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Miraculous – Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir live experiences come to Spain

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Kids and family entertainment company Planeta Junior and award-winning global entertainment studio ZAG have signed a deal with Madhouse to create immersive experiences based on the globally successful animated series MiraculousTM – Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir. The series was created by ZAG and co-produced with ON kids & family (Mediawan).

Madhouse is the leading integrated leisure activity and entertainment management company behind MadLab, the chain of pioneering retail entertainment centres. Miraculous experiences premiered at the MadLab Oviedo in November, featuring three immersive activities: Parkour Tech, VR Escape Room and VR Labyrinth. MadLab Zaragoza also offers visitors an immersive Miraculous experience.

Parkour Tech is designed for 5–12 year-olds. This new concept allows fans of Miraculous to test their psychomotor skills and complete team missions against the clock. Each group wears an RFID bracelet with a built-in LED reader to practise their teamwork and skills.

The VR Escape Room is an interactive experience for the whole family. This 50 m2 space allows 2-4 people to become Marinnette’s classmates. They have to solve a series of tests in under five minutes to help their favourite superheroes.

Finally, the entertaining Virtual Reality Labyrinth individual experience gives fans of all ages  seven minutes to explore the Eiffel Tower and help stop Akuma, the supervillain from the popular show, from attacking the city.

“MadLab Oviedo allows the whole family to travel to Ladybug and Cat Noir’s Paris and enter the series, becoming a character that helps their superheroes. Joining forces with sector leader Madhouse guarantees our success,” says Antonella Ceraso, Consumer Products Director at Planeta Junior.

“Reaching an agreement with Planeta Junior and ZAG is part of our global strategy to offer new experiences based on entertainment’s most iconic brands and characters. This is just the first of several launches we aim to work on together,” adds Raluca Gavrilovici, Sales Business Manager at Madhouse.

 

DeAPlaneta and Planeta Junior consolidate as DeAPlaneta Entertainment

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DeAPlaneta and Planeta Junior, both Planeta/De Agostini Group companies, are coming together under the brand DeAPlaneta Entertainment.

The merger of the two companies is due to a strategic reorganisation that aims to consolidate their leadership in the entertainment segment, and to be more agile in order to respond to the new needs of a global, multi-channel market.

Its activity will be focused on three main areas: fiction content, content for children and families, and interactive products.

The merger responds to the transformation processes in the entertainment sector where the boundaries between audiences and genres have blurred, where global markets are being served and where companies tend to adopt business models that promote a direct relationship with their audience.

“The entertainment industry is a growing and constantly changing sector. DeAPlaneta Entertainment is a company prepared to compete in international markets with a global concept,” states Ignacio Segura, CEO of DeAPlaneta Entertainment. “Nowadays, it is necessary to move towards a new business model that involves diversification, finding new ways to meet the needs of users, occupying solid positions at more points in the value chain and being big. With this merger we will become a more competitive player.”

DeAPlaneta Entertainment will continue to focus on the production and distribution of quality content with memorable stories to excite all kinds of audiences beyond traditional screens: liquid experiences (audiovisual, physical and digital) that combine creativity, technology and innovation.

The new company brings together more than 20 years of experience producing and distributing content with a global reach. From fiction and animated films and series and licensed products to live shows, video game competitions and, more recently, NFT development and presence in the metaverse.

DeAPlaneta Entertainment successes include the release of “The Physician”, the “Saw” saga and the Oscar-winning “The King’s Speech”, “12 Years a Slave”, and “The Pianist” in Spanish cinemas, as well as the creation of TV series such as “Ana Tramel. The Game”.

For children and family audiences, DeAPlaneta Entertainment manages and produces series such as “Miraculous Ladybug”, “Milo”, “Gormiti”, “Heidi” and “Maya the Bee”, generating different audiovisual content and licensed products for audiences all over the world.

In the interactive arena, the company continues to expand and explore new areas, and has organised high-profile events such as the eCopa RFEF and the national FIFA 21 benchmark tournament, with the support of the Royal Spanish Football Federation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

DeAPlaneta Entertainment has had numerous successes in the different entertainment sectors, including the release of the popular titles “The Physician”, the “Saw” saga and the Oscar-winning “The King’s Speech”, “12 Years a Slave”, and “The Pianist” in Spanish cinemas, as well as the creation of TV series such as “Ana Tramel. The Game”.

For children and family audiences, DeAPlaneta Entertainment manages and produces series such as “Miraculous Ladybug”, “Milo”, “Gormiti”, “Heidi” and “Maya the Bee”, generating different audiovisual content and licensed products for audiences all over the world.

In the interactive arena, the company continues to expand and explore new areas, and has organised high-profile events such as the eCopa RFEF and the national FIFA 21 benchmark tournament, with the support of the Royal Spanish Football Federation.

Spacetoon and IMPS bring Smurfs TV series, toys and live experiences to MENA

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Spacetoon, the family edutainment content provider, producer, and broadcaster, has recently partnered with IMPS to bring The Smurfs to MENA through Spacetoon TV channel, entertaining on-ground branded events and new toys.

Based on this partnership, the two parties are to work on re-introducing the show to young audiences in MENA by broadcasting the localised, Arabic dubbed version of The Smurfs in 3DCG animation style, in addition to recreating the “good old days” for those who grew up watching it in 2D years ago.

Audiences will be able to enjoy the adventures of Papa Smurf, Smurfette, Brainy and Clumsy, along with all other inhabitants of The Smurfs Village. This step comes as part of Spacetoon’s strategy to run the most-loved kid- and family-friendly content.

As the promotional licensee of the brand in the region, Spacetoon also has plans to expand the presence of The Smurfs in MENA through various on-ground entertaining activities.

The deal also includes bringing new The Smurfs toys to MENA market, in collaboration with ToyPro, the leading toy distributor in the region. This new toy line by Jazwares, the new global master toy partner of The Smurfs, includes action figures for The Smurfs characters, in addition to toys for all family members to enjoy.

Commenting on the partnership, Kamel Weiss, Strategic Business Development Director of Spacetoon, says: “The Smurfs is a multigenerational title that has been resonating with audiences for 40 years now, and we are proud to have it back in MENA as a TV show and also as branded events. We are aiming to pull all family members together to enjoy live entertaining experiences that suit all ages.”

“We are very excited to bring The Smurfs toys to the region to deliver a full family-entertaining experience with our media partner Spacetoon TV,” says Fawaz Abidin, Managing Director of ToyPro. “The Smurfs figures – reflecting their distinctive personalities – the different playsets, vehicles and plush toys all will hit the shelves in the MENA market next year.”

 

Semaphore Licensing adds travel influencer Drew Binsky to talent portfolio

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Semaphore Licensing has broadened its growing portfolio of talent to include YouTuber Drew Binksy.

Binsky has just returned from a journey to Saudi Arabia, completing his quest to travel to all 197 countries, garnering a worldwide following of travel enthusiasts who crave the inside scoop on travel destinations with helpful advice to maximise each experience.

Binsky’s travel videos are more like short documentaries, and feature unique stories about people, food, and culture, plus travel tips and hacks. His YouTube channel has 2.79 million subscribers and his Facebook page has 4.2 million followers. Additionally, Binsky holds two Guinness World Records: for the most UNESCO World Heritage Sites visited in a 24 hour period, and the fastest time to pack a suitcase – 35.59 seconds.

“Drew allows his audience to see the entire world from the comfort of their home. Fans live vicariously through his travels and have an ability to witness sights they would never otherwise be able to see,” says Michael Bienstock, Founder and CEO, Semaphore Licensing. “We look forward to connecting more fans with Drew, as he inspires them to witness more of the world, one destination at a time.”

 

Hey Duggee series 4 gets the green light

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BBC Studios and CBeebies have commissioned a fourth series of multi-award-winning hit animation Hey Duggee from Studio AKA.

Duggee and The Squirrels will return for 40 brand new episodes of the much-loved show.

Hey Duggee is a fun, inclusive and educational series devised by Grant Orchard, senior director of Studio AKA, and narrated by comedian Alexander Armstrong.

Each episode features members of the Squirrel Club exploring, learning and overcoming challenges to earn a new Badge from Duggee – making new friends along the way.

Since launching in 2014, Hey Duggee has become a six-time BAFTA and international Emmy award-winning hit on CBeebies and was the most-watched kids’ show on BBC iPlayer in 2020 with over 192 million requests. All episodes of Hey Duggee are available exclusively on BBC iPlayer in the UK.

Additionally, Hey Duggee has over 1.2 million fans across its social channels and its official YouTube channel has over a billion lifetime views. Recently Hey Duggee teamed up with The Body Coach Joe Wicks for The Workout Badges series on YouTube, following on from bespoke lockdown-themed content on its social channels such as The Handwashing Badge, while The Parenting Badge, which debuted in December 2020, has had over 1.2M views.

Henrietta Hurford-Jones, Director of Children’s and Executive Producer of Hey Duggee for BBC Studios, says: “Hey Duggee is so popular with both parents and children and I’m sure they’ll be as delighted as we are that a new series is on the way. We’re really proud of what we’ve achieved so far and how much people love Duggee and The Squirrels – so we’re delighted to be working with the hugely talented Studio AKA once more and can’t wait for you to see it!”

Sue Goffe, Head of Production at Studio AKA, adds: “We’re thrilled to be continuing our glorious Duggee Adventure with BBC Studios and CBeebies. A huge thank you to our extraordinary creative team for all their hard work, and to all our viewers for your continued love and support for the show. Prepare yourselves for more gems to come!”

Hey Duggee has an impressive footprint in over 150 countries with its global popularity spawning numerous licensing agreements, including Golden Bear as UK master toy partner and Penguin Books publishing under their Ladybird imprint. Recently BBC Studios secured agreements in Spain with Ypislon as licensing agent and Bizak as master toy partner, marking further growth in Western Europe.

Last year, France TV was signed as the French licensing agent for Hey Duggee and product now available in the region includes: toys from master toy Lansay; plush toys, furniture and melamine courtesy of licensee Jemini; puzzles and early learning games from Ravensburger; magazines by Milan; and books by Hachette.

Nominees for Kidscreen 2022 awards revealed

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Kidscreen, host of the global kids’ entertainment industry’s leading awards for excellence, has announced the shortlisted entries that are continuing in the competition through a final round of judging.

The winners will be be revealed on February 15 at a gala awards ceremony during Kidscreen Summit 2022.

The nominees are:

PRESCHOOL

Best New Series

Ridley Jones (Netflix)
Trash Truck (Glen Keane Productions, Netflix)
Waffles + Mochi (Higher Ground Productions, Netflix)

Best Animated Series

Madagascar: A Little Wild (DreamWorks Animation) Ridley Jones (Netflix)
Trash Truck (Glen Keane Productions, Netflix)

Best Live-Action Series

Helpsters (Sesame Workshop, Apple TV+)
Izzy’s Koala World (Dodo Productions, Netflix)
Sesame Street, season 51 (Sesame Workshop, HBO Max)

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Best Mixed-Media Series

Gabby’s Dollhouse (DreamWorks Animation, Netflix)
JoJo and Gran Gran (BBC Children’s In-House Productions, A Productions, CBeebies) Waffles + Mochi (Higher Ground Productions, Netflix)

Best One-Off, Special or TV Movie

“Molly and the Great One”—Molly of Denali (GBH Kids, Atomic Cartoons, PBS KIDS) PBS KIDS Talk About: Race and Racism (PBS KIDS, Crossroads Productions)
Zog and the Flying Doctors (Magic Light Pictures)

Best Holiday or Special Episode

A Trash Truck Christmas (Glen Keane Productions, Netflix)
“Blue’s Night Before Christmas”—Blue’s Clues & You (9 Story Media Group, Nick Jr.) “Holiday at Hoopers”—Sesame Street, season 51 (Sesame Workshop, HBO Max)

Best Inclusivity

Magic Hands Black History Songs (Flashing Lights Media, CBeebies) Mira, Royal Detective (Wild Canary, Disney Junior)
Waffles + Mochi (Higher Ground Productions, Netflix)

KIDS

Best New Series

Centaurworld (Netflix, Sketchshark Productions)
Kid Cosmic (Netflix)
The Patrick Star Show (Nickelodeon Animation Studio)

Best Animated Series

Centaurworld (Netflix, Sketchshark Productions)
Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous (DreamWorks Animation, Netflix) Looney Tunes Cartoons (Warner Bros. Animation, HBO Max)

Best Live-Action Series

Family Reunion (Netflix)
Odd Squad (Fred Rogers Productions, Sinking Ship Entertainment, PBS KIDS) Stardust (NRK)

Best Mixed-Media Series

Alien TV (Entertainment One, POP Family Entertainment, Netflix, Nine Network)
Club Mundo Kids (Exile Content Studio)
Sisimpur—Bangladeshi adaptation of Sesame Street (Sesame Workshop Bangladesh, Ddhoni Chitra)

Best One-Off, Special or TV Movie

All Star Nickmas Spectacular (Nickelodeon) Arlo the Alligator Boy (Netflix)
Mum is Pouring Rain (Laïdak Films, Dandelooo)

Best Holiday or Special Episode

“Bramley Holiday”—It’s Pony (Nickelodeon)
“The Lonely Haunts Club 3: La Llorona”—Victor and Valentino (Cartoon Network Studios) “Winter Break”—Craig of the Creek (Cartoon Network Studios)

Best Short Film

Coffee Run—It’s Pony (Nickelodeon)
Proud of Your Eyes #Coming Together (Sesame Workshop) The Wonton Warrior (Saffron Cherry, CBBC)

Best Inclusivity

16 Hudson, season two (Big Bad Boo Studios)
Snaps (Threewise Entertainment, CBBC)
Young, Black & British—Hear Us: A Newsround Special, Part 1 (BBC Children’s In-House Productions, CBBC)

TWEENS/TEENS

Best New Series

HouseBroken (Bento Box Entertainment, Kapital Entertainment, Fox Entertainment) Nick News (Nickelodeon)
We the People (Higher Ground Productions, Netflix)

Best Animated Series

Bob’s Burgers (Bento Box Entertainment, 20th Television) Central Park (20th Television, Apple TV+)
We the People (Higher Ground Productions, Netflix)

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Best Live-Action Series

Jenny 3—My Future/Mon Avenir (Productions Avenida)
Serengeti II (XIX Entertainment, John Downer Productions, Discovery) The Bold Type (Universal Television, The District)

Best Mixed-Media Series

About Mental Health/On Parle de Santé Mentale (Écho Média, Télé-Québec) Live from Mount Olympus (TRAX from PRX, Onassis Foundation)
The First Years (Zone3)

Best One-Off, Special or TV Movie

Disney Holiday Magic Quest (Disney Channel, 7Ate9 Entertainment)
NFL Wild Card (Nickelodeon)
Roald & Beatrix: The Tail of the Curious Mouse (Hartswood Films, Sky One)

Best Holiday or Special Episode

“Craftenstein’s Monster”—Craftopia (HBO Max, B17)
“Who’s Afraid of Boomsday?”—HouseBroken (Bento Box Entertainment, Kapital Entertainment, Fox Entertainment)

Best Inclusivity

Central Park (20th Television, Apple TV+)
FYI’s Kidversation (Fresh Start Media, Sky News, Sky Kids) We the People (Higher Ground Productions, Netflix)

Shortlisted entries in the Programming categories will be reviewed and assessed by a fresh panel of judges, including Rick Clodfelter (Disney Branded TV), Libbie Doherty (ABC Australia), Luiz Felipe Figueira (Gloob), Craig Hunter (YouTube), Yann Lebasque (TF1), Leslie Lee (WarnerMedia Kids APAC), Sarah Muller (BBC Children’s), Nikki Reed (HBO Max), Linda Simensky (Duolingo), Morten Skov Hansen (DR Ultra), Tara Sorensen (Apple TV+) and Heather Tilert (Netflix).

Best Inclusivity entries were reviewed and assessed by a jury that includes Lauren Appelbaum (RespectAbility), Mounia Aram (Mounia Aram Company), Musa Brooker (Six Point Harness), Yatibaey Evans (GBH Kids), Jay Francis (Disney Television Animation), Sameer Gardezi (Break the Room), Sarah Haasz (Pillango Productions), Grainne McGuinness (Paper Owl Films), David Michel (Cottonwood Media), Zulema Uriarte (Netflix) and Wanda Witherspoon (Sesame Workshop).

The nominees in the Broadcasting Categories are:

Channel of the Year

CBBC Nickelodeon PBS KIDS

Best On-Air Host or Hosting Team

Spencer, Tyra, Alex, Duhin and RikiMisu—The Zone, Zone Weekend and Big Fun Movies (YTV) Trevor Noah—TIME Kid of the Year (Nickelodeon)
Zachary Noah Piser—Camp TV (THIRTEEN)

Best Kids-Only Streaming Service

Hellosaurus Pinna Sensical

The nominees in the Digital Categories are:

PRESCHOOL

Best Alternative Game

Hey Duggee: The Busy Day Badge (Jollywise, BBC)
Roll to the Rescue (GBH, Hero4Hire, PBS KIDS)
Scribbles and Ink: Far and Away (GBH Kids, Global Mechanic)

Best Game App—Branded

Dino Dana—Fossil Hunt (Sinking Ship Interactive) On the Job (Noggin)
PBS KIDS Games (PBS KIDS, Goodboy Digital)

Best Game App—Original

OK Play (OK Play)
Pango Games & Stories (Studio Pango)

Best Learning App—Branded

BYJU’s Magic Work Books featuring Disney (BYJU’s) Noggin (Noggin)
Play Along with Miffy (Azerion, Mercis B.V.)

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Best Learning App—Original

iCan (First Media, Applicaster) Lingokids (Lingokids)
Sago Mini School (Sago Mini)

Best Web/App Series—Branded

Awesome Alaskan Kids—Molly of Denali (GBH Kids, PBS KIDS) Rhymes Through Times (Noggin)
The Wiggles + You (Hellosaurus, The Wiggles)

Best Web/App Series—Original

Cool School: Story Time with Ms. Booksy (Driver Studios) Maria Mini Explorer (Turtlebox Productions)

Best Website

Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood (Fred Rogers Productions, Schell Games, PBS KIDS) Donkey Hodie (Fred Rogers Productions, Curious Media, PBS KIDS)
PBS KIDS (PBS KIDS)

Best YouTube Channel

Blue’s Clues & You (Nick Jr.)
PBS KIDS (PBS KIDS)
Sesame Street (Sesame Workshop)

KIDS

Best Alternative Game

Horrible Histories: Beastly Boxset (Jollywise, BBC)
Miraculous RP: Quests of Ladybug & Cat Noir (ZAG Games, Toya)
The Last Kids on Earth and the Staff of Doom (Atomic Cartoons, Outright Games)

Best Game App—Branded

Disney Coloring World (Story Toys)
Hot Wheels Unlimited (Budge Studios)
Screens Up by Nickelodeon (Nickelodeon, ViacomCBS, Monterosa)

Best Game App—Original

Namoo (Baobab Studios) Taniwha (Adrenalin Games) Toca Life World (Toca Boca)

Best Learning App—Branded

BYJU’s Learning App featuring Disney (BYJU’s, Tangible Play) Cyberchase: Echo Explorers (THIRTEEN, FableVision, The WNET Group) Marvel Hero Tales (Kuato Studios, Marvel)

Best Learning App—Original

Da Vinci Kids (Da Vinci Kids, Macademia)
DIY—The Learning Community (DIY—The Learning Community, Kyt Technologies) Pinna (Pinna, Curious Media)

Best Web/App Series—Branded

Barbie Vlog (Mattel TV)
Next Level Kart Racers (Nickelodeon) Star Stable Mistfall (Ferly Animation)

Best Web/App Series—Original

According to Kids (CBC Kids)
Denis and Me (Headspinner Productions) The Solutioneers (Shaftesbury)

Best Website

Cartoon Network Climate Champions (Cartoon Network, Jollywise) DIY (Kyt Technologies)
Nick Helps (Nickelodeon, ViacomCBS, House of V)

Best YouTube Channel

Bakugan (Spin Master)
Denis and Me (Headspinner Productions)
Maddie Moate (Let’s Go Live with Maddie & Greg)

Shortlisted entries in the Digital categories will be judged by Damon Berger (WildBrain Spark), Andrew Chan (Mattel), Sunil Gunderia (Age of Learning), Justin Hsu (MarcoPolo Learning), Michael Levine (Noggin), Rob Lowe (LEGO Ventures), Nancy MacIntyre (Sandbox Kids), Bonnie Rosen (Disney Accelerator), Dana Ware (Dark Slope Studios) and Gerald Youngblood (Tankee).

All Kidscreen Awards winners will be announced and celebrated at a special awards ceremony taking place during Kidscreen Summit 2022 in Miami on Tuesday, February 15. All Kidscreen Summit delegates are invited to attend as part of their event registration.

Additional details about the Kidscreen Awards, including categories, eligibility, judging and entry process, can be found at awards.kidscreen.com.

Jetpack acquires international rights for live action toddler series The Mini Kids    

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Global kids and family content distributor Jetpack Distribution has acquired the rights for The Mini Kids, a live-action preschool show commissioned and produced by Norway’s PSB digital terrestrial channel NRK Super.

The deal sees Jetpack acquire the first two seasons (16 x 17 minutes) of The Mini Kids, which targets babies and toddlers (0 – 3-year-olds), alongside their parents or carers, plus season three (12 x 17 minutes), which is being delivered in summer 2022.

The first two seasons have aired in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland and The Faroe Islands to critical acclaim, delivering strong performance among all age-groups particularly on channel-led video on demand platforms.

The Mini Kids aims to stimulate activity and development for toddlers. It features real-life one- to two-year-olds and combines them with animation and music. The show’s objective is to inspire positive interactions among young children. It also stars ‘Fantus’, an animated character the audience engages with throughout each episode.

The series is structured in accordance with curriculum based preschool/kindergarten’s practice, with safe and familiar frameworks and rituals.

It won the Prix Jeunesse 2020 and best VFX at the Golden Screen Awards Norway 2020 and 2021.

Jetpack Distribution’s CEO, Dominic Gardiner, says: “The Mini Kids really strengthens our preschool offering and is one of a few outstanding shows for this age group. It’s hugely didactic and something that parents across the globe will welcome. Safe, funny and enjoyable for the youngest sector!”

“The Mini Kids has had exceptional ratings in Norway and we are very happy that the show can now travel the world with Jetpack,” says Head of NRK Super, Hildri Gulliksen. “We are optimistic that The Mini Kids will be as well received outside of the Nordics.”

IP licensing platform Brainbase wins top award

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Brainbase, the venture-backed company helping licensing teams optimise their partnerships from contract to revenue, has been crowned winner of the “Contract Management Solution Provider of the Year” award in the second annual LegalTech Breakthrough Awards programme.

LegalTech Breakthrough is a leading independent market intelligence organisation that evaluates and recognises standout legal technology companies, products and services around the globe.

Brainbase brings together every feature required to run a global licensing business at scale so licensing teams can make smarter, faster decisions. With the help of Brainbase, IP owners are able to unify their global operations into a single software platform – from deals and contract management, product approvals, royalty reporting, digital asset management, and dashboard analytics.

“This is an incredible moment for Brainbase, especially our product and engineering teams, to be recognised by LegalTech Breakthrough along with some other incredible companies in the legaltech and contract management space,” says Gautam Godse, Senior Vice President of Product at Brainbase. “Though still focused on building the best end-to-end platform for brands that own and license their IP, we’re grateful to be recognized for the contract management functionality of our platform.”

The mission of the annual LegalTech Breakthrough Awards programme is to conduct the industry’s most comprehensive analysis and evaluation of the top technology companies, solutions and products in the legal technology industry today. This year’s programme attracted more than 1,300 nominations from over 12 different countries throughout the world.

“IP management has hitherto been lost in old school archaic paper-shuffling. Owners of IP assets have spent so much time trying to capture more value,” says Bryan Vaughn, Managing Director of LegalTech Breakthrough Awards. “This best-in-class legal-technology from Brainbase helps clients to collect royalties more promptly, and gives them tools to manage their licensing contracts and creative approvals more effectively. Congratulations on winning ‘Contract Management Solution Provider of the Year.'”

Brainbase works with leading global brands including BBC Studios, BuzzFeed, Chefclub, Crayola, Moose Toys, Penske Media Corporation, SYBO Games and the Van Gogh Museum, among others.

Keeping Christmas lunch on track with Munchy Play plates

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If you’re looking for the ideal gift for a toddler this Christmas, a Munchy Play plate is right on track.

Featuring a built-in railtrack, the award-winning Munchy Play Thomas & Friends Train Track Plate Collection comes in three designs: Thomas (blue), James (red) and Percy (green). For car lovers, there’s also a separate Vroom-Vroom car plate.

Sophia Procter, Munchy Play founder and CEO, said: “This Christmas, bring the whole family together with the Thomas & Friends Train Track Plate collection. Universally loved by grandparents, parents and young children, the fun designs make the perfect festive gift, stocking filler and Secret Santa for everyone to enjoy.”

Designed for toddlers and pre-schoolers, the tableware features high-sides and a non-slip base for self-feeding, whilst the track takes children on a journey from Knapford Station, passing tunnels, trees and traffic lights along the way. There’s even a ‘train ticket’ gift tag on the packaging for writing a personalised message.

Made in Britain, the tableware is made from polypropylene, which is free of BPA, PVC and melamine. With zero-single-use plastic, both the product and packaging can be recycled. The collection is available from Munchyplay.com and Amazon, from £15.99.

Dr Seuss Enterprises teams with Vacasa to create the Grinch’s famous cave

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Dr. Seuss Enterprises is teaming up with Vacasa, North America’s leading vacation rental management platform, to create the Grinch’s famous cave. The story of How the Grinch Stole Christmas! will be brought to life for a limited time, giving holidaymakers the chance to experience the Grinch and his dog Max’s home like never before.

Travellers can book the Grinch’s infamous cave (located “Three thousand feet up, Up the side of Mt. Crumpit”) on Vacasa.com starting from 3 December for stays leading up to the Christmas holiday from Dec. 13­–23. The cave is set just outside Boulder, Utah, on a beautiful, remote property. The nightly rate for a stay will be $19.57* in honour of the book’s original release in 1957.

The Grinch’s rocky residence is within a hand-carved cave on the side of a mountain. Designers have decked the halls of this multi-level 5,700 square-foot lair with everything a Grinch fan could imagine: there’s a kitchen stocked with roastable beast, Who-pudding, and an emergency stash of Who-hash. A music room includes the Grinch’s organ alongside Max’s drum set leading into the study, main bedroom, guest bedroom, and more. Everywhere they go, visitors will be completely immersed in the world of the Grinch. Even more, the house is outfitted with all of Grinch’s gadgets; his over-the-top coffee machine, armoire with green furry pants, and all the kitchen supplies one would need to host a festive FEAST! FEAST! FEAST!

True to the much-loved Dr. Seuss tale, the cave will have all the details that make the Grinch’s Mt. Crumpit home so iconic. When asked why he won’t be at the cave to greet visitors, the Grinch commented, “I just don’t really want to. Now go away.”

Grinch fans staying at the Grinch’s cave will have the added benefit of Vacasa’s 24/7 guest support and elevated home care. Just like every other Vacasa vacation rental, the Grinch’s cave will be professionally cleaned and cared for by a dedicated local team, so guests can pack up their snoof, and their tringlers and fuzzles and enjoy a worry-free stay.

Interested visitors are encouraged to visit vacasa.com/Grinch for a 3D tour of the cave, and to mark their calendars for booking release times—the limited stays are expected to fill immediately.

*$19.57 nightly rate does not include local lodging tax.