebook comments indicate that the Wow! Pods collection has already picked up a broad age range of fans and collectors.

One social media comment read: “See, you’re advertising with young kids which means I’m gonna feel stupid buying em… I’m still gonna. I’m 52 and a nerd so the hell with it.”

Games Workshop partners with The Koyo Store for Warhammer 40,000 collectables

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The entertainment merchandise specialist, The Koyo Store, has secured the global rights to create a range of officially licensed Warhammer 40,000 collectables through a new partnership with Games Workshop.

The deal marks a major success for The Koyo Store as the range will not only be sold through Games Workshop’s own High Street stores, but also available for fans to buy direct at www.thekoyostore.com/collections/warhammer-40000.

The initial Warhammer 40,000 product line-up, available in-store and online and encompassing a range of pin badge collections based on popular characters and artifacts in the game world, will include Mystery Faction Pins, Paint Your Own Space Marine pins, and a Space Marine Chapter Icon 12 pin collection.

The New Year will see the addition of a selection of Artifact 3D pins, A Diorama pin set, and a Legendary Character 12 pin set.

Games Workshop is the latest major IP owner to join The Koyo Store’s burgeoning collectables line-up, which also includes partnerships with Ubisoft, (Rainbow Six Siege), PUBG, Toei (Dragon Ball Z and Dragon Ball Super), Capcom (Street Fighter) and HBO (Game of Thrones)

“We are absolutely thrilled to be working with Games Workshop and the Warhammer 40,000 brand,” said Lee Townsend, founder and CEO of The Koyo Store. “We’re rapidly expanding our roster of first-class licensing partners, both within the video games industry and the wider entertainment markets. We are excited by what 2021 has in store. We already have three new licenses in the wings that are under NDA.”

The Koyo Store’s high-quality pin badges, coins and other unique merchandise have proved a hit among games, Esports and TV and film fans who are looking for great collectibles and the opportunity to claim bragging rights within their peer groups.

Based in Lancashire, the firm’s team has a strong and varied skillset, with designers, retail experts, gamers and pop culture fans working to produce epic merchandise and collectibles.

Pokémon partners with The Wand Company to launch the first Poké Ball Replica Series

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The Pokémon Company International has teamed up with The Wand Company to release the first die-cast Poké Ball Replica Series, giving fans the chance to collect premium replicas of the iconic Poké Ball, Great Ball, Ultra Ball, and Premier Ball.

Equipped with proximity-sensing technology, each of the die-cast replica’s buttons glows when it senses motion. Pressing the button changes the light colour or starts a Pokémon-catching illumination sequence. Each Poké Ball also comes with a presentation case and a polished stainless steel ring.

Fan can also enjoy the multi-coloured lights when opening the lid of the case, which can be controlled through a touch-sensitive metal plaque on the front of the case.

“The Poké Ball is an iconic part of the Pokémon franchise, and we are thrilled to work with The Wand Company to re-create the Poké Ball as a high-quality collectible for our fans,” said Amy Sachtleben, director of licensing at The Pokémon Company International.

“The Wand Company is known for its innovative designs and world-class manufacturing, making them the perfect partner to bring this vision to life.”

Chris Barnardo, CEO of The Wand Company, added: “Working on such an iconic property as Pokémon is the fulfillment of a lifelong dream for The Wand Company team. It’s been such an exciting development and we look forward to sharing our gorgeous Poké Ball series with fans everywhere.”

To highlight the launch, the classic Poké Ball version was prominently featured in Pokémon’s appearance in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Flanked by a troupe of dancing Pikachu, a Pokémon Trainer triumphantly held up the Poké Ball for millions of fans around the world to see.

As the first to launch in the series, the Poké Ball replica is available for preorder starting today via Amazon and other participating retailers around the world, and products will ship to preorder customers to arrive on Pokémon Day, February 27, 2021.

Products will be available at Sideshow.com, Zavvi, Forbidden Planet, and Yellow Octopus, among other retailers.

Panini makes a move on the confectionery aisle with Easter Egg and Christmas treats

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The collectables brand, Panini is making its first move into the confectionery space via a new partnership with Icam S.p.A. a new licensing partner who will take the IP into celebration-themed chocolate items.

Based in Modena, in Italy, Panini is a worldwide leader in collectable stickers and trading cards, while Icam is an outfit known for its production of high quality chocolate. The deal will see the development of a range of Panini branded sweets for Easter and Christmas holidays. The line will first land in stores from Easter 2021.

The first Panini product manufactured by Icam under the Panini license will be the Calciatori Panini Easter 2021 egg, which will launch next March. It will be followed by the launch of Panini Christmas socks featuring branded cholocates.

The Calciatori Panini Easter 2021 egg will feature a surprise set of 20 stickers from the current football 2020/21 collections, plus and exclusive Panini sticker celebrating the company’s 60th anniversary in 2021.

This is the latest development for the Panini who detailed its intentions to commence licensing out the brand name this October, timing its announcement to coincide with the industry’s Festival of Licensing.