YouTube sensation Spy Ninjas set to tour U.S. this autumn

Surge Licensing has signed an agreement with live-tour company Cut & Mustard to bring YouTube sensation Spy Ninjas to over 30 cities across the U.S.  The announcement was made today by Elan Freedman, EVP Surge Licensing, Spy Ninja’s global licensing agent.

Featuring Chad Wild Clay and Vy Qwaint, Spy Ninjas are a team of YouTubers on a mission to save the internet from Project Zorgo, an evil organization of hackers.  With over 40 million YouTube subscribers and over 13 billion views across its YouTube channels, Spy Ninjas is a certifiable YouTube sensation.

With the new Spy Ninjas Live tour, the Spy Ninjas crew will take their detective, martial arts, and hacking skills from the screen to the stage, crisscrossing through many U.S. cities starting this autumn. VIP packages are available and include a pre-show meet and greet with Chad and Vy, exclusive limited-edition merchandise, VIP lanyard, limited-edition photo signed by Chad and Vy, and early access to merchandise stands. Spy Ninjas Live is expected to visit more than 30 U.S. cities beginning with its first leg this October and November, as well as another run in February and March 2023.

In Spy Ninjas Live, the Spy Ninjas have discovered the presence of a Hacker Sleeper cell across North America and must quickly reach major cities to defeat it.  They are taking over local theatres to use as their headquarters and will have access to surveillance and a team of local Ninja associates — the audience — to dismantle the cell.

Spy Ninjas quickly became a YouTube sensation with their serialized narrative-based adventures that are truly engaging and a cool combination of spy adventures, clue solving and high-octane ninja action,” says Surge Licensing’s Freedman. “We are confident that Cut & Mustard will bring their superb creative and production skills to make the Spy Ninja’s Live tour a must-attend event for their legions of fans.”

“We are incredibly excited to visit our millions of fans across the U.S. to deliver a one-of-a-kind entertainment experience,” adds Spy Ninjas’ Chad Wild Clay and Vy Qwaint. “Like our YouTube videos, we’ll combine martial arts, stealth, and detective work to battle the Hackers, all with the help of our local Spy Ninja fans.”

“This action-packed and family-friendly show is the first touring production based on Spy Ninjas’ hit YouTube series and is a great opportunity for fans to see their favourite YouTube stars live on stage,” says Tom Greenwood-Mears, Managing Director at live-tour company Cut & Mustard and Executive Producer of the tour. “At the same time, this dynamic show will offer many young Spy Ninjas fans and their families their first-ever live show experience in a theatre as Spy Ninjas continue their mission to save audiences and the internet from the evil Hackers.”

Spy Ninjas is available to view on YouTube and OTT platforms, including Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Roku, Tubi, and Xfinity On-Demand with new formats of Spy Ninjas in development.

Playmates is the master toy partner for Spy Ninjas with a toy line that features in-show spy gadgets, gear, and non-lethal weaponry.  Fans can role play as their favourite heroes (or villains) using the exact same gear, directly seen in the series.  Surge also signed a multi-faceted publishing deal with Scholastic for the U.S. and Canada, with the first books launching in February 2022. Additional licensing partners include Bentex for apparel, and Event Merch for the Official Spy Ninjas Store.

 

Miraculous – Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir passes $1bn in retail sales ahead of new movie

ZAG’s Miraculous – Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir has surpassed $1bn in worldwide retail sales, a major new milestone for both the property and the team behind it who has this week detailed a new roster of US licensees for the brand.

The news arrives in the lead up to the release of the $100m theatrical feature film based on the Miraculous IP, and follows the roll out of Season Four of the animated series created by ZAG and co-produced with ON kids and family.

“Since launching the Miraculous™ – Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir brand at retail, Miraculous branded merchandise from over 300 licensing partners is currently available at major retailers and online in virtually every territory around the world across multiple categories,” commented Jeremy Zag, Founder and CEO, ZAG.

“We are grateful for the support of our content partners, licensees and retailers around the globe, and of course our millions of fans who have embraced the adventures of our heroes, Ladybug and Cat Noir. We have more exciting escapades yet to come and I can’t wait to share the news of an upcoming series that is sure to be embraced by our Miraculous fans.”

With continued demand for the Miraculous brand in the North American market, ZAG has signed over 50 new licensees in the past 12 months. Newly signed publishing agreements include Little Bee (Activity Formats) and Bendon (Color and Activity).  For fashion and accessories, new partners include HER (hair accessories and jewelry), Jacmel (jewelry), Accutime (watches and clocks), Jerry Leigh of California (girls’ apparel), SG Companies (seasonal footwear), and Heys International (luggage).

For activities, partners include TCG (puzzle and games), Horizon (craft & activity), Lil’ Anglers (fishing gear), What Kids Want (outdoor and seasonal), and Toy Factory (amusement plush). Food and beverage partners include Crunch Pak (healthy snacking), Good to Grow (beverages), Ferrara (fruit snacks), Zak! Designs (hydration, food storage, tabletop), and Kernels (popcorn, Canada).

Additional partners include ASO (wound care and first aid); and SmileMakers (stickers for medical field). In Canada, Danawares is on board for accessories. The new deals come on the heels of the recently signed global deals with Swatch’s Flik Flak and Epopia, who join long-standing partners Ferrero and PEZ.

In spring 2021, ZAG introduced a new Miraculous toy line from ZAG Lab and Playmates in the US on the e-commerce platforms of Walmart, Target and Kohls, selling-out within just a few hours. This autumn, brick and mortar stores will be carrying the toy line.

Other products hitting retail shelves in the U.S. this year include leveled readers and chapter books from Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (LBYR), a division of the Hachette Book Group, costumes and accessories for wholesale retailers from InSpirit Designs, bedding from Jay Franco; underwear from Handcraft Manufacturing; and Bentex Apparel Group for sportswear, tees and sleepwear.

Miraculous – Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir is available in over 120 territories across the globe.

Flair readies for Power Players master toy line launch

Flair is powering up its boy’s portfolio in summer 2020 with the addition of the Power Players master toy line. The collection created by Playmates Toys will include action figures, vehicles and role play accessories.

Power Players is a new action-comedy animation series created by Zag. The new show shifts between the full-scale world of its lead character, Axel and his friends and family, and the world of his toy teammates when he transforms into a living action figure.

The series will debut on Cartoon Network this February.

Flair will launch the Playmates toy line to bring the adventures of the animated series to the playroom. A full range of action figures featuring all the main characters of the show will be joined by Super Feature figures with detailed articulation and electronic elements that will bring the toys to life.

Vehicles will add to the choice, while accessories such as Axel’s Power Bandz and Sword will offer transformation and role-play into the play pattern.

Emmanuelle Cadet, GP Flair’s head of marketing, commented: “We are delighted to be working with Playmates in bringing this collection to the UK.

“The series lends itself perfectly to toy play and with the detail that Playmates puts into its action figures, we have an excellent property to bring to the boy’s aisle.”