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BBC Studios names Tycoon licensing agent for Bluey in South and Central America

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BBC Studios, distributor and licensor for the Emmy Award-winning international preschool sensation Bluey, has appointed Tycoon as its licensing agent for South and Central America, helping to further extend the footprint of the global hit throughout the region.

Elias Fasia-Cohen, President and Co-Founder of Tycoon, says: “We have been long admirers of BBC Studios and could not be happier to represent Bluey, which is a true reflection of the group’s commitment to high-quality content. We are delighted to work hand in hand with such a talented group in bringing Bluey to the homes and hearts of Latin American consumers and look forward to many years of success together.”

Murilo Hinojosa, Director of Licensing, Latin America for BBC Studios, says: “We’re excited to work with Tycoon and confident their expertise will help expand the global sensation Bluey further to South and Central America. The upcoming range of high-quality licensed products will enable children to use their imagination and enjoy their own Bluey-inspired adventures.”

The Bluey toys, from global master toy licensee Moose Toys, will be distributed locally by Imexporta in Chile and Peru; Caffaro in Argentina; and Boing Toys in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay, Central America and the Caribbean islands beginning later this year.

Early this year, Lotus Global was appointed as licensing agent for Brazil while Panaderia was appointed for Mexico in the last quarter of 2021. In Mexico, the programme keeps expanding into other categories after a very successful toy launch last year.

In 2022, starting in June and extending into the autumn, new licensees will be launched, including Granmark, Ruz, Stor, Union Kids, Novelty Corp, and Penguin Random House, ranging from party goods to apparel and publishing.

In Latin America, Bluey is available on Disney Channel, Disney Junior and Disney+ as well as through free-to-air television channels, TV Cultura in Brazil and Azteca 7 in Mexico.

To complement the experience, there is also content on social media, through the Facebook channel launched in January this year and the official YouTube channel, which has reached over 510k followers in less than a year with over 200M views on the Spanish page.

Bluey has won the hearts of kids and parents around the world since it first launched in Australia in October 2018 and has fast become a global hit, achieving outstanding ratings and attracting a multitude of best-in-class partners. In its home market, Australia, Bluey is the #1 children’s show across all age groups (since 2019). With season three already airing in Australia, the show has performed 2.3x above timeslot average audience (total audience) and the new episodes achieved 14 of the top 20 broadcasts on free-to-air TV in 2021.

Season three of Bluey is set to be released globally on Disney platforms later this year. In the U.S., where the series has been a runaway hit since its 2019 debut, Bluey was Disney Junior’s #1 ratings driver with kids 2-5 last year. It also ranked as the #1 most-watched TV series in second quarter of 2021 and a top 3 show every quarter in 2021. In addition, Bluey owned two of the top 10 cable telecasts of 2021 with kids 2-5.4

The series has enjoyed critical success globally, winning an International Emmy Award in the Preschool category in 2020. Most recently, Bluey has earned four 2021 Kidscreen Awards (Best Animated Series, Best Directing, Best Writing, Best Music), a 2021 Rockie Award (Best Animation Program for Pre-school Viewers), and a 2021 ARIA Award for Best Children’s Album.

 

BBC Studios names Tycoon licensing agent for Bluey in South and Central America

Posted on by

BBC Studios, distributor and licensor for the Emmy Award-winning international preschool sensation Bluey, has appointed Tycoon as its licensing agent for South and Central America, helping to further extend the footprint of the global hit throughout the region.

Elias Fasia-Cohen, President and Co-Founder of Tycoon, says: “We have been long admirers of BBC Studios and could not be happier to represent Bluey, which is a true reflection of the group’s commitment to high-quality content. We are delighted to work hand in hand with such a talented group in bringing Bluey to the homes and hearts of Latin American consumers and look forward to many years of success together.”

Murilo Hinojosa, Director of Licensing, Latin America for BBC Studios, says: “We’re excited to work with Tycoon and confident their expertise will help expand the global sensation Bluey further to South and Central America. The upcoming range of high-quality licensed products will enable children to use their imagination and enjoy their own Bluey-inspired adventures.”

The Bluey toys, from global master toy licensee Moose Toys, will be distributed locally by Imexporta in Chile and Peru; Caffaro in Argentina; and Boing Toys in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay, Central America and the Caribbean islands beginning later this year.

Early this year, Lotus Global was appointed as licensing agent for Brazil while Panaderia was appointed for Mexico in the last quarter of 2021. In Mexico, the programme keeps expanding into other categories after a very successful toy launch last year.

In 2022, starting in June and extending into the autumn, new licensees will be launched, including Granmark, Ruz, Stor, Union Kids, Novelty Corp, and Penguin Random House, ranging from party goods to apparel and publishing.

In Latin America, Bluey is available on Disney Channel, Disney Junior and Disney+ as well as through free-to-air television channels, TV Cultura in Brazil and Azteca 7 in Mexico.

To complement the experience, there is also content on social media, through the Facebook channel launched in January this year and the official YouTube channel, which has reached over 510k followers in less than a year with over 200M views on the Spanish page.

Bluey has won the hearts of kids and parents around the world since it first launched in Australia in October 2018 and has fast become a global hit, achieving outstanding ratings and attracting a multitude of best-in-class partners. In its home market, Australia, Bluey is the #1 children’s show across all age groups (since 2019). With season three already airing in Australia, the show has performed 2.3x above timeslot average audience (total audience) and the new episodes achieved 14 of the top 20 broadcasts on free-to-air TV in 2021.

Season three of Bluey is set to be released globally on Disney platforms later this year. In the U.S., where the series has been a runaway hit since its 2019 debut, Bluey was Disney Junior’s #1 ratings driver with kids 2-5 last year. It also ranked as the #1 most-watched TV series in second quarter of 2021 and a top 3 show every quarter in 2021. In addition, Bluey owned two of the top 10 cable telecasts of 2021 with kids 2-5.4

The series has enjoyed critical success globally, winning an International Emmy Award in the Preschool category in 2020. Most recently, Bluey has earned four 2021 Kidscreen Awards (Best Animated Series, Best Directing, Best Writing, Best Music), a 2021 Rockie Award (Best Animation Program for Pre-school Viewers), and a 2021 ARIA Award for Best Children’s Album.

 

Cartoon Saloon Brand Development to oversee global licensing and merchandising for Netflix film My Father’s Dragon

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Cartoon Saloon Brand Development, the ancillary rights division of five-time Academy Award, Golden Globe, BAFTA, and Emmy-nominated animation studio Cartoon Saloon, will spearhead the global licensing and merchandising strategy for the 2D animated family feature, My Father’s Dragon, a Netflix Film, to premiere in 2022. 

The announcement was made today by Brian Tyrrell, General Manager of Cartoon Saloon Brand Development, who will be attending Licensing Expo for in-person meetings.

My Father’s Dragon is inspired by the Newbery Honor Book of the same name by Ruth Stiles Gannett about a young boy who, struggling to cope with a move to the city with his mother, runs away in search of Wild Island and a young dragon who waits to be rescued. It was first published in 1948 and has since been published in over 20 languages.

My Father’s Dragon is the first book of a trilogy whose other titles are Elmer the Dragon and The Dragons of Blueland. All three were published in a 50-year anniversary edition in 2011 as Three Tales of My Father’s Dragon.

“My Father’s Dragon is a timeless and classic story with inspirational qualities which has been pleasing kids and adults alike across the globe for over 70 years, and will for years to come,” says Tyrrell. “Discussions are already well under way with key potential licensees and we look forward to presenting this evergreen property to a wider audience at the upcoming Licensing Expo.”

Directed by Cartoon Network’s Nora Twomey (Song of the Sea, The Secret of Kells, The Breadwinner), My Father’s Dragon is written by Meg LeFauve (Inside Out, The Good Dinosaur), with story by Meg LeFauve and John Morgan, who are also executive producers, along with Tomm Moore, Gerry Shirren, Alan Maloney, and Ruth Coady. Bonnie Curtis and Julie Lynn of Mockingbird Pictures (Raymond & Ray, Heart of Stone, and Albert Nobbs) are producing together with Cartoon Saloon’s Paul Young.

The talented voice cast includes Jacob Tremblay, Gaten Matarazzo, Golshifteh Farahani, Dianne Wiest, Rita Moreno, Chris O’Dowd, Judy Greer, Alan Cumming, Yara Shahidi, Jackie Earle Haley, Mary Kay Place, Leighton Meester, Spence Moore II, Adam Brody, Charlyne Yi, Maggie Lincoln, Jack Smith with Whoopi Goldberg and Ian McShane.

 

Cartoon Saloon Brand Development to oversee global licensing and merchandising for Netflix film My Father’s Dragon

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Cartoon Saloon Brand Development, the ancillary rights division of five-time Academy Award, Golden Globe, BAFTA, and Emmy-nominated animation studio Cartoon Saloon, will spearhead the global licensing and merchandising strategy for the 2D animated family feature, My Father’s Dragon, a Netflix Film, to premiere in 2022. 

The announcement was made today by Brian Tyrrell, General Manager of Cartoon Saloon Brand Development, who will be attending Licensing Expo for in-person meetings.

My Father’s Dragon is inspired by the Newbery Honor Book of the same name by Ruth Stiles Gannett about a young boy who, struggling to cope with a move to the city with his mother, runs away in search of Wild Island and a young dragon who waits to be rescued. It was first published in 1948 and has since been published in over 20 languages.

My Father’s Dragon is the first book of a trilogy whose other titles are Elmer the Dragon and The Dragons of Blueland. All three were published in a 50-year anniversary edition in 2011 as Three Tales of My Father’s Dragon.

“My Father’s Dragon is a timeless and classic story with inspirational qualities which has been pleasing kids and adults alike across the globe for over 70 years, and will for years to come,” says Tyrrell. “Discussions are already well under way with key potential licensees and we look forward to presenting this evergreen property to a wider audience at the upcoming Licensing Expo.”

Directed by Cartoon Network’s Nora Twomey (Song of the Sea, The Secret of Kells, The Breadwinner), My Father’s Dragon is written by Meg LeFauve (Inside Out, The Good Dinosaur), with story by Meg LeFauve and John Morgan, who are also executive producers, along with Tomm Moore, Gerry Shirren, Alan Maloney, and Ruth Coady. Bonnie Curtis and Julie Lynn of Mockingbird Pictures (Raymond & Ray, Heart of Stone, and Albert Nobbs) are producing together with Cartoon Saloon’s Paul Young.

The talented voice cast includes Jacob Tremblay, Gaten Matarazzo, Golshifteh Farahani, Dianne Wiest, Rita Moreno, Chris O’Dowd, Judy Greer, Alan Cumming, Yara Shahidi, Jackie Earle Haley, Mary Kay Place, Leighton Meester, Spence Moore II, Adam Brody, Charlyne Yi, Maggie Lincoln, Jack Smith with Whoopi Goldberg and Ian McShane.

 

Rainbow Productions MD Simon Foulkes takes on charity bushtucker challenge

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Simon Foulkes, managing director of Rainbow Productions, the UK’s official supplier of licensed children’s characters, completed the St Raphael’s Hospice’s first ever ‘I’m a Director… Get Me Out of Here!’ fundraising challenge which took place last month at the Old Ruts Rugby Club in Wimbledon.

Simon managed to raise £1,400, which will go towards supporting local families living with life-limiting illnesses.

Together with other team red “camp-mates”, Simon went head-to-head against team blue in a series of hilarious and stomach-churning challenges in the “jungle”. The directors took on bushtucker trials to raise funds for the hospice, and each one of them were pushed to their limits dealing with creepy crawlies and unusual food delicacies – including fisheyes, lamb tongues, vomit fruit smoothies and fermented egg-spresso martinis.

Simon Foulkes says: “It was a truly unique experience! I have to admit to being incredibly nervous the night before but the support from the rest of my camp-mates, friends and colleagues from Rainbow made the whole day utterly unforgettable. Collectively, raising just under £19,000 for St Raphael’s Hospice was the greatest achievement and even made slurping down the vomit fruit smoothie worthwhile – never thought I would ever say those words in a sentence!”

St Raphael’s Hospice has been providing expert hospice care for people in Merton and Sutton for over 30 years, free of charge. For more information, visit straphaels.org.uk

Rainbow Productions MD Simon Foulkes takes on charity bushtucker challenge

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Simon Foulkes, managing director of Rainbow Productions, the UK’s official supplier of licensed children’s characters, completed the St Raphael’s Hospice’s first ever ‘I’m a Director… Get Me Out of Here!’ fundraising challenge which took place last month at the Old Ruts Rugby Club in Wimbledon.

Simon managed to raise £1,400, which will go towards supporting local families living with life-limiting illnesses.

Together with other team red “camp-mates”, Simon went head-to-head against team blue in a series of hilarious and stomach-churning challenges in the “jungle”. The directors took on bushtucker trials to raise funds for the hospice, and each one of them were pushed to their limits dealing with creepy crawlies and unusual food delicacies – including fisheyes, lamb tongues, vomit fruit smoothies and fermented egg-spresso martinis.

Simon Foulkes says: “It was a truly unique experience! I have to admit to being incredibly nervous the night before but the support from the rest of my camp-mates, friends and colleagues from Rainbow made the whole day utterly unforgettable. Collectively, raising just under £19,000 for St Raphael’s Hospice was the greatest achievement and even made slurping down the vomit fruit smoothie worthwhile – never thought I would ever say those words in a sentence!”

St Raphael’s Hospice has been providing expert hospice care for people in Merton and Sutton for over 30 years, free of charge. For more information, visit straphaels.org.uk

Igloo partners with the Jeep brand for two Playmate coolers

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Igloo and the Jeep brand are releasing the first-ever Jeep Playmate coolers, featuring original artwork geared toward Jeep brand enthusiasts who want to keep their refreshments ice-cold throughout every journey. The special-edition Jeep Stickers Playmate Pal is available now in two colour options at igloocoolers.com/jeep.  

“The Jeep brand embodies the spirit of adventure while Igloo further enhances the good times had on those adventures — it’s a partnership we’re excited to take together,” says Brian Garofalow, Chief Marketing Officer at Igloo. “Thanks to the fun, timeless design and ability to keep road drinks and snacks perfectly fresh, the brand-new Jeep Playmate is going to make Jeep life even cooler.”

Igloo designed the new Jeep Stickers Playmate Pal with custom graphics showcasing the instantly recognisable Jeep Seven-Slot Grille, Jeep Brand Mark and adventure-inspired stickers that adventurers would collect along their travels. This special-edition Playmate comes in two colour options: carbonite and sapphire.

The two Jeep Stickers Playmate Pal coolers — each $44.99 with a 7-quart capacity that fits up to nine 12-ounce cans — can be purchased now, while supplies last, at igloocoolers.com/jeep

 

Igloo partners with the Jeep brand for two Playmate coolers

Posted on by

Igloo and the Jeep brand are releasing the first-ever Jeep Playmate coolers, featuring original artwork geared toward Jeep brand enthusiasts who want to keep their refreshments ice-cold throughout every journey. The special-edition Jeep Stickers Playmate Pal is available now in two colour options at igloocoolers.com/jeep.  

“The Jeep brand embodies the spirit of adventure while Igloo further enhances the good times had on those adventures — it’s a partnership we’re excited to take together,” says Brian Garofalow, Chief Marketing Officer at Igloo. “Thanks to the fun, timeless design and ability to keep road drinks and snacks perfectly fresh, the brand-new Jeep Playmate is going to make Jeep life even cooler.”

Igloo designed the new Jeep Stickers Playmate Pal with custom graphics showcasing the instantly recognisable Jeep Seven-Slot Grille, Jeep Brand Mark and adventure-inspired stickers that adventurers would collect along their travels. This special-edition Playmate comes in two colour options: carbonite and sapphire.

The two Jeep Stickers Playmate Pal coolers — each $44.99 with a 7-quart capacity that fits up to nine 12-ounce cans — can be purchased now, while supplies last, at igloocoolers.com/jeep

 

Rubies and Disney team for Star Wars campaign

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Rubies is once again collaborating with long-term licensors Star Wars and Disney to bring into the spotlight a brand-new media and PR campaign, ‘The Gift of Play’.

The Gift of Play is a new campaign hosted on a dedicated website [disneythegiftofplay.co.uk], which is entrenched in Disney’s nearly 100-year legacy of creative storytelling, to encourage adults and children to have more shared imaginative playtime together.

The campaign, which will see a takeover of Rubies social channels and website, has the aim of getting people inspired through unique and engaging Star Wars content and excited for the upcoming releases on Disney+, as well as encouraging consumers to enjoy gifting toys and costumes as a means to play and bond.

To explore the power of the Force, the campaign will see entirely new media created for Rubies social media as well as a strong influencer and press marketing campaigns and retail takeovers.

Rubies Star Wars range in support of The Gift of Play with specially selected costumes includes The Mandalorian, Boba Fett, Deluxe Darth Vader, Grogu, Poe X-Wing Fighter, Rey and even an inflatable Jabba the Hutt, with the majority available in both children’s and adults’ sizes so the whole family can have some Star Wars-themed fun.

Fran Hales, Head of Content and Marketing, says: “We are thrilled to be part of The Gift of Play, working closely with Lucasfilm and Disney on their innovative and exhilarating marketing campaign. The Gift of Play campaign is an opportunity not just to showcase our products, but also to promote dress-up as a key part of Disney’s legacy for creative storytelling, while immersing both adults and children in the shared world of imaginative playtime together.”

Star Wars-inspired costumes by Rubies are available to order now on rubiesuk.com. Stay tuned on Rubies official social media channels to see the intergalactic takeover soon, at @rubiesuk on Facebook and @rubies_uk on Instagram.

Brands & Retail UK summer conference to wrap up with ‘Meet the Buyers’ Networking Party

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Ryan Beaird, Event Director of Brands & Retail UK, has announced a new format for the summer conference taking place at the British Library (London) on Wednesday 6 and Thursday 7 July 2022.

The ‘Meet the Buyers’ Networking Party – sponsored by Fabacus – is a speed networking ticket event closing the conference on Day Two (5pm onwards, 7 July).

“After many discussions with retailers it became apparent they want to see as many licensees and brands as possible at events, and if their buying teams are small they can struggle to catch up with everyone.

“Based on the research, we have re-worked the closing party to give retailers VIP booths in the atrium of the British Library terrace so they can meet the audience in 10-minute informal speed networking meetings.

“Canapes and drinks will be served to their tables, giving them a VIP experience. The brands taking part and the licensees that are attending the conference will now get the chance to catch up with major retailers one-to-one… a perfect way to end the summer conference.”

Buying teams that have signed up for VIP booths so far include Tesco, ASDA, Boots, Character.com, ebay and Toys”R”Us.

Brands & Retail UK are also delighted to announce Fabacus are once again exclusive sponsors of the summer conference.

Andrew Xeni, CEO of Fabacus, says: “After an incredible debut conference this February, Fabacus are delighted to again be sponsoring such an important event in the licensing calendar that brings all parties in the industry together, offering licensees and retailers the chance to see upcoming plans of some of the best-known brands in the market.

“The summit aligns perfectly with our mission to facilitate deeper connectivity, visibility and trust across the value chain, as we are enabling partnerships to be based on a foundation of accurate master data and insight.

“We’re looking forward to connecting with a number of client partners we’re already working alongside, as well as using this opportunity as sponsors to meet new faces to showcase our technology, its benefits, and how we’re committed to transforming brand licensing through the power of data.”

There are only six 15-minute pitching slots left for Day One (6 July) for Lifestyle, Commercial, Heritage, Charity and Sports brands, and only three 15-minute pitching slots left for the Character and Gaming brands on Day Two (7 July). If you are a brand and would like to take part, contact Ryan.Beaird@BrandsRetail.uk.

Licensees can book their FREE tickets for the conference and purchase their ‘Meet the Buyers’ party tickets on the conference website, www.BrandsRetail.uk