Tag Archives: lead

The Sims FreePlay and LEGO DOTS form virtual partnership

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The Sims FreePlay has teamed up with LEGO DOTS for a virtual partnership that will allow players to bring LEGO DOTS products to life within the game.

The Sims FreePlay is a mobile experience that allows Sims creators – known as Simmers – to create an entire town inspired by their own style and personality. Opening a new world of DOTS-inspired fun and in-game products, the collaboration – engineered by Electronic Arts’ Firemonkeys Studio – features a limited-time LEGO DOTS x The Sims Live Event and free LEGO DOTS pack, both of which are officially available until July 24. The limited-time LEGO® DOTS x The Sims Live Event allows players to complete a series of activities to unlock the exclusive items by crafting at Arts and Crafts Stations to gather resources over the course of the event.

Once they have collected enough resources, Simmers can unlock up to 10 exclusive DOTS products to put in their Sims’ virtual home. This includes real-life products like a banana pencil holder, candy land bracelet, message boards, rainbow bracelet, stick-on canvas, stitch-on canvas, panda tray, and ice cream picture frame, plus inspired décor such as bright wallpapers, fabulous flooring, and other fun items featuring bold colours and special patterns.

“We want to connect with LEGO DOTS fans in a new way and introduce DOTS to passionate Sims FreePlay players,” says Marjorie Satgé Lopez, Global Marketing Manager of LEGO. “We can’t wait to see the engagement from fans who fully immerse themselves in the Live Event and free pack, whether it’s through crafting jewellery, decorating their Sims’ houses with DOTS-inspired items, creating a LEGO DOTS message board design, or sharing their creations with other like-minded fans on social media.”

“Our game developers worked directly with the LEGO DOTS team for their guidance so that we could ensure that players felt their Sims were accurately interacting with the real-life products from their retail line, and we are excited about what we were able to achieve,” says Danni Hindi, Game Producer of The Sims FreePlay. “Both The Sims FreePlay mobile game and DOTS are suited to being taken with you on the go, everywhere and anywhere! We are extremely excited to bring DOTS sets into our game; the patterns, likeness and item scale – it took a lot of time and effort to get it absolutely right.”

The Sims FreePlay partnership with LEGO DOTS is available to all players until July 24 2022.

Download The Sims FreePlay for free on iOS, Android and Amazon devices here: https://simsfreeplay.sng.link/Dyt7s/faxv/sxpi

To view the real-life LEGO DOTS products included in The Sims FreePlay, click here: LEGO® DOTS | Fun Crafts for Kids

 

 

Brand Licensing Europe unveils packed agenda for 2022 event

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Europe’s leading event for licensing and brand extension – Brand Licensing Europe (BLE) – has announced a packed schedule of networking, educational and experiential events for its 22nd show, which takes place from 20-22 September 2022 at ExCeL London.

Welcoming thousands of European retailers, manufacturers and brand owners, BLE 22 will present the latest brand collaborations, inspire future product ranges, display the hottest product design innovation, showcase new and emerging IPs, and highlight the endless opportunities for brands to extend into new categories and markets.

Attendees can register for free to join Amazon, Aykroyd & Sons, Tesco, Moonpig, Panini France, Jakks Pacific, HMV, Danilo, Paladone Products, Clementoni Spa, Spin Master, Ravensburger and more, already registered to visit.

More than 150 exhibitors have confirmed their participation including Mattel, NBCUniversal, TF1 Licensing, Acamar Films, Pokémon, Sophie La Girafe, Difuzed, Crunchyroll, Bravado, The Smurfs, AC Milan, Asterix, Formula E, Paramount, BBC Studios, Hasbro, Gallimard Jeunesse, Ubisoft.

Attendees can enjoy the following experiential, educational and networking highlights:

  • 10 choreographed catwalk shows forming part of BLE 2022’s fashion theme focusing on Footwear, Kids, Food & Beverage, Collabs, Sports & Athleisure, Culture & the World and Sustainability
  • 4 branded cafes and bars offering immersive experiences, product installations and additional meeting space
  • The much-loved character parade, taking place at 11.30am on 20 and 21 September – follow the characters as they walk through the show before emerging outside the West entrance of ExCeL.
  • The Kelvyn Gardner License This! competition Finale returning on 22 September from 10:30am until 12:00pm. Watch the shortlisted entrepreneurs battle it out to win the 2022 Character & Animation and Brand & Design awards. Plus, last year’s winners Sophie Jonas-Hill with Tea for Tattoo and Joel Mercer’s Seed Folk exhibiting on the main show floor.
  • A new sustainability and diversity programme spotlighting new and diverse brands and voices, with 22 September (final day of the show) exclusively dedicated to bringing this to life through activations and education
  • An exclusively curated Retail Lounge designed for retail attendees to mingle, gain product inspiration and host meetings

Educational highlights include:

  • Free-to-attend keynotes on 20 & 21 September at 1:00pm in the License Global Theatre. Stay tuned for the first reveal next week.
  • A renewed partnership with Products of Change providing an educational platform for those looking for guidance on how to make their business more sustainable
  • A re-imagined experience for newcomers to the industry with orientation sessions, show tours, speed networking and expert mentoring alongside pre-event on-demand content .
  • Additional free educational sessions in the License Global theatre including category spotlights and conference sessions from the recently postponed Brand & Licensing Innovation Summit
  • Entertainment showcases on 20 & 21 September in the Platinum Suite

All sessions will be recorded and available on-demand in the online platform, available to all registered attendees and exhibitors. This does not include the invite-only entertainment showcases.

Networking highlights include:

  • Opening Night Drinks on the show floor on 20 September from 5:00pm – 7:00pm open to all attendees and exhibitors.
  • The return of the Online Meetings Service and Matchmaking Lounge allowing attendees and exhibitors to book meetings ahead of the event and maximise ROI from the show.
  • Exhibitor drinks reception on 21 September at the Novotel from 5:00pm – 7:00pm.

“The calendar for BLE is firming up quickly and we want to give the industry as long as possible to start planning and block their diaries before the meeting requests start coming in. With so much going on through the exciting Fashion theme, the packed seminar programme and more, there’s something for everyone and we can’t wait to welcome the European licensing community to ExCeL this September,” says Informa Markets SVP of Licensing Anna Knight.

Upon registering, all visitors and exhibitors will gain access to the free online platform to setup their profile in preparation for the Meetings functionality opening mid-July to book meetings ahead of the event. All content will be available on-demand in the platform once the show ends.

 

Brand & Licensing Innovation Summit postponed

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The organisers of B&LIS Europe have issued an update about the event, which was due to take place on 21 June, 2022.

Due to national rail strikes on June 21, 23 & 25, and a London tube strike on June 21, the event will now take place later in the year, at a date to be confirmed shortly.

The Sustainability in Licensing Conference, which was slated for 22 June, is also being postponed and will now take place on 18 October 2022.

If you have booked a ticket for B&LIS, you will be issued with a full refund. If you have booked a ticket for B&LIS and SILC, the organisers will refund 50% of the ticket price and leave the remaining 50% to go towards the postponed SILC date. If you are unable to make the postponed date, contact the organisers for a full refund. All questions should be directed to the B&LIS customer service team at brandlicensinginnovationsummitcs@informa.com.

Maurizio Distefano Licensing announces the arrival of Bluey toys in Italy

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Maurizio Distefano Licensing, Italian agent for BBC Studios’ property Bluey, has announced the arrival at retail of new Bluey toys from Giochi Preziosi, the Italian distributor of master toy licensee Moose Toys.

Bluey toys are now available in large-scale retail shops and major toy shop chains across Italy.

Bluey has been a massive success in Italy on Disney+, Rai YoYo and YouTube, and this timely collection of toys inspired by the colourful world of the little blue heeler is a real treat for fans of Bluey, her family and friends.

The line includes 20cm plush toys of Bluey and sister Bingo and six sets of action figures, four of which consist of two characters from the animated series (Grannies, Cousins, Pool Time, Skateboard) and two of which highlight four characters (Bluey’s Family, Bluey’s Friends). There will also be two mini playsets (Bingo’s Playroom and Bluey’s Playground) and, of course, the Heeler 4WD Family Vehicle.

The promotion and launch of the collection have left nothing to chance – inside 70 Toys Center shops there is a dedicated shelf, with an eye-catching layout and logo and a luminous sign. Supporting the launch, the rich media plan will include commercials on all preschool target TV stations. There will also be an integrated launch plan on the social channels of both Bluey and Giochi Preziosi.

Bluey has enjoyed excellent results in terms of views, registering an incredible 10.38% share on RaiYoYo in the 4-7-year-old range, taking second place on the podium on RaiYoYo for total time spent and occupying third place for the most viewed series by children on demand on Rai Play.

Further confirmation of the extraordinary success of the little Aussie dog in Italy comes in the form of the many licensing agreements already secured by Maurizio Distefano Licensing. Several products will be launched in the market in the coming months. Multiprint will produce a collection of stamp sets inspired by the series, Dulcop will offer a range of soap bubbles dedicated to the characters and Diramix plans a sticker album. Grabo meanwhile will bring Bluey to its inflatable balloons, Halantex will bring out Bluey bedding, and finally Dolfin, looking to 2023, will sweeten the Epiphany with a dedicated selection of Epiphany stockings.

Maurizio Distefano says: “As soon as I saw Bluey, I knew that it had strong potential in the Italian market but even this may be an understatement. The success of the animated series in Italy has encouraged many Italian licensees to partner with the property already and this success looks like continuing for some while.”

 

Visitor registration for Brand Licensing Europe 2022 is now open

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Hot on the heels of a triumphant in-person return for Licensing Expo in Las Vegas, Brand Licensing Europe (BLE) opens online visitor registration today. The event brings together thousands of leading retailers and manufacturers to discover the widest range of brands from Europe available for license for three days of deal-making, networking and trend spotting and returns to ExCeL London from 20-22 September.

Over 120 companies from all over the world – with strong representation from France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Denmark, Lithuania, Finland, Netherlands, Norway, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK – are already confirmed to exhibit.

They include some of the world’s leading brand owners including Paramount, Warner Bros, Hasbro, NBCUniversal, Mattel, Aardman Animations, AC Milan, Acamar Films, Banijay Brands, Asmodee, Asterix, BANDAI NAMCO, Beanstalk, Brandgenuity, Bulldog Licensing, Caroline Mickler, Crunchyroll, Cyber Group Studios, Difuzed, FC Barcelona, Gallimard Jeunesse, IMG Licensing, LMI, Magic Light Pictures, Natural History Museum, Penguin Ventures, Perfetti Van Melle, Royal Museums Greenwich, Sanrio, SEGA, Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe, The National Gallery, The Pokémon Company, The Smurfs, V&A, Yale University and many more. Latest names confirmed include Euro Lizenzen, MGA Entertainment, Formula E, Ubisoft, UEFA Club Competitions, Van Gogh Museums, Creative Licensing Corp, KOCCA and more.

Thousands of brands are represented on the show floor, from animation to sports, heritage, arts, gaming and more, offering attendees the opportunity to secure the rights to  leading brands including My Little Pony, MTV, Top Gun, Chupa Chups, Asterix & Obelix, Paw Patrol, the Victoria & Albert Museum, The Batman, Hello Kitty, Assassin’s Creed, Peter Rabbit, Barbie, Masha & the Bear, the Van Gogh Museum, Formula E, le Petit Prince, Kellogg’s, Sonic the Hedgehog, Sophie la Girafe, Far Cry, and many more.

“It was essential to bring BLE back as an in-person event last year – this industry is highly creative and collaborative and relies on  face-to-face networking as well as the ability to experience brands first-hand so we can’t wait to return even stronger this September,” says Anna Knight, Informa Markets SVP of Licensing. “We saw some great quality attendees there – and at Licensing Expo last month – including H&M, Pull & Bear, Primark, Asda, and so many more, which shows the strength and growing appetite for brand collaborations and licensing.

“For 2022, we can’t wait to bring the industry back together again and help to drive the conversations that lead to the creation of innovative new products that consumers love. This year’s fashion theme aims to showcase collaborations first-hand and will let retailers and licensees experience brands and products in a more meaningful, engaging way.”

This year’s BLE theme is fashion, which will be woven throughout the show’s content and spotlight the incredible creativity happening in this sector and its impact on the licensing industry as a whole, from brand collaborations to innovations in the metaverse, retail experiences and sustainability with the continued partnership with Products of Change, will include daily fashion shows on the central catwalk, inspirational product showcases, a high-profile keynote and complementary conference sessions.

Kirsty Schaper, Senior Brand Licensing Manager, Royal Museums Greenwich, says: “We are absolutely delighted to be returning to BLE in 2022 to exhibit our unparalleled collections in astronomy, art and British and maritime history and technology. Visit our stand to discover opportunities and inspiration for working with our exceptional, world-class collections to create unique products in association with our prestigious heritage brand.”

Retail Buyers Panel confirmed for the Brands & Retail UK summer conference

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Ryan Beaird, event director of Brands & Retail UK, has announced the B&RUK Retail Buyers Q&A Panel discussion, which will close Day One of the conference taking place at the British Library (London) on Wednesday 6 and Thursday 7 July 2022.

The Retail Buyers Panel – sponsored by Fabacus – will be moderated by Julia Redman of Buyers Eye, and will include Ruth Golightly (ASDA), John Carolan (Boots), Helen Riley (ebay) and Karen Hewitt (character.com)

“We held the first B&RUK Retail Buyers panel at the first winter conference in February and I feel they always go down well with the licensees in the audience,” says Ryan Beaird. “I am delighted Julia Redman, who has vast experience of retail, is taking on the moderating from me and I want to thank Helen, Ruth, John and Karen in advance for supporting the summer conference.

“Day Two has now sold out so we have a fantastic line-up and I now have only six unreserved 15-minute pitching slots left for Day One (6 July) for Lifestyle, Commercial, Heritage, Charity and Sports brands.

“TeamGB, Paramount, V&A, Ashmolean Museum (Start Licensing), Mighty Jaxx, Pink Key Licensing, Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, Lucia Heffernan (Lisle Licensing) and the FA have so far confirmed.

“I also have some more news to share with you for Day One very soon, which should go down well with the industry.”

If you are a brand and want to present to the major UK retailers and licensees then please contact Ryan Beaird to reserve a presentation slot; Ryan.Beaird@BrandsRetail.uk

Licensees and retailers can book their FREE tickets for the conference and purchase their ‘Meet the Buyers’ party tickets for £45 each on the conference website – www.BrandsRetail.uk

Spread Group signs up five iconic Paramount properties

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Spread Group has signed a deal with Paramount Consumer Products to produce print-on-demand products for the European market for five iconic properties: Flashdance, Top Gun, Star Trek, Garfield and SpongeBob SquarePants.

Sustainability is at the heart of the partnership. The Spread Group’s print-on-demand offering means an item is only printed after it has been ordered. This limits waste because there’s no over-stocking and leftover sizes.

The first designs will include I Feel the Need for Speed Top Gun t-shirts, Flashdance logo and What a Feeling! hoodies, Garfield LASAGNA lunchboxes and Saturday Night Fever posters. The designs will be a mixture of classic images and newly created designs produced by Spread Group.

Customisation is also made easy with print-on-demand. Fans have the freedom to add a design to a product in a size, colour, and style of their choice.

Sven Burscher, Spread Group’s Head of Licensing, says: “This partnership means Spread Group can offer a huge variety of themes to a wide audience. The Paramount Global brands cover iconic movies and cartoons for a large demographic. There’s a coming-of-age moment for everyone!

“Our print-on-demand offering means the brands and their fans can customise their creations to suit them, whilst retaining brand integrity. It also limits waste, which is better for the planet.”

Fans will be able to add images and quotes to t-shirts, hoodies, caps, bags, aprons, mugs, water bottles, lunchboxes, pillowcases, posters and stickers, depending on the brand. Designs will also be localised – for example, Garfield quotes in German, French and English.

The licence covers Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France and the UK.

 

 

CAA Brand Management to drive global consumer product programme for McLaren Automotive

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CAA Brand Management has been appointed by British luxury supercar maker McLaren Automotive to support its global consumer product licensing and brand extension programme.

Under the multi-year agreement, CAA Brand Management will support McLaren’s internal team, helping manage McLaren’s licensee roster, in addition to indentifying new business opportunities in key categories, including gaming, jewellery, publishing and apparel. CAA will also help McLaren extend its consumer products programmes into new territories, with an immediate focus on the United States, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.

“Appointing CAA Brand Management as our global consumer product licensing agency will help us continue to realise the full potential of our brand, drive significant growth in extending our licensing roster and continue to acquire new brand fans and admirers,” says Gareth Dunsmore, Chief Marketing Officer, McLaren Automotive. “We look forward to working with CAA Brand Management to drive forward our ambitious licensing strategy.”

“McLaren Automotive has experienced a rapid expansion of its core business globally, cementing itself as a leader in modern automotive luxury,” adds Noah Gelbart, President, CAA Brand Management. “We see this as a significant opportunity to support the business and help create new ways for consumers to engage with the brand.”

Defined by extraordinary innovation, design and engineering, and a commitment to providing best in class experience, McLaren hand-builds some of the world’s most advanced supercars and hypercars at its global headquarters at the iconic McLaren Production Centre in Woking, Surrey, England. Now retailed in more than 40 territories, it traces its history and vision back to founder, racer, engineer and entrerepneur Bruce McLaren who wanted to build the world’s most iconic supercars.

More playtime for Magic Light Pictures’ preschool hit Pip and Posy

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Pip and Posy, the hit pre-school series from multiple Oscar-nominated Magic Light Pictures, has been recommissioned for a second series of 52 x 7’ episodes to debut in early 2023 on Milkshake! on Channel 5 and Sky Kids and NOW in the UK and ROI.

Pip and Posy is the first joint co-production between Paramount and Sky and the show launched to acclaim in March 2021.

Series 2 will build on the success of the first series, which is one of the top rated shows on Milkshake! (3 million viewers since launch). Pip and Posy has also seen significant growth across its own social media platforms on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook.

Magic Light has sold the show worldwide, securing major international broadcast partners including ZDF (Germany), FTV (France), RAI Yoyo (Italy), ABC (Australia), SVT (Sweden), Hop! Channel (Israel), NPO Zapp (Netherlands), CTV (Czech Republic), Asiana (South Korea), PTS (Taiwan), DR (Denmark), YLE (Finland), SYN (Iceland), NRK (Norway), RTV (Slovenia) and TVO (Canada). It will also air on Nick Junior UK from this spring.

Pip and Posy are the best of friends whose lives revolve around a wonderful world of play. Packed with warmth and humour, the series is a joyful celebration of their great friendship with all its ups and downs, laughter and games.

Louise Bucknole, VP Programming Kids, Paramount, says: “We’re delighted that Pip and Posy has been such a hit with the audience. We are very happy to commission a second series of this endearing show which has quickly found its way into the hearts of our young viewers, where they can relate to the stories of friendship, creative play and being a preschooler.”

Lucy Murphy, Director of Kids at Sky UK & Ireland, says: “We aim to bring our youngest audience the very best entertainment and Pip and Posy has proved to be a show preschoolers and their families love. We’re hugely looking forward to seeing what further fun and games the lovable pair will be getting up to in series two!”

“Pip and Posy is Magic Light’s first animated series and we’re thrilled that it’s got off to such a successful start,” says Michael Rose, co-founder of Magic Light. “We’re delighted that Milkshake!, Sky and ZDF share our passion for the show, and we’re looking forward to bringing more episodes to our young audience.”

Pip and Posy has been jointly commissioned by Louise Bucknole for Milkshake! on Channel 5 and Lucy Murphy for Sky Kids with the participation of ZDF, Germany. The series is executive produced by Michael Rose and produced by Vici King for Magic Light Pictures. The showrunner at Magic Light is Jeroen Jaspaert (Stick Man and The Highway Rat). Animation services are provided by Blue Zoo, where the director is Sean McCormack.

Magic Light Pictures holds the global distribution and merchandising rights to Pip and Posy (excluding publishing) and is planning a full consumer products programme to complement the property with the first products due at retail this year, whilst the online shop went live at the end of 2021. The Pip and Posy characters are also appearing in Milkshake! Live and will be touring nationwide from February 2022 through to 2023.

Emma Thompson and Axel Scheffler team up for heartwarming V&A Christmas tale

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This autumn, Puffin, in collaboration with the V&A, is to publish the heartwarming Christmas tale Jim’s Spectacular Christmas, written by Dame Emma Thompson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler.

Oscar-winning actor Dame Emma Thompson has teamed up with bestselling illustrator Axel Scheffler to write the story about Jim, the real-life dog who belonged to Sir Henry Cole, the V&A’s founding director. Sir Henry Cole famously sent the first-ever Christmas card in 1843.

Sir Henry Cole founded the V&A in 1852 when it began as a Museum of Manufactures, and it was officially opened by Queen Victoria at its current Kensington site in 1857. Jim was Sir Henry Cole’s Yorkshire terrier, and Cole’s diary entries indicate the fondness they had for one another, regularly strolling around together, with Jim accompanying Sir Henry everywhere around the museum. There is now a commemorative plaque dedicated to the “Faithful Dog” set into the wall of the V&A’s John Madejski garden.

After receiving a Jim-shaped Christmas decoration and becoming enraptured by a drawing that Sir Henry had made of his faithful pet, Emma Thompson was inspired to pen the tale of the scraggly canine hero, who she fondly describes as having a “gamey whiff”. Emma weaves fact and fiction together, as Jim goes on a Christmas adventure filled with high emotion, redemption, unexpected presents and a life-changing brush with royalty. Axel Scheffler’s magical illustrations bring the story to life with his own special brand of warmth and humour, creating what is sure to become a beloved Christmas classic.

Emma and Axel have corresponded for 30 years, their relationship based on mutual fandom for one another. This culminated in the pair finally meeting at a Waterstones Christmas event in 2019, the moment serendipitously captured on video. Jim’s Spectacular Christmas will be their first project together, celebrating their enduring friendship with a heartwarming Christmas story.

Emma Thompson says: “Upon learning about Sir Henry and Jim for the first time, I couldn’t help but run amok with ideas about what it must have been like for this unlikely pet to be living in such an amazing museum. I’ve been a fan of Axel’s work for many years because of the humanity and humour in all his illustrations, so to be collaborating with him on this project is an utter joy.”

“Emma originally contacted me by letter to request a commission some 30 years ago (and many followed over the years),” says Axel Scheffler. “That’s how our correspondence began, and we only met in person at a signing in a bookshop a few years ago. When Puffin came to me with this project, I was very excited to get involved and to do a book with Emma. Illustrating her wonderful story has been a great pleasure and I hope that many readers – young and old – will share the enjoyment in time for Christmas.”

Tristram Hunt, Director of the V&A Museum, adds: “Sir Henry Cole’s legacy is relatively unknown to the public, yet it is such an important part of the V&A’s rich history. Working with Puffin has been the perfect collaboration for this wonderful project, and we are completely thrilled that Emma and Axel have taken it on. We can’t wait to share this beautiful Christmas story with the public.”

Jim’s Spectacular Christmas will be published by Puffin in association with the V&A on 27 October. To find out more, and to pre-order the book, visit Penguin.co.uk.