Tag Archives: publishing

The Met Museum to launch new kids’ books series with global publisher DK

Posted on by

The global publishing house, DK, has landed a strategic commercial partnership with The Metropolitan Museum of Art, to launch a range of children’s books that each take inspiration from art, history, and culture, to draw readers into the world curated by the museum.

Under the new deal, DK will commission original text and illustration, which will be informed with commentary by The Met’s unparalleled staff, works from the Museum collection, and archival assets to illustrate and explore 5,000 years of art.

The books will be available in bookstores across the world, including The Met Store.  

Mark Searle, DK’s publishing director, licensing, said: “The Metropolitan Museum of Art is a historic cultural institution and we are very proud to be their partner for this new range of books.

“We are excited to be part of The Met’s mission to make art more accessible, and it is an honour to share this content with readers in every continent.”  

Lisa Silverman Meyers, global head of licensing for The Metropolitan Museum of Art, added: “We are  absolutely thrilled to be collaborating with DK on this partnership. DK has a long tradition of  delivering content to children and families in the most engaging and interesting ways, and we are so pleased to be working with them to help us deliver our mission of access and education.

“As The Met  celebrates its 150th anniversary this year, we look forward to creating books where all children can  see themselves in these stories and activities.”  

DK will act as The Met’s strategic partner for children’s commercial publishing, worldwide and in all  languages, beginning with six children’s titles planned to publish next year. The list will include books  on art, history and culture.  

Sleep specialist Mammoth launches Men’s Health and Women’s Health mattresses

Posted on by

The sleep, health, and wellbeing specialist, Mammoth, has partnered with Hearst UK to launch a new mattress collection with Women’s Health and Men’s Health UK magazines. The range is now available exclusively at Argos.

The new launch, an exciting partnership brokered by Golden Goose, arrives as an extension of Hearst’s successful Women’s Health and Men’s Health licensing programmes. The line of mattresses have been developed for the fitness enthusiast market, tapping into Mammoth’s own reputation as a go-to provider for the sporting elite.

The range features two mattresses – the Fit and the Lift – both with pocket springs, memory foam and soft CoolPlus heat and moisture wicking fabric. At the core of every mattress, Mammoth’s naturally cooling Medical Grade foam, provides postural support and aids circulation so sleepers can wake feeling refreshed and pain free.

Mammoth is backed by the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy and its unique comfort technologies are scientifically tested and shown to improve sleep – making the brand the perfect fit for top-selling Men’s Health and Women’s Health, trusted sources for those passionate about health, fitness and mental wellbeing.

John Tuton, founder and CEO of Mammoth, said: “With health and wellbeing at the forefront of everyone’s minds during the Covid-19 pandemic, there has never been a more important time to focus on our sleep to support both our bodies and minds.

“Mammoth is the healthy choice – and our reputation as innovators in the sector makes us the ideal choice for these industry giants. It truly reinforces our commitment to the retail sector, as we continue to invest in our brand and seize the opportunities to promote Mammoth and our partners. I have great confidence for the future and our continued success through the pandemic and beyond.”  

The announcement marks a new chapter in the relationship between the brands and reinforces the importance of good sleep to support better health and wellness, increase productivity and improve performance.

Angela Kim, international licensing director of Hearst, said: “We are excited to be launching our first dual licensed product that has been strategically developed with Argos and will no doubt deepen our highly successful and already well-established brand partnership.” 

Miffy celebrates 65th anniversary with a year of licensing and collaborations success

Posted on by

It’s been a 65th anniversary celebrated in style for Dick Bruna’s iconic white bunny character, Miffy, whose fans have been ‘spoiled by an array of new products’ released throughout 2020.

A highlight of the milestone year – and not one to be forgotten anytime soon – has been the Miffy Design Challenge, in which brand owner Mercis invited design and fashion students from across the world to re-imagine the character by designing a new outfit for a 3D Miffy.

No fewer than 82 highly creative entries have been whittled down to 10 winners, each of which has been produced as an exclusive, limited-edition plush collection by Dutch licensee, Bon Ton Toys. Launched in the UK with a competition via the Miffy Shop. fans were given the chance to win one of the exclusive winning plush toys before it is launched to retailers across the world.

This summer saw the launch of a high-end collection of Miffy bags and purses from Strathberry, as well as a new range of craft kits from Stitch and Story that brought Miffy and friends, including Poppy Pig and Boris Bear brought to market. Licensed to Charm launched a range of silver and gold Miffy-inspired jewellery for the teen and adult market, while still to come is a new Miffy Christmas charm from the gift partner Magpie, and bamboo plates will follow recent tinware lines.

In publishing, Dick Bruna became the star of the latest edition of Thames & Hudson’s series The Illustrators which celebrates our greatest illustrators and acts as an introduction to the art and techniques of Bruna including his creation of Miffy. A new treasury of four Miffy classic stories was also published by Simon & Schuster in October. 

Translating well into fashion across the ages, Tobias and the Bear launched a new baby and toddler collection with a new distinctive and stylish unisex handwriting. A partnership with Next in girlswear has been rewarded with a Licensing Awards nomination, while another success story for this year was the Miffy NHS Heroes T-Shirts initiative.

Alicia Davenport, licensing director at DRi Licensing, said: “In spite of this year’s many challenges we were happy to be able to celebrate Miffy’s milestone birthday with so many genuinely beautiful and innovative new collections. And as we come to the end of this celebratory year, it has been a wonderful pinnacle for Miffy to be selected as a Finalist in the prestigious Licensing Awards, Classic Licensed Property category.”

Cosmopolitan partners with LUXE to launch its own licensed fragrance Eau de Juice

Posted on by

Cosmopolitan, the UK media brand for young women, has partnered with Luxe Brands – the beauty company behind Ariana Grande’s fragrance franchise – to launch its Eau de Juice fragrance to the UK. It follows the fragrance’s successful launch to the US market last year.

The four-scent fragrance collection recently won the prestigious Packaging of the Year award in the 2020 Fragrance Foundation Awards, noted as a tribute to the launch’s ‘unique pop art-inspired juice box packaging.’ Eau de Juice will debut in the UK in time for Christmas.

“We’re so excited to bring Eau de Juice to the UK market,” said Claire Hodgson, editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan UK. “With four bespoke scents, the fragrance offers our highly engaged audience a new opportunity to experience the Cosmopolitan brand.”

In a deal brokered by IMG and available exclusively at The Fragrance Shop, the collection is crafted by renowned perfumers at Firmenich. Each scent within the collection is titled to match a mood: Extra Concentrated, 100% Chilled, Love, Unfiltered and Pure Sugar.

“As an entrepreneurial company, Luxe Brands prides itself on engaging in strategic and innovative partnerships to connect with consumers around the world in the beauty category,” said Luxe Brands CEO, Tony Bajaj. “Our latest venture in business with Hearst Magazines expands our footprint within the industry; we couldn’t be more excited to have the legacy and heritage of Cosmopolitan behind us.”

“Our vision was to create a brand narrative that is aspirational yet relatable, with a wink of humorous sensibility,” notes chief marketing officer of Luxe Brands, Noreen Dodge. “The concept, fragrances and packaging bring this collection to life for our consumer.”

Cosmopolitan uncorks its own wine collection with Guarachi Wine Partners

Posted on by

Hearst Magazines has moved in on the wine-making market with the launch of a new brand Uncorked by Cosmopolitan. Via a deal brokered by IMG, the magazine publisher has partnered with Guarachi Wine Partners to bring a curated selection of Cosmopolitan branded wines to market.

Leveraging Guarachi’s more than 35 years of success pioneering wine brands in the US as an importer, marketer and supplier of fine wines, the Uncorked by Cosmopolitan collection has been curated by Cosmo’s editorial team and features labels designed by the world’s biggest young women’s media brand.

“This is the most natural collaboration we could imagine – Cosmo readers have had 36 million glasses of wine in the last seven days,” said Jessica Pels, editor in chief, Cosmopolitan. “Young women represent a massive wine consumer base, and yet they’re under-served by the current market, which doesn’t target young women at all.”

Uncorked by Cosmopolitan offers four popular varietals: Rosé, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon, all sourced from California appellations including Napa, Sonoma and Central Coast with a suggested retail price of $14.99. Future line extensions are already being developed with Pinot Grigio as the next varietal launch.

Guarachi Wine Partners founder and CEO, Alex Guarachi, said: “I’ve always found success in delivering high quality wines that customers will enjoy at prices that over-deliver. As the entire wine industry focuses on how to reach young female wine drinkers, I’m thrilled to be partnered with the world’s leading young women’s lifestyle brand.

“Who better to help design and curate what young women want than Cosmopolitan – a brand that has done this successfully for more than a century?”

Uncorked by Cosmopolitan was created with the magazine’s audience in mind. Its own research suggests that almost nine out of ten Cosmo readers celebrate special occasions at home with friends and family, and three out of four are buying gifts as a way of expressing gratitude. The company believes that these statistics highlight greater opportunities for wine purchases and general interest in wine among this audience.

Egmont Magazines launches new Power Rangers title based on new Beast Morphers series

Posted on by

Egmont Magazines is expanding its licensed primary boys’ portfolio with the launch of Power Rangers magazine, based on the new Beast Morphers series.

The new magazine launched on October 21st making its debut with exclusive Power Rangers comic strips, created by Egmont, as well as inside info on the rangers and their skills. Each issue will come with puzzles, posters, and competitions, as well as come accompanied by a Power Rangers gift developed in collaboration with Hasbro.

Egmont’s Kiran Vara, said: “We know that kids and parents alike love Power Rangers, and we’re thrilled to be able to bring the larger-than-life feel of the brand to print.

“The magazine’s content really is bursting with the Power Rangers’ trademark feel-good adventure and humour, and we know that our readers will love feeling like one of the team with the help of the Power Rangers branded gift on every issue.”

TeamTo acquires TV, film, and licensing rights to fantastical graphic novel series Ninn

Posted on by

TeamTo has acquired the television, film, and licensing rights to NINN, a popular series of graphic novels by Jean-Michel Darlot and Johan Pilet, marking the content producer’s first foray into limited series animation for the seven years plus market.

NINN follows the stories of the young Parisian girl, Ninn, who has an unusual passion for the city’s underground, Paris Metro. Skateboarding through its tunnels is her favourite hobby, where she encounters all manner of fantastical happenings, such as swarms of butterflies visible only to herself, or an origami tiger that guides her on her search for the secrets of her past.

Despite her father’s concerns, Ninn and the tiger explore every dark tunnel and abandoned station, eager to uncover the clues and connections she has been searching for her whole life.

“As soon as I saw the first album, I immediately felt attracted to its graphic design style, which is both classic and fantastical,” said TeamTo executive producer, Corinne Kouper.

“I fell in love with the independent and free-thinking spirit of this little urban girl on the platform of the Paris Metro, visibly protected by her large and warm white tiger. I also liked the idea of Ninn roaming freely through the underground tunnels on her skateboard as if it were her bedroom, and her unique and touching relationship with her two dads.”

Mary Bredin, TeamTo creative development executive, added: “Stories that are grounded in locations are really appealing to me and this one is set in the Paris Metro – how surprising and intriguing is that?!

“Our hero’s story is at once unbelievable and yet so relatable. Adapting graphic novels is a bit of a trend right now but I think it is because they play in a darker, more dramatic space which provides a depth that isn’t normally present in a lot of animated series.”

Jean-Michel Darlot, author of Ninn, commented: “I have definitely been influenced by Miyazaki in finding the magical in the ordinary, and I have always been inspired by the Paris Metro. This is where the story comes from, the Metro is not just a means of transportation. It has its own personality and we portray it as a character in our story – a character with some secrets of its own.”

Published by boutique Belgian publisher Kennes Éditions, the series was written by Jean-Michel Darlot and illustrated by Belgian artist Johan Pilet. To date, four graphic novels have been distributed in France, Belgium and Canada, with over 100,000 copies sold in France; a fifth and sixth novel of the series are in production.

Moomin grows its presence across the US as King Features adds publishing rights to the licensing slate

Posted on by

The classic literary and art-based brand, Moomin, is expanding its presence across North America as its US licensing agency King Features adds publishing rights to its licensing slate as well as brings the brand into active baby wear for the first time in the region.

As the Tove Jansson creation continues to celebrate its 75th anniversary this year, and as part of a global deal negotiated by its Nordic licensing agency, Rights & Brands, King Features has partnered with Reima, a leading kids activewear brand from Finland, to bring its Moomin Baby Kit for newborns to the US market.

Inspired by the carefree and adventurous Moomin characters, the collection includes a stylish wardrobe full of the essential wear that babies will need during the first six months, including 17 pieces of exclusive gender neutral Moomin items.

In addition to growing Moomin in new categories in North America, King Features has also added publishing rights for Moomin to its slate and is expecting a lineup of exciting titles to come.

“Moomin has been one of the world’s most beloved character properties for generations with a highly successful global licensing program,” said King Features vice president and general manager, global head of licensing, Carla Silva.

“We look forward to introducing the next generation of families across North America to the classic heartwarming adventures of the Moomin family and their friends through fresh publishing and products.”

Moomin already has an extensive fan base in European territories and is gaining popularity in North America. The classic publishing property consists of a library of illustrated editions that celebrate the Moomin values of friendship, love, kindness, adventure, courage, tolerance, equality, freedom, individuality and respect for nature.

Moomin characters also star in a new 3D CGI series, Moominvalley, currently airing in multiple territories around the world. The new Moomin Baby Kit from Reima is the latest product line available in the US, following the launch of Moomin plush from Aurora and apparel from Ripple Junction.

Moomin can be seen next at King Features virtual exhibitor booth during the upcoming Festival of Licensing Americas event from October 20 through 22. Registered attendees can click this link to make an appointment with the U.S. licensing team.

The RHS and Scholastic to launch their first children’s activity books in February 2021

Posted on by

The Royal Horticultural Society has detailed the first titles in a new range of illustrated activity books for children in partnership with its publishing licensee Scholastic, the world’s largest publisher and distributor of children’s books.

Aimed at children aged six to ten, the first titles in the series are scheduled to launch in February 2021. My Dinosaur Garden and My Unicorn Garden will look to inspire children to explore gardens and the outdoors with crafts, activities, gardening tips and nature facts.

The initial launch will be followed in March with the Outdoor Adventure Handbook, an activity book that will look at discovering plants, wildlife and getting closer to nature with activities for all weathers.

In May, to complement the new range, My Unicorn Garden Cards and Notelets will be launched. This is a creative make-and-do set with stickers that children can use to create unique messages to share with friends and family. Further books will follow in autumn 2021 and beyond.

The books will be available from bookshops, RHS shops, garden centres, through major online retailers and at shop.rhs.org.uk. Their publication will be marked with a collaborative marketing campaign to reach the extensive family and school audiences of both Scholastic and the RHS.

These are the first RHS-licensed publications from Scholastic following the announcement of a major RHS partnership with the respected children’s book publisher in August 2019. The partnership encompasses a wide range of children’s publications, including sticker and activity books, handbooks, illustrated non-fiction, board and colouring books, annuals, e-books and journals.

All the publications will make use of the range of expertise available to the UK’s favourite gardening charity as well as drawing on its work with families, schools and children.

This announcement also coincides with the continuing development of the RHS range of children’s products supported by a special style guide, both of which were announced at BLE 2019. The charity is addressing this growing young audience through a strong focus on children’s products in the coming months. This is especially relevant given the growth in family visits to gardens and parks – along with the much greater time devoted to gardening – during this year’s travel restrictions.

Cathy Snow, licensing manager, RHS, said: “One of our most important missions as Britain’s leading gardening charity is to encourage children to develop an interest in gardens and gardening. This is underlined by our development of a licensing programme for children’s products – and who better to help us communicate our message than one of the most admired names in children’s publishing?

“These activity books, which both inform and entertain, are a marvellous introduction to the wonders of wildlife and the joys of gardening.”

Elizabeth Scoggins, publisher, non-fiction, licensing and brands for Scholastic UK, added: “It is a privilege to be working with the RHS, the UK’s most-loved gardening charity. 2020 has made everyone really appreciate opportunities to be outdoors and to explore nature on our doorsteps.

“We look forward to publishing books that inspire children and families to discover the wonders of plants, wildlife and the outdoors using the expertise and passion of the RHS.”

Classic Peter Rabbit bounds into new partnerships in China with Twinings and PRICH

Posted on by

Penguin Ventures – the licensing arm of Penguin Random House UK – and CAA-GBG, the global brand management platform and the licensing agent for Classic Peter Rabbit in China, are together broadening the Peter Rabbit licensing programme across the region this year.

 In a new partnership with Twinings China, Peter Rabbit – along with seven other of Beatrix Potter’s iconic characters – will be brought to life across a range of tinned teas, gift and travel sets and tea  accessories.

The initial range of eight items was launched in China in June 2020 through Twinings’ official Tmall flagship store with additional products made available in August and October this year. The focus has primarily been online but the collection will also be rolled out into hypermarkets, supported by  dedicated Peter Rabbit in-store displays.  

Charlie Wang, brand manager, Twinings China, said: “Over the past three centuries, Twinings has  become synonymous with a great cup of tea for consumers all over the world and it has long been  recognized as the finest purveyor of tea in England.

“Twinings consumers pursue a graceful, delicate lifestyle. As of today, Twinings exports to 115 countries and produces more than 600 different tea  blends. We believe this luxury tea brand complements the heritage of Peter Rabbit perfectly.”

CAA-GBG and Twinings are working together to promote the Peter Rabbit ranges across WeChat and  Weibo platforms and developing experiential marketing activations planned for boutique hotels, supermarkets and grocers. 

In addition to the Twinings partnership CAA-GBG has secured a deal with PRICH, an iconic women’s apparel brand and part of The E∙land Group. The partnership witnessed the development of a 12-piece collection which launched in September 2020 and includes shirts, skirts, blouses, knits and accessories.

The launch was supported by KOL seeding and a dedicated social media campaign. The collection is available through the PRICH flagship store on Tmall online, as well as through the 150 PRICH retail stores in China.  

Jinny Gao, merchandising manager, PRICH, said: “Prich provides a perfect combination of elegant  design and superior quality. These values are immediately apparent in our new Peter Rabbit range matching the DNA of this intrinsically British brand.” 

Susan Bolsover, licensing and consumer products director, Penguin Ventures, added: “We are  delighted to be launching these two fantastic new collections for Classic Peter Rabbit in China. The brand values of both Twinings and PRICH match Peter perfectly. It has been a real joy to see not only the product, but also the creative campaigns come together in collaboration with the CAA-GBG China team, who have done a fantastic job in nurturing these relationships.”