Royaltie$, June 2009

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STRONG OPPORTUNITIES! Our properties are taking over the market and Cartoon Network is now the #1 choice for boys. And we continue to dominate youth culture with strong brands and excellent licensing opportunities. So, put our strengths to work for you and stop by Booth #2426 at Licensing Show.

For more information, e-mail us at licensinginfo@cartoonnetwork.com

Volume 4, No. 6

June 2009

Features 26 BY

PAUL NARULA

34 BY

Kenn Viselman Returns with The Oogieloves

CHRISTOPHER BYRNE

42 BY

Cartoon Network Sets Course for Domination, Expands Programming and Brands

CHRISTOPHER BYRNE

40 BY

Selling the Sporting Way of Life

CHRIS ADAMS

38 BY

Video Games: The Next Level

Pepsi Pushes Consumers on Path of Optimism

NANCY LOMBARDI

BY

Direct Mail Is Just Dukky

NANCY LOMBARDI

46

OBSERVATIONS & OPINIONS

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THE TICKER

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8

REAL DEAL

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DESIGNER’S PERSPECTIVE

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YOU’RE HIRED!

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ROYALTIE$ CHALLENGE

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CALENDAR

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87

ESSENCE

OF

MAVERICKS

STYLE IN THE

MARKET:

MICHAEL POLIS INDUSTRY OUTLOOK: TRADEMARK INFRINGEMENT INDUSTRY OUTLOOK:

44 BY

Departments

Licensing Show 2009: Value Is the Latest Licensing Buzzword

CHRIS ADAMS

48 COMPILED BY

Licensing Show 2009 LAURIE HAHN AND PAUL NARULA

ENDCAP

OF

EVENTS

ON THIS PAGE (CLOCKWISE FROM THE TOP): LEGO-licensed MP3 player by Digital Blue, The Oogieloves, Activision’s Ghostbusters: The Video Game, and MerchSource’s Discovery Expedition Weather Station

COVER BY CARTOON NETWORK—SEE ARTICLE ON PAGE 38

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Licensing Show booth #1651

www.anbmedia.com PUBLISHED BY ANB MEDIA • Volume 3, Number 8

W

PUBLISHER ANDY KRINNER ANDY@ANBMEDIA.COM

by Andy Krinner

WHEN IN VEGAS. . .

ell, if you are reading this, then, like me, you have made it out to the International Licensing Expo in Las Vegas. At times it seemed as though it would never get here. There are quite a few reasons that I’m excited about the possibilities for this year’s show. Show management has been very busy employing its marketing plan, which should add some additional energy to the show floor. They seem to have made a big effort to ensure that attendance does not flatten out.

I’m also starting to see blips of life in an economic and retail climate that has flat-lined over the past year. Recent reports show that consumer confidence is rebounding, which is certainly a good sign for retailers and the licensing industry.

The stock market continues to creep up a little bit as well. Unfortunately, overall, reports from the financial sector are still mixed-to-sour, but I’m sure we will take what we can get at this point.

I’m also excited about the new format for the LIMA Licensing Industry Excellence Awards ceremony. This event is much like a family reunion, of sorts, and it’s always fun to watch licensing executives let their hair down and socialize with one another.

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ROYALTIE$ JUNE 2009

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER BOB GLASER BOB@ANBMEDIA.COM

The competitive edge that has driven the executives to their successes dissipates when everyone is in the party spirit. We are a close-knit community of people who seem to enjoy mixing and mingling at this party. I look forward to seeing old acquaintances and meeting new ones, too. I’m also anxious to see which properties and products will take home the top prizes this year.

If this weren’t enough, recently I was delighted to find out that my friend Kenn Viselman is coming out of retirement to introduce us to his new project, The Oogieloves.

Check out page 40 for more about Kenn’s new initiative. For those of you new to the business, Kenn was largely responsible for the licensing success of such properties as Thomas the Tank Engine, Eloise, and Teletubbies, to name a few. It had to take something very special to convince Kenn to return. I’m not sure that he’ll be giving away cars again, but there will be an “invitation-only” private soiree in the Hugh Hefner suite at the Palms.

Leave it to Kenn…

At any rate, I wish everyone a safe trip, a successful and prosperous show, and air-conditioning ample enough to beat the Las Vegas heat.

ADVERTISING MANAGER AMY LAND AMY@ANBMEDIA.COM CONTROLLER MARY GROGAN MARY@ANBMEDIA.COM EDITOR IN CHIEF JIM SILVER JIM@ANBMEDIA.COM EDITORIAL DIRECTOR NANCY LOMBARDI NANCY@ANBMEDIA.COM MANAGING EDITOR CHRIS ADAMS CHRISA@ANBMEDIA.COM EDITOR AT LARGE CHRISTOPHER BYRNE CHRISB@ANBMEDIA.COM ASSISTANT EDITOR LAURIE HAHN LAURIE@ANBMEDIA.COM ASSISTANT EDITOR PAUL NARULA PAUL@ANBMEDIA.COM WEB MASTER ERIK KIECKHAFER ERIK@ANBMEDIA.COM WEB CONTENT MANAGER BRENDAN SANABRIA BRENDAN@ANBMEDIA.COM CONTRIBUTORS MATT NUCCIO, MATT@DESIGNEDGE.NET; TEDD S. LEVINE HONG KONG REPRESENTATIVE TONY LEE SMART REGENT PRODUCTIONS LTD., 66–72 STANLEY STREET, ROOM 603, KAI TAK COMMERCIAL BUILDING, CENTRAL HONG KONG PHONE: 2815 0166 • FAX: 2815 6911 • SREGENT@NETVIGATOR.COM

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ROYALTIE$ is published 12 times a year by aNb Media, Inc. Copyright 2009 aNb Media, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from the publisher. Printed in the U.S.A. ROYALTIE$ is a registered trademark of aNb Media, Inc. Opinions and comments expressed in this publication by editors, contributing writers, or solicited or unsolicited documents are not necessarily those of ROYALTIE$ management.

A RECAP

OF

INDUSTRY HEADLINES

HASBRO AND DISCOVERY PARTNER

FOR TV,WEB

CONTENT

Hasbro, Inc., and Discovery Communications announced an agreement last week to form a 50/50 joint venture, including a television network and website, dedicated to children’s and family entertainment and educational programming. As part of the transaction, the joint venture also will receive a minority interest in the U.S. version of Hasbro.com.

New programming will be based on Hasbro’s brands such as Romper Room, Trivial Pursuit, Scrabble, Cranium, My Little Pony, G.I. JOE, Game of Life, Tonka, Transformers, and many others. The TV network and online presence also will include content from Discovery’s extensive library of children’s educational programming as well as programming from third-party producers.

Hasbro will purchase a 50 percent stake in the venture, which will hold the assets related to Discovery Kids Network in the U.S., for which Discovery Communications will receive $300 million. The joint venture’s to-be-named rebranded network is expected to debut in late 2010 reaching approximately 60 million Nielsen households in the U.S. with programming geared toward children under age 14. The joint venture also will participate in merchandising opportunities associated with on-air content.

Each company will have equal representation on a board of directors that will oversee a management team responsible for programming, scheduling, and operations. The search for a president and general manager for the network will begin immediately. Discovery Communications will handle advertising sales services, distribution, origination, and other operational requirements for the venture, while Hasbro will provide studio-produced programming. Hasbro will also make a separate investment to establish a creative team that will allow it to create and produce the consumer-driven content.

Discovery Communications will retain the Discovery Kids brand for, among other things, its international networks and its licensing and merchandising business.

THE CAT

IN THE

HAT GETS TV SERIES

Random House Children’s Entertainment, in association with Dr. Seuss Enterprises, and producers Portfolio Entertainment, Inc., and Collingwood O’Hare Productions have finalized an agreement with PBS Kids to bring the iconic Cat in the Hat to television for the first time as an animated series. The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That! will premiere on PBS Kids in the fall of 2010. Martin Short will voice The Cat in the Hat. Developed for television by Portfolio Entertainment and Collingwood O’Hare Productions, the animated preschool series is based on Random House’s bestselling Beginner Book franchise, The Cat in the Hat’s Learning Library. The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That! is currently in production for 40 half-hour episodes for the first season.

BRAVO MEDIA EXPANDS LICENSING REACH

Bravo Media looks beyond the TV screen by announcing a number of retail and merchandising partnerships for its series. Building off of the success of the Emmy-nominated Top Chef series, Bravo Media has inked deals for the following: Top Chef-branded wines from Terlato Wines; floral

8

ROYALTIE$ JUNE 2009

A RECAP

OF

INDUSTRY HEADLINES

arrangements from Teleflora; Top Chef knives from Master Cutlery; and a second installment of the Top Chef cookbook from Chronicle books.

In addition, Bravo Media is partnering with LightSpeedVT and Post Oak Productions to create Top Chef VT, a subscription-based online cooking class. Top Chef VT will feature interactive content, multimedia lessons, recipes, and much more. Fans of the show will have access to exclusive content and cooking classes taught by “chef’testants.”

Additionally, the network will launch Fashion by Bravo with the creation of its own fashion line from Brooklyn Equities from the upcoming series The Fashion Show, as well as exclusively designed Kooba bags, which will be integrated into the upcoming series NYC Prep.

LEGO ROCK BAND TO DEBUT

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and TT Games are joining forces with the LEGO Group, Harmonix, and MTV Games, a part of Viacom’s MTV Networks for LEGO Rock Band. The familyfriendly music experience is currently in development by TT Games in partnership with Harmonix, and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. The game, which will allow families, tweens, and teens to experience the journey to rock stardom where they can “Build a Band and Rock the Universe,” will be available for the Xbox 360, PlayStation3, and Wii. LEGO Rock Band for Nintendo DS will be co-developed by TT Games and Harmonix in partnership with Backbone Entertainment, a Foundation 9 Entertainment studio. All versions are scheduled for release this holiday.

THE LEGEND OF RAY CHARLES LIVES ON

Act III Licensing announced it is working in conjunction with the Ray Charles Marketing Group as the exclusive merchandise licensing agency for the Ray Charles Foundation. In celebration of what would have been his 80th birthday, the program will include Ray Charles’ name and likeness and hundreds of never-before-seen photographs available for licensing. Highlights include a digitally re-mastered album called Genius—The Ultimate Ray Charles Collection, the grand opening of Ray Charles Memorial Library, the publication of Yes Indeed!—the first Ray Charles photography book published in a limited-edition of 2,500 copies, and the DVD release of Ray’s Greatest Television Performances.

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ROYALTIE$ JUNE 2009

UNIVERSAL STUDIOS CONSUMER PRODUCTS GROUP & MULTIPLE LICENSEES

Universal Studios Consumer Products Group has signed multiple licensees for Universal Studios’ upcoming film, The Wolfman, inspired by the original Universal film of the same name. Mezco Toys, Rock Rebel, and Rubie’s Costume Company have all signed on to make merchandise aimed toward the collector and specialty markets. Mezco is currently developing a line of seven-inch and 12-inch scale figures, as well as a 12-inch deluxe figure of the title character and prop replicas. Rock Rebel will design a full line of men’s T-shirts. Rubie’s will be producing Halloween costumes and latex masks in multiple sizes.

FOX LICENSING & MERCHANDISING AND MULTIPLE LICENSEES

Fox Licensing & Merchandising has announced its first licensing partners for The Cleveland Show, a new Family Guy spin-off that will air this fall, based on the Cleveland Brown character from the original show. Changes and Briefly Stated, both of which already act as licensees for the Family Guy series, will carry similar products for The Cleveland Show. Changes will introduce a line of T-shirts, sweatshirts, jackets, and more. Briefly Stated will debut loungewear, underwear, and sleepwear.

HASBRO AND C ANDYRIFIC

CandyRific will launch four new M&M’s Transformers products to coincide with this month’s release of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen in theaters. The products will include M&M’s Transformers Fans, M&M’s Transformers Coin Banks, and M&M’s Transformers Tins, available in both red and yellow styles.

Each product comes with half-ounce bags of M&M’s candy. The line will also include an M&M’s Yellow Transformers Dispenser, which will include four half-ounce bags of M&M’s candy. The products debuted at the All Candy Expo last month.

FREMANTLEMEDIA AND UPPER DECK

Upper Deck has announced the retail launch of its American Idol Collectible Card Set. The set includes select autographed cards from the latest season’s top 36 finalists, as well as several popular contestants from past seasons. Autographed cards include Jordin Sparks, David Archuleta, Fantasia Barrino, Michael Johns, Carly Smithson, and Elliot Yamin. Upper Deck has also included two caricature cards, dubbed “Ultimate Idol” cards, that feature popular musicians battling it out. The cards come in packs of five and each foil pack contains a code to enter at www.americanidolcards.com to win an all-expenses-paid trip for two to the Season 8 finale, with VIP access.

NICKELODEON AND TINY PRINTS

Tiny Prints, an online retailer of personalized stationery, has announced a licensing agreement with Nickelodeon. Through this partnership, Tiny Prints will offer birthday party invitations and stationery designs featuring characters from popular Nickelodeon brands such as Dora the Explorer; SpongeBob SquarePants; The Backyardigans; Blue’s Clues; Go, Diego, Go!; Ni Hao, Kailan; and The Wonder Pets. The Nickelodeon Collection will offer both classic imagery and new twists on character representation. This is the first major licensed character deal for Tiny Prints.

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ROYALTIE$ JUNE 2009

The Wolfman

360EP AND STUCKEY’S

Stuckey’s has named 360ep as its licensing representative for the Stuckey’s brand. 360ep will develop a brand for Stuckey’s based on its presence as a nut and confectionary-nut product company, as well as the iconic imagery of Stuckey’s signs on the highway and Stuckey’s Pecan Log Roll product. The company will be looking at opportunities in snacks, confections, and other food items that are appropriate for the Stuckey’s brand.

THE SEA MONKEYS AND LICENSING LINK

Licensing Link has signed on as the licensing agent for The Sea Monkeys. The retro brand, started by Harold von Braunhut in the 1960s, has sold more than 100,000,000 sets worldwide since its original introduction. Licensing Link will focus on establishing partnerships in apparel, accessories, room décor, novelty, and lottery tickets. The Sea Monkeys joins Licensing Link’s property roster, which includes brands such as Ferrara Pan, White Castle, Dippin’ Dots, Speed Racer, and more.

MY GYM ENTERPRISES AND VARIOUS FRANCHISEES

My Gym Enterprises (MGE) has signed master franchisor agreements in three new territories, giving the respective companies the rights to develop their own locations and recruit new independent franchisees.

MGE has signed a master franchisor agreement with Gym Enterprise Asia Pacific for China. Parallel Kids has been signed on for India. MGB Fitness for Kids will act as the master franchisor for Brazil. Locations opened in China in January and in Brazil in February. Locations will open in India this month.

MOTEL 6 AND THE CAT FANCIERS’ ASSOCIATION

Motel 6 has announced a partnership with the Cat Fanciers’ Association to offer CFA registered cat owners a discounted price on Motel 6 and Studio 6 room reservations across the country.

Motel 6 has been pet friendly since 1962 and will offer this discounted price on more than 1,000 properties across the United States. CFA registrants can log on to www.motel6.com and enter the access code CP542766 for their discount, or log on to www.staystudio6.com and enter access code CP542767 for discounts at Studio 6.

GUIDING STARS LICENSING COMPANY AND BATES COLLEGE

Guiding Stars Licensing Co. partnered with Bates College to launch its Guiding Stars program in the college’s dining facilities this past April. Guiding Stars, which uses a proprietary algorithm to rate food and nutrition and has established its nutrition navigation system in more than 1,400 grocery stores across the U.S., will be rating prepared meals, snacks, salad bar items, and grab-and-go items available in Bates’ dining commons and related sites. Each item or recipe will receive a zero to three star rating based on its nutritional value. The program will include a simple at-a-glance tool to allow students to identify and choose foods that offer the most nutrition for the calories.

14

ROYALTIE$ JUNE 2009

LIFE’S BEST ADVENTURES BEGIN WITH THE RIGHT GEAR LIFE’S LIFE’S LIFE’S BEST BEST BEST ADVENTURES ADVENTURES ADVENTURES BEGIN BEGIN BEGIN WITH WITH WITH THE THE THE RIGHT RIGHT RIGHT GEAR GEAR LIFE’S ADVENTURES WITH THE THERIGHT RIGHTGEAR GEAR LIFE’S BEST WITH GEAR Award-winningBEST Jeep Consumer Products can be found in theBEGIN world’s Award-winning Award-winning Award-winning Jeep Jeep Jeep Consumer Consumer Consumer Products Products Products cancan be can be found be found found in in thein the world’s the world’s world’s ®

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ForFor licensing For licensing licensing and and retail and retail retail opportunities, opportunities, contact contact contact The Joester Loria Group atopportunities, (212) 683-5150 or email info@tjlgroup.com.

For licensing and retail opportunities, contact For licensing and retail opportunities, contact Thewww.joesterloriagroup.com The Joester The Joester Joester Loria Loria Loria Group Group Group at at (212) at (212) (212) 683-5150 683-5150 683-5150 or or email or email email info@tjlgroup.com. info@tjlgroup.com. info@tjlgroup.com.

The Joester Thewww.joesterloriagroup.com JoesterLoria LoriaGroup Groupatat(212) (212)683-5150 683-5150 or email info@tjlgroup.com. info@tjlgroup.com. www.joesterloriagroup.com www.joesterloriagroup.com ®

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CBS Joins Forces With Heifer International

CBS Consumer Products joined with Heifer International, which uses livestock to combat hunger and poverty in more than 50 countries around the world, in a partnership to raise awareness and fight hunger in conjunction with the 18th season of Survivor, set in Tocantins, Brazil. A new limited-edition designer T-shirt featuring the show’s iconic catchphrase of “Outwit, Outplay and Outlast” is being sold exclusively at CBSStore.com for $26.95. For every shirt purchased, the CBS Store will donate $5 to help fund Heifer International’s Ecological Consciousness Project in Brazil. This special project helps farmers learn environmentally healthy ways to produce nutritious foods, as well as develop ways to improve cooperation and organization of small farmers in settlements in agrarian reform areas of Brazil.

Mighty Fine Adds Marvel to Mustache Brigade

Mighty Fine added Marvel Comics to its eclectic men’s Tshirt line Mustache Brigade. In addition to the men’s market, Marvel Comics will also be featured in the toddler market including Mini Fine and Fine (tween). The men’s T-shirts (shown) will be for mid-tier and specialty retailers including Urban Outfitters and Hot Topic, while the infant, toddler, and tween lines will be at Bloomingdale’s. Popular characters include Spiderman, Hulk, Wolverine, Fantastic Four, and X-Men. Mighty Fine has been working with Marvel Comics since March 2007, incorporating the comic book figures in lines such as Mighty Fine, Imaginary People, and DOE.

F.A.B. Starpoint Takes On WWE

Hello Kitty Gets Pampered

Pampered Girls, a global brand designed and illustrated by artist Shan Ogdemli and managed by Lifestyle Licensing International, joined with Sanrio’s Hello Kitty. The initial co-branded collection of products includes tote bags, tote sets, and cosmetic bags.

16

ROYALTIE$ JUNE 2009

F.A.B. Starpoint signed a licensing agreement with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) for licensed backpacks, messenger bags, wallets, lunch kits, and stationery. F.A.B. will produce a highly integrated comprehensive collection for back-to-school 2009. All colors, images, and graphics of the WWE will come to life in a product assortment that speaks to boys 6–11. Product will be available in stores next month.

THE BRAND THE BRAN D THAT T HAT CE LCE E B RLAT E BERATE S O URSPL OAUR N ETP LA N ET The Planet Earth series has delivered over 100 million viewers and has sold over $200 million in DVDโ s. In 2009, 4HEรง0LANETรง%ARTHรงSERIESรงHASรงDELIVEREDรงOVERรง รงMILLIONรงVIEWERSรงANDรงHASรงSOLDรงOVERรง รงMILLIONรงINรง$6$ S รง)Nรง รง THEรงCONTINUEDรงRELEASEรงOFรงTHEรง0LANETรง%ARTHรงSERIESรงASรง$6$รงSINGLES รงALONGรงWITHรงMOREรงEARTH FRIENDLYรงPRODUCTSรงINCLUDINGรง the continued release of the Planet Earth series as DVD singles, along with more earth-friendly products including TOYS รงPUBLISHING รงANDรงAPPARELรงCONTINUEรงTOรงGENERATEรงMULTI MILLIONรงDOLLARรงSALESรงACROSSรงALLรงRETAILรงCHANNELS รง4HEรงTHEATRICALรง toys, publishing, and apparel continue to generate multi-million dollar sales across all retail channels. The theatrical FILMรง%ARTHรงFROMรงTHEรงPRODUCERSรงOFรง0LANETรง%ARTH รงWASรงRELEASEDรงBYรง$ISNEYNATUREรงONรง%ARTHรง$AY รง)TรงWASรงTHEรงHIGHESTรง film Earth from the producers of Planet Earth, was released by Disneynature on Earth Day. It was the highest WEEKENDรงGROSSรงEVERรงFORรงAรงNATUREรงDOCUMENTARY รงCAPTIVATINGรงVIEWERSรงANDรงDRIVINGรงDEMANDรงFORรงMERCHANDISE รง weekend gross ever for a nature documentary, captivating viewers and driving demand for merchandise.

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MICHAEL POLIS - WILDBRAIN

by Laurie Hahn

n 20 years, a DJ Lance Magic Dance Hat example. Kids wear the hat and choose one might bring back fond childhood memories of three different modes of play, including for a grown man or woman who grew up freeze dance mode where the hat plays music watching the TV show Yo Gabba Gabba! And until DJ Lance’s voice tells kids to freeze. that’s exactly what Michael Polis, chief market- The hat’s motion sensor detects if the hat’s ing officer at Wildbrain, hopes will happen with wearer is moving and makes a noise to let all of Yo Gabba Gabba!’s licensed product. “I kids know they’ve been caught. “We’re trylove the fact that we’re creating products that ing to create product that really is identified kids now in 20 years are going to say, ‘Wow, I as an extension of the show as opposed to a loved that DJ Lance Hat’ or ‘I loved that Brobee label slap, something that doesn’t feel like it plush’,” Polis says. “To me that’s crebelongs with the makeating memories and touching people.” up and character of the Wildbrain, an entertainment show,” Polis says. company that develops and proAfter 20 years in the duces unique content across the licensing industry, Polis media spectrum, has produced a has a pretty good idea of variety of original work from its what goes into making a subsidiary Kidrobot to the TV great licensed product. shows Higglytown Heroes and, of His experience involves course, Yo Gabba Gabba!, which product development currently airs on Nickelodeon’s and promotions for Post Noggin. Yo Gabba Gabba! infuses Cereals and the Maxwell Spin Master’s DJ Lance retro-style and beat-driven music to House Coffee Company Magic Dance Hat teach simple life lessons through a at Kraft Foods. His work vibrant world of characters who play and there lead to a job offer from Universal Home dance as soon as they hear the magic words. Entertainment where, as executive director of It is Polis’s job to bring this unique show, marketing, Polis implemented a corporate which was recently renewed for a third sea- branding strategy and managed marketing of son, to life for the fans. “We work really hard the company’s DVD/video sell-through catato make sure that the elements of the show log and new releases. He also established and the things they love about the show are a cross-promotions with such companies as part of the product that they get,” Polis says. Burger King, The Pillsbury Company, and The aforementioned DJ Lance Magic Dance Hasbro. From there, Polis became senior Hat from licensee Spin Master is a good vice-president, marketing worldwide at The

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Jim Henson Company. He developed and produced content for the web and the DVD marketplace, including the feature films Mirror Mask and Kermit’s Swamp Years, for which he received an Emmy nomination as executive producer. In 2007, Polis received a call from an old Henson colleague, Charlie Rivkin, who had just started a new company—Wildbrain. Rivkin wanted Polis on his team and, enticed by the idea of great properties, Polis decided to join.

Wildbrain takes a two-pronged approach for Yo Gabba Gabba! because the show appeals to such a diverse audience. “We noticed with the show that there are lots of young kids, teenagers, and young adults, as well as parents who love the show in addition to our primary audience, which is preschoolage kids,” Polis says. This has resulted in a variety of licensed product rolling out in stores such as Target, Wal-Mart, and Kmart, as well as Urban Outfitters and Hot Topic.

This year, Wildbrain will work with Yo Gabba Gabba! licensees Spin Master, Celebrate Express, MEGA Brands, Vtech, and Simon & Schuster for new product. A Yo Gabba Gabba! movie is in the works.

“It’s a huge opportunity,” Polis says. “We are a small group and we work very closely with the producers and creators of the show. Our primary objective is to make a great show. Then, as a result of having a great show, the consumer products components process is a lot smoother.”

Vegas Š 2009 Mattel, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

A

UNDERSTANDING TRADEMARK INFRINGEMENT by Tedd S. Levine, Esq. trademark is defined to include any

(i) constructive notice to the public of the reg-

ly to cause confusion, or to cause mistake, or to

and sets apart the corresponding goods and

ership of the mark and the registrant’s exclu-

ed.” 15 U.S.C. § 1114(1). “The several courts

word, name, symbol, or device, or a

combination thereof, that identifies

indicates the source of such products. By

contrast, a copyright is a right granted by law to the owner of a literary or artistic work, and a patent is a property right issued by the

United States Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) in an invention.

A party can claim rights to a trademark it is

using based on common law, which is derived

from the judgments and decrees of the courts,

or can otherwise register a trademark the party is using or intends to use with the PTO.

The registration process begins by the completion and filing of an application for the

specific products the trademark will be used

in connection with along with the appropriate

filing fee. Such goods fall within pre-established groupings or classes and are registered based on such classes. An application can be for a trademark that is being used, commonly

known as an “In-Use Application,” or a trademark that a party intends on using, commonly known as an “Intent-to-Use Application.” The initial filing fees for both types of applications are the same although a successful Intent-to-

Use Application does not immediately result in a registration but the issuance of what is

known as a “Notice of Allowance.” To secure a registration after the Notice of Allowance is

issued requires a further fee and an application proving actual use of the trademark.

As noted on the PTO website, a trademark

can be registered on the Principal Register, which provides several key advantages, such as

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istrant’s claim of ownership of the trademark; (ii) a legal presumption of the registrant’s own-

sive right to use the mark nationwide on or in connection with the goods and/or services list-

ed in the registration; (iii) the ability to bring an action concerning the mark in federal court; (iv) the use of the U.S. registration as a basis to

obtain registration in foreign countries; and (v)

the ability to file the U.S. registration with the U.S. Customs Service to prevent importation of

infringing foreign goods. Certain marks that

are not eligible for registration on the Principal

Register, but are capable of distinguishing an applicant’s goods or services, may be registered

on

the

Supplemental

Register.

Trademarks registered on the Supplemental Register do not receive the advantages of trademarks registered on the Principal Register.

According to statute, “any person who shall,

without the consent of the registrant—(a) use in commerce any reproduction, counterfeit, copy,

or colorable imitation of a registered mark in connection with the sale, offering for sale, distribution, or advertising of any goods or servic-

es on or in connection with which such use is likely to cause confusion, or to cause mistake,

or to deceive; or (b) reproduce, counterfeit,

copy, or colorably imitate a registered mark and apply such reproduction, counterfeit, copy, or

colorable imitation to labels, signs, prints, packages, wrappers, receptacles, or advertise-

ments intended to be used in commerce upon or

in connection with the sale, offering for sale, distribution, or advertising of goods or services on or in connection with which such use is like-

deceive, shall be liable in a civil action by the registrant for the remedies hereinafter provid-

vested with jurisdiction of civil actions arising under this chapter shall have power to grant injunctions, according to the principles of equi-

ty and upon such terms as the court may deem reasonable, to prevent the violation of any right

of the registrant of a mark registered in the PTO or to prevent a violation under subsection (a), (c), or (d) of section 1125 of this title.” 15 U.S.C. § 1116(a).

When confronted with trademark infringe-

ment claims, the courts consider a number of factors when determining whether there is a

so-called likelihood of confusion between opposing trademarks. Such factors include (1)

strength of the plaintiff’s trademark; (2) similarity between the two trademarks; (3) proxim-

ity of the products in the marketplace; (4) evidence of actual confusion; (5) bad faith on the

part of the accused infringer; (6) quality of the accused infringer’s products; and (7) sophistication of relevant consumer group. Lanham

Trade-Mark Act, § 43(a), 15 U.S.C.A. §

1125(a). The courts analyze each of these

questions, and use the factors not in some rigid formula, but view them in the context of

focusing on the ultimate question of likelihood of confusion as to the source of the products.

Tedd S. Levine is a practicing attorney focusing on licensing law, corporate law, business transactions, and intellectual property. He

can be reached at (516) 294–6852 or at lawofficesofteddslevine@gmail.com.

BABY Š 2009 Mattel, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

W

The Designer’s Perspective: The Evolution of Licensing

by Matt Nuccio, Design Edge

ell, another Licensing Show is upon us. This time written off as a form of advertising. The more exposure a license had around we’re at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center the more revenue a licensor could count on from record sales, movies, in Las Vegas. A new location means that we are no or whatever the line’s main focus was. It wasn’t uncommon for one to longer subject to the humid June weather in New York City. It also see several characters from different licensing companies on the same means that there will be no more long waits for a exact piece of package art. In the early 1970s Mego cab at the Javits Center. Don’t get me wrong, I’m Toys, then the kings of action figures, displayed both a New Yorker, I love this place. It has great shopDC and Marvel Comic characters on the same packping, awesome sightseeing, and countless clubs, age at the same time. Can you imagine that? In today’s restaurants, and bars covering everyone’s taste. But market this would be considered a licensing everything must change and Las Vegas seems to be sin punishable by death (a.k.a. contract cana very fitting answer for our ever-changing industry. cellation). But times were different then. It Just as Las Vegas has grown from its days as a wasn’t until a little toy company in Cincinnati, small railroad town into a modern metropolis of gamOhio, Kenner Toys, had massive success with a bling, shows, and shopping, so too has the licensing then-unknown property that things changed rapidly, industry evolved. Licensing has moved from smallalmost overnight, into the business we all know today. time endorsement deals into a billion-dollar Kenner Toys had acquired, almost by default, industry. Today’s market environment is the Star Wars license. Interestingly, no other toy HG Toys once turned down the Star Wars license and went with the film Serpico. adorned with licensed properties such as Dora company wanted to even touch Star Wars at the This roleplay set was designed for ages 4 the Explorer, Jeep, Swiss Army, Disney time. Previously, Star Trek had been a major flop and up. Licensing has come a long way.

Princess, NASCAR, Coca-Cola, and Thomas & as a toy line, and toy companies saw too many Friends, and that is just to name a few. Licensors provide style guides comparisons between the two properties (simply because they both that dictate how products should look and how packages will display took place in space). Star Wars was rejected by every major toy comthem. In today’s marketplace the right license can be the difference pany that it was presented to. Yet to put this in some sort of strange perbetween an item becoming a close-out or a massive blockbuster hit. spective, companies such as HG Toys, who also turned down the Star Licensing can now propel an item across many product categories Wars license, were manufacturing roleplay sets for 4 year olds, based and many mediums such as television, radio, print, and the web. As on R-rated films such as Alien and Serpico. . . go figure. But after Star a result, licensed properties can sometimes demand hefty percent- Wars everything changed. Licensing matured quickly as the television ages of profit and large dollar advances and guarantees. And that’s and film industries realized that there were hefty dollars to be made at basically how things are done today, but it wasn’t always that way. retail. From there just about every other consumer product followed.

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away—also known as the Licensing is now king. An entire industry was spawned and it contin1970s—licensing was a very different animal. Back then, licensing ues to evolve and grow. As the licensing industry weathers this current was seen as a joint venture between the licensor and licensee. It was economic storm, time will tell how it will once again evolve. a way for a licensor to further promote a movie, television show, or whatever property they were peddling. Believe it or not, it wasn’t an Matt Nuccio is co-owner of Design Edge, a graphic design and uncommon practice for a second-tier or, sometimes even, a first-tier research development studio. He can be reached at property to be given to a company free of any charge—it was simply matt@designedge.net or (516) 377–0500.

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Vegas Š 2009 Mattel, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

T

V IDEO GAMES: THE NEXT LEVEL

by Paul Narula

hese days, there are a number of lated in a way that benefits both parties ways that a licensor can choose while still appealing to fans. to expand a brand. They can FOUND IN TRANSLATION license out apparel, toys, household The translation of a property has goods, even movies and books. But always been a challenge for both the there is no category that provides the licensor and licensee when it comes to same type of experience as a licensed video games. “The best licensed games video game. While video games are a draw their core mechanics from the relatively new form of entertainment when compared with board games or Film properties such as Ice Age 3 translate well into video games. virtues of the license, rather than simply plugging a property in a game engine at movies, they have rapidly proven to be a successful avenue for licensing. “Video games within the imagination,” says Leslye Schaefer, hand,” says Leigh Ann Brodsky, president of give us an opportunity to build upon the play senior vice-president of consumer products and Nickelodeon & Viacom Consumer Products. experience with our brands,” says Christina marketing at Scholastic Media. It is up to the “At the same time, going from a linear, nonMiller, vice-president at Cartoon Network licensor to create a property strong enough that interactive form such as TV animation to a game where the control of character is in the Enterprises, “and the sheer amount of time and players will want to be a part of that world. energy today’s youth spend playing video On the other side, video game manufactur- hands of the player, requires adaptations to the games makes it an important brand extension ers are then responsible for translating that char- medium that must also be understood and and growth opportunity.” Video games can be acter and world into a viable game without los- respected.” Many of those adaptations are relatso potent at building brands that a number of ing the essence of the character. A licensee’s ed to technology. The licensor’s creative vision non-licensed video games have developed into first challenge is to make sure they keep the has to be filtered through the technology availtheir own properties and developed full licens- game viable in the licensor’s world. “While we able to the licensee. Technology has always ing programs in their own right. may be able to expand on SpongeBob’s charac- been a stumbling block in video game licenster in the video game world, there are certain ing. In the early days of video games, it was a GOING GAMING things SpongeBob just wouldn’t do, like jump- challenge to make a character in a game look To make the jump into the video game cate- ing inside a giant mech and wreaking havoc on like the character that fans of a property knew gory, a license has to have a number of things Bikini Bottom,” says Scott Guthrie, executive and loved, which made video game licensing a going for it first. The most important of these is vice-president, THQ. The second challenge is less-than-appealing option for the licensor. a cast of strong characters that can be developed to make the game feel as much like the original Nowadays, though, that barrier has long since in a video game setting. Any character-based property as possible. This can mean a number been surpassed. The first video game based on property is focused on the strength of the cen- of different things for different properties. For a the Ghostbusters property was released in 1984 tral character, but when it comes to video video game based on a movie license, such as and the characters in it were unrecognizable as games, that appeal is extra-important since in THQ’s UP video game, that may mean getting the actors from the movie. Atari’s upcoming many cases the player will be put in the role of the original actors from the movie to provide Ghostbusters: The Video Game not only feathe character. “The interactive nature of video the voices for the game as well. In all cases, it tures graphics powerful enough to accurately games allows consumers to live the experience means that the licensee and licensor must work represent the cast, but also has incorporated for themselves—it no longer only has to exist together to make sure that the property is trans- many of the original actors as voice actors. The

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TO THE

Fabulous WORLD OF

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Wii version of the game grants an additional physical dimension to the game as players literally wrestle with ghosts on screen. Combined, these create a more authentic experience for the player that can immerse them in the property’s setting. With the barriers set by technology being broken by new developments, licensors are finding video games to be a more effective way to give devotees of their properties a deeper connection with the characters therein.

THE FLIP-SIDE

While many companies have turned to video games to expand their brands’ licensing opportunities, video game companies have not let their own opportunities in the licensing arena go to waste. One would be hard-pressed to find someone in the U.S. who couldn’t recognize the red-and-blue-clad plumber that has acted as a mascot for Nintendo since the company’s first system release. Mario’s ubiquitous presence in the video game world for more than two decades has allowed Nintendo to develop the plumber not only as a line of video games, but as a brand unto himself. Like any character from a television show or movie property, Mario has his own personality and traits that fans can identify. This has allowed Nintendo to develop a licensing program around the character. Other companies, such as Sega, have been able to do the same with their flagship characters, especially those that have been in longrunning series. Both Mario and Sega’s flagship character, Sonic the Hedgehog, are characters that first began appearing in the early days of video gaming. Their long-running status has given them an enormous recognition factor and

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a fan base that now spans generations. Newer properties have also begun developing strong licensing programs as the games garner fans and the ability to define characters is increased by available technology. Gears of War and Halo both have successful licensing programs.

While a licensed video game gives players a chance to control their favorite characters, video game fans have been in control of their favorite characters from the very start of the franchise. Fans of video game brands can be

those in licensing, but to almost anyone with children: Pokémon. Starting from a video game initially released in Japan, Pokémon has grown into a brand unto itself, with animated television series, feature films, a trading card game, and more as part of its extensive licensing program. The brand is 10 years old and continues to be popular, partially because of The Pokémon Company’s unique ability to “reset” the property by introducing new sets of characters and components. “While making sure that we are staying true to, and showing respect for, the key components of the brand, every few years we release a set of Pokémon products that attract new fans and engage existing ones,” says JC Smith, head of marketing, The Pokémon Company. The most recent of these “resets” was Pokémon: Platinum Version, released in March.

FUTURE OF OPPORTUNITY

Pokémon continuously refreshes its brand with new characters such as Giratina.

very loyal, especially when the brand’s roots are a strong franchise. “Video games are unique in that a video game player can immerse themselves in the game for multiple hours a day for weeks on end, rather than just a one time movie,” says Marc Mostman, president of Most Management, which represents video game companies such as Capcom and Eidos. “This creates a bond between the player and the IP.” One of the most successful video game brands is also one of the most successful brands in any category and familiar not just to

As video games grow into an even more ubiquitous part of every day life for consumers, their appeal as brand vehicles increases. “The introduction of new platforms continues to expand the traditional gaming audience to include more demographics,” says Careen Yap, vice-president of licensing and business development for Konami. Licensors can tap into a new pool of consumers for their brands and video game companies can promote their own brands in a scope beyond anything that has existed previously. As technology continues to advance and representing brands in an interactive way becomes easier, more licensors will find themselves looking at video games in a whole new light.

NG NOW REPRESENTI

NDS THIRD PARTY BRA

YOUR

BRAND

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BUILDING GLOBAL BRANDS FremantleMedia Enterprises is the leading independent one-stop-shop for global brand representation. We have a proven track-record of groundbreaking programs across all licensing disciplines including consumer products, interactive, mobile, sponsorship, integrated marketing, live events, home entertainment and international television program distribution.

CONTACT US TO FIND OUT HOW WE CAN HELP BUILD YOUR BRAND

For further information, contact: James Ngo Senior Director, Consumer Products FremantleMedia Enterprises T: +1 (818) 748 1145 E: james.ngo@fremantlemedia.com

www.fremantlemedia.com

V IDEO GAMES

by Paul Narula

As the audience for video games continues to grow, so do the opportunities for licensing across all age groups. Here is a sampling of what’s coming up, both in licensed video games and products based on video game brands.

PARAMOUNT P ICTURES

Activision will adapt the upcoming film Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen to an action game for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, PlayStation 2, and Nintendo DS. Players will be able to choose to fight on the side of the Decepticons or the Autobots and take control of characters such as Starscream and Optimus Prime. Players can also go online with the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC versions of the game and face off against their friends.

DISNEY/P IXAR

THQ has released a video game version of UP, based on the Disney/Pixar film released in theaters last month. Players will take on the roles of Carl and Russell as they explore and solve puzzles in levels based on the movie. The game will be available for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, PlayStation 2, DS, PSP, and PC computer.

CARTOON NETWORK

SCHOLASTIC

Ultimate I Spy is a video game based on the I Spy book series from Scholastic.

Players play visual minigames, solve riddles, and can compete in 10 competitive games with their friends.

Ultimate I Spy is exclusively for the Wii console.

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D3 Publishing has taken Cartoon Network’s popular Ben 10 license and created the Ben 10: Vilgax Attacks video game for the DS, Xbox 360, Wii, PlayStation 2, and PSP Systems. Players take on the role of Ben 10 in a story based on the Ben 10 Alien Force animated series and use Ben’s alien forms to fight against villains from the series, including Ben’s ultimate nemesis, Vilgax.

Rango_AD_Royalties.indd 1

4/27/09 6:30:05 PM

V IDEO GAMES MOST MANAGEMENT

Most Management has signed a deal for its client, Eidos, with Sideshow Collectibles. Sideshow will produce a high-quality figure of Eidos’ character Lara Croft, from the Tomb Raider series of games.

DISNEY

DDR: Disney Grooves is an update to Konami’s popular DDR series that features the Disney characters Mickey, Minnie, Daisy, Donald, and Goofy.

Players engage in the same style of rhythm and dancing gameplay as in other DDR titles, but dance along with the Disney characters and unlock 40 different Disney songs. The game is available for the Nintendo Wii.

SONY P ICTURES CONSUMER P RODUCTS

For the 25th anniversary of the Ghostbusters franchise this year, Sony Pictures Consumer Products has lined up a number of new initiatives for the Ghostbusters brand, including signing Atari to create Ghostbusters: The Video Game. Players take on the role of Ghostbuster in an original story that takes place two years after the events of the movie Ghostbusters II. Ghostbusters: The Video Game will be released for the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, Xbox 360, Windows PC, Wii, and Nintendo DS systems this month.

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FOX

USAopoly will produce a new version of the classic game Risk, using figures and designs from the upcoming Halo Wars strategic video game. Forces will fight for dominance over Arcadia, using the classic gameplay of Risk with the science fiction video game license of Halo.

R CTO E R DI D ND A AN THE Z M Z Z O Z U FR FU D......

A AD T F

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World Movie © Universal Studios. Licensed by Universal Studios Licensing LLLP. All Rights Reserved.

E OT DE HO E ED FH H H O OF T T F O OF N N ON U U A A H CTI S A SH ON IVE A L OTI M OR ROM E F MAJ TUR

PIC

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SA R E V

UNI TURES IC P

S RS ER T TE A A E E H TH NT I IN

0 1 0 2 DA : 818-777-2067 LICENSING IN U.S. & CANA 7-5694 INTERNATIONAL: 818-77 716 RETAIL : 818-777-6 789 PROMOTIONS : 818-777-5

Selling the Sporting Way of Life

S

by Chris Adams

ports are an easy, readily available entertainment outlet for many Americans. Regardless of the economy, fans can tune in to their favorite teams on the television or radio. And because of the economy, some professional sports teams are cutting prices to make it easier for fans to attend the sporting events in person.

The actual sporting events are a huge driver in the world of sports licensing. Attending an event gives fans a more vested interest in the sport and it makes them feel that the sport is more of an ingrained part of their lifestyle. Sports licensors continually look to capitalize on this enthusiasm and to integrate the sport into a fan’s lifestyle off screen and out of the stadium.

Of course, the economy is having an effect on sports and sports licensing. Some sports are experiencing declines in fans attending the games. New York City has two special cases in that department.

Both the Mets and Yankees had brand new stadiums open this year and both teams are reporting difficulties filling the most expensive seats in the house: right behind home plate. Of course, having those seats unfilled is especially a detriment when games are televised; it makes it look like the stadium is half empty (or half full, depending on your disposition). On a recent visit to the Mets’ new Citi Field, almost all of the upper deck seats were full, as were most of the seats in the stadium, but the attendance behind home plate was spotty at best. And the Yankees recently announced that they would cut the price of the stadium’s most expensive seats in half, as well as offer other special pricing structures.

Sports teams aren’t the only ones having to adjust their pricing to coax today’s cash-strapped consumers to participate. Licensors in the sports category are using the economy as a good reason to examine their licensing programs with a fine-toothed comb.

“The economy has caused more attrition than usual,” says Blake Davidson, managing director, licensing at NASCAR. “In a way it does help you solidify your licensing base to make sure that you’ve got strong partners on board in all of the right categories. We want to work with companies that are the best at what they do and that can withstand the lean times as well as thrive in robust times.”

The NFL Players Association (NFLPA) is also in the process of

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Dale Earnhardt Jr. GPS, by Transplant

re-evaluating and adjusting its licensing program. The licensor recently hired a new vice-president of licensing, Keith Gordon, who has spearheaded the effort.

“The initial steps that I’m taking involve reviewing our licensees and working with them to more effectively utilize our brand,” Gordon says. “I want to make sure all the licensees are doing the right things with the license and that they’re not struggling at retail.”

The NFLPA is also taking a new direction with its licensing program. Traditionally, the licensor followed the lead of the NFL licensing program. Now, the NFL is actively going out and seeking partnerships of its own, while putting a spotlight on its players as a valuable asset. Its new direction involves “taking the helmets off of the players to let their personalities continue to build in the off season,” according to Gordon.

Of course, that strategy does carry with it a certain element of risk. If a player is traded or involved in unbecoming off-field behavior, retailers could be stuck with inventory that it can’t move.

However, the NFLPA feels that the upsides of this initiative far outweigh the potential risks.

This initiative is designed to help counter the lack of continuity that is inherent in all of the seasonal sports. These sports experience ebbs and flows of sales between the sports season and the off season.

This ebb and flow is both an asset and a liability for these sports, as evidenced by the advantages and challenges by the opposite type of sport (or, in this case, sports entertainment)—one that has a yearround schedule—such as TNA Wrestling.

“TNA Wrestling is a 52-week-a-year sports brand and that continuity is critical when seeking out new licensing partners,” says Jason Walker, director of licensing at TNA. “In the retail environment our continuity actually becomes a challenge in a way because we are always looking at new ways to keep our product fresh and unique in an increasingly difficult and shrinking retail environment.”

choices and let the market dictate what is and isn’t going to be out there for the long haul.”

As the economy presents challenges across the board, there are some pockets of opportunity that present themselves. For instance, the Little League license, which is managed by SloaneVision Unlimited, has been growing beyond the first wave of natural extensions (including categories like sporting goods and training equipment) and into other areas where kids play—there is a new Little League game for Nintendo Wii and DS on the way from Activision.

“Little League Baseball has actually seen more interest in its products,” says Glenn Hendricks, vice-president of business develThe economy has posed all manner opment at SloaneVision. “We’ve of business challenges at retail. The been contacted by manufacturers who licensing industry, in particular, has been forced to are looking for a less risky brand.” stand toe to toe with private label offerings that While Little League relies heavily on the cash-strapped consumers are considering with established track record of goodwill the brand increased frequency. But licensors aren’t just lying has generated over the generations, the NBA’s down to the competition. They are adjusting their program is driven by its solid attendance. strategies in a very competitive retail landscape.

“We finished the regular season with “The economy has affected the volume of the third highest attendance mark in histoproduct we’re bringing to the market as conry,” says Victoria Picca, senior vice-presisumers have slowed their spending and retailers dent, licensing and business affairs for the have tightened up what they’re offering,” says NBA. “We’ve been lucky so far: basketSteve Cipolla, vice-president and general manball has shown tremendous resilience at ESPN teamed up with the NBA for a line of ager of ESPN Consumer Products. “Retailers retail despite the tough economy. With apparel based around the NBA playoffs. and consumers are still looking for what’s new that said, we know the future is uncerand exciting. It is just harder to excite the consumer into a purchase.” tain, so we continue to work with our partners to make the best The approach of fewer, more targeted SKUs can work to the decisions for our business.” advantage of everyone involved in the purchase of a licensed prodThe economy may pose challenges to the sports licensing indusuct. A large, unfocused retail assortment can sometimes just try, but the sports culture is thoroughly ingrained into the lifestyle of muddy the waters for a brand. so many Americans. Especially in the midst of a troubled economy, “What we are particularly sensitive to is not flooding the mar- they turn to sports as a diversion. In the process, sports licensors ket to the point that you overwhelm retailers and consumers,” hope to offer these potential consumers opportunities to live the says NFLPA’s Gordon. “You want to offer a nice, healthy set of sports lifestyle off of the TV screen.

The Economy

ROYALTIE$ JUNE 2009

35

Sports Licensing Sports have become a deeply ingrained part of a lot of Americansʼ lifestyle. Licensors of sports properties offer a wide range of products to tap into this lifestyle, and take the sports that people love out of the stadium and off of the TV.

by Chris Adams

NBA

Recent signings for the NBA include licenses with Betty Boop, Soft as Grape, Coveroo, and Cartoon Network’s Ben 10 (shown), which was successful when launched at the 2009 NBA All-Star Jam Session. In addition, Panini has signed on for trading cards.

WWE

Among the WWE’s newest licensees is Digital Blue. Items in the line include a range of pocket-sized cameras (a Triple H version is shown) as well as the WWE Smackdown Alarm Clock Radio. In addition, licensees F.A.B. Starpoint, Topps, and Franco Manufacturing have new products in the works.

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MLB

Major League Baseball licensee Fundex Games’ licensed products include the Chicago Cubs Rubik’s Cube (shown). Other teams available include the Yankees, Mets, Red Sox, Tigers, White Sox, Brewers, and Cardinals, among others.

TNA Wrestling

The primary focus of the TNA licensing program is not entirely on new acquisitions, but rather on figuring out how to adapt to the current retail climate. Big news for TNA is the 2010 launch of products from master toy licensee Jakks Pacific. That deal was recently expanded by granting Jakks’ Disguise a Halloween costume license. Pending deals include children’s activity books and photo kiosk centers.

MLBPA

As the teams took to the New York Mets’ new stadium, Citi Field, stadium concessionaire Aramark opened the Players Clubhouse: A Players Choice Store. The store provides the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) and its licensees with a unique opportunity to launch new items, test future products, and host player-related events.

Shown in the picture below, at the launch of Citi Field’s The Players Clubhouse are, left to right, Kevin Youkilis (Red Sox), Marlon Anderson (Mets), Steve Marcinchak (senior retail manager at Aramark), Judy Heeter (director of business affairs at MLBPA), Dustin Pedroia (Red Sox), and J.J. Putz (Mets).

Rawlings

ToyQuest and Rawlings Sporting Goods Company have expanded their existing licensing partnership. This program includes a variety of youth development and early performance training aids for preschoolers. The products are expected to be introduced in 2010.

ESPn

ESPN recently signed on Jay Franco to produce an action sports lifestyle home collection for ESPN’s X-Games brand (shown). Also on the way for X-Games, which celebrates its 15th year this year, are skateboard and snowboard fingerboards from Mattel.

CLC

Collegiate Licensing Company licensee McFarlane Toys introduces a line of action figures showing current NFL stars in their college uniforms. The line includes Tom Brady (shown).

FIFA

The global rollout of the first official range of FIFAbranded clothing and merchandise is set to begin later this year ahead of the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa. The move follows a long-term worldwide agreement with Global Brands Group to manage the FIFA licensing program. In addition to two seasonal launches, Global Brands Group is developing a line based around the World Cup event.

Warner Bros.

Warner Bros.

Consumer Products manages a portfolio of soccer franchises for licensing, including FC Barcelona, Manchester United, Juventus FC, Paris Saint-Germain, São Paulo Football Club, Mexico’s National Team, and Club America. WBCP also represents high-profile soccer tournaments.

It represented the UEFA Euro 2008 championship.

Little League

SloaneVision, which manages the Little League Baseball licensing program, recently announced an expansion of its deal with Activision to produce the Little League World Series 2009 video game for Nintendo’s Wii and DS.

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S

CARTOON NETWORK SETS COURSE FOR DOMINATION, EXPANDS PROGRAMMING AND BRANDING by Christopher Byrne etting its sights on becoming a “dominant youth brand,” Cartoon Network

(CN) announced an aggressive new

content strategy for the 2009–2010 season.

Combining, of course, animated programming

with live-action series, movies, and online entertainment, the network is continuing the 360-degree approach to content that has fueled its momentum over the past year.

Stuart Snyder, president and COO of Turner

Broadcasting’s animation, young adults, and

kids’ media division, says that the upcoming season represents two years of evolution as the

network invested heavily in getting to know its target audience. “We really know kids ages

6–14,” he says. “We are going after things that have real interest [to this audience].”

The new slate of programming is aggres-

sive by any standards. CN has announced seven new animated series, four original

movies, six live-action “alternative” series, and two scripted live-action pilots. The net-

work has also unveiled a new kind of reality programming as an outgrowth of its sports

partnership with the NBA for a short-form series. In addition, CN has ordered 164 new,

half-hour episodes of returning comedy and action-adventure animated series. All of which

Snyder calls the largest commitment to new content development in CN history.

The sports programming in particular illus-

trates the new direction for CN. Snyder says

that it’s a natural extension of the 25-year

broadcasting partnership between Turner Sports and the NBA. The new show My Dad’s

a Pro is a reality series that features Jaelen

House, son of Celtics guard Eddie House.

Beyond the premise of looking at the life of a

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ROYALTIE$ JUNE 2009

major sports star through the eyes of

says. For example, in Ben 10,

a kid, the show represents CN’s

the Omnitrix (the gadget

commitment to 360-degree pro-

Ben wears on his wrist

gramming, with content on a wide

that transforms him into

range of platforms, including online,

different aliens), “has

mobile, video-on-demand, and on-air.

been one of the best role-

Snyder says that this is just one

playing toys of the past year,

example of how the network is “very

selling day-in and day-out.”

focused on boys,” and he adds that

Her job, she says is to

CN has invested heavily in under-

find out “what’s meaningful

standing this market—“why they watch what they do, what they read, and how they interact at school, home, and on the playground.”

This gives CN the competitive

to boys.” She says that the

Ben from Ben 10

quality of the partner and their understanding of what will resonate as

product is very important.

advantage in addressing the audi-

Yet she also points to CN’s in-house design

spin-offs of such hits as Ben 10 and Total Drama

able resource. CN has also become a licensing

ence with authenticity.

Among the new shows are extensions and

Island. The four live-action and animated origi-

nal movies include Ben 10: Alien Swarm and

Scooby Doo! The Mystery Begins. Alternative

live-action series include a group of kids as ghost hunters in The Othersiders and Dude,

What Would Happen is a reality show in which questions lead to stunts. Among the animated shows returning next season are Star Wars: The

Clone Wars, Chowder, The Secret Saturdays, and Batman: The Brave and the Bold.

Virtually all of these have digital compo-

nents that have made CartoonNetwork.com one of the top-five sites for kids, with nearly two billion gameplays in 2008.

All of this content is a potential bonanza

for licensing, and that end of the business falls

under Christina Miller, vice-president Cartoon Network Enterprises. “With a wealth of con-

tent, you have a wealth of opportunity,” she

staff that knows both the properties and product development intimately, acting as a valuagent, taking on that role for Bakugan with

Spin Master and Nelvana, allowing a multiplatform approach to brand development.

Commenting on CN’s move into live

action, Miller adds that the programming is so different from typical animation that new strategies are required to maximize the proper-

ties into consumer brands. The goal, she says

is to maximize the air space on the network and the retail space for licensed goods, which she says is accomplished through great work-

ing relationships across the board and “really smart people working well together.”

Simplistic as that may sound, it is nonethe-

less proving effective, not just for licensing

and merchandising but for all of the efforts of Cartoon Network. The marketplace is changing and challenging, but the network is evolving to meet it, and success is in their sights.

Every product comes with a guaranteed smile

Jelly Belly速 is the brand name for the best jelly beans in the world. TLC has worked with Jelly Belly to re-create the color, shape and flavor of the best loved beans into an assortment of products including desserts, drinks, apparel, accessories and an award winning range of HBA. With 55 licensees in four territories and listings in over 30,000 retail doors, Jelly Belly is no ordinary candy brand.

Discover how to make your customers smile, come and visit TLC in Vegas... logon to: www.thelicensingcompany.com email: VEGAS@thelicensingcompany.com or call: +1 (212) 413-0880

London, Paris, Munich, New York, Tokyo

H

Kenn Viselman Returns with The Oogieloves

e’s the marketing genius behind world-famous and beloved characters—and he’s more than a little bit of a character himself. What’s more, he’s been AWOL from the licensing biz for a couple of years, and his special blend of content, creativity, and showbiz has been sorely missed. In fact, people have been wondering: Whatever happened to Kenn Viselman?

Well, wonder no more. In characteristic style, Viselman comes roaring back into the children’s entertainment business this year with a brand new property, a $10 million movie, and a whole new concept for the preschool market.

Called The Oogieloves, this new group of characters is designed to “provide an interactive family experience at the movie theater,” Viselman says. He says that interactive viewing is the next big thing and he says that his film, The Oogieloves in the Big Balloon Adventure is designed for kids to be kids in the movie theater.

“Traditionally, children are told to sit in their seat and be quiet,” Viselman explains.

“With this, they’re encouraged to dance.

Children feel like they’re the catalyst for making things happen in the story.”

Essentially, he asks people to imagine the fun adults have playing along with The Rocky Horror Picture Show and then translate that to kids, with the movement and the play growing organically out of what’s happening on the screen and translating into the viewing experience for kids.

Viselman explains that the genesis of the idea came from several experiences of his own. First he says, “We’re in two wars and a

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by Christopher Byrne

recession. I believe that families are desperate to do things for their children to get them away from things. And so we created the safest, most joyous place ever made.”

Secondly, he says that the goal was to create an interactive experience for the whole family. “I got upset because I’d been reading about childhood obesity, so I created a TV series that dealt with it. It was a health and nutrition series, and it was really sweet. Every network said it was a good idea, and ‘we understand.’ Yet, either they were not interested in covering it, or the material wasn’t jazzy enough,” he explains.

Viselman says that less than 11 percent of children get more than an hour of outdoor play a week. “They’re just watching screens and getting fatter and fatter. So, what I’m really focusing my life on now is the difference between passive and active viewing,” he says.

Since the networks weren’t interested, Viselman pursued other funding, and raised the money to begin filming, which is going on right now for a planned theatrical release later this year. Viselman says he has assembled a cast of humans to interact with the Oogieloves on their quest. The lineup includes Cloris Leachman, Chazz Palminteri, Toni Braxton, Jaime Pressly, Chris Sarandon, Christopher Lloyd, and Cary Elwes. Each of these actors plays a human who interacts with the Oogieloves as they go off in chase of balloons for a birthday party.

Viselman says that music and dance are central to the experience of the film. The screenplay and lyrics are by Scott Stabile, and the music is by newcomer Josh Gronner.

Viselman says that all kinds of major songwriters had approached him about doing the 11 original songs for the film—in a wide variety of styles from rock to polka to Latin beats—but he was impressed by Gronner’s sound, which Viselman describes as “innocent and lovely.”

As they watch the film, children will learn the songs and the dance steps so that they can participate. Viselman says that he selected Matthew Diamond, who most recently choreographed Camp Rock, to do the choreography because he understood preschoolers as well as dance.

Regarding merchandising and licensing, Viselman says that it’s early yet. However, in characteristic fashion, he’s convinced that there will be a market. “I need to see the reaction first before I can chart the merchandising,” he says. Viselman notes that when Toy Story first came out there was no licensing, and then manufacturers were chasing it afterward.

“If it’s big that will set me up for the next big thing. This is not a six-week window,” he says. “It will shock me if people don’t look at these characters and go, ‘they’re fantastic!’”

Right now, Viselman is beaming with pride. He says that he has never been so committed to a project before and that he’s really involved in every element of the film. He also says, “I’m really optimistic that people will embrace the property the way I have.”

Given Viselman’s track record, it’s a safe bet he’s on to something.

P

Pepsi Pushes Consumers on Path of Optimism

by Nancy Lombardi

epsi has more than 100 years of brand equity with consumers around the globe. And in that time Pepsi has always reflected what’s happening with consumers, most notably the younger generation mirroring, and sometimes helping to drive, the mood of the times.

One of Pepsi’s earliest slogans was “I’ll Cool You,” which debuted in the early 1900s.

Over the years, they went on to become “The Light Refreshment” providing “More Bounce to the Ounce” to “The Pepsi Generation.” And Pepsi has time and again invited consumers to “Be Young. Have Fun. Drink Pepsi.” These slogans were a success making Pepsi “The Choice of a New Generation.”

During these 100-plus years, PepsiCo, Inc., has introduced a host of other beverages as well as food brands around the world. But its flagship product, Pepsi, still speaks to today’s youth and reflects the mood of the times. As 2009 began, Pepsi ushered in its newest campaign called “Refresh Everything,” which focused on optimism. Yet as the new year began, optimism was not a word that anyone would have used to describe the mood of Americans, or anyone else on the planet, given the state of the global economy for starters.

But as we enter the summer the mood may be shifting and perhaps Pepsi is correct in that we need to “Refresh Everything.” This ad campaign came out of extensive testing of millennials who reportedly have a more confident and positive outlook on

Refresh Everything is the new tagline for Pepsi and shown here is the new logo, evoking a smile. The Joester Loria Group is developing a licensing program around the logo and tagline, which promotes optimism.

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the future than previous generations.

And with that The Joester Loria Group (JLG), which represents Pepsi for licensing, will step in to create a line of products featuring these optimistic, happy, fresh graphics targeting these millennials and spreading good thoughts all the way up to baby boomers. Consumers will begin to see products featuring the new “smile” Pepsi logo, shown below, this year.

At this year’s Licensing Show, JLG will showcase “new graphics for Pepsi licensees,” says Joanne Loria, executive vice-president and COO for JLG. “The new logo has created a lot more visibility for the brand and it has helped to foster success [for the licensed products].”

Loria says this new direction gives JLG a lot to work with as it relates to potential products, graphics packaging, and web opportunities.

There is a wide range of products coming from numerous licensees. Briefly Stated offers a collection of men’s and juniors’ Pepsi loungewear and sleepwear, including the popular men’s “boxers in a can.”

Fashion tops and T-shirts are available from Trau & Loevner for men and juniors. These are now available across all channels spanning such diverse retailers as Urban Outfitters and Kohl’s.

Concept One expands on its nationally distributed Pepsi headwear collection with T-shirt/hat bundles and flip flops, which are now available.

Lotta Luv is developing a Pepsi-branded lip balm program. It will include assorted lip balms and glosses for this holiday across multiple channels of distribution.

Scheduled to launch at The Accessories Show in August are Pepsi-branded reusable tote bags by Envirosax for specialty retailers.

In 2008, the Pepsi licensing program expanded into Canada with men’s and juniors’ T-shirts, loungewear, and sleepwear from The House. Launching at specialty store Bluenotes, the program continues to

move into all channels of distribution including Wal-Mart, Sears, and Zellers.

Are You Amp?

Pepsi may be the flagship brand of PepsiCo, Inc., but there are many other brands that shine bright. Amp Energy Drink is one such example. It is the first energy drink to have a significant and successful licensing program, according to JLG, which represents the brand. It appeals to an incredibly wide demographic and is associated with a variety of sports such as the NHL, snowboarding, NASCAR, and BMX. The Amp line includes Trau & Loevner men’s and juniors’ T-shirts. There are also men’s and juniors’ specialty T-shirts expected this holiday from Giant.

A seasonal board shorts, flip flops, and headwear program launched at Wal-Mart this past spring from Concept One. Accessories by Concept One are currently available across multiple channels of distribution including specialty stores such as Lids and Spencer’s.

Briefly Stated offers a collection of men’s and juniors’ sleepwear, loungewear, and novelty boxers, available across mid-tier and mass-market retailers.

Men’s swimwear and board shorts by Isaac Morris are currently available at Target.

TNT Distributing will offer cell phone chargers and flashlights this fall, available at convenience stores and mass-market retailers.

Sunglasses will be added to the program in spring 2010 at multiple channels of distribution.

These two diverse brands, Pepsi and Amp, offer a range of products for fans of all ages.

“Pepsi is a cultural icon and we always mix the newest looks with current trends so we remain on the cutting edge,” says Loria.

No doubt JLG will offer a dose of optimism mixed with energy reflecting the message of both Pepsi and Amp to its licensees and retailers.

W

DIRECT MAIL IS JUST DUKKY

by Nancy Lombardi

e have all reached into our mailbox and pulled out the over-stuffed envelope filled with coupons from local businesses. But how many of us actually use those coupons?

Typically the coupons offer the same few options as the previous mailing for discounts at the car wash or the dry cleaner.

What if the envelope allowed consumers to customize their preferences online for where they shop and what they want to buy?

Dukky is one such company that is looking to change the face of direct mail. Dukky is utilizing traditional direct mail tactics in conjunction with today’s web technology to offer consumers a way to customize coupons.

A direct mail packet is sent to the consumer containing what are essentially gift cards. The consumer is directed to a website, which is on the back of the card with a customized URL and assigned password.

The consumer logs onto the site and follows a series of prompts to build a profile of their shopping habits and how they choose to be contacted. The consumer will then be targeted by businesses they are interested in.

“We refer to this as ‘unjunking’ your mail,” says Scott Couvillon, president of marketing and development for Dukky. “It only lets through the things that you want, which is ultimately a benefit to the consumer.

If it’s a benefit to the consumer, then the market is also benefitting.”

Once the set-up is complete, the next step in the process is capturing purchase intent, explains Couvillon. “We present 10 offers and ask the consumer what they plan on using,” he says. “Even if this person doesn’t make a purchase now they could be a viable

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candidate for these stores in the future.”

At this point the gift cards have been activated and are ready for use. Dukky then gives consumers the option to share this information with friends and family. “Activation of a second recipient is high because it’s endorsed by a friend,” says Couvillon.

He adds that this information can be posted by users to social networking sites to draw in even more friends. From there others can also go through an activation process. “That consumer can then create their own profile with their habits,” he says.

The benefits for the consumer are obvious—they are basically choosing the businesses they want to frequent from the group that Dukky is working with. Dukky does plan to work with major brands and the example mail piece provided illustrated discounts to Saks Fifth Avenue, Ruth Chris Steak House, Pottery Barn, Williams Sonoma, David Yurman, Banana Republic, and Jet Blue Airways.

The reason Dukky is issuing gift cards, according to Couvillon, is that a consumer perceives a gift card to be a better value than simply using Dukky to advertise lowerpriced items available from a specific retailer. A consumer will have a more positive reaction to a $300 gift card to save money on a $1,500 flat screen TV at Best Buy, for example, rather than Best Buy simply offering consumers a $1,200 flat screen.

If the consumer is creating a profile, the benefits to business are more than obvious.

In addition to targeting consumers that truly frequent an establishment there is a nearguaranteed sale or multiple sales at some point along the line. But in addition, busi-

Shown here is an example of the social response page from the Dukky dashboard, which is available to participating retailers.

nesses that sign on “are gaining online assets that feed a ‘dashboard’ so all the participating retailers have access in real time to what the customers are doing,” explains Couvillon. “If we drop a million pieces on a Monday, then on Tuesday morning one can see how many consumers activated, how many passed it on to friends, and who activated it from the pass along.”

Retailers can quickly see what is working and what isn’t and make changes to the offers in real time, maximizing their investment.

In addition, retailers can use Dukky to target existing rewards customers with specific promotions. The Dukky system has applications beyond just a retailer reaching a consumer. A variety of businesses can engage the system to garner new customers.

Couvillon used American Express as one example. He also explained that it can have business-to-business applications using trade shows as an example.

Direct mail, at one time, was a popular way to reach the consumer. It can now be used to more effectively target consumers now that technology makes so many options available to both consumer and retailer.

For Licensing Opportunities: 4KidsEntertainment.com • 1414 Avenue of the Americas • New York, NY 10019 • 212-758-7666 • 4info@4kidsent.com Brand Building Through Licensing • A Division of 4Kids Entertainment © 2009 American Kennel Club, Inc. © 2009 Cat Fanciers’ Association, Inc.

LICENSING SHOW 2009 Value Is the Latest Licensing Buzzword

E

ntering the 2009 International Licensing Expo (better known as Licensing Show), the licensing industry has a list of challenges and obstacles on its plate. While there still is a place for licensed brands in the marketplace, the international recession has sent more value-conscious consumers turning to store brands than in any time in recent history.

The recession and tighter pocketbooks have also forced cash-strapped consumers to focus more on essential products and shy away from superfluous purchases.

This value-focused mindset has also caused a shift where retailers are expecting more out of licensed products. Licensors in this climate can no longer coast on the inherent equity associated with longstanding brands. They have to offer retailers and consumers something more. In speaking with a range of top licensors, the word that came up most frequently was “value.” If licensors and licensees cannot offer consumers and retailers value, they are dead on the shelf.

“The most successful brands, especially in the licensing world, will be those that combine strong consumer emotional connections, application to value-added or innovative products, and direct licensor support,” says Bill Cross, executive vicepresident at Broad Street Licensing Group.

“Studies show that consumers are trading down to private label/store brands, but continue to prefer national brands when the products deliver value.”

As consumers are turning increasingly to value products and store brands, retailers

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are placing the onus on licensors and licensees to come up with winning combinations of value and innovation to earn shelf space. Retailers across the board have suffered from having an overstock of inventory, so they are being very conservative in buying new products to reside on their shelves.

“Maintaining retail placement is one of the key challenges in this economy as retailers scale back, consider private label options, and adjust their buying decisions,” says Debra Joester, president of The Joester Loria Group. “The appeal and value of a brand hasn’t changed, however the value proposition of the retailer and consumer needs to be addressed.”

In order to create a feeling of value among retailers, licensors are turning toward strategies such as in-store events, promotions, gift with purchase, and exclusive products at promotional price points. Sure, this means that licensors are working harder for every dollar earned, but that scenario sure beats not continuing to receive the same amount of retail placement. Times are tough for retailers, and licensors and licensees need to do everything they can to meet these needs—to the benefit of everyone involved.

“Retailers are looking for brands that come attached with marketing initiatives and are on the whole not prepared to back something that doesn’t stand out on its own right,” says Angela Farrugia, group managing director at The Licensing Company. “Brand extensions that stand out tend to be innovative, relevant, and represent quality and value.”

While sales of licensed products may be falling off in certain channels, licensors are

by Chris Adams looking elsewhere to place their products.

While there certainly has been an ongoing trend, even before the bottom fell out of the economy, toward finding niche distribution channels, the tougher, more competitive retail environment has made this strategy even more important for licensors.

“As a licensor, our responsibility is all about channel management,” says Nicole Blake, senior vice-president of marketing at Classic Media. “We are looking at all the possible channels of distribution and offering exclusives for each channel.”

Blake cites the example of offering sample-sized products to the dollar store channel as a successful execution of that strategy. Dollar stores and other channels that offer value to consumers, whether real or perceived, are thriving in this climate. It would behoove licensors to pay close attention to those channels.

In addition to finding more niche distribution channels, licensors are also presenting retailers with solid, niche brands to suit the risk averse climate. Big brands and big entertainment events certainly offer the potential of big gains, but they also present the possibility of offering a big failure. Licensees and retailers have to invest more heavily into these tentpoles and if they flop, everyone loses.

“The formula for blowing out an ‘entertainment event’ doesn’t work in the long term,” says Glenn Hendricks, vice-president, business development, at SloaneVision Unlimited. “Retailers buy too much, expect discounts too often, and limit the selection of licenses available. They put the burden on the licensee without examining a new

way of buying and managing inventory.

More brands, less inventory, and targeted marketing to draw people to the shelves will sell more product in the long run.”

There are a few ways that retailers, licensors, and licensees are adapting to the current economic climate that have radically changed consumer buying habits and opinions. The key is for these entities to continue trying new ways of reaching out to consumers to reinforce the bonds that consumers have with brands. They have to find new ways of doing it because, at least for now, the rules have changed.

“The biggest challenge for every retailer and manufacturer is how well they can adapt to the new world market and the new world consumer, since both have changed forever,” says Justin Watson, director at BAM Brands. “It is important to know your customer and design product that meets and exceeds their expectations.”

In addition to exceeding consumer expectations with license execution and product offerings, licensors are also looking at taking advantage of new forms of communication to reach their target consumers. As consumers are increasingly adept at tuning out traditional forms of marketing, emerging forms of new media become important.

“Direct-to-consumer marketing is important,” says The Joester Loria Group’s Joester.

“Emerging platforms, including blogs and Twitter, are effective ways to communicate with target consumers. We have found this to be particularly effective with new moms for juvenile products and for tweens and teens.”

In addition to economy-related challenges facing the industry, there are also a few issues revolving around Licensing Show that are catching the attention of the licensing industry. The highest profile issue has to do with Licensing Show’s move from New York City’s Jacob Javits Center to Las Vegas’s Mandalay Bay. Some of the concerns for the new venue

are the expected jitters and jeers that are associated with any big change; some people just resist change. And some of the concern stems out of the West Coast locale.

“My concern is whether the West Coast location will minimize the global attendance,” says David Luner, senior vice-president of interactive & consumer products at FremantleMedia Enterprises, North America. “We have also heard that most companies are cutting back expenses, which could affect attendance in a negative way, or it could have the reverse effect of offering very targeted and focused meetings as companies minimize the length of their attendance at the show.”

Many of those interviewed (certainly excluding those in the New York vicinity) did say that travel and hotel costs are cheaper at Mandalay Bay than in New York City. In addition, the drayage costs associated with the venue are less expensive than those of the Javits Center, which has some of the highest drayage costs in the country.

Regardless of the pros and cons of the Las Vegas venue, those interviewed were all cautiously optimistic. Everyone said that at this point the verdict is still out and that they would certainly have more opinions after the show.

In addition to more opinions after the show, those in the licensing industry may also have more options in regard to trade shows. There is a proposed trade show on the horizon called THE Licensing Event that, if it comes to fruition, will be held next April in the Jacob Javits Center. The organizer, Linda Cohen of Trade Show Events, International, says she has casual verbal support from at least 50 exhibitors.

Most of those interviewed said they would be unable to offer an opinion of this proposed show at least until after Licensing Show. After all, it seems that this new show’s reason for being seems to have

sprung forth from displeasure in the move to the West Coast.

“We don’t plan to split time between two licensing trade shows,” says Bill McClinton, senior vice-president of licensing at Global Icons. “I’m not sure that, in this state of the trade show business, the licensing industry can warrant two trade shows.”

One point that McClinton touched upon is something that is discussed more and more: the viability, role, and future of trade shows in general. Opinions on this range from thinking that large trade shows are still very important, to those who say smaller and targeted trade shows will soon be the norm, to those who say trade shows are antiquated. Certainly, this June’s Licensing Show and the opinions that come out of it will play a large role in the future of trade shows in the licensing industry.

Regardless of the role of trade shows, the biggest pressing issue right now is the economy, how it affects retail, and what licensors and licensees plan on doing as the economy gains traction and pulls out of the recession.

“Strong brands continually give off positive connotations to the consumers, but in differing strengths depending on the economic climate,” says Michelle Minieri, president of Bradford Licensing. “A stronger sense of positivity for a brand will organically return once the economy recovers and consumers are back in stores. Overall, a brand needs to show the consumer that it has felt the crunch as well and is now helping rebuild the economy one purchase at a time.”

As licensors try to convey this positivity that is so important to a recovering economy, they are looking forward to 2010 and preparing their brands for the eventual upswing. Hopefully 2010 offers less uncertainty in terms of Licensing Show and the overall economy. In the meantime, those in the licensing industry will keep making the most of what is a difficult situation.

ROYALTIE$ JUNE 2009

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LICENSING SHOW 2009 CRAYOLA Crayola has expanded its licensing portfolio with a number of new deals across multiple categories.

Core Learning has launched the Crayola Art Studio, which is a drawing and painting digital art program for children. It features a wide range of drawing and painting tools that simulate real Crayola art tools. Crave Entertainment has launched the Crayola Colorful Journey game for the Nintendo Wii that allows children to create tools and props to aid the main characters, Fillup and Violet, through levels of obstacles. Makit Products has introduced Crayola Create-a-Plate kits that let children preserve their artwork on melamine plates, cups, and trays. Poof-Slinky will be including Crayola crayons and Silly Putty in a nostalgic Hall of Fame pack.

Crayola will also be working with a number of licensees for new apparel products.

Invisible Stripes will make new tees and sweatshirts for later in 2009 at specialty and boutique markets.

Rasta Imposta will be manufacturing children’s and adult’s Halloween costumes and masks. The line will launch for Halloween 2010.

M.Z. Berger ships and distributes Crayola bath and personal care products, including Color Dropz, tub crayons, and tub markers.

JIM HENSON COMPANY

BRAND CENTRAL

The Jim Henson Company has announced that the Fraggle Rock property will be available for licensing opportunities directly through the company’s own newly formed licensing division. As the five year agency agreement with HIT Entertainment has expired, The Jim Henson Company will manage all licensing and merchandising endeavors for the Fraggle Rock brand in-house. Other properties available for licensing include classics such as Labyrinth, Dark Crystal, Farscape, and Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas.

Brand Central has added new clients to its roster. The company will now act as the licensing agent for Dr Pepper Snapple, Jarden Outdoor Solutions and Branded Consumables, and HIT Entertainment in the food, beverage, health, and beauty categories.

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LICENSING SHOW 2009 DESIGN PLUS

Design Plus will be looking for additional licensees for the Icee brand and Icee Slush Puppy brand. Current licensees include Jerry Leigh Sportswear, Outdoor Cap, Edward Jay Accessories, Koko’s Confectionery and Novelty, J&J Frozen Snacks, and Jel Sert.

Design Plus is also expanding its Tarzan brand into food and beverage for the first time. Marketed under the brand name A Taste of Strength, the Tarzan food and beverage brand will emphasize healthy eating with the taste of African jungle fruit and other nutritious flavors.

The company will also be seeking additional licensees for the Spam brand and has added subagents for the brand in the UK and Japan. LMI will handle UK licensing and merchandising, while Cosmo Merchandising will handle branding efforts in Japan.

ACT III LICENSING Act III Licensing will be launching a new licensing program for the Sunkist beverage brand. The brand will be focused around the Sunkist name and fruit crate art for non-food categories. Target categories include housewares, apparel, and stationery products.

Act III will also be representing the Ray Charles estate. The program will include Ray Charles’ name and likeness and hundreds of never-before-seen photographs, in honor of what would have been Charles’ 80th birthday. Categories include apparel, stationery, and collectibles.

The company is also adding new game titles to its roster through two new game developer clients, PlayFirst and I-Play. In addition to new licensing opportunities for Diner Dash and the Dream Day series, there will be new games launched such as BubbleTown, Doggie Dash, and Diaper Dash.

SLOANEVISION UNLIMITED SloaneVision Unlimited (SVU) has renewed the licensing agreement between its client, Little League Baseball, and video game publisher Activision Blizzard. Activision has announced that it will produce Little League World Series Baseball 2009, the sequel to the 2008 game. The new game will be released on the Wii and Nintendo DS systems. SVU has also announced a number of new licensees for Little League Baseball, including TradeMarc Productions, Give and Take, Pacific Direct, Celebrate Express, and Late for the Sky. SVU has also secured new licensees for a number of its clients. The DQ brand will be expanded with products from Game Mill, Trau & Loevner, Infinity Headwear, Boley, Lotta Luv, and BioWorld. PrintCentives and Kurt Adler have signed on for Slinky and Changes has signed on for G4.

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LICENSING SHOW 2009 COPCORP LICENSING

JEWEL BRANDING & LICENSING

CopCorp has signed a deal with Go!Animate to include Jim Benton’s It’s Happy Bunny characters, scenes, icons, props, and motions into the Go!Animate website. Users of the website will now be able to create animated adventures featuring the characters from the It’s Happy Bunny brand.

CopCorp has also inked a deal with Accessory Zone to act as a licensee for Pink Cookie Design.

Accessory Zone will produce stationery, bath and body items, hair care, and home design.

Jewel Branding & Licensing has signed a new partnership with Traffic NYC, the management agency representing IZAK Zenou. Jewel Branding & Licensing will be licensing the IZAK brand for all product categories including apparel, stationery, and home décor.

360EP 360ep will showcase a wide variety of brands at this year’s Licensing Show. Tattoo Johnny has recently signed with Franco for bed and bath and Rizzoli for 2011 calendars. 360ep continues to expand the programs for properties from Showtime Networks, such as Californication, Dexter, The Tudors, and The L Word. The Sanctify brand, which has been successfully extended into headwear, loungewear, footwear, and more, will be expanded further as 360ep looks for partners in jewelry, home goods, and novelties. Mad Engine has also begun licensing its proprietary brands and artwork through 360ep.

360ep is also promoting its own proprietary brands. Intelligent Design is a brand that features iconic images and messages to allow consumers to express themselves through apparel. The company has also signed a deal with Basic Fun to produce 360ep’s Gulpers, plush that can grab fingers with a pull of the tail.

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The Official New York City Licensing RFP. Applying is as easy as N-Y-C. NYC & Company’s licensing division is now seeking proposals via a request for proposal (RFP) for licensing rights to a wide range of categories.* To view, and download the RFP visit nycgo.com/licensing.

Proposals are due no later than June 26, 2009 @ 5pm.

For more info, email licensing@nycgo.com or call 212-484-1200.

*Product categories are: Adult Apparel; Children’s Apparel; Souvenirs, Novelties and Collectibles (Games, Puzzles, Toys, Ornaments, Sporting Goods); Plush Products; Replica Vehicles; and Licensing Representation Outside North America.

Proposals will be considered from manufacturers, master licensees, agents or other parties. Prospective licensees are invited to compete for multiple categories.

NYC & Company is the City’s official marketing, partnership and tourism organization.

This is New York City nycgo.com

LICENSING SHOW 2009 BIG TENT ENTERTAINMENT Big Tent Entertainment will continue to expand its Domo brand with new expansions in multiple categories. Virtual Greats will bring the brand into the virtual world by creating, marketing, and selling Domothemed virtual goods. Music Skin is creating a line of mobile, iPod, and computer skins. New apparel products from Changes and Concept One, as well as plush toys from Play Along are on the way. Dark Horse is releasing a full line of new Qee’s, while TokyoPop will release the first Domo English-language manga this fall. Big Tent will also be holding a major promotion event for Domo in the fall with a major retailer, which will be announced in the coming months.

The Crusty Demons brand, based on the motocross team that has featured extreme sports celebrities such as Nate Adams and Seth Enslow, will see product launches in multiple categories. Bell Sports is developing skateboards for mass-market retailers, available initially at Toys ‘R’ Us. Fifth Sun will be expanding its apparel line into mass. Jakks Pacific will create branded toys as part of the MXS Road Champs line. Domo collectible from Play Along Big Tent will also be introducing two new properties. Swim, Swim Fizi is based on the book Hooray For Fish by author-illustrator Lucy Cousins, the creator behind the Maisy Mouse book series. Big Tent will develop a licensing program geared toward families. Core categories will include bath and beach accessories, toys, games, home video, and swimwear. Purple Ronnie, created by Giles Andreae, is a successful brand in the UK. Big Tent will debut a U.S. licensing program for the brand at Licensing Show 2009, focused on social expression, casual games, publishing, apparel, gift, and novelties.

CREATIVE MINX MARKETING Creative Minx Marketing will represent Electronic Arts for outbound licensing opportunities for several of EA’s key franchises.

Creative Minx will create brand extension through merchandising across multiple categories, such as collectibles, peripherals, apparel, and accessories for multiple EA franchises. Brands and properties included in this agreement include The Sims, MySims, Dead Space, Mass Effect 2, Dragon Age, Dante’s Inferno, and Army of Two.

KKM GLOBAL BRAND STRATEGIES Jesco Imports, Inc., announced the appointment of KKM Global Brand Strategies to represent its interests in the sale of the trademark and copyrights known as Kewpie. Born in 1909 from the creative vision of artist Rose O’Neill, this wholesome character’s name and facial character likeness are protected by U.S. and international trademarks. Its copyright was recently renewed. This year is the 100th anniversary of the icon. Kewpie has had a presence in the market via publishing, dolls, figurines, plates, jewelry, U.S. postage commemorative stamps, and other product categories.

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LICENSING SHOW 2009 MATTEL Mattel will be expanding its Hot Wheels and Barbie brands into a wide variety of categories, including beauty, games, party décor, outdoor play, and more.

Mattel will expand the Barbie brand with new deals. In the beauty category, T3 Micro will produce a limited-edition featherweight blow dryer, available in September. Markwins has also signed on for a full beauty collection that will include items such as lip gloss, lip balm, nail polish, eye shadow, and more.

For gifts, Becker Mayer will produce the official 50th anniversary book, titled All Doll’d Up: Celebrating 50 Years of Barbie. The book will include nine interactive components, including a Barbie fan club membership card, as well as 350 dolls and fashions. ToyQuest has signed on to produce a variety of outdoor toys, including chalk, hoops, jacks, and bubbles. ToyQuest will also be producing pools, sand boxes, and gardening accessories.

The Hot Wheels brand will see more expansion, especially around the new original animated series Hot Wheels Battle Force 5, which will air on Cartoon Network. Creative Design International (CDI) will be producing a full line of toys for the brand, which will hit retail in spring 2010. The Hilco Corporation will be making candy products for the Hot Wheels brand. The Tube Toppers line will feature a candy-filled Car and Stamper, as well as a Wind Up ’N Roll Car Track for racing. The Candy Filled Race Car Dispenser is a free-wheeling car that can dispense candy at will.

CBS CONSUMER PRODUCTS CBS Consumer Products will launch a new licensing program for NCIS and expand its licensing programs for 90210 and America’s Next Top Model into new categories. The company is launching anniversary campaigns for its Television City classic series Happy Days, The Brady Bunch, and Twilight Zone. Star Trek will extend its presence with movie, classic, and branded products for fans and collectors. Licensing opportunities will also be available for the films Consent to Kill and Beastly.

IMAGINATION ENTERTAINMENT Based on the Discovery Channel TV show, Imagination Entertainment’s Cash Cab game takes players all over Manhattan in a dash for cash. The further a player travels around the board by correctly answering trivia questions, the more cash he can earn. There are chances to double money, grab extra cash, or get out of the cab and lose all the cash. Players keep traveling until someone gathers $1,000 and wins the game.

Developed from Imagination’s Planet Earth DVD game, Earth features additional new questions, footage, and images. Four bonus mini games are included on the Earth DVD to help children exercise their short-term memory, test their powers of observation, practice counting skills, and learn more about the places, animals, and nature of the world.

The Family Feud DVD game pits two teams against each other as they answer questions straight from the show. Host John O’Hurley takes players through the game as they score, steal, and outsmart their opponents.

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LICENSING SHOW 2009 GLOBAL ICONS Global Icons is expanding its Hershey’s brand licensing program with new licensees and additional product lines from existing licensees. For apparel, the company has signed new licensees U.S. Co. Brand (for urban lifestyle apparel) and C-Life Group (for apparel tops exclusively for Old Navy). Mighty Fine will be introducing new juniors’ T-shirts and men’s T-shirts at Urban Outfitters, JCPenney, USB drives from Jazwares Macy’s, and Sears. MMG will produce Hershey’s brand hosiery and socks.

Jazwares will be producing Hershey-inspired USB drives, digital cameras, MP3 speakers, and digital photo frames. Pet Brands has launched a collection of pet toys and pet beds using Hershey’s branding.

The company is also expanding its Build-A-Bear Workshop brand with three new licensees. Upper Deck will launch a line of Pawsome Pals trading cards at Target and Build-A-Bear stores. Ellison Educational Equipment will create scrapbooking supplies for the brand, including die-cutting/embossing, stickers, stamps, pre-cut die-cut images, and more. Marian Heath Greeting Cards will produce customizable and activity-based social expressions based on the Build-A-Bear brand.

MOST MANAGEMENT

HASBRO

Most Management and Striker Entertainment have announced several new licensees for the Twilight series of feature films. Hallmark will produce greeting cards, ornaments, and party goods. Cardinal is producing board games. Necco will produce Sweethearts conversation candy and confections. New Moon, the sequel to Twilight, is scheduled for release in November. Eclipse, the third film, is scheduled for June of 2010.

Hasbro will be extending its brands for 2009 and 2010.

The Transformers brand will be expanded to coincide with the June 24 release of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.

Hasbro will also develop a program surrounding the G.I. JOE brand around G.I. JOE: The Rise of Cobra, scheduled for release in August.

My Little Pony and Littlest Pet Shop will also see new product extensions. My Little Pony will focus on the designated core cast of seven pony friends. The Littlest Pet Shop will continue to expand with products targeting tween girls.

Hasbro will continue to build up brands like Nerf, Playskool, and Tonka, as well as its game brands such as Monopoly and Scrabble.

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LICENSING SHOW 2009 NASCAR

SPEED RACER ENTERPRISES

NASCAR has signed a number of new licensing agreements across multiple categories. Jakks Pacific will release a line of NASCAR plush toys based on the NASCAR and Dale Earnhardt Jr. brands. K’NEX will introduce new vehicle-themed building and construction sets. WowWee will produce a NASCAR-themed line of Zipbots, which can be propelled by gentle vibrations. Outside of toys, Junkfood will release NASCAR-branded men’s, women’s, and children’s vintage T-shirts, knits, and yoga pants.

Transplant GPS will introduce a new NASCAR GPS device.

Speed Racer Enterprises will expand its online presence this year.

The first season of Speed Racer: The Next Generation and the entire classic series will be available for online viewing at websites such as YouTube, Hulu, iTunes, Crunchyroll, and Joost. Each service has fulllength episodes. The company has also renovated its website to include a secure online world where viewers can play games, do online activities, or download and print coloring pages.

Speed Racer Enterprises has also signed a deal with Nokia.

The phone company has begun releasing new cell phones that feature both Speed Racer: The Next Generation and the classic animated Speed Racer series programmed into each individual phone.

DCI LOS ANGELES Mameshiba, literally translated as bean-dog from Japanese, is a cast of talking beans with puppy dog faces that includes Fava Bean, Tiger Bean, Red Bean, Soybean, Chili Bean, Almond, Edamame, Peanut, Lentil, and subgroups of Jelly Bean and Coffee Bean characters. There are also a trio of Green Peas, a Chickpea, and “The Scream,” based on the famous painting of the same name by Edvard Munch. These characters spout oddball bits of trivia. The Mameshiba have evolved since their debut in March 2008 and now have more than 25 characters. The Mameshiba characters have generated more than $30 million in retail sales in 2008 in Japan alone. There are now more than 250 products produced by over 20 licensees, and the Mameshiba Trivia Book has sold more than 120,000 copies in just five months since its release in November 2008. The products have been at Kiddy Land, the premier Japanese toy retail chain. DCI Los Angeles (DCI-LA), a Dentsu America, Inc., division, will handle all licensing in all English-speaking territories, including U.S., Canada, UK, Australia, and New Zealand. An extensive style guide has been developed, including line art, color specifications, and design treatments, and DCI-LA is currently seeking licensees in the plush, toy, fashion, accessory, and collectible categories.

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AARDMAN Aardman has begun production on its next two animated feature-length motion-pictures, Arthur Christmas and Pirates!. Both films are to be released worldwide by Sony Pictures. Pirates! is based upon The Pirates! (in an Adventure with Scientists) from the series of books by Gideon Defoe.

Arthur Christmas is set on Christmas night and reveals the answer to the question of how Santa delivers presents in one night. The story also involves a family at seasonal loggerheads and an unlikely hero with an urgent mission that must be completed before Christmas morning.

In 2007, Sony Pictures entered into a three-year, firstlook deal with Aardman Features. Sony Pictures Animation, which debuted the deal with Open Season and Surf’s Up, will next release the 3-D adventure Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs.

PARAMOUNT LICENSING Paramount will continue to expand its wide range of film properties into multiple categories with new partners and deals.

Madame Alexander will translate the two Audrey Hepburn films Breakfast at Tiffany’s and Funny Face and produce two collectible dolls of the Hepburn characters. The Breakfast at Tiffany’s doll is 21-inches tall and comes with a short black dress and hat with a parasol, purse, necklace, and sunglasses. The 16-inch Funny Face doll wears a red evening gown, with a turtleneck/capris outfit packaged with the doll.

Mattel will partner with Paramount for three new die-cast toy cars, based on signature sports cars from the movies The Italian Job, Vanilla Sky, and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. The line includes the 360 Spider from The Italian Job, the 250 GTO from Vanilla Sky, and the 250 California SWB from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. Each vehicle is in a 1:18 scale.

Paramount will also be expanding its publishing program. Titan Books will publish G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra Mission Dossier, which will be designed to resemble an official handbook for the JOE Team. Shutter Island and The Lovely Bones, two films that will be released later this year, will have the novels they are based on re-issued, using Paramount’s movie art as the cover. Other films based on books, including The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Defiance, The Dutchess, and Revolutionary Road, received the same treatment.

Paramount will also continue to develop its publishing program for classic properties. Breakfast at Tiffany’s will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2011 with a hardcover coffee table book from Anova/Pavilion Books. Galaxy Quest has been expanded into a five-part comic book series from IDW. The Warriors celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. Dabel Brothers has done a five-part comic book adaptation of the film and is releasing an original series called Jailbreak that expands on the film. Hotel For Dogs has seen a wide range of publishing tie-ins via the Simon & Schuster Children’s Group, including seven different books such as a novelization, movie storybook, activity books, and more.

THOMAS KINKADE Thomas Kinkade will be releasing new Studio Masterworks in a number of collections. Pinocchio Wishes Upon a Star is the latest addition to the artist’s Disney Dreams Collection. The piece is the second in the 12-part series.

Kinkade has also been named the official artist for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s Centennial Era, beginning this year. Kinkade has created the piece Indy Excitement, 100 Years of Racing at Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the celebration. Kinkade has also been engaged by NASCAR to produce a series of works of major raceways.

Pinocchio Wishes Upon a Star by Thomas Kinkade Kinkade has also unveiled his second work depicting Graceland, the former Tennessee home of Elvis Presley, called Graceland Christmas. The artist has also been commissioned by Major League Baseball and has already painted works of Yankee Stadium and the Red Sox home field, Fenway Park.

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LICENSING SHOW 2009 HIT ENTERTAINMENT Angelina Ballerina The Next Steps takes the Angelina Ballerina brand into a CG-animated series that sees the 8-year-old Angelina Ballerina at a performing arts school. The show will premiere on PBS Kids in the U.S. and Nick Jr. in the UK in September. In the U.S., HIT will support the launch with a specialty toy program in the fall and a spring 2010 publishing program from Penguin.

Thomas and Friends will reveal its first CG-animated movie, Hero of the Rails, in 2010, the brand’s 65th anniversary. The movie will be released in the U.S. and UK and will feature the debut of individualized voices for each of the characters. Fifi and the Flowertots and Roary the Racing Car will have new toy, apparel, and publishing partners this year and next. HIT will also represent the Wallace & Gromit, Shaun the Sheep, and Timmy Time animated entertainment properties (all from Aardman Animation) for licensing in all categories.

Angelina Ballerina

POKÉMON Pokémon’s newest video game release, Pokémon Platinum Version for the Nintendo DS, has sold more than 186 million units worldwide since its release this year. The company has also released four new Pokémon TCG expansions and a twelfth season of the animated show on Cartoon Network.

The DVD release of Pokémon: Giratina and the Sky Warrior took place in March and Pokémon has signed major deals with Burger King and Toys “R” Us to bring more Pokémon product direct to the consumers.

NANCY BAILEY & ASSOCIATES Nancy Bailey & Associates will add the Sterno brand name to its roster of licensing brands. Sterno has been providing canned gel fuel and portable heating solutions for almost 100 years and is sold in many retail channels. The Sterno licensing program will focus on products for entertaining at home, such as chafing dishes, insulated carriers for casseroles, warming trays, portable grills, or patio heaters. The company will also be launching a new licensing program for the Energizer brand. Other new programs this year include Procter & Gamble’s Scope portable breath drops and sprays, Febreze vacuum cleaner bags, Ocean Spray Stovetop Stuffing from Kraft, and Travelocity travel accessories.

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LEGO LEGO will add a number of new licensees to its roster for categories including video games, publishing, apparel, and electronics. TT Games will be producing LEGO Battles this month and LEGO Rock Band during the holiday timeframe. Digital Blue is introducing a line of LEGO children’s electronics, including a digital camera, MP3 player, boom box, and more. Ameet has created a new Bionicle Encyclopedia. DKD Publishing has introduced a number of new LEGO books, including two new Brick Master book and brick titles featuring LEGO pirates and LEGO castle. The 2009 update to the Ultimate LEGO Book is titled The LEGO and comes with Standing Small: 30th Anniversary of the Minifigure as well as the LEGO Star Wars visual dictionary. Baby Dan will launch baby and children’s furniture across Europe. Zen Design Group will create a new line of LEGO flashlights for distribution in the U.S. and Europe.

UNITED MEDIA United Media will continue to work with HarperCollins Children’s Books to expand the publishing company’s Fancy Nancy brand, based on the books by Jane O’Connor and Robin Preiss Glasser. Jakks Pacific released a line of dolls for the brand exclusively at Target stores.

The Target/Jakks partnership has been extended for the rest of the year. The brand has also rounded out its apparel program with new licensees. Junk Food will be producing T-shirts. ACI International will handle footwear.

Marmellata will handle sleepwear and dresses. Bentex will create fashion sportswear, dresses, and swimwear.

Fancy Nancy Footwear from ACI

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LICENSING SHOW 2009 MARVEL ENTERTAINMENT Marvel Entertainment has lined up its superhero properties for summer blockbuster releases three years in a row, starting with Iron Man 2 in 2010, Thor and Captain America in 2011, and culminating with The Avengers in 2012, to create a continuous story arc up to The Avengers film. The Avengers Assemble initiative is the tent pole franchise that will drive licensed product sales in 2010 and beyond. Avengers Assemble will be an umbrella theme that will allow licensees and retailers to develop integrated, long-term consumer products programs. Major partners, including Hasbro, are already on board. Marvel will be looking to assemble a full roster of licensees for the Avengers Assemble brand.

Marvel is also building a licensing and merchandising platform to support its new animation slate. The Super Hero Squad Show is a new animated show aimed toward 6–8 year olds that caricatures famous superheroes such as Iron Man, Hulk, and Wolverine, as well as villains such as Loki and Magneto, and places them in humorous adventures. Hasbro is the master toy licensee. Disguise/César will create dress-up items, MEGA Brands will handle construction, and THQ will make video games.

Marvel will also be seeking additional licensees for other animated properties. Wolverine and the X-Men is a family-friendly animated interpretation of the X-Men franchise that began airing in January. Iron Man: Armored Adventures is an animated version of the Iron Man story, taking place during Tony Stark’s teenage years. Both series air on Nicktoons Network.

The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes is an upcoming animated series and property featuring characters such as Iron Man, Hulk, Captain America, Thor, Giant Man, and Wasp. The new series is expected to be available for broadcast in 2012 and Marvel is working on establishing a licensing program to support the brand.

Marvel Entertainment will be working with Gazillion Entertainment to bring Marvel’s properties to the massively multiplayer online (MMO) market. The companies have signed a worldwide licensing agreement through which Gazillion will develop and publish MMO games featuring Marvel superheroes. The first game in development is based on Marvel’s Super Hero Squad property, designed for younger audiences. Gazillion will also be developing and publishing Marvel Universe, an MMO for the older audiences.

Marvel is also expanding its lifestyle brand, Marvel for Her, to broaden its female focus. The line will feature Marvel’s superhero and romance art on fashion tops, sportswear, loungewear, intimates, swimwear, footwear, bags, accessories, and more. Partners for the Marvel for Her line include Junk Food, Mighty Fine, Fortune Fashions, Freeze, H.E.R. Accessories, Jakks Pacific/Disguise, Lotta Luv, and iScream/Mines Press.

THE LICENSING COMPANY The Licensing Company has added a new gourmet soda partner to the Jelly Belly licensee roster. WIT Beverages has entered an agreement to develop Jelly Belly gourmet soda. The sodas will launch in the second half of this year with an assortment of Jelly Belly flavors, sweetened with pure cane sugar.

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LICENSING SHOW 2009 JAKKS PACIFIC Jakks’ Disney On Stage Interactive Theatre Playset lets kids take the stage. The set includes a life-like theater, performance console, and an introductory cartridge. The easy-to-assemble theater offers three different sides of play. Stage Right is the ticket booth to sell tickets and advertise what performance is playing. Stage Left is the dressing room. The front of the theater is where the performance is held and the marquee displays the specific production being performed. The Performance Console plays an introductory cartridge that sets the scene for the upcoming performance and can be used with other performance cartridges that are sold separately in each Disney Performance Set. The functions of the console are play/pause, stop, forward, and back, which allows kids to perform at their own pace and rehearse. It is for ages 3 and up.

The Disney Princess Musical Vanity converts into a keyboard by lifting up the cover of the keys. It plays four musical instruments (piano, guitar, violin, and kalimba) and four rhythms (pop, waltz, 16 beat, and rock), along with high hat, big drum, and cymbal sounds. Featured Disney Princess Songs include “Beauty and the Beast,” “Under the Sea,” “A Whole New World,” and “Part of Your World.” Beauty accessories serve as musical instruments, including a lipstick/whistle, nail polish/bell, mirror/tambourine, brush/play microphone, eye shadow compact/harmonica, and perfume bottle/maraca. Girls can record and play back the music they compose as hearts above the mirror twinkle in sync to the music. Their favorite princesses magically appear when the vanity is turned on.

It is for ages 3 and up.

The Discovery Kids Smart Animals line is an interactive way for kids to learn about their favorite animals and bring them to life by activating animal sound effects, unlocking fun facts, and asking quiz questions. Each figure features a Discovery Kids logo that can be scanned by the Smart Animals Scanopedia electronic talking encyclopedia to unlock information and sound effects for that animal. The handheld Smart Animal Scanopedia scanner, with a new look for 2009, holds more than 2,500 sound effects, facts, and quizzes for more than 200 animals and includes a bonus poster full of scannable images, interactive maps, and games. It is for ages 3 and up.

Disney On Stage Interactive Theatre Playset

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LICENSING SHOW 2009 DISNEY CONSUMER PRODUCTS Disney Consumer Products (DCP) will be expanding programs for a number of Disney brands, including evergreens such as Mickey Mouse, Disney Princess, Toy Story, Winnie the Pooh, and Disney Fairies. The company will also be leveraging the Disney Channel’s content for opportunities in tween and preschool segments.

DCP will additionally be establishing licensing programs around upcoming films, such as Prince of Persia, Toy Story 3, Cars 2, Alice in Wonderland, Rapunzel, and Tron.

This December, Disney will release The Princess and The Frog, which will feature the newest Disney Princess, Princess Tiana. Leading up to the launch of the new movie, Disney will re-release Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs on Blu-ray hi-def and DVD in October. 2010 will mark Disney’s release of Rapunzel in theaters, adding a new princess to the Disney Princess roster with a timed re-release of Beauty and the Beast to support the new film.

Disney will be releasing the second film in its Disney Video Premiere Tinker Bell series. The film, Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure, will be released in October. The series will feature a total of six titles. DCP will expand product categories and add more Fairy characters in 2009 and 2010.

The Disney Channel will expand the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and Handy Manny brands in 2009 and 2010 with new product introductions in toys, apparel, home décor, food, stationery, and more. The Disney Channel will also hold primetime programming events for both television shows this fall.

Disney will be expanding its tween-oriented brands with new programming on the Disney Channel. The Wizards of Waverly Place, a new Disney Channel original movie, will complement the ongoing TV series of the same name. JONAS, starring the Jonas Brothers, a new season of Hannah Montana, and a new series, Sonny With A Chance, will add new properties and licensing opportunities for the tween market.

DCP will also expand its licensed lifestyle products. The Walt Disney Signature collection of non-character home furnishings is expanding with a home entertainment line, outdoor furniture, and stationery. Disney Couture continues to expand its apparel line in Tokyo, Paris, and the U.S. Disney has also collaborated with fashion designers such as Charlotte Tarantola and Etnies Shoes. The Kirstie Kelly for Disney Fairy Tale Weddings collection has launched Red Label Disney Princess bridal gowns for full-figured women.

TECHNO SOURCE Techno Source will be expanding its assortment of Disney Interactive Coloring Books, single-player TV interactive games, and Disney Handheld LCD games. New Interactive Coloring Books include Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and Toy Story. Buzz and Woody from Toy Story will star in their own handheld LCD games. A Disney Pixar Cars wheel-shaped racing game will round out the fall 2009 product line. Techno Source will also introduce electronic handheld and keychain LCD games in spring 2010 for the upcoming Toy Story 3 film from Disney Pixar.

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THE SHARPE COMPANY The Sharpe Company has announced representation of two new animation series produced by Halifax Film and distributed by Decode Enterprises. Animal Mechanicals is an action/adventure series for preschoolers about transforming animals who live and play in a colorful snap-together-take-apart world and use special abilities to solve problems. Bo on the Go! features a young heroine named Bo and a young dragon named Dezzy who encourage children at home to join in a variety of movements with her. Sharpe represents Dex Hamilton: Alien Entomologist in North America. The show follows the adventures of an entomologist in the year 3000. Hooga Loo has signed on to create a toy line in spring 2010 for the Dex Hamilton brand.

2010 marks the 30th anniversary of the Rubik’s Cube. Licensees for the Rubik’s Cube include Techno Source (which has produced the Rubik’s Revolution and will release the Rubik’s TouchCube this fall), Converse, and The Game Factory. 2010 also marks the 20th anniversary of the Mr. Bean comedy series, featuring Rowan Atkinson, and the 10th anniversary of the animated UK children’s series Humphrey’s Corner. The Sharpe Company is seeking licensees in multiple categories for both brands.

LISA MARKS & ASSOCIATES Lisa Marks & Associates (LMA) will continue to expand its client base with new brands in a number of different categories. LMA has been signed on to represent guitar manufacturer C.F. Martin & Co. LMA will be developing the brand across key categories such as apparel, accessories, fragrance, and more.

Do Something, a national youth organization, has appointed LMA to develop a licensing program to support its message of youth empowerment and community action. LMA will be developing strategic partnerships with manufacturers and retailers for apparel, back to school, accessories, and more.

LMA has been appointed as the licensing agent for Scarlett & Crimson, a new property for tween and teen girls. The brand, which originated in the UK, is a multimedia property with books from Simon & Schuster. LMA will launch a comprehensive program including apparel, accessories, back to school, cosmetics, gifts, and more.

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LICENSING SHOW 2009 NICKELODEON & VIACOM CONSUMER PRODUCTS Nickelodeon & Viacom Consumer Products (NVCP) will be expanding the SpongeBob SquarePants brand for this year’s 10th anniversary. New products will be added to the SpongeBob line in jewelry, watches, luxury organic tees, furniture, CDs, and DVDs. NVCP will also expand the Dora the Explorer brand on two fronts, with new products and DVDs for Dora Saves the Crystal Kingdom and a new brand extension called Dora’s Explorer Girls, which will feature a slightly aged-up Dora fashion doll and accessories for girls 5–9.

Ni Hao, Kai-Lan toys will arrive at retail this year. Apparel and furniture based on Nickelodeon’s newest live-action series, True Jackson, VP, will also debut. iCarly will extend its branding efforts to apparel, footwear, and bedding. New partners will be announced for the upcoming Avatar: The Last Airbender feature film. NVCP will continue to enhance programs for Go, Diego, Go!; The Backyardigans; The Wonder Pets!; Blue’s Clues; and Neopets.

CLASSIC MEDIA Classic Media will unveil licensing programs for a number of new entertainment brands. Tinga Tinga Tales is an animated television show based on African folk tales. The show will premiere in 2010. Penguin Group is signed on as the master publishing partner, with other key licensees to be revealed soon. Guess with Jess, a new animated preschool series co-produced by Nelvana, will also unveil a licensing program anchored by master toy partner Fisher-Price.

Classic Media will also expand the licensing programs for its seasonal brands, such as Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town, Casper the Friendly Ghost, and Peter Cottontail. In addition, the company will expand Casper the Friendly Ghost in honor of the brand’s 60th anniversary with apparel from Briefly Stated, Local Celebrity, and Mad Engine; toy trains from Lionel; and cards from American Greetings.

The Where’s Waldo? brand will see a great deal of growth during its 21st birthday. Classic Media recently announced new digital products for the brand, including video games from Ludia for the Wii, DS, PC/Mac, iPhone, and iPod, and mobile phone games from Capcom Mobile.

Tinga Tinga Tales Local Celebrity, Giant Merchandising, and Briefly Stated will handle apparel, with accessories from Bioworld and games from Patch Products and USAOPOLY. The seventh Where’s Waldo? book, The Incredible Paperchase, will release in October. Classic Media is also expanding the licensing programs for Little Golden Books and Pat the Bunny, with Yottoy partnering with Little Golden Books and Kids Preferred partnering with Pat the Bunny.

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AMERICAN GREETINGS

DIGITAL BLUE

American Greetings Properties (AGP) will develop its licensing roster further this year with brands such as Strawberry Shortcake, Care Bears, Maryoku Yummy, Sushi Pack, Madballs, and Holly Hobbie.

AGP is giving Strawberry Shortcake a new look inspired by the brand’s 1980s style. The new line of fruit-scented toys by Hasbro will hit the shelves this August at all major retailers. New entertainment includes a CGI DVD movie, Sky’s the Limit, which will premiere in September. Penguin will publish two new stories: Welcome to Berry Bitty City and I Love You, Strawberry Shortcake. Cookie Jar continues to be the global licensing agent for the Strawberry Shortcake brand and has signed Children’s Apparel Network as the master apparel licensee. Additional licensees include Saramax, MTC, Berkshire Fashions, Added Extras, Dalmation Press, and Inzone.

The Care Bears line will expand with new home entertainment from licensing partner Lionsgate. Cheer, There & Everywhere was released in March and the second title, Tell Tale Tummies is available this month and will be followed by a special holiday gift set next year. Domestically, the third annual Care Bears float will appear in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

AGP will be looking for expansion in key categories for Care Bears, as well as for Care Bears Junior and Baby.

AGP has partnered with Limited Too and Justice to launch a consumer products program for Maryoku Yummy. The line will include plush, journals, lip gloss, nail polish, buttons, and lollipops. The target age demographic for this property is tween girls, ages 7–13. AGP will be seeking licensing partners across all key categories including apparel, bags, stationery, back to school, and more.

Digital Blue announced a licensing agreement with LEGO Systems, Inc., to create a LEGO-inspired line of electronic gear. The line is scheduled for release this fall. Digital Blue will produce and market video cameras, MP3 players, and other electronic gear to LEGO fans worldwide. Digital Blue will also introduce Bionicle electronic products.

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LICENSING SHOW 2009 SUPPERTIME ENTERTAINMENT Todd Parr’s children’s brand, Planet Color by Todd Parr, will soon have a large-scale online media component thanks to a partnership with digital creative agency Animax Entertainment. The online playground will feature activities that embody the key Planet Color brand attributes of “having fun with color while being kind to the Earth and each other.” Animax is developing a range of games designed to push the edge of technology and engagement. The anticipated live date is Q4 2009 or early 2010. The Planet Color brand was created by Todd Parr and SupperTime Entertainment. Planet Color licensees already onboard include Chronicle Books, Jen’s Ideas, and Four Peas. All merchandise and promotional opportunities, worldwide, are being managed by SupperTime.

IMC LICENSING SC Johnson hired IMC Licensing to help extend its household brands into relevant and adjacent product categories. IMC is in the initial stages of exploring partnerships.

IMC was also hired by Pinnacle Foods to extend the reach of Pinnacle’s brands, which include Duncan Hines, Mrs. Butterworth’s Syrup, Log Cabin Syrup, Vlasic Pickles, Lender’s Bagels, and Hungry-Man Entrees. IMC brokered a deal with Continuum Sales & Marketing for a new line of cookware and bakeware under the Duncan Hines brand name. Product will be hitting shelves later this year.

Crystal Light Frozen Pops by licensee Matterhorn Group are available nationwide at Wal-Mart, Kroger, and other stores. The frozen pops have been formulated to provide the full flavor of Crystal Light for health-conscious consumers.

LICENSING WORKS Licensing Works’ client roster includes MEG Toys’ line of In My Pocket figures. Puppy In My Pocket, Jungle In My Pocket, and Baby In My Pocket are pocket-sized figures for girls to collect.

Playtime Buddies, created by Erik DePrince, is a preschool property that fuels children’s imagination and empowers them to dream about the infinite possibilities they have in life to be and do whatever they choose.

Zorro celebrates 90 years of entertainment and carves its mark with new food and beverage deals. Publishing, interactive, and gift deals memorialize Zorro’s multi-generational, cross-cultural appeal in the Hispanic and general markets. Zorro the Musical opens in Paris, Tokyo, Seoul, and six other cities before hitting Broadway this year.

Stink Blasters is a line of collectible figures, each with a “d’stinktive” name relating to its special blasting powers.

Swicherz are 3-D switchable stickers. With its patented technology, you can stick your favorite characters and flags on any flat surface, including motorcycles, snowboards, and surfboards, and switch out the top with a just a quarter turn.

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iCarly 4-in-1 cube

DELTA CHILDREN’S PRODUCTS

Delta Children’s Products introduces new and expanded ensembles of furniture and room accessories for Disney brands, including Cars, Handy Manny, Disney Princess, and Disney Fairies. Products will include toy organizers, toddler beds, bookshelves, toy boxes, storage containers, chair desks, and tables.

Delta partnered with Nickelodeon to create the iCarly collection, a stylish assortment of furniture, room décor, and organizing solutions. The collection features metal-framed furniture that easily folds flat for storage; room décor such as memory boards, white boards, and picture frames that encourage girls to express themselves; and storage options for storing books, DVDs, CDs, and more. The collection will hit stores this fall to coincide with the premiere of the show’s third season and the iCarly 2009 holiday TV special.

Under a partnership with Mattel, Delta’s new Hot Wheels and Fisher-Price room collections will debut this year. Delta’s Hot Wheels line will feature a wooden play table and chairs set with a built-in crash track and an electronic tabletop launcher sequencer that reads “ready, set, go.” Delta will also debut a Hot Wheels wooden toddler bed. Delta’s partnership with FisherPrice will bring a durable and functional collection of toddler furniture to children’s rooms this fall, including table and chair sets, toy boxes, bedroom sets, desks, bookcases, and room accessories.

Delta will expand its line of Dora the Explorer and SpongeBob SquarePants furniture and room accessories. The Dora collection includes a chair desk, table and chair set, plexi three-tier organizer, and storage unit. The SpongeBob collection includes a toddler bed, toy box, table and chair set, and table and stools with paper roll.

GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS Guinness World Records created a new licensing department that will be charged with developing new opportunities in consumer products and promotional licensing. The teams will be based in the Guinness World Records headquarters in London, as well as in New York City and Tokyo. The Guinness World Records licensing department will expand on the success of the annual book, which has sold more than 100 million copies across the globe since 1955. Fans range from 7–70, but the target is focused on kids ages 7–15. Initial consumer product categories targeted for partnership will include publishing, toys and games, mobile content, DVDs, interactive, stationery and paper goods, and gift and novelty items. Guinness World Records will further develop its trademark and logo licensing business for various sponsorship and promotional events and partnerships. The creation of this department will build on the licensing business that previously developed partnerships with TT Games for an interactive video game on the Nintendo Wii and DS, content licensing with National Geographic Kids magazine, publishing lines with Scholastic, and other product licenses with Egmont, American Greetings, and Franco Panini. Based in New York, Jennifer Gilmour will head the North American markets; in London, Beatriz Fernandez will head all markets outside North America and Japan; and in Tokyo, Erika Ogawa will head the Japanese market. Frank Chambers, international sales director in London, will manage global initiatives.

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LICENSING SHOW 2009 BBC WORLDWIDE

a scene from Planet Earth

BBC Worldwide has developed a comprehensive licensing campaign for In the Night Garden. A full merchandising program to support the brand on a global level includes more than 67 licensees. Licensed partners in Canada include Hasbro, Penguin, Nelvana, Adorable Kids, MEGA Brands, Tech4Kids, and Danawares. Universal distributed the first In the Night Garden DVD, Welcome to the Garden, in April. BBC Worldwide is currently looking to add new international partners for the series, highlighted by the appointment of licensing agents in France (Hasbro Entertainment & Licensing), Benelux (Telescreen), and South Africa (Character Licensing & Marketing).

For Doctor Who, Matt Smith will star as the eleventh Doctor for a new 13 x 45-minute series in 2010. The new series also opens up new opportunities for merchandise. Toy licensee Character Options continues to lead the range, supported by a roster of the UK’s top manufacturers of clothing, gifts, games, collectibles, and housewares.

With an archive of more than 50,000 hours of footage spotlighting the people, animals, and places that make up Earth, the BBC will bring all of its natural history content together under one brand, BBC Earth. New programs under the BBC Earth brand will include Human Planet. Each episode delivers untold stories about real people, who have used their wits to thrive in the most remote locations on our planet. Award-winning photojournalist Timothy Allen is on location capturing images for print-based licensed products.

BBC Worldwide, together with licensing agent The Joester Loria Group, is continuing to leverage the momentum surrounding Planet Earth with the continued development of a robust merchandising program. Designed to inform, entertain, and educate, Planet Earth products echo the visual beauty of the series.

BBC Worldwide holds UK rights to dirtgirlworld, which launches in the UK in September. Dirtgirlworld, a 360-degree crossmedia brand for 3–7 year olds, is a music-centric series that explores the natural world and invites the audience to “go get grubby” in the big world outside. BBC Worldwide will sign licensees for eco-friendly/green products.

10VOX ENTERTAINMENT 10Vox Entertainment LLC created Tracksters, a line of licensed die-cast cars, based on popular real-world Dodge, Ford, and GM vehicles, that interact with a series of collectible trading cards and a 3-D online racing game. Each Tracksters die-cast car comes with a unique code to unlock a virtual version of that vehicle in the Tracksters MMOG (massively multiplayer online game), which is downloaded for free at Tracksters.com. The Tracksters MMOG allows players to trick out their cars in their custom-styled garage; race on 10 different tracks against other players from around the world or play against the computer; and win TrackBucks to buy upgrades for their virtual car and garage. TrackPacks cards, sold separately, allow players to unlock exclusive performance parts for their virtual vehicles through a scratch-and-redeem code system. There are 125 cards total in the TrackPacks Series One set, including 80 common cards and 45 chase cards.

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THE WEATHER CHANNEL As on-air programming on The Weather Channel (TWC) evolves to appeal to an increasingly wide demographic, an innovative approach to broader product extensions will characterize the licensing department. The addition of garden plants to its portfolio will be extended further with the launch of brand-compatible weather-tough gardening accessories. TWC will enhance the kids’ content on theweatherchannelkids.com and has plans to add social networking. The content is focused on science, discovery, and exploration, which provide greater licensing opportunities. In the home and entertainment category, TWC will add to its series of programs released on DVD. For the licensing of music associated with TWC, there will be new music genres and a digital download program. TWC also works with existing and new licensing partners in established categories of branded wireless weather products and safety-preparedness lines. New launches will include solar-powered lights and weather instruments for kids.

TRADEMARKETING RESOURCES The pet brand High Maintenance Bitch is partnering with trademark licensing agency Trademarketing Resources, Inc., (TRI) to launch a new line of High Maintenance Bitch (HMB) products for pets and the humans who love them. The company wants to ensure that the lifestyle between a girl and her dog is completely enveloped by the HMB brand, whose wide-ranging demographic specifically targets women who love their dogs as much as they love shoes and the makeup counter. HMB has a line of makeup for dogs called Cosmuttics, which includes items like Whiskera and Spike Hair Gel. The company’s book The High Maintenance Bitch (owner’s manual) is available in bookstores nationwide, and the opening of HMB brand stores have received exposure on TV series on both the Bravo and Animal Planet networks. Sister and brother Lori Pacchiano and Ryan Pacchiano founded High Maintenance Bitch in 2002.

SYNCHRONICITY Synchronicity, Inc., represents Dan Statler’s Vulture Kulture. Made famous by his 3-D metal sets on Monster Garage, the Vulture Kulture look appeals to males ages 17–35 and females ages 17–30 interested in tattoos, hot rods, motorcycles, rock and punk music, car racing, extreme sports, and skateboarding. The 3-D metal designs and 2-D graphics inspired by Statler’s metal art are available for prodan image from Dan ucts ranging from auto ornaments and garage accessories to novelties, toys, apparel, posters, guitar straps, and skate- Statler’s Vulture Kulture boards. Vulture Kulture guitar straps by Perri’s are now available at retail. Other licensees include Funmobility (cell phone wallpaper), Super Rad Toys (collectible dolls), Yerzies (custom online apparel), and EtchStar (personalized MP3 players).

Synchronicity also represents Sexy Slang, text messaging with a twist. Sexy Slang, Sassy Slang, and Sporty Slang deliver the message through hip, iconic graphics. Attention-grabbing messages include “Chick Magnet,” “You’re Toast,” and “Boy Toy.” Licensees include Trau & Loevner (juniors’ and young men’s tops), Yerzies (custom online apparel), Funmobility (cell phone wallpaper), Perri’s (guitar straps), and Silver Buffalo (games and home products). Sexy Slang will launch an iPhone app for its Naughty Charades game.

The Tootsie Roll candy brands represented by Synchronicity—Tootsie Roll, Tootsie Pops, Charms, Cella’s chocolate-covered cherries, Charleston Chews, Sugar Daddy, Sugar Babies, Dots, Junior Mints, Pom Poms, and Blow Pops—have more than 50 licensees signed on, including the Idaho Lottery, Intradeco Apparel (organic kids’ T-shirts), Mattel (collectible trucks), and Yerzies (customized apparel).

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LICENSING SHOW 2009 MerchSource Discovery Expedition weather station

THE JOESTER LORIA GROUP

The Joester Loria Group (JLG) signed a number of new licensees in key product categories for the Animal Planet property. New Animal Planet-branded merchandise partners added by JLG include Fotozines (customized photographic prints), Bendon Publishing International (children’s publishing color and activity books), Trau & Loevner (T-shirts, tops, hoodies), Envirosax (re-usable shopping totes), Screenlife (DVD games, board games, puzzles), TexStyle (bedding and room décor), Marion Health Greeting Cards (social expressions), Hilco Corporation (novelty candy), and Zak Designs (children’s dinnerware). The new products will begin hitting the market later this year.

Animal Planet also has licensing agreements with video game publisher Activision, Sherwood Brands (Easter baskets and seasonal gift sets), TFH Publications (publishing), Buyseasons (children’s costumes), Jakks (dog and cat toys, dog beds, leashes, and collars), and Celebrate Expressions (party paper goods). Animal Planet will leverage its on-air and online platforms to support its licensing efforts including product placement and brand integration.

For Discovery Communications, JLG brokered a multi-year licensing agreement with MerchSource LLC to produce a line of rugged lifestyle products called Discovery Expedition. Created as a brand extension of the Discovery Channel, the initial collection will include a wide range of indoor and outdoor consumer electronics, including a weather station, alarm clock radio, outdoor speakers, and an entertainment projector. The products will debut in department stores this fall. The new Discovery Expedition products represent the first time Discovery’s consumer electronics category will be distributed outside of its own retail stores and website. The Joester Loria Group will expand the Discovery Expedition brand into several other categories including apparel, accessories, and equipment. Additional licensing deals are expected to be unveiled in the coming months.

DENA DESIGNS

happi by Dena plush

Dena, a lifestyle designer who turns the “ordinary into the extraordinary” with her Dena Designs portfolio of products, is expanding into new product and retail channels with nearly 30 licensees in more than 10,000 retail doors. Licensees include Hallmark subsidiary Sunrise Greetings for greeting cards and social expressions; Publications International for tween scrapbook albums, recipe binders, board books, and journals; a craft line with Ellison and Sizzix; Fabric Traditions for printed fabric; and Imagine That Designs for scrapbook products. Dena’s next wave of products includes infant and kids’ apparel, tween gifts, and a comprehensive line of home décor products across tabletop, barware, rugs, and kitchen accessories.

Dena’s latest design program is a mix of bright colors, stylish patterns, and uplifting prints entitled happi by Dena. New partners signed to launch the program include Sunrise Greetings and the U.S. Postal Service. A happi by Dena line of contemporary mailing envelopes, decorator boxes, and mailing labels will add color to more than 15,000 U.S. Postal Service locations this spring.

Westminster Fibers will produce a collection of new happi-inspired Dena fabrics to serve as the cornerstone for related happi by Dena fashions and lifestyle products to complement the home. The program also hopes to sign a plush licensee.

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CHORION

The Mr. Men Show

Headlining Chorion’s portfolio is its new animated children’s television series Olivia, based on the book series by Ian Falconer published by Simon & Schuster. Following its debut on Nickelodeon in the U.S., Five in the UK, ABC Australia, and TF1 France, the 3-D CGI 52 x 11minute animated series will also air on more than 20 top broadcasters around the world this year, including YLE Finland, SVT Sweden, NRK Norway, and RUV Iceland. Spin Master is on board as global master toy partner and will develop a wide range of preschool toys for rollout in fall 2010, and TF1 has recently picked up merchandising and licensing rights to the property in France. Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has also recently been appointed as international DVD partner outside the U.S. The Mr. Men and Little Miss global franchise continues to grow with more product ranges for fashion-conscious young adults. Now with a second season in production, The Mr. Men Show children’s consumer product program launched in October 2008 in the UK. More licensees are on board with categories including clothing, housewares, games, and food. In the U.S., master toy licensee FisherPrice will launch its range of collectible plush, playsets, and feature plush, and global DVD partner Sony Pictures Home Entertainment will also make its U.S. debut this fall. In Europe, Egmont, Unilever, H&M, Adidas, Women’s Secret, Cortefiel, Marks and Spencer, Hachette, and Sahinler are all signed as licensees across a range of categories for the Mr. Men and Little Miss brand.

Chorion’s new Noddy in Toyland series will also debut. The 52 x 10-minute series debuted on Five’s preschool brand Milkshake! in the spring and on France 5’s les Zouzous this summer. Celebrations for Noddy’s 60th anniversary continue.

Chorion’s portfolio of properties also features Paddington Bear, The World of Eric Carle, and other literary and lifestyle brands.

MOOSE MOUNTAIN Moose Mountain’s 2009 licensed products include inflatables featuring Disney properties. The inflatable Disney Princess Swirl Castle has a see-through ball swirl where kids can watch 50 soft flex balls swirl around and down into the play area.

With the Handy Manny Repair Shop, kids can fix things just like Handy Manny. This inflatable playroom is a repair shop inside and out. It features characters such as Pat the Hammer, Dusty the Saw, and Rusty the Wrench. Both Disney inflatables are for ages 3 and up.

For the ESPN brand, Moose Mountain’s ESPN Coast to Coast Basketball lets kids master jump shots and foul shooting. This two-rim basketball set features four different games, electronic sounds, scoring, flashing lights, and an authentic announcer to call all the action. Each rim is a different height and size to add to the challenge.

The ESPN K-Zone Baseball lets kids be the starting pitcher. Pick a target, wind up, and let it go.

ESPN Coast to Coast Basketball There are three ways to play this electronic, interactive game. Select a fully interactive, multi-inning game, and play against a friend. The authentic announcer calls the play-by-play and the umpire calls balls and strikes. The LCD scoreboard adds to the feel of a real stadium. All ESPN products are for ages 4 and up.

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LICENSING SHOW 2009 CONDÉ NAST

a The New Yorker puzzle by New York Puzzle Company

Condé Nast Editorial Assets & Rights, the division that manages licensing and brand extensions for Condé Nast Publications, is looking to expand the licensing program for Brides magazine.

Looking to build on the Brides print-your-own wedding stationery collection from licensee Gartner Studios, Condé Nast seeks licensees in bridal-related categories such as flowers, dolls, wedding-day cosmetics, music, and unique gifts and tools that incorporate etiquette tips and wedding-planning advice.

As The New Yorker prepares to celebrate its 85th anniversary in February 2010, Condé Nast is expanding the licensing program to focus on product categories that feature The New Yorker’s colorful, thought-provoking covers, its black-and-white single panel cartoons, and/or its corporate trademarks such as The New Yorker logo and top hatwearing mascot Eustace Tilley. Condé Nast recently signed New York Puzzle Company to develop puzzles of the magazine’s covers. Other newly signed categories include wine gift bags and gift boxes featuring wine-related cartoons and cycling jerseys featuring vintage covers. Condé Nast is seeking new partners for apparel, accessories, jewelry, travel gear, gift-giving supplies, and home textiles. The company also assigned the following categories to licensing agent Liz Ross: tabletop and entertaining products, food storage, baby apparel and accessories, holiday ornaments, and pet products.

DIMENSIONAL BRANDING GROUP Dimensional Branding Group (DBG) formed a mergers and acquisitions advisory division within DBG called Dimensional Branding Advisors (DBA). DBA brings toy industry acumen, a team of licensing industry experts, and an active network of buyers and sellers to its clients.

Dimensional Branding Advisors plans to counter the traditional mergers and acquisitions process and model that has typically been managed by investment bankers and various nontoy-industry-experienced professionals. Understanding play patterns, current retail and industry market conditions, and intellectual property value are the intangibles for successful transactions.

DBG represents the PlayStation brand and first party software titles including Little Big Planet, Ratchet & Clank, God of War, Resistance Fall of Man, and Patapon. DBG has continued to grow the PlayStation licensing foundation with strong partners and creative programs. DBG hopes to bring some of Sony Computer Entertainment America’s first-party titles into traditional categories, such as publishing, apparel, toys, home décor, and extreme sports.

DBG acquired exclusive representation of Quirk Books’ bestseller Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame Smith. DBG is licensing all categories, including stationery and calendars, apparel, accessories, interactive, novelties, collectibles, and board games.

Other key clients for DBG include novelty product Chia Pet, the classic parlor game Jenga, designer Masha D’yans, arcade game Skee-Ball, family financial fitness program Money Wizdom, and publisher Chronicle Books.

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SCHOLASTIC Scholastic Media (SM) announced that it will serve as licensing agent for the popular online brand, Toots (www.tootsville.com). Toots is based on the elaborate virtual world of Tootsville—an immersive online universe that features more than 150 colorful elephants called Toots that each have their own unique style and personality. The site provides kids ages 6–12 with more than 30 environments, 50 unique games, a safe and secure social networking space, educational content, and unlimited gender-neutral opportunities to create customizable avatars, homes, clothing, furniture, and Tootsville’s very own Pivit Pals. SM will drive the program with plush, key novelty, and accessories while also looking for partners in apparel, stationery, domestics, toys, publishing, gift, novelty, video games, and games and puzzles.

Scholastic will continue with its multi-year, fully integrated cause marketing campaign, Be Big!, for Clifford the Big Red Dog. The civic engagement campaign invites everyone, big and small, to raise awareness for how Clifford’s Big Ideas can make the world a better place.

NELVANA ENTERPRISES Nelvana Enterprises will showcase The New Adventures of Babar, a 3-D animated update of the classic story that will introduce King Babar’s 8-year-old grandson, along with a cast of new animal characters. Broadcast is set for TF1 in France and YTV in Canada, with more sales to be announced soon.

The Ruby Gloom brand has more than 50 licensees in four continents. Carlton Cards launched RubyRuby Gloom themed stationery items, including greeting cards, note cards, gift wrap, party goods, and calendars in Suburbia, Sanborns, and Wal-Mart stores across Mexico. Cartorama will launch a Ruby line of backpacks, pencil cases, school diaries, exercise books, ring binders, fashion bags, and bracelets to be sold in 2,000 specialty stores in Italy. Editorial Norma will launch a Ruby Gloom publishing program in Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Chile, Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay, Central America (limited to the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Guatemala, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, and Nicaragua). The Ruby Gloom property is licensed by Nelvana Enterprises in all territories outside of the U.S. and by Mighty Fine in the U.S.

BOY SCOUTS

OF

AMERICA

Remington will introduce a Boy Scouts of America Collectible Pocketknife series. The first pocketknife in the series is based on the original 1924 RS3333 Scout pattern and will use the tooling form from the actual Remington factory in Bridgeport, Conn. This pocketknife will be shipped in a hinged cardboard box design, much the same as the knife boxes that were produced from 1923–1940. Each knife includes a poster containing original advertising pieces and articles. This pocketknife series will feature 440 high-carbon stainless steel blades including a combined bottle opener/flathead screwdriver, a can opener, a leather punch, and a large spey blade with the Boy Scouts of America vintage logo etched on one side of the blade. The handle is jigged bone with the Boy Scouts of America acorn shield inlayed.

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LICENSING SHOW 2009 THE BEANSTALK GROUP The Beanstalk Group’s Ford Motor Company licensing program continues to grow.

Innovative Design has secured placement for back-to-school 2009 with notebooks, folders, and pencil cases at Wal-Mart and Target; Ford will be highlighted at Dollar General with Infinity Headwear; and Four Door Media has included Ford as part of its 2009 lineup for wired and wireless computer mice, mouse pads, and USB storage devices. Ford has developed two new style guides, Pony Girl by Mustang, which targets the tween girl market, and Carachters Powered by Ford, which opens the door to children’s categories. Beanstalk hopes to sign more licensees for Ford in gaming, tween apparel and accessories, children’s publishing, apparel, housewares, and preschool toys. In the UK, Famous Forever Clothing Ltd. unveiled a new line of retroinspired Ford T-shirts inspired by iconic models from the 1970s and 1980s. GB Eye has produced six posters featuring iconic Ford vehicles. Richbrook developed a new line of Ford air fresheners, key rings, and tax disc holders and will develop a line of branded license plate holders. Beanstalk is expanding the program into Central and South America via two new commercial representative relationships, and in East Asia through Beanstalk’s new office in Hong Kong. The licensing programs will leverage Ford’s rich history and well-known brands. Beanstalk is actively seeking partners in all categories across these markets.

Beanstalk is working with World Wildlife Fund (WWF) to create a range of products that are considerate of the environment and offer consumers better everyday choices, such as apparel, home accessories, personal accessories, food, school supplies, and toys and games. The WWF program will launch with a classic toys and games collection from Merchant Ambassador. The program features FSC-certified wood classic games such as chess, Connect Four, Chinese checkers, and brain benders, all using nontoxic paints and featuring animal themes. Licensee Trends International is developing posters, calendars, journals, and bookmarks.

Beanstalk is developing a comprehensive home and garden licensing initiative for HGTV. The program will leverage HGTV’s expertise and authority in home and garden categories and its position as a shelter lifestyle brand to extend beyond television and the web and into consumers’ homes. Licensed products will leverage HGTV’s core brand equities of education, inspiration, and design to offer solutions and style-based products that reflect the brand’s accessibility and help educate consumers about purchase decisions. The program, which will launch in 2010, will encompass a broad range of home and garden categories and Beanstalk is currently seeking best-in-category partners in categories such as mattresses, flooring, paint, and RTA furniture.

PRECIOUS MOMENTS Precious Moments continues to grow and is associated with more than 100 licensing partners worldwide, including Hallmark, Bank of America, The Bradford Exchange, Thomas Nelson, and Brooks Fitch Apparel Group. The brand’s Precious Moments Collectors Club has more than 60,000 active members. PreciousMoms.com, an online community for moms, generates 14,000 hits per month and offers a vehicle to build relationships and speak directly with the primary target. Precious Girls Club launched in September 2008 in the card and gift channel. A wholesome brand that leverages the Precious Moments equity and trust, Precious Girls Club teaches girls good values in a fun and engaging way and celebrates being a precious little girl. This multi-platform brand opens the doors to numerous partnership opportunities.

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Precious Girls Club

20TH CENTURY FOX Twentieth Century Fox Licensing & Merchandising (Fox Licensing) represents a slate of entertainment properties this year, including the Ice Age franchise, which will be in movie theaters worldwide on July 1, 2009. The third feature film (this time in 3-D) is Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs. The licensing program features more than 200 global licensees, including Activision, HarperCollins, Hallmark, Ferrero, Unilever, and others developing a full range of apparel, toys, games, and more. James Cameron’s action-adventure Avatar will be supported by a toy line from Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs master toy partner Mattel, while Ubisoft will release video games in synch with the film’s December opening. Fox Licensing will build licensing around Alvin and The Chipmunks: The Squeakquel, set for a Christmas Day 2009 opening. In celebration of the 20th anniversary of The Simpsons, Fox Licensing will highlight 2009 with a year-long celebration featuring new product introductions and promotional partnerships anchored by an historic partnership with the United States Postal Service for The Simpsons postage stamps. Fox will announce additional anniversary-themed products, events, and partnerships throughout the year. This year will also usher in new merchandising programs for Family Guy while introducing The Cleveland Show, the newest animated series from Seth McFarlane that follows Family Guy neighbor Cleveland Brown. Fox Licensing also functions as the exclusive licensing agency for Microsoft’s Halo franchise. Having developed a full line of licensed products for the latest installment of Microsoft’s Halo franchise, Halo Wars, Fox Licensing will debut the future of Halo licensing.

UNIVERSAL STUDIOS CONSUMER PRODUCTS Universal Studios Consumer Products Group will unveil several new film properties this year.

Universal Pictures will release its first 3-D CGI feature, Despicable Me, in 2010. Lending their voices to the project is Steve Carell (Get Smart, The Office, The 40-Year-Old Virgin); Jason Segel (Forgetting Sarah Marshall, How I Met Your Mother); and Julie Andrews (Shrek series, The Princess Diaries series).

Next year will also see the release of Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, based on a series of graphic novels by Bryan Lee O’Malley and starring Michael Cera (Arrested Development, Juno). The property’s licensing program will be based on the highly stylized, illustrative creative seen in the graphic novels. Categories open for licensing include apparel and accessories, electronics accessories, collectible figures, novelty, and stationery/social expressions.

Curious George will appear in a full-length movie on DVD this year, as well as a holiday special and a national live entertainment initiative. A new line of games from I Can Do That! Games launched exclusively at Target earlier this year, and wireless partner GOSUB 60 will offer several iPhone applications for the brand by year’s end. Universal is also introducing Curious Baby, an infant line that will feature design-driven, upscale, high-quality products with an emphasis on development. Initial categories available for licensing in the Curious Baby collection include layette, early developmental toys, gifts, nursery décor, and bath, feeding, and daily care essentials. The program’s color palette allows for boy-themed, girl-themed, and gender-neutral designs.

Inspired by the classic Universal film, The Wolfman, starring Benicio Del Toro, brings the myth of a cursed man back to its iconic origins. Releasing in November 2009, the film will be supported with product from Mezco, Rock Rebel, Rubie’s, and more.

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LICENSING SHOW 2009 BRAND SENSE PARTNERS Brando Enterprises appointed Brand Sense Partners (BSP) to handle all areas of the licensing and merchandising of the Marlon Brando name and likeness. Brand Sense will develop the Brando licensing program based upon the Brando Trustees’ personal commitment to the Brando family ensuring all commercial opportunities accurately and appropriately reflect Marlon Brando’s distinguished legacy, encompassing strategies that will serve to promote the actor’s life’s work, from his performances to his civil rights advocacy.

Dodge licensee Pacific Cycle adds a new youth ride-on vehicle to its lineup—the Dodge Charger Police Cruiser. This cruiser features working emergency flashing lights, siren sound effects, oversized chrome rims, a real working megaphone PA system, and electronic sound effects with police scanner Marlon Brando clips. The Dodge Charger Police Cruiser will be available at select Wal-Mart stores and online at www.walmart.com this fall. BSP will secure partners for Dodge in publishing, toys, games, interactive, apparel, and accessories.

SCI FI Ventures will develop partnerships with BSP across a range of categories, including games and toys, films, books, kids, and videos. BSP recently brokered a deal between SCI FI and Acclaim Games to jointly develop new-to-world massively multiplayer online roleplaying games, with plans to extend it to other platforms, products, and forms of media. Next month SCI FI will change its name to SyFy, enabling the brand to embrace a wider range of imagination-based entertainment beyond the traditional sci-fi genre, which will include fantasy, supernatural, paranormal, reality, mystery, action, and adventure. BSP looks to secure partners in publishing, toys, games, and consumer electronics.

COOKIE JAR ENTERTAINMENT Cookie Jar Entertainment, the global licensor for Strawberry Shortcake, signed new licensees in all major categories to reflect the brand’s new look, new world, and new storyline. Children’s Apparel Network is the master apparel licensee and will produce T-shirts, fashion apparel, daywear, and active wear to debut this fall. Additional new licensees include Saramax (sleepwear), MTC (outerwear), Berkshire Fashions (outerwear and cold weather accessories), Added Extras (HBA products), Penguin (publishing), Dalmatian Press (coloring/activity books), and Inzone (beverages). A new CGI DVD release, The Strawberry Shortcake Movie: The Sky’s the Limit, from Fox Home Entertainment will debut this fall.

Cookie Jar is once again partnering with NCircle Entertainment to release all new DVDs of its preschool series Hurray For Huckle!, based on the classic works of Richard Scarry. The first two DVDs were released in February, and the next DVD, The Best Outside Fun Ever!, will hit shelves this summer. A Halloween-themed DVD will be released in August, followed by The Mysterious Mysteries of Busytown in February 2010. Additional titles will be announced for release in 2010.

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MHS LICENSING MHS Licensing will introduce three new artists: Audrey Jeanne Roberts, Pamela Luer, and Sheree Burlington. Roberts gained national recognition for her elegant, vibrant watercolors and gouache that are often combined with original heart-touching sentiments. Mixing sophisticated patterns and backgrounds, intricate borders, and bold central images, Roberts creates a wide variety of imagery ranging from con- artwork from Audrey Jeanne Roberts temporary to seaside. The mission for Luer is to bring the beauty, elegance, and joy of fine art to everyday life. Luer’s creations celebrate the rhythm and beauty of the natural world by emphasizing its unique colors, textures, and patterns.

Burlington, creator of Museware Pottery, combines snarky one-liners, kiln-fired paint, and digital imagery. Her ability to express traditional sentiments with an edgy, contemporary voice, appeals to trendy and sophisticated consumers.

EyePet

TARGET ENTERTAINMENT GROUP Target Entertainment Group announced a PlayStation games deal. The UK-based production and rights management company signed an agreement with Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) in April to act as the consumer products agent for PlayStation software IPs in Europe and Australasia. Target is looking to sign prospective licensees across numerous categories for a range of titles including LittleBigPlanet, EyePet, WipEout, God of War, and Buzz! Target will also be looking for sub agents to work on the PlayStation account in Australia and across Europe.

Other properties include the boys’ action comedy series StormHawks, the family feature film The Nutcracker: The Real Story, and the preschool animation series Fluffy Gardens.

JAZWARES Jazwares expands its line of licensed products into youth electronics with licenses such as The Jonas Brothers, Miley Cyrus, Bakugan, and Ben 10 Alien Force. The product range will include MP4 players with video, USB flash memory drives, digital cameras, and other electronic accessories.

A licensing agreement between Jazwares and The Hershey Company grants Jazwares the rights to design and market a line of consumer electronics featuring Hershey’s brands, including Hershey’s Kisses, Jolly Rancher, Hershey’s Miniatures, Twizzlers, and Bubble Yum. The product range will include MP3 speakers, USB flash memory drives, digital cameras, and other electronic accessories.

Jazwares has been granted the master toy license for the animated film Planet 51. The product line will coincide with the movie’s release in November and will include action figures, vehicles, plush toys, and R/C toys.

MP4 player

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LICENSING SHOW 2009 HIGHLIGHTS

FOR

CHILDREN

Highlights for Children, Inc., hired Robin Sayetta as vice-president of licensing. Sayetta will manage the Highlights licensing program, guiding the development of Highlightsbranded toys, video games, apparel, board games, and puzzles, and connecting with partners who bring significant capabilities to the program and build on the substantial relationship the magazine has with children and families. Highlights offers rich content for the development of merchandise from Hidden Pictures and Fun with a Purpose puzzles to crafts and Goofus and Gallant.

GATOR GROUP LLC Gator Group (G8R, LLC) is a new full-service licensing agency offering a combination of seasoned licensing executives coupled with expertise in product design and manufacturing. Founded by several executives from global marketing services agency, Creata, including founder and CEO Geoff Rosenhain, Gator Group provides a wide range of services for a select group of strategic corporate partners. Clients will include a range of lifestyle, corporate, and entertainment brands. Gator Group specializes in licensing, including strategic planning, licensee negotiations, contract management, retail development, finance, and other services throughout the world. The company also handles product Tales for Tomorrow design and development; direct manufacturing; and marketing strategy and planning.

Gator Group is the worldwide licensing agent for fashion brand Paul Frank Industries, and manufactures a range of electronics accessories for Apple iPods, iPhones, and laptops. Gator Group also launched a new socially responsible soft toy line Tales 4 Tomorrow, which was created in partnership with Conservation International.

WARNER BROS. CONSUMER PRODUCTS Warner Bros. Consumer Products’ (WBCP) current slate of properties is anchored by the Harry Potter franchise, led by the next film in the series, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, which premieres this summer. Other properties include DC Comics’ Batman and the Cartoon Network series Batman: The Brave and The Bold, as well as Superman, Wonder Woman, Supergirl, Green Lantern, The Flash, and others.

Additionally, the Looney Tunes, Scooby-Doo, Hanna-Barbera, and the 70th anniversary of The Wizard of Oz get top billing.

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MARVEL ENTERTAINMENT, INC.

ALAN FINE, EXECUTIVE VICE-PRESIDENT, OFFICE OF THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE

Marvel Entertainment, Inc., promoted Alan Fine to executive vice-president, office of the chief executive. The appointment reflects Fine’s increased role in working across Marvel’s publishing, licensing, studio, and digital divisions to integrate activities and oversee brand-building programs throughout the company, as well as his increased role in the planning and development of the company’s animation and movie projects. Fine leads Marvel’s Creative Committee, which includes executives from Marvel’s publishing and studio divisions and provides counsel on the development of Marvel’s slate of feature films, television, online, and other entertainment initiatives. Fine joined Marvel in 1996 and was previously executive vice-president and chief marketing officer of Marvel Characters, Inc. He also served as CEO of Marvel’s toy and publishing divisions since 1998 and 2004, respectively. Fine will continue to serve as an officer of the company’s Marvel Characters B.V. subsidiary.

FOUR DOOR MEDIA

JON KRASSNY, DIRECTOR OF SALES AND LICENSING

Four Door Media, designer, manufacturer, and distributor of specialized computer-based products and accessories, named Jon Krassny to the position of director of sales and licensing.

Lending more than 20 years of experience in corporate trademark licensing, brand management, marketing, and sales, Krassny will lead efforts for securing new retail channels for Road Mice, an innovative line of car-shaped computer mice officially licensed by auto manufacturers, in addition to working with top auto manufacturers interested in creating official car mouse products. Prior to joining Four Door Media, Krassny worked at Equity Management Incorporated (EMI), providing professional management of corporate trademark licenses.

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BANDAI AMERICA, INC.

TOR SIRSET, VICE-PRESIDENT, MARKETING

Bandai America, Inc., appointed Tor Sirset as vice-president of marketing. Reporting directly to Mark Schaffner, executive vicepresident of toys, Sirset will apply his marketing and product development expertise to the company’s girls and preschool brands.

Bandai has engaged Sirset to create a new group within Bandai, focusing on new licensed and non-licensed brands for girls and preschoolers. He will leverage the company’s design and development resources in Japan, Europe, and the U.S. to create, launch, and market new product lines. Sirset comes to Bandai from Playmates Toys, where he served as vice-president of marketing and design for the girls and youth electronics division. Prior to that, Sirset gained industry recognition for successfully launching and sustaining top girls, kids, entertainment, and infant brands for Mattel, LeapFrog, and Playmates.

TOY INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION NEW BOARD OF DIRECTORS

The Toy Industry Association (TIA) elected five new members to its Board of Directors. The new members, whose terms began last month and expire in May 2011, include Joel Berger, president, Cardinal Industries, Inc.; Leigh Ann Brodsky, executive vice-president of consumer products, Nickelodeon Consumer Products; John Gessert, president/CEO, American Plastic Toys, Inc.; Peter Henseler, president, Learning Curve Brands, Inc.; and Jeffrey Katz, president/CEO and chairman, LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc. Al Verrecchia, chairman of Hasbro, Inc., will continue as chairman of the board through May 2010. Current board member Jim Engle, president of Little Kids, Inc., joins the Executive Committee as secretary-treasurer. He will serve a oneyear term that will expire in May 2010. Rounding out the Executive Committee are vice-chairman and TIA chairman-elect, Bryan Stockton, executive vice-president, international of Mattel, Inc.; TIA member-at-large Jamie Gallagher, CEO of FaberCastell USA/Creativity for Kids; and TIA member-at-large James Pressman, president of Pressman Toy Corporation.

WANNA BET?

Across

Down

Answers on page 86

1. See memorabilia from your favorite movies

1. Visitors can enjoy the cabaret after visiting the Eiffel Tower

4. Get your tan on at the Garden of the Gods Oasis

5. Nobu and The Pink Taco are housed here

3. King Tut himself would choose this hotel and casino 7. Empire State Building, Tugboats, Lady Liberty 9. Watch the volcano blow every night 10. Watch the Dancing Fountains here

11. Plays host to the 2009 International Licensing Expo

2. Beautiful ladies lure pirates to Siren’s Cove here 6. Enjoy a gondola ride with a singing gondolier

8. Favorite of Hollywood’s “Pop Tarts” and home of the Ghost Bar Nightclub

Guess Who?

This licensing exec has put together action figure deals for fire-ball hurling hand-tohand fighters, female explorers in form-fitting shorts, hordes of mutant

zombies, and, perhaps most notably, himself! He worked at Disney and at Viacom before launching his own company in 2002. Who is he?

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JULY

23–26

Comic-Con

comic-con.org

San Diego Convention Center

San Diego

8–10

Gourmet Housewares Show

thegourmetshow.com

Moscone Center

San Francisco

31–9/2

MAGIC Marketplace

magiconline.com

Las Vegas Convention Center

Las Vegas

A UG UST

14–20

New York Home Textiles Market Week

S EPTEMBER

13–16

30–10/1

ABC Kids Expo

Brand Licensing Europe

O CTOBER

nyhometextilesmarketweek.com

Jacob Javits Convention Center

New York City

theabcshow.com

Las Vegas Convention Center

Las Vegas

brandlicensingeurope.com

The Grand Hall, Olympia

London

5–9

MIPCOM

mipcom.com

Palais Des Festivals

Cannes, France

17–22

High Point Market

ihfc.com

International Home Furnishings Complex

High Point, NC

6–9

22–25

Fall Toy Preview iHobby Expo

N OVEMBER

3–5

15–17

SEMA/AAPEX PLMA

toyassociation.org ihobbyexpo.com aapexshow.com plma.com

Dallas Market Center

Donald E. Stephens Convention Center Sands Expo Center

Rosemont Convention Center

Solutions to Puzzles on Page 85

Dallas

Rosemont, IL

Las Vegas Chicago

Marc Mostman is the founder and president of Most

Management, launched in 2002. Most Management has

created full-scale merchandising programs for properties ranging from classic children’s brands such as Disney, to

television shows (Star Trek, Doctor Who), animation

(Astro Boy, Mega Man), movies (Twilight), video games (Resident Evil, Street Fighter, Tomb Raider), and comic

books (The Crow). The action figure of Mostman shown here was produced by NECA. The limited line of 300 figures were used as trade show handouts.

Prior to founding Most Management, Mostman served at Viacom

Consumer Products as executive director of domestic licensing. Mostman

also served at The Walt Disney Company, overseeing business development in the online/interactive marketplace for Disney Interactive.

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by Christopher Byrne

POSTED

BELOW IS A SAMPLING OF WHAT

AMERICAN

FAVORITE ALL-TIME CARTOON CHARACTERS 2009 Source: About.com 1. Bugs Bunny 2. Homer Simpson 3. Mickey Mouse 4. Bart Simpson 5. Charlie Brown 6. Fred Flintstone 7. The Grinch 8. Popeye 9. Wile E. Coyote 10. Rocky & Bullwinkle 11. SpongeBob SquarePants 12. Eric Cartman 13. Daffy Duck 14. Porky Pig 15. Scooby-Doo & Shaggy

TOP DOWNLOADED KINDLE BOOKS, MAY 6, 2009

Source: Amazon.com 1. The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan 2. Dead and Gone (Sookie Stackhouse, book 9)

by Charlaine Harris 3. Liberty and Tyranny: A Conservative Manifesto

by Mark R. Levin 4. Breaking Dawn (Twilight series, book 4)

by Stephenie Meyer 5. The Shack by William P. Young 6. Eclipse (Twilight series, book 3) by Stephenie Meyer 7. Master Your Metabolism by Jillian Michaels 8. First Family by David Baldacci 9. New Moon (Twilight series, book 2)

by Stephenie Meyer 10. The Alchemyst by Michael Scott

CONSUMERS ARE INTERESTED IN THIS MONTH .

TOP-RATED NETWORK PRIME-TIME SHOWS, APRIL 20–27

Source: Nielsen Media Research Show • Network • Viewers 1. American Idol (Wednesday) • Fox • 24 million 2. American Idol (Tuesday) • Fox • 24 million 3. Dancing with the Stars • ABC • 20.5 million 4. Dancing with the Stars (results) • ABC • 14.7 million 5. CSI • CBS • 14.6 million 6. Criminal Minds Special • CBS • 13.7 million 7. Desperate Housewives • ABC • 13.6 million 8. Grey’s Anatomy • ABC • 13.5 million 9. NCIS Special • CBS • 12.6 million 10. The Mentalist Special • CBS • 12.4 million

ALL-TIME TOP-GROSSING FILMS IN THE U.S.

Source: Movieweb.com 1. Titanic (1997) $600.8 million 2. The Dark Knight (2008) $533.2 million 3. Star Wars Episode IV—A New Hope (1977) $461 million 4. Shrek 2 (2004) $437.2 million 5. E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (1982) $435 million 6. Star Wars: Episode I—The Phantom Menace (1999) $431.1 million 7. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest (2006) $423.4 million 8. Spider-Man (2002) $407.7 million 9. Star Wars: Episode III—Revenge of the Sith (2005) $380.3 million 10. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) $377 million

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