Tag Archives: Pop Culture

Opinion: Is the Wild West about to be tamed? – Anthony Marks

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Anthony Marks is MD of Fanattik a pop culture specialist, a gifts and collectibles licensee for 20th Century Fox, Universal Studios, and Paramount Pictures. He talks us through why the days of the Comic Con counterfeiter may just be numbered

As a self-confessed geek I have no problem admitting that I have been visiting Comic Cons for more than 25 years, and many a time I remember queuing up for hours in the rain to get into an event and spend my money on product that mainstream retailers were ignoring.

Although visitor numbers have reduced from their heyday, a big London show can attract well over 100,000 visitors over a weekend and regional shows more than 30,000.

I still visit the shows, but this time with my commercial hat on to see product from all over Europe under one roof. The shows have never ceased to amaze me with regards to how much unlicensed poor quality product is freely available to buy, so I read with interest that a representative from Marvel was seen attending this month’s Liverpool Comic Con, it definitely had the exhibitors at the show in a tizz from the reports I received.

My company started off selling licensed limited edition art prints and many years ago we went through a phase of exhibiting at shows all over Europe, we found ourselves placed next to stands selling prints featuring images downloaded from the internet and run off on a home printer. We complained to show organisers and they just didn’t care, they had to sell the space and they didn’t care who they sold it to.

The most faked brands that we noticed always seemed to be Nintendo, Star Trek and Pokemon. I couldn’t understand why the brands weren’t sending representatives to these shows which were mostly in major cities, easily commutable from their or their agents offices.

A colleague used to take pictures of stands selling fake keyrings, pin badges, glassware etc but after being threatened by stall holders numerous times he decided it wasn’t worth doing anymore, especially as the show organisers and the brands we were sending the pictures to wouldn’t act on them anyway.

Licensees invest a lot of money in testing, especially on items such as jewellery as it comes into contact with the skin, the last thing the industry needs is a red top to report how a child’s neck turned green because they were wearing a necklace bought at a show. The press won’t care that the item was unlicensed they will just report the brand featured.

These stands are not always run by someone who just wants to make a little bit of extra money by selling product they produced at home, there is one large organised group which has multiple stands not just at the London shows but I have seen them at Frankfurt, Amsterdam as well as many of the regional UK shows, blatantly selling unlicensed product imported direct from China (I saw the packing boxes behind their stands). The show organisers know who they are but don’t want to get rid of them because of the number of stands they book all in one go.

A few years ago I offered my services to one event, I would travel down to their show at my own expense and walk the halls with one of their team to try and clean things up, they wouldn’t even have to buy me a sandwich for lunch, but they turned me down.

Things are changing though.

Newham Council – which covers Excel where a lot of the London events are held – sends a team to each event, they are very good at shutting down stands selling plush if they don’t have the CE mark on them, but when it comes to other product they are a little lost and they could do with brand representatives alongside to point out what shouldn’t be for sale.

An example of a pro-active brand is Bethesda. I saw its head of European licensing at an event last year visiting existing licensee’s and the smaller stands. When he saw unlicensed product, he showed the stall holder his card and stated calmly that his legal team were at the show and would be along in half an hour, so the offending product had to be taken down.

Sure, it helped that this man was built like he could go ten rounds with a professional boxer but the fact that he could prove he was an official representative of the brand was enough to persuade the exhibitor to co-operate.

With the bigger shows wanting to form more commercial relationships in the form of sponsorship deals with the brands, things are going in the right direction. In the future the Wild West may not be totally tamed, but it will at least be a safer place for fans and licensee’s to visit.

Funko, the pop culture lifestyle, and why 2020 is going to be a game changer for its European business

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It’s likely the fact that Funko – in one form or another – can be found in most toy shops on the high street or otherwise today, that the firm’s insistence that ‘it is not a toy company,’ takes some time to comprehend.

As the pop culture explosion that Funko found itself at the centre of mid-way through the last decade continues to surge across the UK, it stands to reason that the purveyor of Pop! has found itself an almost omnipresent figurehead of the trend.

It wouldn’t have escaped many people’s attention that year on year, the Funko brand has been gaining shelf space inch by inch across the retail landscape; most recently it compounded its growth within the toy space with the launch of its ‘revolutionary’ Paka Paka platform into The Entertainer’s boundary-pushing Westfield store – a concept that went on to launch in Forbidden Planet’s Glasgow store, and will be followed with launches in Primark and Smyths Toys.

Nevertheless, Funko’s mantra remains. This is more than a toy company, and for the past number of years it has been actively positioning itself as a lifestyle brand, with a portfolio that spans all manner of categories from its vinyl figures, to softlines, bags, purses, wallets and homewares, developed in conjunction with its Loungefly brand.

There aren’t many toy companies, after all, that can lay claim to presence in such a diverse line-up of retailers; and it’s this, diversification, that has just helped Funko’s EMEA operation to one of its better financial years to date.

“We grew significantly in EMEA, it was the strongest growing of the regions internationally,” Andy Oddie, Funko’s managing director of EMEA, tells Licensing.biz. “And it is being a lifestyle company with the lifestyle businesses that we have got, that has helped us in the face of the challenges in the industry.

Funko EMEA managing director, Andy Oddie, says 2020 will be a game changing year

“We are in a broader channel, and that’s allowed us to tap into many different opportunities at retail and through e-commerce. One of the biggest initiatives for us at the moment is with Primark.

“But with our multi-channel and multi-category approach we can attack in certain areas and defend in other areas, and be in a multitude of places that others would maybe fail to reach.”

It came as a surprise to many in the business when Funko’s US division detailed an eight per cent dip in its Q4 2019 results last month, finishing up at $214 million compared to the $233 million the year prior. It was the challenging retail environment of the US that contributed to the majority of the dip.

The story for Funko’s EMEA operations, however, offers a stark contrast. 

“All categories grew and all markets within EMEA – that’s nearly all 116 markets in the EMEA region – grew, and all those sub-markets that look after and feed into them grew,” continues Oddie. 

“In fact, we grew the workforce by 25 per cent and we have opened a new distribution centre in Coventry, which is state of the art with logistics systems and hardware meaning that we can be even quicker to market with our product.

“We are famously quick to develop items, but we have been criticised in the past for being poor operationally. I think this will be a game-changer for us, our operational capabilities will be massively upgraded with this facility.”

The new facility sees Funko move its current operations unit out of Essex and into its new Coventry address, from where it will service the majority of its key customers. A portion will continue to be serviced from the Netherlands distribution centre it opened in 2018. Oddie summarises the past year and a half at Funko making preparations for 2020 to be a game-changing year for the firm.

“Suddenly we are not only going to be quick to the market with product, but able to fulfil it and get it to the customer quicker than before as well,” he says.

“We have got growth, growth, growth, and we have got the new distribution centre – so that all sounds fantastic.”

But Funko isn’t totally immune to the susceptibility that hounds the toy, entertainment, or licensing industry. It’s US business already placed blame for its Q4 dip at the door of a weaker movie slate through 2019 compared to the year prior, while many have already lamented a softer line up still for the year ahead.

“The Disney slate is lighter than it has been previously,” states Oddie. “Warner has a good film out with Birds of Prey, but net – we are in a weaker environment in terms of properties for 2020. I think fortunately we are in the multichannel and with multi-categories.

“We are somewhat guarded from the difficulties of a soft movie slate, simply because we have such a broad product slate which is tapping into every imaginable piece of IP and opportunity, but at some point or another you can’t directly replace something as large as Marvel End Game… you need a lot of bits to replace End Game or Fortnite.

“But we do have all of the armoury available to defend from any lack of content, and, by the way, the 2021 IP slate looks awesome.”

Funko EMEA’s new state of the art logistics centre in Coventry

Visitors to this year’s New York Toy Fair were offered a glimpse at that armoury that not only spanned the diversity of its lifestyle portfolio, but also witnesses Funko make a concerted step into the toy space with the launch of Snapsies: a toy line developed for the younger market that features snap and match technology that allows kids to collect a diverse line-up of characters.

In a move to offer a fully-branded experience, Funko has even launched the line with content created by its in-house team at Funko Animation Studios.

Funko’s lifestyle division Loungefly gives Disney’s Mulan the Funko feel

On top of this, of course, is Funko Games, the tabletop gaming arm to Funko’s pop culture-spanning entity, that brings the brand roaring into the ever growing market for IP-driven board games with a collection that includes the Back to the Future: Back in Time tabletop game, Godzilla: Tokyo Clash, and a left field title that uses the Pan Am license.

With this now all falling under the Funko brand name, it’s increasingly obvious as to how the pop culture specialist is gaining those inches at retail, while the larger – grand plan if you will – for Funko appears to shift into view.

“We will always say that we want more space,” says Oddie. “Space gives us the ability to trade on a linear basis, and we have the product to achieve that. If we have three bays in retailer X, we say if you give us six bays, we will always achieve double what we did in three bays due to the items we have in strength and breadth.

“What we are looking to do is create Funko dedicated experiences and experiential retail execution that is interesting to fans, people spend time looking at it, perhaps there is a TV screen in there and some Funko branding in there, which really supports a much more interesting kind of experience for the customer – which is what everyone is looking for right now.

“The customer needs to be kept in store and needs to be excited about what’s in store. They need to see something new every week, and we can give that. Very few others can put their hand on their heart and say that they are delivering on all of that,” Oddie concludes.

The Pokémon Company partners with US artist Daniel Arsham for ‘fictional archaeology’ project

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The Pokémon Company has partnered with the American artist, Daniel Arsham to unveil a new project featuring icons of the Pokemon franchise presented within the artist’s creative concept of fictional archeology.

Through his work, art and pop culture fans are invited to imagine the unearthing of Pokémon a thousand years from now and experience the passage of time.

“The fictional archaeology is really an idea of taking all of the objects from our present day and imagining as if we were an archeologist in the future and looking at these objects from our everyday life or our everyday experience,” said Arsham.

“I think there’s something kind of prolific and impactful about trying to step outside of our own time frame. It gives us a perspective of our own experiences and lives. Through these works, I hope to be able to shift people’s understanding about time in general.”

Tsunekazu Ishihara, CEO of The Pokémon Company, added: “Pokémon evolved as a brand by embracing new technologies and collaborating with partners from new fields ranging from data communication systems and geolocation-related technologies to partners in fashion and art.

“I’m delighted to welcome Daniel Arsham as our collaboration partner. Through his work, my wish is for people around the world to ‘dig deep’ into their imaginations and think about what Pokémon would look like in a thousand years.”

Additional details about the collaboration will be announced later this spring.

Myprotein teams with Warner Bros for special Justice League Hero Protein

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The worlds of comic book heroes and fitness fanatics have collided, thanks to a new collaboration between Warner Bros and the global fitness brand, Myprotein, for the launch of a limited edition Justice League Hero Protein.

Launched on February 24th, the Myprotein Justice League Hero Protein is a specially formulated tropical flavoured protein powder available in a 250g pouch, with an RRP of £6.99, a 1kg tub RRP £19.99 and a Myprotein Justice League shaker for £8.99.

A special bundle launched including the 250g pouch, shaker and t-shirt, all created exclusively for the Myprotein brand – a sports and lifestyle division of The Hut Group – for a retail price of £24.99. This has already sold out in the UK and across Europe.

Matt Moulding, founder and CEO of The Hut Group, told Licensing.biz “This is a strategic partnership between two heavy-weight, global brands which has allowed us both to develop a value partnership and target new audiences.

“Myprotein is a leader in innovation in its field, so what better timing to put this to the test with Warner Bros. The offering has had very positive interest from customers already, even ahead of the launch, so we are looking forward to seeing the results.”

“They are sure to fly out of stock, but don’t fear, this is just one of three big launches planned for the new dream team of Myprotein and Warner Brothers this year….so watch this space,” concluded The Hut Group.

Bill and Ted licensing roll out will ‘intersect the retro revival and modern day’

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Creative Licensing Corporation, the vintage and pop culture licensing specialist, has detailed a roster of new partners for the upcoming throwback film, Bill and Ted Face the Music.

According to the firm, the line up will reflect an intersection between the retro and modern day, in accordance to the tone struck by the latest instalment from a movie franchise that power-slid its way onto the pop scene back in 1989.

The latest slate of partners for the Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter film – in which both reprise their roles as Ted Theodare Logan and Bill S. Preston respectively – features the likes of American Classics, Blitzway, and Welbeck Publishing.

“Bill and Ted Face the Music” is a film that follows the current trend of ‘retro revival’ as the original film debuted in 1989. Fans will delight in reminiscing on the characters as they remembered them versus how they appear now (hint, Bill and Ted are dads) and get answers to the long-awaited question of what Ted and Bill have been up to over the past two decades,” said Stephanie Kupperman, director of business development at CLC.

“The merchandise lined up for the film will reflect this intersection between retro and modern by portraying the characters as they appear in the 2020 film release but also harkening back to 1980’s themes and neon colours.”

The licensee slate will see American Classics launch a range of licensed t-shirts, sweatshirts, and onesies, while Blitzway will launch a series of 1/6 scale articulated action figures.
Welbeck Publishing will offer a 192 page, full colour, hardcover making-of Bill & Ted Face the Music book, Mondo has been brought on to develop limited edition silk scren art posters, collectable enamel pins, t-shirts, sweatshirts, and pint glasses, and Dark Horse Comics will offer fans a series of comic books and graphic novels in both print and digital formats.
Directed by Dean Parisot, Bill and Ted Face the Music is scheduled to land at cinemas from August 21st this year.

Vault Comics taps Reemsborko as global agent for graphic-novel series Heathen

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The US comic book publisher, Vault Comics, has named Reemsborko as its global agent for the company’s critically acclaimed and best-selling graphic novel series, Heathen.

Heathen tells the story of Aydis, a Viking warrior, outcast, and a self-proclaimed heathen, and her companion, the talking horse Saga, rescuer of the immortal Valkyrie Brynhild, and a battler of gods and fantastic monsters.

Born into a time of warfare, suffering, and subjugation of women, she is on a mission to end the oppressive reign of the god-king Odin.

Heathen is currently in pre-production as a major film release from Constantin and director Catherine Hardwicke (of Twilight fame).

Max Arguile, founder of Reemsborko, said: “I have read comics all my life and am a bit fussy about what to follow, but I love Heathen – this is a great narrative with interesting characters, plenty of action and of course, gorgeous artwork.

“Viking mythology is still popular for a reason – like all great stories, they change and are retold for every generation and in Aydis, Natasha Alterici has created an inspirational warrior for our times, the kind of character that has been all too rare in popular culture.

“Don’t let the politicians and pundits make you think that feminism is a dirty word, because it isn’t. We need Aydis in our lives.”

Adrian Wassel of Vault, added: “Natasha Alterici has done the (all but) impossible: she’s created a hero who brings different audiences together. Aydis never gives up. She fights for everyone. It’s her secret weapon—a simple one, but so effectively told, weaving grand myths with fragile emotions.

“Aydis battles the gods themselves to protect love, and when she dons her antlered helmet, you feel her triumph and bravery. No matter where Heathen ventures, the page, the screen, Aydis finds new fans. We’re thrilled to have Reemsborko carry Heathen to new heights.”

To the victor: Warhammer and it’s march upon the global hobby, retail, and licensing scene

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Games Workshop’s Warhammer is massively successful. Seriously. Over the past three years – since the onset of Brexit fell upon us – Warhammer has doubled the size of its business. Last year, it ended £81million in profit. Robert Hutchins talks to senior licensing manager, Zoe Smith about how the franchise is building on this success for 2020

If ever there was a Great British success story, Games Workshop is it. A company that can’t seem to keep out of the press year in year out, the Nottingham-based unit has truly bucked the trend of the UK’s retail narrative over the last few years.

At the end of 2019, Games Workshop – yes, the retailer-come-licensor of the world spanning and vastly popular Warhammer franchise – broke all of its own records when it closed the year by announcing its £257 million in sales, marking an £81 million profit for the organisation that has built its business on fantasy miniatures and orc warfare. And they tell you playing games won’t get you anywhere…

In fact, Zoe Smith, senior licensing manager at Warhammer Licensing, the consumer product licensing unit of the Games Workshop enterprise, tells ToyNews that its business has doubled
in the last three years.

Let’s put that into some context – that’s a business that has seen continual growth and profit since the on-set of Brexit. Perhaps there really is more than a hint of magic to the fantastical franchise that has the world so gripped.

ToyNews catches up with Zoe Smith to talk about the ongoing success of the retailer, its brand portfolio, and its franchise model.

Hi Zoe, so wow, not a bad few years for you. What’s business been like for Games Workshop and Warhammer over the year?

We had a really, really successful 2019 for Games Workshop, in fact it was a record breaking year. Year on year we have been seeing record-breaking results and really strong growth. Our full year results for 2019 came in at £257m in sales, marking an £81m profit. Our business has doubled in just three years, which is amazing, especially in a climate where retail is particularly challenging at the moment.

We are currently one of the top five best performing investments on the London stock exchange over the last decade (+2630 per cent).

It’s also been our biggest ever year for Warhammer Licensed products with Retail Sales of £104m. We signed 21 new partners bringing our number of licensees to 94.

A big part of our business at the moment is video gaming, from a licensed product point of view, but there is a massive focus from us – from since I started in May last year – on growing our presence at retail. We are really focusing on our retail relationships, meeting with lots of them, to get that face to face relationship.

We had some really exciting announcements, including that we are in development with a live action TV series. Then we secured our partnership with Marvel for Warhammer Comics, which will be coming later this year. Talking about Marvel and Warhammer in the same sentence is really cool, and I think – talking to retailers – it’s a great hook and breaks a few barriers.

What have been some of the biggest successes for the brand in the licensing space?

We had some great launches with our first range of Warhammer Funko Pops, which actually went on to win the Community Choice Award at the International Licensing Awards in Las Vegas, and we launched our first ever action figure from Bandai, which sold out in just 48 hours. It goes to show that when we get the product right, and it’s something that the customers want, they really invest. We are looking at how we can now broaden this out for the future.

We also had our first ever nomination in the Licensing Awards for Best Licensed Gaming property, up against some very tough competition like Fortnite or Minecraft. The nomination went to demonstrate how we are engaging with the licensing industry now more than ever.

We continue to develop stronger relationships at retail. Barnes & Noble are a good example where we have seen strong success, having launched three boardgames with them. Very soon after, these games appeared in their best sellers list for that category. For the following season B&N increased their buy significantly and we have been able to recognise their support of the brand by directing our fans to B&N via our marketing channels.

We saw reports at the end of the year of another successful run for Games Workshop – why do you think it is resonating so well with audiences at the moment – be that through its retail operations, Warhammer gaming, or overall licensing business?

One of the great things behind our success is that the core business is still a vertically integrated business, meaning that everything still happens here in our Nottingham HQ. We manage every stage apart from the actual printing of the packaging.

Over the past three years we have established incredibly strong marketing channels including a Warhammer Community site. We have an extremely dedicated fan base and they are highly engaged via these channels. We see much engagement and response from our fans. We are not just about sales, we host videos on how to paint your miniatures, gaming demonstration videos; it’s a real community that focuses on the hobby.

We are not driven by the next big film or TV series release, but we are driven by our own product release cycle and therefore our customers keep coming back for the products they want and love. It means that we can be an evergreen brand, and our customers are never restricted – there’s always something new for them to sink their teeth into.

Even though the gaming space is getting crowded with a lot of successful gaming properties, there is still nothing quite like Warhammer. People love the uniqueness of this franchise, and look at it, it is unique.

We are now seeing growth coming from international markets, with America being our biggest single market, while Japan and China are our two fastest-growing territories with still lots of untapped potential out there for us.

Warhammer caters for different types of audience with our core pillars of collect, build, paint, play. We also have an extremely successful publishing division (the Black Library) where we have over 2000 individual titles including multiple NY Times Best sellers, an extensive video game portfolio and various other consumer products such as board games, card games and so on. The thing is, however you like to indulge in the hobby of Warhammer, there is something for everyone.

The IP has a real strength and depth and it is all so cohesive, so whether you are playing the video games or reading one of the books, it is all connected.

How does Games Workshop tap into a current consumer demand for hobby gaming and pop culture?

We have really benefited from the growth in gaming and pop culture globally, which is a really growing trend at the moment. As a brand with more than 40 years in the gaming space, we are seeing fans introduce their children and grandchildren to Warhammer.

We have managed to remain really relevant, and we are seeing new generations getting into Warhammer now – this is a brand that still resonates as something cool, edgy, and timeless with audiences.

How has the success of the last year set you up for 2020? What will be some of the biggest moves to come from you guys this year?

A big thing for us will be to keep building on the successful partnerships that we
have in place, those with Funko, Bandai, the upcoming Marvel partnership that will introduce Marvel Warhammer comics in Q4 this year.

At the same time, we will continue to develop and release all new examples of the finest plastic model kits in the world and the accessories used to build/paint and play games with them.

With all of this behind us, we hope that 2020 will see us doing even more with retailers. We have had some really good conversations with retail at various shows, and I would like to see some of that coming through this year and increasing our presence within retail for the brand.

How are you adapting to the changing demands of the licensing space today, and how is this helping you maintain your position as leaders in the field?

We are one of the most prolific video game licensors at the moment, and you will definitely see us building on the success of some of the recent AAA releases such as Warhammer Total War 2 and Vermintide 2 with some more big budget, high quality titles on the way in the next couple of years.

If there’s one thing we’ve learned, Warhammer fans are driven by quality rather than price. This applies across the whole licensing space. As we’ve already mentioned Funko, Bandai, Marvel, we will be focussing on working with best in class category leaders across a broad range of consumer products.

Young Adult fantasy brand The Red Harlequin lands audiobook, graphic novel, and TV partners

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The Young Adult fantasy brand, The Red Harlequin has secured a trio if multimedia deals, spanning an audiobook agreement, a new graphic novel publishing deal, and a TV development partnership.

The tranche of new partnerships arrive as Pantomimus Media – brand owners of The Red Harlequin IP – looks to build out a further reaching licensing programme for the fictional fantasy brand.

Under the deal, Dreamscape Media LLC will develop an audiobook series, Broken Icon Comics will deliver a series of graphic novels, and Omnifilm Entertainment will begin developments of a new action adventure fantasy series for television.

Dreamscape Media offers distribution, marketing, and production services for audiobooks, eBooks, film, and documentaries.

Releasing in May 2020, all five books in the series will be available everywhere audiobooks are sold including Amazon, Audible, Recorded Books, iTunes, Google, Overdrive, and dozens of other digital audiobook resellers.

The Red Harlequin audiobook collection will be also available on hoopla digital to over 5 million registered library patrons, Midwest Tape’s mobile and online service for public libraries. The YA Fantasy novels will join hoopla digital’s collection of more than 750,000 eBooks, audiobooks, albums, movies and television shows.

Meanwhile, Broken Icon Comics – one of the fastest growing independent comic companies in the industry – has acquired US print rights to the brand. The first two volumes will make up BIC’s tentpole summer releases with media blitzes leading up to their launch at San Diego Comic Con, the largest comic convention in the world.

The books will be available for bookstores to order through BIC’s partner printer and the wholesale book registry, and to comic stores through their direct distribution channels.

“The Red Harlequin Volume I sets up a world riven with war, and the political and religious elites that control the fates of all men and women,” said Nick Wentland, creative coordinator, Broken Icon Comics.

“Fast paced and driven by the struggles of society, identity, and what it takes to survive,The Red Harlequin is a tale so powerful, one cannot help but be drawn into the world from the very first page. A perfect blend of fantasy world-building, religion and magic, political intrigue, and character driven stories, it’s a must read for those who love unique and dramatic graphic novels.”

Finally, the development agreement with Omnifilm will work towards creating a high-end action adventure fantasy series. Scriptwriter and showrunner Robert Butler, recent BAFTA winner for Creeped Out, and Rick Porras (co-producer of The Lord of the Rings) are attached to the project.

Brian Hamilton, principal and executive producer, Omnifilm, stated: “Audiences are hungry for stories which connect epic fantasy and escapism with the issues of today. The Red Harlequin book series was made for television and has serious international potential. Omnifilm is honoured to be working with such a talented team.”

Roberto Ricci, creator and director, Pantomimus Media, concluded: “I am very excited to partner with companies that not only excel in their field, but also share our creative vision for developing The Red Harlequin as a global entertainment property.

“With its established track record, Omnifilm is perfectly positioned to forge a solid TV platform for the series, and Dreamscape is on the cutting edge of audio/video storytelling which – together with Broken Icon’s comic readers – opens up new avenues to reach new fans: a truly multi-platform approach.”

Pyramid International talks pop culture, fandom, and its Spring Fair 2020 offering

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If there’s one thing Pyramid International – part of The Art Group – knows how to do well, it’s licensed giftware, an attribute that has carried the firm well over the past 12 months, and helped it maintain its position of strength throughout the choppy waters of 2019.

It’s possibly the breadth of Pyramid International’s portfolio that has helped
it achieve the success it enjoys today, tapping into a spectrum of audiences, from the Netflix-watching pop culture fans of things like Stranger Things, to those in search of the more niche animé brands like My Hero Academia, all the way through to the mainstream and the audience for DreamWorks’ Trolls World Tour.

It’s true that there really is something for everyone among the Pyramid portfolio, and 2020 will be no different. ToyNews catches up with Pyramid International’s marketing executive Robert Ling to find out what the company is bringing to Spring Fair this year.

How was business for you guys through 2019? It was a big year for pop culture licensing, how did this impact on your success over the past 12 months?

2019 was a good year for Pyramid, despite the tough retail landscape. When looking at releases in 2020 we saw success with Stranger Things in the summer and Frozen 2 at the end of the year. As well as these we also had continued success with Harry Potter and Nintendo. We also saw good success with Steven Rhodes, a new license to our license portfolio, whose dark humour style of art is very on trend and a perfect pop culture fit.

What can we expect from Pyramid for 2020? Can you talk us through some of the new licenses you’ve secured and the product lines that you will be launching at Spring Fair?

2020 will see Pyramid keep adding to our already impressive catalogue of product ranges. Visitors to our stand at Spring Fair will be able to enjoy our new collection for the upcoming Trolls World Tour, including our Sequin Flip notebook and Pencil case which we think is going to be hugely popular for consumers.

Our super cute The Child (Baby Yoda) range for the Mandalorian will also be on display. We’ll also have some of our Anime products on show, including Dragon Ball, and My Hero Academia as we expand into this hugely popular area of entertainment. Of course, our line of classics will be available across Harry Potter, Nintendo, Disney, Star Wars, and Music, to name just a few.

What will the product and license line-up be bringing to the gifting/ merchandise scene for 2020? How are you guys continuing to push for innovation in the pop culture sector?

We’re always looking for ways innovate our products. We are examining a host
of new avenues to add the wow factor at retail… but I can’t say too much – you will have to wait and see.

What makes Spring Fair an important date in the calendar for you guys?

It’s the first UK show we attend, so it provides us a good opportunity to connect with our customers, showing them what we have coming through and strengthening relationships.

Ultimately It kicks off the new year positively for our UK operations. It also provides a good opportunity to show off our portfolio to new prospects.

What do you think 2020 holds for the pop culture licensing scene and its presence at retail?

I think pop culture licensees will continue to be a popular choice at retail, especially as people look for different ways to express themselves and the things they are fans off; and as we are spoilt with more and more content from the VOD services, I think people are going to be actively searching to show off their fandom, because there is a lot of it out there now.

What will be fuelling the space for 2020 and beyond?

At the moment, Baby Yoda looks to be one of the stand out characters coming into 2020, dominating internet searches. I also think nostalgia will continue to be popular, especially with uncertainty still in the air and people looking for the comfort of yesteryear.

Anything you would like to add?

Pyramid International is able to offer a one stop solution across retail for the biggest licenses around, so be sure to come and visit our stand to see the depth of license and products for yourself, and talk to us about how we can support you through 2020.

Fanattik is bringing The Texas Chainsaw Massacre to Spring Fair

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The pop culture specialist Fanattik has added the famed horror movie franchise, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre to its portfolio of video game and movie titles.

The 1974 slasher has been widely recognised as the best of its genre by some of the biggest names in horror, including Stephen King who has previously suggested that the cult classic is ‘still the champion when it comes to pure fright.’

Under its latest deal, Fanattik is certainly looking to satisfy the blood lust of the franchise’ biggest fans with a range of gifts and collectables spanning price points from £7 to £25. It will make its debut at Spring Fair this year, as Texas Chainsaw Massacre nears its 50th anniversary.

“The franchise has been hugely popular for almost 50 years, Fanattik focuses on creating gifts and collectibles featuring brands with multi-generational appeal so this was a no-brainer for us,” said Anthony Marks, MD at Fanattik.

Among the critical praise that The Texas Chainsaw Massacre has received, the famed horror film director Wes Craven the title among his top five favourite horror movies, while The Telegraph has voted it the greatest ever horror film of all time.

The range will be available to view on the Fanattik stand at upcoming Spring Fair Hall 4 B73.