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SpongeBob spin-off The Patrick Star Show to land with 13 episodes this summer

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Nickelodeon has lifted the lid on the long-awaited SpongeBob SquarePants spin-off to be centered on the series’ popular character, Patrick, confirming that The Patrick Star Show will be landed with 13 initial episodes this summer.

Patrick Star – SpongeBob’s ever loyal best friend – will be the focus of the series that will introduce viewers to an extended Star family that includes Patrick’s younger sister and executive producer Squidina, Patrick’s parents Cecil and Bunny, and GrandPat, Patrick’s grandfather and the brains of the family.

The show will also witness the return of fan-favourite, Squidward as it introduces a wider clan, including Squidward’s grandmother while established characters including SpongeBob, Squidward, Sandy, MR Krabs, and Plankton will all be making special guest appearances throughout the series.

“Nickelodeon is diving deeper into Bikini Bottom to give fans a look at our lovable young adult Patrick Star and his entire family with a sitcom only he could imagine up,” said Ramsey Naito, president, Nickelodeon Animation. “This second original spin-off allows us to expand our reach, tell new stories and connect with our audience around the world who continue to love these characters.”

The Patrick Star Show is the second expansion of the SpongeBob universe. The first is Kamp Koral: SpongeBob’s Under Years (a CG-animated prequel about the main character’s adventures at summer camp as a young kid), which premieres on Paramount+.

Hasbro teams with Regatta to launch Peppa Pig ‘adventure ready’ outerwear range for kids

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The British outdoor brand, Regatta Great Outdoors, has partnered with the global play and entertainment company, Hasbro to launch a new collection of Peppa Pig outerwear and leisure accessories for children.

The range has already made its mark on the UK retail space, having launched with Next on February 22nd this year, before rolling out to Regatta stores across the country from March 1st.

The Peppa Pig range encourages girls and boys to be ‘Adventure Ready’ with a collection of 20 products suitable for all weather including puddle suits, wellies, swimwear, jackets and fleeces that are both fun and functional. The outerwear pieces are designed to offer functional attributes such as breathable fabrics, 360 reflective finishes and waterproof surfaces ideal for families keen to enjoy the great outdoors.

A range of outdoor camping and leisure accessories featuring Peppa Pig designs will also complement the range, including sleeping bags, water bottles and camping chairs.

“We’re delighted to see the Peppa Pig Regatta collection launch at Next. This fantastic range of robust, weatherproof Peppa Pig outerwear will get kids ‘adventure ready’ as they explore the great outdoors which is now more important than ever,” said Hasbro’s Nikki Gie, director, EMEA consumer products, family brands.

Licensing International France Awards winners and first French Rising Star revealed

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LEGO Super Mario, The Pokemon Company, and Crunchyroll have been named among the winners of this year’s Licensing International France Awards in a live virtual event that brought together nearly 250 industry executives from France and around the world.

Hosted by Christophe Drevet from CDR Strategy and Licensing International France’s own Florence Ayem and Laurent Taieb, the event also named its first French Rising Star as WildBrain CPLG’s Jeanne Baledent.

Meanwhile, 12 Awards winners were named during the event, selected from among the 104 submissions received, an increase of 30 per cent on the number of nomiations last year. 

The 2021 Licensing International France Awards winners are:

BEST LICENSED PRODUCT – LEGO for the Super Mario Construction range

BEST RETAIL or DIGITAL ACTIVATION – PicWicToys for We need to find Santa Claus

BEST PROMOTION or EVENT – Warner Bros. Consumer Products for the LU x DC Comics x Funko activation

BEST LICENSED COLLABORATION– Crunchyroll for the Captain Tsubasa x French Football Federation

BEST DIGITAL BRAND – Super Mario / Nintendo

BEST ENTERTAINMENT BRAND – Harry Potter / Warner Bros. Entertainment

BEST SPORT BRAND – National Basketball Association

BEST LICENSEE – Funko

BEST CELEBRITY, CORPORATE or LIFESTYLE BRAND – Koh-Lanta / TF1 Licences

BEST LICENSOR or LICENSING AGENCY: The Pokémon Company International

FRENCH RISING STAR: Jeanne Balédent / Wildbrain CPLG

In addition to the Award Winners above, Licensing International France has extended a special mention to the following entries that, while not winning an award, still captured our attention.  

LICENSING INTERNATIONAL FRANCE CRUSHES:

  • Barbapapa x Merci collaboration / TF1 Licences
  • The Bureau – The Deep Game / Dama Dreams
  • Label Chaussette x RATP la ligne – socks line
  • Find Me in Paris – launch of the score with Wagram Music

 

LEGO enters Hundred Acre Wood with latest Ideas launch, LEGO Winnie the Pooh

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The LEGO Group is taking a nostalgic walk through Hundred Acre Wood with the launch of its latest LEGO Ideas project, LEGO Winnie the Pooh, a set based on the original designs from LEGO builder Ben Adler.

Taking inspiration from the tales of A.A. Milne’s adventures of Christopher Robin that have transported readers for almost a century, the new LEGO Winnie the Pooh launch will take fans on a journey to beneath a large oak tree, where Pooh’s house takes centre stage.

The house can be opened up to unveil a host of furniture and unique items such as the Pooh-coo Clock, a box of Pooh sticks, Tigger’s locket, and plenty of honey pots.

LEGO superfan Ben Alder originally submitted the concept to LEGO Ideas; a LEGO initiative that takes new ideas that have been imagined and voted for by fans and turns them into reality.

Discussing the design, Alder said: “I love Winnie the Pooh and remember my parents reading it to me as a child. I now read the same Winnie the Pooh stories to my children, so it is certainly something dear to my heart. I decided to make the set so that my children could bring to life our bedtime stories but never quite expected the positive reaction it has received.”

The new set includes five new moulded characters, each with their own accessories. Pooh himself has his red balloon to collect honey from the bees in the branches above, Piglet is wrapped up in his scarf, and Tigger has just moved to the woods with his sack on a stick. Meanwhile, Rabbit has carrots ready for snacking, and Eeyore comes complete with his tail and a removable ribbon.

Other notable inclusions to the set include a campfire and log for Pooh to think about the things that he discovers, his front door complete with “Mr. Sanders” sign above it, his adorable blue bell to ring the front door, and finally, a signpost to the Hundred Acre Wood to make sure Pooh finds his way home.

Federico Begher, VP of global marketing at The LEGO Group, said: “Winnie the Pooh is a 95-year-old story that is loved globally, so seeing Ben’s design sparked a lot of nostalgia for us all.  Plus, his personal story about how he created the set for his family to play out the lovely Winnie the Pooh stories using LEGO bricks felt like a beautiful combination of family, LEGO bricks, and Winnie the Pooh that we wanted to share with others.

“We also had the rare treat of being able to create all new characters for this LEGO Ideas set. We simply had to see how the line-up of Pooh, Tigger, Rabbit and Piglet would look like in mini figure shape. As well as creating a brand-new Eeyore figure.

“The stories of the Hundred Acre Wood come to life with this set and there are plenty of intricate details for fans of both Disney and LEGO to discover.”

The LEGO Ideas Winnie the Pooh set is available directly from LEGO Stores and LEGO.com from 18th March, 2021 for LEGO VIP members, and 1st April 2021 for all.

Manga and anime powerhouse Viz Media appoints new VP of consumer products

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The anime and manga powerhouse, Viz Media, has appointed the former Netflix Consumer Products director, Laura Takaragawa to the role of vice president consumer products, a newly created position for the business as it looks to increase its presence in the licensing and merchandising space.

The new role will see Takaragawa manage licensed merchandise and collaborations, interactive and digital games, location-based engagement, and promotions across all of its properties. She will report into Viz Media’s senior vice president of animation, Brian Ige.

With almost ten years’ experience in licensing and consumer products positions, Takaragawa has previously held roles with Sanrio – where she was vice president of licensing – National Geographic, as vice president of consumer products, and most recently, head of licensing at Netflix Consumer Products.

“Her vast experience in cross-platform licensing and brand storytelling, combined with her content knowledge and passion, make her the ideal leader for this role,” said VIZ Media’s chief marketing officer Brad Woods.

The Point. 1888 plans busy year of licensing for University of Cambridge through Virtual Summit

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The University of Cambridge is on for a busy year of licensing, thanks to plans unveiled today by its UK agent, The Point.1888 and Fitzwilliam Museum Enterprises Ltd., the subsidiary of the University of Cambridge responsible for licensing.

The mission of the University of Cambridge has always been to contribute to society through education, learning and research at the highest international level. Known for its education and research excellence, there has been a growing interest in its collection of museums, libraries and botanic garden, which cover art, artifacts, polar exploration, anthropology, zoology, geology and the history of science.

Since signing with FME in early 2020, The Point.1888 has already facilitated successful partnerships for the university with online homewares, wall art, furniture, and accessories platform Fy, with a range of  eight prints which launched In September 2020.

To add to this success from last year, the goal for 2021 is to roll out more licensing programmes for the university brand as well as its museum collections and botanic garden.

In order to deliver on this, The Point.1888 is in the final stages of organising a Virtual Summit to be held early summer, for licensees and retailers to get to know the institution, see the key collections and hear all about the forthcoming plans.

The event will be key for extending the brand into new categories this year, which include Homewares, Garden, High end food gifting, Collaborations, Toys and Games, Apparel and Accessories.

One success initiated in early 2020 by FME Ltd involved the adaptation of works of art from the Fitzwilliam Museum to show what social distancing might look like through the ages. The team went on to inspire consumers with a launch of greeting cards, print-on-demand stationery, gin, homewares, apparel and, of course, face masks.

Bethan Garton, commercial director at The Point.1888, said: “The University and its museums normally welcome 7 million visitors each year which has been negatively affected by COVID.  We were pleased in 2020 to support their important work via licensing to generate much needed income. Our plans for this year will do so much more and we’re delighted to be seeing it all put into action.”

Len Dunne, CEO of FME Ltd, added: “All of our income goes to support the vital research and activities of our museums and botanic garden. We are excited to expand our UK licensing activities programme working with the dynamic team at The Point.1888.”

Among Us builds global licensing network with Tycoon in LatAm and SkyBrands across Europe

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Innersloth’s gaming phenomenon, Among Us is expanding its international reach with a slew of new global licensing announcements, spearheaded by the appointment of Tycoon Enterprises as its licensing agent across Latin America.

Among Us took the world by storm when it hit half a billion unique monthly players last November, rocketing the multi-player mobile game to the top spot of the download charts and securing the title two awards – Best Multi-Player and Best Mobile Game – at the 2020 Game Awards.

Combining social gameplay with horror-humour, the game recently launched on Nintendo Switch and is set to bow on Xbox this year.

The new deal grants Tycoon wide merchandising and promotional rights as it looks to secure partners across the Latin American market.

“Fans of the game have shown us, through the engagement with the IP, that they are excited for us to take the crewmates to new worlds, and to grow our brand into other mediums beyond gaming,” said Rowan Rowden, co-founder of Dual Wield Studio

“And it is all about them.”

Outside of the US, the Mexican and Brazilian markets have amassed the largest player bases, ranking number one and two on Facebook, followed by Colombia, Argentina, and Peru. Views and likes on TikTok and Twitch proliferate across the region.

“This is probably one of the most anticipated and sought-after branded programs ever, and the level of interest shown by the licensee and Retail community in Among Us is incredibly high,” said Dalia Benbassat, head of corporate relations at Tycoon.

“This kind of excitement comes like a breath of fresh air for the entire industry and reminds us of the important role that brands play in the path to recovery. We are delighted to be part of the Among Us Crew and look forward to the launch of our first lines of merchandise.”

Meanwhile, in Europe, Innersloth has tapped SkyBrands to develop a portfolio of products across apparel and home textiles based on the Among Us IP. The partnership will witness the launch of the gaming brand into the fashion and textile market across Europe.

‘The demand for official quality products with Among Us is huge and in close collaboration with the team behind Among Us, SkyBrands can now develop and deliver products with apparel and home textiles,’ read a statement from the company.

‘If you’re ready to hear more about the great possibilities for your shop or brand, then do not hesitate to contact SkyBrands.’

Disney teams with health tech specialist Philips in trial to reduce anxiety in child patients

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The Walt Disney Company EMEA has teamed up with the health technology specialist, Royal Philips to test new technologies developed to reduce the fear or anxiety felt by children undergoing MRI processes.

The research will investigate how Philips Ambient Experience can improve the experience of a patient during pediatric MRI procedures through the use of a series of animated stories featuring some of Disney’s most beloved characters.

Philips Ambient Experience is a solution that brings architecture, design, and enabling technologies such as lighting, video projections, and sound, into the MRI procedure. Through the partnership, Philips Ambient Experience will render six pieces of original, stylised Disney animation intended to reduce fear and anxiety often felt by a child in the MRI process.

Philips’ clinical research will commence this summer in six hospitals across Europe, marking the first time Disney has collaborated as part of a clinical research project of this kind.

The Disney animation to be used will feature characters like Mickey Mouse, Ariel, Marvel’s Avengers, Star Wars’ Yoda, and others. The goal will be to help alleviate children’s anxiety, create bonds and improve the staff’s ability to carry out their tasks in MRI scanning rooms.

Medical exams like MRI scans can be challenging for many patients, especially children, who are anxious or claustrophobic. Philips Ambient Experience – with 2,000 installations worldwide – helps manage these challenges by creating an engaging, multi-sensory imaging environment that is welcoming and relaxing.

Patients can personalize the room’s lighting, video, and sound by selecting a theme of their choice. This gives them a feeling of empowerment and control over the procedure and provides a positive focus on the ambient theme.

“A visit to the hospital can be quite intimidating for people, and especially children, where a more patient-friendly, patient-centric environment could help improve the patient experience and help drive first-time-right imaging for improved outcomes,” said Kees Wesdorp, chief business leader of precision diagnosis at Philips.

“With this pilot study, we will investigate the impact of Philips Ambient Experience including Disney’s specially developed themes to empower children with a positive experience to help them throughout the medical procedure. Philips has always taken a human-centric approach to healthcare. Together, we can make a real difference for thousands of young patients going through medical procedures each day.”

Jan Koeppen, president, The Walt Disney Company, EMEA, added: “I have seen first-hand that MRI scans can be intimidating for children, and I like how focused Philips is on the patient experience.

“At Disney, we look forward to complementing Philips’ MRI experience with our stories and characters. We are excited to see the results of the clinical research and to quantify the impact our characters can have in this environment.”

In a recent study carried out by the New Economics Foundation, it was identified that in addition to creating a positive experience, the well-known Disney characters help build trust for children in anxious circumstances. The research, also identifies that, through the power of Disney’s storytelling and characters, it can inspire and create positive feelings, experiences and memories helping children and young people to cope where and when they need it most.

Disney has a long history of bringing magic and storytelling to children’s hospitals and places of care across the world. In 2018, Disney announced a further commitment of $100 million to help reimagine the patient journey for children in hospitals around the world as part of their global Social Purpose program.

EOLO Toys and Panini on board for new animated series and app game SuperMasked

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EOLO Toys and Panini have been named among a portfolio of licensing partners already on board to launch exclusive toys and collectables based on an upcoming animated series and app game, SuperMasked.

A joint venture between Maya Studio and EOLO’s own toy design house and motion graphics centre, Toy Zone, SuperMasked is an animated superhero saga that teaches kids that they don’t need to be perfect to be a hero. The animated comedy will become the focus of its own app game this autumn.

Multiple licensing partners have already been tapped for the new IP, including Panini and EOLO Toys who will each launch ‘very unique and exclusive lines’ in the coming months.

“Our main mission is to make everyone happy and keep smiling even through difficult times,” said EOLO’s Toy Zone director of fun, Alex Prieto. “We love this property, its values and of course it’s going to be lots of fun. [It has been] great to work with Maya on this, they are very talented and know how to enjoy the process, this will for sure be reflected in the end result.”

Maya Studio has made a name for itself in the entertainment and licensing space through the success of its Catrinas Underworld brand, a playful adaptation of the Mexican skulls art and style. The brand has enjoyed vast success in licensing with products spanning books and bags to collectable dolls, costumes and more.

Maya’s creative director, Javi Monler, added: “The toy world is something that fascinates us. Seeing that the things you have created move and serve to entertain is the greatest thing a creative could dream of.

“Catrinas is the brand that has shown us the way, and while establishing itself with top products in the market, we present SuperMasked, a new property that will not leave anyone indifferent.”

Mattel reveals new Barbie partnership with Radio One broadcaster Clara Amfo

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Mattel has unveiled a new one-of-a-kind Barbie doll in the likeness of the popular broadcaster, Clara Amfo as part of the toy maker’s ongoing UK Barbie Role Model campaign.

Best known for hosting her Radio One show, Amfo has interviewed some of the world’s most prolific artists, from Jay-Z to Ariana Grande. She also hosts her own successful podcast, This City, in which famous friends tell their stories about London life.

On top of this, Amfo has also hosted coverage for Glastonbury Festival, The BRIT Awards, and the BAFTAs, as well as documentaries like Running with Grief in 2016, in which Amfo explored the impact of losing a parent.

Partnering with Amfo this year, Barbie will be encouraging girls to ‘raise their voice’ with a call to women and girls on why it is important to stand up for yourself and your beliefs, how to build confidence, and how young girls can be empowered to believe in their potential.

In summer last year, amid the shockwaves felt around the death of George Floyd, Amfo made a powerful on-air speech with a call to action for anti-racism that went viral. She became widely recognised as a powerful force for change across UK media, joining 15 other activists on the cover of the September issue of British Vogue.

Amfo said: “I have been lucky enough to experience some really special moments in my professional life and to say that I am honoured to be named a Barbie Role Model would be an understatement.

“There is so much power in being able to see yourself reflected positively in the world as an adult and it’s even more potent as a child. That power and the confidence that comes with it should only be protected and amplified.

“For me, having this doll represents the infinite possibility that I believe we all have a right to and my only wish it that it will do the same for anyone who sees her.”

Honouring female role models is one of the ways the Barbie brand is working to close the Dream Gap; the time when girls start to doubt that they can be anything. The Barbie Dream Gap Project is an ongoing global initiative that aims to give girls the resources and support they need to continue to believe in themselves.

One of the ways that Amfo and Barbie will be working together is in partnership with grassroots London project Milk Honey Bees and its mission to celebrate black girlhood by creating an expressive, safe space that allows young Black women and girls to flourish through one-to-one sessions and creative group projects.

Barbie will also be making a donation to Milk Honeybees to support a creative writing community project, launch a series of social videos spotlighting Milk Honey Bees and Amfo, to celebrate girlhood, and sponsor Milk Honey Bee’s first appearance at the Women of the World Festival on 13th March.

Meanwhile, Barbie will continue to highlight role models from around the world timed to International Women’s Day. The doll brand has so far highlighted the boundary-breaking stories of more than 60 historical and modern-day role models from diverse backgrounds and fields to help inspire the next generation to believe they can be anything.

In the UK, previous Sheroes include Dina Asher-Smith, Fastest Woman in British History, 2020. Sky Brown, Champion Skateboarder, 2020. Adwoa Aboah, Activist & Model, 2019. Nicola Adams, Boxer, 2018.

Global Sheroes include US Olympian Fencer Ibtihaj Muhammed, Filmmaker Ava DuVernay, Gymnast Gabby Douglas, Model and Body Activist Ashley Graham and Actress Zendaya.