Tag Archives: news

Freeman Jewellery releases handcrafted Harry Potter jewellery line

Posted on by

Freeman Jewellery has released a line of handcrafted jewellery inspired by the characters and moment from the globally popular Harry Potter films. The range follows on from the success of Freeman Jewellery’s Golden Snitch Ring Box.

Highlight pieces include the Pearl Snitch Earrings, where Freshwater Pearls have been carefully selected, a process which is so particular that only eight per cent of pearls are chosen. The earrings come with petite golden wings.

Meanwhile, the magical Mirror of Erised Necklace features the Sky-Blue Topaz. For this piece, innovative gem-cutter, Anna Gilbert, was commissioned to produce an exclusive cut to reflect the unique shape and look of the mirror’s glass.

The Golden Snitch Ring Box, which is handcrafted from over 40 silver and gold parts and adorned with intricate hand-engraving, takes a Master Jeweller two weeks to make a single box.

The collection also features a Harry Potter Glasses Necklace, made from custom Goshenite gems, a Hogwarts Acceptance Letter Necklace with a rose gold Hogwarts seal, a Time Turner Necklace featuring hand-carved Moonstones and antique Diamonds for a charming old-world aesthetic, and Hogwarts and Patronus Signet Rings available in Sterling Silver, Yellow Gold or Platinum.

Known for trademark rare gems, the jeweller has created both ready to wear and made to order custom pieces for Wizarding World fans to treasure.

Asher Freeman said: “The pieces have been designed to draw you into a magical world and, like so many others across the globe, the Harry Potter stories and films holds a special place in my imagination. As a fan and designer, I’m proud to have crafted these heirloom pieces which fans can cherish for a lifetime.

“We’re widely known for the quality of our gems, hidden elements and attention to detail, and this collection is no different. From the Sword of Gryffindor Necklace studded with fine Rubies, to the solid-gold Golden Snitch that opens to display a secret gem.

“The wizarding world holds an abundance of beauty and intrigue, from the characters, architecture and trinkets, so there was no shortage of inspiration for us. We have truly loved bringing these unique pieces to life.”

Universal Pictures celebrates 35 years of Back to the Future with major campaign

Posted on by

From fan created content, Amazon exclusives, and a whole host of toys, games and more, this year, Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment are taking fans of the Back to the Future franchise on an 88mph journey across the categories to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the iconic time-travelling series.

Where we’re going, we don’t need roads… but it may be time to upgrade your television as fans around the world can now look forward to more fan-created content, as well as the 4K Ultra HD release of the Back to the Future Trilogy, so you can watch the moment George McFly lands Biff that world-celebrated bop on the conk in the clearest of definitions.

On top of this, retail exclusives and new consumer products have all been rolling out across the retail space throughout the month, ahead of the fan created Back to the Future Day holiday today, Wednesday, October 21st 2020.

“Very few franchises in Hollywood history have shown the kind of staying power of Back to the Future,” said Bob Gale, co-writer and co-producer of the trilogy.

“To be celebrating 35 years of this iconic film series – through incredible product collections and fan-created content from around the world – is truly a testament to the heart of the film itself. Yes, it’s a sci-fi adventure, but it’s also about family and the fans’ emotional connection to the characters – which is something everyone can relate to, no matter what generation or time-traveling decade you’re from.”

As part of the 35th anniversary celebrations, Universal Brand Development partnered with content creation platform Tongal to invite animators and fans from around the world to recreate their favorite scenes from the original Back to the Future film.

Eight creators – from Uruguay to Ireland to Brazil – were greenlit to bring their ideas to life. The videos have been rolling out on the Back to the Future Facebook fan page over the last few days, with a final compilation video debuting today to coincide with the anniversary.

The fan creators attached to the eight videos (+ one edited compilation) represent a global and diverse fandom of this beloved time-traveling franchise:

  • “Marty’s Dream Amp” by Javier Benia O’Neill – Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay
  • “The First Time Traveller” by Elliot Ruddy – Dublin, Ireland
  • “Alien in the Barn” by Crankub Animation Studio (Martí Montañola and Sara Esteban) – Barcelona, Spain
  • “Marty McFly and the Butterfly Effect” by Bethany Borg – Malta
  • “A Visitor in the Night” by Neto Rodrigues and Gabis Fromme – São Paulo, Brazil
  • “Race for Surviving” by Calaveres Animació (Javier Asensio, María Larín, Nicole Herrera and Felipe Armand) – Valencia, Spain
  • “Fateful Punch” by Eric Power – Austin, Tex.
  • “Cardboard Cute-Out” by Team Explainly (Max Naff, Alex Hagan, Derik Smith, Sam Naff, Elizabeth Abreu, Andy Toizer and Ben Jackson) – San Francisco, Calif.
  • Compilation video edited by Firman Machda – Bandung, Indonesia

Meanwhile, Universal Pictures Home Entertainment celebrates the 35th Anniversary of the groundbreaking first film with Back to the Future: The Ultimate Trilogy available now on 4K Ultra HD for the first time. This collection includes all three movies in collectible discbook packaging.

Additionally, it is loaded with bonus material including an extra disc that comes with over an hour of new content, such as rare audition footage from Hollywood stars Ben Stiller, Kyra Sedgwick, Jon Cryer, Billy Zane, Peter DeLuise and C. Thomas Howell; a tour of the film’s props and memorabilia hosted by co-writer/producer Bob Gale; a sneak peek at the new musical show; a special episode of the popular YouTube Series “Could You Survive The Movies?;” and more.

In celebration of Back to the Future Day today, Amazon will be hosting a dedicated Back to the Future storefront, where fans of all ages can find something that will take them back in time. If fans checkout using smile.amazon.com/backtothefuture and select the “Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research” as your charity choice, a portion of sales will be donated to that charity.

It’s your kids Marty, something has to be done about your kids… and indeed, Universal has that demographic covered. First up, Playmobil has gone back to the future with a model of the iconic DeLorean that features folding wheels for hover mode, doors which open upwards, an illuminated flux capacitor inside and illuminated exterior.

Also included is plutonium, which can be inserted at the back of the vehicle. The play-set is complete with Marty Mcfly and Doc Brown in their outfits from 1985 plus a plutonium case, skateboard, remote control and Einstein, the dog.

Fans can also countdown to the holidays at 88MPH with this the Playmobil Advent Calendar: Back to the Future that includes Marty McFly, Emmett “Doc” Brown, Jennifer Parker, and Biff Tannen, along with a highly detailed model of the Hill Valley courthouse with its iconic clock tower, plus lots of accessories from the classic cult film, all with great attention to detail.

Meanwhile, Hasbro has launched the Transformers Back to the Future Gigawatt figure and IDW Comic Series, bringing together two iconic brands both in figure and comic book form for the first time.

Hasbro is in good company in the toy aisle which also features Funko’s commemorative range of character collectibles, JADA with Back to the Future vehicles and remote- control toys, puzzles from Ravensburger, Rainbow for plush and Rubber Road for adult gifting and toys.

GB Eye and Pyramid are on board for stationery and gifting and GB Eye has also taken the license for posters whilst RMS has pocket money purchases and stocking fillers covered this Christmas.

In soft lines, the HYPE Back to the Future collection nods at the franchise era, the 1980s, with expressive designs in a monochrome and neon colour palette. The HYPE. stamp features enlarged graphics, all-over prints, contrasting flames, and illusion checkerboard with a cyberpunk aesthetic, whilst embracing the ’80s grunge trend.

Crunchyroll details major licensing slate ahead of the autumn anime season

Posted on by

The global anime brand, Crunchyroll, has detailed a slate of cross-category licensing partnerships ahead of the autumn anime season, highlighting not only the diversity of the anime medium, but the global reach of the animation form.

“This latest slate of licensing partnerships represents the diversity of anime as a medium, from the spooky stylings of Jujutsu Kaisen and the Junji Ito Collection, to the eternally cute Bananya,” said John Leonhardt, head of consumer products at Crunchyroll.

“Crunchyroll represents anime titles that can drive success to your category.”

The latest licensing line-up sees Bananya – the kitten who lives in a banana – move into the board games sector with Japanime Games, books with Running Press, mugs with Wild Bill’s Soda, and novelties and pins with Just Funky.

Meanwhile, Black Clover, the long running Shonen action series, was recently signed to Hypland for fashion, Japanime Games for board games and Taka for figures, while Dr. Stone, the scientific action series based on the popular Shonen Jump manga of the same name, is coming back for season two in January 2021 and was signed by Wild Bill’s Soda for mugs.

Food Wars! Shokugeki no Soma, the culinary competition series, was recently granted to Espada Arts for figures, Mobile Suit Gundam, the iconic anime series that recently celebrated its 40th anniversary, was granted to FiGPiN for pins and Just Funky for novelties and gifts, and Haikyu the beloved volleyball series, was recently granted to Hypland and Good Smile company for fashion and apparel.

Elsewhere, Jujutsu Kaisen the hit Shonen Jump title streaming exclusively on Crunchyroll, was granted to Bioworld for apparel and Great Eastern Entertainment for accessories and home goods. the Junji Ito Collection was recently granted to Ground Up International for footwear, Hypland for fashion and to Wild Bill’s Soda for mugs, and Kuroko’s Basketball was recently signed to Hypland for fashion.

Completing the raft of signings and Mob Psycho 100 was granted to Team Liquid, the world renowned professional gaming organization, and Good Smile Company for apparel, and  Espada Arts for figures, while finally the Good Smile Company was granted licenses to create apparel for both Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World and That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime.

Crunchyroll’s consumer products team provides global anime fans with the best in lifestyle, home goods, fashion and more, managing all-rights for more than 350 anime series for more than 100 global licensees. It also operates the direct to consumer Crunchyroll Store, which is the exclusive home of Crunchyroll Loves, the brand’s in house streetwear label.

Crunchyroll, the global streaming brand from WarnerMedia, serves more than 70 million registered users and 3 million subscribers in more than 200 countries and territories. Crunchyroll’s robust online community also includes more than 40 million followers across social media.

Costume specialist Rubie’s opens digital doors of Nuremberg virtual showroom and tours

Posted on by

Giants of the costumes and dress up market, Rubie’s isn’t letting the postponed calendar of trade shows stop it from putting on a show early next year, as it prepares to open the digital doors of its 365 dedicated Nuremberg showroom with exclusive virtual tours and live appointments.

The new Virtual Showroom will be streamed through private viewings, providing buyers with an experiential approach to remotely research, interact and place orders from their expansive portfolio of global licensed brands.

Graham Gardiner, general manager EMEA, said: “Online retail and remote selling is one of the big growth areas for our sector. With the Virtual Showroom, we are bringing the same tailored personal showroom experience our customers are used to when they visit our Nuremberg venue, from the comfort of their home or office.

“At Rubie’s we’re keen to position ourselves at the forefront of digital excellence through our ecommerce website, HUB platform and now our virtual Showroom. We are adapting the way our business operates to respond not only to the current crisis but also to be at the forefront of long-term trends and adapt to the shifts in consumer behaviours.”

Rubie’s states that increasingly, digital viewing platforms are on the rise and quickly becoming key tools to accommodate growing expectations in the current climate. They’ve been adopted as a means of promoting brand to the marketplace in the absence of physical events.

Gardiner continued: “Last weekend over 40 Key Customers from around the world were treated to a one-on-one interactive experience by using a live broadcast demonstrations of all the new products from Marvel, Disney, Lucas, Sony, DC, Harry Potter, Universal, Looney Tunes, Power Rangers, and many others major licenses.

“By using our Nuremberg Showroom, we were able to meet and present with our key partners. Customers have appreciated the personal approach and effort we have made in bringing our inspirational showroom to their desks.”

Rubie’s is looking to repeat the event early next year in the absence of physical Trade Shows and will be expanding these events in order to accommodate access for more customers throughout the UK and rest of the world.

LEGO builds multi-year partnership with Adidas to ‘inspire creativity and foster play’

Posted on by

The LEGO Group has struck up a multi-year partnership with Adidas to co-create a range of new products aimed at inspiring creativity to foster a more playful, positive and inclusive world for adults and children from all backgrounds and sporting abilities.

The partnership will span products such as footwear, apparel, and hardware, having kicked off last month with the unveiling of the limited edition Adidas Originals ZX 8000 LEGO sneaker.

“It’s our mission to inspire and develop the builders of tomorrow and help children be creative and learn the skills they need to thrive,” said Julia Goldin, chief marketing officer at the LEGO Group.

“Great play experiences are a fun way to learn and build creative confidence, and so is sport – and that’s is why we’re so excited about this partnership. Together, play and sport let children experience collaboration and the principles of fair-play, as well as build mental resilience. These are crucial life-skills that can help children unlock their full potential.”

Aimee Arana, SVP general manager, global training at Adidas, added “Our goal is to use the power of sport to change lives, grounded in creativity as the vehicle to inspire people of all ages and backgrounds. An innovative partner like the LEGO Group allows us to together imagine up new concepts and products that will spark creativity in an inclusive way, particularly helping the development of younger generations.”

Initial partnership discussions started in 2017, and in 2018 the LEGO Group welcomed the adidas team to LEGO House in Denmark to let creativity run wild and determine how best to foster a true fusion of the two brands.

That meeting kicked-off what promises to be a dynamic and fast-paced collaboration, with the first products scheduled to drop before the end of 2020. Products for various sports and an active lifestyle will launch in December and throughout 2021, aimed at both kids and adults and crossing different LEGO themes.

Art Ask Agency partners with Moleskine for Frida Kahlo luxury notebook range

Posted on by

The Barcelona-based licensing firm, Art Ask Agency, has landed yet another partnership for the female icon Frida Kahlo having secured a new deal with Moleskine and the launch of three luxury notebooks.

The collection is designed to inspire fans to seize the creative moment and express themselves in words or drawings. Each colourful notebook in the collection reflects Frida Kahlo’s vibrant artistic approach and introspective nature. It has been billed as ‘a unique and sophisticated Moleskine interpretation, featuring iconic elements and quotes.’

With a fully comprehensive digital and physical marketing campaign, under the title of “Explore your own reality”, this range will create high visibility for the officially licensed products and for Frida Kahlo.

Selected physical stores will present the collection with full in-store installations at iconic retail sites in Milan, Rome, London Regent Street, Paris, LA, San Francisco, New York, Beijing and Shanghai. Fans are also invited to take part in the Frida challenge, to create a self-portrait that represent themselves portraying the true you, entries closing November 28th.

Additionally, there is a full spread editorial on Frida Kahlo in Moleskine’s magazine FOLD, distributed worldwide and online. https://www.foldmagazine.com/frida-kahlo-self-expression-liberation

“This launch is truly one of my dearest dreams come true. Moleskine is the height of quality and heritage when it comes to notebooks and I am the number one stationery freak,” said Maria Strid, owner of Art Ask Agency.

Simona Sbarbaro, Moleskine brand and communication director, added: “Frida Kahlo was truly a legendary woman and her legacy reverberates to this day, as her work and life continue to inspire and touch the lives of so many.

“Moleskine is immensely pleased to join forces with the Frida Kahlo Corporation in a celebration of this truly remarkable artist and woman with a Limited Edition Collection dedicated to her.”

Egmont launches new LEGO Explorer monthly magazine and enters subscription market

Posted on by

Egmont Magazines is launching a new LEGO Explorer magazine, a monthly publication designed ‘to build curious minds’ and inspire readers to design their own LEGO models and ‘unleash their creativity.’

The magazine has been developed by Egmont Publishing with the support of official LEGO designers and aims to combine the creativity central to the LEGO brand with Egmont’s experience in magazine content. The new title will be focused on learning, discovery and creativity.

The LEGO Explorer magazine will have a STEAM focus, encouraging young readers to go on a journey through the worlds of Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Maths, as well as teaching them new LEGO skills with inside info from LEGO designers themselves.

Each issue will also offer readers innovative tips and tricks to make the most of their LEGO collection, as well as a collectable LEGO toy. The first issue of LEGO Explorer is dedicated to Marvellous Machines and explores the world of robots and artificial intelligence.

The magazine will be hitting newsstands from October 21st, however, Egmont will also be entering the subscriptions market with subs already available online.

Laura Adnitt, publishing director, said: “We’re sure that LEGO Explorer will be loved by both kids and parents, and the STEAM themes are sure to engage young readers in educational topics alongside their much-loved LEGO bricks.

“We’re delighted to be launching this magazine with a direct to consumer subscription offer. We know that young readers will love collecting all the themed issues, and will revel in building the exclusive LEGO covermounts every month.”

PAW Patrol: The Movie lands raft of 21 UK licensing partners ahead of film’s August 2021 release

Posted on by

ViacomCBS Consumer Products has secured a raft of 21 UK partners for the popular pre-school brand, PAW Patrol ahead of the slated launch of PAW Patrol: The Movie in August next year. The licensing programme will kick into action from July 2021 and will include new toy lines, apparel, accessories, consumer packaged goods, home, publishing, and home entertainment.

The series producer and master toy partner, Spin Master, will lead the charge with the launch of a specially developed toy line comprising figures, plush, role-play, vehicles, and play-sets, as well as a range of True Metal vehicles.

The roll out will be followed by ranges from the likes of Crayola, VTech, Play by Play, RMS International, Sambro, and Kiddieland, all of which will create toys and games inspired by the new PAW Patrol movie look and feel.

On the home and apparel front, ViacomCBS Consumer Products has partnered with Blues and Fashion UK for daywear, Aykroyd TDP for nightwear and Amscan for costumes. Bedding and textiles will be created by Character World.

ViacomCBS Consumer Products will also continue its partnership with Worlds Apart, Kinnerton, Seabrook, Yoplait and Beiersdorf, as well as joining forces with new partners.

In the publishing space, Signature Gifts will release personalized books, and Egmont is set to release a PAW Patrol magazine special and movie tie-in books. Other partnerships include Danilo for social expressions and DNC and Sambro for back-to-school accessories.

PAW Patrol: The Movie is a Spin Master Entertainment production in association with Nickelodeon Movies and will be distributed by Paramount Pictures.

Venetia Davie, VP of ViacomCBS consumer products for the UK and Ireland, said: “PAW Patrol continues to shine in the pre-school space, dominating across traditional TV, streaming services, digital and retail, with next year’s movie set to be a summer cinema hit.

“We’re excited to be collaborating with such strong partners including Paramount Pictures and Spin Master, ensuring that the magic of the big-screen is translated into products which children up and down country will continue to love long after they have seen the movie.”

Pop culture retailer Geek Retreat to open 100 new UK stores as geek chic continues to rise

Posted on by

The UK’s geek culture retailer, Geek Retreat, has detailed its plans to open 100 new stores on high streets across the country over the space of the next two years, part of its own plans to ‘breathe new life into town centres.’ The move follows the rapid rise in the popularity of the pop culture scene among consumers today, one that has given rise to the success of the Marvel franchise or the likes of Netflix’s Stranger Things.

The opening of the 100 new Geek Retreat stores will not only ride the crest of the current wave of demand in pop culture and games, but will create around 600 new jobs in the UK.

Board gaming, card trading and tabletop games make up an industry currently worth some £8 billion in the UK alone. This is predicted to grow by 3.1 per cent annually over the next three years, highlighting its continued popularity.

The Geek Retreat franchise – which opened its first store in Glasgow in 2013 and now employs 110 people – is a comic bookstore, gaming cafe and events hub rolled into one. It currently has 14 city-centre stores, including Glasgow, Newcastle, Birmingham, Leeds, the Wirral, and two in London, which stock geek culture merchandise like comics, posters, clothing, figures and memorabilia as well as games and trading cards.

New stores in Bournemouth, Northampton, Liverpool and are due to open shortly. Northwich and Chelmsford were the most recent stores to open, attracting the largest opening days to date.

All stores do and will commit to a COVID-19 secure environment, with social distancing and hygiene measures in place, to give customers extra piece of mind that they can visit in confidence. Small gaming events can take place with safety guidelines being carefully implemented.

Peter Dobson, chief executive of Geek Retreat, commented: “The UK’s gaming and hobby sector is a real success story and Geek Retreat is a home for the communities who are at the heart of this phenomenon. The wellbeing of our customers and staff has always been incredibly important to us – now more than ever everyone should expect a friendly, safe and clean environment to meet and play.

“We have made sure all of our stores are welcoming and accessible to gamers whatever their interests, providing a place for our loyal customers to get out of the house and play safely post-lockdown.

“This is particularly important for our more vulnerable customers, like those on the autistic spectrum, or with mental health issues where being in an inclusive, welcoming, and social environment is very important. It is strength of the relationships which our stores build with local communities that is a key driver of growth.”

AR kids’ books app Bookful welcomes Mattel’s Barbie and Thomas & Friends to the library

Posted on by

The augmented reality children’s book app, Bookful, has partnered with the global toy company, Mattel to bring new books from the Barbie and Thomas & Friends to its platform. Seven new titles will be added to the Bookful library under the partnership, bringing each to life with its AR and 3D animation to provide what it bills as ‘productive screen time.’

The Barbie brand will aim to continue its mission to inspire the potential in every girl with new titles including Barbie: You Can Be A Dcotor and You Can Be a Gynmast, while Bookful will look to ’empower young readers to bring to life Barbie’s You Can Be Anything campaign.’

Meanwhile, the AR book specialists bring Thomas & Friends to the platform some 75 years after the brand’s creation by Reverend Wilbert Awdry. Today, Thomas spans hundreds of TV episodes, books, toys, and a theme park. The Bookful app will reinvigorate its publishing success with titles such as Busy Busy Thomas, Search and Rescue, Big Surprise, and A Visit to London.

The Barbie and Thomas & Friends titles are joining Bookful’s library of top publishers and brands. Bookful’s current collection of titles also includes those from Penguin Random House, Charlesbridge, Horace, and Co., and DK. 

In addition to offering exclusive access to premium titles from the world’s leading publishers, Bookful houses complementary immersive learning opportunities for a magically interactive user experience. Bookful engages its users with spelling, comprehension, painting, and dancing games to reinforce learning through a series of uniquely crafted edutainment content.

Inception’s CEO Benny Arbel, said: “We are extremely excited to have two of Mattel’s iconic properties added to our library. We are sure these books will add an exciting new dimension to the library with stories that will inspire young readers.”