Tag Archives: Portico Designs

Fashion UK, Portico Designs and Rubber Road among new UK partners for How the Grinch Stole Christmas

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Fashion UK, Portico Designs, and the pop culture licensee Rubber Road are among a tranche of new UK licensing partners now signed for Dr Seuss Enterprises festive IP How the Grinch Stole Christmas. The latest signings arrive as WildBrain CPLG secures a new wave of European deals for the property.

In the UK, Portico Designs will release a line of calendars and diaries, Fashion UK is developing new kids’ daywear, and Rubber Road has introduced The Grinch to it popular collectables line up Tubbz. Meanwhile, Enesco is launching figurines and CHristmas decorations, Ecell is developing new phone covers and accessories, and Widdop & Co has signed up for gifting and home accessories.

Additional fashion partnerships have been secured outside of the UK with Trucare for the Middle East and North Africa, and Elyaf for Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The new product ranges will launch from October 2020.

John Taylor, VP Northern Europe and managing director UK and France at WildBrain CPLG, said: “Thanks to his quirky humour and holiday spirit, the Grinch has firmly established himself as an icon for the festive season. This broad line-up of new partners means the brand will continue to have a robust presence during the Christmas retail period, and also have a wider range of products available than ever before.”

“We are excited about the broad reach of Grinchmas at retail this year, due in large part to all the great work WildBrain CPLG has done to select fantastic licensees who creatively connect our fans with the Grinch through consumer products,” said Susan Brandt, president of Dr. Seuss Enterprises.

These new partnerships join long-standing apparel and homeware UK licensees for the brand which include: Somerbond, BC International, Park Agencies, Misirli, Brand International, Dreamtex, Paul Dennicci, Cooneen, IG Design Group, Hype and Aurora.

Beyond the UK, the licensing programme also features European partners LPP for adult and kids wear and H&M for apparel and accessories, alongside Thalia for gifting in Germany, Australia and Switzerland.

Gibsons and Portico Designs first UK licensees for Rebel Girls in deals from Rocket Licensing

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Gibsons and Portico Designs have been named the first UK licensees for the award-winning brand behind the best-selling book series, Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls, a title that has sold 4.5 million copies and translated into nearly 50 languages.

The deals have been brokered by Rocket Licensing, the licensing agency for Rebel Girls across the UK and Eire. The firm plans to create educational, ethical and empowering products for the Rebel Girls consumer products programme across the territory.

Rocket’s deal with Gibsons is for the UK, Eire and Europe, with potential for wider distribution. The initial puzzles, which are anticipated to appeal to girls, teens and young women alike, launch in spring 2020, followed by a card game in summer and a board game in 2021.

Product placement for the range is mid-tier, with department stores, speciality toy and book stores, and online set to support the launch. 

Meanwhile, The Portico partnership covers an extensive range for the UK and Eire, including back to school stationery, gift items and lunchware. An initial range of gift stationery is anticipated to launch for autumn/winter 2020 with further product to follow across mid-tier, speciality stores and select grocers, again targeting girls and young women.

Rebel Girls is currently also available as a podcast with over three million downloads, and a recently launched digital magazine and newsletter. The Rebel Girls brand is now on a mission to ‘inspire a generation of confident girls through vivid storytelling, illustration and compelling multimedia content.’

Rocket Licensing will continue to target categories such as homewares and home textiles, daywear, nightwear, accessories and health and beauty for Rebel Girls.

Louisa Skevington, licensing executive at Rocket Licensing, commented: “We are delighted to be launching the Rebel Girls licensing programme with two partners who are perfect for the brand. Gibsons’ and Portico’s mid-tier positioning and beautifully designed products are in line with the property’s values and mission, and the initial product development looks fantastic.

“We are thrilled with the response Rebel Girls has received since launch. Many potential partners are already familiar with the property and reading the books to their own children. We’re excited to see how this one grows.”