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Jewel Branding & Licensing signs global giftware brand Lolita

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Atlanta-based Jewel Branding & Licensing (JBL) has announced their representation of sought-after giftware brand Lolita for worldwide consumer product licensing.

The Lolita brand of collectab­­­le glassware was founded in 2004 by designer Lolita Healy, and has developed into an empire of 29 million products sold in more than 40 countries worldwide, and over 100,000 active glassware collectors. During the brand’s top year, $22 million was sold in the wholesale marketplace.

The brand “empowers women to celebrate life’s special moments while bringing joy to themselves and others with positive and fun designs”. With Lolita’s exponential growth and popularity, JBL believes the brand is well positioned to expand into multiple categories such as home décor, stationery/crafts, apparel, tabletop, gift, beauty accessories, textiles, and many more.

“We are thrilled by the recent signing of the Lolita brand,” says Carol White, Vice-President of Art Licensing, Jewel Branding & Licensing. “This fun and special moments gift brand, with its distinctive design and ‘celebrate life’ attitude, has captured the hearts of consumers around the world. We are excited to bring the Lolita signature style and empowering message to new categories that align with the brand and its loyal audience.”

“I chose Jewel Branding to represent and guide the brand’s future licensing growth and the timing is perfect with the upward momentum I’ve seen at Lolita,” says Lolita Healy. “The brand is about celebrating special occasions, gift giving and delivering joy to millions, with touchpoints to every personality and occasion. My art has global appeal due to its very nature of celebration and recipient art, spending special times with friends and family, and celebrating all those big, little moments that my brand represents… Jewel Branding, with their female-owned approach, global reach, and amazing reputation is the perfect agency for me.”

Jewel Branding & Licensing represents a diverse portfolio of designers and design-based brands including The New York Botanical Garden, Rachael Hale, Frank Lloyd Wright, and EttaVee.

KetchupTV to launch ‘StoryZoo’ content on English-speaking platforms in the UK, USA and Australia

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Ketchup TV is adding StoryZoo to its international premium content lineup, accessible via free-to-air broadcast platforms, CTV, Telco partners, mobile and web.

Established in 2013, Ketchup TV operates both video-on-demand (VOD) and free ad-supported streaming (FAST) services, underpinned by its proprietary ad delivery network and monetization system. Ketchup TV will launch the StoryZoo episodes in two series:

‘StoryZoo Adventures – In the Zoo’, in which the three StoryZoo characters visit and learn all about different animals in the zoo.

‘StoryZoo Adventures – In Space’, where traditional animation is mixed with real footage supplied by the ESA (European Space Agency), enabling children to learn about Earth, the Moon and our solar system in a fun and exciting way. “The real-life images literally take these StoryZoo adventures to a higher level,” says Johannes Gropp, founder and CEO of StoryZoo B.V.

Paul Coster, CEO of Ketchup TV, says, “We’ve been looking to expand our preschool educational offering and partnering with StoryZoo provides the perfect opportunity. The stories are fun and interactive, providing children with the opportunity to learn about wildlife here on Earth, and then travel into space to learn about the solar system and Earth from above.”

Bulldog signs up MoYou and The Hut Group to create new Care Bears products

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Bulldog, which manages the Care Bears licensing programme in the UK, has brought on board two new licensees to create offerings based on the loveable, huggable bears.

MoYou will be creating a collection of Care Bears-inspired nail products, including children’s and adult nail art stencil plates, a nail art scraper, a nail art stamper, and nail polish. Meanwhile, The Hut Group has signed on to design a wide range of products inspired by Funshine Bear, Bedtime Bear, Love-a-Lot Bear, and their friends. The offering will span apparel, homewares, accessories, electronics, collectibles, and furniture with collections already available on the likes of www.zavvi.co.uk

“The strong values at the heart of the Care Bears, inclusive of sharing, caring, and kindness, are what ensures the brand remains relevant throughout generations of children and adults,” says Sophie Yates, Licensing Executive at Bulldog Licensing. “The two new partners will expand the product offering for the many fans with a number of brand-new designs. We look forward to seeing the upcoming collections on shelf very soon.”

Care Bears – as well as a stable of other iconic entertainment brands including Holly Hobbie, Madballs and Twisted Whiskers – is owned by Cloudco Entertainment, formerly American Greetings Entertainment.

 

 

Yahoo Ryot Lab, Charli Cohen and Selfridges create virtual 3D experience for limited edition Charli Cohen x Pokémon collection

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To celebrate the 25th anniversary of Pokémon, Yahoo Ryot Lab – Yahoo’s immersive storytelling production house – has partnered with Selfridges and London-based fashion designer Charli Cohen to launch Electric/City, an innovative “cyberpunk” online shopping experience. The collaboration gives fans exclusive access to browse and buy limited-edition garments from the Charli Cohen x Pokémon range, as well as an exclusive Charli Cohen digital-only range.

The digital environment enables fans to discover the Charli Cohen collections through an immersive, 360-degree video experience, where shoppers can explore within a “cyberpunk” take on fashion capitals around the world, decorated with neon signs inspired by and celebrating the iconic Pokémon character, Pikachu. Hotspots within the virtual world will enable fans to buy items from the Pokémon physical collection to be delivered to their home.

Working in collaboration with Charli Cohen, as well as partners BlockV, Wolf 3D and Aircards, Yahoo Ryot Lab has created an additional bespoke digital Charli Cohen collection, separate from the Pokémon collection, for fans to purchase exclusively in the 3D, immersive virtual store that can be accessed in browsers across mobile and desktop at ElectricCity.co. Digital Charli Cohen garments purchased in Electric/City will be redeemed into an account-secured web-based digital wallet, provided by BlockV, that will enable them to be on show for new owners across different digital platforms.

The Charli Cohen x Pokémon physical collection unlocks:

  • Snapchat: Fans can celebrate the 25th anniversary using an exclusive snap lens attached to every garment

The Charli Cohen digital garments unlock:

  • ReadyPlayerMe: Fans can create their own avatars with Charli Cohengarments to view in AR and share socially, as well as being able to use the wider Charli Cohen collection for their virtual avatars across 500+ other virtual platforms, including VRChat, Somnium Space and Mozilla Hubs.
  • Snapchat: Fans can alsodigitally wear a Charli Cohen outfit with an AR body tracking Snapchat lens.

“We are focused on helping creators and brands bring their immersive experiences to life across the metaverse,” says Sam Field, Director of Creative Technology, EMEA at Yahoo. “Over the last 18 months, we’ve seen huge consumer demand for immersive experiences. For Electric/City, we’ve built what we call a Brandiverse: a hybrid of emerging technologies that create immersive brand experiences at scale. This project combines 3D virtual environments, 4K video streaming, 3D design software for digital clothing, motion capture, blockchain-enabled digital collectibles, augmented reality and more. As an industry rooted in innovation, our Brandiverse is a natural fit for fashion brands – embracing the power of immersive storytelling to allow people to explore their identity through fashion in new ways and throughout their physical and digital lives. The combination of The Pokémon Company International, Charli Cohen’s focus on tech-inspired fashion, and a retail powerhouse like Selfridges makes for an incredibly exciting collaboration.”

 

 

 

 

9 Story Media Group enters into first-look deal with inclusive publisher Knights Of

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Under the terms of a new deal, 9 Story Media Group has exclusive first-look rights to acquire audio-visual, merchandising, theatrical and ancillary rights to Knights Of’s book properties. 9 Story has also acquired a minority equity stake in the London-based publishing company.

Created by Aimée Felone and David Stevens, KNIGHTS OF is a multi-award-winning inclusive publisher focused on bringing underrepresented voices to the forefront of commercial children’s publishing. With a team led by women of colour, Knights Of works to engage with gatekeepers across the industry, including booksellers, teachers and librarians, and supports non- traditional community spaces with events, outreach, marketing and partnerships.

The Knights Of roster of bestselling authors includes Elle McNicoll (A Kind of Spark), Kelly Yang (Front Desk, Three Keys), Jason Reynolds (Look Both Ways, The Run Series) and Sharna Jackson (High-Rise Mystery). 9 Story Media Group and its Oscar-nominated studio Brown Bag Films are known for popular children’s shows such as Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, Blue’s Clues & You, Wild Kratts, and Doc McStuffins as well as newcomers Ada Twist, Scientist and Karma’s World.

“Partnering with 9 Story is an absolute joy for us,” says Felone. “Bringing investors on board has always gone beyond financial motives for us, so to bring on board a company who is not only at the forefront of their media sector, but also so closely aligned with our ethos was an incredible opportunity for everyone involved. We’re so excited to see how this partnership will further our mutual growth.”

“We are thrilled to partner with Knights Of, which is changing the face of publishing by putting inclusion at the centre of everything they do,” says Vince Commisso, President & CEO of 9 Story Media Group. “Their mission to make books for every kid closely aligns with 9 Story’s core values and commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. We are excited to collaborate with the Knights Of team and bring new stories from diverse voices to life on screen, so that no child is left behind.”

JAKKS Pacific launches new toy line for Disney’s ‘Encanto’

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Leading toy and consumer products manufacturer JAKKS Pacific has announced the launch of its new line of toys developed for the upcoming theatrical release of Disney’s Encanto, which is set to hit movie theatres worldwide on 24 November.

A heartwarming story of a young Colombian girl faced with being the only member of her family without magical powers, Encanto is set in a fictionalised Colombia and will feature eight original songs in Spanish and English by Lin-Manuel Miranda.

JAKKS is launching a global line of products that celebrate the entire family ensemble, key moments, music and room environments, allowing kids to play out their favourite parts of the film with their favourite characters.

The line coming to retail on 3 October features interactive playsets including the Magical Casa Madrigal, Singing Mirabel and Magic Butterfly doll, Sing and Play Mirabel doll, Mirabel and Isabela fashion doll assortment, Mirabel’s Musical Accordion, 7” key character plush assortment and character role play dresses. The product assortment plays original scores from the upcoming movie and includes interactive elements that bring the plot of the movie to life.

“We are beyond excited to launch our new toys for Encanto at retail this week,” says Lisa Tauber, SVP of Marketing at JAKKS Pacific, Inc. “We took great care to embody the authenticity and magic of the film when creating these products. From the singing Mirabel dolls to the Magical Casa Madrigal playset, JAKKS has developed a magical toy line with several surprises in store for the kids.”

JAKKS Pacific items for Encanto are designed for children ages 3 and up. Additional products will be featured in future waves coming next year.

Jetpack acquires worldwide rights for new Paper Owl Films preschool shows

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Global kids’ content distributor Jetpack Distribution has acquired the worldwide rights for three brand-new pre-school animated shows from the award-winning Northern Ireland-based animation outfit, Paper Owl Films.

Comprising 26 two-minute episodes (with series two in development), Ladybird & Bee (pictured) tells the charming stories of the natural world as seen from the perspective of two tiny best friends, with viewers learning things about them and their habitats along the way. Commissioned by Irish public service broadcaster RTÉjr, Ladybird & Bee launched in Irish in March, and will launch in English on 4 October.

With 52 eleven-minute episodes planned and due to go into production late 2023, Mr Dog is based on the best-selling books by Ben Fogle about a globe-trotting pooch who solves other animals’ problems in lovable, funny and often mischievous ways.

Finally, Florida – also comprising 52 eleven-minute episodes and set to be produced in late 2023 – highlights the wonders of engineering, and features a girl (the Florida of the title) who has come to live with Aunt G in her GEM (Gadgets of Everyday Marvel) shop, where the ‘gems’ are wonders of human invention and creativity. With imagination and plenty of optimism, Florida and her friends help these unwanted objects find a new purpose in the world.

“These shows from Paper Owl Films make delightful, quirky and unique additions to our preschool catalogue,” says Jetpack’s CEO, Dominic Gardiner. “They are gently introducing young children to concepts such as teamwork, helping others, using creativity, exploring the world around you and looking at everyday objects in new ways. All are set in locations that preschoolers will find fascinating and intriguing. Something that we love to encourage in young audiences.”

Jetpack Distribution was founded in 2014 and it has gone on to become a leading global distributor of kids shows including Master Moley, Clangers, Chuggington, Mighty Little Bheem, Wolf, Talking Tom and Friends, Yoko, Dennis & Gnasher Unleashed and Kitty is Not a Cat. The company distributes an extensive catalogue of award-winning kids’ properties through a wide variety of channels, from traditional broadcasters to digital platforms.

Paper Owl Films’ Creative Director, Gráinne Mc Guinness, says: “We’re honoured that Jetpack is distributing these shows that are very close to our hearts. Paper Owl Films is committed to delivering memorable content that has a positive impact on young preschoolers – whether that’s as simple as a giggle or helping them learn valuable lessons through fun and funny content. This ranges from the beauty of natural biodiversity balance with best ‘beasties’ Ladybird and Bee, madcap animal rescues with Mr Dog, or being inspired by Florida’s confidence and commitment to a better world for everyone she meets.”

WarnerMedia to donate more than $400,000 in branded face mask proceeds to UNICEF’s Global Education Fund

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WarnerMedia has announced it will donate more than $400,000 in proceeds generated from sales of branded face masks featuring DC, Wizarding World, Looney Tunes and other iconic WarnerMedia properties, to UNICEF’s Global Education Fund. The donation will support UNICEF education programmes to help ensure every child has equitable access to learning opportunities and could help 86,000 children continue their education during times of emergency through the distribution of 2,000 School-in-a-Box kits.

During 2020, as the world grappled with the pandemic, Warner Bros. Consumer Products EMEA joined forces with its licensees to create face masks featuring logos and characters from the DC Universe, the Wizarding World, Looney Tunes and other iconic WarnerMedia properties. The donation from the proceeds of these mask sales will now help UNICEF address the far-reaching impacts of COVID-19 on learning. Last year, more than 1 billion students were affected by school closures. Vulnerable and hard-to-reach children continue to be in danger of dropping out of the education system altogether because of significant inequities in access to remote learning widening the education gap.

“We thank our partners for joining with us to create face masks that provided a bit of inspiration – and added safety – during a very challenging time,” says Julian Moon, Senior Vice President, Warner Bros. Consumer Products EMEA.  “We are humbled by the response to the masks, and are thrilled to fund a donation to UNICEF’s Global Education Fund that will help children whose learning was impacted.”

As part of UNICEF’s Global Education program, the School-in-a-Box kits have become a part of the standard response in emergencies and used in many back-to-school operations around the world. Containing supplies and materials for a teacher and up to 40 students, the kits help ensure the continuation of children’s education by the first 72 hours of an emergency. WarnerMedia’s donation can also enable UNICEF to collect and transfer online and remote learning resources onto a digital learning platform, which allows out-of-school children to access quality learning opportunities.

Warner Bros. Consumer Products, part of WarnerMedia Global Brands and Experiences, extends the Studio’s portfolio of entertainment brands and franchises into the lives of fans around the world. WBCP partners with licensees globally on an award-winning range of toys, fashion, home décor, and publishing inspired by franchises and properties such as DC, Wizarding World, Looney Tunes, Hanna-Barbera, HBO, Cartoon Network and Adult Swim. The division’s successful global themed entertainment business includes experiences such as The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi.

UNICEF does not endorse any company, brand, product or service.

JAKKS Pacific brings on board former Disney executive Lori MacPherson

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JAKKS Pacific, the designer, manufacturer and marketer of toys and consumer goods whose popular brands include Creepy Crawlers, Eyeclops, Fly Wheel and Kitten Catfe, has appointed Lori MacPherson to its Board of Directors.

MacPherson served as Executive Vice President, Global Product Management for The Walt Disney Studios from 2010-2014, following her positions as Executive Vice President and General Manager of the global Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment division, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment North America, and a variety of senior Marketing and Product Management positions with The Walt Disney Company since 1991.

“I am thrilled that Lori MacPherson has joined our board of directors”, says Stephen Berman, CEO of JAKKS Pacific. “[She] brings to us over two decades of experience in entertainment and consumer products, which dovetails perfectly with our hands-on, customer-focused company. We expect to benefit from her insights into broad segments of the customer base for our wide array of products.”

Lori MacPherson commented, “I am very excited to join the Board of JAKKS Pacific, and look forward to working with my other board members and management in continuing to spearhead JAKKS’ growth by reaching out to all segments of the consumer market for JAKKS toys and games.”

With an HQ in Santa Monica, California, JAKKS Pacific’s products are sold throughout the world, and include Perfectly Cute, ReDo Skateboard Co, WeeeDo, Xtreme Power, Disguise, Maui, Moose Mountain, Kids Only!, a wide range of entertainment-inspired products featuring premier licensed properties, and C’est Moi, a New Generation of Clean Beauty. The company also has a philanthropic division, JAKKS Cares, which has so far donated more than $50 million in toys, school supplies and financial endowments to millions of underprivileged children around the world.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art unveils new licensing partnerships

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The Metropolitan Museum of Art has announced its new licensing partnerships across home décor, fashion accessories, gifting and educational games. Collectible clutch bags by Olympia Le Tan launched in September, while over the coming months, an exciting range of new products will be launched to consumers and the trade.

Inspired by the artworks and stories within its collection, the Met has worked closely with selected partners “who exhibit the highest level of creative development in their respective areas, from home textiles to social expressions”. Licensing partnerships include bedding and home accessories by Ann Gish (launching October 2021), giftable ceramic tabletop items by Ligne Blanche (winter 2021), case furniture by Abner Henry and Lingo educational games (both January 2020, Pura home fragrance, and paper goods and social expressions by Caspari (both spring 2022), and textiles, wallpaper and trim by Scalamandré (autumn 2022).

Six of the partnerships were sourced through the Met’s agency relationship with Beanstalk, the Met’s licensing agency for the US, Canada, EMEA and Japan. The remaining two – Olympia Le Tan and Ligne Blanche – were sourced by WildBrain CPLG.

Products will be available through partners’ distribution channels, and will be highlighted within the Met Store in New York. All proceeds from licensing revenues will support the Museum’s collection, study, conservation and presentation of over 5,000 years of art.

“We are thrilled and honoured to be working with these incredible companies, some of which, such as Scalamandré, have longstanding relations with the museum,” says Lisa Silverman Meyers, Global Head of Licensing and Partnerships for The Metropolitan Museum of Art. “We are so excited to see how they marry the heritage and the unique design sensibilities for which each company is known, to create offerings that are inspired by highlights from the Museum’s permanent collection.”