tfe LICENSING
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Brand Licensing Europe 2019
The pan-European event of the year for everything licensing- and brand-related kicks off its 21st event this year, now housed in a new location—ExCel London—with new features and more than 260 exhibitors ready to take meetings. The event will even feature a first-ever Gaming & eSports Activation in partnership with PowerStation Studios. Below is just a small taste of what you can expect to see this year.
Acamar Films
Following its show debut in 2018, Acamar Films returns with its award-winning preschool show Bing. The London-based independent production company will use BLE as a platform to update the industry on the strategic growth plan that is now rolling out to secure Bing’s place as a top preschool property in key markets across the globe. Acamar Films’ CEO Mikael Shields will also be part of the animation keynote panel at noon on Wednesday, October 2. Bing launched on CBeebies in 2014, and continues to be a top-rated show on the network in the UK. Full-year ratings for 2018 confirmed it as the No. 1 preschool program on BBC iPlayer. Bing is also conquering new markets including Italy where the launch of official consumer products and location-based entertainment earlier this year aided its growth. Major investment in digital, including Acamar Films establishing its own in-house YouTube studio in 2018, has seen YouTube watch-time minutes of Bing content exceed 3 billion and demand for official licensed consumer products grow. This digital focus will now extend to e-commerce with announcements to be made at the show. Adapted for TV from the original books by Ted Dewan, Bing is a celebration of the joyful, messy reality of preschool life.
68 tfe Licensing October 2019
AKD Emotions NY (formerly Sunrights)
Sunrights, the U.S. subsidiary of d-rights and brand manager for Beyblade, has rebranded as ADK Emotions NY, effective October 1. This follows the announcement in Japan of a merger between d-rights, a Tokyo-based production and management company specializing in animation IP, and ADK Emotions, a Tokyo-based content and rights management company and subsidiary of ADK Holdings, also effective October 1. Corus Entertainment will run season four of the animated action series Beyblade Burst Rise on Teletoon in Canada. In the latest season, legendary Blader Valt Aoi has been training the next generation of elite Bladers at Spain’s BC Sol. One day, rookie Blader Dante Koryu witnesses Valt unleashing his newly-evolved Gamma Bey, Sword Valtryek. To Dante’s surprise, Valtryek radiates a golden light as it rockets around the stadium. Inspired by the limitless possibilities of this Hyper-Flux state, Dante seeks to achieve the same bond with his Bey, Dragon. Here begins the story of Dante and Dragon’s rise to the peak of the Blading world. The Beyblade Burst line continues to innovate with a new battle system: Beyblade Burst Hypersphere. Hasbro’s newest toy line will feature specialized performance tips that enable tops to climb the vertical wall of the Beyblade Burst Hypersphere Beystadium, speed along the brink, and drop in on opponents for battles. The new GT chips also take Beyblade Burst Hypersphere top customization and gameplay to the next level. Beyblade Burst fans can expand their play digitally by scanning the codes on the tops’ energy layers to unleash the tops in battle and mix and match their components in the Beyblade Burst app. The line will be available early 2020, while Beyblade Burst Slingshock product will also be available in major retailers across western markets. Beyblade Burst also continues to bring more tournaments and demonstrations to fans around the globe. Earlier this year, fans battled it out on an international tour across France, Spain, Canada, Germany, and the U.S.